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State of Emergency in Arizona; New York's Gay Marriage Battle; When Comedy Crosses the Line; Clarence Clemons Dead at 69; The Real Life "SVU"
Aired June 19, 2011 - 22:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: All right, pay attention, everyone. Much of the south-western part of our country is burning.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Look at that thick, black smoke. The fire has jumped highway 92 and it's burning something. We don't know what it is.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: It is a desperate situation. The winds aren't helping. Fanning the flames across the land and even the pavement, threatening more homes, businesses and livelihoods.
Good evening, everyone. I'm Don Lemon in New York. And that's where we start, in Arizona.
At this hour, relentless wildfires spreading across the west. Seven states -- and I repeat, seven states on fire right now. Thousands are fleeing from their homes. Hundreds of thousands of acres burned. Fire fighters are stretching themselves to the limit. Red flag warnings are up in parts of Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and New Mexico.
High heat, low humidity and strong winds are turning the region into a tinder box. Dozens of wildfires are burning as we speak. And here's our affiliate KGUN reported it from Arizona which is seeing the absolute worst of it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEVE NUNEZ, KGUN REPORTER: Down here on the right side, we've got another thick, black cloud of smoke going up. We've got a lot of people standing out here, looking. We still have people evacuating this area, south of Camino Principal. We have people turning around. And it is a chaotic situation once again today. This is what the fire fighters had feared most that with 50 miles per hour winds, the monument fire would make a run and indeed it is.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: This is how it all breaks down. More than 3 million acres have caught fire in the U.S. just this year. In Arizona, there are two main fires. The Wallow Fire is the biggest, burning more than half a million acres so far. That one is 44 percent contained. To the south, closer to the border, the Monument Fire has burned nearly 21,000 acres and it's only about 27 percent contained.
Our very own Thelma Gutierrez is in Sierra Vista, a city threatened tonight by that fire.
Thelma?
THELMA GUTIERREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Don, this has been the toughest day yet for fire fighters working the monument fire. They had to battle intense, 100-degree heat and strong winds that grounded the air assault over steep and rugged terrain.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GUTIERREZ: It was an all-out battle to stop flames from racing down the mountain into tinder dry grasslands toward homes at the southern end of Sierra Vista. More than 700 fire fighters from all across the state are giving it everything they have to hold the line.
But fierce winds gusted at more than 50 miles per hour grounded choppers and fixed wing aircraft that had been making the critical air assault over steep and rugged terrain. Thousands of residents had just minutes to evacuate with whatever they could carry.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean, I may not come back to anything. I don't know.
GUTIERREZ: City officials say conditions couldn't be any worse. It hasn't rained since December. A drought, high dessert temperatures and strong winds have made this fire disastrous.
CHUCK POTUCEK, SIERRA VISTA CITY MANAGER: As you come lower out of the mountains, you're talking oak trees and grassland. And once it breaks out into the grassland, there's really nothing to stop it.
GUTIERREZ: The Monument Fire started in the Coronado National Park near the U.S.-Mexican border. As for the cause of the fire, officials say it's still under investigation. But they do know where and when the fire started and they say it was human-caused.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GUTIERREZ: Fire fighters are hoping to catch a break overnight when winds die down and the temperatures cool off. Don?
LEMON: All right. Thank you very much for that, Thelma. Look at those live pictures from our affiliate KGUN. That is Sierra Vista, Arizona, where our very own Thelma Gutierrez is, and where we have been covering this from most of the day.
You saw that reporter who was standing there saying that's a thick, black smoke that you have been seeing a number of them. Something is burning. They don't know exactly what it is. That's where you are looking at the highway. And in some of the fires, the fires have been jumping the highway from land to pavement, across the pavement and then onto other land threatening homes and businesses.
I want to get to the phones right now because we've got Bill Paxton. He is standing by. He's a public information officer involved in the Monument Fire. Remember, that is the smaller of the two main wildfires in Arizona, but it is less contained than the Wallow Fire.
So, Bill, thank you for joining us tonight. I know that you're busy, and I know that these fire fighters, your crews have a lot on their hands as they do in six other states.
BILL PAXTON, PUBLIC INFO OFFICER, MONUMENT FIRE (via-telephone): That is correct. We had a hard day today. The things that we didn't want to happen -- the terrain, the fuels, the winds, everything aligned for a massive push on this fire. We had built fire lines between Miller Canyon, where we were having our difficulties all the way to Fort Huachuca.
We had contingency fire lines off that main line. We lost four different contingency lines trying to stop it and turn it. The bull came out of the pen. And we had a bunch of spot fires early in the afternoon. We were able to stop those, but on the fourth fire line when we lost it, it jumped highway 92.
