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Tragedy Shuts Down Indiana State Fair; This Weekend's GOP Breakouts; Norway's Massacre Suspect Returns; Judge Sentenced in "Kids for Cash"; Hackers' War on BART; Fighting Sioux's Last Stand; An Interview with Sarah Palin

Aired August 14, 2011 - 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: Right now on CNN --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(PEOPLE SCREAMING)

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LEMON: Fun turns fatal in an instant. A concert stage collapses on a crowd of people. What you need to know before you go to another outdoor event from someone who lived through it.

The man accused of mass murder in Norway retraces his footsteps while chained to police. You have to see this video.

Then, a mother's grief.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I would like him to go to hell and rot there forever!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ma'am, come on.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You know what he told everybody in court? They need to be held accountable for their actions. You need to be. Do you remember me? Do you remember me? Do you remember my son?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: You will hear from a mother whose mission was to see a judge pay for her son's suicide.

And we are not the only ones tired of partisan rhetoric.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you so much. Drop the talking points.

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LEMON: Why Sarah Palin wants politicians to drop the talking points.

Good evening, everyone. We begin tonight in Indianapolis, the site of a deadly stage collapse at a state fair. Dramatic new video just in to CNN shows the heroic rescue efforts in the moments after the tragedy. Country music fans who had come only prepared to hear a concert suddenly doing anything they could to help dozens of badly injured people they had never met. Much more of this heart-stopping scene is just ahead here tonight on CNN.

But first, this iReport by Jessica Silas who was in the grandstand at the moment the deadly storm hit.

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(PEOPLE SCREAMING)

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LEMON: It's incredible to see. Fans and fair-goers had gathered at the racetrack for a nighttime concert by the country band Sugarland. The band was just minutes away from taking the stage when a powerful gust of wind swept through the fairground and knocked down the massive metal scaffolding over the stage. It fell directly onto the area in front of the stage known as the Sugar Pit, where the band's biggest fans gathered.

Well, four people died at the scene and one died later at the hospital. At least 40 others were hurt. Nine people remain in the hospital including several children. State officials are now combing through the wreckage to try to determine how and where the scaffolding failed. And besides holding a canopy over the stage, the scaffolding held thousands of pounds of stage lights and other equipment.

I want you to watch as the fans leap into action in this report from Scott Sander of our affiliate WISH.

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SCOTT SANDER, WISH REPORTER (voice over): Individual Hoosiers ran to the trouble, not from the trouble.

In his public praise of private rescuers, Governor Daniels nearly wept.

GOV. MITCH DANIELS (R), INDIANA: And the character that we associate with our state, people don't have to be paid to do it. So I want to say thanks to each of you.

SANDER: Strangers linked only by music before the collapse showed remarkable unity after it. They could have found many reasons not to act -- the stage was unstable, the weather was actually getting worse.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And the rain was so heavy you could barely do anything and the wind was so heavy you barely could do anything.

SANDER: But do something, many did. Many heaved heavy rigging off pinned victims.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There were people trying to get the scaffolding up. So a bunch of us were able to lift it up just enough. And people pulled her out.

SANDER: Others turned toppled chair rows into stretchers, working with great care in the middle of chaos.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On three, on her side.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Got her neck.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One, two, three. On her side.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wait a minute. Wait a minute.

SANDER: Then, when one terrible yet admirable task was done, they did it again.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I crawled back under there.

SANDER: You know, for all the tragedy, that was really very encouraging to see humanity in action.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: Joining me now by telephone is the man who shot that dramatic video of the spontaneous rescue efforts. His name is Ivan Gratz and he's a professional videographer.

So, Ivan, you were just there for the concert and then all hell broke loose. Take us back to those first terrifying moments, will you?

IVAN GRATZ, VIDEOGRAPHER: Yes, sure. It looked like once the wind come across the state fairgrounds, it didn't take very long before the stage hit the ground. And then it was kind of funny because everybody ran away from the stage. As many people as could they ran away from the stage. And then as soon as the stage was like stable on the ground, everyone turned around and they ran back. And that's what was incredible. The pictures where you see people grab a hold of the stage and they are lifting it up.

LEMON: AS you said everyone ran away from the stage -- when the wind came through or when they saw that was about to fall?

GRATZ: Yes. As the stage started to go down, they all started to run away. And a few people got caught, of course. And then as soon as it was stable or seemed to be stable, everybody just turned around and ran right back to the stage. They started climbing inside. And it was pretty incredible.

