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Afghan Election Challenger Likely to Pull Out of Run Off; Mother And Son Rescued From Drowning Vehicle; Cornell West Talks About Obama, Book; Parents of Fallen Soldier Have Message for Obama; "CNN Hero," Jose Munoz, Feeds the Hungry; Men Bicycle across Country in Protest of Iran Elections

Aired October 31, 2009 - 17:00   ET

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

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Next in THE CNN NEWSROOM, a gruesome discovery in the home of a convicted sex offender. At least six bodies were found there. Police are still looking for possibly more.

Plus, the president, the troops and the families of fallen heroes. Tonight, we hear from the mother who made a passionate personal plea to the commander in chief as her son's body came home.

Also, an SUV, rising flood water, a woman and her young son trapped. The reporter who broadcast it live, and the hero who jumped in the dangerous water to help. That woman and her young son all here live tonight with their frightening brush with death.

Plus, cycling for freedom and democracy in Iran. They peddle thousands of miles in a unique way to change and save lives.

And Dr. Cornell West is here. He has done something to change his ways. And he says it has transformed his life. What exactly is it? We will tell you.

Hello, everyone. I'm Don Lemon, live in the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta. We are going to start with some breaking news tonight. It is out of Cleveland. Boy, it is really gruesome. It is an arrest today in this very troubling discovery of multiple corpses at a home. Police had gone to a residence last night to arrest a suspect on a rape charge. But he was not there.

Instead, they stumbled upon six bodies in and around that home.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHIEF MICHAEL MCGRATH, CLEVELAND POLICE: Let me say this, we have confirmed from Dr. Miller, at the coroner's office, we have three bodies located. We also have removed from the scene what we believe to be three additional bodies. That has not yet been confirmed by Dr. Miller at the coroner's office.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: While holding that news conference, just a short time ago, the prime suspect, Anthony Sowell (ph), practically fell into their laps. Shannon O'Brien of Cleveland affiliate WOIO, she is covering this gruesome story for us. Shannon, this is really bizarre. Six bodies so far, and the possibility of more. Explain us to how this went down.

SHANNON O'BRIEN, WOIO: Now that they have Anthony Swell, they can question him about if there are any more bodies that could be found on this property or elsewhere. They actually picked him up just over a mile from his home, which is right here, which is where all of those bodies were found. He was just simply walking down the street. Somebody saw him, called police and said, hey, that guy you are looking for, I think he is walking down the street over here.

Officers responded and he was arrested without incident. Now, he's, right now, downtown at the justice center being questioned by detectives. They were going to bring him by the scene. However, they decided not to do that because they need to get information from him there first before they bring him here, in case, there are any more bodies buried at the residence.

LEMON: So let's -- let me ask you this. They just happened to be going there for another reason, and they stumbled upon these six bodies, again, in crawl spaces, or what have you. These are -- we would assume, they are women. Some of them are -- their bodies are too decomposed right now to identify them. They have set up a command center, I understand. Talk to me about that.

O'BRIEN: Right. Now, there are six bodies. The coroner -- I just got off the phone with Cayaho (ph) County coroner's office. They said they have completed autopsies on two. They are still performing autopsies on the other four. Some of them, as you said, so badly decomposed they can't even tell if they are men or women, or the ages or anything like that.

So they are still in the process of doing that. But in this neighborhood, there have been many missing persons. One woman who lives just a block away has been missing for seven months. The Cleveland police, as you said, have set up a command center around the corner. Anyone in this neighborhood, or in the area at all, who has a missing family member can come and register that missing family member with them. They will give that information to the coroner's office, and they will try to match up those bodies with those missing people.

LEMON: Shannon O'Brien of Cleveland affiliate WOIO, great job reporting this. Shannon, hopefully we can get you back later on if there are any updates. Thanks again.

So we want to go to Lieutenant Thomas Stacho of the Cleveland Police Department. He joins us now by phone with more on the investigation.

(CROSS TALK)

LEMON: Thank you so much. We heard that six bodies. You believe that all of them are women? And these are women who have been -- I would imagine -- reported missing. Do you have enough to substantiate six or seven women who have been reported missing, to go with the identities of these bodies?

LT. THOMAS STACHO, CLEVELAND POLICE: Well, we don't right now. And to be clear, and I know you said it, very well may turn out that we have six bodies. But right now the coroner is telling us that we have three bodies. The remains we believe are of three additional bodies. We won't know that until they complete their autopsies.

