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NYPD Tragedy Sparks Calls for Federal Probe; Same-Sex Marriage Debate; Foster Care Awareness Month
Aired May 30, 2009 - 22:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Tonight, friendly fire. The country's largest police department under scrutiny after one of their own gunned down a comrade.
First date. The president also in New York tonight and conservatives say it is not the time to hit the town when the economy is hitting bottom.
Who's your daddy? 21 kids, 11 moms. He's only 29. And guess what, ladies? He's single. You won't believe it.
And Larry sings, kind of. CNN super talker, well, he isn't taking calls tonight. He's taking you out to the ball game.
The news starts right now.
Hello, everyone. I'm Don Lemon, live here at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta. We have a lot to get to tonight, but we start with breaking weather news. A reported tornado, north of Indianapolis. We're also hearing reports that buildings are down and people are trapped.
CNN's Jacqui Jeras has the very latest for us -- Jacqui.
JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, Don.
Now, this happened about quarter after the hour. There you can see Indianapolis. In Tipton, Indiana, it was about five miles to the southwest of there. We have this report from the National Weather Service that a tornado possibly toughed down there. Did cause some damage. We have calls out to the sheriff's department, haven't been able to get through. Our affiliate, WTHR is on the way to the scene. And as we get more information from that, we'll bring that along to you.
So, again, a possible tornado with damage in Tipton, Indiana. Some buildings down and also people being reported trapped.
Let's go ahead and show you the radar picture and the storm systems that we're talking about. There are severe thunderstorm watches which are in effect across much of Indiana and into Ohio, and then down into parts of Kentucky as well. There are still strong to severe thunderstorms in this area. North of Indianapolis that continued to dive down towards the south and towards the east. We do have tornado warnings in effect at this time in Ohio as well. And this is all near the Cincinnati area. Down here that we're talking about. There you can see Covington to see just North of Bear. And then there are some warnings on one, two, three cells. That's in Highland, Pike, Ross, Brown and Scioto counties. So that threat on going tonight. This is a really good reminder that, you know, severe thunderstorm watches don't guarantee you that they're not going to be any rotation.
So sometimes we do get tornadoes within severe thunderstorm watches. So be aware of that. Make sure you've got your NOAA weather radio on tonight before you get to bed. We do have a threat of severe thunderstorms tomorrow as well. Our cold front now that's in the Ohio Valley advances towards the south and east very quickly, but a new one comes in across the upper Midwest to places like Sioux Falls towards Minneapolis as well as maybe Green Bay, Wisconsin, could see some strong storms.
Don?
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Keep us updated on that.
Jacqui Jeras, thank you very much.
We turn now to news in New York. Confusion and outrage in that city tonight over the shooting death of a black police officer by a fellow cop who is white. Some angry New Yorkers held a rally today calling for a federal investigation. What others insist race has nothing to do with it. It is all a tragic mistake. We get the story from Ruschell Boone of New York 1.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RUSCHELL BOONE, NEW YORK 1 REPORTER (voice-over): Emotions are still running high in Harlem after Officer Omar Edwards was shot and killed by another cop while off duty. Before marching through the streets of Harlem, The Reverend Al Sharpton held a rally where he called for a federal investigation.
REV. AL SHARPTON, NATIONAL ACTION NETWORK: We need the federal government to investigate the pattern.
CROWD: Yes.
SHARPTON: There's something in the pattern that deals with the training, that deals with race and those that are doing the training cannot correct and look at themselves.
BOONE: Edwards was shot in the back, arm and hip Thursday night on 125th Street in east Harlem as he chased a suspect who had broken into his car. The 25-year-old housing cop had just gotten off work. Police say a plains clothe anti-crime team in an unmarked car saw Edwards running with his gun drawn. One of the plain clothes officers who sources identified as 30-year-old Andrew Dutton got out of the car and fired six times. (on camera): Even though Sharpton and other local leaders are calling for an independent investigation, the mayor says he is confident that the Manhattan district attorney will conduct a fair and thorough investigation.
MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, NEW YORK: If the federal government wants to do something, I'll talk to them. But I think Bob Morgenthal has shown over many decades that he is independent and he will do a thorough competent investigation. And if there is something that is criminally wrong, he will take appropriate steps.
BOONE: Edwards who join the force in 2007 was recently married with two young children. Police say the officer who fired at him is white and has been on the force for four years. It is still unclear if any of the officers identified themselves. But the governor says people should not rush to judgment.
GOV DAVID PATERSON, NEW YORK: I know that these types of incidents have happened a lot. They are reflection, decisions and probably an accident. But I think it's most fair to everyone involved who is grieving at this time to go through a full investigation and not be commenting on information that isn't firmly established.
