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Condoleezza Rice Addresses Russia-Georgia Conflict; Arkansas Democratic Party Chair Shot

Aired August 13, 2008 - 15:00   ET

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

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: In case you're just joining us, it is the top of the hour. You're watching the CNN NEWSROOM with Don Lemon and Brianna Keilar.
This is all coming to us from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, two workers reported hanging from a scaffolding at 2201 North Ocean Boulevard. It is a hotel, the Ocean Mist Hotel, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. One man -- of the window-washers, has already been rescued from about five floors higher than this person. The highest floor believed here was the 14th floor where they were trapped when this window-washing platform gave way.

The second person you're watching being rescued by the fire department there, about four or five floors below the other person, appears to be somewhat tangled in his harness. And firefighters are working feverishly there to try to get him inside of that window.

Also up on the roof, you see rescuers trying to help out as well. Not exactly sure what's going on, if they're trying to loosen that rope a little bit, so that they can get him inside of that window without actually releasing the entire harness there, safety harness. But that's what's going on in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

We're following this developing story. Of course, we want to make sure, Brianna, that this person is rescued safely before we move away from the story.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, and it appears -- and it's really difficult to see exactly what the crew is trying to accomplish here, but it looks as if they have -- they're actually attaching one of these rescue members to some sort of rope line.

LEMON: And they may be lowering him down.

KEILAR: And you can see this top rope line to the right side of those two men on the right side of the screen. That, I believe, is the rope to that leads to the harness of this second window-washer.

LEMON: Which is very interesting, because he is so close to that window. It's so close to what looks like a rescue and then the ladder as well, and just shy of standing on top of that ladder and just shy of really being inside of the window.

So, this is the situation that's playing out live for us today here in the NEWSROOM in Fort Lauderdale. And, as we said, you can only imagine what this guy and what the other person has gone through with this.

KEILAR: I bet he's feeling a whole lot better because the fire and rescue team is there.

LEMON: So, someone now descending from the side of this building, Brianna, as you so rightly indicated.

(CROSSTALK)

KEILAR: It looks like a member of the fire rescue team there about to rappel down the side of this building.

Obviously, even though this man is near the window, obviously, they have decided it's a safety risk to try to get him down that far. This harness that he's attached to goes over his upper legs. It's going over his shoulders. So, he's very much in that harness. And obviously the clip or whatever to get him out of it, they don't feel as if they can either, one, access, or that they can access it and keep him safely.

So, this member of the Fort Lauderdale Fire Department rappelling down the side of this hotel, the Ocean Mist Hotel just on North Ocean Boulevard. This is opposite -- if you were to turn the cameras around, you would see the beach. This is a hotel right there on the beach in Fort Lauderdale.

And so, a number of units responding to this. They have, again, rescued already one window-washer there in Fort Lauderdale. It appears this man, who is dangling about at the -- well, this is the rescuer. But he is going down to the window-washer, who is dangling around the 14th floor, a window-washing platform. Maybe a handful of floors above that is where he and another window-washer were when obviously it collapsed maybe on one side, because we have seen it dangling vertically, instead of horizontally.

LEMON: We are watching this from several vantage points here, different routers in the CNN NEWSROOM.

And, of course, we want to thank our affiliates in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, WPLG and WSVN, for bringing us these live pictures. And you're watching a rescue person descend down the side of a building. How often do you see that on television? In order to rescue a window-washer whose platform somehow gave way. But the safety harness worked and kept him attached. And now they're trying to get him out of that safety harness and back to safety either on that ladder that firefighters have raised to get to the window or inside of the window.

LEMON: OK. If you want to follow this, go to CNN.com/live and we will have the very latest for you in a just little bit in the CNN NEWSROOM.

KEILAR: Let's get now to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice talking about the Georgia/Russia conflict.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS) CONDOLEEZZA RICE, U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: Russia must now end its military operations.

There are concerning reports from around Georgia that Russia has not, in fact, in accordance with the pledge that it took to the French presidency, to President Sarkozy, that Russia has not ended its military operations. Those operations must stop and must stop now.

You also know that the president has asked Secretary Gates to oversee a humanitarian mission that will be continuous and robust, led by the American military. We expect that Russia will respect the humanitarian nature of that mission and that ports, sea lanes, air routes will all be open for humanitarian purposes, another pledge that Russia has undertaken to the French.

