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President Bush Speaks at United Nations; Juror Replaced in Warren Jeffs Trial
Aired September 25, 2007 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Michael Vick was charged with, pleaded guilty to and may go to prison for dogfighting. But that was federal. Now comes the Commonwealth of Virginia with new charges that could bring a lot more trouble. We will get a live report.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The Joe Cool sailed into some kind of trouble somewhere south of Bimini. Now the feds want to know what an Arkansas fugitive and his fellow fishermen know about four missing crew members.
Hello, everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta.
LEMON: And I'm Don Lemon. You are in the CNN NEWSROOM.
It is 3:00 here in the East. A shakeup today on the jury considering Warren Jeffs' guilt or innocence. There's word from the courtroom that one of the jurors has been replaced by an alternate. No reason has been given. And now deliberations have started all over again. Jeffs is a polygamist sect leader charged with rape as an accomplice.
Well, those charges stems from the arranged marriage of a 14- year-old girl to her older cousin. Jurors told the judge yesterday they were close to a verdict, but wanted to sleep on it for the night. Jeffs is the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
PHILLIPS: New charges for suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick. Just a short time ago, a grand jury in Surry County, Virginia, handed up two indictments against Vick and three co- defendants, one for promoting dogfights, the other for killing dogs.
Vick owns the property in Surry County where a dogfighting operation was based. He has already admitted in federal court that he bankrolled that operation and faces up to five years in prison when he's sentenced in December. He is set to be arraigned on new charges October 3.
LEMON: Let's go back over to our Chad Myers, standing in front of a screen there. And I can't see it, but is that big hole gone with all those flight delays?
(CROSSTALK)
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: No. I have taken off a lot of the planes here. I want to show you the planes that are heading to Dallas. And so planes are flying around the big hole which I will show you in a second.
This plane right there, that's American Airlines Flight 1619 headed from Newark to Dallas. And you wouldn't think it should fly over Mobile to get there from Newark. It should be flying one of these lines, one of these flight lines, if you will.
But, because of this zone outage centered over Memphis -- put all the planes back on, you can see it -- no planes are being allowed to fly through this zone. So, a lot of planes are delayed today because they have to fly around this big hole.
We have our Miles O'Brien working it right now to find out what it is. They are calling it a frequency outage. And Miles O'Brien says, there is a million frequencies. There must be a power outage. There must be something else going on here.
Well, what we do know what's going on here for sure, Atlanta, Charlotte, New York City, Dallas, DFW and DAL all now slow. The closer you are to that area, the slower your plane is going to be because it has a lot farther to fly around from one spot to the other. Here it is, ZME zone around Memphis. That's where the zone is. Here's zone Kansas city. It is OK.
But this is the area right here, centered over Memphis, all the way down to almost about Jackson, Mississippi, and so on that planes are not -- at least right now not allowed to fly through, no planes allowed to take off, fly through.
So, guess who is centered in Memphis? That would be Federal Express.
LEMON: Yes.
MYERS: That could be a problem for getting planes in and out of that big city there and getting your package on time tomorrow.
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: There is another hub for an airline there. Am I correct? Is it Northwest? Or something is in...
(CROSSTALK)
MYERS: Northwest is in Memphis, absolutely, Northwest, because I used to fly out of Detroit a lot.
LEMON: Yes.
MYERS: And sometimes you have to get through Memphis to get someplace, absolutely. It's kind of a little mini-hub.
LEMON: OK. Well, keep us updated, all right, Chad?
MYERS: OK. LEMON: Thank you.
MYERS: You bet.
PHILLIPS: Twelve vehicles a day, that's how many are not coming off General Motors' assembly lines while many of its autoworkers are striking. And analysts say it can only get worse unless negotiators strike a deal.
Here's CNN's Rusty Dornin.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There are more than 860 United Auto Workers that are walking the picket lines, taking turns all through the day and night here in front of the Powertrain plant in Warren, Michigan.
They manufactured four- and six-speed transmissions for GM. Most of the workers that we have spoken to today are cautiously optimistic that things can be resolved this week. They say there are some real stumbling blocks. One of them is wage cuts. And there are a couple of others.
RICHARD DUERKSEN, STRIKING AUTO WORKER: Our biggest concern is continuing employment in General Motors, our job security and anything like that, and for the retirees. I myself hope in the future I will be numbered among the GM retirees.
DORNIN: The big concern is that GM make a promise to continue to manufacture cars here in the United States and not take it to Canada and Mexico and other parts of the world.
