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Jackson Doctor Under Investigation; Interview With Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow; Feds Bust Alleged North Carolina Terror Ring; New Transcripts from Colgan Air Crash Released; NFL Allows Michael Vick to Play Again

Aired July 28, 2009 - 15:00   ET

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

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Coming at you now -- health care reform, will it have a public option, or not? Will companies be required to cover you, or not?

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: Most importantly what we need is to get a bill to the Senate floor.

HOLMES: Your leaders duking it out over the details.

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We do think that it makes sense to have a public option.

HOLMES: Details that may force President Obama to choose sides within his own party.

Also, new information. A raid at the office of Michael Jackson's personal doctor.

And homegrown terror.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This day and age, you just don't know who your neighbors are.

HOLMES: Authorities says one of these men traveled outside the U.S. to learn killer tactics. Was this group really dangerous?

And would you believe this guy actually finished third in the race?

Your national conversation for Tuesday, July 28th, starts right now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Good afternoon, everybody. Thank you for being here. I am T.J. Holmes, sitting in today for Rick Sanchez.

I want to show you, first of all, what we have been watching for the past several hours here in this NEWSROOM. Take a look at these pictures we have been getting out of Vegas, two different pictures here. On one side of your screen, you are seeing the home and one side you are seeing the office of Michael Jackson's doctor. Well, police today, DEA and others have raided those places, have been searching that home and that office today. LAPD officers have been going through the house, as we know. We don't even exactly know what they are looking for, exactly know what they're finding. But they have been taking some items out, DEA agents as well at Mr. Murray's office.

We are live on the ground. We're keeping an eye on this story. We have our people live on the ground. We will get back to it in just a moment. Just wanted to update you on that fast-moving and developing story.

But, first, here I want to get to health care. The president seems to have a pretty steep climb. And it seems to be getting steeper today, because key members of Congress are apparently poised to reject his preference for government-run insurance, a government- run -- the so-called public option that would compete with private providers.

This could be a really big deal. This is really one of the cornerstones of the president's health care reform plan. Now, we have got six senators to tell you about here. We have got three Democrats and three Republicans. They have been meeting for the past few days, really, and been meeting hour after hour behind closed doors to find a plan that everybody can be happy with. Max Baucus, Kent Conrad, Jeff Bingaman, they're all the Democrats. Olympia Snowe, Chuck Grassley, Mike Enzi, three Republicans.

All six now poised possibly said to be able to -- or are ready to reject government-run insurance, because it just might not be something that both sides and the public can stomach.

So, stay with me here. They have another plan. They don't -- might not go with that, but here's what they might be. These six senators are talking about doing something else. They are talking about doing something that's called a nonprofit provider of health care or a co-op that would force competition on the private insurers. This kind of might be the same as a government system, kind of the same thing the government-run system would do, but just you are calling it a different name, some are saying.

All right. This could be where we are headed. But would the president even go for this? Well, he might have to, even though his strongest supporters say, no public option, no deal.

Senator Debbie Stabenow, Democrat of Michigan, you have got to help us all with this thing. All right, before we get into the co-op and the government-run option, just tell me, first -- you are party of this committee. Tell me how close the committee is to actually getting something that all sides agree on and getting a bill out of that committee.

SEN. DEBBIE STABENOW (D), MICHIGAN: Well, I think that we are close.

The six members that you talked about, the bipartisan group, has really been working night and day. We as Democrats met today. We will meet again tomorrow. I think we have honed in on what the issues are and the options are. And people are working very, very hard.

So, we are close. But, T.J., I have to say that the most important thing here is to really get it right. We want to get it soon. People have been waiting way too long in this country. But it has got to be right, because it affects everybody.

HOLMES: Well, and you say soon. I hate to put you on the spot, but I am going to do it anyway. You think possibly this week?

STABENOW: I think it is possible. I think it is possible to have an agreement that would go to what's called a markup, basically voting in Finance next week. But I think a lot of work has to be done in order to make that happen.

HOLMES: All right, help me now with this so-called -- this public option, this government-run option, as it's been called out there. Is that still on the table? Or have you gotten to the point that you know that the bill that is going to come out of your committee will not have the president's preference of a government-run insurance option?

STABENOW: Well, first of all, T.J., I support a public health option that fairly competes with the private sector.

HOLMES: OK.

STABENOW: I think it brings down costs and it adds in fact to the coverage options for people.

There are a number of tables. I think, on the Finance table, what we are seeing is that, rather than something called a public option, the co-op approach, which is another way to do a nonprofit consumer-driven option, focused on patients, focused consumers, that's what's being talked about in Finance.