LEMON: Tell us how people -- were they fairly calm? Because it seems, at least once they figured out what happened, it seems people were fairly calm as they were trying to help each other. GRATZ: There were a lot of -- it seemed to me like, just talking to some people right in the area, there were a lot of EMTs that seemed to be around. There seemed to be like some army guys that just kind of showed up out of nowhere. And you know, the state police, of course, were there because the band was there. And just a lot of different people along with fans that just kind of jumped in.

LEMON: It's interesting that you say that, because I spoke with a doctor earlier here CNN and he said the same thing. He was up in the stands with his daughter and he ran down. He said it took him about five minutes. And he said, Ivan, he really didn't have to get anyone to help or ask anyone to help. Everybody was just jumping in and trying to -- even trying to pull pieces of the stage off of people who were -- who were stuck under the stage.

GRATZ: Yes. And the other thing, too, a lot of people didn't realize that this stage was electrified at the time. You know, all the lights had electricity going to it and everything. And there was a man that worked at the -- for 30 years at the state fairgrounds as the electrician. And he was smart enough to unhook everything before -- almost about the time that people got right to the stage. Because it was, you know, it was ready for the concert.

LEMON: And we hear this all the time. It sounds like a cliche, but it could have been much worse if not for people like who you are mentioning now.

GRATZ: Oh, yes. It's like just amazing how many people jumped in like you can see where the stage is, you know, it falls down and then the people run away, but then they are right back at it. Like they grabbed chairs. And they, you know, using them for stretchers. And, you know, they were just running out of equipment at that point. And so they set up the triage area.

And I think with, you know, the Indianapolis police and fire department did a great job. And with the Super Bowl coming to Indianapolis this year, I think, you know, some of their training for that may have helped this particular situation.

LEMON: Are you OK? You sound like you're a little bit shaky still from this. Are you?

GRATZ: It was -- it was a tough scene, you know. I have been a photographer for 30 years. But to see something like this, you know, I have seen a lot of different things. But it was pretty tough situation for a lot of people.

LEMON: Ivan Gratz, be well. Thank you so much.

Well, that was fast. A day after the Iowa straw poll, one Republican candidate for president says he's done. Meantime, two of the biggest names for the GOP sharing the same stage tonight. They went after President Obama. But did they go after each other, too?

And the suspect in the mass shooting in Norway returns to the scene of the crime. Make sure you check us out on the social media sites tonight as well.

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GOV. RICK PERRY (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Sometimes it kind of takes me a while to get into something like this presidential race, but let me tell you, when I'm in, I'm in all the way.

(APPLAUSE)

REP. MICHELE BACHMANN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I woke up to a wonderful newspaper this morning. I don't know if you saw it. This is my copy of the "Waterloo Courier" today. I hope you enjoyed it. I know I did.

(APPLAUSE)

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LEMON: Oh, the best sound bite of the night was Rick Perry there. This weekend, two breakout stars in the Republican race for president appearing tonight in the same Iowa town on the same stage just minutes apart. Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann enjoying her win in the Iowa straw poll. Texas Gov. Rick Perry stealing many of the headlines by announcing his candidacy on the same day.

CNN political reporter Pete Hamby was at the Republican dinner where both spoke tonight.

Pete, when I'm in, I'm all the way in. Rick Perry took to the stage. Former Senator Rick Santorum also took to the stage there. Who did the audience respond to the most?

PETER HAMBY, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: There was a lot of buzz coming into today about Rick Perry. This is his first visit to Iowa. And this is a state that he's going to need to do very well in. So the audience was very receptive. They were watching with sort of rapt attention but also a lot of curiosity. They want to hear what he had to say, who he is and what his record is. And he hit all the right notes, you know, that a Republican candidate should be hitting right now. He went hard after President Obama and he also touted a really strong jobs record in Texas.

So, Michele Bachmann was aware that Rick Perry was about to steal a share of her spotlight the day after winning that huge straw poll. So she came out, too, and gave a hard-hitting speech and, like you heard there, she touted her straw poll win.

And she really drilled down on the fact that she is from Waterloo, Iowa. This is her hometown. So she's not giving any ground to Rick Perry even though he's out here for three days, a five-city tour, Don. It's going to be a big couple of days in Iowa.

These are the two folks that are going to be really doing battle in this state for the next five months.

LEMON: Well said, Pete Hamby. Thank you, sir.

HAMBY: Thank you.

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TIM PAWLENTY (R), FORMER MINNESOTA GOVERNOR: We needed to get some lift to continue on and to have a pathway forward. That didn't happen. So I'm announcing this morning on your show that I'm going to be ending my campaign for president.