LEMON: So you're having a lot of problems. It's not just the winds and the dry conditions, with equipment and everything, because this is really taxing not only your equipment, but your men as well and women who are working on this fire.
Listen, is this the worst fire -- are these the worst fires that you have seen?
PAXTON: No. But it's a bad one. I have seen worse, and just about the same. But it's really hard on the community here. And one of the things is that we have our fire fighters assigned to the team, but the local fire departments to try.
You know, Sierra Vista, all the communities, fire departments, volunteers are all helping the city, the county and military. Everyone is cooperating to address the situation.
LEMON: Yes. All right.
Listen, Bill, we wish you the very best of luck there. And we know that you're up against something here a lot and we appreciate you joining us here on CNN. We're going to continue to check back with you.
Now we want to get to the bigger picture in this fight against the wildfires.
Our meteorologist Jacqui Jeras joins me now.
Jacqui, why was today so bad for fire fighters? Seven states. Seven states, and you heard them say the pens kept breaking, the contingency lines kept breaking. Tough day for a lot of people.
JACQUI JERAS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, except when you're, you know, jumping containment lines and you're getting those spot fires that he was talking about. And that's when the wind drives those embers and you get new fires that start or the fire line jumps and advances into the area where you didn't expect it.
And the problem has been the wind primarily. And that wind has been sustained today in parts of Arizona, New Mexico, up into Utah in the 25 mile-per-hour range. On top of that, we had confirmed wind gusts between 35 and 49 miles per hour. That's no greater than tropical storm force.
So you're really having to have a hard time holding yourself up in those conditions. Now there is an intense area of low pressure. A low pressure storm that's moving through the four corners. That's what's driving in those strong south-westerly winds. But that's going to start to pass for tomorrow. Winds are going to change direction. And that's good news in the sense that it could push the fire back upon itself perhaps in some areas. It's also going to bring the temperatures down. It's going to bring the humidity up a little bit, too. Don?
LEMON: All right. Jacqui Jeras, our meteorologist. We appreciate it.
Now we want to get you caught up on your stories.
In our first one up, a bulging Missouri River was too much for some levees in north-western Missouri. It breached over top levees in four spots. Most of several hundred residents affected have left their homes, but emergency teams went door to door to order. The 25 or so remaining to clear out. The river is swollen from heavy rains and a huge runoff from the mountain snow pack.
The U.S. is having preliminary talks with the Taliban in Afghanistan. That's according to Defense Secretary Robert Gates. But he doesn't expect any substantial movement in peace talks until the winter.
Here is what he said to CNN's Candy Crowley on "STATE OF THE UNION" this morning.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT GATES, U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY: The question is when - when and if they're ready to talk seriously about meeting the red lines that President Karzai and that the coalition have laid down, including totally disavowing al Qaeda.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Gates is retiring in less than two weeks. He will be replaced by CIA Director Leon Panetta. President Obama plans to start drawing down U.S. troops from Afghanistan next month.
NATO admits a mistaken air strike may have killed civilians in Tripoli. The alliance blames a, quote, "weapon system failure" for the strike. The government claims nine people were killed and six injured when a missile slammed into a residential neighborhood. NATO said a military missile site was the strike's intended target. It insists it is doing everything possible to avoid civilian casualties.
Syria's military is inching closer to the Turkish border. This video appears to show a fire smoldering near the border. A poster on YouTube said Syrian troops caused the blaze by shelling the area. Some 10,000 refugees have already sought shelter in Turkey. Syrian media report that the president will address the nation Monday, the third time he has done so since the unrest began.
Tonight, Bruce Springsteen is calling the loss of his music partner of 40 years immeasurable. Clarence Clemons, Springsteen's saxophonist and close friend died Saturday of complications from a stroke.
Nicknamed "Big Man" Clemons helped define the sound of the E-Street Band and went on to act on TV and in film. Clemons is survived by his four sons. He was 69 years old. We'll have much, much more on the Clemens passing later on in this newscast.
Imagine what it was like to be a gay couple more than 60 years ago fighting persecution and discrimination. Two New York men, Richard and John, lived through that time and are hoping that their time here to be able to get married in the State of New York within the next few days. Their story is next.