We have another table called the Health Committee, the Health Committee that brought out a public option. We have another table called the House of Representatives that has a public option. So, we are in the middle of the process.

And the bottom line, when all of this is done, is that we need to make sure that people can keep what they have if they want to and that we are strengthening and fixing the problems that we have right now in health care.

HOLMES: Well, Senator, I have to get back to this point, because this is a really big deal to a lot of folks.

STABENOW: Sure.

HOLMES: And the Associated Press reported that, in fact, they were talking to someone who said that that committee and those six senators were looking at a compromise that would take away that government-run, that public option. So, I heard what you are saying. It might be called something else, a co-op. And even if we go that director, OK, but, from what the president wants, which he was clear, he wants this government-run option, is that no longer something under consideration in your committee, not the other committees, but yours in particular?

STABENOW: Sure.

Well, let me first stress, I support the president and his position, with where he is, but it is going to be difficult to get that option out of the Finance Committee. That's been one of the sticking points.

And, so, the negotiators are looking at something else that would achieve the same purpose. And, so, that's really the bottom line.

HOLMES: OK.

STABENOW: And Finance Committee will have its approach and then we will go on and we will keep working.

HOLMES: So, not looking at that option anymore. I just wanted to make sure we got that cleared up.

You said you are -- or -- excuse me -- Senator Baucus, the chair of the committee, said -- came out -- and he does -- he talks to the president every single day. I am sure he comes back and reports to you all, the full committee.

STABENOW: Right.

HOLMES: So, tell us, how is the president taking this news that that government-run option, that public option that he has been so much an advocate for, is not something that's going to come out of your committee?

STABENOW: Well, I haven't talked directly to the president about this recently. But I do know that he understands that this is a process. He was a member of the Senate.

He understands that this is a process, and that we have to look at where the support is in Finance Committee. Then we go to the floor. I think it's a different situation, when you talk about the full Senate, all of the senators together. So, it's a step-by-step process.

I think -- my guess is what the president would say is, do the best you can, and we will keep working to fine-tune it.

HOLMES: All right.

And, Eric Cantor, Representative, Republican from Virginia, came out a short time ago speaking about -- again, there are so many committees with so many plans.

STABENOW: Right. HOLMES: And nothing that comes out is going to be final.

Just take a quick listen. Let our viewers here what he had to say about how things are going. Let's take a quick listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. ERIC CANTOR (R-VA), HOUSE MINORITY WHIP: The reality of what President Obama is being -- is proposing is putting the government in competition with those in the private sector.

Employers, one after the other, have said, if you do that, there will be no other option then for us to shed our health care and allow all of our employees then to go into the government plan.

When you look at it, those that have health care in this country, an overwhelming number of Americans like what they have. They just say it is too expensive.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: All right. And you hear there talking about what could happen down the road with a government-run option.

And, ma'am, I need you to be as frank as you can here. How much of this just is about semantics and what members of Congress are going to be able to go back and talk to their constituents about? When they go back and say, yes, I voted for this government-run option, a lot of people are going to hear, I don't want the government running my health care. I don't want socialized medicine. You hear that as well.

So, it sounds better to be able to say a co-op. How much of this simply is semantics and what you can sell to the people?

STABENOW: Well, I think it is more than semantics. I think there are some real differences between the plans.

But, T.J., also understand that the people that are out there throwing out all kinds of words that aren't accurate are just the no crowd. They're against again. And we know the status quo is really a disaster down the road.

And, so, yes, public option, co-op, having competition with the private sector is a part of this. But, also, for people that have insurance today, it is about making sure, if they lose their job, like a lot of people in my state are doing, that they have another option, that they don't lose their insurance.

So, there's a lot more to this than just that one issue, as important as it is. And I would just say, if the purely private sector insurance company system had worked well, I wouldn't be standing here today talking to you. We wouldn't be having this debate.

The reality is, it hasn't worked for too many people. Eighty percent of the people that currently don't have insurance are working for a small business, can't afford health insurance.

So, we have got to do more than the current private insurance company system. And, frankly, the person standing between you and your doctor right now is an insurance company bureaucrat. And that's not worked too well for an awful lot of people. So, what we are talking about is how to make the system work better for people.

HOLMES: Well, Senator Stabenow, a lot of people are waiting by, standing by anxiously to see what comes out of your committee and many others...

STABENOW: Thank you.

HOLMES: ... and get this worked out.

Ma'am, we appreciate you so much for taking the time and giving us the update on what is happening with the committee. You have a good rest of the day.

STABENOW: Thanks so much.

