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Massive Suicide Truck Bombing at the Marriott Hotel; Wall Street Under Siege; Many Gas Stations Running Out of Gas; Nation's Financial Crunch Erupted on the Campaign Trail; Six Children in State Custody After FBI Raids an Arkansas Religious Compound
Aired September 21, 2008 - 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: Why are we running out of gas?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've been to three gas stations so far this morning, and all three have zero gas.
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LEMON: And is Congress running out of time?
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GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I believe this is going to work.
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LEMON: But on Capitol Hill --
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It does not fill in what we're going to do to protect the taxpayer.
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LEMON: And on the campaign trail --
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SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Senator Obama has declined to put forth a plan of his own.
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: They have run this economy into the ground.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Partisan politics could stall the quick fix.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And she didn't sound right, and then seconds later there was just a pretty loud bang.
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LEMON: Out of nowhere, a helicopter spirals right into a home filled with children. This and the rest of the stories and pictures you haven't seen until right now.
And hello, everyone, I'm Don Lemon. We have had a weekend to digest. Five days of upheaval in the nation's financial markets. And less than 12 hours from now, we start all over again. It was a week ago tonight that we began our show with word that Wall Street was under siege. And in the past seven days, we've learned that what happens on Wall Street can have a huge effect on all of us. But what happens on Wall Street in the morning could depend on what's happening right now in Washington.
You're looking at live pictures of Capitol Hill where congressional leaders are trying to hammer out the details on that unprecedented $700 billion bailout legislation. They want the rest of us to go about our business as usual, but that's not so easy in parts of the south and along the eastern seaboard tonight where many gas stations are simply running out of gas.
It is a delayed reaction to those Gulf Coast storms that shut down refineries, and the question is, will you be able to fill up tomorrow? One Tennessee iReporter tried, and he couldn't.
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VIDEO BY JUSTIN SHREINER, MOUNT JULIET, TENNESSEE: This is The Kroger, one of the few places left with gas today, I guess. And here's a line of cars that goes all the way out -- all the way out to the light, waiting to get in to pump gas. CITGO is empty. No prices, no cars. Shell. Shell is done for the day. No prices on their signs either. No cars over there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: And we have gotten lots of reports just like that one from several different states, and it's not clear when the situation is going to get better. We'll have more on the potential effects of this gas crunch a little bit later on in the show.
First, let's head to Washington now. They're using what can only be described as ominous language about what is at stake here. Everyone from the Treasury secretary to keep members of Congress agrees, a planned $700 billion financial rescue plan is a must-do and sooner rather than later. What's left to decide, though, are some very tricky details. CNN's Kate Bolduan is on Capitol Hill.
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KATE BOLDUAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With an eye toward Monday's open of the financial markets, Sunday, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson pressed for immediate action on the administration's historic plan. HENRY PAULSON, TREASURY SECRETARY: What I'm saying is we need this to be clean and quick, and we need to get it in place. The biggest help we can give to the American people is to stabilize our financial system right now.
BOLDUAN: Sensing the urgency of the financial crisis, congressional leaders pledge bipartisan agreement.
REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R), MINORITY LEADER: This could be the most serious financial crisis that the world has ever dealt with, and this is not the time for people to be playing games.
BOLDUAN: Democrats don't dispute that but say taxpayers should have some protection because they're taking on the hefty burden of a potential $700 billion price tag.
SEN. CHRIS DODD (D), BANKING COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN: We make a huge mistake if we just basically write a check for $700 billion and turn it over without demanding accountability, addressing home ownership and raising major concerns about taxpayer exposure.
BOLDUAN: Other possible additions, limiting executive compensation or a second stimulus package. But Secretary Paulson says the priority must remain, emergency help the financial markets to avert further crisis.
PAULSON: What we're doing right now is first, stabilizing the market. That is only part of it. Once we stabilize the market, we need to ask ourselves, how did we get here? And what do we do about it so we don't get here again?
BOLDUAN (on camera): Treasury and Congressional staffers and lawmakers have been in talks throughout the weekend. The big question, no matter what final form this plan takes, will it work? Now, Secretary Paulson says it must, and lawmakers aim for final passage by the end of the week.
