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Cruise Ship; Teen Plans School Bombing; Obama Vows Support For Oklahoma; Service Honors Tornado Victims; Seventh Grader Turns Hero During Tornado; Memorial Day Brings Extreme Weather To Northeast And Central Plans; Remembering The Fallen; Memorial Day At Section 60; Teen Tried To Outdo Columbine; GOP Leaders Want Broader IRS Probe; Shooter In Kentucky Killed A Policeman; An Oregon High School Student Was Planning To Attack The School With Homemade Bombs; Republicans Are Increasing The Heat On The White House Turning It Up Calling For Special Councils To Investigate The IRS
Aired May 27, 2013 - 13:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Remembering the nation's fallen troops on Memorial Day. The president lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery. In just a few moments, we are going to go to Section 60. That is where veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars are buried.
Fire broke out on a Royal Caribbean cruise line headed to the Bahamas. That happened early this morning. Hundreds of passengers were told to get on deck and put on life jackets. Nobody was injured, thank goodness. The cruise, which started in Baltimore, was headed to Cocoa Kay (ph) but was diverted to Freeport to be evaluated.
Bomb sniffing dogs are checking an Oregon high school for explosives today after a student was arrested for allegedly planning a major attack. Prosecutors say the teen had six types of explosives hidden in a secret compartment in his bedroom. They say he was planning an attack he hoped would rival the Columbine school shootings.
This is CNN NEWSROOM, and I'm Suzanne Malveaux. We are looking here today, today marking one week since the devastating tornado that shattered homes and lives in Moore, Oklahoma. Folks there starting to pick up the pieces and just simply trying to move forward. President Obama visited Moore yesterday, and he saw all of the destruction up close. He promised to support the residents telling them, I've got your back.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: That whenever I come to an area that's been devastated by some natural disaster like this, I want to make sure everybody understands I'm speaking on behalf of the entire country. Everywhere fellow Americans are praying with you, they're thinking about you and they want to help. And so, I'm just a messenger here today letting everybody here know that you are not alone, that you've got folks behind you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STUDENTS, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, OKLAHOMA: Yes, Jesus loves me yes, Jesus loves me, yes, Jesus loves me the bible tells me so.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: That was so nice. Students from one of the elementary schools destroyed by the tornado singing at a memorial service last night. "Jesus Loves Me," some of them singing when the storm hit that day.
One of the heroes emerging from the tragedy of the Oklahoma tornado is simply a seventh grader. He used his body to shield a classmate. This is amazing, when the tornado hit their middle school. We've got that story. Nick Valencia, he's got the details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As he walked through the rubble of his now-leveled school, 13-year-old Dylan Ellis was bewildered.
DYLAN ELLIS: See, look at it, that's destroyed.
VALENCIA: It was the first time he had been back since the tornado struck.
ELLIS: I don't know how we survived this.
VALENCIA: He remembers taking shelter in the middle school locker room.
ELLIS: Right through here in this door.
VALENCIA: He remembers being surrounded by the cries and screams of 50 children.
ELLIS: The lights went off. You can hear it hit the building, like loud. Then it comes, takes off our roof.
VALENCIA: No one was killed when the tornado destroyed Highland East Middle School, but this wasn't just a miracle.
DIANE LEE: Isn't the choir room gone?
ELLIS: Yes, the choir room is gone.
VALENCIA: Quietly standing next to him is his 12-year-old classmate, seventh grader Diane Lee. On Monday, Dylan probably saved her life. Did you feel like you were going to get sucked away.
LEE: Yes, I felt like the wind around me is, like, going in circles and everything and the ground wasn't underneath me anymore. And he held onto my hand and (INAUDIBLE.) ELLIS: I see her start to go up. I jump on her, lay on her and then grab onto the lock -- bottom of these lockers that were inside the ground. And then, one that's -- once it's over, I push her out of the way. And then all the debris starts to hit me.