BOONE: But Congressman Charles Rangel says these types of shootings happen too often in the black community that he's calling for an independent investigation. He also alluded to the shooting when asked about the president's visit to the city, Saturday.
REP. CHARLES RANGEL (D), NEW YORK: At least he doesn't run around in east Harlem unidentified.
BOONE: Investigators are still piecing together the event, which led up to the fatal shootings.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: All right. That was Rochelle Boone of New York 1, our affiliate there in New York.
Let's talk about the shooting now with CNN security analyst and former D.C. police detective Mike Brooks. He joined us by phone.
Mike, thank you very much.
We spoke yesterday about this when this information started coming out about this story and about the possibility of there being some sort of black-white thing here. You don't believe that that is the case?
MIKE BROOKS, CNN SECURITY ANALYST: No, Don, I really do not. You know, I just got back to Atlanta, you know, hours ago. And I was back out today talking to some of my NYPD sources and some of my friends within NYPD, both black and white, and none of them think it has anything to do with black on white. Yesterday I said, it was blue on blue. As officer shooting another officer who he believed was a perpetrator chasing someone else. It has nothing to do with race. And, personally, Don, you know, I think, as a -- almost 27-year law enforcement veteran, I think it's irresponsible right now. My opinion -- in my opinion, I think it's irresponsible for Reverend Al Sharpton and other people to say this is racially motivated, because it has nothing to do with race, Don.
LEMON: When you look at it, Mike -- Mike Brooks, when you look at the, just in the recent history with the New York police department, you and I talked about this yesterday.
BROOKS: Right.
LEMON: We had -- you know, you had Eric Hernandez back in 2006. Similar circumstances, it was a police officer. And you had Officer Rich Goen (ph) back in 2005. And then so on and so on and so on. You even heard the governor saying this happens a lot.
How do you explain that? And how do you explain to our viewers who write in and say how many times have you seen a white officer shoot another white police officer?
BROOKS: You know, Don, think about this. And some of my friends said, Mike, you know, just yesterday and today, it's a wonder it doesn't happen more often. In New York City, just in New York City, Don, there are almost 38,000 police officers of all races and creeds.
And, you know what, when Officer Dunton was even getting out of that car, he saw a person with a gun chasing someone else. He thought it was a PERP. He got out and he got behind the door of the car and he said, police, stop, drop it, drop it. Officer Omar Edwards started to turn towards him and that's when he opened fire.
Now, you know, some people are -- again, you know, you don't want to talk about the deceased officer, did he follow procedure, did he not follow procedure? But in the academy, in their patrol manual as well as other cities, they are thought, if you are challenged, if you are the officer being challenged, you drop your gun. You do not turn towards the officer who's challenging you.
So, all of this is going to be looked at. There is surveillance video apparently up in that area, Don. And they're going to talk to -- in fact, they've even spoken to the PERP, that officer Omar Edwards was chasing, who was breaking into his car. And he is also saying that, yes, officers did identify themselves and they were -- officer Edwards, and there was just -- it looks like right now an unfortunate accident. But I do, as mayor does, as Mayor Bloomberg does, I have faith in the Manhattan district attorney's office as well as the NYPD.
LEMON: All right, Mike. Mike Brooks, we appreciate it. Thank you very much. We have to move on. We're going to get some other voices on this. But, again, we appreciate you taking your Saturday evening in talking to us.
I'm want to talk now to civil rights activist Reverend Al Sharpton as reported, was part of that march today in New York. And he joins me now by phone. Reverend, you heard what Mike Brooks said. He said he thinks it's irresponsible that people like you would be out protesting.
AL SHARPTON, ACTIVIST: Well, I think if Mike Brooks, with all due respect, was quoting me correctly, it would be irresponsible. What we said is that we need to have an independent investigation to determine what happened because it seems to keep happening. And in every case, as you stated, it has been white to black, white to Latino.
So I think for him to put words in my mouth. We never said what it was. We said that you need an independent investigation so that people can trust the investigation. Prosecutors depend on police to make their case, to make their officers work.
Therefore, if you take it outside of the prosecutor's office, dependent upon the police department in question, then no one would have doubts about the results. And I don't see if feel there is nothing to hide, what would be unreasonable about that.
The other thing I think Mr. Brooks should know is that there was the head of the Black Police Union, the guardians that are -- was part of the rally and the march. And they had the Latino officers. So I don't know what black and Latino officers he talked to, many of them were with us today said they are concerned about themselves. And I think it's reasonable when you have everyone from black and Latino police to Congressman Charles Rangel, the chair of the House Ways and Means saying, wait a minute, we've got to look at this pattern. I don't understand what's the fear of having the federal government look at the pattern.