So we want to -- we don't want to jump the gun, if will you. It may turn out that it is going to be six. But right now we are only confirming three, with remains from what appears to be three additional bodies.

LEMON: It is fair to say as many as six. It could be as many as six.

STACHO: I would say that's accurate.

LEMON: Do we know the gender?

STACHO: We know the two -- they were able to identify to an extent are female. We don't have any other information. We don't have identifying information, name to put with these bodies yet.

LEMON: Talk to us about the background of this suspect, who we understand that he had been convicted before. I think he had to go to every week or every month -- Anthony Sowell, he had to go to visit parole officer and register as a sex offender. And he did that every time.

So this time you -- why did the police go to the home this time?

STACHO: We were investigating a rape and a felonious assault matter in which Mr. Sowell was named as a suspect. Our sex crimes and child abuse unit investigated the matter, secured arrest warrants for Mr. Sowell for rape and felonious assault, also secured a search warrant to look inside the home for any evidence of this crime.

It was two days ago that our sex crimes unit and a Swat team entered the home, and made the discovery on the third floor of two bodies in an advanced state of decomposition.

LEMON: He had spent 15 years in prison for rape in 1989. This is truly disturbing. When first heard about this, the first thing that came to my mind really was "Silence of the Lamb," and that movie, which was very similar to this, which is the truth. Can you -- you have been inside or I know your officers have been inside this awful scene. If you can, you know, in a respectful way, describe to us what the circumstances were inside that home.

STACHO: I can tell you I did not go inside the home. In fact, when I walked up, some of our homicide detective, sex crime detectives encouraged me not to go in the home because it was such a disgusting sight, unfortunately, with a lot of garbage strewn about. What they could only believe was the remains from rats and rat droppings.

Not a pretty sight inside the home. I can tell you, I stood outside the home for about an hour yesterday. And the stench from inside was overwhelming.

LEMON: Nobody complained about that?

STACHO: Apparently not. That's something we will look into.

LEMON: OK. All right. Lieutenant Thomas Stacho of the Cleveland Police Department, thank you so much for joining us tonight. Any developments, please update us. OK?

STACHO: Will do.

LEMON: We will continue follow this very disturbing story for you and bring any new details as they come to us. Sad story happening on Halloween. Just frightening.

Want to turn now to overseas. Plans for a run off election in Afghanistan are up in the air, with threats of a boycott. We want to go now to CNN's Elaine Quijano. She's at the White House.

Elaine, the uncertainty about the run off elections could impact President Obama's considerations for troop levels in Afghanistan.

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: It could. But it is interesting, Don, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who is traveling in the Middle East right now, says that even if Abdullah Abdullah, the challenger here to President Hamid Karzai, decides that he doesn't want to take part in the run off election slated for November 7th, that that's not going to affect the legitimacy of that run off.

Again, the secretary, who is traveling in the Middle East, who is making these comments as she spoke at a news conference. She was asked about this. She was standing alongside Israel's prime minister. Take a listen to what she said.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HILLARY CLINTON, SECRETARY OF STATE: I do not think that that in any way affects the legitimacy. And I would just add that when President Karzai accepted the second round, without knowing what the consequences and outcome would be, that bestowed legitimacy from that moment forward. Dr. Abdullah's position does not take away from that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: So as that political situation continues to unfold, in the meantime, President Obama had a chance yesterday to hear from the military's top brass on Afghanistan. The president and his senior advisers sat down with the Joint Chiefs of Staff. And this is important because the Joint Chiefs are the heads of all the military services. And they are the ones ultimately responsible for providing the forces necessary for the fight in Afghanistan.

The U.S. right now has some 68,000 troops in Afghanistan. The top commander there, General Stanley McChrystal, asked for an additional 40,000 troops. But there are concerns about that. It could put added strain on U.S. forces. Also, more U.S. troops could certainly fuel more violence in Afghanistan. Something to consider as well, the price tag for the requested troops could top 500,000 dollars a soldier.

So don, those are just some of the weighty concerns that the president and his team are trying to work through as they go ahead with this Afghanistan strategy review.

LEMON: A decision I would -- I don't envy having to make that decision. Thank you so much for that, Elaine.