VALENCIA: How did you think so fast? How did you know what to do what you did?
ELLIS: I just thought of her as my family. What would I do if they started to go up? Didn't think. Just did it.
VALENCIA: How happy are you that he did?
LEE: Really happy or else I probably wouldn't be here.
VALENCIA: Already best friends since the start of the school year, Dylan and Diane say the tornado has brought them even closer.
LEE: I can't believe we were actually in there and actually got out and he helped me.
VALENCIA: How do you do in school?
ELLIS: Decent. I do OK.
VALENCIA: Middle school years are tough, even without a tornado. But Dylan and Diane have ended this semester with an important lesson, that in your darkest hour, friendship will see you through.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: I love that story. Nick Valencia is joining us from Moore, Oklahoma. Tell us a little bit more about Dylan. How is he doing?
VALENCIA (live): Dylan's OK. He's still in a little bit of shock. Diane is still trying to get over it. In fact, she moved here just three years ago from New Jersey. She says she wants to move back. I just got off the phone with her right before this live shot and she says, yes, I still want to move back. Her family's house was also damaged and destroyed. So, she's still rebuilding her own life. They were packing up their home right now. They're really good friends now, though. They were best friends at the start of the school year. That's brought them even closer. And they're just thankful to be alive.
We've heard so many stories of heroism and courage and just people being unselfish in the week that we've been here. And the story of Dylan and Diane, it really is indicative of the character of Oklahomans just acting -- treating each other like family, friends helping friends, strangers helping strangers. It's really incredible to come across those two -- the people like that, I mean, it's -- I'm at a loss for words when I met them, Suzanne. And we're just glad they're OK.
MALVEAUX: That's the kind of best friend you want to have certainly. Tell us a little bit -- VALENCIA: Right.
MALVEAUX: -- about the neighborhood. How's it going in the neighborhood? Are people able to get anything out of their homes? Are they able to come back and start sifting through some of this stuff?
VALENCIA: It's just -- this is a story that we keep coming across more and more incredible things. Just behind me here, I don't know if you can see them, but you see that American flag, there's a guy named Tom Bridges. And Tom Bridges was buried in his storm shelter for 25 minutes. Strangers dug him out. Now, he came back to his home to just pick up the pieces. He's been gone for more than a week. After being gone for a week, Suzanne, he's looking for his $2,000 that he left in a white envelope. He found them.
MALVEAUX: Really?
VALENCIA: We're going to interview him at the -- in the 2:00 hour. Yes, he found -- they were still in the envelope. Crisp, you know, $100 bills. It still had the wrapping around them that said, it's a -- it's a stack of $2,000. So, just incredible stories of resilience. And people here, Suzanne, believe it or not, they're asking us how we're doing. They're asking if we're OK, if we need anything. Up and down the street, people go out handing out food offering us free food.
MALVEAUX: Wow.
VALENCIA: I think if we would have eaten every single meal that we've come across, we would have gained a lot of weight by the time we come back. But it's just incredible stories. And it's no loss -- such a loss for words about Dylan and Diane.
MALVEAUX: Yes, it's really nice. I mean, it's a testament of really what that community is all about and how generous they are. Nick, thank you so much. Really appreciate it.
VALENCIA: Thank you.
MALVEAUX: Memorial Day marking the unofficial start of summer, but you wouldn't necessarily know that. Looking at the weather, we are talking about. It is really amazing. When you take a look at this, in the middle of winter in parts of the northeast, it certainly looks that way. Almost three feet of snow fell on a New York ski mountain, this is in the Adirondacks. And in Texas, extreme weather turning tragic however. Flooding is blamed at least in part for three deaths. That is in the San Antonio area that you're seeing drenching rain and floods, soaking parts of the Central plains as well.
I want to bring in Chad Myers to explain why are we seeing this at this time, Chad?
CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: You still have cold air that wants to hang around. It still wants to be winter. And then you have summer trying to get in the way, and that's called spring. And even though it's the unofficial start of summer, Memorial Day, it's still spring on the calendar, the cold and warm still clash. When the cold and warm clash in the deep south or central plains, that makes severe weather. That's what we had in Moore, Oklahoma. That's what we'll have across parts of Kansas today. There's a big area with the potential for tornadoes right into parts of Nebraska and Kansas. Not including Moore.
Also potential along this line of severe weather when it comes to flooding. We've had a lot of flooding across parts of Iowa this weekend and also down into San Antonio where the things -- the rain just wouldn't stop. It rained for days down there. Over 10 inches of rainfall in 24 hours just in the one spot around San Antonio. There's the Kansas City rain heading out towards Odessa, eventually toward Columbia and even into St. Louis. Could be urban flooding, St. Louis and Chicago, in the next couple of days if you get one cell that hangs around too long and that's what we're expecting. We just see storm after storm in the same kind of place, the same thing that happened in San Antonio, the cold front's not moving very much, dry line sitting here. That makes dry air pushing moist air in the air.
I know this doesn't make any sense. Moist air is actually lighter than dry air. That air wants to go up in the air causing severe thunderstorms, and that's what we'll have in the plains. And what they had across parts of the northeast was just the other part of the low, the backside of the low, the cold air dragging the snow, dragging the cold air down out of the upper Midwest and also down out of Canada. I can't blame it on you, Canada, all the time, but this time I think we can because 34 inches on White Face Mountain. I said this last hour, the coldest fourth of July I ever spent in the world was on top of White Face Mountain. I think it might have --
MALVEAUX: Oh, god.
MYERS: -- been 34 degrees. And we --
MALVEAUX: And we're looking at pictures here.
MYERS: -- were not dressed for the occasion.
MALVEAUX: Looking at the pictures of the snow, unbelievable at this time.
MYERS: Something else, yes.
MALVEAUX: Chad, thanks. Appreciate it.
MYERS: You're welcome, bye-eye.
MALVEAUX: Memorial Day also a day for us to stop, to pause, remember those who have served our country. The president says we all have an obligation to keep them in our thoughts.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Every American can do something even simpler. As we go about our daily lives, we must remember that our countrymen are still serving, still fighting, still putting their lives on the line for all of us. (END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Our Barbara Starr, she is in Section 60. This is at Arlington National Cemetery. That is where the fallen troops from Afghanistan and Iraq are laid to rest. I want to bring in Barbara here. And we know that the president had a chance to walk through and to visit. What was that like?
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Suzanne, he just left here a short time ago. He spent almost 40 minutes I would say with the first lady here at Section 60 visiting with the families who have come here on this Memorial Day. Nearly 800 fallen troops from Iraq and Afghanistan buried here. So many young people. Their families, their children are here. I think behind me, you can see some of the families. The president moving through the area talking to so many of them on this Memorial Day.
And we also came across another man who was here who I think wouldn't be anywhere else and that was defense secretary Chuck Hagel. He came here, visited with families. And of course Chuck Hagel is a decorated combat veteran from Vietnam. And he talked a little bit today about what it means to be a Vietnam veteran to him and to be here on this day.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: Are there, on this day, men that you served with in Vietnam that you remember that you'd like to tell people about?
CHUCK HAGEL, DEFENSE SECRETARY: Well, there are and there's an individual that is buried over here -- because these are new graves, Dean Phillips, who was a green beret. An individual I got to know after I came home from Vietnam, worked with him at the Veterans Administration. People I served, John Summers was another one that was killed in an ambush. But there's an inventory of people that you remember. And you remember every one.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: You remember every one. We find that from the Vietnam veteran, now the defense secretary, from the young people we have gotten the chance and the honor to talk to here today as we look at some of the mementos that are left, the flags, the teddy bears, the beer bottles even, and also, of course, the flowers. The flowers here keep coming as they do every day of the year. So, here at section 60, Suzanne, this is Memorial Day 2013 -- Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: So many people who lost their lives, gave their lives. Thank you, Barbara Starr. I really appreciate it.