LEMON: Reverend, I know in this, many of this cases you get to talked to the family. Have you talk to the family of the police officer who was killed?
SHARPTON: I went tonight, this afternoon, after the rally and spoke and prayed with them. Obviously, they are grieving. They have not taken a position on this either way.
What has happen is the guardians, the black police organization and Latino organization have come forth, along with National Action Network and other civil rights, Congressman Rangel and array of elected officials that have raised concern since this young man served in our community. And this is one of many cases.
We just had a case last year. The same thing happened with a black officer in Mt. Vernon. You can't keep having this. I think any responsible person would say, wait a minute, if you have 38,000 police and it only happens to one race, at least we ought to look in this and to ask people to not look into it and to say that it's irresponsible to raise the question I think only intensifies distrust.
LEMON: Or at least training needs to be looked at as well. If anything comes out of this.
SHARPTON: I think you're right. The training must be look at, but those during the training can't look at themselves.
LEMON: All right. Thank you Reverend Al Sharpton, we appreciate it.
SHARPTON: Thank you.
LEMON: A lot of you are weighing in tonight. I want to show you that. We're going to read some of them later. But just one here I'm going to read. This Aaron Cooke says, "I don't think it is as simple as white and black situation. But I do think white/black angle needs to be examined. It is a shame.
Also here's what Core_APPLER says, "talking about the NYPD officer shot by fellow officer, some say he was shot because he was black. Others say it was a mistake."
Here's what another person is saying here, Meghan Spock (ph) says, "Is that anything new? Al Sharpton always takes an unfortunate accident and makes it about race."
Geo says, "I'm white and I listened to MBrooks, or Mike Brooks, but what he said sounded a lot like the white cop thought the black cop fit the profile."
Thank you for your responses at Twitter, Facebook, MySpace or iReport.com.
Supporters of same-sex marriage take to the street. They are vowing to repeal California's Proposition 8. But do they have any chance?
Plus, see this guy? Check him out. He's got 21 kids, 11 women and he's only 29 years old. And he has a minimum wage job. You won't believe this story.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Same-sex marriage supporters took their message right to the heart of California's conservative center today.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTORS: Marriage changed the civil right.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We will, we will repeal prop 8.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Hundreds of same-sex couples marched from Selma to Fresno, California, that's where an overwhelming majority voted last year and favor Proposition 8, which ban same-sex marriages in that state. Well, today's rally also paid homage to the 1965 march in Selma, Alabama.
Many supporters of same-sex marriage have drawn a comparison between their movement and the civil rights movement. Our next guest voted in support of Proposition 8, which is against gay marriage in California. Douglas Kmiec joins us now tonight from Malibu, California.
Why did you support it?
DOUGLAS KMIEC, PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY: Well, I supported it because the original decision of the California Supreme Court did not adequately address the issue of the freedom of religion that is also a very important constitutional value when they declared same-sex marriage to be a constitutionally protected right under the constitution.
So where are we at the moment? Proposition 8 has been validated. But the Supreme Court of California also said it does not take away any of the aspects of equality that they found in their original opinion, namely that --
LEMON: So, here's what I'm getting from what I read about you. Correct me if I'm wrong. It seems that you're not against gay marriage, you are just for Proposition 8 because you wanted to a more -- you want every person in America regardless of sexuality to have a more equal footing when it comes to marriage, and maybe it's a civil union and not a traditional marriage, is that what you're saying.
KMIEC: That's exactly right. The way it can work out now that the court has made its decision is that they can use new terminology, civil unions and apply it to all couples, straight or gay in California. And that would mean that equality would be honored by the state of California. And that would then leave it up to the couples to decide whether they wanted to pursue a marriage not from the state, but from the place where marriage is normally associated, namely with a particular faith tradition -- a church, a temple, a synagogue and so forth.
And what we know is those religious institutions differ on same- sex marriage. Some allow same-sex marriage. Some don't.
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: You know, it's a very polarizing topic when you talk about this. Especially when there are -- when religious dogma or religious beliefs are involved. People are very strident in their opinions. It doesn't sound very realistic. I understand what you are saying, but the chances of that happening are really between slim and not, don't you think?
KMIEC: Well, normally I would say yes, except look at the way the Supreme Court resolved the case. It said two things. You can't give up the principle of equality. You have to treat all Californians alike. But you must observe Proposition 8, which means you are entitled to discriminate in the use of the word marriage. Those two things don't go together.