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LEMON: The race for the Republican presidential nomination has claimed its first major casualty. Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty has dropped out of the race after a disappointing third place showing in the Iowa straw poll. Pawlenty spent a hefty sum to attract voters in Iowa but he didn't get the boost he needed. He told ABC that he would not consider running for vice president on the ticket, but he said he may endorse one of the Republican candidates down the road.

So in just the span of a weekend, the Republican field experienced a major shakeup. So I want to bring in CNN contributor and political anchor for New York 1 Errol Louis.

Errol, let's talk about the White House's response to all of this. What do the results from the Iowa straw poll mean for the Obama re-election strategy?

ERROL LOUIS, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, frankly, it probably helps them to have what now looks like a very competitive primary on the Republican side that could last indefinitely or at least past the first round. The conventional wisdom now says that Michele Bachmann could win Iowa. Rick Perry likely to win South Carolina. Mitt Romney is not going anywhere, remains the frontrunner and has a huge polling advantage in his neighboring state of New Hampshire.

So for the Obama team, that's probably good news. What they have been doing, however, is trying to frame the campaign to their best advantage by attacking really all of the Republicans and saying the Republicans are all enthralled to the Tea Party and that they've got bad ideas.

Let's talk about a one Republican now, one who just got in the race -- Rick Perry. Is the White House more worried about him and his record on jobs than about Michele Bachmann or any other candidate?

LOUIS: I don't think so. I mean, the record on jobs as we are about to discover as the national press starts to descend on Texas is really mixed. Yes, they created a lot of jobs. They created a lot of very low wage jobs. This is a state that doesn't have an income tax. This is a state that spends very, very little on education and it's at the bottom of achievement when it comes to educational attainment by many measures. So, you know, if Rick Perry wants to defend his 10 years as governor, I think this White House is going to make him earn every bit of it. Simply saying I created a lot of jobs when you're in a border state with a lot of immigrant labor, I don't think that's going to cut it.

LEMON: OK. Let's talk about President Obama's leadership over the past week. Here's what he said on Monday, days after S&P downgraded the U.S. credit. Listen.

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PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Markets will rise and fall, but this is the United States of America. No matter what some agency may say, we have always been and always will be a AAA country.

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LEMON: All right. So, listen, the market didn't seem very confident in his words. It turned into a roller coaster the rest of the week. Has he shown the right leadership on this? He's been criticized really as being detached over this issue.

LOUIS: Well, certainly, the White House would deny that. On the other hand, he's setting off on a tour of the Midwest, getting out of the Beltway and he's going by bus. An the symbolism of the bus is that he's trying to connect with real people in small towns, in suburbia, in the rural areas that he often doesn't get to visit.

So I think, frankly, the charges probably stung a little bit. It would be foolish for any president to step in the middle of a financial panic and act as if he was going to, you know, raise his hands and order it to stop or give a speech and order it to stop. On the other hand, he's coming across as a little too detached, hence, the bus trip.

LEMON: All right. Errol Louis, thank you very much, sir. Appreciate it.

Michele Bachmann and Sarah Palin are both featured in tonight's edition of "No Talking Points." It's our weekly segment where we hold newsmakers accountable for how they answer questions.

Plus, drama over a school's nickname. A university being forced to change the name of its 90-year-old mascot or face sanctions by the NCAA. We are talking to a rep from the university.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Libya's rebels are claiming another victory but leader Moammar Gadhafi is telling his nation the war is far from over. The rebels claim they are fighting Gadhafi's forces in the center of the country's third largest city, Al-Zawiya. This video appears to show them celebrating a victory although CNN can't confirm the authenticity of this video. In his live audio address today, Gadhafi urged Libyans in Tripoli to, quote, "be ready to fight to liberate our pure and good land." Six months after Egypt's revolution, the former interior minister was supposed to be on trial. Habib El Adly is accused of ordering attacks against anti-government protesters, but a judge postponed the proceedings on Sunday after lawyers requested it starts after the holy month of Ramadan. If El Adly is convicted, he could be put to death. Amnesty International reports 840 people died and thousands were injured during the uprising.

The chaos during the worst mass killing in Norway since World War II. Eight people died after the bombing in Oslo on July 22. But as bad as this looks, most of the devastation happened in a massacre on the remote island of Utoya. Sixty-nine victims, mostly teenagers, taken there. Today, the man that police say is behind it all returned to the island. And investigators say Anders Breivik gave them what they had hoped for. CNN's Ralitsa Vassileva has the story for us.