Kate Bolduan, CNN, Capitol Hill.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Well, while Wall Street waits on Washington, a lot of us are wondering what we can expect when the markets open tomorrow morning. Tom Henske is in New York tonight. He is a partner at the financial advisory firm Lenox Advisers. What can we expect tomorrow?
TOM HENSKE, LENOX ADVISORS: I think we're going to see more of the same over the next couple of months. We're going to see a lot of volatility, and panic will lead as opposed to fundamentals. So I think -- I think this should be a positive note, but last week we saw some positive notes, and only to see the market go down. So I think we're going to see more of the same.
LEMON: Well, that's a very interesting thing because on Friday the market was way up, but then we don't know come tomorrow morning after there's been a weekend and the foreign markets open, we don't know. No one really knows, right?
HENSKE: You know, no one knows. And I think as it pertains to individual investors, it's staying the course and not getting off track, not losing sight of your long-term goals with short-term decisions.
LEMON: OK, Mark, let's talk about what's happening in Washington right now, this $700 billion plan that Congress is looking over now. This is by no mean a guarantee. What happens if this doesn't work?
HENSKE: Well, I don't know. I don't think anyone could speculate at this point what will happen if it doesn't work. I think everyone is going into it with the frame of mind that it is going to work, and are proceeding cautiously.
LEMON: OK. Mark Henske is with the financial advisory firm Lenox Advisers. We appreciate you joining us tonight. Thank you very much, sir.
The nation's financial crunch erupted on the campaign trail this week, and it took the two presidential hopefuls a few days to find their footing. CNN political editor Mark Preston joins me now.
Mark, John McCain tried to get out in front of this whole economic thing, but it backfired on him, didn't it?
MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICAL EDITOR: He did, absolutely. At the beginning of the week, Don, he said basically the fundamentals of the economy is strong which absolutely backfired, certainly as news got worse along the week. Now, what John McCain did try to clarify his remarks on, he said, look, when I talked about the fundamentals of the economy, I'm talking about the American worker. I will tell you that the Obama campaign has seized on those remarks and they will continue to do so over the next coming weeks, absolutely.
LEMON: All right. Barack Obama is criticizing for not moving fast enough and coming up with at least an initial plan.
PRESTON: Yes, absolutely. What Barack Obama did on Friday, Don, is he met with all these economic advisers, and he did it in Florida which is a key battleground state in this election. And after that meeting, he came out, Don, and he said, look, I don't want to offer a plan right now. I want the government to offer their plan. I don't want to try to inject any partisan politics in it. And we'll see what happens.
But I will tell you what. Probably a smart political move on his part just to take a step back, given the volatility of what's going on here in Washington and certainly New York.
LEMON: All right. Mark Preston, thank you very much. Mark, I want you to stand by because we know this is going to be a big issue when the debates happen on Friday this week. Mark is going to join me in just a little bit. We're going to talk about that as well.
One more note on the White House race. This is debate week, as I mentioned. The first face-to-face showdown between John McCain and Barack Obama is this coming Friday night at 9:00 Eastern. Join the Best Political Team on Television for your front-row seat in that.
Debate night in America, presidential candidates, Friday, September 26th, Obama and McCain face off on the issues. You'll see that in just a little bit.
Well, forget the old anxiety about high gas prices. In some parts of the country, there's no gas for sale anyplace.
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VOICE OF UNIDENTIFIED IREPORTER: Many drivers in the south are still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Ike. Most stations in the Anniston, Alabama, here have no gas. Those few who do have very long lines.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How long you been waiting in line?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Probably about 35 minutes.
UNIDENTIFIED IREPORTER: Many smaller stations have been dry now for almost a week.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm just kind of surprised that there's only, like, two gas stations. (INAUDIBLE).
UNIDENTIFIED IREPORTER: When fuel shipments are received, sometimes police or store personnel are need to do direct traffic and keep people in check.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE).
UNIDENTIFIED IREPORTER: What it all boils down to --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You've got to have gas.
