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CNN Sunday Morning

Egypt on Edge; Zimmerman Must Surrender Today; Rare Royal Milestone

Aired June 03, 2012 - 08:00   ET

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

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROB MARCIANO, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): From the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING.

A wildfire bigger than the entire city of Chicago has become the largest one on record in New Mexico. More than a quarter of a million acres burned, 1,250 people fighting it, and still only 17 percent contained. And it's just one of nine states on fire.

Plus, Tuesday's Wisconsin recall race has pitted party heavyweights against each other as last-minute money continues to pour in on both sides. We'll explain why it could be a bellwether for November.

And we're hours away for the deadline for George Zimmerman to return to jail. The man who killed Florida teen Trayvon Martin had his bail revoked by a judge and was given until this afternoon to turn himself in.

And the diamond jubilee flotilla launches at 9:30 this morning -- 1,000 boats, 20,000 people, and a Prince Harry surprise. We have special team coverage starting at the bottom of the hour.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MARCIANO: Good morning, everyone. I'm Rob Marciano, in today for Randi Kaye. Thanks for starting your day with us.

Let's get going.

In Florida the clock is ticking. George Zimmerman has until this afternoon to turn himself into authorities. A judge revoked his bond Friday saying he was not truthful about how much money he had access to when he was freed on bond in April.

Now, all eyes are on the Seminole County jail awaiting his surrender. Zimmerman is charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, a killing he has said was in self-defense.

In Toronto, police say they don't yet have the shooter who opened fire in a crowded mall there, but they promise they won't stop until they find him. One person was killed, seven others injured, including a pregnant woman and a 13-year-old boy. Police think the man who died was targeted, but they're not releasing any details. One witness described the terrifying scene when the shots rang out in the mall's busy food court.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARCUS NEVES-POLONIO, WITNESS: When he pulled out a gun, he just started firing up in the air and he started yelling. It was kind of hard to hear exactly what he was saying because a bunch of people were screaming. Everyone panicked, especially on a Saturday like that. It's crazy, and if he just fires like a gunshot, it's bound to hit somebody, too, because, of course, it's jam-packed down there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MARCIANO: And this morning, a massive wildfire in New Mexico grew to historic size and it's expected to get bigger. The fire is burning in the Gila National Forest. So far, it's devoured 354 square miles. It's the largest fire in the state's history and it's been burning for nearly a month. More than 1,200 people are desperately trying to control it.

And New Mexico isn't the only state. Huge fires are burning in at least eight states. In all, more than 300,000 acres of land on fire and not just dry mountain states. Fires are burning as far east as Michigan.

In Egypt, hundreds of people are gathering again in Cairo's Tahrir Square. They're furious that former President Hosni Mubarak escaped the gallows. That his six former security aides are going free despite deaths of the Arab Spring protesters last year in the uprising.

CNN's Ian Lee joins us now from Cairo.

Ian, you've been describing the scene there. What are you seeing this morning?

We lost connection with Ian. We'll try to re-establish that as we go forward and give you a sense of what's happening there, but protesters have been -- were out in full force yesterday and likely out there again today.

To Syria now. Syrian President Al Assad insists his country is being targeted by terrorist and international conspiracy. In his public speech, his first one since January, he addressed Syria's newly elected parliament earlier this morning.

Mr. Assad says he's facing, quote, "a war from abroad" and he dismissed accusations that his regime is responsible for slaughtering dozens of children in the town Houla. But even as Mr. al Assad spoke, heavy shelling again rang down on the stronghold from the opposition in Homs, which has been under siege now for months. Witnesses say they saw a huge military convoy heading towards that region.

Well, for only the third time in history, one of the nation's governors is facing a recall election. Wisconsin Republican Scott Walker will face his Democratic challenger, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett on Tuesday. Many voters are upset that Walker stripped collective bargaining rights from state employees. Walker says that even if he remains in office, he has no plans to overturn the Wisconsin law.