And a comedian is pulled off stage at the GOP Leadership Conference for his provocative jokes about the president and Republicans. Did he go too far? We'll let you decide.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REGGIE BROWN, OBAMA IMPERSONATOR: Black History Month. You see, Michelle, she celebrates the full month and you know, I celebrate half.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Many of you have been asking for information through social media. You can reach out to us on Twitter, Facebook, CNN.com/Don and on FourSquare.com.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALICIA SALZER, SUPPORTS SAME-SEX MARRIAGE: I think we're sending a loud and clear message about whether our families, and our life, and our choice, and who we are and our love is legitimate or not. And kids are watching.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: The national debate over same-sex marriage has stormed into New York. The state assembly approved a bill on Wednesday that would legalize gay marriage and the state Senate could vote on it as soon as Monday.
If approved New York would become the sixth state and the most populous to legalize same-sex marriage. The eyes of the nation are watching. And so are two men who say that they have been waiting for this moment for more than six decades.
Our Alison Kosik has their story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(MUSIC PLAYING)
ALISON KOSIK, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They've been together for 61 years. And they'll never forget the first time their eyes met.
JOHN MACE: We didn't know each other. I had a part-time job at the Julliard to bring in money. And in walked this young man and I knew my life was changing right there and then. And it did.
KOSIK: Richard Dorr is 84 years old. John Mace is 91.
(MUSIC PLAYING)
KOSIK: At this tender age they both still teach. It was music that brought them together professionally and personally.
MACE: He would find excuses to come and sing for me.
RICHARD DORR: I want to sing for you, which really meant I want to be near you.
KOSIK (voice-over): They've been near each other ever since after years of pretending to be straight.
DORR: It was like a load off. No more making -- making believe that you're who you're not. That's -- that's a burden that people who are gay carry all the time.
KOSIK: Still, something is missing from their relationship.
MACE: I come from an Italian family. They're the marrying kind.
KOSIK: Richard and John first thought of getting married more than 40 years ago. Back then, gay marriage was unheard of. Now New York is on the brink of becoming the latest and largest state to legalize gay marriage.
MACE: Why not? Why not complete this relationship?
KOSIK: They dismiss those who say it will ruin traditional marriage.
DORR: The only sanctifying element in a marriage is what the two people bring to it. It's not by somebody saying words.
KOSIK: They hope gay marriage will be something the next generation won't need to worry about.
MACE: They deserve better than what we had. I mean, it was very difficult. It's terrible to be look down and considered a second- class citizen. That's really what it is.
DORR: What he said.
KOSIK: No matter how the vote turns out, Richard and John say, their love will always be in harmony.
DORR: Thank you, John.
KOSIK: Alison Kosik, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Coming up here on CNN, the showdown between "The Daily Show's" Jon Stewart and "Fox News Sunday's" host Chris Wallace. You see it and you decide who wins.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JON STEWART, HOST, "THE DAILY SHOW": So you're saying that by comparing the technique that she used in her video to a technique --
CHRIS WALLACE, HOST, "FOX NEWS SUNDAY": You are not making a political comment.
STEWART: You really think that's a political comment?
WALLACE: Yes.
STEWART: You're insane.
WALLACE: Really?
STEWART: Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Call it a Sunday morning showdown. "The Daily Show's" Jon Stewart and Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace.
Let's talk about it now with my friend, Errol Louis. He's a CNN contributor and a political anchor for New York One.
Errol, that was Jon Stewart, defending a parody comparing a Sarah Palin video with a commercial for an STD drug.
ERROL LOUIS, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Yes.
LEMON: So what do you make of this whole debate of Fox News, Jon Stewart and bias in journalism. LOUIS: Well, the particulars over the course, it was fairly tasteless humor which is often the case on "The Daily Show," but I thought Jon Stewart was exactly right.
I mean, he's primarily interested in ridiculing what he thinks is funny, and he'll go for the laugh every time over any kind of an ideological agenda. I would be hard-pressed, and I have been following politics for a couple of decades now. I'd be hard press to figure out what is his agenda? What is the Jon Stewart agenda?
I mean, you know, I watched that whole thing that went on down in Washington. You know, is he left leaning? Yes, probably, but --
LEMON: What is this whole debate? Why is it always a debate about bias when it comes to certain --
LOUIS: I think there's a -- for a lot of radio show hosts, for a lot of television hosts, especially on Fox, and certainly for a lot of politicians, the appeal depends on saying, everybody else is lying to you. You've got to listen to me.
LEMON: Because that appears to be a fairly new sort of game that's playing within the last ten or so years, this whole thing about bias.
LOUIS: Oh, yes, for a solid decade it's been, you can't trust what you read in the "New York Times," or "Washington Post" or the "Wall Street Journal." Put all of that aside and just listen to my radio show for four hours, you know. It's a way to build audience, but as the way of getting to the truth, it leaves a lot to be desired.
