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President Sarkozy of France Comes to America to Work on Solutions to Global Economic Crisis; Candidates Continue to Seek Votes; Police Hold News Conference on Nevada Kidnap Victim

Aired October 18, 2008 - 16:00   ET

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


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: In the NEWSROOM, new developments in the case of this kidnapped Nevada 6-year-old boy. The Amber alert has been canceled. Police have scheduled a news conference and we'll take you there live.
And take a look at this. About 100,000 people show up to hear Barack Obama in Missouri.

And with only 17 days to go, John McCain brings out the crowds himself in Virginia and in North Carolina.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's just unbelievable. It's like waking up from a horrible dream.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Wow. A hiker lost in the mountains, crawling on his belly and eating insects for five bitterly cold days.

And a supermodel with a super message. The first black model to appear on the cover of "Vogue Magazine" tells us about the illness that caused her and thousands of other women to suffer in silence.

Hello, everyone, and welcome to the CNN new. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Nevada authorities have canceled an amber alert for six-year-old boy who was kidnapped from his home three days ago. It's unclear why they've done that, but they have scheduled a news conference in this hour. Police say Cole Puffinburger was kidnapped by Mexican drug dealers who were trying to collect money from the boy's grandfather. The boy's grandfather is now in custody. CNN's Kara Finnstrom is in Las Vegas with the very latest on this very horrifying story. Kara.

KARA FINNSTROM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, we do know that Las Vegas P.D. expected to hold a press conference here within about an hour. And law enforcement officials tell us that they expect the taking of Cole's grandfather into custody to be addressed. Now, a short while ago we also spoke with Cole's father. He tells us that he is continuing to search Las Vegas street by street in his car. We caught up with him last night as he was handing out flyers with pictures of his missing son.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERT PUFFINBURGER, FATHER: Just find him for me, you know? Because I need my son back. I just want him home.

FINNSTROM (voice-over): Robert Puffinburger is pleading for any information about his missing six-year-old.

PUFFINGBURGER: Drop him off somewhere. I don't care. Just - just let him go.

FINNSTROM: Las Vegas police believe Cole Puffinburger was kidnapped by Mexican national drug traffickers. They suspect he's the innocent victim of a violent payback. Such retaliations have become too common in Mexico but are highly unusual here. Investigators are questioning Cole's grandfather, 51-year-old Clemens Tinnemeyer, whose actions they believe triggered the kidnapping. Authorities think Tinnemeyer stole millions from drug traffickers and then disappeared a few months ago. They suspect the kidnappers want ransom and were also sending a warning.

CAPT. VINCENT CANNITO, LAS VEGAS POLICE: Tinnemeyer has stolen a large sum of money, all proceeds from illegal drug activity. They wanted to send a very clear message. Message sent, message received. They got the attention of an entire nation.

FINNSTROM: Early Wednesday, investigators say the kidnappers, dressed as police officers, ransacked Cole's mother's home, tied up her and her fiance, demanded money, and when none was found, kidnapped Cole. Authorities say Cole's mother and fiance were not seriously hurt. Cole's father says police do not want family members sharing details about Cole's kidnapping.

PUFFINBURGER: I don't care about what happened in the past and why these people did it. I'm concerned about getting my son back.

FINNSTROM: For now, investigators are also staying focused on Cole. Flyers and web sites are all spreading images of the 48-pound blue- eyed, blond boy.

PUFFINBURGER: He can't see without his glasses. So he's probably got them on. They're little, like metallic blue, and like on the inside, you know. They're little Sponge Bob glasses. He's got a birth mark on his back neck. He's the shortest little kid you've ever seen, you know, for being six.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FINNSTROM: And, Fredricka, we did just get an answer as to why the Amber alert was lifted. Police tell us that that is routine when a child is missing for along, they do not want the same picture up on those amber alert boards because the public becomes desensitized. So they say they take it down --

WHITFIELD: All right, sorry about that. Of course we'll try to re- establish some contact with Kara there to kind of complete the thought. But again the search is continuing for this six-year-old little boy, and that's the picture of him right there. Press conference is scheduled at the top of the hour. We'll try to bring that to you as it happens. All right. It looks like we have Kara back. All right. We'll try to re-establish that as soon as we can.