Here's also what else we're working on and following this hour. Police now say that an Oregon teen planned a Columbine-style attack at his high school. We're going to show you what a 17 year old was allegedly planning to do.
And Republicans demand a broader investigation into the IRS's alleged targeting of conservative groups. How the president is trying to reset his agenda in the wake of multiple controversies.
And it's a great holiday at the beach in Seaside Heights, New Jersey. Seven months after Superstorm Sandy damaging miles of the Jersey shore, the boardwalk making a big comeback. We're going to go there live.
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MALVEAUX: Police in Kentucky tracking a killer. A shooter who killed one of their own. And, police chief, he is now vowing revenge.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHIEF RICK MCCUBBIN, BARDSTOWN, KENTUCKY POLICE: It's an eye for an eye. You kill one of my guys. I'm not going to rest until I have you in cuffs or on the front side of a weapon, and I mean that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Officer Jason Ellis was shot multiple times Saturday as he stopped to pick up road debris. Now, according to police, the debris was placed there intentionally like a piece of bait. The police are not sure whether Officer Ellis was the intended target or whether or not the shooter acted alone. They vow not to rest until those responsible are in custody.
At an Oregon high school, they are now searching for explosives one more time before letting students come back after the holiday. Police say that a classmate, 17-year-old Grant Acord, was planning to attack them with homemade bombs. He is in custody now. And, as Bob Heye reports, he's going to be charged as an adult.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BOB HEYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Police found a total of six bombs including pipe bombs, napalm bombs, Molotov cocktails, even a bomb made from drain cleaner in a secret compartment in the floor of grant Acord's bedroom inside the home he shares with his mother.
JOHN HAROLDSON, BENDON COUNTY, OREGON DISTRICT ATTORNEY: This is a case of a planned assault on a target-rich environment. The accused intended, planned and took substantial steps towards carrying out a deadly assault against the occupants of West Albany High School.
HEYE: Grant Acord is a junior at West Albany High. The district attorney says Acord's plan was inspired by the attack on Columbine High School, only designed to be even deadlier.
HAROLDSON: That includes preparation. That includes a written plan. That includes a diagram of the school. That includes all sorts of checklists including a list of items that are needed to be able to execute this.
HEYE: Prosecutors say the only motive they found for the plan so far, the thrill of seeing people die. We didn't find anyone home at Grant Acord's mother's house in Albany. At his father's home not far away, a woman answered the door.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE SPEAKER: I appreciate you coming out and reaching out to us, but we just have no comment.
HEYE: Holly Koltvedt says she just talked with Grant Acord on Tuesday.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HEYE: The day he was arrested?
HOLLY KOLTVEDT, KNOWS BOMBING SUSPECT: Yes. I talked to him earlier and nothing was wrong. He was happy. He just like he was going on with the day.
HEYE: Holly doesn't know who called 911 to let people know Acord might be making bombs to use against her school, but she's glad they did.
KOLTVEDT: I am super thankful for him because that's the reason why we're with our families today.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: As Bob Heye reporting, that's our affiliate KATU TV. That is in Oregon. And, a prosecutor plans to file attempted aggravated murder charges. And CNN has been trying to reach Grant Acord's attorney to comment, so far no luck and no response.
And, now, republicans are increasing the heat on the White House turning it up calling for special councils to investigate the IRS alleged targeting of conservative groups as well as the seizing of journalists' phone records. We have more of that after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: Congress is on vacation this week. And, the president certainly hoping to get a break from some of the controversies that have dogged his administration lately, the last couple of weeks. Well, today, the president focused on memorial day, appropriately and honoring those who have sacrificed for this country. He is also trying to hit the reset button on his second term agenda, but still facing some headaches from issues including the IRS allegedly targeting conservatives. Dan Lothian has got the details.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAN LOTHIAN, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: After weeks of dealing with scandals, the president is struggling to reset his agenda. And, with congress off this week, he has a chance to do so. But, even as he tries to limit damage from the IRS uproar, republicans are demanding a broader investigation.