LEMON: All right, another exchange. This one is Jon Stewart reacting to Chris Wallace's comment that Stewart wants to be a serious player in the political world. Let's look at that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEWART: Do I want my voice heard? Absolutely. That's why I got into comedy. Am I an activist in your mind, an ideological partisan activist?
WALLACE: Yes.
STEWART: OK, then I disagree with you. You can't understand because of the world you live in that there is not a designed, ideological agenda on my part to effect partisan change because that's the soup you swim in.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: All right, who's right?
LOUIS: Well, you're familiar with this, I'm sure. I'm sure people have talked about, when is Don Lemon going to run for mayor of Atlanta, you know? And you have to tell her, it's like, look, that's just not what I do. I talk about politics. I understand politics, you know. You're on the public stage but -- LEMON: People ask if I'm going to become an activist now that I've written a book. I'm like, no, I'm a journalist. I have no plans on doing anything like that.
LOUIS: Yes, right. Exactly. And I think the same is true with Jon Stewart. I mean, certainly, you know, talking nationally and certainly in New York. And if he wanted to be part of public life in that way, he could have done it a long time ago. So I think it's pretty clear.
I don't think, again, that there are these forces out there that people like Chris Wallace seem to be determined to discover. They are just not out there. I mean, the reality is most people in the country vote for policies and candidates that extreme conservatives don't like. And they think there's got to be some kind of a trick as opposed to simply, they are not in the majority right now.
LEMON: Is it propaganda? Is it a good way to get people to believe that, you know, everybody else is biased?
LOUIS: Yes, yes. It's a great sales pitch. It's a great sale pitch.
LEMON: All right. Let's talk about a story that got overlooked. The president's trip to Puerto Rico. Was it successful?
LOUIS: I don't think so. I mean, even the Associated Press version of it. And that's the one that goes out to lots and lots of news organizations says that, it was not successful. That it was controversial. That somebody who's one of the leading Democrats down there says they're going to go throughout the Puerto Rican community and condemn him for what he did and didn't do on the trip.
He didn't even raise as much money as they had hoped. I mean, even that was a little bit of a flap and the shortness of the visit drew a lot of condemnation.
Look, it's a reminder, during the primary in 2008, Obama did not win Puerto Rico.
LEMON: All right.
LOUIS: He's got some fence spending to do.
LEMON: All right, so now that Weiner has -- I have to make --
(CROSSTALK)
LOUIS: Anthony Weiner -
LEMON: I have to choose my words here. Now that Weiner has dropped out, the gay marriage thing is all everyone is talking about here. It's on the front of every paper.
LOUIS: Yes.
LEMON: Is it going to pass? Yes or no? LOUIS: I do not know. They are one vote away. And, frankly, there are any number of Senate Republicans and that's really where the vote is going to be determined. Who could cast the one vote? And they have been caucusing for hours at a time, Don. Four hours, four hours, four hours, they can't make up their minds.
LEMON: We got to run. Thank you. Errol Louis, we appreciate it.
LOUIS: Good to see you.
LEMON: Good to see you in person.
A comedian pokes fun at President Obama and Republicans at the GOP Leadership Conference in New Orleans and is then pulled off the stage by organizers.
Did he go too far? And were his jokes inappropriate? You will hear it and you'll decide for yourself.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: Black History Month. You see, Michelle, she celebrates the full month and you know, I celebrate half.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Did you just laugh or cringe at what you heard? This Obama impersonator was cut off at the Republican Leadership Conference, Saturday, because his act, organizers say, was getting inappropriate. Was it the right call? Or were organizers way too sensitive?
I talked with stand-up comedian Dean Obeidallah about it, and he linked the world minstrel to the impersonator saying the humor at the Republican meeting doesn't give a great impression to minorities.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DEAN OBEIDALLAH, CO-FOUNDER, THE ARAB-AMERICAN COMEDY FESTIVAL: Are you going to put on a minstrel show? And this comes -- it's not a minstrel show but it's not far from that, where you have a guy playing a black guy -- he's not in black face, but doing -- talking about race and making jokes about it. Do jokes about real substantive issues. Do jokes about the economy. Do jokes about President Obama having problems with the teleprompter. Those are accurate. Those are fine.
LEMON: Listen. I'm not going to give my opinion here. But on that joke, I thought it was fairly funny.
OBEIDALLAH: I agree. I think it was funny.
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: I just thought it was funny. But then, you don't see the crowd. So -- (CROSSTALK)
LEMON: -- I'll take you at your word.
OBEIDALLAH: It's the setting.
LEMON: All right. Listen, you were here. You spoke to Pete Dominick.