And you know as well that I am going to leave this evening, first to meet with the French president and other members of the French government in France, and then I will fly on to Tbilisi to underscore the strong support of the United States for the Georgian people and for their democratically elected government.

And with that, I will take your questions.

QUESTION: So far, the Russians have either already violated a cease-fire or appear to, as both you and the president have said today. If that's the case, why is today's response humanitarian aid and further diplomatic outreach? Isn't the time -- hasn't the time come for you to say or do something that carries a larger threat?

And, secondly, on behalf of the State Department Correspondents Association, we strongly urge you to take a full complement of reporters with you on a very important trip. Thank you.

RICE: Thank you. And I will leave the matter of travel arrangements to my chief of staff, who's sitting right there. You can assault him after this briefing.

We're doing our best. There are logistical difficulties because of the rapidity with which we've decided to do this, and so we'll do our very best.

As to the first question, if, indeed, Russia is violating a cease-fire -- and I have to say that the reports are not encouraging about Russia's respect for this cease-fire, for the pledge that it undertook -- that will only serve to deepen the isolation into which Russia is moving.

It will only serve to deepen the very strong, growing sense that Russia is not behaving like the kind of international partner that it has said that it wants to be.

And it's very clear to me that the consequences of that, which are already quite significant, because the way that Russia has brutally pushed this military operation well beyond the bounds of anything that might have related to South Ossetia, calls into question Russia's suitability for all kinds of activities that it has said that it wants to be a part of. And so we'll get to that matter in due course.

Right now, the key is to remind Russia that it has an obligation to stop its military activities, remind Russia that it is not to further engage in activities that threaten the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia, that it should drop the language concerning the democratically elected government of Georgia that has been thrown -- thrown around by some Russian officials, and that it's time to -- to stop this so that Russia can begin to dig out of the hole that it's gotten itself into.

QUESTION: Madam Secretary, why aren't you going to Moscow? What does it serve -- if you're in the region, why wouldn't you go and try to pass the U.S. message along to the Russian leaders?

RICE: Well, I'm going to France, because we support very strongly the European presidency, which is France, in its mediation efforts. I think it's best that those mediation efforts now be in the hands of the French. We'll continue to support those.

I was this morning on the telephone with Sergey Lavrov, my counterpart from Russia. And we have open communication to the Russian government, and we're communicating at very many different levels and through very many different channels our concerns and our insistence that Russia live up to the obligations that it undertook just 24 hours ago.

QUESTION: But how can you be an honest broker in the conflict when the Russians see you as too close to the Georgians? I think Lavrov said today that, you know, for the United States, Georgia is their special project.

RICE: Georgia is a democratic government in the Caucasus that has elected its leaders. To call it a project of any place, of anybody perhaps belies more about the way Russia thinks about its neighbors than the way it thinks about U.S. policy.

QUESTION: President Saakashvili said today that America is losing the entire region. He went on to say that the U.S. made a major mistake by issuing too soft a statement from Washington early on that really gave Russia the green light to go ahead.

And just secondly, if I may, Senators Obama and McCain have been having conversations with leaders in Georgia and Russia, as well. Does that help or hurt?

RICE: I have also been having conversations with Senators Obama and McCain. And I know that they are, at this moment of difficult diplomacy, that they are doing what they can to support the efforts of the administration.

Secondly, as to President Saakashvili, I was just on the phone with him. He welcomed the president's statement. I think, if you look back a couple of days, you'll note that the United States was calling very early for a cease-fire, calling for forces to withdraw to the August 6th lines. We were at the Security Council already at the end of last week, just 24 hours or so after the major military operations began, and making a very strong statement, if you will look at what Zal Khalilzad said.

And even the statements that were made before that, I don't think you can have any doubt but that the United States has, from the very beginning, believed that the South Ossetian situation needed to be resolved and resolved peacefully, as we've been working for months and months and months to do, but that Russia seriously overreached, that Russia engaged in activities that could not possibly be associated simply with the crisis in South Ossetia.

Bombing civilian targets -- or bombing targets outside the zone of conflict, some of which have civilian uses, the activities in Gori, the activities at Poti, destruction of Georgian infrastructure, these are hardly moves that are related to South Ossetia.

So I think you will see that the United States has been saying that. We were also in very, very close contact with our European allies to try to get this mediation arranged last week.