In the meantime, CNN has learned that President Bush will host a world summit on the global financial crisis. He'll make that official announcement today at Camp David. He's holding talks there with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and European Commission President Manuel Barroso. CNN's Kathleen Koch is live at the White House with more on this. Kathleen.

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Fredricka. We got that news a couple of hours ago from a senior administration official. There has been a lot of talk about the calls by European leaders for some kind of global summit to address the financial crisis. The White House said yes, indeed the president was signing on to that. But again what we're going to here in just a few minutes is the president saying the United States will be hosting this summit. We're told we're not going to hear exactly when and where. Though what we have been told in the past is that the summit will occur some time after the November 4th elections.

Now, according to the senior administration official, the summit will again focus on trying to prevent a crisis like this in the future. And the official said the president wants not just the views of developed countries, but also the leaders of developing nations from around the world. Leaders from Asia. So this will be a very large gathering. As to today's meetings, other than that, what we're told is that there won't be any major decisions, major policy announcements coming out of the meeting, that basically French President Nicolas Sarkozy and the European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso were already in Canada for a meeting, and so the president thought this would be a very apt opportunity to bring the men together, to really sit down, talk about this crisis the world is facing, and, again, compare notes and come up with some ideas. But they won't be making any major policy announcements here today, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, Kathleen, thanks so much. And momentarily we'll be looking for those comments coming from the president from Camp David. Appreciate it.

All right. In the meantime, protests taking place in Baghdad. Tens of thousands of people in the streets, what their demands could mean for U.S. troops.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Huge numbers, tens of thousands of Iraqis filling the streets of Baghdad today. They're expressing frustration and anger over proposed deal to extend the presence of U.S. troops in Iraq. The rally is being organized by followers of an influential anti-American cleric. Let's go live now to Baghdad and CNN's Phil Black.

PHIL BLACK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, that cleric that you mentioned, Muqtada Al Sadr, he called for about one million men to march through the streets of Baghdad today. He didn't get that many, just tens of thousands, but he and his supporters are angry about a new security deal that the United States and Iraq have been negotiating for some months now.

Currently U.S. forces are operating in Iraq under the terms of the United Nation's mandate, but that expires at the end of the year. This new deal is set to replace that, outlining the rules, conditions and so forth by which U.S. troops can remain. Now as you can see, there's pretty vocal opposition to it here. Let's hear now from one of Muqtada Al Sadr's key aides explaining just why they oppose the deal.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHEIK ABDUL KAREEM AL-MOHMMADAW, AIDE TO MUQTADA AL-SDR (through translator): The fact is, this agreement has a lot of articles that humiliate the Iraqi people. It has a shocking and terrifying article that violate the Iraqi's sovereignty and dignity. In this agreement, they occupy or stays in control of our country. It also gives them the ability to threaten Iraq's neighboring countries and e don't know how the future will be for our next generations.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACK: Fredricka, officially the negotiations have wound up between the two teams from the United States and from Iraq. It now goes before the political leadership here. Now, we don't know if the deal stipulates something that the Iraqis have been pushing for, and that is for legal jurisdiction to be extended over U.S. troops, both while they're conducting operations here, should things go wrong, and also while they're off duty. It does, we are told, outlined that timetable for withdrawal. All U.S. troops out of the cities and towns by halfway through next year. Pretty much everyone gone by the end of 2011. Fredricka

WHITFIELD: Wow. All right. Phil Black, thanks so much from Baghdad. Appreciate that update.

All right. Is this the mideast answer to the O.J. Simpson trial? One of Egypt's most powerful tycoons says he is innocent of charges. He hired a hit man to murder a Lebanese pop star, Hisham Talat Moustafa entered his plea today. Moustafa is a real estate mogul and a member of parliament with ties to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

Well he reportedly had an affair with singer Suzanne Tamim. She was found stabbed to death in her apartment in Dubai.

World Bank President Robert Zoellick plans to travel to Haiti next week to discuss recovery efforts there. The Caribbean nation is still reeling after a series of storms, hundreds were killed, thousands left homeless and 60 percent of the harvest was wiped out. Zoellick recently announced $25 million in emergence grants for Haiti. He says more needs to be done.