More on the president's agenda, including Afghanistan, at the top of the hour in "THE SITUATION ROOM."

(NEWS BREAK)

LEMON: On Sunday, hear from the first known administration figure to resign in protest over the war in Afghanistan, because he thinks the U.S. is wasting its time. That's "FAREED ZAKARIA GPS," Sunday, 1:00 pm Eastern, only here on CNN.

To politics this weekend, where all eyes are on a handful of hot races, especially in New York and Virginia. We are there in Virginia with the contest for governor. It is crunch time for those candidates, McDonnell and Deeds. Let's find out what's going on.

Deputy political director Paul Steinhauser is in Leesburg, Virginia. Paul, take us -- guide us through this. Hey, nice setting. What is that, little pumpkins? Are those pumpkins?

PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Don, they have an annual parade here for Halloween. And you can see some of the floats right behind me here. Both candidates are coming here tonight. That's really -- it really explains what's going on here, Don.

We're three days away from the election. This is crunch time. That's why you are going to have both the Republican and the Democratic candidate marching in the parade tonight here. That's the whole idea. These candidates are going from morning until night, as many events as possible. They want to get out the vote. They want to make sure their supporters go to the polls on Tuesday.

Also, if you live in these states that have elections, you are inundated with campaign commercials, because, in these last few days, it is all about getting your message out to your supporters, Don.

LEMON: Paul, what's the national significance of this race? Is this -- does this have the ability to sort of change the landscape in the country when it comes to politics?

STEINHAUSER: Great question. If you don't live in Virginia, why would you care about this story? Well, this is -- you know, this race has state issues and it's about the two candidates. It also has some national significance. Some people say, in a way, this is an early referendum and an early test on Barack Obama. National issues and the president himself have come up a lot in the debates and in this campaign.

Democrats have done very well here in Virginia this decade. The Republicans say if they can win this contest back here, this for governor's seat, they are going to feel very good going to next year's big Congressional elections.

LEMON: It is interesting, too, with mayors and -- around the country as well. Similar things happening in Houston, also right here in Atlanta, where we are. Atlanta could have its first white mayor, to be honest, in decades. So it is going to be interesting to see what plays out on Election Day.

I want to talk about New York as well here, Paul. Today, a moderate Republican is dropping out of the Congressional race. Why is this such a big deal?

STEINHAUSER: Well, Don, that story up there is a good one as well, because you had a conservative candidate and you also had the official Republican candidate. The Republican candidate dropped out today. It is like a real battle for the heart and soul of the Republican Party, as they try to recoup from the losses in '06 and '08. Do they stay to the right or do they go to the middle?

At least today, with that Republican moderate dropping out, it seems like the conservatives are having their day. Don?

LEMON: Paul Steinhauser. Thank you, Paul. Hope you get some pumpkin pie and enjoy the parade tonight.

Let's talk -- Miley Cyrus has a stalker. The accused stalker, I should say, has a court date. We are going to update you on the case. Plus, a bus carrying Morehouse College students overturns on rainy interstate. Several students are injured. We will have the latest on their conditions.

Also, weigh in. We want to hear from you, as always. Appreciate your feedback. And that's how you do it, right there on the screen.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Slick roads, a likely factor in a bus accident this morning just south of Atlanta. A charter bus carrying 42 Morehouse College students, including band members, skidded off Interstate 75 and overturned. Thirteen people were taken to hospitals. Police say their injuries weren't life threatening. The bus was on its way to a football game. The driver told police he lost control while trying to avoid another vehicle moving into his lane. It was raining at the time of that crash.

The search and rescue operation is still going on in the Pacific Ocean off southern California today. A Coast Guard C-130 plane and a Marine helicopter collided Thursday night. There were nine people on the two aircraft. Still no sign of them. Crews have found debris. The search has been going non-stop, and covers nearly 650 square miles.

In Louisiana, authorities say hope more reward money will help them catch a possible serial killer. The bodies of eight women have been found dumped in rural Jefferson Davis Parish. Still, there had been no arrests and family members are trying to find exactly what is going on. Detectives think one person may responsible for all the killings. The reward money offered for the tip that breaks case, 85,000 dollars. It had been 35,000 dollars.

There is an update in the Miley Cyrus stalking case. We'll get to that just a little bit later on here on CNN.