Let me just, on the question of honest broker that you asked -- I'm sorry I didn't answer that question -- look, the honest thing to do here is to call it as you see it. And what we see is that what has been a longstanding and somewhat volatile conflict did, in fact, boil over.

That could have been handled, but now Russia has pushed this well beyond the bounds of the conflict in South Ossetia. That's what the president was reacting to today. That is why people are questioning the nature of the ongoing relationship with Russia. That's why people are talking about consequences for the kind of relationship that Russia has wished to build with the international community.

QUESTION: Sergey Lavrov also said that the U.S. must choose between supporting the Georgian government and a partnership with Russia on international issues, meaning that -- meaning that you shouldn't count anymore on Russia's support on Iran, for an example.

(CROSSTALK)

RICE: Well, I'm not going to put words in Sergey Lavrov's mouth, but let me say this. It's striking to me that anyone would believe that Russia is involved in trying to keep Iran from getting the nuclear technologies that could lead to a nuclear weapon as a favor to the United States.

If, indeed, Russia is interested in a Middle East that is stable, if, indeed, Russia is interested in a Middle East in which the kinds of activities that we have promoted together in the quartet are going to have any chance, then clearly it's not going to be a Middle East in which there's an Iran with a nuclear weapon.

And I think that's why Russia is involved in efforts to stop Iran from violating the Security Council resolutions that have been passed. Similarly on North Korea, I don't think Iran -- I don't think the Russians want an unstable Korean peninsula. So let's be very clear whose interests are being served by the partnership that Russia and the United States have engaged in on Iran or North Korea. Again, it's not a favor to the United States.

And as to choosing, the United States has made very clear that it is standing by the democratically elected government of Georgia.

This is a small neighbor of Russia. It is a country that has made considerable progress, in terms of its economy. It is still trying to secure its democratic institutions. And we've worked with Georgia on that.

But if anyone had any doubts about our support for Georgia, you only have to look at the fact that it's a Millennium Challenge country, which is one of the most important designations that the United States can make, that we believe in the future of that country.

QUESTION: Yes, Madam Secretary, I have two questions. First, the Georgian president has said in the afternoon that the U.S. forces will control the airports and the ports in Georgia.

Second, do you have any reaction on the establishing diplomatic relations between Syria and Lebanon?

RICE: Well, on the latter, we have long stood for the normalization of relations between Syria and Lebanon on the basis of equality and respect for Lebanese sovereignty.

One of the steps that has long been required is the establishment of a proper embassy for Syria in Lebanon and vice versa. Now, if the Syrians will go ahead and demarcate the border between Lebanon and Syria, and respect Syria's sovereignty in other ways, then this will have proved to be a very good step.

As to the first question, the -- I think that the president was very clear about the nature of this mission. It is a humanitarian mission. We expect the air routes, the land routes, the sea routes to be open for humanitarian activities.

But I think the Pentagon has already responded, noting that it is not the intention of the United States in some way to take control of facilities, port facilities or the like.

QUESTION: Ms. Rice, the Russians are saying that, by facilitating the return of Georgian troops from Iraq, you're really involved in the conflict. How do you respond to that?

RICE: We had an agreement with Georgia at the time of the Georgian deployment of its forces to Iraq that, if the Georgian government requested their return for purposes that Georgia deemed a priority, that we would do so, we would facilitate that. And so we carried through on our agreement.

The point that I made to my Russian counterpart and that others made is that, if there's a cease-fire, as there should be and as Russia has said it has stopped its military operations, then the return of those forces should be no concern to anyone. So we were simply living up to an agreement.

QUESTION: Madam Secretary, thank you. Today is a day of national mourning in Russia for the losses incurred in the regional aggression in South Ossetia by the Georgians. You well know that. Can you acknowledge the losses?

And, also, it has been reported that, before the war, the U.S. was urging the Georgians not to -- not to respond to provocations, not to do anything rash, so we all know what the Georgians did ultimately. So how did it happen?

Did you -- by the way, did you delegate responsibility, as has been reported, to junior staffers? Or, before the war, did the Georgians listen to you and did their own thing, did not follow your suggestions? Or were the real suggestions different from what you said publicly?

RICE: First of all, I am very sorry for any loss of innocent life in any part of the zone of conflict in Georgia or in any other area surrounding this conflict. That is one reason that it is so important to end the fighting.

The Georgians some time ago agreed to a cease-fire and to the withdrawal of their troops back to the August 6th lines. Russia needs to do the same, and it needs to honor the agreement that it made with the French president.