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM, (R) SOUTH CAROLINA: there's clearly an organized effort within the IRS to target political opponents of the president. That's undeniable. How does the culture come about, how vast was it, who was involved? This really does call for a special council.
LOTHIAN: The president wants his attorney general to review whether his own justice department has gone too far pursuing those leak investigations targeting reporters.
PRES. BARACK OBAMA, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: And, I've raised these issues with the attorney general who shares my concerns.
LOTHIAN: But republicans are pressing for a special council for that as well. Noting Eric holder was involved in seeking a search warrant against Fox reporter James Rosen.
SEN. TOM COBURN, (R) OKLAHOMA: You cannot investigate yourself. And, I think it's a total conflict of interest.
PRES. OBAMA: We have to be determined to stop these crimes.
LOTHIAN: Mr. Obama is also dealing with a sexual assault scandal in the military, giving republicans a new line of attack.
SEN. RAND PAUL, (R) KENTUCKY: I think the constellation of these three scandals ongoing really takes away from the president's moral authority to lead the nation. Nobody questions his legal authority, but I think he's really losing the moral authority to lead this nation.
PRES. OBAMA: Immigration reform, a top priority for the president, is headed to the senate floor after winning committee approval, but it's not clear. There are 60 votes to stop a republican filibuster. And, his new push to close the Guantanamo facility is facing stiff opposition on Capitol Hill.
PRES. OBAMA: I once again call on congress to lift the restrictions on detainee transfers from Gitmo.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Dan Lothian is joining us. So, Dan, good to see you as always.
LOTHIAN: Good to see you, as well.
MALVEAUX: The president focusing on clearly connecting with people, real people, visiting Oklahoma, the tornado victims yesterday. And, he's got another trip coming up as well. Tell us a little about what he's hoping to highlight tomorrow.
LOTHIAN: That's right. And, this is all part of the president's job. He heads to New Jersey, where he will tour the Jersey Shore with Governor Chris Christie. Seven months after hurricane Sandy devastated the area. The president will be meeting with families, with business owners, people who were affected by that storm. And, the White House says the president, again, will underscore this administration's commitment to helping them fully recover, Suzanne. MALVEAUX: All right. Dan, thank you. Appreciate it. We'll be watching as well tomorrow that trip that he's taking there with the governor. And, Arizona senator, we are now learning John McCain is in Syria. McCain's office now confirming that the senator met with rebel leaders that happened earlier today. Now, Senator McCain, you may, know he has been critical of the Obama administration for not being more involved in the unsolving the Syrian civil war.
President Obama heading to Jersey Shore, that is tomorrow as we mentioned. People there really making a turn here, if you will, a turning point. We're going to take you there live after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: Royal Caribbean says an early morning fire is out. This was on one of the ships here. The grandeur of the seas experienced problems as it headed to the Coco Cay, Bahamas. It has since been diverted to Freeport to be evaluated. Now, the cruise line reports that two people are being treated after fainting.
The ship now has full power once again. We don't yet have word on what actually caused that fire. And, stay tuned next, our CNN now talking to two passengers who were actually aboard that very ship. They are going to tell us about what it was like. That's in about 30 minutes or so.
Out west in Washington, they are now pulling the cars from the river. The last of those cars following last week's bridge collapse shut down a portion of Interstate 5, about two hours. This is north of Seattle. Steel Girders, they are going to be used as a temporary solution here, you see there. But, engineers hoped to get the traffic flowing again, hopefully the next couple of weeks.
And, tomorrow, President Obama and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie touring the Jersey Shore.