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Sources: Activist Pamela Geller Target of Beheading Plot; Former FIFA Executive Admits Bribes for World Cup Bids; FIFA's Challenges Ahead; Death Toll Rises in Ship Capsize in China; Angry Family Members of Capsized Ship Victims March to Site; South Korea Battles MERS Virus; Duggars Comment on Son's Molestation Case; Presidential Race Heating Up. Aired 2-3a ET

Aired June 04, 2015 - 02:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:00:21] ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: A twist in the Boston terror plot. Who the suspect was originally planning to behead.

ERROL BARNETT, CNN ANCHOR: Plus, chronicles of a corrupt FIFA executive. The former official details how he and others took kickbacks and bribes.

CHURCH: And rescuers searching for survivors in the sunken Chinese ship say there are no signs of life.

BARNETT: Hello. Welcome to our viewers in the U.S. and all around the world. We are your team here on CNN for two hours. I'm Errol Barnett.

CHURCH: I'm Rosemary Church. Thank you for joining us. This is CNN NEWSROOM.

BARNETT: This hour we begin with a major development in an alleged terror plot. Law enforcement sources say Usaama Rahim, who authorities shot in Boston, had planned to behead a prominent activist.

CHURCH: That person is Pamela Geller, seen here, who has been targeted in the past as well. She most recently organized a controversial Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest in Texas that ended in a deadly shootout.

BARNETT: However the FBI now saying Rahim apparently changed his mind about killing Geller and decided to go after police. Believing he was radicalized by ISIS.

Geller warns his actions are a sign of more to come.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PAMELA GELLER, ACTIVIST: They targeted me for violating Shia blaspheme laws. They plan to kill everyone who doesn't do their bidding and violate their law. But this is a showdown for American freedom. Will we stand against the savagery or bow down in silence ourselves? It won't end with me no matter what happens to me or the cops. This is just the beginning. The one thing that is being ignored that came out of Garland, Texas, is that ISIS is here. Islamic terrorism is here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BARNETT: CNN's Alexandra Field has more on the terror suspect's alleged motives and the final moments of his life.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALEXANDRA FIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (v): Police say he pulled a military-style knife on them and that's why they shot and killed Usaama Rahim. But the 26-year-old posed a threat to law enforcement even before the deadly encounter in a CVS parking lot. Court documents reveal the man under 24 hour surveillance from the Joint Terrorism Task Force had recently purchased three military knives and a sharpener on the Internet. But over time, authorities say the plan formed by the man inspired by ISIS changed. Rahim sent a text to an associate, "I can't wait that long, I can't wait that long, man." He later writes, "I'm going be on vacation right here in Massachusetts. I'm just going to go after them, those boys in blue, because it's the easiest target and the most common is the easiest for me."

"Vacation" code for jihad, according to investigators. "Boys in blue" an obvious reference to law enforcement. Those messages sent, police say, to 25-year-old David Wright, now charged in federal court with conspiracy and attempting to obstruct justice by destroying a cell phone.

On Tuesday, investigators spent hours searching his Everett home, also searching a Warwick, Rhode Island, home. Officials have said it's related to the investigation. They haven't said how.

But police are now explaining why they took action outside a CVS, confronting a man they've spent years watching.

WILLIAM EVANS, COMMISSIONER, BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT: Our officers went out there to only question the individual. We never anticipated what his reaction would be and that he would pull out, obviously, a military knife. At that point, the video clearly shows these four or five officers backtracking away from the suspect as he's coming at them.

FIELD: Surveillance video that captured the deadly shooting hasn't been shown to the public. Instead, civil rights and Islamic community leaders were invited to privately view it, an effort to clear up misinformation, police say, Rahim's brother posted online that Usaama had been shot in the back at a bus stop while on the phone with his father.