And perhaps you're looking for ways to help. Well, visit cnn.com on the web, and click on the word "Impact." Our "Impact your world" page has information on how you can improve lives in Haiti and in many other places in great need.

All right. 17 days and counting until millions pick the next president. Will Hollywood impact the vote? Controversial movie "W" hits the big screen.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Well, some educators will do almost anything for their student, even if it means playing friendly game of toss the teacher.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. Let's take a look outside. Karen Maginnis is in the weather center. And Karen, last weekend and really all week we've been talking about those Santa Ana winds. We're talking about fire danger this weekend. Do we have some good news for folks?

KAREN MAGINNIS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, we really do, Fredricka. It looks like those red flag warnings and the high wind watches that we were looking at yesterday all across much of California we do not see them this weekend. As a matter of fact, a few showers associated with the trough of low pressure. A lot of this moisture not making its way towards the ground but we're not looking at those high winds that were gusting through those canyons and some of the passes around 50 and 60 miles an hour like we saw last weekend.

Now we move towards the East Coast. There's not a lot happening in between, but in the East Coast right along coastal Carolinas from about Charleston all the way up towards Wilmington Kill Devil Hills area, areas of low pressure offshore and some coastal flooding is possible. We'll expect some gusty winds there as well. Well, a huge expanse of real estate across the central United States looking pretty good. But temperatures across the northeast and into the Eastern Great Lakes going to be well below where they should be for this time of year. We've got this ridge of high pressure in place. Clear skies at night and frost and freeze advisories all the way from Indiana and Ohio into Kentucky and portions of the northeast.

Well, for the West Coast, look for plenty of sunshine, but it looks like a weather system developing in the gulf of Alaska is going to be responsible for some wet weather heading late in the day Sunday and then going into Monday. Well, temperatures not so much on Monday, but going into Tuesday, we're looking at readings in the 60s for the central plains, and temperatures a little bit closer to normal in New York City at 61, coming up at the beginning of the work week. Fredricka, back to you.

WHITFIELD: All right. Karen, appreciate it. Thanks so much.

Well even teachers can get a zero and actually have a lot of fun getting it. Aviation giant Northtrup Grumman is taking teachers for a ride where they experience zero gravity and our Reynolds Wolf just couldn't resist.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST (voice-over): This group of 30 Georgia middle school teachers is learning firsthand what it's like to be weightless. Aboard the modified and heavily padded 727, there were games of toss the teacher and simulated Superman flights. But in between the fun and hilarity, the educators conducted experiments testing Newton's laws of motion.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's working!

WOLF: The flight is courtesy of the Northrop Grumman Foundation. Northrop, and aerospace and defense company holds the experience that these teaches will inspire students to pursue careers in science, math and engineering. Northrop Grumman says mostly teachers surveyed on past flights report their students became more excited about science.

TOM HENSON, NORTHROP GRUMMAN CORP.: It's important that they do this, our country faces a significant shortage in the future of mathematician, scientists, and engineers, people in technology fields. So we've targeted their teachers to try to illustrate for their students how math and science can be cool and relevant and applied for their daily lives, and it's just fun.

WOLF: Fun for the teachers, and yours truly.

Hi there, how are you doing?

TRACEY HEFFELFINGER, MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER: You know as a science teacher you're told what all affects how you move and that gravity is a great portion of that. And that it's a whole another thing to get up there and experience it. I would try things like, I'd want to just hover off the ground a little bit. Well the problem is if you push off enough to get off the ground, there's nothing to stop you and you keep going until you hit the ceiling.

WOLF: The plane uses the same technique that NASA uses to train astronauts. See, it has series of parabolas or peaks and valleys to create periods of weightlessness that last about 30 seconds. But each parabola also has a period of increased gravity.

We're experiencing almost 1.18, almost double your body weight. Right now. I'm feeling like a heavy dude.

Now, a handful of teachers did experience motion sickness. But after all, they don't call the NASA training jet "the vomit comet" for nothing. But thankfully, most of the teachers were just fine.

