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Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees
Obama and Clinton Show United Front in Unity, New Hampshire; Severe Storms Hit the Midwest; Unspoken Message - Obama's and Clinton's Body Language; North Korea Destroys Cooling Tower of Nuclear Plant
Aired June 27, 2008 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Tonight, a show of unity in a town named Unity.
Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton on stage in public, for the first time since their primary battle royal. He needs her support, much more than that, he needs her supporters. And the question now will today's rally give them a reason to get onboard?
Also tonight, what about Bill? He wasn't in Unity today. Was he even there in spirit? This week, a top Hillary supporter told him to get over it and get with the program. But how do you actually get Bill Clinton to budge?
We've got new details on the effort.
Plus, we're back in the flood zone where the levee held and held until it just couldn't hold back the Mississippi anymore.
All that and more tonight.
But we begin with politics with today's crucial joint campaign stop in the small New Hampshire town of Unity. Make no mistake about it unity was the theme right from wheels up. Senators Obama and Clinton there, sharing a flight from Washington.
But it's what happened on the ground that everyone is talking about now. The stage direction, the body language and, most importantly, what each former rival -- and at times they were bitter rivals -- said about the other. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. HILLARY CLINTON, (D) FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Unity is not only a beautiful place, as we could see; it's a wonderful feeling, isn't it? And I know what we start here in this field in Unity will end on the steps of the Capitol when Barack Obama takes the oath of office as our next president.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESUMPTIVE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I've admired her as a leader.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: We're going to be "Digging Deeper" into how well each accomplished the mission, turning as many as 18 million Hillary Clinton supporters in the primary into Barack Obama voters in November.
Loyalties do run deep. In a recent poll, nearly 25 percent of Clinton supporters said, they'll be voting for John McCain. In a moment, we'll look at today's rally through that lens.
First, though, we want to give you a chance to hear what both senators said today in depth; starting with Senator Clinton.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLINTON: A year and a half ago, Barack and I each began a journey to make history and to remake America; journeys that took us from one end of this great diverse country of ours to the other.
It was spirited because we both care so much. And so do our supporters, each and every one of you. And I am so proud and privileged today, here in Unity, to help bring together the 36 million Americans who supported us to create an unstoppable force for change we can all believe in.
After eight devastating years under President Bush, Senator McCain is simply offering four years more. He sees right wing judges appointed to the Supreme Court and says why not a few more? He sees billions of dollars in corporate tax cuts exploding our deficit and says why not billions more? He sees five long years in Iraq and he's willing to stay for years, even decades more.
In the end, Senator McCain and President Bush are like two sides of the same coin and it doesn't amount to a whole lot of change.
So think hard about how we will fulfill the promise of this great nation. How we will uphold the ideals we cherish and reclaim the country we love. And the answer for me here in Unity, New Hampshire is to pledge my support and my hard work and my effort to the next president of the United States, Barack Obama.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Well, in fact she's also putting her money where her mouth is today. She and Bill Clinton contributed $4,600, the maximum, to the Obama campaign. Symbolic? Yes, it was returning the favor Senator Obama did it at close door gathering last night, writing a check to help pay-off her campaign debts.
Words and music, if you will, all on a single theme which continued today when Senator Obama spoke.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: As somebody who -- as somebody who took the same historic journey as Senator Clinton, who watched her campaign and debate, I know first hand how good she is, how tough she is, how passionate she is, how committed she is to the causes that brought all of us here today. I am proud to call her a friend. And I know how much we need both Bill and Hillary Clinton as a party and as country in the months and years to come.
Now Hillary and I may have started with separate goals in this campaign but we've made some history together. Together we inspired tens of millions of people to participate; some to cast ballots for the very first time, others who voted for the first time in a very long time.
And together in this campaign in 2008 we shattered barriers that have stood firm since the founding of this nation. Barriers that our supporters perhaps at the beginning didn't believe could be shattered. I know that because of our campaign, because of the campaign that Hillary Clinton waged, my daughters and all of your daughters will forever know that there is no barrier to who they are and what they can be in the United States of America.
This is our chance; this is our time to march forward in unity as one people to the future.
And I promise you that if you are willing to join me and you are willing to join Hillary Clinton. If all of you, over the next four and half months are willing not just to come to a rally but knock on some doors and make some phone calls and talk to your friends. If you are willing to organize and mobilize then we are not just going to change this country. But we will change the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Throughout this hour we're going to be playing more clips, extensive clips from both candidates' comments today.
But let's "Dig Deeper" right now with CNN's Candy Crowley who was there in Unity today, and CNN's senior political analyst David Gergen.