Meantime, in Canada, just across the river from Detroit, automakers are very concerned there that they could be laying off up to 80,000 workers. Because of the strike here they will not be able to continue to provide parts to the plants in Canada.
So, obviously, Canadian automakers also concerned that the talks here resolve quickly.
Rusty Dornin, CNN, Warren, Michigan.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Tough talk and tougher sanctions from President Bush today. In a blunt speech to the U.N. General Assembly, the president blasted a number of nations for alleged human rights abuses. And he slapped more sanctions on one of them.
Let's go straight to our senior U.N. correspondent, Richard Roth.
Hi, Richard.
RICHARD ROTH, CNN SENIOR U.N. CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Don. Yes, that's his plan on the Asian nation of Myanmar. That country stood out in the Bush criticism, which wasn't as withering as in past speeches. But Bush is upset at the dictatorship in Myanmar. Streets in Myanmar have been filled with hundreds of thousands of people now protesting against the regime.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm announcing a series of steps to help bring peaceful change to Burma.
The United States will tighten economic sanctions on the leaders of the regime and their financial backers. We will impose an expanded visa ban on those responsible for the most egregious violations of human rights.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROTH: President Bush, in other remarks, said the long rule of a cruel dictator is nearing its end in Havana, Cuba. That prompted the Cuban delegation led by the foreign minister to walk out of the General Assembly. The Cuban U.N. mission said in a statement that it was a sign of a profound rejection of the arrogant and mediocre statement by President Bush.
Also in the hall, the new president of France, Nicolas Sarkozy, who has talked about Iran and the need for the international community to hold a steady line as Iran is suspected of growing its nuclear ambitions.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NICOLAS SARKOZY, PRESIDENT OF FRANCE (through translator): Iran is entitled to nuclear power for civilian purposes. But, if we allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons, we would incur an unacceptable risk to the stability of the region and the stability of the world.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROTH: Now, of course, the Iranian situation rolls on. The Security Council is deadlocked over sanctions. The Iranian president, seen here leaving within the hour at the United Nations -- interesting that when he left the building just a few steps from here he walked right past former Prime Minister Tony Blair, who is now a Middle East envoy for U.N. member countries. But the two men did not speak here.
At the Security Council right now, President Bush is expected at a meeting on Africa. Condoleezza Rice is in the chamber. It is a very high-profile meeting on the Africa content going on now, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon now holding court -- back to you.
LEMON: Richard Roth, thank you, sir.
Ahmadinejad sits down with CNN's Christiane Amanpour for a one- on-one interview. Be sure to tune in for that. It's tomorrow night, 10:00 Eastern, on "A.C. 360." He's been in custody overseas for a while now, but the U.S. finally has its hands on a man accused of helping set up a terrorist training camp in Oregon.
CNN justice correspondent Kelli Arena has all the details.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): His name is Oussama Kassir, and he's being charged with providing material support to terrorists, namely, al Qaeda.
Now, according to the indictment against him, Kassir is charged with helping set up a terror training camp in Bly, Oregon, where he allegedly provided training in hand-to-hand combat and also providing a CD-ROM on making bombs and poisons.
The government also alleges that Kassir set up a jihadi Web site on which he provided some bomb-making instructions. Now, he has actually been in custody since 2005 in Prague, where he was taken into custody. And he arrived today in New York City, after the government there extradited him to the United States.
Officials describe him as a low-level operative with ties to al Qaeda and say he's a Swedish national of Lebanese descent. And if this case sounds familiar, you are absolutely right. This is not new. James Ujaama, you may remember, an American, pled to related charges of aiding the Taliban in April of 2003.
Other alleged co-conspirators, Abu Hamza, Haroon Aswat, were taken into custody in England. And they are awaiting extradition to the United States.
Kelli Arena, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: All right, Kelli.
Also in Washington right now, a tug of war over the State Children's Health Insurance Program, known as SCHIP. The House is debating major growth in program to be financed by a 61 cent increase in federal taxes on cigarettes. Easy passage is expected some time today.
The Senate takes the bill up tomorrow. In the background, though, a veto threat from President Bush.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA), SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: What's happening here is that the president will find himself alone. He will be drawing a line between him and all of the people across America who support the health and well-being of America's children.
(END VIDEO CLIP) LEMON: Supporters want to add four million children to SCHIP, but the White House says the measure goes too far towards federalizing health care and offers help to families who don't need it.