HOLMES: Well, here is another story a lot of people are talking about, that guy. The NFL has now reinstated Michael Vick. It doesn't mean he is going to be playing immediately, however. Who exactly will pick him up? What team would give him a chance?

We will talk to an expert about the pros and cons of Michael Vick's return and his marketability.

Also, the feds raid a home in North Carolina and arrest a group of alleged jihad terror suspects. North Carolina, yes.

Also, are we closer to finding out how Michael Jackson died? Police narrow their focus to Jackson's personal doctor. We have got live reports coming up. Don't go anywhere.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: All right, we are talking about Michael Jackson again today. The investigation continues, trying to figure out exactly how he died.

But it has turned now to -- possibly to investigators trying to find out who may have killed him. Police are looking at his doctor now, investigating what role the doctor played in this. The pictures you are looking at here -- I believe I have live pictures right here -- live pictures out of Las Vegas, the home of the doctor.

Dr. Conrad Murray is his name. We have been watching these pictures for some time today. Dr. Murray was the personal physician who our sources are now saying to us administered the fatal dose of a powerful drug that authorities do believe killed Michael Jackson.

Los Angeles police officers, also, DEA agents are there at the doctor's home. They are serving there. They're also searching the doctor's office there in Las Vegas. What they found, exactly what they are looking for not necessarily clear at this time.

The DEA is, again, on this case. The FBI is on this case. L.A. investigators are on this case. You can stay here with CNN. We are live on the scene.

Our Ted Rowlands is there, asking, of course, as he always does, a lot of questions, a lot of tough questions. He's been on this case for some time. We will be live with him and to see the very latest and what he has learned. That's coming up in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Welcome back, everybody, again, T.J. Holmes sitting in for Rick Sanchez today.

A lot of people talking about health care today, trying to figure out what exactly is going to come out of a lot of those committees up on the Hill. Well, we just had a conversation with Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, a Democrat who is part of those negotiations in the Senate Finance Committee, talking about things that might be in and things that might be out.

It's got a lot of you talking already. We will go over here and check out some of the tweets you all have sent us. The one at the very top says: "We Americans go to doctors way too often and demand drugs. Take better care of yourself and prices will go down."

Well, that's one way to look at it.

But, right below this, this was not necessarily for us here at CNN. This one is addressed to Congress. "Dear Congress, avoid the red pill and the blue pill. Take a chill pill and kill this will bill."

Well, D.J. Jazzy Mike.

Also, one right under that says, "Keep the public option and narrow the mandates."

Go to one below that, saying: "We cannot afford to cut public option. It definitely needs a mandate."

Again, a lot of people reacting to the fact that at least the Senate Finance Committee, it doesn't appear that they will be able to get their bill out of that committee with that government-run, that public option that the president is certainly in favor of. We shall see.

We will turn back now to Michael Jackson.

Go ahead and put these pictures back up for you of what we have been watching for the past little while. Michael Jackson, as we know, had a personal doctor. That doctor now has a lawyer. And, today, the lawyer says a bunch of this talk we have been hearing lately, a lot of rumors, a lot of innuendo, coming from unnamed sources, saying, don't believe the stuff. We are looking at pictures here, because that's the doctor's home there that has been raided today by authorities. We have been watching this for the past several hours, really. We have seen police, DEA agents with search warrants going in and out of the home of Dr. Conrad Murray. This is in Las Vegas.

Also, they are searching the doctor's office. Don't exactly know what they are looking for, what they took.

But let's go to the ground now. Ted Rowlands is there for us.

Ted, you have been covering this story for some time now, and you have been covering what's been happening today. We lost his picture there. We are going to try to get Ted right back up. But, again, Ted Rowlands on the scene there.

I don't know if our -- our Paul Vercammen -- we have another senior producer who is over at the doctor's office as well. So, we do have him as well. Let's go to him.

Paul, I believe you are with me. Paul, what's happening over there at the doctor's office, where you are?

PAUL VERCAMMEN, CNN SENIOR PRODUCER: Well, I will go ahead and give you the overarching view, T.J.

As you said, Ted was over there at the house. And over here at the doctor's office for three hours now, DEA agents, along with some other officers, have gone inside and they are conducting what the DEA calls a records search.

Well, they are not just looking for paper. What they have sent in is an elite team, if you will, of cyber-sleuths, and they're trying the hop on down the cyber-trail and see what links they can find out from Dr. Murray and possible drug use and Michael Jackson. So, they are going to seize hardware. They're looking at software, anything that they think can provide a clue to what might have happened to Michael Jackson.

And no doubt, the subtext is they are looking for something called Diprivan, and that was that very powerful drug that's supposed to only be used in hospital settings. They want to see if any of these records, if there is evidence that perhaps Dr. Murray had prescribed Diprivan, or Propofol, as it's called, to Michael Jackson.