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RALITSA VASSILEVA, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The man accused of killing dozens of people at A Utoya retreat in Norway last month has returned to the scene of the crime. Police led suspect Anders Behring Breivik to Utoya Island to reconstruct the shooting rampage that killed 69 people and helped their investigation.

FREDRIK HJORT KRABY, POLICE PROSECUTOR: This is what I can say about the session. It started immediately upon the suspect's arrival on Utoya on the shore side of the lake. The questioning continued during the boat trip out to the island. Then we walked him through all the sites he had visited on the island. The whole thing lasted for eight hours, only interrupted by small breaks. The whole thing was quite intense.

VASSILEVA: The Norwegian newspaper "VG" published photos and video of the reconstruction. Mathias Jorgensen, a video journalist for the newspaper, caught some of the reenactment in progress. The images show Breivik in a bullet-proof vest and restrained by a harness tethering him to police.

MATHIAS JORGENSEN, VIDEO JOURNALIST FOR "VG" NEWSPAPER: Police told us that was because they are afraid of him trying to hurt himself or escaping. There were police helicopters in the air and heavily armed police in the water as well.

VASSILEVA: You can also see what appears to be Breivik reenacting how he fired his weapon.

JORGENSEN: He was pointing in many different directions and also raising his arms as to shoot. And you can also see the police officers following him around.

VASSILEVA: Police say Breivik provided a lot of detail about the shooting and has fully cooperated but showed no sign of remorse.

KRABY: The suspect was not emotionally moved by his return to Utoya but he did not express any regrets about what he had done.

VASSILEVA: Yet police say they face challenges conducting this reconstruction so as not to offend the victims and their families.

Thirty-two-year-old Breivik is also accused of bombing government buildings is Oslo, killing eight people. Breivik has pleaded not guilty in court, although police say he has admitted he was responsible for both attacks.

Ralitsa Vassileva, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: I want you to listen closely now.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ma'am!

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My kid's not here! He's dead because of him! He ruined my (EXPLETIVE DELETED) life!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: That is a mother confronting the judge she says caused her son to commit suicide in a "kids for cash" scandal. Her reaction to that judge's conviction is just two minutes away.

Also, this guy didn't get these bruises from a bar fight. He is accused of trying to lure a 13-year-old girl into an alley but instead he ran into her mom. She tells us what happened next.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ma'am!

SANDY FONZO, SON KILLED HIMSELF AFTER JUDGE SENT HIM AWAY: My kid's not here! He's dead because of him! He ruined my (EXPLETIVE DELETED) life!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: That was Sandy Fonzo last February when Judge Mark Ciavarella was found guilty of accepting nearly $1 million in exchange for sending kids away for minor offenses. One of them was her teenage son who ended up taking his own life. Now the former judge has been sentenced to 28 years in prison for his role in the "cash for kids" scheme. Just a short time ago, I spoke to Sandy Fonzo for her reaction to the sentence.

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FONZO: Now that it's sunk in, I'm very happy with it. It's, you know, justice in the sense that he is going to pay for, you know, what we have been dealing with for the last eight years. So there is -- we did get justice. I feel like I got some justice for my son. True justice? I don't think there could ever be. I mean, he'll never live the sentence that I will live with for the rest of my life. You know, can't bring my son back.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Sandy's son Ed went before Judge Ciavarella for a first- time drug offense. Instead of probation, well, Ciavarella sent Ed to a facility with violent offenders. Sandy Fonzo says the experience damaged her son to the point that he killed himself.

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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And he looked at me and said, I want to marry the redhead. I came unglued at that point. I'm like, dude, she's only 13.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: A family fights back. The mother of a 13-year-old went behind --beyond words and punched out this man who she says would have hurt her daughter. Holly Pullen says her child came to her frightened by Robert Harding. Pullen told me by phone why she spoke to the man instead of going to Des Moines police first.

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HOLLY PULLEN, MOM WHO PUNCHED ALLEGED STALKER: I approached him to ask him why he was scaring them, in the beginning. I mean, it was nothing more than that. I wanted to let him know that he was scaring them and he needed to go away. Why would somebody do this? I mean, it's a child. It's sickening.

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LEMON: After Pullen hit him, she says her daughter's stepfather chased after Harding. The stepdad, Edward Hargrove, told me his friend helped capture the suspect who suffered a black eye and stitches.