So if California is going to honor the basic principle of equality, they need to set aside the term marriage and leads that to the private associations of religion and use an equal term civil union for everyone. If they don't do that, they're going to be brought into federal court which they already have, and federal law under principles of equal protection will in all likelihood require California to do something like that.
LEMON: Well, that's very interesting turn if it does happen. I'm up against the break here Mr. Kmiec. I really appreciate your opinion. I heard you the day this broke. And I thought it was fascinating.
Do you see this ever getting to the point where it goes to the Supreme Court?
KMIEC: Well, I think the fact that two very talented federal advocates, Ted Olson and David Boies have filed a lawsuit in federal district court means it's already on the track towards going to the Supreme Court of the United States.
LEMON: You heard it. Douglas Kmiec, we appreciate it. Thank you, sir.
KMIEC: It's good to be with you.
LEMON: The president takes his wife out for an evening on the town. Some say they deserve it. Some strongly disagree. We'll talk about that.
Plus, the recession has forced many businesses to change the way they operate in order to survive. A task tailor made for this young man.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: In tonight's "Money and Main Street," the story of Ryan Taylor who just happens to be a tailor is riding business centers on selling clothes before he makes them. And his client lists ranges from Hollywood to regular folks like us.
Here CNN's Ted Rowlands.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TED ROWLANDS, CNN GENERAL ASSIGNMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With swatches of fabric and measuring tape, Ryan Taylor sells clothes before he makes them.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you, sir.
RYAN TAYLOR, OWNER, DROBE: So, we eliminate the money that it costs to have your clothes tailored. We eliminate the time that it costs to go shopping.
ROWLANDS: And the cost of inventory. When a sale is made, half the money is collected up front, which helps pay for the cost of materials.
Taylor says his custom made clothes are about the same price you would find in a department store.
TAYLOR: Our business model is remarkably fit, lean. We have no inventory. Our inventory, quite honestly, is simply fabric.
Let's do it.
ROWLANDS: When he started his company, DROBE, which is the word "wardrobe" without the "war," Taylor was selling clothes the old- fashioned way, making them first. This is a photo of his booth at a Las Vegas trade show in 2001. He didn't sell a thing.
TAYLOR: When I came home from that show, thousands of dollars in the hole, I said, "How can I create a better story?"
ROWLANDS: So, he created the new business model. One of his first clients was the late comedian Bernie Mac.
TAYLOR: I called "The Bernie Mac Show" -- rest in peace -- and the stylist there said, "Come on in. Let me see what you have." And he was my first celebrity client.
ROWLANDS: Taylor now sells to several celebrities, including musician Johnny Gill, who recently bought some clothes at his home in Beverly Hills. Other celebrity clients include Martin Lawrence, Jay Leno and Al Pacino. But Taylor says most of his business comes from average Joes who hear about DROBE through referrals.
Taylor says his love for making and selling clothes never changed, but changing the way he does business has allowed him to thrive in a tough economy.
Ted Rowlands, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Making a difference in the life of a child. So many kids out there looking for a parent. We'll tell you how you can help.
Plus, New York, New York. A great place to take your wife for a date, even for the president. Some say they deserve a night out, but not everyone is saying that.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: In our series called "What Matters" that we're doing with Essence magazine, we're going to talk about adoption here, because more than a half million children are in foster care right now. Tony Oliver is the founder of Ruth Adoption Agency, an agency for the last 17 years has proven that there's a community of parents willing to make a difference in the life of a child.
Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON (voice-over): Toni Oliver always had a soft spot for children, but never did she think she would end up looking after hundreds of them.
(on camera): You had a mission, but you never thought that your mission would end up with you having an agency, did you?
TONI OLIVER, CEO, ROOFS ADOPTION AGENCY: No. I really didn't. It was a passion that kind of grew into me. And I had had an opportunity to work with adoption programs across the country.
LEMON (voice-over): Oliver says she discovered a foster care system where many children were falling through the cracks, African- American children in particular. They make up only 16 percent of the nation's children, but one in thee kids in foster care is black.
OLIVER: Really the thing that troubled me the most was that there was a group of children who just seemed to get stuck, regardless where, what state, what agency, public or private.
LEMON: So in 1992, with assistance from a local church, Roots opened its doors in Atlanta, a room with a desk and a chair but no phone.
(on camera): And now?
OLIVER: And now we have about 10,000 square feet. We're still a very, very small agency, though. I mean, we do a tremendous amount with the number of staff that we have.
LEMON (voice-over): Roofs has helped nearly 500 children and parents find each other like new parent Theresa Burley.
THERESA BURLEY, ADOPTIVE PARENT: My pastor's sister is a foster mom. And so she went on to adopt. And seeing her with the kids and how she bonded with them and the family atmosphere that she provided made us want to do it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Got you.