CORNELL WILLIAMS, BALTIMORE URBAN LEAGUE: Based on the video that I saw, I would 150 percent collaborate what the commissioner just stated, that there was an approach to -- approach to the suspect to talk with him. The officers were backing up, what I saw, and then there were things that went down, as you already know. FIELD: Alexandra Fields, CNN, Boston.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[02:05:10] CHURCH: Another day, another bombshell in the scandal plaguing FIFA. Former executive, Chuck Blazer, told a U.S. judge in 2013, that he and officials took bribes in connection with the 1998 World Cup in France and the 2010 tournament in South Africa.

BARNETT: Meanwhile FIFA's Secretary-General Valcke denies any link to an alleged $10 million bribe on behalf of South Africa's 2010 bid.

CHURCH: And former FIFA Vice President Jack Warner is now promising to tell investigators everything he knows about corruption in the organization. He also says he never took a bribery lat related to the South Africa World Cup. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JACK WARNER, FIFA VICE PRESIDENT: South Africa didn't give me $10 million bribe. Didn't give me a bribe. Didn't give me any bribe. And, a guy today, asking some foolish questions. I said not tonight. Not tonight. Each media, they write nonsense. Blatter knows why he fell. There is one other person who knows. I do.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BARNETT: Still, there are many, many unanswered question as but these corruption allegations.

Let's get more on the bribery admissions now from former FIFA Executive Chuck Blazer. Richard Roth reports from New York.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In a 40-page document unsealed in New York, Charles "Chuck" Blazer laid out a trail of corruption to a judge. He was a former member of the FIFA executive committee and the number-two man in CONCACAF, the North American, South American, Caribbean part of FIFA. In testimony, Blazer admits to a trail of corruption, racketeering and wire fraud.

A former colleague and staff member of CONCACAF told me about Blazer and money.

CARLOS GIRON, FORMER STAFF MEMBER, CONCACAF: Most of the time we went into official tournaments. He walked around with hundred dollar bills, with his pockets literally filled with hundred dollar bills.

ROTH: Blazer admitted to taking bribes and helping determine where World Cups would be held in 1998, in France, and 2010 in South Africa. He tells the judge that he is sick, he had been suffering from rectal cancer, receiving chemotherapy treatment. He was in a wheelchair when in court in November of 2013.

His former colleague told me what he thinks is the significance of Blazer's testimony.

GIRON: I think that Chuck Blazer is the most important person in soccer today. If it wasn't for him, none of this would be happening. It, it took someone at his level, stature, to have the type of information and, and access that Loretta Lynch needed. If it wasn't for Chuck Blazer, I don't think we would be at the cusp of powerful change at FIFA.

ROTH: As part of his plea agreement, Blazer pled guilty to 10 felonies. It's unclear what a judge will sentence him too. Many people are probably worried what he has told the U.S. government.

Richard Roth, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CHURCH: For more on Blazer's testimony let's bring in James Piercy, the deputy editor at "Sport360," and he joins us live via Skype from Abu Dhabi.

James Piercy, thank you for joining us.

In these newly released court documents, Chuck Blazer admits to racketeering, wire fraud and bribes linked to 1998 and 2010 World Cup bids. What does this say about FIFA? Just how big do you think this is likely to get?

JAMES PIERCY, DEPUTY EDITOR, SPORT360: Well, it basically puts out in black and white what the attorney general, Loretta Lynch, said last week, systematic corruption throughout FIFA. When you see it in black and white, it is difficult to take in. As a fan, astonishing. We are considering what World Cups were won in honest means? Was there bribery across all? And this corrupt system, Sepp Blatter seems to have taken on or allowed other people to take on. So, you know there's tons of tournaments going to be under the microscope. I think, we said yesterday, that there is much more to come in the next six months. Already within 24 hours, you said yourself another bombshell.

[02:10:05] CHURCH: People are wondering how far this goes black. Let's look at Blazer's testimony and the U.S. Attorney's office saying there will be more indictments. Could we perhaps see more deals being made with the prosecutor?