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EDWARD HARGROVE, STEPFATHER: We started fighting. And he took a punch and missed. And so I started throwing as many punches as I could. He didn't have a lot to say after that other than, I didn't want sex, I didn't want sex. But he had just told my fiance two minutes before that he wanted her to sign a paper for marriage so he could sex her. I mean, I've had a lot of people ask me since then, do I feel sorry for him. I guess my answer to that is, no, I don't. I'd do it again tomorrow if it would happen and probably worse.

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LEMON: Des Moines police have charged Harding with enticing a minor and a parole violation.

Investigators pore over the remains of a concert stage that collapsed in Indiana. We have new information tonight about the future plans for the fair and how the victims of Saturday night's accident will be remembered.

Plus, what you can expect from the weather as you head back to work tomorrow.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: I want to get you caught up on the headlines right now. The Indiana state fair will reopen Monday after being shut down because of Saturday's deadly accident.

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(PEOPLE SCREAMING)

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LEMON: Five people waiting for a concert by the band Sugarland were killed when a powerful gust of wind knocked down metal scaffolding over the stage. At least 40 others were hurt including some children. These photos come from the "Indianapolis Star." They show how people immediately began trying to rescue those trapped beneath the massive structure. A fair spokesman says a remembrance ceremony will be held for the victims on Monday when the fair reopens.

The transit agency for the San Francisco area is under attack by hackers. "Anonymous" is targeting websites for Bay Area Rapid Transit or BART. That's what it's known as. The group hacked a website called MyBart, then posted users names, e-mail addresses and phone numbers on the web. The attack was motivated by BARTS'S decision to block cell phone use last week in a successful effort to stop a protest over the fatal shooting of a homeless man last month. Earlier, I asked CNN's Dan Simon about the hackers' motivation.

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DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: "Anonymous" doesn't like to do this for profit. So, in the sense, there is a situation where they can get behind a firewall where they feel like there is free speech at issue. "Anonymous" will do everything it can to get that information. Let's make no mistake about it. Again, this is criminal, but the people who are doing this are very smart. They know where the vulnerabilities are. And your question, can they -- can they be stopped? Well, at this point, the answer is no.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Activists are now planning a public protest for 5:00 p.m. tomorrow.

The weekend's two breakout stars in the Republican race for president appearing tonight in the same Iowa town on the same stage just minutes apart. First up, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, the newly minted candidate in the race. Well, soon after, Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann took the stage. Bachmann is enjoying her win in the Iowa straw poll, but Perry has been stealing headlines by announcing his candidacy on the very same day.

And you can scratch one name off the list of Republican presidential candidates. Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty dropped out of the race Sunday after a disappointing third place showing in the Iowa straw poll. Pawlenty spent a lot of money to attract voters in Iowa but he didn't get the boost he needed. He told ABC that he would not consider running for vice president on the ticket, but he also says he may endorse one of the Republican candidates down the road.

An American being held in Aruba in connection with a woman's disappearance is expected to appear in court tomorrow where a judge can order him held for eight more days or release him. The lawyer for Gary Giordano wants his client released. Giordano was arrested by Aruban police on August 5th, three days after Robin Gardner was last seen. He told authorities that Gardner disappeared at the end of a snorkeling trip.

Some positive news after all the negative coverage police in Rochester, New York, received triggered by this home video to report to you now. An officer arrested Emily Good in May after she was in her yard videotaping a traffic stop. The charge against her was later dropped. A city counselor tells us on Monday the city is announcing a new commission to look into improving the citizen complaint system and better instruct officers about people's rights.

Tonight, the Northeast is getting slammed with bad weather which means bad news ahead for travelers from Boston all the way to D.C. Our meteorologist Jacqui Jeras is here with tomorrow morning's commute.

So, Jacqui, what can we expect for flying times, travel times in the Northeast corridor and beyond?

JACQUI JERAS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Go ahead and set that alarm a little extra early right now. Oh, yes, because we're going to have some big time problems.

(WEATHER REPORT)

LEMON: The bearer of bad news -- Jacqui Jeras.

JERAS: Don't blame me. Just the messenger.

LEMON: All right. Thank you, Jacqui.

Now to the big stories in the week ahead from Washington to Hollywood. Our correspondents tell you what you need to know. We begin tonight at the White House.

DAN LOTHIAN, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: I'm Dan Lothian at the White House. As we wait to see what President Obama will deliver in terms of new ideas that he has promised for creating more jobs, the president heads to the Midwest for a three-day bus tour beginning Monday. He'll make stops in the states of Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois, where he plans to meet with small business owners and other Americans to hear their concerns, their ideas and talk about his strategy for turning the economy around. Then on Thursday, the president and the first family will go to Martha's Vineyard, their vacation destination of choice for the third summer in a row.

POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM: I'm Poppy Harlow in New York. Well, if last week was any indicator, this week on Wall Street could be a pretty volatile one. Investors will get some important insights on the U.S. economy. Reports due out will show where home sales stand, where home construction is and where inflation stands. We're also going to get earnings from Target, Wal-Mart and Hewlett-Packard. A lot ahead that could affect the market. We'll track it all for you on CNNMoney.

CARLOS DIAZ, HOST, HLN'S "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT": I'm Carlos Diaz and here's what we're watching this week. The countdown to Kim Kardashian's wedding is on. We've got more big secrets about the big event which is happening next Saturday. And Michael Jackson's family reveals new details to us about the blockbuster Michael Jackson tribute. Catch "Showbiz Tonight" exclusively weeknights at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific right here on HLN.

LEMON: Much more to come here tonight on CNN. Drama over a school's nickname and that school is running out of time. A university being forced to change the name of its 90-year-old mascot or face sanctions by the NCAA. But the state says, change the name, lose your funding. We'll get the school's side of the story next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(UNIDENTIFIED BOY PLAYING HOCKEY)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Look at that. You know it's a little hard to see but that was an incredible hockey shot by 11-year-old Nate Smith of Minnesota. Nate shot a three-inch puck through a -- I want to see it go through -- a three-and-a-half inch slot during a halftime charity event. There it is. Nate really shocked his twin brother Nick who paid the $10 for a chance to take the shot, but he was nowhere to be found when the time came, so Nate stepped up and took the shot for him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NATE SMITH, MADE IMPOSSIBLE HOCKEY SHOT: I didn't know how to shoot that stuff. So I lined it up and -- yeah.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Your brother just made the shot.

NICK SMITH, BROTHER OF NATE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: And what did you think right away?

NICK SMITH: I was like, no, he didn't and he's like, go look over in the bench and I was just like shocked.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Congratulations, guys. No word on how the prize money will be divided up. And the one in a million shot paid, guess what, $50,000. Again, congratulations. What a great story.

All right. The University of North Dakota has a puzzle on its hands right now. The NCAA says it can't keep its nickname, the Fighting Sioux, because it is demeaning to Native Americans. But the state legislature, which funds the school, legally won't allow it to change. Beginning tomorrow, the University is in violation of the NCAA rules and could be punished for it. University Media Relations Coordinator Peter Johnson joins us now by phone from Grand Forks, North Dakota, to explain the school's dilemma.

So, school officials and state lawmakers have met with the NCAA and both sides feel a compromise can be worked out. How will that happen? Are you sure that's going to happen?

PETER JOHNSON, UNIV. OF NORTH DAKOTA: Well, it's going to be interesting to see. But certainly, we'll be working with the NCAA, state leaders and the State Board of Higher Education to find out how we can make that happen. The good news is that was a very positive meeting on Friday and all those folks in the room believe that we can come to a resolution that is positive for the University of North Dakota and allows us to move forward.

LEMON: You know, we've gone through this before. We have seen this happen. But other schools have gotten permission, Mr. Johnson, from tribes to keep their mascots. Did you explore that option?

JOHNSON: Well, there are two namesake tribes in North Dakota -- Spirit Lake and the Standing Rock. Spirit Lake did vote in favor of the University of North Dakota keeping the name. There was a tribal- wide vote. Standing Rock has been in opposition. According to the settlement with the NCAA, we had to get approval from both of those namesake tribes.

LEMON: So, what would the cost be to the school if it doesn't change the mascot?

JOHNSON: If it doesn't change the mascot?

LEMON: Yes.

JOHNSON: Well, we face the sanctions of the NCAA, which means that we can't wear our colors and our logos in post-season play week. We can't host post-season games here at the University of North Dakota which, as anybody who's been an athlete, knows you need that crowd to be your sixth man in basketball, your 12th man in football, seventh man in hockey. So, we're looking forward to finding a resolution that allows us to move forward.

LEMON: So, if it does, we're talking how much money here, if you do change it? JOHNSON: It's really hard to say. One of the things that happened with the NCAA is they wanted to see some changes to the Ralph Engelstad Arena. There are a lot of images in that facility, but they said on Friday they are willing to work with us. And I don't know exactly what does means. So, it's hard to get a good sense financially of what it means in the long run.