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LEMON: We've been hearing a lot of stories like that from our viewers and from our iReporters, and we wanted to see for ourselves just how bad things are. So I sent CNN Nicole Lapin on a little gas run, and here's what she found.
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NICOLE LAPIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The search for gas is on in the southeast.
How many stations have you been to?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I've been to, like, four different stations. And I haven't gotten any gas. LAPIN: Out, out, and out. And it's all because the colonial pipeline that runs from Gulf Coast refineries to dozens of states including Georgia, Tennessee and South Carolina has been running low since Gustav and Ike.
VOICE OF STEVE BAKER, COLONIAL PIPELINE SPOKESMAN: Since the hurricanes both hit, we have been tapping the reserves of the stockpiles of the fuels that were made before the hurricanes hit, and we've been delivering those. And that's caused us to operate at a reduced rate, less than we're capable of. So that's been part of the problem that we've faced, and we're trying to overcome.
LAPIN: Until then, many of Atlanta stations may be out of a certain grade if they're not totally out of gas.
How much would you pay for gas right now? If this station had gas and it was $5 a gallon, would you pay that?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sure, yes.
LAPIN: You'd pay anything?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
LAPIN: Desperate drivers would pay anything.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All them people just waiting on gas.
LAPIN: But in Nashville some would do anything, too.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's very scary. I've never seen anything like this.
LAPIN: When folks there heard there was a rumor that there was a gas shortage, they hoarded. And because of that, an estimated three- fourths of stations had no gas going into the weekend. Call it a self-fulfilling prophecy, whatever you call it, people are taking anything they can get.
Is it going slow?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's -- yes, a lot slower than normal, I guess.
LAPIN: You're on empty?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No gas.
LAPIN: Few.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
LAPIN: So we have a little trickle. Every little bit helps, I guess.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. I take what I can get, I guess. Right now, I've got almost a gallon. So that will get me somewhere.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Nicole Lapin joins us from a gas station in the Atlanta, Georgia, area. And that was earlier, Nicole. What are you seeing now as it gets later?
LAPIN: Well, Don, I will say I hope that guy got home safely because he said he had 35 minutes to get home. But now, you know, the representative we spoke with from the pipeline said that things should be up and normal by later in the week. He also, I should say, said that things should not trickle over to the rest of the country, Don.
LEMON: So we hope. You got any tips for people? What can they do, Nicole?
LAPIN: Well, I will say that I spoke to a representative from Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, TEMA, and he says if you don't have to top off, if you have half a tank of gas, let's say, don't. He also cautions against this mass exodus to gas stations like this where they only have regular at this hour. We spoke to the manager. And he has about 1,000 gallons left. And after that, they are done. So the representative really said this is not apocalyptic, and bluntly, he told me, Don, chill out, which I think is a good lesson for all of us.
LEMON: Well, we shall see, let's hope. All right. Nicole Lapin, thank you very much for that live report.
Are you having trouble filling up your tank? Is your local station out of gas? Make sure you send us an iReport. Send our your photos and your videos as well. It is easy. Just logon to ireport.com and then follow the instructions there.
Six children are in state custody tonight after the FBI raids an Arkansas religious compound where they lived. Arrest warrants may be next. The latest on a story we brought you last night.
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LEMON: We want to update you on a disturbing story we first broke last night here on CNN. Six children from a religious compound in Arkansas are now in temporary custody of State Child Welfare officials. State and federal authorities arrived at the property last night just before sundown. The allegations that prompted the raid were chilling.
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LEMON (voice-over): This is the third time federal and state police have raided one of Tony Alamo's Christian Ministries compound. The FBI says this latest operation in southwest Arkansas follows a two-year investigation into possible child pornography.
TOM BROWN, FBI SPECIAL AGENT: State investigation is aimed at allegations that children living at the Alamo facilities may have been sexually and physically abused. LEMON: Authorities have not disclosed how many children live in the compound. Owner and Minister Tony Alamo denies any wrongdoing. CNN reached him by phone in Los Angeles.
LEMON: Why would they just make up these allegations against you, Mr. Alamo?