As to the U.S. diplomacy concerning this conflict, you must understand that this has been a volatile area for some time. It has been volatile now for more than a decade.

And what we have tried to do is to propose and to push any number of peace plans -- there was a Georgian peace plan for South Ossetia that the United States tried to press.

I myself was there in Georgia to try to put together elements of a peace plan with Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the German foreign minister, to try to solve that conflict, because I think we all recognize that there was volatility in this region, there was a lot of back-and-forth in this region, and that it was a dangerous situation.

Now, as I said, this is something that, had it been about South Ossetia, could have been resolved within certain limits. Russian peacekeepers were in the area. That is true. And Russia initially said it needed to act to protect its peacekeepers and its people.

But what Russia has done is well beyond anything that anyone could say is for the protection of those people and for those peacekeepers. Indeed, by prolonging the conflict, the innocents in the area are in greater danger.

And so, again, what would be very useful and is absolutely necessary at this point -- and, indeed, the United States insists that Russia live up to the obligations that it took just 24 hours ago to end its military operations.

QUESTION: But, Madam Secretary, many people in Russia would say what you did after 9/11 was really disproportionate to the threat and to the actual loss that you incurred. So the Russians are trying to ensure the security of their forces, and their citizens, and their peacekeepers. And they are moving, they are creating a buffer zone. What's wrong with that? Why can you do this in Iraq?

RICE: I am not going to sit here and judge each Russian military operation. I am going to say that, when you start bombing ports, and threatening to bomb airfields, and bombing a city like Gori, and bringing troops in a flanking maneuver on the western flank of Georgia, and tying up the main roads between Georgia -- between Tbilisi and Gori, that's well beyond anything that is needed to protect Russian peacekeepers.

And that is why Russia is starting to face international condemnation for what it is doing. This is not 1968 and the invasion of Czechoslovakia, where Russia can threaten its neighbors, occupy a capital, overthrow a government, and get away with it. Things have changed.

And so what Russia, I think, is seeing is that, to the degree that this is about South Ossetia, about even Abkhazia, let's accept that it is time to move the forces back.

Let's accept that it is time, first, to end the fighting, move the forces back to August 6th, and then have an international mediation to try to resolve these conflicts within the context of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia.

I fully recognize that the people of South Ossetia and the people of Abkhazia have concerns, even grievances, and they can be addressed within international mediation. And the United States has stood very strongly for the proper treatment of minorities.

LEMON: OK. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, of course, speaking now, talking about the conflict in -- going on in Georgia.

And what she said, that Russia is facing international condemnation now, and that they have gone well beyond what is considered protection for peacekeepers.

So, the secretary of state speaking at the State Department just moments ago. You're watching that.

If you want to go and continue to watch that press conference, you can go to CNN.com/live. There you see it right there next to me.

Now let's take a step back and give you a look at what has happened just in the past several hours.

Cease-fire? Well, it doesn't look like a cease-fire, though we haven't heard of any shots fired today in the Black Sea nation of Georgia. President Bush speaking today at the White House says he is skeptical about Russia's claim that yesterday's cease-fire agreement is being honored.

Also, the president announced a humanitarian aid mission is already up and running to help the Georgian people. At least one military cargo plane loaded with supplies has landed in the capital city of Tbilisi.

Earlier today, Russian tanks moved out of the Georgian city of Gori, towards Tbilisi, the capital, but then turned away.

CNN senior international correspondent Matthew Chance rode with that convoy.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, these are dramatic developments here in Georgia, where the column of Russian military vehicles advancing towards the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, before veering off to the north and settling in a location about 50 kilometers, 30 miles or so, from the Georgian capital.

There's a great deal of concern about what was intended by the Russians by this. It's the first time in this conflict they have really broken out this far from the conflict zone of South Ossetia and pushed deep into Georgian territory. It shows just how freely the Russians are able to move now about this country. There was absolutely no resistance from the Georgian forces, not a shot fired, as Russian forces pushed into Georgian territory.

One of the situations that this could be a part of is Russia forming some kind of buffer zone, some kind of military exclusion zone around the territory of South Ossetia. The Kremlin says that's important to establish -- to prevent Georgian forces from carrying out any attacks on South Ossetia in the future.