PIERCY: Chuck Blazer of course is the guest that was on there, saying, he is a good man, of course he is. But that's not the case, at the same time. Jack Warner seems to, he started talking now. I think we have to take a look of what Jack Warner says, with a pinch of salt. He was referencing an article from "the onion" the other day. You know, in their investigation. But I think, yes, of course, of the 14 that have been indicted. Absolutely. I'm sure the FBI will be using them as informants. Mining them for information. Then we will see more arrests. Almost inevitable more will be brought in. And of course, people are going to be speaking. We are talking about pretty hefty prison sentences there. CHURCH: You mention former FIFA vice president, Jack Warner, indicted

on corruption charges by U.S. authorities. He is warning, we have reported, he is ready to tell all. He seemed to put Sepp Blatter front and center. You seem to think anything he says is not particularly reliable. Where do you think this could go with what he seems to be ready to reveal?

PIERCY: It all depends on how credible Jack Warner is. The man said a lot of stuff. You know, he is a character. But he is also a rather unpleasant human being in terms of what he has done with football. (INAUDIBLE) -- money laundering. His credibility isn't great. I am sure he has various you know evidence against individuals in FIFA whether or not, Sepp Blatter, I don't know. I would like to think there will be others coming forward. Because Jack Warner, Jack Warner, as we said, saying this in public forum, putting it out in video, the second video he released. Why isn't he saying this to authorities in private? Why do we have to know about it? Why does it have to be a grand gesture? That gives you insight to what Jack Warner is all about.

CHURCH: We'll be watching what comes next there from Jack Warner, of course. As developments keep pouring out, goodness knows what the next bombshell might be.

James Piercy, thank you for joining us and giving us your perspective on this. We do appreciate it.

PIERCY: Thank you.

CHURCH: Errol?

BARNETT: Rosemary, you and James were talking about this long and painful road FIFA will be on, no matter what happens based on these allegations, to rebuild its reputation.

Samuel Burke has more on the challenge for us from London.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEPP BLATTER, FORMER FIFA CHAIRMAN: Let's go, FIFA. Let's go FIFA. Thank you.

(APPLAUSE)

SAMUEL BURKE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What a difference a week makes. Just last week, FIFA had an estimated brand value of more than $3 billion. Seven days later, nearly $500 million wiped away and expected to keep falling.

Now FIFA may have to kid changing to a completely to a completely new name, some brand experts say. Others believe Sepp Blatter's plans to resign may have just diverted FIFA from destruction.

DAVID HAIGH, FOUNDER & CEO, BRAND FINANCE: I think it just pulled it back from the precipice. If they continued the way they were going the whole organization may have been boycotted and collapsed like a house of card. By removing himself, he's giving it a chance to survive.

BURKE (on camera): In spite arrest and criminal allegations hanging over FIFA it is a brand around for a remarkable 111 years. And brand experts say it is revered by many around the world, at least for now.

(voice-over): FIFA is far from out of the woods. In order to maintain its brand value, industry observers say it must become more transparent and open up its books.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We need an external body, independent body to come in now and audit FIFA to investigate without fear of favor, and really clear the decks. There is a danger now the old guard at FIFA may be trying to rally around each other, hope that they can dictate the terms of the reform process themselves and any investigations that are done and then, put one of their own people in Sepp Blatter's place.

BURKE: The key question the FIFA brand faces now is who will take the helm and if that person can lead the organization to reform, because when Sepp Blatter steps down, a leader will have to step up and rebuild the FIFA brand.

Samuel Burke, CNN, London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[02:15:00] CHURCH: We'll take a short break here. Still to come, hopes are fading, anger is growing, and the death toll is rising in central China. The latest on the capsized cruise ship just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: In central China, rescuers say there are no signs of life from their search inside a capsized cruise ship. The death toll stands at 66 people.

BARNETT: More than 450 people were on board when the Eastern Star cap sides during a violent storm Monday. Rescuers have been trying to cut a hole in the ship's hull in a last-ditch effort to find survivors. Others are searching the river banks going more than 220 kilometers downstream, which is roughly 135 miles.

CHURCH: So far, only 14 survivors have been found. More than 370 passengers and crew are still missing.