And now, here is some news that John Edwards probably doesn't want to hear. Rielle Hunter is coming out with a tell-all book this month. She says, his former mistress and the mother of his 4-year-old daughter. The book's publisher told "People" magazine the memoir tells the truth of really what happened between Hunter and Edwards.

Remember, she was at the center of Edwards' corruption trial. He was accused of using campaign money to hide their affair but the jury was deadlocked and the judge declared a mistrial.

From a special 62-gun salute to a royal day at the races. It is a party fit for a queen, no doubt about it. Specifically a queen with a 60-year and counting reign on the British throne.

And as we've been telling you and showing you, the diamond jubilee is in full swing in London. Millions are expected to turn out for today's pageant on the Thames River, and for a lucky few, the day's festivities include a brush with the royal family themselves.

Prince Charles and his wife Camilla showing up at a street party in central London. In just over an hour the couple will join the queen and other senior members of the royal family on this special barge as part of a 1,000-boat flotilla on the River Thames. Festivities are expected to kick off at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time.

In about 20 minutes, we'll take you live to London for a special preview from the first boat to set sail to the final salute, Richard Quest and Becky Anderson will be taking you there through all the pageantry beginning at 8:30 a.m. right here on CNN.

And here back in the states, Kathryn Joosten, the Emmy Award winning actress who starred in the hit TV sitcom and a half of other movies, well, she died. She was 72 and she died yesterday. You may know her for her role as Ms. McCluskey in the "Desperate Housewives" series.

Her family said she died after a 11-year battle of lung cancer. Her "Housewives" character also died of cancer in the season finale. Her publicist said she wanted to raise awareness for lung cancer.

She got into showbiz, she got a big break back in 1999 when she landed a role in "The West Wing."

We'll have much more news still ahead. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MARCIANO: Checking stories across country.

In Indiana, a homecoming queen who was stuck in Mexico after a visa mix-up made it back to the U.S. just in time to give her graduation speech. Elizabeth Olivas was an undocumented in the U.S. She went back to Mexico to apply for a visa, but officials told her she was too late. She was going to be faced with a three-year ban from the U.S., but a senator stepped in and she got back to the States on Friday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ELIZABETH OLIVAS, HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE: I honestly felt I was in a dream and knowing that everybody was supporting me and knowing that everybody was happy that I was there, it just made my day even better. This last week was extremely frustrating because every day I was like, I knew this was my last chance I had to get back home and back to graduate.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MARCIANO: And at a graduation near Austin, Texas, people must have thought they were seeing double, nine sets of twins graduating together.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's real bizarre. We didn't really notice until graduation.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have made it through so many years together and now we're finally graduating. We shared the womb together. You shared homework. You helped each other out. You talked to each other about anything.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MARCIANO: A lot of twins, about you they didn't set the world record. The record is 13 sets of twins graduating in a single class.

And look at this Florida bobcat. Just relaxed and chilling near a retention pond when a stealthy gator silently tries to stalk its prey. A man thinks the cat finally sprinted away when he felt the gator's breath. The gator lunged but the bobcat managed to run away. Talk about close call there.

All right. Now in Florida -- as we wait for George Zimmerman to surrender, one can only imagine the relief he felt walking out of jail on April 22nd. Who can imagine the emotional state he's in today? Having to turn himself back in?

Seminole County jail will now become Zimmerman's home after his bond was revoked. He's charged, as you know, with second-degree murder in the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. A killing Zimmerman said was in self-defense.

Well, joining me now live on the phone from Sanford, Florida, is our Martin Savidge.

Marty, any indication of when he might turn himself in? MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): Well, we know it's going to have to be between say 2:00 and 2:30 this afternoon in order to be in compliance with the Judge Kenneth Lester's order when he revoked the bond on Friday. What's going to be interesting is that he -- meaning George Zimmerman -- is going to walk through the same door he walked out of six weeks ago at the Seminole County correctional facility and check himself back in as a result of the fact that the judge is now it seems pretty angry at him over what the judge and what the state contend was a lack of honesty on the part of George Zimmerman and his family when it came to how much money did they have.