PHILLIPS: Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, and thousands of protesters help put Jena, Louisiana, in the spotlight. We know what they think of the town, but do they paint a fair picture? We go in search of the real Jena coming up in the CNN NEWSROOM.
LEMON: On a much lighter note, how do you like that ride, Kyra? The tank is full. That says a lot these days. The tires are new. And the engine, just in case you were wondering, it's eco-friendly.
PHILLIPS: Pimp my CNN Express.
LEMON: Pimp my bus.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: Pimp my bus, the (INAUDIBLE) Express on the road again. We will show it off -- straight ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Coming up on 13 past the hour. Three of the stories we are working on for you right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
An unexpected twist in the Utah sex crime trial of polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs. We are trying to find out why a juror was replaced with an alternate today, after two days of deliberations. Jurors had been close to a verdict. Now they have to start all over again.
The Supreme Court about to take on a case that could affect death row inmates across the nation. The court has agreed to consider whether lethal injections amount to cruel and unusual punishment.
He's accused of helping set up a terror training camp in Oregon and now he's in U.S. custody. Oussama Kassir allegedly has ties to al Qaeda. He has been extradited from overseas and is facing charges today in a federal court in New York.
PHILLIPS: Texas renters, beware. If you're into body art, some landlords might not be into you.
Report Jaie Avila has one couple's story from San Antonio from our affiliate WOAI.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JAIE AVILA, WOAI REPORTER (voice-over): Gilbert Carrillo thinks tattoos are an art form.
GILBERT CARRILLO, DENIED LEASE OVER TATTOOS: Real bright and good traditional tattoos that I get lots of compliments on.
AVILA: He has been to tattoo conventions. And one of his tattoos was featured in a magazine.
G. CARRILLO: It was just I was 18 to now 25. It was a little bit by bit, just covering up here and covering up there.
AVILA: But, last month, Carrillo's tattoos kept him and his wife, Melissa, from moving into this apartment complex, called the Villas at Medical Center.
MELISSA CARRILLO, DENIED LEASE OVER TATTOOS: We liked the apartment. We brought them a check for the deposit and a check for the application fees.
AVILA: But, later, Gilbert went by to look at the apartment wearing a short-sleeved shirt. The next day, the Carrillos were told they didn't qualify to live there because the tattoos on Gilbert's arms violated the policy on personal appearance.
M. CARRILLO: For them to be so you judgmental upon a person's appearance and for them to judge somebody based upon them having a tattoo is just ridiculous.
AVILA: The Carrillos were also upset that the manager refused to refund their full $70 application fee. But, mostly, they feel the policy is discriminatory.
So, the troubleshooters went to the Villas at Medical Center to hear their side of it. The manager, Daisy Salazar, said she wasn't allowed to talk to us.
DAISY SALAZAR, APARTMENT MANAGER: We have our own lawyers and everything. I'm not allowed to speak to anyone.
AVILA (on camera): You can't comment at all about the tattoo situation?
SALAZAR: I can't. I'm sorry.
AVILA (voice-over): But we didn't give up. We contacted one of the owners of the apartments, a Southern California doctor named Edward Frankel.
Frankel e-mailed us a statement saying, his apartment complex do in fact "reject prospective tenants who have tattoos exposed on the neck, head, hands and wrist, or large tattoos that cover over 40 percent of the lower or upper arm." Frankel says: "We do not discriminate. The above applies to persons of any race, color, gender, et cetera."
(on camera): Frankel and his partners have purchased a number of upscale apartment complexes in San Antonio and Dallas, where they have also banned pierced tongues and eyebrows. And tenants can't have more than one nose piercing or five earrings.
(voice-over): Local fair housing officials say the rules may be unusual, but they are not illegal. SANDY TAMEZ, SAN ANTONIO FAIR HOUSING COUNCIL: Refusing to rent to somebody because they have tattoos may be unfair, but is not necessarily discrimination under the Housing Act, unless the tattoos are specific to the person's religion or national origin.
AVILA: After the troubleshooters started looking into the case, the apartment complex refunded the Carrillos' full application fee. But the couple is still angry that a landlord would consider body art to be the mark of a bad tenant.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: And that was Jaie Avila from our San Antonio affiliate WOAI.
LEMON: Well, we wouldn't be America without it. A rare copy of a document that helped spark the American Revolution is going on the auction block in New York City. We will show it to you -- coming up on the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: After days of mass street protests, a ruling junta in Myanmar has slapped a curfew on the country's main city and has declared the entire city of Yangon a military restricted area.