Our David McKenzie is also following the story for us. He joins us on the line.

David, 370 people missing and now this chilling news of no signs of life. What are the major challenges facing rescue crews right now? What are they telling you?

[02:20:06] DAVID MCKENZIE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Rosemary, I am actually on the Yangtze River looking at search-and-rescue operations right now as we speak. Quite an extraordinary site. They have two cranes, that salvage ships, ships on the other side of the upturned hull of the "Eastern Star" rescuers, on top. Looking from where I am looking. Still drilling into the hull trying to see any signs of life. Officials are saying for the respect of life they will keep searching for life for 72 hours. So the clock is ticking. Certainly they're hoping perhaps, there might be some kind of chance that someone is still alive -- Rosemary?

CHURCH: Yeah, it is just horrifying. For the family members of those who are still on that capsized, that capsized ship, it is just horrendous. We are learning they're angry. They're not being told very much. They're being kept away from the area. Talk to us about what they're saying?

MCKENZIE: Well the families are angry. But they also realize there is very little information that can be given to them. There are so many people missing, more than 300 at this stage missing. Close to 400 missing, presumably at this stage, it's not looking very good at all. And from the vantage point of where I am right now, you can see the cranes readying to upturn the ship. They said after the 72 hour period they will raise the ship and begin the salvage operation. Very limited time now. Another several hours. Then effectively this will become a recovery operation which will be incredible devastating to the families indeed.

CHURCH: It most definitely will.

David McKenzie reporting there on the line there, as he mentioned, on the Yangtze River watching the rescue crews trying to find some form of life. And 72 more hours they will dedicate to that effort.

BARNETT: Now, as Rosemary mentioned, many of those on board were elderly. The families, they're all becoming frustrated now, the lack of progress, information that they're receiving.

CHURCH: CNN international correspondent, Ivan Watson, was with the families as they marched to the accident site.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(SHOUTING)

IVAN WATSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Tempers flare. After a deadly riverboat disaster, family members of some of the hundred of missing cruise ship passengers call local Chinese officials liars.

(SHOUTING)

WATSON: They accuse the government of not doing enough to save their loved ones from the boat that capsized in the Yangtze River Monday.

"No one is helping him," says Chin Zu Kwa (ph), whose 78-year-old husband was a cruise ship passenger. "The boat is still upside down, she says, "and the politicians are just making speeches."

On Wednesday night, dozens of these desperate people suddenly launched an impromptu march.

(on camera): This is an anguished procession of dozens of relatives of "Eastern Star" passengers who have taken a long bus drive to this riverside town to learn something about their missing loved ones. And they're so desperate they have just gotten out of their bus and decided to walk in search of the river.

Why are you walking like this at night?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We want to see our family. Yes. But we have no choice. Nobody is helping us.

WATSON (voice-over): Some locals tie yellow ribbons in a show of support and offer free ride and bottles of water. But that goodwill dries up after an hour of walking.

When the procession reaches a wall of uniformed police, undaunted, the relatives push forward --

(SHOUTING)

WATSON: -- and the police line breaks.

The small crowd keeps walking towards the river.

(on camera): It is almost 2:00 in the morning and people have been hiking for some four hours when they were finally able to hitch a ride. These people, determined to get to the site of the riverboat wreck in defiance of the local authorities.

(SHOUTING)

WATSON (voice-over): But soon we reach the end of road. Another line of police and, this time, the relatives don't have the will to push their way through. Several women sit on the pavement weeping. Their quest for answers stalls at a police checkpoint just a few hundred yards from the river that swallowed their loved ones.

Ivan Watson, CNN, China.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[02:25:09] BARNETT: Let's take a look at the ever-changing weather conditions in the area.

Meteorologist Ivan Cabrera joins us.

Where the main issue is all the rainfall, Ivan?