You know this, all goes back to the original bond hearing, Rob, where the judge was considering bond. The family said we don't have any money, thereby the bond should be set low. It was set relatively low for second degree murder and he was allowed to get it out. For a couple of days later, it turns out it was revealed he had money sitting in an online account as a result of donations people made and the judge felt they should have admitted that and they didn't.

MARCIANO: So some striking stuff there. What happens -- he's waited this long. Obviously, you wouldn't go back immediately if you could spend one more night in your own home. But what happens if he doesn't show up in the time today between 2:00 and 2:30?

SAVIDGE: Well, that seems fairly unimaginable. At least according to his attorney Mark O'Mara who says that his client has always cooperated and George Zimmerman always has.

Even when he was not indicted for murder, he was still checking in with authorities. He was still making his presence well-known. He has never attempted to flee according to his attorney, so he is not considered a flight risk. That would all change if he didn't show up at the prescribed time.

Really what's expected next, he will show up, go back into jail and immediately, Mark O'Mara has told me, he will once again apply for bond. And how that will happen and how quickly we don't know just yet. It could be a matter of days but we anticipate if he does get bond again, it will be a lot higher.

MARCIANO: So, did his lawyers say he's been in actual contact with Zimmerman or any of his friends and family said that they've been in contact since the announcement from the judge was made?

SAVIDGE: We haven't heard. I even was talking to O'Mara and I said, did you have to call him to notify him? He said, no, oh, he was quite certain his client was watching on television as the events unfolded.

But we haven't heard what the reaction is. That's clearly what we would want to know, how is George taking the news that he has to turn himself back in. And, of course, he's been in hiding.

So for him this is still an ordeal. He's been essentially trying to stay out of the public eye and apparently has been successful, but now, he's going to re-emerge. This is the first time we've seen or heard anything from him, as I say, in six weeks.

MARCIANO: When he was released from jail originally, you and the rest of the media were staked out there and the security was high then for fear of his safety. Is the same situation happening today?

SAVIDGE: Yes, it is. I mean, we're seeing the same sort of setup as we saw back then, which is barricades are being put up and areas are being marked off and you can tell that the corrections facility is getting ready to accept what is a high-noted guest, so to speak.

So, you know, once he's inside, it's expected that as before, he will be kept separate from the general population, and he will have his own cell. But again his attorney hopes that this is really just for a matter of days. He does not see that George Zimmerman is going to remain behind bars until, say, whenever his trial is.

MARCIANO: All right. Fair enough. Marty Savidge there live in Sanford, Florida, on the stakeout now as we await the return to jail of George Zimmerman. Thank you, Marty.

Also in Florida, the state itself is defending it's so-called voter purge plan to remove non-eligible voters from its rolls despite the plan's e legality being questioned by the U.S. Department of Justice. The plan was initiated when Florida Governor Rick Scott pressed the state to identify non-U.S. citizens who had registered to vote in the state illegally. The Justice Department says that Florida is violating federal law banning voter removals within 90 days of an election. Florida's primary is on august 14th.

On the hunt for a killer. The suspect in a gruesome murder is on the run. Find out why police think he may reveal himself on the Internet.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MARCIANO: Well, the search for the suspect in a grisly killing has widened, from Canada, all the way to Europe. Self-proclaimed porn star Luka Rocco Magnotta is suspected in the death of a university student.

And as CNN's Paula Newton reports, police are waiting for him to make a mistake that will give him up.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On Friday, Montreal police say they returned to the airport searching an inbound flight from Paris. But no luck.

Twenty-nine-year-old Luka Rocco Magnotta is still a fugitive on the run. Police in Canada believe he's already been in Europe for about a week now but that the suspected killer revels in his notoriety on the Internet and won't stay underground for long.