Tens of thousands of barefoot monks and their supporters defying threats of a military crackdown. Is Myanmar, the former Burma, on the verge of its own people power rebellion?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON (voice-over): Buddhist monks in maroon and white robes, thousands of their pro-democracy supporters in the streets of Yangon, Myanmar's largest city.
Government warnings to stop the protests were ignored, tensions soaring since the anti-government demonstrations began last month triggered by a sharp increase in fuel prices and seething human rights issues like the jailing of political dissidents.
Now witness reports of truckloads of troops moving into Yangon, raising fears of a military crackdown like the one in 1988 in which some 3,000 civilians were killed. Burmese have suffered under the repressive yoke of military government for more than four decades.
In the early '60s, a coup led by General Ne Win overthrew the democratic government. With his Burmese path to socialism, Ne Win virtually shut the country off from the outside world. Some 20 years later, Ne Win resigned in the face of mounting popular demonstrations. The military stepped in and imposed direct rule.
A glimmer of hope swept the country in 1990, when an opposition party led by Aung San Suu Kyi won the first free multi-party elections in 30 years. Again, the military intervened, nullifying the results and placing Suu Kyi under house arrest. A year later, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. She has been under detention for 12 of the past 18 years.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(BUSINESS REPORT)
LEMON: For sale, the birth certificate of freedom.
It's a rare copy of the Magna Carta. It will go on the auction block at Sotheby's in New York. That will happen in December. The document, the only one of its kind in the U.S., it dates to 1297.
The original was issued by King Edward I of England. That was in 1215. It enshrined basic human rights into English law and helps sow the seeds for the American Revolution. Sotheby's says the manuscript could sell for as much as -- get this -- $30 million.
Texas billionaire...
PHILLIPS: Mm-mm.
LEMON: Mm-mm-mm is right.
Texas billionaire businessman Ross Perot, he bought it in 1984 for $1.5 million. That's a big profit, isn't it? Proceeds will benefit the Perot Foundation's charity work.
PHILLIPS: The tank's full, the tires are new, and the engine is eco-friendly. All right, what music do we pick?
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: No. We are pimping that bus.
PHILLIPS: Oh. Oh, Otis (ph).
LEMON: No, Otis. We're pimping the bus. We're not...
PHILLIPS: That is so old.
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: That's all we got. OK. Is it on 20s, some spinners, dubs?
PHILLIPS: I use to have the 45 of John Denver.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: I think I burned it.
LEMON: OK.
(LAUGHTER)
LEMON: We are showing our age in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: The Joe Cool sailed into some kind of trouble somewhere south of Bimini.
LEMON: And now the feds want to know what an Arkansas fugitive and his fellow fishermen know about four missing crew members.
Hello, everyone. I'm Don Lemon, live at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta.
PHILLIPS: And I'm Kyra Phillips. You are live in the CNN NEWSROOM.
LEMON: We have been telling you all afternoon about some flight problems.
Chad Myers joins us now with our flight tracker to tell us what's going on, how severe this problem is. Is it still happening?
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Still happening, getting better now. They have released the planes that have been sitting on the tarmac, or sitting at the gates now forever, Memphis, Nashville, and so on.
But here's what's going on. Here is a plane that obviously didn't get released in time. And they are not going let planes fly through it right now. But here you go. This is from Charlotte. This U.S. Air Flight -- I know you can't read it at home -- U.S. Air Flight 1525 heading to Denver.
Well, the way to Denver is right here through this box. Well, that box is closed. So, you have to fly around that box to Denver, causing, obviously, some wasted gasoline or fuel, also wasted time, and obviously delays on the other end as well.
Now let's show you Memphis. Let's zoom right down. There are three planes now in the air out of Memphis. These planes are released about 15 minutes ago. You can get in and out of Memphis and also in and out of Nashville now.
But it is going to be a while before we get anything really back on track. An awful lot of planes really want to get into the airport and out of the airport. Obviously, we are talking about Northwest being a little mini hub there and also for FedEx, Federal Express planes. But thanks to our affiliate there.
We are getting planes to get through this area now. It's lightening up. They are still not -- the FAA is still will not allow planes to fly through it. You can get in and out if you're in this area, but you can't fly from Newark to Dallas by this track. You're going to have to go around what's called that zone around Memphis.