IVAN CABRERA, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yeah, well, you saw the piece with David McKenzie, and pictures, umbrellas were out. A nuisance rain. Not very happy. Winds are not that gusty. A boundary we talked about yesterday. An additional front coming in. The bulk of the activity to the south. You have the lightning, the very heavy rainfall. That is well down south of the region, there is the river crossing there, you see that, that cloud cover moving in with a few showers coming into that. That is in six hours going to be all done at this point here. We have a break over the next few days. An area of high pressure begins to build in here. The front really gets pushed out of the south. We are talking now portions of the region and heading towards Hong Kong and beginning showers and thunderstorms. This time of year again, the semi-permanent front that meanders, north and south. When the accident happened there, it was right on top of the river. That's where we have the explosive thunderstorms with of course the, the hurricane force wind gusts there. Right over the city. Over the next few days in better shape as the front stays done to the south. The heavy rain that will be as well. Will continue to track that for you here. To the north, here at this point, I think just, some light rain and perhaps 20, 30 kilometer winds. That will be it. Then we get a break heading into the weekend coming up. Visibility not looking too great out there because of the cloud cover. You have the low cloud deck. And improving conditions into the next 48 hours -- guys?

BARNETT: They need all the help they can get at this stage.

Ivan, thank you very much.

CHURCH: Thank you.

We will take a short break here. But the World Health Organization issues a dire warning to South Korea as the country battles an outbreak of the deadly MERS virus. We are back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:30:31] ERROL BARNETT, CNN ANCHOR: A warm welcome become to our viewers here in the United States and those watching from all around the globe. I'm Errol Barnett.

ROSEMARY CHURCH, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Rosemary Church. It is time to check the main stories we are following this hour.

Law enforcement sources say the Boston terror suspect killed by authorities had plotted to behead a prominent activist. That activist is Pamela Geller, you see here, who recently organized a Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest in Texas that ended in a deadly shootout. The FBI says Usaama Rahim apparently changed his mind about killing Geller and decided to target police instead.

BARNETT: Protesters are beginning to set up camp in southern Germany days ahead of the G-7 summit. Leaders of the seven industrial nations will meet Sunday and Monday in a luxury hotel. Police say they're ready for any protests after riots erupted when the new European Central Bank building opened in March.

CHURCH: Texas has executed its oldest inmate since the U.S. reinstated capital punishment almost 40 years ago. 67-year-old Lester Bower was given a lethal injection Wednesday night. Bower was convicted of murder for the 1983 deaths of four men as he tried to steal an aircraft. His lawyers say he maintains his innocence.

BARNETT: South Korea's president held an emergency meeting in response to her country's growing outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome. CHURCH: More than 800 schools are now shut down to help prevent the

spread of the MERS virus. So far, two people have died and at least 35 cases have been confirmed.

BARNETT: For the latest on this outbreak, let's bring in CNN's Kathy Novak, joins us live from Seoul.

Kathy, 1,300 people-plus in quarantine. Very little is known about MERS. There is cause for alarm, but no need for many one to panic. What is the general mood over there about this?

KATHY NOVAK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Errol, not quite panic yet. But there is certainly a level of fear. There is no vaccine and no cure for this virus. As you say, very little known about it. Every day South Koreans are waking up to the news of more cases confirmed. There are 1,300 people quarantined. And they're expecting to confirm more cases. People are concerned about this. Definitely seeing more people wearing face masks on the street. And frustration. The government admits there were insufficiencies in initial response and hearing promises from officials there will be more transparency. People in South Korea are complaining they don't know enough about what is going on. Of particular concern to many in the public is the fact that health officials are choosing not to name the hospitals that are affected. The first person who brought the disease back from the Middle East, visited four health facilities before confirmed that he has MERS -- Errol?

BARNETT: What is often the case, you get relatives caring for sick family members before they realize they have a deadly or contagious virus. How it spread. We saw the same thing in West Africa with Ebola and how it got out of hand. That means a larger reliance on medical staff there where you are. How is the government, now that it's acknowledging what could have done better, how is it getting information to people what to do and not to do.