CMDR. IAN LAFRENIERE: He's been helping us. Again, he's in a different country now, but we got a lot of help. I have been mentioning to people that he's been using the web to bring himself as a king to give him a good image. But I think it's going to catch him also.

NEWTON (on camera): The problem is, now that Magnotta is likely in Europe, it will be easy for him to disappear in busy train stations like this, and bus stations, anywhere he doesn't have to flash his passport.

In fact, Magnotta was in Europe in the past year and he's known to have links to France, Holland, and even London. In a chilling encounter with "The Sun" newspaper in London, Magnotta showed up on the paper's doorstep just six months ago denying he was a suspect in an animal cruelty examination. "The Sun" says they were trying to expose the person responsible for brutally torturing and killing a kitten on a video posted on the Internet.

The accident escalated when Magnotta sent an email to "The Sun" threatening to kill more than animals next time.

NEIL MILLARD, THE SUN NEWSPAPER: We're talking about very, very strange, unhinged individual. When we get an e-mail -- you know, obviously convinced he was responsible for these two videos -- when we get an e-mail where someone is obviously threatening to do far more and he's possibly talking about taking a human life, you know, we can't just sit idly by. We have to do something about it. Obviously we did give those details to the police in this country to investigate.

NEWTON (voice-over): But British police did not follow up because it wasn't their jurisdiction. Magnotta is now accused of premeditating a savage murder and dismemberment, mailing the body parts and glorifying the crime on an Internet video.

Family and friends of the victim, 33-year-old Chinese student Jun Lin are still shocked Magnotta escaped but add they do not want the character of the man now lost to them to be overshadowed by the depravity of the crime.

Paula Newton, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MARCIANO: OK. Here are some of the big stories coming up in the week ahead. We did this about an hour ago and the technology backfired on me but it's cute. And it illustrates maybe you're calendar back at home.

We'll start you off with what what's going down on Tuesday. This is the Sandusky trial. Jerry Sandusky, as you know, assistant Penn State coach, he's going to head the trial. He's been accused of sexually abusing some of the students there. So that happens on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, a couple things happening on Wednesday, first, the Enterprise, the shuttle itself is going to be rolling up the Hudson River and parking itself on the Intrepid Air and Space Museum there and eventually will open to the public. You're going to be able to go inside. But this never made launch but nonetheless, it was built and you can go check that out.

Also on Wednesday is our anniversary of D-Day. The 68th anniversary of that day in history. Unbelievable. We talk with one of the survivors there last hour as well and he had quite a story to tell.

Jamie Dimon, he's with JPMorgan, he's going to testify to the senate banking committee on Thursday about the massive losses that were reported last month with his bank. He reportedly approved the trading strategy that exposed the bank to all those losses that totaled about $2 billion.

And finally, you know -- let's talk about horse racing. Come on. "I'll Have Another," that's going to happen on Saturday. It's the third round of the Triple Crown. I'll have another won the Preakness, won the Kentucky Derby, and if it wins the Belmont Stakes, it will be the first time that we've had a Triple Crown winner in 34 years.

You know who also likes the horses and ponies? The queen. And she's celebrating 60 years on the throne. We're going to take you there live to London. We've got team coverage of the diamond jubilee, coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

RICHARD QUEST: And a very good afternoon. The time is just after half past 1:00 in the afternoon, and you are most welcome as CNN now moves into high gear and we start our extended coverage of the queen's diamond jubilee.

Over the next several hours you're going to see history in the making. It will happen from here at the side of the River Thames when more than 1,000 boats, different sizes, different shapes, different tonnages, you'll hear a lot of adjectives being used over the course of the next few shower hours, but they will all be moving towards what you are now seeing is the Spirit of Chartwell. That's the boat that will ultimately be carrying her majesty, Queen Elizabeth. Also there you se Gloriana, will be preceding at the very front of the procession.