LEMON: And Malick McCray (ph) now has a dad to take care of him.
(On camera): Do you tell him how you feel?
Yes.
LEMON: What do you say to him?
I love you.
LEMON: How do you feel about him?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's my baby. He's the boy.
LEMON (voice-over): If only there were thousands more like Theresa Burley and Vincent McCray. According to the Public Welfare Association, in 2006, there were close to 510,000 children in foster care in the U.S. Toni Oliver wants to change that.
(on camera): Why your mission though?
OLIVER: Well, the myths that were out there that African- American children are hard to adopt. I did not believe that. The other myth was that African-American families did not adopt. I did not believe that. Because when I look at the fact that the families that come to us are adopting sibling groups of three or more children, they're adopting teenagers, they're adopting children that have some medical problems or behavioral problems or learning problems. And these are supposed to be children that are either hard to adopt or inadaptable.
LEMON: The love between parent and child coming not from the head, but from the heart.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Look at those beautiful faces on those pictures. And these beautiful faces right here, because Toni Oliver is here tonight. She is the CEO of Roofs Adoption Agency. Also, actress Victoria Rowell, national spokeswoman for the Foster Care Adoption with the Casey Services.
Right, Victoria?
VICTORIA ROWELL, AUTHOR, "THE WOMEN WHO RAISED ME": That's right.
LEMON: She's also a former foster child and the best-selling author. She wrote this book "The Women Who Raised Me." I read it. And a tribute to the amazing women who raised her and to the foster care system that made it possible.
Thank you so much both of you for joining us.
ROWELL: Thanks, Don.
OLIVER: Thank you.
LEMON: Just an amazing story. You just -- it was in your heart to do this. But you said it found you. You didn't find it. But in that, in that, there are still challenges that you are trying to get to this day to get over.
OLIVER: Well, there are quite a few challenges. There are children continuing to come in to foster care, for staying much too long. There are tremendous amount of families who want to be able to make a difference in their lives. And they are experiencing difficulty in getting through the system. And so, we're really trying to work to get rid of both of those problems.
LEMON: But, money, let's just be honest here, funding, money to keep an agency open like yours, it's tough.
OLIVER: Well, it's become even more difficult in the past year. We've lost a number of grants. We've actually since taping found out that we lost another major grantor. So, you know, I'm hoping that there will be people out there who will want to help us do some things differently. I would like for folks to go to our Web site and click on the donate button. That would help tremendously.
LEMON: And, Vicki, as an advocate and a former foster child -- you know, I mean, we're friends. I didn't -- you know, I didn't even think about that, that you're a former foster child. I know that you were an advocate. I don't know. It just somewhere went out of my head, even if I read your book.
But what do we do as an advocate here? What does the country need to understand?
OLIVER: Well, as a national spokesperson for Casey Family Services, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, we all have to know that we have something to offer and not to self-edit. As a former foster youth of 18 years, I really encourage people to consider becoming a Court Appointed Special Advocate or a Guardian ad Litem. And those are people that represent children in the courts.
Yes, we have still over 500,000 children in care. But we also have to know there is legislation, a new piece of legislation that's almost a year old called Fostering Connections Act. And it's going to really help prohibit children from losing contact with their families, keeping families together.
LEMON: And 18 years, you said 18 years. And that is one of the biggest problems. Teens, I mean, you were lucky at 18 years, but teens, that is a huge problem. Speak to me about that.
ROWELL: Well, we have a predominant number and a disproportionate number of African-American and brown boys in care, and a lot of them are in group homes. And we need mentors, you know, Boys and Girls Club is very important, but we need mentors out there that will take these children and stay with them. If you can't foster the child, we understand this. You can be a single parent, you can live in a house, an apartment, et cetera, but we need people to help our boys, especially our teen boys. Would you agree?
OLIVER: I would agree.
LEMON: Yes, and looking at the faces of the kids there, the one who were adopted, who finally get -- they are so excited. They are like, I knew...
ROWELL: They are very excited.
LEMON: ... that this was my dad. He said, I knew that this was my son.
If there is anything that you would like to say or is there anything you'd like to say, especially to the new administration, fairly new administration about the importance of maybe funding for agencies like yours?
OLIVER: It is very important that we maintain funding for agencies like ours. If there are -- if these agencies go away, then there is nobody who speaks for the children. And they really have no voice. And largely, they are coming from poor families. They are disenfranchised. They get into a system that they get stuck in. And I would really want to see a reduction in the numbers of children who age out of the system.
LEMON: Guys, what do you say to parents? Because you know they are watching in these cameras right here. What do you say to them about a foster child?