NOVAK: The phenomenon of families caring for patients is an issue here in South Korea. You are quite right. One of the doctors was talking about the culture of families coming and staying with their loved ones in the hospital. Not a case where there is visiting hours and access is restricted. People actually sleep over at the hospital. They bring food and have direct contact with patients and direct exposure to other people who turned out to be infected with MERS. Now the government is of putting its focus on containment. Making sure nurses, doctors, patients and family members who may have been exposed for any concern at all about them are being quarantined.

BARNETT: Just quickly, Kathy, there are school closures there, what's the latest on that? How long are they expected to last?

NOVAK: Yeah, more than 800 schools closed Errol. No word on when they're likely to open. The concern there about staying away from large crowds. People of course concerned about their children. So those schools, closed for the foreseeable future -- Errol?

[02:35:09] BARNETT: Kathy Novak live for us in Seoul, South Korea, as the virus now aims to be contained. We appreciate that. Thanks very much.

Now the World Health Organization in fact says that the research points to camels being a possible source of infection. But camels are believed to have only infected a small number of people. Once humans are infected they can then pass the virus on through close contact.

CHURCH: MERS causes severe respiratory problems, fever, coughing and shortness of breath. About 30 to 40 percent of patients have died. This is what the MERS-corona virus looks like. The corona name comes from the spikes you can see studding the outside. It is from the same family as the SARS virus that killed nearly 800 people between 2002 and 2003.

BARNETT: Joining us to talk about this in-depth is Sean Kaufman, an infectious disease expert with extensive experience dealing with disease control.

CHURCH: In fact, he has worked with the CDC and World Health Organization.

Thank you for being with us.

Now, of course, we have learned that the WHO has said this is going to grow. We want to start with the MERS outbreak there in South Korea. At this point, give us an idea on the best way they can try to contain this but also how well equipped is South Korea to do that.

SEAN KAUFMAN, CEO & FOUNDER, BEHAVIORAL-BASED IMPROVEMENT SOLUTIONS: A great question. I think South Korea is really in essence one of the best health care systems that we do have out there. I think they're doing what they can right now to implement and kind of put in place social distancing practices that will slow the outbreak. We will see more cases, what they're doing is the best action to slow the overall outbreak and give a since of what is going on.

BARNETT: In many ways this is a new frontier. One person confirmed to have MERS in South Korea on May 20th had recently traveled to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Bahrain, of course, this originating, this virus, disease in the Middle East. Why has it taken so long for an outbreak to occur? Did Saudi Arabia, where it originated do something right in containing it? Or just that new?

KAUFMAN: No, I think -- we don't know kind of where it came from at this moment in time. What we do know is this individual did come over. Has been extremely sick, which means typically are shedding a lot of the virus when they are. We know family members tend to take a lot of the nursing responsibilities over. When family members who are very inexperienced with infection control practices start treating someone who is very sick it can really lead to things that cause catastrophic outcomes like an outbreak of a dangerous disease.

CHURCH: Another issue we want to talk about, you have had a lot of experience with this, is the anthrax, and this case of shipping live anthrax within a number of states in the USA but also other countries. Talk to us how that can happen and how they can stop is from happening again. BARNETT: What a blunder.

KAUFMAN: It is a huge blunder. It is not what is supposed to be happening. What's supposed to be happening, for good reason, is around the world we have detection systems to determine when a biological attack occurs. Kind of a scary event. A terrorist attack that uses an agent like anthrax, how can we determine if it is real or a true bioterrorist attack? Typically, what the procedure is is to inactivate anthrax to kill it, send it to the labs, make sure their detection systems are in place. Well, what happened the policy that was used to ensure an activation occurred did not work. Even if the work force followed the policy, the reality was it wasn't enough to inactivate anthrax. We'll see more labs report they received live anthrax.

BARNETT: To know this happened at the military level stunned so many people. And there is human error we have to take into account. In both issues -- protecting health care workers you're passionate about. We should let the viewers know you are working with Nina Pham in Texas, right, a health care worker, infected with Ebola or very upset of how mistreated she felt she was. How do we protect health care workers really?