So back on track now, but the damage is done for the afternoon, I'm afraid, guys.
LEMON: Yes, and you stand there and you go around that zone. That zone much bigger (INAUDIBLE).
MYERS: Well, you know, and if you were with us an hour ago, this entire zone -- we're talking about this purple line here -- it was empty.
LEMON: Yes.
MYERS: There wasn't one plane in it at all.
LEMON: Wow!
MYERS: Now, at least, we're starting to fill in a few. So some things getting back to normal.
LEMON: And you know what, Chad? That's why you have to stick with the CNN NEWSROOM. You learn everything you need to k.
MYERS: Thank you, buddy.
LEMON: Thank you, Chad.
PHILLIPS: Well, it started as an overnight fishing trip aboard a Miami charter boat. Now the boat has turned up abandoned and more than 100 miles off course and two passengers have been rescued from a life raft and taken back to Florida. But where are the four crew members? The Coast Guard and the FBI are on the case.
Reporter Ileana Varela has more now from our Miami affiliate, WFOR.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEFF BRANAM, MISSING BOATER'S UNCLE: Drake was doing what he loved. It's a very sad story.
ILEANA VARELA, WFOR CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Jeff Branam is holding out hope, but his gut feeling tells him something terrible happened aboard the family's charter fishing boat.
JEFF BRANAM: Well, I think the two chartered the boat and -- under false pretenses. They powered up the boat. They dumped the crew overboard. And after going to Bimini, they took the boat south 100 miles and the boat broke down.
VARELA: The Coast Guard found the abandoned vessel, the 47-foot Joe Cool, Sunday evening near Cay Sal Bank, 100 miles from Bimini, its original destination. The boat was "in disarray," its life raft missing.
It was found, along with the two men who chartered the boat for $4,000 cash -- 19-year-old Guillermo Zarabozo, who lives in this Hialeah apartment where no one was home, and Kirby Archer, a fugitive wanted in Arkansas since January for allegedly stealing $92,000 from a Wal-Mart where he worked.
JONATHAN BRANAM, MISSING BOATER'S COUSIN: One guy spoke. He was -- he was very nice, had kind of a Southern accent, you know, just very polite. He didn't seem suspicious at all. So you know, we OK'ed the trip.
VARELA: Jonathan Branam says he decided not to go on the trip at the last minute. His cousin, Jake, captained the vessel. Jake's wife Kelly went along because it was a short trip. The couple has a 4- month-old son and a 3-year-old daughter.
Jake's stepbrother, Scott Campbell, and first mate, Sammy Kairy, rounded out the crew. All four are missing.
JEFF BRANAM: I'm very hopeful. I'm hopeful until the Coast Guard says there is no hope.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: And that was from Ileana Varela, from our Miami affiliate, WFOR.
The FBI now investigating this case. We'll bring you more information as we get it.
LEMON: We've have been following the story of polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs. We understand there is a verdict in the trial.
Let's get straight to Gary Tuchman on the ground in front of the courthouse.
What do you have for us, Gary?
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Don, the announcement has just been made. The jury reached a verdict in the accomplice to rape trial of polygamist leader Warren Jeffs. But we don't know what the verdict is yet. That's because the announcement will come at 4:15 p.m. Eastern time, 2:15 local time about 45 minutes away.
They're doing that, the advanced notice, in time to get security up and working around here. There are bluffs and cliffs in this area in St. George, Utah. They actually have police sharpshooters who are going on the tops of those cliffs. They're concerned about the possibility of a negative reaction if Warren Jeffs, this religious leader, is found guilty. There's no evidence there's going to be any violence whatsoever, but they are being very cautious.
Warren Jeffs is on trial for being an accomplice to rape. He ordered and led a marriage of a 14-year-old girl to a 19-year-old man back in 2001. The marriage was eventually consummated and that's why he's being charged with being an accomplice to rape.
What's important to note is that Warren Jeffs was on the FBI Ten Most Wanted list for months because he was accused of doing this many times to many girls under the age of 18. But in this particular trial, only one of those alleged victims has testified.
So they reached a verdict. They had talked -- deliberated over two days, for 13 hours. This morning, a juror was dismissed. We don't know why that juror was dismissed. An alternate was brought in. The judge ordered them to start their deliberations over from the very beginning, but they've only been deliberating with this new jury for three hours. They have the verdict. We'll know the verdict in 45 minutes.
Warren Jeffs could face five years to life in prison if found guilty. The judge would ultimately decide the sentence.