ROWELL: I say that we're great and we are lovable and we're teachable, and I try to teach that through my own charity, which is 20 years old, rowellfosterchildren.org. They want a forever family like any child. And -- not to self-edit. If you can give two years, if you can give 10 years, if you can give -- just know that whatever you have to offer, that includes integrity, we need it and we want it.
And I want to also speak to our foster grandparents, who are raising a second and third generation of children, Don. They are in desperate need of our community services, due to crack cocaine and methamphetamine addiction.
LEMON: Thank you. I know that you are saying to parents, just get the information and you never know. If you do it or not, come in, find out about it, and you never know where your heart is going to take you.
OLIVER: Make a difference in the life of a child.
LEMON: I'm so proud of you. Thank you so much for changing lives. And thank you so much. It's always good to see you, you know that.
ROWELL: And may I say, viva White House victory garden! Yay, first lady Michelle Obama! Yes.
LEMON: All right, victory -- she's outspoken, she'll take over, so I'm going to -- we're going to move on. Great to see you guys. Thank you so much. Best of luck to both of you.
Speaking of, as she said, the White House, the president takes his wife, the first lady, out for an evening on the town. Some say they deserve it. Some strongly disagree. We're going to talk about that. And the first couple are not the only notables in the Big Apple tonight. Prince Harry, his day on the town as well.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: It is just another night on the town if you don't count the motorcade, the media, the security, and thousands of curious onlookers. President Obama and the first lady, well, they took a jet to New York this evening to catch a show. Here's the story now from CNN's Susan Candiotti.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Thousands of onlookers were cheering as the president's motorcade was escorted to the theater. Several minutes later, Mr. Obama stepped outside his presidential limo and began waving to the crowd. A moment behind him, the first lady in black. Her hair appeared swept up.
The hottest ticket in town? It sure was this night.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's going to be unbelievable. It's something that may never happen again in my lifetime.
CANDIOTTI: The play, "Joe Turner's Come and Gone," is written by Pulitzer Prize winner August Wilson, a prominent African-American playwright, who chronicled decades of history set in the 1900s over the course of 10 plays. This one is staged in a Pittsburgh rooming house, and deals with black Reconstruction and the search for identity.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We can't deny the fact that he's black, and the historical importance of slavery must be a part in terms of his own thinking.
CANDIOTTI: This man was surfing the Internet Saturday, found out the president was coming, and struck gold.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The president's coming, the first lady. And (INAUDIBLE), and I went to see if they had a ticket for it, and they did. So I just kind of took it, last minute. So it was just a great shock.
(LAUGHTER)
CANDIOTTI: Actor Ernie Hudson says for him and the cast, it's a great night.
ERNIE HUDSON, ACTOR: I'm very excited about it. I mean, I've never really met a -- a sitting president. So it's really good that he's going to be here, and hopefully he'll like the show and, you know, you -- you think, what could you do different? But the reality is, just do your show, and hopefully he'll like it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CANDIOTTI: And Don, I'm coming to you live now. You recognize Ernie Hudson, one of the original "Ghostbusters." Well, it's a beautiful night here in Manhattan, and at this hour, the president and the first lady are still inside the show. Probably won't get out for another half hour or so. The tickets, I'm told, run anywhere from around $51 up to $96. We don't know how much he paid, if at all. At this point, we just want to hear his review. Back to you.
LEMON: Yeah. And you know what, "Joe Turner" is getting great reviews itself. Tell our viewers about how he came to select this particular play, because it is an interesting story, Susan.
CANDIOTTI: Well, no one is really quite sure about that, but we have heard some things, because of the good reviews, certainly, because of the reputation of August Wilson, the playwright here. But also, we understand that one of the actors in the play, actresses, is married to Samuel Jackson, the actor, famous actor, of course, and she had been recommending this play to him, to the president, and we think that may be why he in part made the selection.
LEMON: Well, that -- that is an interesting story. There you go, Susan, we really appreciate it, in Manhattan tonight. Man, looks like it's a lot of fun. I'd like to be there. Not necessarily hanging out with them, but just be in Manhattan, you and I could hang out too, Susan. All right. Thank you. Enjoy the rest of your Saturday night.
Republican National Committee spokeswoman Gail Gitcho said today, "As President Obama prepares to wing into Manhattan's theater district on Air Force One to take in a big Broadway show, GM is preparing to file bankruptcy, and families across America continue to struggle to pay their bills. Have a great Saturday evening -- even if you're not jetting off somewhere at taxpayer expense."
What do you think about this? Make sure you send me your responses at Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, or iReport.com. We'll read them here on the air.