KAUFMAN: It really does come done to leadership here. So often, we want to blame the nurse or we want to blame the doctor, but the reality of the situation is leaders have the right to expect the work force to behave in a certain way when they show up to work. But the work force has the right to expect leadership to protect and prepare them as best they can. When you see a nurse's face emerging infectious diseases and they don't have information to protect themselves and you see folks doing things they're not prepared for, for example, following a policy that probably should have never been implemented in the first place, it doesn't call the work force into error. It is a lack of leadership. We see that in life sciences and the health care industry as well.

[02:40:13] CHURCH: Sean Kaufman, thank you for talk with us. We appreciate it.

KAUFMAN: Thank you. It's my pleasure. Thanks.

BARNETT: Now the controversy has been expanding for the past two weeks.

Coming up, the parents in a U.S. reality show speak for the first time about molestation allegations involving their son.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHURCH: The stars of a U.S. reality TV show are speaking out for the first time about a major controversy involving their son.

CHURCH: Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar are the parents of 19 children. Two weeks ago, a tabloid reported their son molested several girls when he was a teenager.

Brian Stelter has details on what the Duggars had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN STELTER, CNN SENIOR MEDIA CORRESPONDENT & CNN HOST, RELIABLE SOURCES (voice-over): The Duggar family breaking their silence after a molestation scandal that started two weeks ago when "In Touch" magazine revealed that Josh Duggar, one of 19 kids on "19 Kids and Counting," had molested several girls when he was a teenager about 12 years ago. Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar, the parents, revealed in an interview with FOX News' Megyn Kelly that four of the victims were their daughters, or Josh Duggar's sisters, the fifth victim a babysitter.

The parents described being devastated when they learned about what Josh had done. It happened several different times. They were told about it several times before they eventually removed Josh from the household.

While they said they were devastated, they said they felt like they failed as parents. They also seemed to minimize the seriousness of the story. They described the molestation as improper touching and emphasized it was not rape. Here is a key part front interview.

MEGYN KELLY, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: When you want to bed at night during the time frame were you scared, worried. He is 14. He is having this problem. What is going to happen when we go to sleep?

[02:45:12] JIM BOB DUGGAR, FATHER OF JOSH DUGGAR: Right. Nothing ever happened like that again in the girls' bedrooms after that.

KELLY: OK.

DUGGAR: We had safe guards that protected them from that. But there was another incident where -- two different incidents where the girls were like laying on the couch. And, it was a -- he had touched like, over the couch and actually touched their breast while they were sleep. So, over their clothes. And so, it was -- it was a very difficult situation. But as we talked to other parents and different ones since then, a lot of families have said that they have had similar things happen in their families.

STELTER: The parents also said they're kidding considering suing over the release of juvenile records in this case. Those records were supposed to be sealed but they were shared with "In Touch" magazine and that's what started this scandal.

They did at times seem more upset by release of the record than the molestation, which happened more than a decade ago. And they said they will advocate in the future so these kinds of records are not released and hurt other families in the future.

As for the TLC reality show, it is still up in the air. The network has taken it off the air for now but it could bring it back in the future.

The parents, Jim Bob and Michelle say they don't know what will happen. They said, we will be fine, whether they film us or not. But they also suggested they shouldn't be punished, the entire family shouldn't be punished for the actions of one of the children.

There is much more to come on this story, two of the victims, two of the daughters will be speaking in more detail later this week.

Back to you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BARNETT: Just sickening and unnerving --

CHURCH: It is.

BARNETT: -- that entire dynamic.

More stories to come for you here on CNN, the U.S. presidential campaign is heating up.

CHURCH: So are the political gaffes. Candidate Ted Cruz is under fire for a joke he made about Vice President Joe Biden, just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[02:50:52] CHURCH: As we mention before the break, the 2016 U.S. presidential race is heating up with a contender formally announcing his run for the White House.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LINCOLN CHAFEE, (D), FORMER SENATOR & PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I enjoy challenges. Certainly, we have many facing America. Today, I am formally entering the race for the Democratic nomination for president.