ALAMO: Why did they make up allegations against Jesus and nailed him to the cross? They will not find any pornography there. There is none. There never was any. And there's the child abuse or child pornography or anything like that. They are barking up the wrong tree, this time.
LEMON: Alamo has not been charged. But one U.S. attorney told the Associated Press he expects a warrant to be issued for him in the coming days. The arrest wouldn't be the first for the religious leader. Alamo and his group have a long history of legal troubles. Alamo was arrested in Tampa, Florida, in July 1991, charged with threatening a federal judge in Arkansas who ruled against Alamo in a child custody case. He was later acquitted of the charges.
That same year, six former followers were awarded $1.8 million for violations of federal labor laws for their work in one of Alamo's businesses. Alamo eventually spent four years in prison from 1994 to 1998 for tax evasion. Alamo has been praised by some, criticized by others.
LYNN LAROWE, "TEXARKANA GAZETTE": It's not very rare to come out of any baseball game or whatever and find Alamo literature on your car. Now, as to his popularity, there are quite a few people around here with whom he isn't so popular. You know, the people who live on his compound and the people who attend his church, he is, but around here he is an extremely controversial figure.
LEMON: Some critics regard his ministry as a cult.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I believe in my heart that the compound in Texas, it was right. It is no worse than this compound here.
LEMON: Investigators are not saying what they found inside of the compound. And the fate of the children who call the property home is still a mystery.
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LEMON: No formal charges have been filed in that case.
Out of the sky and into a suburban Wisconsin house.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I heard what sounded like thunder, all right, there was a big boom. It was obvious to me something hit us. I thought it was lightning.
(END VIDEO CLIP) LEMON: A helicopter crashes the neighborhood.
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LEMON: Most people can't even imagine this next story. It is an amazing story of survival from early this morning. Look at this incredible damage. A family of five was still sleeping when a helicopter punched through the back roof of their house. And exited out the front door. The wreckage ended up on the lawn across the street. A local fire department says it's a miracle no one in the house was hurt. A neighbor describes what he heard and what he saw.
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GARY STIELOW, NEIGHBOR: Well, I was sound asleep and I heard the engine, heard it was in trouble. We have a couple of hospitals right here so we are used to flight for life helicopters coming in low which have woken us up before. So that was no surprise. But this time the engine didn't sound right and then seconds later, there was just a pretty loud bang.
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LEMON: Well, two people aboard the chopper, a man and a woman, were killed. Jay Olstad of affiliate WTMJ spoke with the understandably shaken homeowner.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Very loud. It was something coming out of the sky or something. You know, I didn't know if it was a missile or what.
JAY OLSTAD, WTMJ CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It was 5:30 this morning when neighbors heard it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It sounded like it was just literally right over the tops of our houses.
OLSTAD: Over her house, but right through Noel Wilson's.
NOEL WILSON, HELICOPTER CRASHED INTO HOME: I didn't know what hit us.
OLSTAD: Wilson, his wife Carla and their three children, ages two to nine, were sleeping upstairs. The parents on one side of the house, the kids on the other. That is when this helicopter crashed right down the middle of their house and outside the front door.
WILSON: We heard what sounded like thunder. All right. There's a big boom. It was obvious to me something hit us. I thought it was lightning.
OLSTAD: Neighbors immediately rushed over and Carla and Noel handed down their children.
WILSON: Don't turn any lights on. Let's just get everyone together and get out of here as fast as possible.
OLSTAD: Noel's first thought was for his family, his kids. And only when he got out of his house did he realize what was going on.
WILSON: We were definitely being watched out for today. There's no question about that in my mind.
OLSTAD: And as he tells his story, he can't help but wonder why his life was spared but two others were not.
WILSON: How we walked out with not even a scratch, I don't quite grasp it myself at the moment.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Federal investigators should have a preliminary report on the crash in about a week.
A hope of prognosis for two rock musicians burned late Friday in a fiery crash on their Learjet. Doctors now say DJ A.M. and Travis Barker should make full recoveries from injuries they received in the accident. Both men managed to crawl out of the wreckage, but four other people died. The musicians were returning to Los Angeles following a concert in Columbia, Carolina. The jet crashed while taking off.