HEFFELFINGER: I am very proud of the fact that I will be able to show them my unused barf bag.

WOLF: Nearly 1,000 teachers from California to Washington, D.C. have taken part in Northrop's zero gravity flights, hoping at least that some of their students will "flip" over careers in science. Floating weightless, Reynolds Wolf, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: All right. For the most part, it looks like they all had a whole lot of fun.

All right. This is not so much fun. Up to 75 percent of American women are expected to develop uterine fibroids. And one supermodel wants to talk about it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BEVERYLY JOHNSON, SUPERMODEL: By the time you get to the point where I was, you're willing to do anything. And what happens is I think that for myself one doesn't even hear the options. It could be you know take a flight to the moon and this will stop it and I would have been on you know that next shuttle.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right. You recognized her, right? Beverly Johnson now speaking out after suffering in silence.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. Live pictures right now of an official landing at Camp David. We know this weekend all day today President Bush has been meeting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy as well as the European Union Commissioner President Jose Manuel Barroso. We understand that this chopper right here just might have President Sarkozy on board it. But momentarily President Bush will be emerging as well and talking about the developments from their meeting, talking about the financial crisis. Not just in this country, but worldwide. And we also know that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is there. We saw her earlier in a picture as well as the Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson. So as soon as that happens, we'll be able to take you there live. Much more in the NEWSROOM straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: All right. Here are some of the stories we're following right now in the NEWSROOM. Police will hold a news conference in about 30 minutes from now to discuss the six-year-old boy abducted from his Las Vegas home. Police have deactivated a nationwide Amber alert for this little boy, but it's not exactly clear why.

Meantime, President Bush discussing the economic crisis with leaders of France and the EU at Camp David. Live pictures right now. We're expecting perhaps the French President Sarkozy to emerge after that chopper after landing there at Camp David. President Bush, Laura Bush not far from that doorway, we understand. They will all of course be talking about not just the financial crisis in this country, but worldwide as well. You see a lot of folks getting into position there for this official exit. And, of course, when it happens, we'll be able to bring you the president's comments.

For now, let's talk about the race for '08. Just 17 days away now, and it's come down to a fierce fight in several battle ground states. John McCain is stumping today in North Carolina and Virginia. And at a rally this morning in Concorde, North Carolina, McCain focused almost entirely on the economy, insisting that he is the candidate who will turn things around.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I have a plan - I have a plan to let retirees and people nearing retirement keep their money in their retirement accounts longer so they can rebuild their savings. I have a plan to hold the line on taxes and cut them to make America more competitive and create jobs here at home. Raising taxes, raising taxes may make an economy much worse. Keeping taxes low creates jobs. Keeps money in your hands and strengthens our economy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Meantime, Barack Obama also talking taxes in the crucial state of Missouri. A massive crowd of about 100,000 people turned out to hear him. Obama told them that McCain's tax cut plan will favor the wealthy. Obama promised that his proposals will provide relief for the middle class. Obama also brought up McCain's voting record.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

All right. Right now, live pictures at Camp David. You see President Bush and French President Nicolas Sarkozy, presumably to talk about the financial crisis. The discussions they've been having throughout the day at Camp David. Let's listen in now to the president.

PRES. GEORGE W. BUSH, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: I want to welcome my two friends to Camp David, President Sarkozy of France, who is representing the European Union and President Barroso of the European Commission. We're really glad you're here. I'm looking forward to an important discussion of the global financial crisis which is having an impact on how working people all across the world.

The first task is to stabilize the financial markets in our own countries. Given that the world has never been more interconnected, it is essential that we work together, because we're in this crisis together. That's why over the past two weeks, the United States and our partners in Europe have cooperated closely to address this challenge. Earlier this month, the Federal Reserve, the European Central bank and four other central banks carried out a coordinated interest rate cut.

Last weekend, G-7 finance ministers and central bank governors approved a plan of action to stabilize our markets, rebuild confidence in our financial systems and restore the flow of credit to our businesses and our consumers. As part of this action plan, leaders in Europe have taken measures to provide financial institutions with additional capital, provide credit guarantees, and increase deposit insurance.