LEMON: Kind of really is a dilemma. It really is a dilemma. You know the man who built that arena was very vocal about wanting the school to keep the mascot and a family trust still owns the arena. Any chance of losing the chance to play there?

JOHNSON: Well, Ralph was definitely supportive of hockey. He was into hockey. He was obviously supportive of the nickname as well, but it was really hockey that drove him, and that's why he built the facility. We have one of the premier hockey programs. I think it's the premier in the country. We have seven national titles. Ralph was really proud of that. I think Ralph would say, hey, UND has to play hockey in this facility.

LEMON: Why do lawmakers feel so strongly about keeping the mascot, Mr. Johnson?

JOHNSON: I think they felt that they wanted to do what they believe many of the citizens of North Dakota wanted them to do. So they took a shot. They passed the bill. The governor signed it. It became law on August 1. But I think that some of those legislators met with the NCAA on Friday and are now beginning to see that what's at stake here is the University of North Dakota. We are being hurt and our move into the big sky, our athletes are being hurt, and, really, they don't want to hurt the University of North Dakota when all's done and said.

LEMON: Any idea what the school's next mascot will be?

JOHNSON: No idea. We really haven't moved down that road at all. We did start the transition process to do away with the current one. But we have not activated the task group that was supposed to look at how do we begin to pick a new nickname and logo.

LEMON: Peter Johnson, best of luck. Thank you for coming on.

JOHNSON: Thank you, Don. Appreciate it.

LEMON: The winner of the Iowa straw poll, Michele Bachmann, is featured in tonight's edition of "No Talking Points," where we hold newsmakers accountable for how they answer questions. And, believe it or not, Sarah Palin also got our attention, but for opposite reasons. We'll explain next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: It is time now for our ongoing segment "No Talking Points," where we hold newsmakers accountable to answer direct questions without rhetoric and spin. From watching all the Sunday talk shows, the winner of the Iowa straw poll got our attention. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

REP. MICHELE BACHMANN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I've been at the tip of the spear.

I've been at the tip of the spear.

I've been at the tip of the spear and I've been a champion for people.

I was the leading voice in Washington against raising the debt ceiling.

I have been leading on this issue of not raising the debt ceiling.

I was leading on not increasing the debt ceiling.

We took the biggest punch to the gut this week.

This last week, we got a punch to the gut in the United States.

We saw a punch to the gut in the United States this last week.

We really had a punch in the gut as far as this economy.

I'm a former federal tax litigation attorney.

I'm a federal tax litigation attorney.

I also am a federal tax litigation attorney.

I'm a former federal tax attorney.

I have seen how devastating high taxes are.

I've seen how devastating high taxes are to job creation.

I know up close and personal how devastating high taxes are.

I understand how high taxes destroy jobs.

My husband and I own and started a successful company.

My husband and I also started our own company. We have a successful company.

My husband and I started a successful company.

My husband and I also started our own successful company.

We're job creators.

I am a job creator.

I get job creation. We're job creators.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: That was just this morning. In Iowa, many of us tried and tried to get some direct answers from Michele Bachmann without luck. Instead, we got caught up in media scrums like this one where we got pushed and jostled. It happens. It happens.

But when campaign staffers and family members do the pushing, it becomes newsworthy. Why? Anyone familiar with politics will tell you it's an indication of how that campaign could conduct business once the candidate is in office and the voter should be made aware of it.

Last night, I discussed it with both a political strategist from the Republican Party and the Democratic Party.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALEX CASTELLANOS, REPUBLICAN CONSULTANT: It helps so much when this is not your fist time around the track. When you're a candidate, your first time out, you think the whole world is against you, especially if you kind of start at the bottom, an insurgent candidate. You have to get comfortable with it.

DONNA BRAZILE, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: I don't often agree with Alex, but I have to agree. When it's your first time around the so- called proverbial track, you rely on your handlers and others to sort of guide you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: As I have said many times on this program, pointing out the truth is not ideological nor partisan. In fact, someone who answered with no talking points is -- guess who? Another conservative Tea Party favorite.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Do you have any advice for the candidates? Anybody who was on that stage last night, what would you say to them?

SARAH PALIN (R), FMR. ALASKA GOVERNOR: Oh, man, exactly what Brett Bear told the folks, drop -- thank you so much, drop the talking points.

LEMON: As the media crowd around you, do you think you are stealing the spotlight in a way and not in the race?

PALIN: I don't think I'm stealing any spotlight. In fact, if anybody thinks I'm stealing the spotlight, go, go, find the other folks and say hello.