The deadly truck bomb attack on a Marriott Hotel in Pakistan caught on tape. You won't believe how many bombs were in that truck.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: All right. Welcome back, everyone. I'm Don Lemon. Here's some of the stories we're following for you tonight. Gas stations out of gas. The last thing you want to see in the midst of a financial crisis, drivers in parts of the south report lots of stations are simply running on empty. The storms that shut down refineries in the Gulf of Mexico squeezed inventories and threw a wrench into the distribution system. One pipeline company says it could take weeks for supplies to get back to normal.
And in Arkansas tonight, six children are in state custody as part of an abuse and child porn investigation of Evangelist Tony Alamo. The controversial minister's compound was raided last night. Alamo has not been charged.
Also, we want to show you an incredible scene in Wisconsin that happened this morning. A helicopter crashed through the roof of this house and crashed back out through the front door. Can you believe that? Well, it killed two people on board, but amazingly, a family of five inside survived, all of them were unharmed.
And there may be some tropical activity developing in the Caribbean. We're watching that along with our Jacqui Jeras who's in the severe weather center tonight.
Jacqui? (WEATHER REPORT)
LEMON: Jacqui Jeras, thank you very much for that.
We want to turn now to news overseas. To Pakistan first. We're getting our first glimpses of a massive suicide truck bombing at the Marriott Hotel. It's in Islamabad. You're seeing the weapons. And that is the truck. That was the beginning of this attack. It's bigger and deadlier than we first thought. Let's go straight to CNN's Dan Rivers now. He joins us from Islamabad.
Dan, we saw that truck video. Amazing that it could get through those gates.
DAN RIVERS, CNN BANGKOK CORRESPONDENT: That's right, yes. It's a huge truck. You can see from that video. It's not just a small car. This is a massive truck, packed with high-grade military explosives. The interior ministry is saying it's a mixture of TNT and something called RDX, much more powerful than the sort of potassium chlorate mixture that's been used in previous bombings. I'm standing in front of what is left of the Marriott Hotel. It's now really just a completely burnt out shell. The explosion first ripped into the front and into the lobby. And we went through that this morning. The crater itself where the bomb went off is about 20 feet deep, believe it or not. And then we walked through the lobby and all the interior had been ripped apart. Even right back out to the swimming pool out the back, there's fairly extensive damage.
And then upstairs, after the explosion, there was a huge fireball that engulfed the rest of the hotel, they think caused by a ripped gas main. So, the entire building now is just completely gutted. There's very little chance of them being able to salvage much of that, I would think.
LEMON: All right. Thank you very much for that, sir.
Two people wounded in Wednesday's attack on the U.S. Embassy in Yemen, well, they have died, raising the death toll to 19. Armed militants in vehicles packed with explosives hit the main access gate. This is the aftermath. Police arrested 25 suspects. This attack has been labeled the deadliest assault on a U.S. embassy in decades.
All this unrest overseas happening as both presidential candidates prepare for a foreign policy debate that will happen next week. Let's bring back in our political editor, Mark Preston.
Mark, how might Barack Obama use this unrest in his strategy for the debate?
MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICAL EDITOR: Well, Don, clearly, he's at a disadvantage right now when it comes to the issue of foreign policy. Whenever you look at any polls, when it comes to Iraq or comes to terrorism, John McCain has a double-digit lead over who would do a better job.
So, Barack Obama needs to go into this debate on Friday night. He really needs to convey a couple things. One, he has to convey that he's presidential and he's able to handle the job from day one. Second thing he needs to hammer home is on Iraq, that even though he wasn't in Congress and didn't have to make a vote, that he had the proper judgment on Iraq. And the third thing he really needs to do is he needs to tell the American people or at least convey to them that he's the right person to help re-establish ties with Europe and other parts of the world because the fact of the matter is, a lot of people will say that we have burned some bridges over the past few years and that they need to be re-established.
LEMON: OK, Mark, you say that Obama's at a disadvantage. How might McCain then use this to his advantage?