In the United States, we're taking systematic and aggressive steps to help banks rebuild capital and resume lending. For example, the Treasury Department will directly inject capital in the banks by purchasing equity shares. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation has temporarily guaranteed most new debt issued by insured banks which will make it easier for these banks to borrow needed money from each other.

The Federal Reserve is launching a new program to provide support for commercial paper. A key source of short-term financing for America's businesses and financial institutions. These are historic measures suited to our system which I believe will work. These measures will take time. We're dealing with a significant problem. But the American people and our friends around the world can know that we have confidence that the measures will work.

In addition, G-8 leaders issued a statement this week expressing support for an international meeting on the financial crisis. I've been in touch with Prime Minister Oso of Japan, who happens to be president of the G-8, and we've been consulting with the Japanese.

I look forward to hosting this meeting in the near future. Both developed and developing nations will be represented. And together we will work to strengthen and modernize our nations' financial systems, so we can help ensure that this crisis doesn't happen again.

For this meeting to be a success, we must welcome good ideas from around the world. So I'm looking forward to hearing from President Sarkozy and President Barroso this afternoon, and from other leaders in the days ahead. And, of course, I'll share my ideas as well.

As we make the regulatory and institutional changes necessary to avoid a repeat of this crisis, it is essential that we preserve the foundations of Democratic capitalism: commitment to free markets, free enterprise and free trade. We must resist the dangerous temptation of economic isolationism and continue the policies of open markets that have lifted standards of living and helped millions of people escape poverty around the world.

This is a trying time for all our nations. I am confident we'll overcome the challenges we face. With determination and focused action, we will weather this crisis, return our economies to the paths of prosperity, and long-term growth.

Mr. President, welcome.

PRESIDENT NICOLAS SARKOZY, FRANCE (through translator): President, my dear George, thank you for having invited us. We, by that I mean myself and President Barroso, have a mandate from the 27 members of the European Union to come here and say, first and foremost, that this is a worldwide crisis, and therefore we must find a worldwide solution. Each region of the world, each part of the world, to begin with the United States and then the European countries and now Asia, are trying to find an answer to the crisis. But this answer will be all the more effective insofar as we find it together; we speak with one and the same voice; and we build together the capitalism of the future.

I say things that I deeply believe here: this may be a great opportunity if we do not fall back into the hateful practices of the past. Practices that have led us exactly where we are right now. The president of the United States is right in saying that protectionism and closing one's borders is a catastrophe. He's right to say that it would be wrong, catastrophic, to challenge the foundations of market economics, that we cannot continue along the same lines because the same problems will -- the same problems will trigger the same disasters.

We can only go forward with a sense of responsibility, and that those who have made the mistakes bear the brunt of their errors and shoulder their burden of responsibility. And we have come here on behalf of Europe to say to this great American nation that we wish to build a better world, the world of the 21st century, that we wish to work hand in glove in building this world with you.

But we must not waste any time. We want a summit. The nations of the G-8, as has been stated, and no doubt the G-5 countries -- so that together, with Asian states and others, we find a worldwide solution. This must be done forthwith, as President Bush has said, possibly even before the end of the month of November. And we believe that insofar as the crisis began in New York, then the global solution must be found to this crisis in New York.

All of us putting our heads together, we must look on the fundamental rules that will apply to this 21st century of ours. We live in the 21st century, but we continue to abide 20th century rules. Hedge funds cannot continue operating as they have in the past. Tax havens neither. Financial institutions that are under no supervisory control, this is no longer acceptable. This is no longer possible.

Together, among friends, among allies, we must be able to say to the world that we are determined to find a solution together, to find answers together.

George, my friend, together with Jose Manuel, myself, we speak with one and the same voice. We have brought European nations together. That was no easy task. There were British traditions, French traditions, German traditions, Latin traditions, but we found a solution. Why were we able to do so? Quite simply because this is such a serious crisis. It is such a systemic crisis.

And it is on that note I wish to end. Why must we make haste? We must make haste because we must stabilize the marketplace as swiftly as possible by coming up with answers. Once calm has been restored, we must avoid at all costs that those who have led us to where we are today should be allowed to do so once again.