Imagine this: you are in an SUV with your daughter. The vehicle gets trapped in rising floodwaters. Let's check this out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: As we were going to the water, I was like, Lord, please, don't let us die. Lord, please don't let us die. The water kept rising up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: We will talk with that mother and the Good Samaritan who saved her life, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Take a look at this. It is dramatic video of a woman being rescued from a flooded SUV in Arkansas. The driver braves the floodwaters, right, in Little Rock, Arkansas, only to find herself trapped, as the vehicle filled with water. I think she got really close to it and then realized how deep it was. But it was too late to turn back because her vehicle stalled.

A Good Samaritan comes to her aid and pulls a woman from the murky water, all while a reporter on the other side of the flooded street is watching this rescue unfold.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Turn around and don't drown, because you don't want your car to stall out or somebody to have to come and rescue you when you could have just stayed at home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: She was actually in the middle of a live shot. Just as KARK reporter Sonseeahray Tonsal reported that, Amanda Stewart drove her SUV into the flooded street. This is all going on live. Can you imagine? You can see the vehicle highlighted by the circle that was there. Moments later, the SUV was almost completely submerged, and were it not for Thomas Hudson Stewart, could have drowned, could have possibly drowned. Considering the flood water there and how it was going in, quite possibly could have.

So we are going to hear first hand from Amanda Stewart and her rescuer. There is her son right there, Ezekiel, who was in the car. First I want to talk to the reporter who was there. What was going through your head when you saw this? SONSEEAHRAY TONSAL, KARK REPORTER: You know, turn around and don't drown is something that, you know, is just a severe weather mantra here in the news room and in our weather center at KARK. That's why we do repeat it often when we are out covering these sorts of things. I was just wrapping that message up. We had just cutback to the studio.

And then I turned and looked back at the scene over my shoulder and realized that there was a car coming into the water. And, unfortunately, it is something we do see a lot. People do not heed those warnings. But then when I realized they were getting deeper and deeper, it was such a scary situation.

LEMON: You are on the other side of the water. So you can't help. All you can do is report, and maybe someone at the police department or rescuers are watching this, and are going to send someone to help.

TONSAL: Exactly. Actually, one of the situations, you know -- there are people behind our cameras. And I could see fire trucks coming this way. There had been another car that had gotten stuck in the flood there along 7th street, and was already completely submerged. The person got out of that car perfectly fine.

Actually, there had been several crews coming by, just taking pictures for their records of that scene. Here this other one has developed. And some of the crews pulling up, where I could see them behind where our cameras were. And I knew they were going around and heading right there.

So even though I felt helpless watching it, I knew the right people were on the way.

LEMON: Yes. If they were watching, you know, no one had called 911 or your crew did, you probably helped in saving these folks as well.

Let's talk to them right now. Amanda Stewart and Zeke Stewart as well. Zeke, how old are you, 12?

EZEKIEL STEWART, SURVIVED FLOODED CAR: Yes, sir.

LEMON: OK. So you guys are in the car. Explain to me. You were coming or going. Where were you en route to?

AMANDA STEWART, SURVIVED FLOODED CAR: We had just left Wendy's. Getting my son something to eat because he was hungry. Then we were on our way to the bank, where it just so happened we didn't make to it the bank, because we didn't know the water was as deep as it was.

LEMON: So you drive up there. Was that a fair assessment of what I said? You get to the water and realize, wow, this is flooded; I shouldn't go there, and you stop, but your car stalls?

A. STEWART: Yes. Then I tried to put it in reverse and it wouldn't go back. It just kept going forward. E. STEWART: But the water -- the water was pulling us in.

A. STEWART: The water was pulling the truck in.

LEMON: You picked up your cell phone, which hadn't gotten yet wet, right?

A. STEWART: No. The water hadn't started coming in yet until I started calling 911. That's when I felt my feet getting wet and it started coming up in the truck.

LEMON: So when you see Thomas Hudson at your van or at your car -- was it an SUV or a van? What is it?

A. STEWART: It is an SUV.

LEMON: When you see him coming, I imagine you go, oh, my gosh, thank you, but please hurry up. Thomas, you swam out there. Why did -- why did you do it? I know that you help out all the time with rescues. But you didn't even think. You just jumped in.