PRESTON: Well, I mean, look, John McCain just needs to go in and he needs to really convey this one point, I am going to keep you safe, Don. I will keep you safe. There will not be another attack on U.S. soil, and if there is, I am the right person to make sure that we're safe. That's all he needs to do.
LEMON: And Sarah Palin meeting with the world foreign leader for the first time.
PRESTON: Yes, several foreign leaders and she'll be doing that this week when the U.N. General Assembly meets in New York. She has a very tight schedule, I believe, on Monday and Tuesday up in New York. So, all the criticism that she has never met with a foreign leader, well, you can shelve that.
LEMON: All right. Mark Preston, we're going to be joining you in just a little bit to talk about some other political news as well, some things that are coming up on the campaign trail. Appreciate it. Our political editor, Mark Preston.
Also tonight, two major power shake-ups in two nations. A new coalition government is in the works in Israel after Prime Minister Ehud Olmert formally handed in his resignation. Olmert has been plagued by allegations of corruption. Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni is now trying to put together a new government, meeting with potential coalition partners. It's not set in stone that Livni will take over, but she is the leading candidate after winning a party primary election last week.
And in South Africa, longtime President Thabo Mbeki says he plans to quit, but he's not saying when he'll actually leave office. The African National Congress party had asked Mbeki to leave before his term was up after allegations he interfered in a corruption case against political rival Jacob Zuma. Zuma's now elected to run for presidency. Mbeki's been in office nearly a decade after replacing Nelson Mandela.
China's tainted milk outbreak is more widespread than initially reported. The Health Ministry now reports nearly 13,000 infants and children have been sickened by milk powder suspected of being contaminated with a toxic chemical. That's more than twice the number of children than previously reported. One suspected case has now surfaced in Hong Kong, the first outside of the mainland China. At least four deaths have been reported.
Battleground Florida and the fight for the Jewish vote. We'll bring out the electoral map for you.
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LEMON: OK, let's talk more presidential politics now and the state-by-state battle for the White House. The CNN electoral map gives us a snapshot of where the race stands. Some of the states highlighted in yellow are considered are toss-up states. Yellow are toss-up. Among the latest shifts, Missouri, now leans towards John McCain. Oregon is safe for Obama. And Wisconsin is now rated a toss- up after most recently leaning toward Barack Obama.
According to CNN's estimates, so, if the election were held today, Barack Obama would win 233 electoral votes and John McCain would win 200. 115 would still be up for grabs, and a total of 270, of course, votes are needed to win the White House.
Battleground states like Wisconsin and Missouri will probably be in play all the way up to Election Day. And Florida, as usual, will be in the mix as well. Our chief national correspondent, John King, reports both candidates are working hard to win a key Florida voting bloc.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Early morning at a retirement community synagogue. Coffee, bagels and outreach critical to Democratic chances in battleground Florida.
HALIE SOIFER, OBAMA FLORIDA JEWISH OUTREACH: We are here today to talk about Senator Barack Obama and Joe Biden's records and to ensure that Barack Obama is elected the next president of the United States.
KING: The turnout is proof of enthusiasm in the Democratic ranks. Still, many on hand were Hillary Clinton supporters and say some friends are still slow to warm to Obama. Others worry aloud Obama isn't tough enough to win.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He has to get specific and tell the American people, let's wake up, this is what's happening.
KING: South Florida Jews are a loyal Democratic base. But there's more competition this year as Republicans aggressively remind pro-Israel voters, Obama, in a primary debate last July, said he would be willing to sit down with Iran's president without preconditions, his first year in office. The campaign now says Obama favors aggressive diplomacy but with strict conditions on high-level meetings.
DAN SHAPIRO, SR. OBAMA MIDDLE EAST ADVISER: You may hear and you may see ads or see rumors that, well, Barack Obama wants to go and have coffee with Ahmadinejad, the President of Iran. Not true. Not true. Not true. KING: Broward and Palm Beach counties are Democratic strongholds. But State Representative Adam Hasner heads the McCain campaign Jewish outreach program, he believes is making a significant dent in Obama support.