OBEIDALLAH: Yes.
LEMON: You know what Pete says. Sirius XM Radio, Pete Dominick, says that the impersonator should have stayed on stage but he gets why organizers pushed him off. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PETE DOMINICK, COMEDIAN: They put him on there. The jokes are funny. The performance is excellent. But it's the place, Don. It's the place. It's the Republican leadership conference. There's a reason why over 80 percent of black people vote Democrat.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: OK.
OBEIDALLAH: Excellent. It's a good point for Pete. One of many by the smart Pete Dominick. But here's the truth. He was not cut off for making those jokes. If you watch the tape, he was cut of ten minutes later when he started making fun of Republicans.
LEMON: Of Republicans, that's the thing.
OBEIDALLAH: That was the problem. He started talking about Romney, Pawlenty. When he mentioned Michele Bachmann, they cut him off and shut his microphone off. This is the party that says we don't want regulations, I guess, except when you're making fun of us, we're going to censor you.
LEMON: OK.
OBEIDALLAH: What kind of message does that send? That's ridiculous to me. They knew the jokes he was going to say. (INAUDIBLE) and I've done this.
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: OK, All right. Listen, we have another clip and then you and I will talk about it.
OBEIDALLAH: Sure.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: Now, the Donald, remember him? Yes, he chose not to run as a Republican, but he's now threatening to run as an independent. But the only thing running independent of Donald Trump is his hair.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: All right. That one was funny, too.
OBEIDALLAH: Yes.
LEMON: That's supposed to be edgy.
OBEIDALLAH: That wasn't edgy. But that's a standard joke. I've done the same joke. Reggie has done a very good job. He's a funny comedian. I don't know him personally. He did a good job. He did what they asked of him. All of a sudden, the crowd turned on the event when they started making fun of Republicans. Their skin was too thin. They didn't like it.
LEMON: All right, I've got to ask you think. I have to ask you this. And listen, this is just a question for the people at home. Because anytime I ask something about an African- American president and I'm critical, all of a sudden I'm not black. Just so you know that, right?
(CROSSTALK)
OBEIDALLAH: Right.
LEMON: People want to take my black card.
OBEIDALLAH: Sorry about that.
LEMON: I have to ask the questions about any president, regardless of the color.
OBEIDALLAH: Sure. Sure.
LEMON: Do you think we're too sensitive because the president is black? And I've heard comedians and I've heard people who believe in free speech, most of us, this is free speech. This is comedy. We should not be so thin skinned. The president, after all, is a black man. So it's not a minstrel show. There's a black man up there dressed like the president doing a funny joke.
OBEIDALLAH: You can absolutely say whatever you want as a comedian. The question, will there be a backlash or not. This should not be directed at Reggie. Reggie had every right to say that. They knew his jokes. He did a great job, Reggie. But the truth is, they stopped him before -- he's a comedian. He was probably building to the Michele Bachmann joke. He probably was going to close with Sarah Palin. She's comedy gold.
LEMON: Yes. Yes.
OBEIDALLAH: So I feel bad for Reggie. He was going to close big. They cut him off because they didn't like him making fun of Republicans. That's not the message you want to send.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Thanks to Dean Obeidallah.
Wildfires rage in the southwest causing the National Weather Service to issue a red flag warning. We'll have the very latest straight ahead.
But first this. The economy is improving but some interesting factors like where you live and how much you weigh may help determine how much you earn. Alison Kosik has the details in this week's "Getting Down to Business."
KOSIK: The U.S. economy grew 2.9 percent last year, but you may have seen a greater jump depending on where you live.
States with the most economic growth were West Virginia, Massachusetts, Indiana and New York. And the biggest winner, North Dakota which led the country with a growth rate of 7.1 percent compared to last year. But North Dakota's neighbors didn't see the same prosperity. Montana was among the five slowest growing states and Wyoming had the country's worst growth at negative .3 percent.
New numbers show impossible signs of recovery for the housing market. There was 612,000 permits for new housing in May. That's an almost nine percent increase over April and the highest monthly increase we have seen since last December.
Finally, this week, depending on your sex, a smaller waistline could affect your bottom line. A study by the Journal of Applied Psychology found that women who are 25 pounds lighter than the average weight make an extra $15,000 a year. For men, it's the exact opposite. Guys who are 25 pounds lighter make $8500 less. Now that's some food for thought.
With this week's "Getting Down to Business," I'm Alison Kosik, CNN, New York.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Getting you caught up on the headlines right now.