Let me go through it bit by bit as we come at half past 1:00, London Time. Half past 8:00 on the East Coast of the United States. In about an hour and 15 minutes, the queen, along with other senior members of the royal family, will get on board one of the yacht tenders and so will start the grand day of celebrations.

The queen will join the Spirit of Chartwell along with her close family having already started her jubilee weekend off at the Epsom Derby, the pictures of which we're seeing at the moment.

The queen, one of the most fierce horsewomen, I think the phrase is a lover of horse flesh. She's never actually had a horse that won the derby. That's the one major race that has eluded her in her long racing career, but yesterday, she was at the derby at the start of what is a four-day jubilee weekend, a celebration.

So Saturday had her at the races. Sunday, today, has her on the river behind me. There are at least ten sections of boats and if we take a look at the river and see what is taking place on the river, there are ten sections and each section will be contained within a specific section of music. In some cases it is traditional music. In other cases modern rhythm, more jazz.

And right at the front or just near the front will be this boat, the one you're looking at now. It is "The Spirit of Chartwell." This is a boat that is plying the river. Normally it's a luxury boat that plies the river for charters and the like, but on today's occasion it will carry Her Majesty, the Queen.

Now, it will not only have the Queen, it will have the Duke of Edinburgh. It will have Prince Charles, the Duchess of Cornwall -- that's Camilla to you and me -- and of course Prince William and Catherine, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

After they leave the -- on the "Spirit of Chartwell" -- just looking behind me to see oh, just behind me -- well, it's coming back to me just for one second as I show you every now and again you will see these moments of Republicanism. Because there are some people who clearly don't necessarily believe in the monarchy as an institution and behind me one brave person who says "don't jub-believe it." A rather brave man I have to say anybody (inaudible) a Republican point of view at this point with so many people.

But let us get back to how the day moves on because that's what you really want to know. So the day comes along with the boats moving along the river. All ten sections with different music, different sides, different types of boats from manpowered boats with oars through to narrow boats and Dutch barges, Dunkirk Spirit boats, those that are part of Dunkirk extradition in 1940's, historic boats, pleasure boats.

You name it. Those boats will all be on the river. And as you look at that map, if we go back to that map just one second, you will see the whole procession will end just here at Tower Bridge, which is behind me. When the Queen gets to Tower Bridge, then all of a sudden she will stay on the Chartwell and watch the procession of boats going past her. That gives you an idea of the sort of sights and sounds that we are going to see.

What else will we expect over this jubilee? Because I don't want to put it forward to you. Tomorrow, a major concert that takes place on Monday at Buckingham Palace; and then on Tuesday the sort of pageant that frankly the Brits do best -- service of thanksgiving at St. Paul's Cathedral and then after that she goes to lunch. Following lunch she then has this magnificent carriage procession through London.

In all of this the only true disappointment has been the weather, but we are British and we do not let the weather get the better of us. So my question to you, as we start our coverage, where in the United States, where in the world are you watching? Tweet your thoughts. The tweet is @RichardQuest. I have my trusty Blackberry here or my Smartphone @RichardQuest over the next 20 minutes. We'll read your thoughts on this jubilee.

When we come back we will put it in perspective. we will give you some idea of why the Brits think it is so important to put 1,000 boats on the river when it's raining.

This is CNN. We're live at the pageant on the Thames.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

QUEST: And welcome back on a cold Sunday afternoon in London.

Katie Nicholl is --

KATIE NICHOLL, ROYAL EDITOR, THE MAIL ON SUNDAY: It's very cold for sure.

QUEST: You are way, way -- I don't know whether to say braver or foolish.

NICHOLL: I think a combination of the both, but you were just saying nothing dampens the British spirit. And I was at Epsom yesterday with the Queen where she kicked off her jubilee celebrations. It started off like this and by the end of the afternoon we'd all stripped off, the sun will come out; the bunting with gleaming in the sunshine. That pleased her that happens this afternoon because we've been waiting for this pageant for such a long time.