THOMAS HUDSON, GOOD SAMARITAN: Well, first of all, I want to see Zeke and Amanda, I'm really glad you are all right. I'm really glad this interview is happening now, that you are here to do that. When I -- I had no idea that I was going to be involved in that life or death situation. I thought I was going to be pulling a vehicle out of the water, because at the time that I first got down, that vehicle was not very deep. I'm really surprised by how fast it went down.

LEMON: Yes. I think -- What happened? Did your brakes start slipping or something? The car moved forward? Right? You could no longer -- did it move in the water, Amanda?

A. STEWART: Well, it was like -- like my -- my truck had just stopped. I mean, I was trying to -- like I said, I was trying to put it in reverse, but I couldn't. The water was pulling us all in.

LEMON: Have you seen Thomas since this happened? Have you spoken to him?

HUDSON: No, we haven't spoken.

LEMON: You haven't spoken?

HUDSON: Not until right now.

LEMON: Anything you wouldn't say to him, Amanda and Zeke?

A. STEWART: I just thank you. I just thank you for being there at the scene. I mean, I really appreciate you. We both appreciate you, because we know if it weren't for you and the fire troopers, we wouldn't have made it. We just thank you.

E. STEWART: Very thank you.

LEMON: Thomas and Amanda, are you guys going to try to get together at least, and maybe break bread or do something? Have a personal meeting?

HUDSON: Yes, sure. Why not? I guess you guys can pass on my contact information, if you want.

LEMON: Yes. OK. Great. We will do that. Real quickly, we will get back to Amanda and Zeke. But Thomas, you are actually out again helping -- is it tornado -- there's a tornado in the area or damage, storm damage, and you are helping out.

HUDSON: Yes, sir. Every time a tornado comes through Arkansas, I try to go out and help clean up. I am doing chain saw work today in East Camden, Arkansas that was hit. Actually, I believe it was hit on Thursday.

LEMON: Thomas Hudson, you are a brave man. I think we can call you a hero. Amanda, would you agree?

A. STEWART: Yes.

LEMON: Zeke, would you guy?

E. STEWART: Yes. Yes, sir. Totally.

LEMON: Thanks to you and thanks to Sonseeahray, the reporter there who, you know, helped us out with this story as well. We really appreciate all of you. We are glad that you are safe. And Thomas, again, thanks for your bravery. OK?

HUDSON: Hey, everybody should help their neighbors. You never know when some situation like that is going to develop. I thought I was just pulling that car out of the water, and didn't realize it was going to be a life or death situation. Everybody should take the time to help their neighbors.

LEMON: Amen, brother. Thanks to all of you.

(WEATHER REPORT)

LEMON: You know what? He has never been shy about speaking out. Now, Dr. Cornell West is speaking out about himself, what he said transformed his life. And we are also talking to him about the anniversary of President Barack Obama's election. We will hear from him next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: As the anniversary of President Barack Obama's election nears, we are focusing on black men. Is he helping the issues that continue to plague African-American men in this country -- incarceration, violence, racism, apathy? So who better to talk about that than Cornell West of Princeton University? He has a new book out, "Brother West, Living and Loving Out Loud, a Memoir." This week I asked him his thoughts on black men in the age of President Obama and why he decided to write his own story now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) CORNELL WEST, PROFESSOR & AUTHOR, PRINCETON UNIVERSITY: When I had the battle with cancer, they told me I might not live too long. Brother Taver (ph) said I think it is best to write your story now and he's absolutely right. If I could write a story about the power of love and the power of education, and touch one person, especially a young person, turn them around.

LEMON: What did this do for you?

WEST: It transformed my life and turned -- forced me to deal with dark issues in my own soul and how I had been wrestling with my calling, my vocation, trying to write, teach, lecture, unsettle minds, encourage and empower souls.

LEMON: Who do you mean by that? Big-time Princeton guy who has it all going on. We see you on television. You have -- you know, you use these eloquent words. What do you mean dealing with demons?

WEST: A cracked vessel. I'm trying to love my crooked neighbor with my crooked heat and bear witness to justice putting distress on the weak the poor working class, be they gay, brothers, sisters, black folk, indigenous peoples, women, physically challenged, all of those folk whose weakness tends to be overlooked by the powerful.

LEMON: Why is that? Why was that your calling? What do you think?

WEST: I think it had everything to do with the West family. Had everything to do with Shiloh Baptist Church, Reverend Willie Pete Cook, my Sunday school teacher.

LEMON: I went to Shiloh Baptist Church, Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church.