Massive wildfires spreading throughout the western part of the country. Red flag warnings are up in parts of seven states, which means weather conditions are adding up to an extreme fire risk. Dozens of fires are burning right now. But Arizona is seeing the worst of it with hundreds of thousands of acres already burned.
Rapper Tone Loc is out on bail after being arrested for domestic violence. His arrest came Saturday night after a physical altercation with the mother of his child. It happened in Burbank, California. He was released two and a half hours later. Tone Loc hit it big with the hits "Wild Thing" and "Funky Cold Medina" in the 1980s.
A 22-year-old from northern Ireland smashed the U.S. open record today with a 16-under par score wrapping to an 8-shot victory. Rory McIlroy broke Tiger Woods' old record by four strokes and became the youngest winner of the open since Bobby Jones in 1923. McIlroy closed with a two under 69. Australian Jason Day finished second.
Time now to check your Monday morning commute, and see what it will be like.
There she is. Our meteorologist Jacqui Jeras is here with where the air travel delays might be on Monday.
Jacqui, bad?
JACQUI JERAS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, not going to be great, Don. We'll really be focusing in on the Midwest and the Mid-Atlantic states. We've got one big storm system in the nation's mid-section, and this is going to cause problems with winds and thunderstorms. So that could cause some travel problems for you.
So here's a look at the cities that we expect to be hit the worst tomorrow. Chicago takes the cake at number one with heavy delays due to thunderstorms and clouds, especially in the afternoon hours.
Washington, D.C. expecting moderate delays due to thunderstorms and windy conditions. And Dallas will also have some strong winds. A couple other cities I might want to mention, Baltimore all the way over towards Denver expecting delays. So a lot of action in the Midwest and into the east.
But the extreme northeast, Don, in New York City, if you're coming back to Atlanta, I think it will be a-OK. We miss you here.
LEMON: Oh, I miss you guys, too. I can't wait to get back.
Thank you, Jacqui. I'll see you next week.
JERAS: OK.
LEMON: Now to the big stories in the week ahead from the White House to Tinseltown. Our correspondents tell you what you need to know. We begin tonight with the president's plans for the week.
BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: I'm Brianna Keilar at the White House.
Deficit reduction talks continue in high gear this week. Vice President Joe Biden is expected to meet with Democrats and Republicans in Congress three times this week.
Thursday, President Obama has three fundraisers in New York, including one on Broadway. A performance of "Sister Act the Musical" hosted by Whoopi Goldberg. Then, Friday, he takes his jobs message on the road to Pittsburgh where he'll make remarks at a manufacturing plant.
And we can't forget about the first lady. She's making an official trip to Africa this week.
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Kate Bolduan on Capitol Hill. Coming up this week -- General David Petraeus faces a confirmation hearing in the Senate Thursday for his new post as the director of the CIA. He could also, though, face some questions on Afghanistan, the size and timetable of the planned U.S. pullout this summer of U.S. forces there. Petraeus, of course, is currently the commander of the war in Afghanistan.
And the House? The House could be headed for a showdown with the White House over U.S. involvement in military operations in Libya. Speaker John Boehner and other lawmakers were not so satisfied with the White House's response to questions and growing concern up here that the president did not adequately consult with the Congress on the ongoing efforts in Libya. Some lawmakers have threatened to use the power of the purse, possibly defunding the operation as an option.
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: I'm Paul Steinhauser at the CNN political desk.
Jon Huntsman formally declares his candidacy for president on Tuesday. The former Utah governor and former U.S. ambassador to China announces at Liberty State Park in New Jersey with the Statue of Liberty as his backdrop.
Later in the week, three other Republican White House hopefuls, Rick Santorum, Ron Paul and Herman Cain speak at the National Right to Life Convention in Jacksonville, Florida.
POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM: I'm Poppy Harlow in New York.
A critical week ahead for Wall Street with the Federal Reserve set to meet. No major changes are expected on interest rates. But investors are waiting to go hear how the Fed plans to tackle the challenges of the slowing economic recovery. Since the central bank's last meeting, job growth has slowed, stocks have stumbled and prices have risen.
Also ahead this week, the latest home sales numbers. Those are critical.
And on Friday, we'll get the final revision of first quarter GDP so we can actually see how much the U.S. economy grew in the first three months of this year. So, a lot ahead for the market to digest. We'll cover it all on CNN Money.
A.J. HAMMER, HOST, HLN'S "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT": I'm "Showbiz Tonight's" A.J. Hammer. Here's what we're watching this week. More of the Casey Anthony murder trial. Could Casey actually be acquitted of killing her 2-year-old daughter Caylee? And we've got a showbiz newsmaker interview with "Harry Potter" star Daniel Radcliffe as the last of the "Harry Potter" films get set to come out.