We believe in the capacity and the -- the ability of the American people to come up with the answers the world is waiting for, is expecting. Because this sort of capitalism is a betrayal of the sort of capitalism we believe in. That is the reason why, with President Barroso, we have come to make Europe's voice heard. Next week, we will be chairing the Europe/Asia summit and get across the same message.

In today's world, this world of ours, we cannot leave anyone out, anyone out of the global worldwide solution that we need to this crisis.

Thank you, Mr. President, for having invited us. Thank you for using your term of office, right up until the very end, to help the world find the answers to a crisis that we must contain. We must not give way to fatalism.

PHILLIPS: At Camp David right now, live pictures there. You heard from French President Nicolas Sarkozy, underscoring the importance of the president's message, President Bush's message, that the U.S. should host some sort of international summit to discuss the global financial crisis. President Sarkozy's words, saying, we must find answers together and speak with one voice.

These meetings will take place throughout the day, involving the EU commissioner, Jose Manuel Barroso, as well as French President Sarkozy and President Bush. Much more of THE NEWSROOM right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Senator Obama picking up two endorsements today. This one from "The Denver Post." It says, "in unsteady times, it may seem obvious to gravitate toward the veteran politician. But in this campaign, it has been the newcomer who has had the steady hand."

And the "Miami Herald" is also supporting Obama, saying this, quote, "his style is to build consensus and seek workable, pragmatic solutions, a refreshing change from the last eight years." That from the "Miami Herald."

Another newspaper in Florida is backing John McCain. The "Tampa Tribune" says, quote, "McCain brings a lifetime of useful experience, including his grueling captivity in Vietnam and long Senate service. He believes in federalism, a strong defense and disciplined self- interest," unquote.

Obama's running mate, Joe Biden, has no public events today but he attends a private fund-raiser in California tonight. McCain's VP pick was in Pennsylvania earlier today, trying to make up ground in a Rust Belt state where the McCain/Palin ticket is running 13 points behind in the polls. Sarah Palin told a packed baseball stadium in Lancaster that she's counting on supporters to step up to the plate and turn an underdog into a victor.

In the meantime, everyone in THE NEWSROOM and beyond is waiting for the Alaskan governor's star tonight, whatever that means. Well, they're all looking forward to her on "Saturday Night Live." How about that? Palin has been mocked mercilessly on the show by Tina Fey's jaw-dropping impersonation. An aide to the candidate says there are multiple scripts, although Palin hadn't seen any as of last night. The big question, of course, is whether Fey will also appear. It will almost be like looking in the mirror for them.

On the outside, beautiful and glamorous, the first black woman to appear on the cover of "Vogue." Inside, Beverly Johnson suffered from something very private and painful, uterine fibroids. She wasn't alone. Anywhere from 20 to 80 percent of women develop fibroids by their 50th birthday. She talked to me about her campaign to spread the word.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BEVERLY JOHNSON, MODEL/ADVOCATE: I was diagnosed with uterine fibroids in my 30s, which are benign tumors. And when they're not symptomatic, they're OK. By the time I got into my 40s, I had had two surgeries. And the results were a hysterectomy. The campaign is about educating women about their medical options.

PHILLIPS: In Ask Four/Tell Four, you want women to ask four questions and you want them to tell four women about it. What are the questions? Because so often we may have these fibroids and not even know it.

JOHNSON: Exactly. So the four questions would be, what are uterine fibroids? Am I a candidate for uterine fibroids? What should I talk to my doctor about uterine fibroids? And what are the treatment options for uterine fibroids?

PHILLIPS: And what are the treatment options? Because sometimes -- I think sometimes the treatment is what intimidates a lot of women. They may know something is wrong, be it their bleeding is irregular; they know something's up, but they're afraid of what may come from these treatment options. Surgery isn't always the option, but it usually is the most effective one, right?

JOHNSON: It's not necessarily that it's the most effective. I can really only speak from my story which resulted in a hysterectomy. We'll never know if I needed one or not. I most certainly want my daughter, who eight times out of ten are going to have uterine fibroids -- who is going to have uterine fibroids, that she is equipped with the knowledge to know about uterine fibroids, and if they bomb symptomatic, all of her treatment, non-evasive treatment options, I think, is the operative word there. Because a hysterectomy is a very serious operation. And for me it led to a lot of other complications.