If he's not guilty -- now, and this is very important, Don, he will not go free because the State of Arizona also wants him on similar charges. If he's found not guilty, he would be transferred, most likely, within two weeks to the State of Arizona -- Don.
LEMON: CNN's Gary Tuchman.
Gary, stand by. We're going to be coming back to you if we get -- if you get any new information on that.
Thank you for your report.
PHILLIPS: It's big, it's blue, Wi-Fi ready and biofuels friendly -- the CNN Election Express on tour, racking up the miles. Today, it's in Manchester, New Hampshire, where the Democratic presidential hopefuls will be debating tomorrow night.
Tom Foreman is there, too, kicking the tires, checking out the new portable news room.
LEMON: He's got a bag. Is that luggage?
PHILLIPS: Yes, what's in your bag, pal?
FOREMAN: Yes, we're loading up our luggage here, because, really, there has just never been anything like this on the campaign trail before. Look, it looks like a great big bus. But the truth is, the reason we have it here in Manchester right now -- in New Hampshire -- is because this the way that we're going to take you to the election like never before.
And I'm telling you, I've been in this business for 30 years. There has never been a vehicle like this, even though it just looks like a great big bus.
The reason is it's a portable newsroom. It's a state-of-the-art editing facility, it's a traveling studio and it's a satellite link to everything we want to do out there.
Come inside and I'll show you the rest of the place here. An enormously big place. This is the studio up front and the working newsroom. Right now, you see Paul Steinhauser and Bill Schneider, part of our political team, in here, where we have wi-fi hot spots throughout. So you can come in and set up your computer as a working journalist. You can link into what's happening all over the country. We have feeds coming in across the top here showing you what's happening everywhere while we're working. In addition, as you may notice, the side of the bus here pushes out, which allows us to set up a working studio in here. So at anytime, we could bring a candidate, a governor, a senator in here. We have lights that we can just roll around inside and light up the studio and bring you instant interviews from where the news is happening -- not like in the past, where you might have to wait until you get it somewhere else.
On top of which, as we get feeds in from all over the globe -- they come right in here. This is Josh Rubin, who is running our Election Express for us here. He can sit down at a state-of-the-art editing facility and render cut packages, sound bites, things that you might want to know about going on in the news instantaneously.
And then -- and this is the part that really makes this an unusual, unusual vehicle, one of a kind in the world. Move back here through some of the living quarters, where we have a little kitchen and where we have S'mores every night. And you come back to the place where we have mission facilities. This where we can uplink and downlink material 24 hours a day to keep track of what's happening in politics all over the globe.
So as we move out this way, you can see why we're very excited about this. This is going to give us an ability to cover the election like never before and get you closer to the election than ever before. And that, this year, as we've known from many of our raw politics segments, is an awfully important thing because this an election unlike any other.
A suitable vehicle for covering it -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, now, Tom, you know, I have to ask you this. And this is for our viewers. As you notice, there's no cable. Whoops. There you go. You're back. There's no cable dragging behind the photographer. Is he on wireless camera? Did he -- did you just go through wireless?
FOREMAN: He's on wireless camera. He's on wireless camera, as well.
LEMON: Wow!
FOREMAN: I mean, really, about every trick you can try to do in television, we have the capability of doing with this truck. And the point of it is, it's not just about tricks. The point of it is that this will allow us to truly take our news gathering operation as close as possible to the debate that will happen here tomorrow night, the campaign stops all along the way, right up until the general election, connecting you to the whole process in a way we never have been able to do before and 57 miles per gallon. So, really, pretty good.
PHILLIPS: A pretty awesome -- awesome setup there. Everybody here on the crew is saying well, there goes my holiday bonus.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: Tom Foreman, we look forward to more. Thank you.
Well, CNN and YouTube recently sponsored a Democratic debate. Now we're getting ready for the Republicans' turn. The GOP presidential hopefuls will square off on Wednesday, November 28th. You can submit a question at YouTube.com/republicandebate. And, of course, you can watch it right here on CNN.
LEMON: And, Kyra, we're following some breaking news happening out of Utah. A verdict in the trial of sect leader -- polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs. Even though a juror was moved -- removed -- and an alternate brought in yesterday, we understand there's a verdict. And that's just in to the CNN NEWSROOM.