We have never seen anything like this in our lifetime. The Thames is going to host a flotilla of 1,000 boats.

QUEST: Right.

NICHOLL: And for the sun to come out it would be wonderful. But I cannot guarantee that the next time you see me I won't have my Mac on and take a leaf out of your very sensible book.

QUEST: No, I -- ok, ok, 60 years on the throne is a seriously long time and one wonders what the Queen will be thinking. No one ever really knows what she's thinking but what do you think the royal family will make of this?

NICHOLL: Well you know I've got a bit of an insight into it yesterday afternoon when she just looked absolutely delighted. I mean, you don't often see the Queen smile and on all of the front pages of the papers today, big beaming smile. The Queen in a full state of laughter she -- I think she's delighted. I think she's surprised that there is such a huge turnout, that we're braving the weather and that she's having a four-day celebration in honor of these incredible 60 years on the throne.

QUEST: Let's -- stay with me. I do -- can we please find a flag or something that we can at least drape over you. You stay warm.

NICHOLL: I will.

QUEST: Let's join Max Foster, who is with the crowd. Good morning to you, Max or good afternoon. I know because I've been down there, they are jubilant and in jubilee spirit.

MAX FOSTER, CNN ROYAL CORRESPONDENT: There's something about Britain, isn't there, Richard? When the rain comes, then the spirits rise. Look at the crowds. It's actually been blocked off, this area, so it's already been maxed out, this area. Everyone is coming out, picnics taking places, just having words with a few of them.

We've actually got a bit of an exclusive for you, Richard. We've actually have the royal family to speak to here. I'm going to go into this group here. Here they are.

Look, the whole royal family exclusive. I'm going to go straight to the queen. How are you feeling today your majesty?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Brilliant.

FOSTER: Brilliant? What are you looking forward to most?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The Queen coming to Tower Bridge.

FOSTER: Ok and your royal highness?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Everything. Really.

FOSTER: How long have you been here?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Six hours.

FOSTER: Six hours. Have you got food? You got drink?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We definitely got drink. Keeps us warm.

FOSTER: What are you looking forward to most?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh the party, the boats, the whole procession.

FOSTER: And tell us about the weather. What does that mean in Britain?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We love the rain. We love it.

FOSTER: We love the rain.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

FOSTER: Guys, how excited are you?

It says it all, Richard. That's the atmosphere. The barges are hours away really and they've been here all morning but that's what it's all about, hey? QUEST: We thank you, Max Foster, who is on the riverside, and will be with us. Becky Anderson always loves a good knee's up and a street party and Becky is not going to let the rain get the better of her. Good afternoon.

BECKY ANDERSON, ANCHOR, CNN INTERNATIONAL: Absolutely not. If you're coming to the U.K., bring your brollies and your rain coat as we all say that and we love it. We embrace it.

Here I am in Piccadilly Central London at what is the biggest street party of all. They're just sitting down here beginning to eat their supper. The lucky ones have actually got a seat at the top table here in Piccadilly.

Big cheer from you guys, please. Thank you very much indeed. There are two and a half million people today around the country, Richard, attending jubilee parties, Diamond Jubilee parties. There'll be thousands more, of course, across the commonwealth as well. We've got the musicians here and we've got the guys in their dresses and their proper suits enjoying the day.

There's going to be a lot going on here. We've got carousels, we're got original hoopla, British -- British hoopla and coconut shades (ph). Various other people just beginning to eat. Come back to us and we'll get more for you.

QUEST: Becky, I have a question for you before you go, is there a feeling of good old-fashioned Britishness that sort of Dunkirk spirit, that it doesn't matter what the rain does, we're going to battle on regardless?

ANDERSON: Absolutely. Absolutely, Richard. I mean, I was wondering as I walked down here what it would be like if the sun were shining. I'm not sure people would be enjoying it any more than they are. And we'll walk you off a little bit further as we move to the next few hours. I mean, the carousel is absolutely -- people are really enjoying themselves. They brought their own food. There are shades and stores for them to buy food at. There's a real sense that nothing will stop them enjoying themselves here today.