But the big concern here in Tbilisi tonight is that this could be a first step in a Russian advance on the Georgian capital. That hasn't happened, but it's certainly something that's worrying a lot of people in Georgia's capital.

Matthew Chance, CNN, Tbilisi, Georgia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KEILAR: The chairman of the Arkansas Democratic Party is said to be in critical condition after he was shot at the party's headquarters in Little Rock.

Authorities say that a man walked into the building, started firing. Party chairman Bill Gwatney was shot and then rushed to a Little Rock hospital. Police say that the suspect fled the scene and was shot while being apprehended. No word on the suspect's condition.

But we're getting reaction from people in the Democratic Party. IN a statement, Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean saying -- quote -- "This senseless tragedy comes as a shock to all of us. Our thoughts and prayers go out to chairman Gwatney and his family. And we pray for his full and speedy recovery. While the investigation of the shooting continues, and our primary concern remains with Bill and his family, we commend the courageous and speedy action of law enforcement officials in apprehending the suspect."

And a statement just in from Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton Bill Clinton that says: "We are stunned and shaken by today's shooting at the Arkansas Democratic Party, where our good friend and fellow Democrat, Bill Gwatney, was critically wounded." It goes on to say, "Bill is not only a strong American of Arkansas' Democratic Party, but he is also a cherished friend and confidant. Our thoughts and prayers are with Bill and his family today. And we wish him a quick recovery."

We will continue to follow this story, bring you any updates that we have on the condition of Bill Gwatney, chairman of Arkansas' Democratic Party, or on the suspect in the shooting.

LEMON: Absolutely. This story still is unfolding today in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Also this, a Kentucky community opens its heart to help a teenage girl who is girl battling cancer. Now thieves have snatched a donation jar filled with money for the girl and her family. We will tell you how it happened.

KEILAR: Eric Shanteau, despite incredible odds, he battled his way to Beijing, and he got his moment in the Olympic spotlight.

And is it a trick of the light on the red planet? Why some are saying that shadow is there. It could be evidence of life on Mars. Didn't we see this before?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: All right. Developing news into the CNN NEWSROOM. You watched it. If you were watching us you saw it all unfold live. You saw one of these window washers being rescued in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Just dangling there from a platform. That's the first person to be rescued. A second man about five floors. That was the fourteenth floor, by the way. A second man about five floors lower than that had to be rescued as well. Had problems getting his harness off. But we are hearing from our affiliates that everything is OK. Except we are not sure -- there's the guy at the bottom.

He's just next to the "just in" on our screen. There's the guy at the bottom of that scaffolding or platform. And he was hanging there and had his safety harness. They had some trouble getting it off. Had to put another one on him and cut this one off. We're checking on the injuries. If we get that within the next couple of minutes, we'll bring it to you right here in the CNN NEWSROOM. But all appears to be well.

KEILAR: A small town in Arkansas is expanding its controversial fight against violent crime. Last night, the Helena-West Helena City Council voted unanimously to broaden a 24-hour curfew for minors. The no go zone is expanding from the current 10 blocks to other parts of the city. The mayor says drastic measures are needed because of drug related shootings and other crime. But the American Civil Liberties Union says the curfew tramples citizen' rights. Officials, though, undeterred by that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HOLLY DICKSON, ARKANSAS ACLU: They feel they have a right. They do intend to continue to saturate and question everyone who happens to be in an area. But that is the unconstitutional nature of it.

MAYOR JAMES VALLEY, HELENA-WEST HELENA, ARKANSAS: We are not particularly concerned about the ACLU's approach. Because we're trying to do a lawful job of making people safe. It's a difficult job to do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEILAR: The mayor says the issue will be taken up again next month. The first three days netted more than 30 arrests in the town of just 15,000.

And a similar story in Hartford, Connecticut where an emergency curfew for minors starts tomorrow. This prompted in part by a shooting that left one person dead and six children hurt over the weekend. One of those victims a seven-year-old shot in the head. Here to the ACLU calling the curfew illegal but Hartford's mayor says he's only trying to protect children.

LEMON: The conflict in Georgia, bombs and bullets and also deaths, sadly, is half a world away. But the link is heartbreakingly strong for Georgian-born people living here in the U.S. One of them is the starting center for the NBA's Atlanta Hawks. Zaza Pachulia on watching his homeland struggle. That's coming up.