Uterine fibroids normally show up between the ages of 30 and 55. And sometimes they are not symptomatic. But when they do become symptomatic, it's debilitating. For the last year, I -- I could not -- the quality of my life was very low. You know, no --

PHILLIPS: What was happening? What were you experiencing?

JOHNSON: The bleeding, the anorexia, no personal relationships, no golf, I mean, everything really comes to a standstill. And -- I always thought my story was so unique. And as I go out and speak to women, it's very prevalent, and I'm not so unique. And we women were basically just suffering in silence. And that's what this campaign is about. It's really to empower women to be able to go into their doctor's office with -- equipped to say, OK, what about this option? What about that option? And really have a conversation with their doctor and be proactive with their own health.

PHILLIPS: So women don't want to talk about it because it is -- it's such a private affair. Some might find it very embarrassing to talk about this publicly. And you, very courageously, are sharing your story publicly. And I guess in part, too, that encourages a lot of women to say, you know what? It's OK to talk outloud about my cycle.

JOHNSON: Yes, and this all came about very honestly. I was out of action for four or five years. And when I came back, you know, people in the press were like, where have you been? Have I got a story for you. So it was this. And I started speaking to people and also to doctors, doctor/patient communications. And then I met this group of people with like minds that wanted to take this message on a national platform, because they are benign tumors. So this is not life- threatening.

PHILLIPS: But it could be life altering.

JOHNSON: Yes. By the time you get to the point where I was, you're willing to do anything. And what happens is, I think that for myself, one doesn't even hear the options. It could be, take a flight to the moon and this will stop it, and I would have been on, you know, that next shuttle.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: All right. We know you want to hear more from this supermodel. How about let's talk a little bit about the modeling industry. She had very strong views about the modeling industry of then and today. Much more straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Modeling is a competitive industry. Well, supermodel Beverly Johnson opens up about a lot of things, from the very personal to what her thoughts are about the career of being a model. So much so that she said she was not that excited when she heard her daughter wanted to follow in her footsteps.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Once a supermodel, always a supermodel.

JOHNSON: Thank you for saying that.

PHILLIPS: Gosh, come on.

JOHNSON: There's no such thing as an ex-supermodel or a former supermodel. I've truly taken that out of the dictionary.

PHILLIPS: You set the bar, and you watch the industry today and you see who the top models are today. Do you have any thoughts or observations about how modeling has gone or how different it is today or the money made or the competitiveness?

JOHNSON: Yes, I think, you know, it's an industry that's been very good to me, and for me. And I think the industry, in a lot of ways, has been hurt because of, you know, our new media, so to speak, you know, the printed page and the magazines are now being seen on the web, which is OK. I think which makes that magazine or that photograph even that more valuable down the line. But also -- and, of course, the models make more money and it -- I think it's really a terrific industry, and also in the sense of art and the whole idea of models representing designers and selling products. And now, you know, models over the age of 35 and also full- figured model, which my daughter happens to be one, MBC full figured model, with her MBA, that we are addressing all women now.

PHILLIPS: So you've never had any reluctance on encouraging your daughter to get into the industry at all?

JOHNSON: I was absolutely against it.

PHILLIPS: OK.

JOHNSON: Have always been against it.

PHILLIPS: What were you afraid of?

JOHNSON: Well, you know --

PHILLIPS: Or what did you want to protect her from?

JOHNSON: I wanted to protect her from that other side of the modeling industry, which is in every industry. You have your dark side and you have your light side. And she did experiment when she was 17 or 18 and came away with the conclusion that, after fainting in the elevator from not eating, she said, hey, mom, this is not for me. Went back and got her MBA, started a number of businesses and then that phone call, hey, mom, guess where I am? I said, are you pregnant? She said mom, why do you always respond with, am I pregnant? No, I'm modeling. Huh? Wait a minute. Wait a minute.