So, that is where this stands right now. They still have not emerged from the building after entering it at 9:22 West Coast time. So, that's where this search is. And you know the old joke. You know they say that you can't read sometimes doctors' handwriting, but, of course, on a computer, it is pretty hard to type in scribble, T.J.

HOLMES: That is a very good point.

Paul Vercammen on the scene Again at the doctor's office there which has been raided, along with the doctor's home.

And over at the doctor's home is our Ted Rowlands.

Ted, I believe is on the phone with me now.

Ted, tell me what's been happening there, a lot of activity we have been keeping an eye on the past several hours.

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, T.J., and we understand that Dr. Murray is in the home as this search warrant is executed.

They have been at it for three hours. They entered the home at 9:15, about a half-dozen from the DEA and some LAPD folks in Las Vegas, folks to help out as well. So, they have been at it for about three hours. And we are told that they are looking for documents as part of the ongoing investigation into Michael Jackson's death.

And of course Dr. Conrad Murray has now been subjected to three separate search warrants, the one last week in Houston and now the two going on simultaneously here in Las Vegas.

HOLMES: Ted, what do we know that they are looking for in that house and how much have we seen them take out of that house?

ROWLANDS: We haven't seen them take anything out, which is odd, T.J. They may just be putting it all in one area.

But, in Houston, it was sort of a constant stream of things coming out of that clinic. Here at the house, we haven't seen anybody leave within the last two hours, I would say. And we haven't seen anything come out. They brought some stuff in, in cases. And we are told that they are looking at computer evidence, potential evidence, but they are looking at computers inside the house.

What they did in Houston and they very well may be doing here is making a copy of computer hard drives. Basically, they go in and they copy everything and then they will take their copy out of it. That clearly is one thing that they are doing. But we haven't seen them take anything out as of yet.

HOLMES: And you said he is actually in the house while all of this is going on. Do we have any idea if he is -- what he is doing in there? If they are questioning him? Is he being cooperative?

ROWLANDS: Well, there has been no indication that he has not been cooperative. We watched them enter the house. And they knocked on the door. And they were in within a few minutes.

So, a neighbor has told us that he is in that house. We have not been able to confirm that through his attorneys. But a neighbor here who lives in the neighborhood says that absolutely he is in the house. And he has been spending most of the past few weeks in this house. Right now, we are actually, T.J., seeing for the first time in a few hours DEA agents and others exiting the house, but carrying nothing, just some folks leaving the house, but not the bags of evidence that we saw, at least in the Houston search.

HOLMES: All right, Ted Rowlands for us on the scene there. Ted, anything else pops up, please, get back to us. We appreciate you. Thank you so much.

ROWLANDS: OK.

HOLMES: Well, authorities say that North Carolina man is the ringleader of a group allegedly plotting terror attacks abroad, seven already in custody, agents also now searching for an eighth person. We have got somebody coming up to talk to us about homegrown terror.

Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Well, Sonia Sotomayor, no stranger to personal and professionals hurdles, she cleared another one on this day. Check it out.

Aye. What you are seeing is the United States Senate Judiciary Committee voting in favor of sending Sonia Sotomayor's name to the full Senate for a vote. That sets up a final vote on whether to make her justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.

No surprises necessarily around the table. Every Democrat voted aye, as you heard, as did one Republican senator, Senator Graham, Lindsey Graham, of North Carolina. Pretty sure that's not him. That's an empty chair right there -- of South Carolina. Excuse me. I think I might have just said North Carolina accidentally. But, yes, one Republican. You remember that Lindsey Graham of South Carolina did have some pretty tough questions for her, but a lot of people still thought he was respectful and a statesman during the questioning.

And he did go ahead and vote for her. We will turn now to North Carolina, where we got some disturbing news. A self-described good family guy really gearing up to fight and kill another country? Really? The feds are figuring all of this out and have a bunch of people in custody. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: All right, suspected would-be terrorists had reached the training stage of operations before the feds bagged most of them Monday in Raleigh, North Carolina.

That's the claim of an indictment alleging suspected ringleader Daniel Boyd received terrorism training in Afghanistan and Pakistan 20 years ago and made subsequent trips to the Middle East in the name of holy war, in the name of jihad.

Neighbors describe Boyd there as an unassuming drywall worker. In fact, here's how it looks when federal agents swooped down on his quiet street there in Raleigh, the neighbors obviously wondering what in the world is going on. They don't see stuff like this every day. And it looks like a pretty big deal. Two of Boyd's sons are among six others who are arrested. Both of them, both of the sons, are in their 20s. We're also learning this. Agents are now searching for an eighth person, a U.S. citizen who allegedly went to Pakistan in October to -- quote -- "engage in violent jihad." Those are the words coming from the U.S. government.