WEST: You remember the 25th chapter of Matthew, what you do to the least, prisoners, weak, orphan. That's deeply prophetic Judaic perception, 1st chapter of Isaiah, keep track of the widow.

LEMON: It is called, "Brother West, Living and Loving Out Loud." As if you were not doing that before. Let's talk about this now. We -- we are discussing this on CNN. Black men in the age of President Obama, do you think that's changing lives? Especially the lives of African-American men? To even in the -- the year that the president has been in office?

WEST: I think so. I mean -- I think the symbolic level a magnificent thing to a degree that we have a black man every day on the television, very charismatic and talking about public interests and common good. That's very important because it shatters a lot of stereotypes, often racist stereotypes that do not contribute to the best of we, black brothers. At the same time, though, it makes it difficult, especially for brothers like me, who are still angry, because Brother Barack can't be angry. I'm an angry black man.

LEMON: What are you angry about? WEST: I have a -- I have a righteous indignation at injustice. I don't care who it is. What ever human being has been treated unjustly, I have a righteous indignation.

LEMON: In this day and age, we are supposed to be in a post- racial era.

WEST: I know, we are supposed to be very calm and sedate and so forth. I'm not that kind of black man. You see. Barack understands that. He understands the vision of labor. I'm being facetious on one level. But on another level, on the larger public, they have to recognize, when you talk about the legacy of Martin King or Fannie Lou Hamer (ph), they had a righteous indignation. That legacy must remain alive in the age of Obama even as he must rule for everyone as president of the country.

LEMON: I was being facetious, too, when I said in a post-racial era. Do you think this is a post-racial era?

WEST: Oh, no. We have white brothers and sisters who are less racist than their parents and grandparents. That's why they would elect a black man. That's a beautiful thing. That's a magnificent thing. That's progress. At the same time, we have dilapidated housing, disgraceful school systems, depress-like levels of unemployment, underemployment, unavailable health care and child care. That's not just for black people, that's for the poor, white brothers, red poor brothers and sisters, brown poor brothers and sisters. That is where the righteous indignation needs to remain.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: That was Dr. Cornell West and his observations highlight our larger discussion tonight in our 10:00 p.m. hour.

What, if anything, changed for African-American in the years since the election of President Barack Obama? I sat down with a diverse panel of experts and every day people to discuss their hopes and expectations and their disappointments. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEVE PERRY: If he sends his child to a D.C. Public school he is making a very clear statement that I value this education. This is where live and where I will send my kids to school or he says you know what, I want to send my kids to this school.

LEMON: Have -- have you spoken to him about that?

PERRY: No. He didn't call me this week.

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Steve Perry there. Steve is critical of the president for sending his children to private school. He believes, if the president wants to send a message, he should send them to public school. So it is a fair assessment of the year, "Black Men in the Age of Obama," straight talk and honest opinions. Join me for "Black Men in the Age of President Obama," 10:00 p.m. eastern right here on CNN. Also, the editor-in-chief of "Essence" magazine will join us as well. She will help me out. Angela Burtmurry (ph) joins me at 10:00 p.m.

We want to update our breaking story, our top story tonight here on CNN. We told you about up to six bodies being found in a home in Cleveland, Ohio. We are being told by the coroner's office that it is, indeed, six bodies that were found. Authorities in Ohio now confirmed six bodies found in the home of a rape suspect arrested on Saturday. The coroner spokesperson says three additional decomposing bodies were confirmed Saturday. and autopsies have been done on all six. No cause of death announced.

So as we told you earlier today, police announced the arrests. They went to the home of a man on the suspicion of a rape charge. When they got there they found these bodies strewn about in the home. You heard the officer on earlier saying that it smelled outside. You could smell it. His officers told him not to go inside. Let me get the man's name, Soul (ph), Anthony Soul (ph)? It practically fell into their laps. They didn't know they were there. They just happened to be going there to question this man and bring him in for questioning and there they found it. Six bodies, and they are looking for more.

An American soldier killed in Afghanistan, saluted on his return by the commander in chief.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONNA GRIFFIN, MOTHER OF SOLDIER: When you don't have someone in your family that is in the military, it is very easy to forget the sacrifices that are made.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: You will hear from the parents of Sergeant Dale Griffin and learn what they said to President Obama.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: If you are in the New York City area, you probably heard of this man doing great things. Because at a time when food banks are struggling to keep up with skyrocketing demand and more and more people are uncertain about where their next meal is coming from, school bus driver, , is helping people make it through tough times. Taking it upon himself to feed scores of needy people every day. And for his work, he was recently named one of our 2009 top-ten "CNN Heroes."