KEILAR: And in China, a peaceful protest turns not so much when the police show up. We'll have the story without the hand in your face.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: All right. Time to tell you some of the stories we're working on for you today in the CNN NEWSROOM. One is a developing story unfolding right now. We've got new information from the Associated Press. The chairman of the Arkansas Democratic Party has been shot and critically injured at the party headquarters in Little Rock.

DNC chairman Howard Dean has issued a statement that confirms that Bill Gwatney was injured in the incident. Also a suspect was shot and taken into custody. And we are learning from the Associated Press, this is what they are reporting, that the suspect has died. CNN is working to confirm this latest information. We'll bring that to you as we get it in the CNN NEWSROOM. President Bush says he expects Russia to withdraw its forces from the Republic of Georgia. But he says he is concerned that Russia may be violating a cease fire. He's sending secretary of state Condoleezza Rice to the region to express U.S. support for the Georgian government.

KEILAR: Well, it's not a declared war but really looks like one. Rolling tanks, dropping bombs and thousands reported dead. It's distressing enough to watch the Georgia-Russia conflict unfold from a distance. But for Georgian expatriates around the world, this is their homeland turned tragically upside down. And joining me right now Zaza Pachulia, a center for the Atlanta Hawks born 24 years ago in Tbilisi, Georgia.

You were supposed to go back to Georgia for the Georgian National Games next week. You're not going to be able to go.

ZAZA PACHULIA, GEORGIAN-BORN NBA PLAYER: No, not right now because of the situation. Everyone knows what's going on in Georgia. We still have to play in the European qualification, European championship. But I talked to some guys that were over there working out early and the tournament starts. Nobody knows what's going on. Everyone is kind of focused on the political situation in Georgia.

KEILAR: Your family is there. When was the last time you were able to speak to them? What have they been telling you?

PACHULIA: Of course, I spoke to them several times a day. Of course, I'm very nervous. This is the most stressful days I've ever had in my life. Especially I'm so far from my country, from my family, from my friends. It's very sad. And I'm trying to do my best to help them and motivate them.

KEILAR: So at this point, Russian troops do not appear to be heading towards Tbilisi. They haven't gone to Tbilisi. It hasn't suffered the military operations that the city of Gori has suffered. But is that your fear? And is that the fear of your family, that the Russian military will head for Tbilisi, the capital?

PACHULIA: Gori is half an hour from Tbilsi, it's very close. When I talked to my friends, they sleep with their clothes on. They never know what's going to happen. You know, so Gori is so close to Tbilsi. They end up being ready for anything, you know. I can't imagine how stressful and how big a pressure it is on them.

KEILAR: Zaza, did you or did any of your friends anticipate that someone like this could happen?

PACHULIA: Well, I hoped not. You know, honestly, I want that to mention because of my age, a lot of my friends were on the front line.

KEILAR: In the Georgian military?

PACHULIA: In Georgia. Yes. With some of them, I found some of them, I contacted some of them over the phone. Some of them, I don't know what's going on with them. So it's a really crazy situation. KEILAR: For a lot of people, Georgia seems so far away. Obviously not the case for you. But if you were to communicate it to our viewers or even to your teammates, would you explain to them why it's important for the U.S. to pay attention to what's going on?

PACHULIA: It's very important. First of all, with the U.S. being involved, like they are involved today, there will be no war and there will be peace in the country. That's a very important thing, I think, you know. It's not only about Georgia. The whole world don't want to see war. So obviously the U.S. is a huge country. They have a huge impact in the world. So it's very important for them to be aggressive and stop the war and stop Russian aggression.

KEILAR: And how are you doing? I know your team's being very supportive.

PACHULIA: Definitely. I've been in the Atlanta Hawks for four years. I have a very good relationship with the owners and my teammates and the coaching staff and teammates. Everybody is supporting me and trying to motivate me, you know. Everybody is asking me if I need any help, they would do it. That means a lot to me.

KEILAR: Zaza, thanks so much for joining us today.

PACHULIA: Thank you.

KEILAR: Zaza Pachulia, center for the Hawks from Tblisi, Georgia. Thanks for sharing.

PACHULIA: Thanks for having me.