Candy in your "360" blog today, you wrote that the two were pretty much pitch-perfect. I don't know if they coordinated their wardrobes even, but even that seemed to match. Well, how much of it was an act?
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN POLITICAL CORRESPONDEN: Look, they swear they didn't coordinate the wardrobes but it was pretty amazing.
Listen, of course. it's an act at this point. Do they love each other? No. Do they understand that they need each other at some level? They absolutely do.
I mean, I do think that there is a well of respect. I mean, he respects her tenacity. He does respect, I think, what they've contributed. I think she respects what he's been able to do with this campaign.
So there's a basis that had the feel of a first date, some awkwardness to it. I don't think it was phony. I think it was a start. But you got to have this picture, you got to start somewhere. He knew he needed this picture and they got it. COOPER: Certainly a lot of chaperones on that first date.
David, based on what we saw today, a - how much more of a role did it, should Clinton have in Obama's campaign and certainly this raises all sorts of questions about the vice-presidential -- you know, the possibility of her being a vice president. How do you think they fit together?
DAVID GERGEN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, it raises a lot of interesting questions, doesn't it, Anderson? I thought this was a very positive event for the Democratic Party for Senator Obama, especially in contrast to the sputtering campaign of John McCain.
To have that kind of excitement, electricity once again; to produce something that gave excitement to the Democratic Party is very positive. But the question tonight coming out of it inevitably is was this the ending to their primary campaign or is this a beginning of a new relationship with a lot more dates to come?
And I think that people are going to try to assess that, what were they like together. For a lot of Democrats, looking at the two of them up there on the same platform together, it's hard to imagine that Senator McCain could find someone as his vice-presidential candidate who would be as compelling a figure as Hillary Clinton would be alongside Barack Obama.
So I think that that door, which has remained open for a vice presidency, perhaps was cracked a little farther open today.
COOPER: Really?
GERGEN: I do.
I think -- you know, both of them obviously, especially on her side and Bill Clinton clearly feeling bruised by all of this, she's got a lot of thinking to do, he's got a lot of thinking to do. But they -- you know, it's just inevitable when two people sat down on a plane ride like that together, they've been talking over the phone several times.
They're both going to now start considering. And he'll have to sort that out versus his other possibilities.
COOPER: Interesting.
GERGEN: But I remain among those who believe that this is a live possibility that she would be on the ticket.
COOPER: Interesting. Let's --
Candy, you want to comment?
CROWLEY: Well, I just wanted to say I sort of disagree because I don't think she'll be on the ticket. But I will say that they not only had that hour and 20 minute plane ride, they had an hour and a half together on a bus between Manchester and Unity. We tried to get an idea of what they were talking about and it really did sound like a kind of a getting-to-know-you thing. They joked about going to foreign places and the sorts of things that the hosts will put on the plate that you don't recognize. They talked about the loss of privacy when you're a public figure or when you're any kind of figure with the use of cell phones.
But there was a half hour conversation in the back of the bus just the two of them. He has not given a read out to anyone. So I mean -- clearly they're getting more comfortable with each other, I still it don't think it ends up number two.
COOPER: I want to play another part of Obama's speech today.
Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: No matter where we disagreed, these are the issues that have always united Senator Clinton and myself. They're the causes that unite both of us as Democrats. And I believe at this moment they are the causes that can unite us as Americans. Because the choice in this election is not between left or right, it's not between liberal or conservative, it's between the past and the future. And it's time for us to move towards that future together.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: He's using the word choice I think 11 times in the speech. I don't know if choice is the new change. There is also one other bite I just want to play for our viewers when he talks about Bill Clinton and the importance of both Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton.
Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: But we need them. We need them badly. Not just my campaign, but the American people need their service and their vision and their wisdom in the months and years to come. Because that's how we're going to bring about unity in the Democratic Party and that's how we're going to bring about unity in America and that's how we're going to deliver the American dream in every corner of every state of this great nation that we love.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: David, assuming the vice president thing isn't on the table, how do you see the Clintons, both of them, being used from here on out?
GERGEN: Well, I think that Barack Obama uses words quite intentionally and today he could have spoken simply about her and how much he needed her.
But by speaking about Bill Clinton as well, it was an intentional invitation, in my view, to ask him to come aboard and to help him. And everybody who was around Bill Clinton thinks that's ultimately going to happen.
The question -- I think there's a question of when, how enthusiastically can this happen, sooner rather than later. If there's been a warmth that's starting to develop between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton it will come faster. But there's no question in my mind that Bill Clinton would be an asset for Barack Obama in all sorts of ways.