Thank you so much and congratulations to you.

JORGE MUNOZ, "CNN HERO": Thanks so much. How are you?

LEMON: I'm doing well. How are you? That's the question. Listen, so -- we will get -- you are excited about it. Is it a white pickup truck, van. You go through and feed people. Explain to our audience what happens.

MUNOZ: We do in our home for the last five years and a half, we try to make a little change. These guys, they are living in the street like homeless. That's -- I think it is a mission.

LEMON: How did you start this? You started this with your family.

MUNOZ: Yeah. That was five years and a half ago. I was working at a homeless camp and noticed a food factory putting food in the garbage. I asked them if I could have the food and bring to it somebody that needed it. I noticed these guys in Jackson (ph) Heights. These guys come to my mind and I taught if you can help me to cook and that's what started -- everything started from that point.

LEMON: So you went through with it and you, your mom and family went through with this. So far, since 2004, right, you have served at last count about 70,000 meals to needy people.

MUNOZ: Well, maybe a little bit more. Since CNN -- there's -- did interview back in March, we count now about 90,000.

LEMON: Oh, my gosh. That's the power of being a CNN top-ten hero.

MUNOZ: It is a great honor to be a CNN top hero.

LEMON: What are you going to do with this now that you have been elevated? You know, more people know about you, what are your plans?

MUNOZ: I'm -- I plan to keep up the project. Soon planning to go -- keep doing it. That's the main thing at home.

LEMON: Why change what do you if it is successful and working and you are helping a lot of people. Jorge Munoz, best of luck to you and we hope you become -- we hope all our heroes become the number one. But it is an honor just to be in there, isn't it?

MUNOZ: Yes, it is. Thanks so much.

LEMON: Thank you so much.

You can go to CNN.com/heroes right now to vote for the "CNN Hero" who you think should be the hero of the year. They will all be honored at an all-star tribute hosted by Anderson Cooper on Thanksgiving night right here on CNN.

Their son paid the ultimate sacrifice and received a presidential salute as his body arrived at Dover Air Force Base. The parents of Army Sergeant Dale Griffin say they had a special request for President Obama.

Reporter Jane Santuchi (ph), of affiliate WTHI spoke with the Griffin family in Terra Haute, Indiana. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DONNA GRIFFIN: Decisions.

GENE GRIFFIN, FATHER OF SOLDIER: Right.

JANE SANTUCHI (ph), REPORTER, WTHI: A knock on the door changed the lives of Gene and Donna Griffin forever.

GENE GRIFFIN: I went well, ask him what they want, you know, through the door. And she looked back through the peephole and saw they were military. She said they are Army. We knew.

SANTUCHI (ph): They knew their son, Sergeant Dale Griffin, was gone. Griffin died with six other soldiers as they traveled with an Afghan interpreter. Gene and Donna flew to Dover Delaware on Wednesday as their son was brought home in a flag-draped casket.

President Obama saluted as Griffin's body was taken out of a military plane.

The president met with the Griffins afterwards, offering his condolences.

DONNA GRIFFIN: I leaned up to his ear and I -- I said, Mr. President, don't leave our troops hanging.

SANTUCHI (ph): The Griffins returned to Terre Haute Thursday without their son's body.

GENE GRIFFIN: As challenging as it is to do what we did and to leave there, we carry him in our hearts and we know it is not just a memory of a picture or video, that he truly lives and that he's with his father.

SANTUCHI (ph) (on camera): The war in Afghanistan, measured in casualties, now has a face, a name, and a family.

DONNA GRIFFIN: When you don't have someone in your family that is in the military, it is very easy to forget the sacrifices that are made.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: Again, that was Jane Santuchi (ph) of CNN affiliate WTHI.

They are the last people American troops see before they are shipped overseas to Afghanistan. A new documentary reveals how the loss of U.S. service members affect these main troop greeters.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JERRY MUNDY, MARINE TROOP GREETER: I read the casualty list in the paper. I say to myself, I wonder if I shook that guy's hand.