Thank you.

(APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BARNETT: There was some speculation he would do this, and now he's done it. Lincoln Chafee has been elected to office as both a Republican Senator and an Independent governor. Now he is seeking the Democratic nomination for president. Chafee is the third challenger to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who he blames, in part, anyway, for getting the U.S. into the war in Iraq. It is something that he says should disqualify her from running.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHAFEE: I don't think the next president of the United States should have made the big mistake of voting for the Iraq war. And particularly the next Democratic nominee should not have made that big mistake of voting for the Iraq war. I think this should be a campaign issue for Democrats coming into 2016. This is a Republican war, a Republican war that cost us 4,000 dead Americans, a Republican war that cost us $6 trillion or is going to cost us $6 trillion we could have spent so much better. One of the biggest mistakes in American history.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BARNETT: The candidates continue to add up. This just in to CNN. Former Texas Governor Rick Perry launched his campaign website.

CHURCH: He is expected to formally launch his bid later today. We'll get that formally. The former governor of Texas says he will keep national security and growing the economy front and center of his campaign.

Well, Republican presidential candidate, Mike Huckabee, is facing tough questions about his month's-old transgender joke posted on line this week. The controversial comments Huckabee made back in February.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MIKE HUCKABEE, (R), FORMER ARKANSAS GOVERNOR & PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I wish someone told me when I was in high school I could have felt like a woman when it came time to take showers in P.E. I am pretty sure I would have found my feminine side and said, "Coach, I think I would rather shower with the girls today."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BARNETT: The release of this video coincided with all of the buzz surrounding Caitlyn Jenner's debut as a woman on the cover of "Vanity Fair." Asked Wednesday if he stood by his remarks, he criticized the media for something he said months ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HUCKABEE: What people talk to me about, is not some speech I made four months age it's not some cultural issue. People talk to me about the loss of their job, about the threats to this country. That's what I am focused on.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BARNETT: We can report on more awkward humor. Another Republican presidential contender, Senator Ted Cruz, apologizing for his ill timed joke about Vice President Joe Biden Wednesday night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. TED CRUZ, (R), TEXAS & PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: You know, Vice President Joe Biden --

(LAUGHTER)

You know the nice thing -- you don't need a punch line.

(LAUGHTER) I promise you, it works. At the next party you're at --

(LAUGHTER)

-- just walk up to someone, say, Vice President Joe Biden --

(LAUGHTER)

-- and just close your mouth.

(LAUGHTER)

-- they will crack up laughing.

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHURCH: Of course, it's all about timing. The line is often used and well received on the campaign trail. But this time, it fell flat after Biden's son, Beau, passed away from brain cancer Saturday. Cruz quickly apologized on Facebook saying this, "It was a mistake to use an old joke about Joe Biden during his time of grief. I sincerely apologize. The loss of his son is heartbreaking and tragic and our prayers are very much with the vice president and his family."

Well, the U.S. [residential election is more than a year away, of course. But here is a look at how the race is shaping up so far. There are four Democratic contenders. And with former Texas Governor Rick Perry's expected announcement, 10 candidates competing for the Republican ticket. Other candidates expected to announce their intentions in the coming weeks include former Florida Governor Jeb Bush. Current Vice President Joe Biden also considered a possible candidate.

[02:55:26] BARNETT: The giant monster that once terrorized the residents of Tokyo is japans' newest citizen. Godzilla, what we are talking about here, granted residency in the capital city's entertainment district. A replica of the fire-breathing monster's head is now on top of a movie theater there.

CHURCH: It is about time, isn't it?

(LAUGHTER)

Tokyo's mayor approved a residency certificate and appointed the famous lizard as tourism ambassador. The people of Tokyo may have been terrified of Godzilla in the past, now it seems that all is forgiven.

BARNETT: Bit of fun there.

CHURCH: You have been watching CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Rosemary Church.

BARNETT: I'm Errol Barnett. We are back in a moment. Please do stay with us. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)