LEMON: So, a lot of people are saying that the Tea Party is responsible for the downgrade in our credit. PALIN: You know, if it weren't for the Tea Party, the discussion would never would have gone where it went. So, I appreciate the Tea Party's passion for getting our federal government to realize it needs to live within its means. You know, the last group or entity to be blamed for the downgrade should be the Tea Party. I think the question should be asked -- is the president responsible for the downgrade? And I would say yes, because from the top, the leadership starts from the top, the leadership of our country...

LEMON: Why haven't you decided?

PALIN: I think that I'm not the only one who has not decided yet and not ready to announce yet. There is still, you know, there's still a lot of contemplation that needs to go into such an earth- shattering, life-changing decision for a family.

LEMON: Can I talk to you about -- a lot of people are pitting you and Michele Bachmann against each other. Do you think that's fair?

PALIN: Yes, that's so passe to pit. Just because there may happen to be two women in the race, that they would, you know, as Michelle had put it once, "get in the mud and engage in some cat fighting." That's ridiculous. It's kind of even a sexist notion to consider that the two women would be kind of duking it out. No. If I'm going to duke it out, I'm going to duke it out with the guys.

LEMON: But are you at all concerned about her popularity or get envious, or get jealous?

PALIN: Not at all. I'm glad that Michele Bachmann is in the arena. I'm glad that she's had an opportunity now to be on stage debating some good ideas. I'm proud of anybody -- male or female -- willing to put it all on the line and get out there and fight for what's right in this country. Michele is one of those.

LEMON: Do you agree with the submission part?

PALIN: With her answer? That's her opinion. You know, to her, submission to her husband means respecting her husband. And, you know, I respect my husband, too.

LEMON: If Todd said don't run, would you not run?

PALIN: I can't imagine my husband ever telling me what to do politically. He never has told me what to do when it comes to a political step. And I appreciate that. I respect you for that, Todd.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: Thank you very much, Governor Palin, for just answering the questions.

And by the way, the president goes on his bus tour next week. We'll keep an ear out for his talking points. And we don't just focus on politics in the "No Talking Points" segment. We do it with -- we did it with the Rochester Police Department story and we'll do it with others as well.

The Indiana State Fair is scheduled to reopen Monday after Saturday's deadly accident that killed five people and injured many others. That and more of your top stories next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Let's get you caught up on the headlines. The Indiana State Fair will reopen Monday after being shut down because of Saturday's deadly accident.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(PEOPLE SCREAMING)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Five people waiting for a concert by the band Sugarland were killed when a powerful gust of wind knocked down metal scaffolding over the stage. At least 40 others were hurt including some children. These photos come from the "Indianapolis Star." They show how people immediately began trying to rescue those trapped beneath the massive structure. A fair spokesperson says a remembrance ceremony will be held for the victims on Monday when the fair reopens.

This weekend's two breakout stars in the Republican race for president appearing tonight in the same Iowa town on the same stage just minutes apart. First up, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, the newly minted candidate in the race. Soon after, Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann took the stage. Bachmann is enjoying her win in the Iowa straw poll, but Perry has been stealing headlines by announcing his candidacy on the very same day.

Rapper "The Game" makes little of the troubles he has now gotten from a tweet. He directed his half a million Twitter followers to call the sheriff's station in Compton, California. The L.A. County tells us hundreds of phone calls jammed its dispatch line, delaying help for people who needed it for over two hours.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAYCEON TAYLOR "THE GAME", RAPPER: I don't even understand why everybody's making such a big deal. You know, with Twitter. You know, it's crazy. You know, I'm apologetic for, you know, it being this crazy. But I think it's just nonsense.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Well, the L.A. Sheriff is considering filing charges against "The Game."

Someone has made off with this masterpiece from the Ritz Carlton Hotel lobby in Marina del Ray, California. Rembrandt's "The Judgment" is worth about $250,000. The piece dates back to around 1655 and was part of an art exhibit. Detectives say a curator was distracted by a potential customer when someone took the drawing. They say they are viewing the surveillance tape.

And finally tonight, congratulations to my colleague Joy Behar from HLN and "The View." Joy just got hitched to her boyfriend of 29 years, Steve Janowitz. It's never too late to be a newlywed.

Congratulations, Joy. Very excited for you.

Joy will be back on September 6th to talk about it on her show, but not before I fill in for her a week from now.

All the best, Joy and Steve.

I'm Don Lemon at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta. Thank you for watching. I'll see you back here next weekend. Good night.