"Showbiz Tonight" is TV's most provocative entertainment news show exclusively weeknights at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific on HLN.
LEMON: All right, thank you, guys.
Speaking of entertainment, coming up, some video you have to see of Amy Winehouse performing that has many people wondering what's going on with her.
Also, we're going to talk about the death of Clarence Clemons, 69 years old. The big man with the sax who we love so much.
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LEMON: Bruce's voice and his sax. Clarence Clemons helped Bruce Springsteen create the sound of the E-Street Band for four decades. Springsteen describes the death of his friend, Saturday, as an immeasurable loss.
All day fans expressed their sadness through social media, leaving comments like "blessings on your journey." They know the big man as Clemens was called, had a big heart with a big talent to match.
Joining me now by phone is the executive director of the Grammy Museum. Not by phone. He's right there.
Robert Santelli who followed Springsteen, Clemens and the E-Street Band for more than a decade.
Bob, first of all, my condolences to you. Seriously, my condolences.
Tell us what Clarence was like.
ROBERT SANTELLI, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, GRAMMY MUSEUM: Oh, Clarence Clemons was one of the great rock and roll saxophonists. And as you said in that little cut there, really an important part of the E- Street Band sound and a very close friend of Bruce Springsteen and a favorite certainly of E-Street Band fans.
LEMON: Yes. How close were they? Because, you know, Bruce spoke very highly of him. He spoke very highly of Bruce. Almost saying that their meeting was almost like a divine meeting. How close were they?
SANTELLI: You know, Bruce and Clarence were best of friends. You know, Bruce created this whole sense of family with the E-Street Band. With Clarence, though, there was this special sense of bond and camaraderie.
And, you know, you saw that acted out on the stage. But you also saw it acted out in the songs as well. Personal friends off stage. Comrades in arms on stage and in the studio.
LEMON: Yes. They said that they had a love affair. Clarence Clemons was on HLN, our Joy Behar, not long ago, a couple years ago, and said, you know what, we basically had a love affair. He said, it was a manly love affair, but we truly love each other, even more than brothers. They were closer than family.
SANTELLI: You know, there is this whole sense of Bruce and Clarence. When you look at some of the great footage of the E-Street Band on stage and you see that bond and you watch the way they interact, you know. I mean, you can see it. You can feel it that there was this very strong sense of intimacy. And that came through in the music. That came through in the performances. And they were best of friends off stage as well. It's a big loss for Bruce. It's a big loss for the band. Clarence is, you know, a vital member of the E-Street Band. He's irreplaceable.
LEMON: Bob Santelli, listen, we know that you are grieving tonight, the loss of your friend, but we appreciate you coming in. Best of luck to you, OK.
SANTELLI: My pleasure.
LEMON: All right.
This is a crisis, a sad one as well. It's a new crisis for singer Amy Winehouse.
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(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
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LEMON: OK. That's not even the half of it. That's not even a third of it.
She cut short a Saturday concert in Belgrade. The first stop on what was supposed to be a 12-date European tour. Audience cell phone video captured her staggering around the stage and slurring as she stumbled through several songs. Amy is best known for her hit "Rehab."
A Winehouse spokesman would not confirm that the singer is once again struggling with her well, chronicled addiction.
Such a major talent, Amy Winehouse. Get it together, girl.
If you're a fan of the HBO series "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," we've got the real deal for you. An up close look at the team of prosecutors. That's next.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What's just amazing from the surveillance tapes is she's kind of just passed out, sleeping it off on a couch. And this guy comes up to her and just starts fondling her, manipulating her. And then he picks her up, and carries her, drags her down the steps. And nobody stops him. Nobody says, are you OK? Or what's going on?
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LEMON: A chilling clip.
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Now if you are a fan of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," this is the real deal. It premiers on HBO this Monday at 9 p.m. Eastern, and the Director Lisa F. Jackson has been working on this project since 1996.
Lisa, you were the victim of an unsolved sexual assault in 1976. Is that why you decided to take this on?
LISA F. JACKSON, DIRECTOR, HBO'S "SEX CRIMES UNIT": Well, it kind of puts it on my radar, you know, if you have something like that. I mean, my case was never solved. They threw out my rape kit because the statute of limitations expires. So I never saw justice.
But working on this documentary, I got to see firsthand from the inside how a case is put together and how justice is brought to victims of sexual violence.
LEMON: Tell us about your approach, Lisa. You followed a number of cases for this.