COOPER: Candy, do we know much about, I mean how bad the blood is?
CROWLEY: Well, we do know that Bill Clinton seems to be more bruised than Hillary Clinton. But on the other hand, she was the candidate. She had to step up to the plate. She didn't have time to go nurse the wounds of this campaign.
We do know that Barack Obama has tried to reach Bill Clinton over the past couple of days. So far, he has not called back.
But I totally agree with David. I thought that was such an interesting passage from Barack Obama because one of the things that has really made Bill Clinton upset is the feeling that his legacy has been tarnished.
And here's Barack Obama going boy, do we need them. We need them in the years to come. They've contributed so much. So he's helping, you know, kind of shine up that legacy again, because it's one of the points that I think Bill Clinton really is stuck on.
COOPER: We're going to have to leave it there. Candy Crowley, David Gergen, thank you very much. Have a great weekend.
GERGEN: Thank you.
CROWLEY: Thanks.
As always I'm blogging throughout the hour. We'll hear more from Candy in just a moment on a story she has done.
To join the conversation on our blog, go to our new Website, ac360.com.
Up next, one of the flip sides of the coin today. What Hillary Clinton gets out of the deal, her steak in party unity now and perhaps down the road?
Then more on the Bill Clinton factor. What happens if one of the most formidable campaigners in the recent memories simply stays home? What are the odds he will? We're going to hear from a former top strategist, James Carville.
Also new developments in the flood zone, sadly, they are not the developments anyone was hoping for. And deadly new weather breaking tonight, new pictures and details when "360" continues.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLINTON: I am proud that we had a spirited dialogue. That was the nicest way I could think of phrasing it.
You are not going to wave a magic wand and have the special interest disappear.
OBAMA: She's taken more money from lobbyists than any candidate.
CLINTON: My opponent has been so negative these last few days.
OBAMA: While I was working on those streets, you were a corporate lawyer sitting on the board of Wal-Mart.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's 3:00 a.m. And your children are safe and asleep.
OBAMA: Shame on her. She knows better.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Well, that was then. Things change in politics and they change fast. Politicians adapt. Today marked day one of a political marriage, no doubt about it, but who really has the most to gain from it?
CNN's Candy Crowley has the "Raw Politics."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CROWLEY (voice over): One, two, three. It was their picture perfect day, unity to the side of them. Unity to the back of them as Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama tried to refocus the Democratic story line from a fractious primary to future possibilities.
CLINTON: What we start here in this field in Unity will end on the steps of the Capitol when Barack Obama takes the oath of office.
CROWLEY: He began with full-throated praise.
OBAMA: She rocks. She rocks. That's the point I'm trying to make.
CROWLEY: And he said the words some of her voters have been waiting to hear, a recognition that sexism still exists. But that she powered through sending a message to everyone, including his daughters.
OBAMA: They can take for granted that women can do anything that the boys can do. And do it better. And do it in heels. I still don't know how she does it in heels.
CROWLEY: Every public moment showed them in sync though they insist the color-coordinated outfits were accidental. And their messages have melded. The choice is no longer Clinton or Obama; it's Obama or McCain. OBAMA: We can continue spending $10 to $12 billions a month in Iraq and leave our troops there for the next 20 or 50 or 100 years. Or we can decide that it's time to begin a responsible, gradual withdrawal from Iraq. That's the choice in this election.
CROWLEY: New Hampshire is a toss-up state in the fall election. In the primary, it saved her campaign.
CLINTON: New Hampshire has a special place in my heart. And I'm here today to ensure that come November, New Hampshire will have a special place in Barack Obama's heart as well.
CROWLEY: Maybe she can help him here. And her fund-raisers would be a fresh source of cash. But money hasn't been a problem and in big Clinton states -- Pennsylvania, Florida -- he's holding healthy leads over John McCain.
So who needs unity more? Maybe she does. Clinton's standing in the party is at stake. She has to be all in. Any less of an investment could jeopardize her future and the legacy.
OBAMA: We need them badly. Not just my campaign, but the American people need their service and their vision and their wisdom in the months and years to come.
CROWLEY: Since conceding, she's been pitch-perfect. And now she's putting money where her mouth is, donating $2,300 to Obama's campaign. That's the maximum allowed. Also stepping up to the plate with a check to the Obama campaign; the missing man, Bill Clinton.
Candy Crowley, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: A big show of unity. A lot to talk about in tonight's "Strategy Session." Joining me is CNN contributor and Democratic strategist James Carville, who managed the Clinton-Gore campaign in 1992.