But anyway, she's doing very well and I'm a very proud mom.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: And, yes, is her daughter beautiful just like her? You saw those pictures of mom and daughter together. Earlier we did talk some more and we talked about Johnson's campaign on uterine fibroids awareness. Perhaps you want to learn more about that. The Ask Four/Tell Four campaign, and it's Ask4Tell4.com, easier to read than it is to say. Information about those four questions to ask your doctor and about treatment options for uterine fibroids. Again that is -- they're making me say it again -- Ask4Tell4.com.

All right, spokes-model Beverly Johnson there.

It's never too late for someone to find out how greatly appreciated they are. A Congressional gold medal for someone rather close to my heart.

All right. And you see this kind of thing on TV crime dramas all the time, what you're about to see, that is. Now check out a real, high- tech crime fighting tool. CNN's Deborah Feyerick brings us this week's edge of discovery.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): TV shows like "CSI" make crime solving look so simple.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is a match. Your John Dough is Vincent Bartly.

FEYERICK: But in the real world --

DONNA ROSKOWSKI, INDIANA STATE POLICE: Science takes time. We don't solve crimes generally in a half hour.

FEYERICK: Crime scene investigators listen up. Purdue University's Dr. Graham Cooks believes he's on the brink of making TV fantasy a reality.

DR. GRAHAM COOKS, PURDUE UNIVERSITY: What we're trying to do is get the chemical information, which is captured in a fingerprint.

FEYERICK: He took these big machines called mass spectrometers and turned them into light-weight portable chemistry labs. They're used with a technique called Desi, which involves spraying a solvent onto a finger print. The droplet's that splash up from the print are then analyzed.

COOKS: There could be drugs. There could be explosives. There could be other compounds. Those compounds are lifted off by the spray and they're sucked down this pipe here.

FEYERICK: Cook says the Desi system can not only identify who made the fingerprints but also what they've been touching.

COOKS: This methodology could be used for day-to-day crime fighting. It could be used in terrorism and arson cases.

FEYERICK: But the system is still experimental and would require extensive training by law enforcement. So it may be a while before it's used at a crime scene near you.

Deborah Feyerick, CNN, New York.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: All right. Straight to Las Vegas now to the press conference involving the Las Vegas Metro Police Department. Vincent Cannito.

VINCENT CANNITO, LAS VEGAS POLICE DEPARTMENT: That has been a nationwide decision. We do have the grandfather, Clarence Tinnemeyer (ph), in custody. There has been speculation as to why the amber alert has been taken down. As to the safety of Cole Puffinburger, and that is not the case.

The bottom line is the grandfather has been taken into custody. The vehicle has been located. The number of tips that we've been receiving over the amber alert line have slowed considerably. As such, we believe the effectiveness of the amber alert has run its course. And again, through the fantastic efforts of our partners in the media, the attention has continued with regards to Cole getting his picture out there, with or without the amber alert at this time.

In addition, you know we've worked very closely with NCMEC, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. They have gotten out not only to all the law enforcement throughout the country, but they've also gotten the information out through their choice program, which distributes that flyer and that information to literally hundreds of thousands of businesses and locations throughout the country.

As I indicated, Clarence Tinnemeyer has been taken into custody. He has been interviewed. Information is still forthcoming in this investigation. We are following up on a number of leads at this time.

Again, remember, when I talked about the amber alert, significant efforts, just because you haven't seen them or heard them on the media, significant efforts have been taking place. Such as: over the past 24 hours a number of search warrants have been executed in several different jurisdictions throughout the country. Those searches have revealed some significant evidence with regards to this case. That evidence right now is being collected, analyzed, to determine where else we're going to take this investigation.

Additionally, a person of interest in this investigation has been identified in addition to Tinnemeyer. That person has been interviewed, still working with this agency right now. Additionally, another person of interest has been identified by the name of Jesus Gastlom (ph). We encourage the communities throughout this country, as well as in other jurisdictions, if you see this individual, please notify Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and your local authorities immediately.

In addition to some of the other evidence that has been collected and analyzed, we have recovered a large amount of cash through some of these search warrants. Right now, there is a large coordinated search taking place in the northeast area of the Las Vegas Valley.