JACKSON: I follow about four or five cases, but the ground were that I couldn't broadcast any case that hadn't been resolved. So I ended up, the case who I ended up taking all the way through trial was a prostitute who cried rape. And her story is intercut with another victim who it took her 15 years to find justice.
LEMON: Yes. We saw a clip earlier on. I want to take another look at a clip now addressing a case where the statute of limitations is almost up, Lisa.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We were looking at your case from almost ten years ago, and here's the deal. We want you to come. We want you to revisit all this pain. We want you to tell your story to a grand jury.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I heard a lot of words, a lot of legal jargon. John Doe indictment, DNA, statute of limitations.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And I can't promise you that this is going to catch the guy. But the one thing we can promise you is that if we don't do it, this case is going to disappear. And if we find him ten years and one day from today, we're out of luck.
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LEMON: Lisa, did she eventually testify?
JACKSON: She did eventually testify. She walked into court after 15 years, saw the guy and almost fainted dead away, but got herself back together and put him away.
LEMON: What's the single hardest part of the job for these prosecutors? JACKSON: When you're prosecuting a crime of sexual violence, there is an incredible amount of hand holding. There's a very special bond that they form with the complaining witnesses. They technically call them.
They are constantly on the phone with them. There is a lot of work that goes into preparing them for trial which can be very, very difficult, because they have to, you know, revisit the worst moment in their lives in front of a jury, in front of the people in the audience and in front of the perpetrator.
LEMON: Well, it looks like an amazing documentary. It's called "Sex Crimes Unit."
JACKSON: It's the real deal.
LEMON: It premieres on HBO this Monday night.
Coming up, a very provocative children's book. It is a huge hit, not for children, but for parents. You'll see why after the break.
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SAMUEL L. JACKSON, ACTOR: The windows are dark in the town, child. The whales huddle down in the deep. I'll read you one very last book if you swear you'll go the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) to sleep.
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LEMON: You know that voice. It's Samuel L. Jackson reading the audio version of the funniest children's book that's not really a children's book. It's called "Go the F to Sleep," and it's for every parent who's dealt with the frustration of a kid who just won't go to bed.
It's only been out for a few days, and it's already a huge hit. Only been out officially for a few days. It also would be a great belated Father's Day gift depending on your dad's tolerance for four-letter words.
I talked to the author, his name is Adam Mansbach, about whether he is concerned this book might end up in younger hands than he intended.
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ADAM MANSBACH, AUTHOR, "GO THE F TO SLEEP": No, I don't, not if parents are doing their job well. You know, in any household there are a number of things that shouldn't end up in the hands of children, steak knives, for instance. And this is just another one. So we trust that parents will be able to exercise some judgment, keep this on a high shelf just as they would any other object that is for them and not for their children.
LEMON: You have a really good sense of humor about it. It's probably part of the appeal of the book. I have to ask you, though, how did you get Samuel L. Jackson, who is something of a poet when it comes to the F word to do the audio book for you?
MANSBACH: Yes, it's amazing. I think it's the best possible person in the world to do it. It may be his best work since "Pulp Fiction." Our audio book publisher, Audible.com, hooked that up. But he was, you know, super high on my list personally of people to do it. So it's just great to hear him do it.
LEMON: All right. So, listen, and I'm serious, how are you going to tell your kids not to say bad words, how not to curse after you make a mint of the "F" word here?
MANSBACH: Well, you know, I'm a writer by trade. When I'm not doing this, I'm writing novels. So I'm somebody who believes in the power of language. And I believe in the power of judiciously placed and expertly executed profanity.
So there is a place for it. It's just not in the mouths of 3-year- olds or 8-year-olds. When my daughter is old enough, I'll let her in on it. And I'll also explain to her that this book is the reason that we're living in a house and not in a dumpster outside of an abandoned Taco Bell.
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LEMON: That is hilarious. You don't have the book with you, do you?
MANSBACH: I don't have the book in front of me, no.
LEMON: Do you remember anything from the book? Because I wanted you to do a reading for us, but if there's something that you can remember from the book because I want people to know just how funny it is and what you actually say if you can recount something.
MANSBACH: Sure, I think I can bring to mind a sample verse. I can't promise that I'll doing it as well as Samuel Jackson, or as well as Werner Herzog read it at the public library for us, but I'll do my best.
"All the kids from Daycare are in dreamland. The froggy has made his last leap. Hell, no, you can't go to the bathroom. You know where you can go? Had the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) to sleep.
LEMON: Obviously, we are beeping the "F" part of that.
So Adam, thank you. Adam Mansbach. It's amazing. Continued success. We really appreciate it.
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LEMON: And I'll clean it up. Now you can go to sleep.
Thanks for watching. Good night.