The U.S. attorney's office in Raleigh tells us agents expect to apprehend this eighth person soon and the public should not be worried.

Now, here, we see Boyd and three other men, alleged co- conspirators, all of whom were living in North Carolina, all now accused of plotting -- again, the authorities using this word -- violent jihad abroad.

Joining me now from Washington, CNN contributor Tom Fuentes. He's a former assistant director of the FBI.

Sir, we appreciate you being here.

What first jumped out at you when you heard this story?

TOM FUENTES, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: I think the -- the biggest news in this story, T.J., is that they are all U.S. citizens, six of the seven born here, one naturalized, but all U.S. citizens becoming radicalized. And particularly Daniel Patrick Boyd himself, making his first trip in 1989 when he was only 19 years old. You know, we didn't have tens of thousands of Internet jihadi Web sites back at that time. So, here's a person born in the United States, son of a United States Marine, how did he get converted to jihad. And that's still a mystery.

HOLMES: Yes, we don't have that answer. Should we be worried that we don't have that answer? Because terrorism certainly has been around a long time. But for Americans, I guess -- I mean, 9/11 changed a lot of things, but now, to think all these years before 9/11 even, that in '89, this young American could have been radicalized, as you say, allegedly radicalized.

So, should we be worried that we are missing something?

FUENTES: Not that we are missing something, but this is the U.S. government's worse fear. In my years with the FBI, traveling overseas, I continuously heard about how jealous they were that in the United States, we assimilate immigrant populations that were very unlikely to have subjects or citizens of the U.S. become radicalized. And nonetheless, a few months, we've had a couple of investigations from the FBI and the joint terrorism task forces around the country determine that we've had U.S. born citizens suddenly decide to become jihadists.

HOLMES: Why elsewhere? Why would they want to go elsewhere to, like the authority said to reign down this -- this jihad, this holy war? Why would the target in your opinion not have been, for these guys, the United States?

FUENTES: Well, we don't know for sure that it wouldn't have been. So far, there was no indication that they intended to attack here. All indications in the investigations were that they were going to travel overseas to wage jihad. But how do you know if that decision changes in their mind? And you certainly don't want to take the chance. And that's the huge dilemma for executive management of the FBI to determine how long to let the investigation go.

You want to identify everybody that's involved with the group. You don't miss anybody that could be out there and be violent. And at the same token, the longer the investigation goes, the greater the risk that one of them will get out of pocket and possibly commit an act here if they decided to do that. So, this is a very difficult dilemma.

HOLMES: And quickly explain for our viewers as well who hear this. I guess, just simply explain the law. Yes, they were here on U.S. soil. They were planning not to attack the U.S., but still, you are violating U.S. law.

FUENTES: Well, they acquired quite a stockpile of weaponry. And in this case, it didn't appear they were going to form a gun club or just, you know, go hunting. They acquired weapons that are designed for hunting people, AK-47s, M-16s, Ruger mini-30s, mini-14s, as well as high-power sniper rifles, the 308 caliber rifle and pistols.

So, you combine the fact that they acquiring all these weapons with the information that they're telling each other and that they're telling other people when they are trying to recruit other jihadists and combine that with going into a rural area of North Carolina and actually training, actually conducting military type training to where Boyd was teaching his sons and the others how to use that weaponry to commit murder.

HOLMES: All right. Tom Fuentes, again, assistant director of the FBI, former assistant director, and again, one of our contributors here at CNN, sir, we appreciate you walking us through some of this scary, scary stuff. Thank you so much. Good to see you.

FUENTES: Thank you, T.J. If I could add one last point...

HOLMES: Yes, please, please.

FUENTES: ... that the FBI was concerned about in Charlotte. President Obama has been planning a visit to Charlotte -- I mean, to Raleigh, North Carolina. The takedown of these arrests yesterday was strictly coincidental.

The FBI has been planning this with the Bureau of Investigation of North Carolina, as well as Raleigh and Durham police departments. This takedown has been in process for three weeks with the FBI's hostage rescue team and SWAT teams from Washington field office, Norfolk, and the Atlanta divisions all traveling to North Carolina to plan out this arrest so that we would not have a large barricade hostage-type situation and that all of the subjects to be taken into custody without incident.

So, it's just coincidental...

HOLMES: Just coincidental.

FUENTES: ... that the president is visiting.

HOLMES: The president, I believe, there tomorrow, doing another town hall, talking about...