James first, just I want to get your take on today's Unity Event, did it deliver?
JAMES CARVILLE, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Well, I think it did. I'm pretty confident that these are two pretty skilled people that they were going to pull it off as expected I would say. And that all along, I fully expected that there would be unity in the party and I think that we're seeing that right now.
COOPER: Who needs the unity more? Is it Obama who needs her supporters or Clinton who needs help paying down her debt?
CARVILLE: Well, the idea is to win an election. I think that that they could pay down the debt or whatever, but you want to win the election. I think the two Democratic politicians, they ran against each other, they're obviously good Democrats, both of them. It's not surprising that they're together. It's interesting but I'm not at all surprised that she campaigned for Senator Obama and that they had a really good event. It was to be expected.
COOPER: What is your sense of what the relationship is really like, though? The public face is one thing, behind the scenes, what's it like?
CARVILLE: What I compare this to is somebody who has gotten out of surgery for a couple weeks and they are doing much better than expected. But there's a lot of trauma in political campaigning. I mean there's no doubt about that, but I think that they've made remarkable progress. I think they will continue to make progress.
But it would be idiotic for me to sit here and say that you went through a campaign this long and this bruising and there's not some aftermath, or some bruised feelings along the way.
But I think both of these people are very, very skilled, very able, and I think that they recognize that and understand that. I suspect it will go pretty good.
COOPER: And they both have a mutual need for each other?
CARVILLE: Yes. If they didn't, understand if Senator Clinton didn't have a debt or, you know, they still would be endorsing each other. This is not -- it would be highly, highly unusual, unprecedented in fact where you would have somebody in the same party during a primary fight that after the primary fight they didn't come together.
I mean this is not as a result of the fact that she has a debt or anything like that. But it also, again, this was unlike any other fight in American presidential politics. Maybe Reagan-Ford in 1976 was pretty bruising because Reagan didn't you know take that back, Reagan wouldn't campaign for Ford in '76. So they're coming together pretty good.
COOPER: Politico's Ben Stein wrote -- Ben Smith, excuse me, wrote today -- and I quote, "Hillary Clinton's political future and her husband's legacy rests on the perception that they're working as hard as they can for the first African-American presidential nominee." Do you agree?
CARVILLE: Well, if Obama were not an African-American, they would still be working hard for him. I mean I don't know if I would know Ben Smith if he fell on me. But if it were anybody else, if John Edwards would have been the nominee, they would still be out working for him.
Again there never was any doubt that Senator Clinton or President Clinton is going to do anything but enthusiastically support the Democratic nominee.
COOPER: Buy do you think her legacy, and his legacy, former President Clinton's legacy, is kind of riding on the outcome of this election?
CARVILLE: Well, I don't know. No, I think his legacy is pretty much set. I mean, we remember what America was like 7 1/2 years ago.
But I think they're good Democrats that have always supported the Democratic nominee and I think it's -- this is to be expected and I also expected that the event would go very well. Senator Obama is a very able, articulate man, as is Senator Clinton. I don't see this as -- I see this as expected I would say.
COOPER: Up next, what's up with Bill Clinton? Last we heard he hadn't even talked to Obama on the phone. He's been busy in Europe we're told, but you know what, they do have phones in Europe now. So how bad is the blood? We'll check.
And later, a look at the body language today between Obama and Clinton, is it truly a united front? Stay tuned.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: I am proud to call her a friend. And I know how much we need both Bill and Hillary Clinton as a party and as a country in the months and years to come.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Reaching out to the Clintons, both of them. But is Bill Clinton returning the favor? He's been keeping a low profile, since she bowed out of the race. Some think it's because of bad blood that spilled over from the bitter primary.
We're going to talk to James Carville in a moment to try to find out how raw the feelings really still are, but first, Bill Clinton "Up Close" tonight.
Here's Jessica Yellin.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JESSICA YELLIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): It was Clinton-Obama unity day, minus Bill Clinton. The former president was on his way back from a trip to Europe. Gone but not forgotten.
OBAMA: I know how much we need both Bill and Hillary Clinton as a party and as a country in the months and years to come.
YELLIN: Barack Obama is extending the olive branch.
OBAMA: Bill Clinton is one of the most intelligent, charismatic political leaders that we've seen in a generation.
YELLIN: But so far Bill Clinton has yet to give the Democratic nominee a full-throated endorsement. He says he likes Obama's energy policy.
BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I favor Senator Obama's position, which is to go to 80 percent reduction in greenhouse gases, over Senator McCain's position, which is to go to 70 percent.