LEMON: Freedom of speech, freedom of protest in China. Afraid not. Especially not when the world is watching. This scene played out in Beijing this morning. Seven Americans and one Japanese protester trying to stage a free Tibet protest. They didn't get very far. Chinese police shut them down and arrested them, as well as the man who shot this video.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOHN RAY, ITN REPORTER: These people are arresting me. I've been arrested by the Chinese police for trying to cover the protest here. I was inside the park. I was physically manhandled to the ground and dragged out. And then three or four more police came, wrestled me into the restaurant here and have taken my shoes off me and taken my equipment bag. They've taken all the equipment I've got. They have wouldn't tell me why I've been arrested. Are you arresting me? I want to talk. I want to talk.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

RAY: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

RAY: I'm a journalist.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: John Ray was later released. He said police let him go after asking him about his views on Tibet. A police spokesman says he was mistaken as an activist.

KEILAR: Utah's government has shifted to a four-day week. But does it work for the employees? Two working moms with two really different takes.

LEMON: No small change for a couple of thieves caught on camera stealing a donation jar from a sick child.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: We have breaking news into the CNN NEWSROOM and it involves the wife of presidential hopeful John McCain. Cindy McCain has been taken to the hospital in suburban Michigan, suburban Detroit complaining of pain in her hand. This is just coming in. The CNN political bureau confirming this. The wife of Republican presidential nominee John McCain taken to Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan after complaining of pain in one of her hands at a fundraising event in West Bloomfield.

John McCain, of course, will hold a press conference shortly, but not exactly related to this. He may comment on that. We're not exactly sure how serious this is. All our political team is hearing, this involves pain in her hand. She had to go to the hospital. "THE SITUATION ROOM" starts in about 12 minutes. They will follow all the breaking developments when it comes to this. When we get new information while we're on the air, we'll bring that to you. Cindy McCain taken to the hospital, complaining of pain in one of her hands.

Hispanics are the fastest-growing segment of U.S. population. Yet a quarter of them don't see a doctor regularly. A new study from the Pew Hispanic Center finds it's not because they don't have insurance. A lot of them actually do. It's largely because many are young and healthy. Now, others choose to go to a spiritual healer instead according to the study.

LEMON: Well, CNN's John Zarrella has been taking a look at the pluses and minuses of a four-day workweek. It's being implemented more and more places. Last hour, we heard from some Utah State employees who were unanimously thrilled with their new schedules. Everybody liked it. For two working moms though, it's more of a split decision.

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JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Utah's state government believes it can save $3 million a year by going to a four-day workweek. But just as important as the savings it how it affects employees. We spent some time with two who have similar issues but very different views.

(voice-over): Carolyn Dennis and Mylitta Barrett ...

MYLITTA BARRETT, WORKING MOTHER: And I leave and get to work by 7:00.

ZARRELLA: Both women work for the State of Utah. Both have children. But the state's new four-day workweek has impacted their lives very differently.

CAROLYN DENNIS, WORKING MOTHER: My first instinct was, day care closes at 6:00.

ZARRELLA: Next reaction?

DENNIS: I'm going to have every Friday to spend with my son.

ZARRELLA: Carolyn's work day is longer now. In before 7:00, out about 6:00, with a half hour lunch. Her son's hours in day care are longer, too, but now just four days a week. Carolyn says their quality of life just got better.

DENNIS: We're going to the planetarium. Next Friday is the zoo.

ZARRELLA: It's not working out that way for single mom Mylitta Barrett. She has three sons. Joseph is severely disabled. Today she used vacation time to leave week early to pick him up at day care.

BARRETT: Long-term care givers, we have a balance that we have to maintain. If you change that balance, my reserves are really low already.

ZARRELLA: Mylitta now needs a sitter in the mornings to care for Joseph until his bus comes to pick him up. There's less time for her other boys as well.

BARRETT: I mean, I can't make up the soccer game that I missed on Monday night because I'm having to work and not get home until 7:00 at night.

ZARRELLA: Mylitta knows hers is an extreme situation. Her supervisors are being as flexible as they can. She says after 15 years with the state she can't quit and depends on the medical coverage. Two women, Mylitta Barrett, Carolyn Dennis, one life harder, one life better.

(on camera): State officials say that at first blush, employees seem for the most part absolutely giddy over the four-day work week. But they also understand that as much as they want it to work for everyone, that's simply not realistic.

John Zarrella, CNN, Salt Lake City.

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LEMON: Tomorrow we'll get yet another angle in the next installment of John Zarrella's look at the four-day work week. As an Olympic swimmer, he's defeated a lot of tough opponents. Now he's facing cancer. A world-class athlete talks about his longest (ph) challenge yet.