We're going to update this developing story after we take a break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: It started as an overnight fishing trip aboard a Miami charter boat. Now the boat has turned up abandoned and more than 100 miles off course and two passengers have been rescued from a life raft and taken back to Florida. But where are the four crew members? The Coast Guard and the FBI are on the case.
Let's go to U.S. Navy Captain James Watson for more on the investigation.
Captain Watson, what can you tell us?
CAPT. JAMES WATSON, U.S. COAST GUARD: Hi.
This is Captain Jim Watson with the Coast Guard down in Miami.
The boat is now in Miami Beach, at the Coast Guard station in Miami Beach. It was towed back, along with the two people that were found in the life raft, and the case is being investigated by the FBI.
In the meantime, the Coast Guard continues to search for the four people who were missing from the Joe Cool.
PHILLIPS: I apologize. We were told you were the U.S. Navy.
We even have that up on the screen. We're going to drop that. The U.S. Coast Guard. We've got to give proper credit to -- to the organization you're with, captain. I'm sorry.
So, we've been trying to figure out the connection here, if any, between the two men that chartered this boat and the crew. Does it look like two separate sets of individuals, no connection?
WATSON: No connection. The two that were found were actually customers. They were chartering the boat to go to Bimini, we understand.
PHILLIPS: Now, what is the FBI investigating in particular? We are told that possibly, through those involved with chartering this boat, that those -- the individuals that took the boat actually threw the crew overboard. Is that what you are investigating, as well, or at least the FBI is looking into?
WATSON: Well, we don't know anything. All of that would be very speculative. But the circumstances being that only two of the six people that were on this charter boat were found -- and they were found in a life raft -- is very unusual. And we, of course, immediately reported that as an unusual circumstance and investigators were assigned.
PHILLIPS: Are they being interrogated?
WATSON: Yes. The two -- the two people that we just returned to Miami Beach are, yes, ma'am.
PHILLIPS: And pause -- and these two that returned to Miami Beach, the two passengers that you were able to get and now they are being questioned -- they are -- we are being told that they might be tied to some missing money. One of them might have worked at a Wal- Mart -- Kirby Archer -- or somehow tied to a Wal-Mart and had disappeared with close to $100,000.
Is that a part of the investigation?
WATSON: Yes, I understand that is. I don't really have any of the details on that. But I've heard the same thing, yes.
PHILLIPS: All right, so the search for the missing crew members, just give me an update. What kind of assets do you have out there and are you hopeful that you'll find them alive?
WATSON: Well, we are hopeful that we'll find them alive. It's a wide expanse of water that keeps getting wider. We're up to a 3,500 square mile area that we're searching, and that's primarily because the longer the search continues, the further the drift would be northward. They're out in the Gulf Stream and it's a fairly swift current out there.
We're flying both helicopters and fixed wing aircraft, including a C-130. We have also deployed cutters out there and it's dependent on, of course, daylight and weather as to how effective our search is from minute to minute.
PHILLIPS: Well, this is the specialty of the Coast Guard.
Captain James Watson, U.S. Coast Guard. Appreciate it. We'll follow up.
WATSON: Thank you.
LEMON: Hundreds of you have come to the aid of a world renowned makeup artist who has returned home to Afghanistan. He's helping the women of his country build a future for themselves by selling hand- sewn scarves. His name is Matin Maulawizada and he is a CNN Hero.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MATIN MAULAWIZADA, CNN HERO: And explain to me everything you want to explain.
Afghanistan offered me a lot and I wanted to bring a little something back. It's a tiny project, but I wanted to really make sure to bring something. Afghan women have survived years of war and years of suppression. Still, they do -- and they prevail. So to me, that the strength of Afghan women are just remarkable and I wanted to work with them.
Widows in particular rely on the mercy of their families, so they kind of become servants. And I wanted to kind of change that one person at a time, if I could.
My entire point was to -- to make sure that widows and women would be able to proudly work and be proud of their work and work outside their house and provide well for their families.
It's just amazing. It sells itself, really.
They read and write equivalent of a fourth grader now.
Mentally, they're prepared to go to work. They know how to take measurements. They know how to do -- to write measurements. Once they learn enough, they -- they will basically be businesswomen. And look at the embroidery on this.
I'm hoping that I would send them to courses that they could actually manage a business, grow a business. My whole dream is for them to basically have the confidence to see the beautiful outfits that they're making and know that people are enjoying and appreciating them.