YELLIN: Democratic Party leaders insist the former president's absence is not a snub.
DONNA BRAZILE, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: He recognizes that this is Hillary's moment. This is her moment. It was her campaign. She generated the enthusiastic support across the country. And he wants to see her on the stage with Barack Obama.
YELLIN: Mr. Clinton's staff tells CNN the former president will do whatever he can and is asked to do to ensure Senator Obama is the next president of the United States. And aides to both men insist they will have a conversation at some point, it just hasn't happened yet.
For now, the former president is focused on rebuilding his legacy. Just this week, he received an award from rock star Bob Geldof. Next month he will be heading to Africa to work on his HIV-AIDS initiative. Also in the planning, two major events for his humanitarian organization, including for the first time an event in Asia.
But top Democrats say we should expect Bill Clinton on the campaign trail eventually.
BRAZILE: He is very popular with Democratic audiences. He can raise money. But more importantly, he can serve as a validator, to talk about Obama's strengths on national security, on the economy; on bread and butter issues. So I think Bill Clinton would be a very valuable asset to have on the campaign trail.
YELLIN (on camera): But right now, any talk about President Clinton joining Senator Obama on the campaign trail is just that -- talk. Obama says they've traded phone calls but have not connected. That keeps Hillary Clinton front and center, raising money to pay down her campaign debt.
Jessica Yellin, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Let's have another "Strategy Session" and talk about Bill Clinton's future in the general election and beyond.
For insight, let's talk again to the man who worked closely with the former president, Democratic strategist and CNN political contributor, James Carville.
So with all this talk of unity, James, we haven't heard much yet from Bill Clinton. Why?
CARVILLE: Well, I think we will. I think it would have been -- I think that David Axlerod and Senator Clinton's people and President Clinton's people were smart enough to know is that you do this event today and then later on they'll do an event with President Clinton and you'll get sort of two bites of the apple.
If he was out today and we've be talking on television and said, "Gee was he should have been there today, you know what's he doing there etcetera, etcetera." It's sort of a no-win situation.
But I expect that at an appropriate time, that President Clinton and Senator Obama, he'll endorse Senator Obama and they'll probably appear together at some point.
COOPER: The President said, he is quote, "obviously committed to doing whatever he can to help Obama." He said that in a statement through a spokesperson.
What should that role be? I mean there's a lot of talk about how he might have hurt Hillary Clinton on the trail. Do you think Obama would hesitate to send him out?
CARVILLE: Well, I don't know. But I think I also suspect that somebody is doing a little historical research to see how say President George H.W. Bush campaigned for Dole in '96 or President Reagan campaigned for -- in 1992 for Bush.
I mean, it's a little bit of what the president did for Al Gore, didn't do with John Kerry. I suspect he'll do some things but this is Senator Obama's kind of moment and by the way Senator Clinton, you know, fought Senator Obama to a virtual tie in the nomination process. So that's a question that President Clinton's people and Senator Obama's people and Senator Clinton's people by the way are going to have to work out.
COOPER: Do you have a sense of how raw the feelings though are with the former president? I meant there's -- from what I've read, there hasn't been a phone call between Obama and the former president, which is kind of surprising given -- I mean, this is a major powerhouse in the Democratic Party.
CARVILLE: I don't know that -- well, I wouldn't say that I know that that's the case. I would say as I said -- I would say that there are feelings when you have a fight this intense, it would be like idiotic to assume there are no set of feelings that are bruised.
Everybody is an adult. Everybody is a Democrat here. And everybody is going to come together and try to get everybody elected that we can here in November. And that's what's going to happen.
But you can't go through something like this and assume that everything is just like it was before this happened. There are some bruised feelings on both sides and I'm sure that everybody feels like that they have a point in this. But I think the recovery rate has been pretty remarkable here so far and I suspect that it will all be fine.
COOPER: We talked about this a little bit before the break. Do you think Bill Clinton is concerned about his legacy? Do you think that played a role in how he campaigned for his wife and what may or may not happen in terms of his campaign for Obama?
CARVILLE: I think that he's a fighter and I think people need to understand this. His wife was running and I know him as well as almost anybody, deep inside this man doesn't know when to quit. He's a fighter and he fights hard.
Now, is he concerned with his legacy? I don't know of a single person in -- any big-time politician would of course be concerned with his legacy. But his legacy as president, I think, is set and I think his is going to go down as one of the truly remarkable presidencies that we've had.