FUENTES: Right.

HOLMES: ... health care there tomorrow. But you're right, some coincidental -- some timing there, but not linked. We appreciate you making that point for us, again, Tom. Thanks so much.

FUENTES: OK. Thank you, T.J.

HOLMES: All right. We got some video for you to check out here now. Yes, speed boat, hydroplaning goes airborne. This was during a race. Even more amazing is what happened to the driver. Stick with us for that.

Also, the co-pilot of a plane that crashed in Buffalo earlier this year said she felt sick and had thought about not flying. So, why was she flying? Some disturbing conversations from the cockpit are released. That report -- coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: We are just getting word that the man in charge of Afghanistan, the one in charge of all operations there, he just got the job not too long ago. We're talking about General Stanley McChrystal -- well, he could be asking President Obama for more troops for Afghanistan.

Again, General McChrystal, we are getting this from a source that telling CNN that, in fact, when General McChrystal does put forth his assessment of the war in Afghanistan, in that assessment, he will ask for more troops. He could be asking for -- who knows how many. We don't have a good number just yet. But an additional amount of troops for Afghanistan. They could possibly go for either combat or training of the Afghan forces. Already, the U.S. forces have added an additional 4,000 troops for that particular role.

Now, we are expecting possibly here from General McChrystal, have to make his possible request in the coming weeks. He was supposed to submit this long-awaited assessment of the war some 60 days after he took over the job. So that's coming up. So, somewhere around mid-August is when that's supposed to happening.

But the word we're getting from a Pentagon official is that General McChrystal, the man in charge of the war in Afghanistan could be asking that more troops be sent to Afghanistan -- a place that increasingly has become more and more so President Obama's war, many would say. So, we will keep an eye on that -- more word. I'm sure we're going to get on that. We'll continue to report to you.

Meanwhile, I want to go back to some video I showed you just a moment ago -- one of those things that leave you scratching your head and go wow. Take a look at it here. This looks like a disaster. But disaster was kind of averted. Yes, you saw it go up in the air, go airborne.

Again, I want you to not just watch it but I want to listen to how this thing went down as well. Take a listen.

(VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: Yes, this happened over the weekend. This happened in Washington -- Washington State. They are pretty serious about their boat racing, their speedboat racing up there. This is on the Columbia River. It catches a little too much air, we've seen this happened every now and again.

But this is what happens when all of these things are moving at a high rate of speed. A little air gets up under them, and because of the design of those boats, they get caught and they go up in the air. Now, the pilot of the boat, he is doing just fine, not hurt at all. And we understand he didn't finish too bad in the race. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: It's been 5 1/2 months now since the Colgan Air flight 3407 crashed near Buffalo, New York. All 49 passengers and crew members died. And now, the more we learn about it, the more it sounds like to a lot of people that the tragedy was simply one that was waiting to happen. We've already heard that the pilot and co-pilot were tired. Now, we know that the co-pilot was actually sick as well.

Senior correspondent Allen Chernoff has been looking at newly released cockpit transfers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALLEN CHERNOFF, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As Colgan Air's flight 3407 prepared for takeoff from Newark, co-pilot Rebecca Shaw sniffled in the cockpit, telling Captain Marvin Renslow, "I'm ready to be in the hotel room."

Shaw had flown as a passenger through the night from Seattle to Newark, New Jersey, for the flight to Buffalo.

"If I felt like this when I was at home, there is no way I would have come all the way out here. But now that I'm out here," said Shaw.

"You might as well," responded Captain Renslow.

And hour and a half later, flight 3407 crashed five miles from the Buffalo Airport. There is no evidence that Shaw's illness caused the crash, an air safety experts say there is no way to know for sure whether Shaw was unfit to fly.

TODD CURTIS, AIRSAFE.COM: Every pilot has the right and the obligation to exercise their common sense and good judgment.

CHERNOFF: But Colgan Air puts blame on Shaw, saying, "Flying fatigued or sick is not an option. Every Colgan Air pilot has an absolute obligation as a professional to show up for work fit for duty."

ROBIN TOLSMA, WIDOW OF FLIGHT 3407 FLIGHT: I don't understand why...

CHERNOFF: Robin Tolsma, who lost her husband on the pilot, faults the airplane.

TOLSMA: It was it was a complete recipe for disaster from the moment that aircraft took away from the jet way.

CHERNOFF: Captain Marvin Renslow was at the controls, not the copilot. The NTSB on Monday released an interview summary with executives from Gulfstream Training Academy where Renslow had studied piloting. Academy director James Bystrom told the NTSB Renslow's performance at the academy was above average. Indeed, it was only later in his career that Renslow repeatedly failed test-drives, some of which he failed to disclose to Colgan Air.