And let me tell you Charles and Camilla, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall have already been here today. The first toast of the day to the Queen marking this landmark in her reign and the crowds absolutely loved it.

They walked along the crowd. That, of course, is the road they go down to Chelsea Pier which is where they will be heading now in order to meet the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. So they started the day here in Piccadilly and the crowds absolutely loved it. The rain -- it's not even raining Richard to be quite frank, it's spitting. So it's fine.

QUEST: All right, that's all we want. There's no -- there's no getting away from it, Becky Anderson give her a good knee's up at a party and she's off to the races. All right, we'll talk to you in a second Becky. A quick look at the boats and what's happening on the river -- if we take a look, we can see -- we've seen "Gloriana," we've seen "The Spirit of Chartwell", the river and the absolutely glorious. I won't start cheering up too much but at least the weather is improving.

CNN, we're live on the Thames and we'll have more after this break.

Good morning to you, America.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

QUEST: Welcome back to London and the pageant on the Thames. The boats are mustering about seven miles that direction, and over the next three or four hours they will be making their way up. You can see Battersea Power Bridge, top of Battersea power station. Those are the old chimneys of Battersea Bridge. And that's pretty much where the festivities will begin in just 50 -- about half an hour from now when the Queen goes on to the river and then in about an hour from now the pageant proper starts.

Robert01948 is watching us in Orlando in Florida and says he's enjoying the fun in London.

In Barbados Michelle Celeste (inaudible), send the weather over here. We could do with a bit of that.

Joe Lewis is in America. He says he's watching us in Worcester, Massachusetts. He says there's nothing that can be compared to Britain during this sort of pageantry.

@Richardquest where I want to know where you are watching us this morning.

Zain Verjee is watching us on the river, because if I'm enjoying the view, Zain is enjoying the ups and downs of the waterway.

ZAIN VERJEE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I certainly am, Richard. There's already a carnival-like atmosphere here out on the Thames. It doesn't matter about the rain and the cold and the wind. It wouldn't be London if it wasn't just like that.

We got up pretty early and spent a couple of hours getting into this position and everyone here is waiting for the big royal extravaganza. Just let me give you an idea of where exactly we are, ok.

There are going to be ten sections in the 1,000-vessel flotilla. We're in section eight and that's the narrow boats section. What's happened here basically is that we've moored up, we're all ready to go. The buoys have been tied down, we've anchored ourselves here and the boats have also been tied to each other.

We were scrutineered (ph) just a few moments ago Richard. That has never happened to me. And basically what they're doing is they're going (AUDIO GAP) to all the different boats around here. One, the captains aren't drunk. So they're not doing breathalyzer tests or anything. They're just saying good afternoon, everything ok? And then they're just going to judge and see what the response is.

They're also making sure that everyone is properly anchored and that no one has taken any extra passengers because if you go above 14 you're going to be booted out of the pageant. But everyone is waiting here to single up and start the flotilla -- Richard.

QUEST: Zain Verjee, who is on the river. I hope you -- it's getting a bit umpity (ph) out there I think as the wind gets up.

Candy Crowley with "STATE OF THE UNION" is with me with a preview. Candy I know you will have some extremely good guests to chew over the world of politics but you don't have anything to the sight that we have on the river today.

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN HOST, "STATE OF THE UNION": We don't have a river behind us or anything floating on it at the moment. You definitely have the pictures, but we have the guests here this morning.

We're going to talk about U.S. politics of course with Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett. He's challenging the governor of Wisconsin, the Republican, in a recall race that's coming up this week. It has drawn a lot of national attention. A lot of people see it as a preview of what's coming up this fall in the presidential election.