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KEILAR: A developing story here in the CNN NEWSROOM. We told you a short time ago that Senator John McCain's wife, Cindy McCain, had been hospitalized in Michigan while she was accompanying her husband on a campaign stop. Well, we just got this in from the McCain campaign from spokesman Jill Hazelbaker. She says at some time during the rope line an enthusiastic supporter shook Mrs. McCain's hand and exacerbated an existing carpal tunnel condition. Out of an abundance of caution, she decided to leave the event and go to the local hospital for x-rays where she was treated for a minor sprain. So a minor sprain Cindy McCain suffering from hand shakes on the campaign trail. Poor thing.

LEMON: Wasn't your first thought -- They shake a lot of hands.

KEILAR: They sure do.

LEMON: The guys, do, kiss a lot of babies. But they do shake a lot of hands. We're glad it's nothing major in all of this.

KEILAR: Speedy recovery, though. She's got a lot more hands to shake.

LEMON: Absolutely.

Time now for the Beijing report. American swimmer Eric Shanteau's Olympic dream has ended. He set a personal best in today's semifinal of the 200 meter breast stroke but wasn't enough to get him into the finals sadly. So now he prepares to take on his toughest opponent yet, cancer. Our Dr. Sanjay Gupta has the story.

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DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): He's been preparing for Beijing his entire life.

ERIC SHANTEAU, OLYMPIC SWIMMER HAS CANCER: Dreaming about the Olympics, it's -- that's for as long as i can remember.

GUPTA: But just two months away from realizing his dream, doctors gave U.S. swimmer Eric Shanteau devastating news. Testicular cancer.

SHANTEAU: You get hit with basically the biggest low you can ever have in your life.

GUPTA: Then two weeks later, the biggest high. Twenty four- year-old Eric Shanteau won a spot on the U.S. Olympic swim team.

SHANTEAU: As far as my swimming career is concerned, that's obviously the biggest high. GUPTA: Testicular cancer is an extremely treatable disease. More than 95 percent of cases are cured, especially when they're caught early. Luckily, Shanteau's was. He made the extremely difficult decision to wait until after Beijing to have his operation, placing trust in his doctors who are closely monitoring his condition.

SHANTEAU: I'm probably not going to be swimming in four years regardless. I'm looking at the end of my career here, whether I'm having treatment done today or in another month. It would make no difference.

GUPTA: Lance Armstrong, the world's best-known testicular cancer survivor is applauding Shanteau's fight. After Armstrong was diagnosed with a more advanced form of the disease in 1996, he went on to win seven Tours de France.

Did you think you were going to die?

LANCE ARMSTRONG, TESTICULAR CANCER SURVIVOR: You have moments for sure. Moments of weakness where you think, I'm going to die or perhaps I'm going to die. I was totally committed, totally focused, and I had complete faith in my doctors and the medicine and the procedures.

GUPTA: But here's the question -- in Eric Shanteau's case, is holding off on his treatment smart?

DR. OTIS BRAWLEY, AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY: It is not unusual for someone to delay getting treatment for several weeks or several months. I'm not advocating that everybody wait a period of three or four weeks. If they do it under medical supervision, it can be very safe.

GUPTA: With the odds in his favor, it's a small risk Shanteau eager to take.

SHANTEAU: I'm not going to let it beat me. I'm not going to let it affect what I've been working for so long.

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LEMON: Of course we wish him the very best. Shanteau says he's going to spend a few more days in Beijing then he's heading home for his cancer surgery right here in Atlanta.

KEILAR: Caught on camera. Smalltime thieves stooping, oh, so low to steal from a cancer-stricken teenager. A local convenience store began taking donations to offset Tori Oakley's (ph) medical costs until two crooks broke into the store and stole the change jar. You can imagine the community so outraged they're on the lookout for the two suspects. But good news, though. The town banded together to restore the stolen cash.

LEMON: Can't say what I'd like to call them. You can't say those words on television. The closing bell is about to ring on Wall Street. Susan Lisovicz standing by with a final look at the trading day.

Susan from Jersey, I'm sure you can come up with a couple words, right?

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Here's the words I have, because the bell's going to ring. Three dollar rise in oil prices, stocks declining, lousy retail sales for July. Consumer sentiment tomorrow. Bye-bye.

Thank you, Susan. See you tomorrow.

Let's head down to THE SITUATION ROOM and Suzanne Malveaux.