You know, earlier tonight, I had a chance to sit down with Academy Award winning actress Glenn Close. She is here in Atlanta to give the commencement address for the Savannah College of Art and Design. And I asked her what she thought about the first couple's Broadway date.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GLENN CLOSE, ACTRESS: It is so great they are going to Broadway. Broadway, it's great. Wonderful.
LEMON: Why?
CLOSE: Well, because it will make other people want to go to Broadway, and Broadway is one of the, you know, Broadway is a huge factor in New York, in this city that I love so much. And also, Broadway is one of the great things that this country has created. It is one of our great cultural treasures. And so, it's great that they are doing that.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Glenn Close, just one perspective on the president's night out. More on my conversation with Academy Award winning actress Glenn Close coming up next weekend.
Prince Harry, the youngest son of Princess Diana, offered his condolences to 9/11 victims Friday in New York, his first official trip overseas. He also met with victims' families and visited firefighters, many of whom lost their colleagues in the World Trade Center attack. Then he spent some time at the Harlem's Children's Zone, where it looks like he participated in a little field day competition. Looks like a whole lot of fun to me.
Well, when you think of learning to read, using hip-hop may not be the first thing you think of.
(MUSIC)
LEMON: We are going to have the story behind a new music video series that uses hip-hop to teach toddlers and people like me, preschoolers, their ABCs. It's very cute. You want to see this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: So check this out. A new music video series using hip- hop to teach toddlers and preschoolers to read.
(MUSIC)
LEMON: It is getting some rave reviews from parents and psychiatrists. But what is really compelling is how it all got started. Here is Fredricka Whitfield, my colleague, with a preview of a story that you're going to see this weekend.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CANDY CARTER, EMERSON'S MOTHER: Emerson, let's go.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Six-year- old Emerson Carter is slow to start the day.
C. CARTER: You have to go to school. No kicking.
WHITFIELD: He won't respond to words, but his mother, Candy Carter, says a song gets him moving and gets him to do just about everything else.
C. CARTER (singing): Walk with mommy, walk with mommy...
WHITFIELD: You can see, even the little things for them have not been easy.
C. CARTER: I give birth, and my son has a hole in his heart, a big hole in his heart. Once we got all the physical stuff taken care of, he still wasn't -- something is wrong. My husband kept going, something is not right. He wasn't doing what other kids were doing. He could not sit up at one years old.
WHITFIELD: Candy says doctors discovered a rare disorder called Chromosome 8p Deletion.
C. CARTER: And I distinctly remember sitting with the geneticist and her saying, you know, it causes mental retardation, severe speech delay, and she went down the list.
WHITFIELD: By the time Emerson was three, Candy and her husband realized how tough it would be.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Candy Carter, full disclosure, is a friend of mine from Chicago, and she is a great mother. Congratulations, Candy, on doing that.
So what Candy Carter did was create this music video series to help communicate with toddlers and preschoolers. The results will just amaze you. You are going to see that tomorrow night here on CNN. Again, congratulations, Candy. I'm so proud of you. We're going to run that tomorrow night.
Here is what you guys are saying. LisaNWN12 (ph) says, "The RNC is nuts." OK.
Dblack67 says, "Why do people not think that President Obama doesn't deserve a date night with his wife?"
And Blessed03 says, "I just got my foster care license, and look forward to helping a child and hopefully get them back with their finally stable family."
MDSimon says, "Never heard of Roots Adoption Agency. This is great. I intend to adopt some years from now, and now I know where to go."
Log on to Twitter, Facebook, MySpace or iReport.com. Your comments will get on the air. We really do appreciate them and we put them on.
The world has moved far too slowly to save the endangered leatherback sea turtle. That's what we're told -- until now, that is. All it takes is one person. Meet this week's CNN hero.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Leatherback sea turtles have been around since the age of the T-Rex. That is a long time. But today, they are critically endangered worldwide. This week's CNN hero single-handedly launched a drive to protect leatherbacks in Trinidad.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUSAN LAKHAN BAPTISTE, DEFENDING THE PLANET: In Trinidad, people hunt turtles for primarily their meat. Twenty years ago, the beach was heavily laden with rotting turtles. The stench at the beach down there was terrible. I felt that was wrong, and I said, you know, we need to do something.
I am Susan Lakhan Baptiste. My goal is to protect endangered leatherback turtles. I actually came out here nightly, and patrolled the beach. There would be people with machete, waiting for the turtles to nest. I was very vigilant, and I would tell people, this is a protected species.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I started hunting turtles with my father. Suzanne brought around the change. They don't kill the turtles anymore because of the visitors.
BAPTISTE: Today, it's so much better.