And he will campaign very hard for Senator Obama. I don't have any doubt about that. He also campaigned hard and very emotionally and he was very committed to his wife's candidacy. And I admire and respect him for that. Any guy that wouldn't do that for his wife, I wouldn't feel very kindly toward him.
James Carville, appreciate it. Thank James.
CARVILLE: Thank you, Anderson. I appreciate it.
COOPER: Still ahead tonight, they say a picture's worth a thousand words. What does this picture say about what's really going on between these two? We're going to ask a body language expert.
Plus, breaking news. Severe storms hitting a part of the country already dealing with floods. At least two people dead now, more than 100,000 right now without power because of this breaking storm. We'll have late details, next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Breaking news tonight -- Heavy weather hitting Omaha, Nebraska and neighboring Counsel Bluffs, Iowa. You're looking at some of the damage there. The wind, we're being told, may have reached 100 miles an hour in some places. Olympic athletes had to flee a pool for cover. Two people died when a tree fell on their car.
Coming up, we're going to have more on that storm and also on the levee system.
Also the politics of unity today.
And the latest from North Korea.
But let's get caught up right now with some of tonight's other big headlines. Erica Hill joins us here with "360 bulletin" -- Erica.
ERICA HILL: Anderson, a bizarre exchange on Capitol Hill. Democratic Congressman Bill Delahunt grilling Dick Cheney's chief of staff, David Addington. Delahunt asked whether he and the vice had ever discussed water-boarding. Addington refused to answer saying Al Qaeda could be watching C-Span to which Delahunt replied I'm glad they finally have a chance to see you. I'm sure you're pleased said Addington. Prompting to quickly jump in accusing Delahunt of putting Addington's life in danger.
In Zimbabwe, a sham presidential election that is how the U.S. State Department characterizes it; widespread reports of voter intimidation. Robert Mugabe is expected to win. His main opponent dropped out of the race last week saying the runoff wouldn't be legit and he also feared for the safety of his supporters.
In London, celebrating Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday a couple weeks early, after Will Smith and singers Amy Winehouse, Joan Baez and others tonight, paying tribute. The proceeds will go to Mandela's AIDS charity -- Anderson.
COOPER: A remarkable man.
Erica, tonight's "Beat 360" photo; Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton onboard Obama's campaign plane today en route to Unity, New Hampshire. Here's the caption from our staff winner Cate. Obama is thinking, "I knew I should have taken the aisle seat."
So if you think you can do better? Go to our new Website ac360.com and click on the "Beat 360" link. Send us your entry. We'll announce the winner at the end of the program.
Up next, the unspoken message at today's Clinton-Obama love fest in Unity, New Hampshire. Do their actions, their body language speak louder than their words?
And flood fears realized in Missouri. Wait till you hear what officials say is behind the levee breach. We're going to give you a hint. It's furry and has four little feet. Coming up on "360."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton on the trail today in Unity, New Hampshire, that's the name of the town. That was the theme, of course. You could hear it in the words but could you also see it in the way that he looked at her or she reacted to him?
The body language of these two people was certainly under the microscope today and it matters. Just ask Al Gore who didn't do himself any favors by sighing dramatically during that debate back in 2000. Did the senators' bodies today in Unity actually say unity or something else?
"360's" Erica Hill takes a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HILL: Candidates say a lot but they really say so much more than the words that come out of their mouths. All you have to do is take a look at their body language.
Joining us now to help us do that is Dr. Jeff Gardere, he's a clinical psychologist. And you're actually going to help us dissect the body language of Senators Obama and Clinton because they've been spending a lot of time together as we know. But the question is, is it really quality time for both of them?
DR. JEFF GARDERE, CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST: That's right absolutely.
So we start off with these pictures, which are exclusive to "Anderson Cooper 360" which we got last night from inside, of course, the meeting of the fund-raising teams.
And when you take a look at both senators here, what are you seeing initially in these photos?
GARDERE: What I'm seeing is something that is very much Hillary Clinton. She is known by people who read body language to be able to hold that mike, to be able to express herself through that mike. But it almost becomes like a blanket for her -- security blanket.
And so what I'm seeing here, Erica, is that she's holding it even closer to her face than she normally does.
HILL: It does look closer to you.
GARDERE: Absolutely and I think part of the reason for that is some nervousness that she is having.
HILL: Here they are meeting up at the airport. And one of the things that struck me here is they say hello and Senator Obama goes off and he is doing the glad handing, if you will. Senator Clinton is just standing there.
GARDERE: She does look a little bit uncomfortable in that she knows she has to step back a little bit and let Senator Barack Obama do his thing. I think the other thing that's important is that here we see that she really is smiling and she can do that and we didn't see that in the previous clip. So they're starting to warm up towards one another.