They are doing the work and all I am offering is basically an opportunity for them to show what they have.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Go to CNN.com/heroes to learn more about Matin and check out his designs of his scarves, as well. Now, while you're there, you can also nominate a hero you know. But you only have until this Sunday to do so. Selected winners will be honored during a special live global broadcast. That's on December 6th.
PHILLIPS: And we're told that a verdict is in with regard to polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs. He's accused of using his religious influence over his followers to coerce a 15-year-old girl into marriage with her older cousin. He faces a possible life sentence if convicted. As soon as we find out what that verdict is, we'll bring it to you live.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) LEMON: All right, just into the CNN NEWSROOM.
A verdict has been reached in polygamist sect leader the Warren Jeffs' trial in Utah. We're going to continue to update you on this and find out exactly what that verdict is, update you today in "THE SITUATION ROOM".
PHILLIPS: And a Virginia grand jury has indicted suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick and three co-defendants on state charges of running a dogfighting ring. That is now in addition to the federal charges that Michael Vick pled guilty to. He faced up to five years in prison for that. That could rise now that he has been found -- or been indicted on state charges.
Michael Vick's attorney, Billy Martin, coming out and saying: "We are disappointed that these charges were filed in Surrey County, since it's the same conduct covered by the federal indictment for which Mr. Vick has already accepted full responsibility and pled guilty to in U.S. District court in Richmond, Virginia."
We're following it.
LEMON: Standing on Capitol Hill, today, the mother of one of the Jena 6 thanked her son's supporters and invited more protesters to visit their Louisiana town. She and Mychal Bell's father, along with the Reverend Al Sharpton and other activists, are seeking federal intervention in the case. They met with members of the Congressional Black Caucus and House Judiciary Committee.
Their goal -- formal hearings on Jena's justice system and help getting Mychal Bell out of jail.
Meantime, two other members of the Jena 6 are taking part in an event called the Cradle To Prison Pipeline Summit, also in Washington. They will be attending a session tonight focusing on racial disparities in the criminal justice system.
Actor and author Bill Cosby spoke at the summit a short time ago. He didn't address the Jena situation, but did hit on some other controversial racial issues.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL COSBY, ACTOR/AUTHOR: Black fathers -- the question is should they be in prison or should they be outside walking their child? Should they be high school graduates, so that they can home teach the children when the school is terrible? We need these men outside. They don't need to be in prison.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: That was Bill Cosby. Of course, Bill Cosby an outspoken critic of blacks and children on how they should get their acts together and he has been talking about that for years. Bill Cosby talking at a summit today in Washington.
Why don't you -- what do you think we go now to Washington and say hello to the Emmy Award winning Wolf Blitzer.
PHILLIPS: Tell us about it -- Wolf. You had a great ceremony last night.
WOLF BLITZER, HOST, "THE SITUATION ROOM": It was lot of fun.
We went there, to the Sheraton Hotel. And fortunately CNN's political team on television just got an Emmy for our coverage of the election last November. It was very exciting. We want to congratulate everyone who was involved. They did a terrific, terrific job. We'll do it again this year.
Let me tell you what's coming up at the top of the hour. Lots of news we're following.
Might he denounce the Holocaust, defend Israel or criticize gays in his country?
Just what Iran's president will do or say next is anyone's guess, but the entire world is waiting to see Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as he gets ready to address the United Nations general assembly. We're going to carry that live here in "THE SITUATION ROOM".
Also, spooky words. The speaker of the House says one thing will haunt President Bush for as long as he's president. It concerns a major issue involving America's children. Nancy Pelosi explains in a one-on-one interview with me.
And Donald Trump apparently has little love for Dan Rather. Trump calls the veteran journalist -- and I'm quoting now -- "a loser." You're going to find out why. Part two of my interview with Donald Trump.
A lot more coming up right here in "THE SITUATION ROOM".
Thanks again, guys, for the congratulations.
LEMON: Yes, thank you. Oh, you're quite welcome.
PHILLIPS: That's right. I bet Donald Trump said you're a winner.
BLITZER: Yes.
LEMON: He said you're an Emmy Award winner.
PHILLIPS: Among other things.
LEMON: He didn't say you're fired.
BLITZER: He didn't say you're fired, yes.
LEMON: Great minds, Wolf. Great minds. See you at the top of the hour.
PHILLIPS: The closing bell and a wrap of the action on Wall Street, straight ahead. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Well, the closing bell is about to ring on Wall Street.
LEMON: Susan Lisovicz is standing by with a final look at the trading day -- hi, Susan.
SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Don and Kyra.
(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
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