Allan Chernoff, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HOLMES: He is back. He is allowed to play in the NFL again, but will anybody give him a chance? The remaking of Michael Vick -- coming up next.

Also, we'll be sharing your comments.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hi, this is Erin from Northern Virginia. As an owner, I definitely would hire him in my franchise. (INAUDIBLE) celebrities at a higher standard, one they always seem to fall from. They're human and they make mistakes.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Well, don't know if you've heard, but Michael Vick is back. The man who was convicted or pleaded guilty, I should say, in a -- essentially, a dog-fighting ring, being the head of it. He spent 23 months in a jail sentence. He served his time.

He was suspended from the league, from the NFL. So, he has now been reinstated on some condition. So, a team can hire him back. Now, Michael Vick shall the former NFL and Atlanta Falcons quarterback -- a team can hire him back even though he won't be able to play in a game until the sixth week possibly or at least possibly the sixth week -- up to the sixth week of the season.

So, all that's going on now. Essentially, he is back. A lot of people are having a debate now about whether or not he should be allowed to play -- should he be given this second chance. A lot of you all are chiming in. We'll go to the board here now.

I will start at the top with Ron, saying, "He paid his debt. You bet I'd take him." A lot of people have that opinion.

Right under that, another one said, "Yes, he paid his dues. He's a great football player and brings a lot to the table."

But right under that, another says, "Regardless that Michael Vick paid his dues, people probably won't forgive him. I bet he'll have a hard time finding a team."

Under that, Kirston says -- Kirsten I should say, forgive me -- "There is no way Vick would be anywhere near my team." She thinks it's sad that he is going to be able to possibly get his job back.

And then one more under that says, "I am a dog lover. I will never forget this man's abuse of animals just for money he did not need. Greed."

So, this debate will go on. The commissioner of NFL has spoken and says he can come back to the league, a team can hire him at any point. But then the commissioner will make a decision by week six of the NFL season whether or not he can play in a regular season game. But, essentially, Michael Vick is back, can get his job back.

Now, the NFL said it's OK. Which team is going to be interested in him and why would they be interested?

Our sports business analyst Rick Horrow is going to be joining us next to discuss the remaking of Michael Vick.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, Rick. Concerning Michael Vick back into an NFL franchise, if I were an owner, I would be concerned that it would affect (INAUDIBLE) seats, would just be concerned that it would affect ticket sales and that certainly, there would be demonstrators at games.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Hey, Rick, this is Tammy calling from Atlanta. Of course, I would let Vick into my franchise. He's a moneymaker. He's an excellent football player.

He is one of the best, even now if you throw him on the field, I wouldn't because of all the pressure, but he's got to be at least in the top 10 quarterbacks in the league. Of course, I would let him in.

He made a mistake. He's paid his time in prison. Let him in, let him make a living, let him prove that he has been rehabilitated.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

HOLMES: That is going to be a great debate for some time. It's not just a matter of whether or not he can get himself back into playing shape after being out of the league for some two-plus years. That's a big question anyway for a team to see if they are going to sign him back up, to see if he can perform like he once did. But also, all that is going to come with it -- the controversy, the cameras, the possible protests -- that's a big question. A lot of you-all are weighing in on the question of Michael Vick, should he be allowed to play?

Let's go to some of what you're saying here. I got one here I can show you. A lot of these tweets we've been getting, a lot of those are coming in.

Astrochick (ph), whatever, I don't name these folks. All right. She says, "I will boycott any team that signs Vick. Playing professional sports is a privilege, not a right. He forfeited that privilege."

Right under that says, "If it would help win games, yes, I would." Also, one more that I'll get in here, "After week six and your quarterback is struggling, you'd wish you had Michael Vick. Dude is an athlete, point blank. Debt paid, let him play. Go Vick."

So, again, a lot of sides to this debate, really maybe just two major sides emerging. Let's go to our Rick Horrow, a friend of our show on CNN SATURDAY MORNING, where I normally am, but also helping us out here. Our business and sports analyst is on the phone here to break this down.

Rick, good to talk to you here during the week, my man. Let's talk about this Michael Vick, that great debate. Let's talk about. First, what's the bigger headache for a team or the bigger risk for a team that is taking a gamble on this guy who's been out of professional sports for two years? Can he perform or is it a bigger risk in that I have to take everything that's going come along with him, the possible protests and the cameras and the questions possibly?

RICK HORROW, CNN SPORTS BUSINESS ANALYST (via telephone): Well, my good friend, all the tweeters and the bloggers are correct. You feel probably both ways. Probably small market team is going to take him, who knows yet.