HILL: When they get on the plane, they end up sitting very close to one another, have this conversation. Are either one of them enjoying this? Is this a natural feeling for either of them?
GARDERE: I don't think it's that natural in that they have this very contentious history. But I think what's important here is that they really are trying.
As you could see, Barack Obama is paying attention to her. She's paying attention to him. And you see a lot of the nodding of the head, which is, even if they're not listening to one another, they are acknowledging one another.
HILL: I want to take a listen at some of the things that each candidate had to say or former candidate I suppose in the case of Senator Clinton, when they got to Unity, New Hampshire.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLINTON: And do everything we can to elect Barack Obama the next president of the United States.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: Does Senator Clinton believe what she's saying here?
GARDERE: I think she does believe it, but I think it's a very hard pill for her to swallow at this point. Because when she says Barack Obama's name, if you notice all of a sudden the tone goes down a little bit. She doesn't say elect Senator Barack Obama, she says elect Senator Barack Obama. And she doesn't look at him when she says his name, which is something that's very natural to do.
HILL: We take a listen now, because after Senator Clinton was done speaking, Senator Obama comes to the podium. And it's interesting what he starts off by saying. Let's take a listen to that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: I am proud to call her friend. And I know how much we need both Bill and Hillary Clinton as a party and as a country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HILL: Does he really feel Hillary Clinton is his friend?
GARDERE: We know that Obama is a guy who gesticulates, who moves around, he is so smooth. But as he's talking about Bill and Hillary, all of a sudden he becomes stiff, his arms stay to his side, so it tells me he's not very enthusiastic about what he's saying.
HILL: Last question and I just need a yes or no for it from you. Looking at everything we've seen here tonight, do they like each other?
GARDERE: I think that they are starting to date and slowly but surely they will begin to like one another.
HILL: Okay.
GARDERE: That's not a yes or no, but it's an arranged marriage. They've happened. Shotgun weddings have happened and they've been successful. Grin and bear it.
HILL: Dr. Jeff Gardere thanks.
GARDERE: Thanks, Erica.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Just ahead, in spite of desperate efforts by hundreds of volunteer workers another levee fails, this one in Missouri; between the heavy rains and the muskrats -- yes, muskrats -- apparently it was just too much. We're going to have the latest from the Midwest flood zone coming up. And tell you about what the muskrats had to do with it.
Plus, what North Korea destroyed today and why the rogue nation actually drew praise from President Bush. That's next on "360."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Early today, despite heroic efforts to shore it up, the levee in Winfield, Missouri finally gave out. In the end it was brought down by muskrats, scientists say, of all things. The rodents dug holes through the levee, which is the 36th in the region to fail in the last two weeks.
Now tonight, hundreds of thousands of acres are under water, billions of dollars of crops have been lost and more than 38,000 people have been driven from their homes. But not Vince Mozier of Foley, Missouri. He's still hanging tough tonight.
"Uncovering America," CNN's Gary Tuchman caught up with the long-time resident two days ago. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GARY TUCHMAN (voice over): Vince Mozier is rowing a boat down Elm Street.
VINCE MOZIER, RESIDENT OF FOLEY, MISSOURI: I don't think this water will be completely down for about six weeks any way.
TUCHMAN: He is 86 years old and lives in Foley, Missouri.
MOZIER: I've lived here since 1945.
TUCHMAN: And only once before in his 63 years in Foley has he seen this much water in this tiny town; a town that has been devastated by the Mississippi River flood waters and is almost completely submerged.
MOZIER: I didn't think I would ever see it again.
TUCHMAN: Vince is rowing home. He doesn't want to evacuate. We help him out a bit near the end of our voyage so he can rest a little.
How far away are we from the Mississippi?
MOZIER: About two miles.
TUCHMAN: Two miles normally. But now the river's waters are running through Foley's homes.
After the 1993 floods, it took more than a year for this town to bet back to normal. Foley's police chief says this will now be a sequel.
MAX COLLIER, CHIEF, FOLEY POLICE DEPARTMENT: You feel for the families that have had to go through all this. It's rough.
TUCHMAN: Vince docks his boat right at the stairs, the only dry part of his yard. The water still hasn't gotten in his mobile home, and amazingly, the town still has electricity.
MOZIER: It's nerve-racking, yes.
TUCHMAN: Maybe you should leave and be in a dry place where you can sleep comfortably.
MOZIER: I don't have no trouble sleeping. I got a good bed in there and air condition. TUCHMAN: He also says if he did evacuate, he's not sure if his dog Peewee could go to wherever he might be going. But he says he won't be stubborn.