You want to come and touch the turtle?
Now we are creating sustainable livelihood to (inaudible) using these very turtles. The passion that I feel, it burns me up. I have seen the fruits of our labor. And it can happen in every community.
This is a leatherback turtle that we'll be viewing. The leatherback is one of the largest of the seven marine species.
Our goal is to make this is model for other countries.
When I got started, a lot of people thought I was crazy. But I love being crazy, you know? Totally environmentally crazy.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: If you want to help Susan, go to CNN.com/heroes right now.
Prison break in the South. Two convicted murderers on the run.
Plus, meet a guy who says he has 21 children. He is only 29 years old. Is he good husband material? You won't believe this story.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Manhunt in the South, a developing story. Two convicted murderers are on the lose right now. They busted out of an Arkansas prison south of Little Rock wearing guard uniforms. 32-year-old Jeffery Grinder and 39-year-old Calvin Adams are both serving life without parole. We're told that last night, they walked out of their prison and then drove away in a car that apparently had been left for them. The guard uniforms are made at that prison. A massive search is under way. There are reports that the two men may have been seen in Missouri. We'll keep you posted on this developing story.
This one is very interesting, and it is all over the Internet. Actually, one of the most popular stories on the Internet. He has got 21 children with 11 mothers, and he is not even 30. No kidding. He is 29-year-old Tennessee man, Desmond Hatchett. And he reportedly makes minimum wage. Check out what he said about having more kids.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you intend to keep having children?
DESMOND HATCHETT, FATHER OF 21: No.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You're done?
HATCHETT: Yes, I'm done. Hopefully I'm done.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What made you decide that?
HATCHETT: I didn't intend to have this many. It just happened.
(END VIDEO CLIP) LEMON: The reason for this story that it came to light, people were so surprised after a court hearing to hear how many kids he did have. that's how this became news.
Just happened, huh? Well, the state can only take 50 percent of Hatchett's or Hackett's (ph) monthly pay. So divvied up, the 11 mothers are actually receiving an average of $1.98 per month. So essentially, the tax paying citizens of Tennessee are supporting Hatchett's children.
Also, she is one of the world's most talked-about talent show contestants. Susan Boyle. And Larry King sings, kind of.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LARRY KING, CNN ANCHOR: Cub fans, Dodger fans, everybody, everywhere, this is our song, let's hear it. One...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: CNN's (inaudible) talker is not taking calls; he is taking you out to the ball game. We are going to play that for you in just a minute.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: You couldn't turn on a television set without seeing her, on the radio, open a newspaper. We're talking about Susan Boyle, you know this, "Britain's Got Talent." OK, did she win?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The winner of Britain's Got Talent 2009 is Diversity!
(CHEERS)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Wow. Can you believe that? She is the runner-up. There is a dance group called Diversity. That's who actually won. But you know, she was very gracious about it, and she talked about the actual winners. Take a listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Susan, how do you feel right now?
SUSAN BOYLE, "BRITAIN'S GOT TALENT" CONTESTANT: The best people won.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's very gracious of you. You said to me there, you came runner-up to very deserved winners. You feel that?
BOYLE: I really do. They are very entertaining. Lads, I wish you all the best. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, that's very, very gracious.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Those winners are going to get a cash prize, let's see, $161,000, and they get to perform for the queen at the royal variety show. So congratulations to them. Boy, I'm surprised Susan Boyle didn't win. That is amazing to me. How dramatic was that too, guys, did you see that? It actually looked like a spoof on "Saturday Night Live" of "American Idol," looking at the British show. Just looks different to us on this side of the pond.
OK, Larry King, you know Larry King, right? He's on this network. He was at the Chicago Cubs and L.A. Dodgers game tonight. And, you know, Larry is a big fan. He goes all the way back to Brooklyn, you know, Brooklyn. But today, well, he put on a Cubs jersey and he added his name to the long list of people who have led the crowd in song during the seventh inning stretch. Take a look at our Larry.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LARRY KING (singing): Buy me some peanuts and crackerjacks, I don't care if I never get back. So it's root, root, root for the...
CROWD: Home team!
KING: If they don't win, it's a shame, for it's one, two, three strikes, you're out at the old ball game.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Man, I wish there was more to that. They had been -- producers have been telling me, time to move on. I wanted to hear Larry sing. Just in case you're wondering, the Cubs beat the Dodgers, 7-0. And of course, you can see Larry King every 9:00 p.m. during the week here. He's all over our network. We promise more singing from Larry.
I'm Don Lemon in Atlanta. I'll see you back here tomorrow night, 6:00, 7:00 and 10:00 p.m. Eastern. Have a great evening, everybody.