But Buffalo, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Nashville, Charlotte and Washington are rumored to be in the hunt. And those teams have to weigh a few more victories, potentially, if he eases into an offense, he is a gifted athlete, against the marketing angst that will go along with PETA investigations, and the fact that he had recurrent, repugnant and terrible behavior, although the other side of it, as you say, 23-month sentence is over. He lost $40 million in salary and endorsements. And most people say he paid his debt.

But the controversy will plague that team no matter where he goes.

HOLMES: So, you talk there about remaking this image. Rick, can a team -- is it a team's responsibility, can they really help him, and, I guess, reshaping his image and helping him market himself or is it really solely up to Michael Vick to show who he is now?

HORROW: Well, I think it's a little bit of both, T.J., and you know it. Michael Vick has to stay on the recalcitrant, repentant, straight and narrow path, but it's also up to a team to make it easy for him shine in that respective community. He may not be a role model but he better be a model citizen.

And, frankly, it's also the NFL. You got to remember, the franchise value today, my friend, exceed, on average, $850 million. And in many ways, so goes Vick, so goes the NFL.

HOLMES: Last thing here for you, Rick, what has been the reaction so far among some of those animal rights groups? Some of them were actually visiting him while he was in prison, wanting to sign him up and work with him, use had him as a tool, a spokesperson, essentially to discourage people from doing some of those acts he was doing with these dogs.

So, what has been the reaction to his reinstatement from some of those groups now?

HORROW: Nobody, my friend, will excuse his behavior.

HOLMES: Yes.

HORROW: The real question is: do you give him a second chance and a third chance? And there are radicals who will say, "Absolutely not." I think most people agree that since the Falcons released him, he deserves some kind of a second chance, and time will tell whether he stays than straight and narrow.

One of your bloggers said it best, if the team is struggling and if Michael Vick starts playing well and the team wins, all won't be forgotten but will go a long way toward that forgetting.

HOLMES: And I said that was going to be the last one. But I can't let you go without asking about Tony Dungy. Tony dungy, one of the most well-respected coaches out there, former coach of the Colts, he is now going to be a mentor, signed up to be a mentor for Michael Vick.

I guess what -- how helpful will this be, image-wise, for one thing for Michael Vick? And I guess, does Tony Dungy have something on the line here as well?

HORROW: Tony Dungy is a man's man and a good Christian, and very, very, very well-respected by the league, by the teams and by Michael Vick. And that was one of the things Commissioner Goodell insisted on, as you know.

So, the bottom line is: Roger Goodell said, it's not about minimizing the young man and making him a loser. It's all about giving him the best opportunity to win. So, it's very important to Tony Dungy, as it is to Michael Vick, as it is to one of the teams that signs him, as it is to the NFL.

HOLMES: All right. Rick Horrow, again, friend of our show on CNN SATURDAY MORNING, but good to talk to you again in the week, buddy. Talk to you soon, all right?

HORROW: See you in five days, man. I can't wait.

HOLMES: All right now.

Well, by now, many of you heard that President Obama will host Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates and Sergeant Crowley from the Cambridge Police Department at the White House on Thursday night. The incident between the two men, the professor and the police officer, sparked a national debate, conversation about racial profiling.

And CNN wants to hear from you about it, on both sides. If you've been a victim, you think, of racial profiling, tell us about your experience. And if you work in law enforcement even, what challenges do you face policing diverse communities.

Here's what some of our iReporters are saying.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEAN COCHRAN FROM BOLINGBROOK, ILL.: Looking at myself (INAUDIBLE) sensitive about your race, you can't even do anything. If you are white guy or a white person, you really can't do anything or say anything against anybody of color without being accused of being racist. And on the flip side of that, you know, I think a lot of my own people, a lot of my own brothers and sisters, every time something is against them, they think it is racist. Sometimes, it sure is, but it's not every time.

HAO LI FROM ATHERTON, CALIF.: I think we need to stop jumping to conclusion and have a real honest debate about race, but setting aside these assumed notions that only certain people can be racist and only certain people can be victims.

DESIRE GROVER FROM CHESTER, PA.: My hope is that we don't make a good cop's mistake unforgivable, because while we browbeat him or her, we may end up losing a good cop in the process. We can't afford to do that, at a least not in my hood.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HOLMES: And please, continue to share your stories and see what others are saying at iReport.com.

I'm T.J. Holmes, again, sitting in today for Rick Sanchez. Appreciate you being here.

Now, it's time for me to hand it over to Wolf Blitzer and "THE SITUATION ROOM."

Wolf, it's all yours.