MOZIER: If it looks like it's going to get in my trailer where I'm at, why then I'll probably be gone.
TUCHMAN: Almost all of his neighbors already are. Foley is always quiet, but now eerily so.
Gary Tuchman, CNN, Foley, Missouri.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: They got to start coming up with some sort of system that allows people to bring their pets with them to shelters. As we saw in New Orleans, that's a problem, a lot of people not wanting to evacuate because of their pets.
As we said, tonight Mr. Mozier is still sticking it out at home with his dog, Peewee, and as far as we know they are safe.
Up next, a massive implosion of a highly-visible symbol of North Korea's long secret nuclear program.
Christiane Amanpour was there and has a "360" dispatch.
Plus, the North Pole without ice? Some shocking news about climate change at the top of the world, coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: A nuclear breakthrough today. You see the images, North Korea living up to its promise, destroying a cooling tower at a plant that played a part in building nuclear weapons.
Now CNN's chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour was at the site when the tower blew up, one of just a handful of western journalists on hand to witness the event.
Christiane joins us with this "360" dispatch.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Anderson, U.S. officials who witnessed this explosion of the Yongbyon nuclear tower called it a very significant disablement move. And they said that this step puts them in a good place to start the next phase of negotiations over North Korea's nuclear activities. This they say was an important move toward continuing this complex process.
Now, on Friday afternoon, North Korean time, North Korean officials took U.S. officials and us and a handful of press who were here to witness this up to a hillside overlooking Yongbyon and then they imploded that tower. A huge massive cloud of smoke filled the air and then some seconds later the sound of the massive blast hit the air. And the crumbling tower hit the ground.
Officials then inspected the rubble; the U.S. State Department official went down and was able to see it close up for himself. As I say, North Korea says that this move was brought up by them, the timing of it, in order to show their commitment to the process of continuing the negotiations and continuing to emerge from their isolation and the disarmament process.
Of course, all sides are saying that there's a great deal of verification to complete. There's a great deal more steps to complete. North Korea, for instance, has to account for all the plutonium that it has extracted, not just say how much, but where it is and eventually hand it over including the plutonium that's been turned into nuclear weapons -- Anderson.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Well, this weekend, Christiane is going to examine the long history of mistrust between North Korea and America. You can catch our "Special Investigations Unit" report, "Notes from North Korea" Saturday and Sunday night, 8:00 p.m. Eastern.
Erica Hill joins us again with the "360 News and Business Bulletin" -- Erica.
HILL: Anderson it's tough to forget the 2001 deadly anthrax attacks, five people killed. Well, today, a man named a person of interest in the case reached a settlement with the Justice Department. The government will pay Steven Hatfield nearly $6 million for linking him to that investigation. He claims that violated his privacy. Hatfield worked as an army scientist.
On Wall Street, a gloomy end to a bad week; surging oil prices, the housing crisis, banking troubles, all helping to push the markets down again. The Dow lost 106 points. The Nasdaq and the S&P also closed in negative territory.
And a disturbing report about global warming suggests there maybe no ice on the North Pole by summer's end. Researchers at the U.S. National Snow and Ice Data Center fear there is a 50-50 chance a thin layer of ice covering the arctic sea will completely melt away, even briefly. That's hard to fathom.
COOPER: Wow.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Time now for the "Beat 360" winner. We all know how it works. We post a photo on the blog; ask viewers to come up with a caption that's better than one our staff. We play the cheesy music. Erica does the thing with the hands.
HILL: It's Friday.
COOPER: Tonight's Friday. Tonight's picture, Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton on board Obama's campaign plane today on route to Unity, New Hampshire. So here's the caption from our staff winner, Cate. She thinks Obama's thinking, "I know I should have taken the aisle seat.
HILL: Overwhelming staff sounds by the way.
COOPER: Our viewer winner is Ed, from Sydney, Ohio. His caption: "The $2,300 check is a nice gesture, but why did you postdate it for November 5th?"
And for his winning caption, Ed gets an "I won the Beat 360 challenge" t-shirt. Yes. Nice going, Ed. Congratulations.
HILL: It's what all the kids are going to be wearing this summer.
COOPER: Oh, the kids love this stuff. They're crazy for that "Beat 360" shirt.
HILL: High-quality t-shirt from a high-quality show.
COOPER: That's right. You can play along by going to our new Website ac360.com.
That does it for this edition of "360." Thanks for watching.
Larry King starts now.
Have a great weekend. I'll see you on Monday.