Also going to talk to governor Bob McDonnell, the governor of Virginia, big swing state, to talk to him about swing state politics. Also Senators Lugar and Senator Warner, a Republican and a Democrat, about what is wrong with the U.S. Congress and whether we can expect anything to happen before the elections or even after.

Of course, CNN's coverage of the Queen's diamond jubilee will continue right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: Welcome back to day two of the Queen's diamond jubilee celebrations as we await that royal pageant, that boat pageant down the Thames. I'm here in Piccadilly for the first time in its history closed off to traffic in order to host one of the biggest street parties ever.

We've been talking about the weather here today. It's fairly damp. It's not cold, certainly not as cold as it is just a few miles south of the north pole where the coldest and furthest street party is being celebrated I'm told by the arctic jubilee expedition at the top of Barbeau Peak in northern Canada.

It's an ok day. A bit iffy, but none of us care, we're at the party in Piccadilly, and I'm joined by -- oh my goodness -- who am I joined by here today? I seem to have found the royal family. You're supposed to be on the Thames. No, you're not. Just a few people gathered here today for what is a big street party. Guys, are you enjoying it? UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's fantastic. Everyone is out even though it's raining. British spirit -- we're loving it.

ANDERSON: What are you drinking here? It looked like you were drinking beer. But you put it all. It's a drink called Pims -- I promise you it's not Lager. Tell us what is in Pims.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No one knows, it's a secret recipe. You mix it with lemonade and it's lovely.

ANDERSON: You can drink copious amounts and then fall over.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pretty much.

ANDERSON: Good stuff. Enjoy the day today, guys.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you very much. Thank you.

ANDERSON: Thousands and thousands of people here. 2.5 million people, as I said earlier, around the country enjoying street parties today.

Here is a little fellow. Turned away from me. Let's talk to his family instead. Did I scare you? I hope I didn't. Where are you from?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Northern Ireland.

ANDERSON: Northern Ireland.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're here to visit our daughter and son-in- law who live in Somerset.

ANDERSON: And you're enjoying the day here in Piccadilly. What have you been eating?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Cupcakes from Fortnum (ph) and Mason.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Some they throw at us (inaudible).

ANDERSON: And somebody is actually celebrating her 10th birthday here today so along with the Queen we're going to say happy, happy birthday to you. Are you enjoying your day?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

ANDERSON: Good. The food from Fortnum and Mason here, by the way -- that's a very important shop just up the road. If you have ever been to London you will know Fortnum and Mason's. 1731, the son of the original William Fortnum, Charles, went into service for Queen Charlotte and the rest is history. They have been feeding the royal family ever since.

Their scotch eggs which they say they created in 1738 being sold here today. It certainly was one of Queen Victoria's favorite foods and she, of course, was the last to hold an event for a diamond jubilee.

This Queen, Queen Elizabeth II, the second longest reigning Queen ever in British history. I'm Becky Anderson here in London. We'll be back over the next couple of hours for what is the Queen's diamond jubilee celebrations.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ANDERSON: And excuse me for that. There's so much noise around I couldn't hear what you were saying. Welcome back to Piccadilly here, the site of the biggest street party of all celebrating the diamond jubilee, of course today.

Guys, are you enjoying yourselves? Where are you from?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: London.

ANDERSON: Everybody is from London. Everybody is from London. You can see they're enjoying themselves. You can bring your own food here to the street party or you can buy your food. They're doing hog roasts and things up the road there towards Fortnum and Mason. Becky Anderson here on the streets of London, as it were -- Max, over to you.

FOSTER: Becky, on the banks of the river Thames, full crowds filling the whole space here. Not since the time of Charles II have we seen a pageant on the river Thames, 350 years. Everyone is set. Guys? What does today mean to you? Explain it?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's good fun.

FOSTER: Good fun -- why are you all here?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come to see the Queen.

FOSTER: Ok. There we are.

In two hours' time special programming from the river pageant, but now we're going to go to Candy Crowley with "STATE OF THE UNION".