(END VIDEO CLIP) LEMON: They are American heroes as well. You want to see this story. It is very touching.

A touching story to the main troop greeters at 7:00 p.m. eastern. Our entire hour, at 7:00, we focus on Afghanistan, the men and women who are fighting there and those that are getting hurt, those that are coming home. What kind of help they are receiving. And the president's strategy, sending more troops, is it the right strategy? We also talked to CNN's Michael Ware who spent ain't credible amount of time in Afghanistan. Join us at 7:00 p.m.

Two men are riding bicycles across the United States. Why would they do this? It is for a cause so important that thousands of people risked getting arrested for it in the streets of Iran. Their amazing story after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Iran's opposition leaders vowed to continue challenging with ruling system that declared Mahmoud Ahmadinejad the winner of this summer's presidential election. Opposition leader, Mir Hossein Mousavi, and former president, Mahmoud Khatami, declared their intentions just days before a state-sponsored rally against the United States. This summer's protest sparked a harsh crackdown by government security forces that killed dozens of protectors and saw thousands more arrested. And we watched it all unfold here in the U.S. on television.

Here in the United States, two Iranian cyclists are pedaling across the country with a message of peace and democracy. They're calling it "Pedal for Green" in support of those pro democracy protestors in Iran, who adopted the color green as their symbol. Amir Achmadeh (ph) and Hassan Alizadeh, is that right.

HASAN ALIZADEH, BICYCLIST. Yes.

LEMON: I knew I would ask them like four times before.

They are joining me here in Atlanta to talk about their -- this is really brave of you to do this.

When did you start?

ALIZADEH: Two months ago.

LEMON: Two months ago?

ALIZADEH: Yes.

LEMON: So how far have you pedaled?

ALIZADEH: We started from New York to Atlanta.

LEMON: New York to Atlanta.

And you're going to go west from here? ALIZADEH: Yeah.

LEMON: Wow! Eat your Wheaties. It about awareness. You believe people are dying for democracy and freedom in Iran and you want people here in the United States to be aware of it?

ALIZADEH: As you know, I think that in all over the world, people know that the Iranian people participated in election in Iran. And most of them, actually. And they voted for the candidates but, unfortunately, they denied and they didn't accept it. And people vote and that's -- that was when we came to protest but the peaceful way. We had the silent and peaceful demonstration on the streets in Iran. but unfortunately, they answered us by gun and shoot.

LEMON: And we -- again, we witnessed it here. And I thought you device were going to bring me a bike so I'm wearing my sweat pants and sneakers for you.

ALIZADEH: You can use mine.

(LAUGHTER)

LEMON: We're joking around, but I think it's a great thing you're doing. Where's your family?

ALIZADEH: In Iran.

LEMON: In Iran?

ALIZADEH: Yeah.

LEMON: Are you putting them in danger? Do you feel you're putting them in danger by you guys doing this?

ALIZADEH: Actually, the all Iranian people are in danger right now, and it doesn't matter. It's us or somebody else. And the most Iranian people, they are against the situation right now.

LEMON: Listen, thank you so much. I think that when you see all of the uproar, and the cameras are trained on that, and you have people -- for a moment, it becomes a flash point and you see it in the news but then it fades from the headlines. So I think it's great what you device are doing to keep it back in the headlines.

ALIZADEH: I didn't bring you a bicycle.

LEMON: Thank you very much. You know what, I already have one. I'll take a new one and spread as many as possible. Listen, be safe out there, OK? Really. Take care of yourself. It's getting cold and rainy but we want you to be safe.

ALIZADEH: Thank you very much.

LEMON: Thank you. We really appreciate it.

Diabetes, obesity and high blood pressure, they are all on the rise for inner-city children. One of the reasons? In urban areas, it can be hard to find fresh, healthy foods. CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta has more in today's "Fit Nation."

(FIT NATION)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: I don't need to talk, just roll the video here, Roger.

Look at this. This is at the White House today. Look at the kids celebrating Thanksgiving. Boy, oh, boy, even if you were an adult, it would be fun to be there. The President and First Lady welcomed children of military families and school children across the Washington area, plenty of colorful costumes as you can see from both children and adults, live music, treats, tricks. Halloween at the White House.

I'm Don Lemon. I'll see you back here at 7:00 p.m. Eastern.

"THE SITUATION ROOM" with Wolf Blitzer, begins right now.