REP. ADAM HASNER, MCCAIN FLORIDA JEWISH OUTREACH: We do know that he wants to sit down with President Ahmadinejad. John McCain has a long proven track record on his support for the safety and security of Israel. And I think that's going to be very important to the Jewish community, and this is the year when more Jews are going to be voting Republican than ever before.
KING: At the Boca Diner, there is evidence of McCain inroads. Jules Weiss voted Democratic in 2000 and again in 2004, but says Obama isn't ready.
JULES WEISS, FLORIDA RESIDENT: I think that it's just -- to me, it's just ludicrous to have a neophyte for president and the experienced one as his assistant. That just doesn't make sense.
KING: Ruth Goldberg is no Obama fan either, but likes McCain even less.
RUTH GOLDBERG: It's a very difficult thing. I really don't want Obama, but I think that's what we have to do if we don't want Bush again. It's as simple as that, right?
KING: Seven weeks to Election Day, and Florida once again in the thick of it. John King, CNN, Delray Beach, Florida.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Seven weeks when John filed that report just a couple days ago, now six weeks until Election Day. And Barack Obama and John McCain are locked in virtual dead heat in some of those all-important battleground states. Let's bring back in our political editor, Mark Preston.
Mark, McCain has a one-point lead in Florida, one-point lead in Missouri and Wisconsin now a toss-up after recently leaning towards Obama. This just shows you how razor close these battleground states are.
PRESTON: Yes, absolutely. And even with a one-point lead, it basically means that the race is tied. Now, talking about John King's report right there, let me give you some numbers, Don.
Just in the last two weeks alone, both campaigns have spent about $4 million combined to try to win those 27 electoral votes down in Florida. They are gunning for those votes. That is a very important state. As you look at the map there to Ohio, a very important state. A lot of money being spent there, probably about $3.5 million in the last two weeks between the two campaigns. These are two states that George Bush won in 2000, and in 20004, and if Barack Obama hopes to win, he has to win at least one of these states. LEMON: Yes. And the yellow states, just so we can make our viewers know, the yellow states are the toss-up states there. And it's always interesting, Mark, because the campaigns will say, you know, we don't care about the polls, but they really do care about that electoral map because that makes all of the difference.
All right. Let's talk about their strategies, can we? Because coming up, you know, on Friday, it's the first debate, and they're going to be focusing on foreign policy and probably will get some other questions in there as well. I want to start talk to you again about this idea of strategy because, you know, that's what they're working on now.
Let's start with John McCain first. What do you think his point -- what is he strategizing most about especially when it comes to foreign policy that he's going to, you know, do come right out of the gate with?
PRESTON: Well, look, John McCain just really has to show that he's confident and he has to tell the American people that he will keep them safe. Again, what we talked a little bit about before, he is the person who should be in the White House. He is the steady hand at the ship. He is the one that if we are attacked again on U.S. soil or even when we see these attacks in Pakistan, he is the one with the judgment.
He'll also point out, I'm sure several times during the debate, that the surge in Iraq worked. This is something that Barack Obama did not support. John McCain did.
LEMON: And you know what I've been reading a lot about, too, and hearing our political team talk about as well is this notion that John McCain is sort of hot tempered, and Barack Obama may try to use that to his advantage to throw him off and to bring his temper out and the American people will get to see that he does -- his temper does flare.
PRESTON: Well, that would be quite a show if Barack Obama was successful, but I can tell you that I think John McCain, you know, has wanted this ever since 2000, ever since he lost, I am sure he is going to keep in check any anger that he might have inside of him. But I'm sure that Barack Obama will try to do anything to win the debate, as will John McCain.
LEMON: And foreign policy, you know, this is really probably John McCain's strength, Barack Obama's weakness. So, he's coming at this really -- it's not a level playing field that most would consider. So, what does Obama need to do when talking about foreign policy -- he needs to show people that he is ready as well even though he has not been on the national stage as long as John McCain.
PRESTON: Yes, absolutely. He has to show that he's ready and that his judgment is better and the fact that John McCain has been in Congress now since the mid-'80s doesn't mean that you are absolutely qualified to be the commander-in-chief. But I'll tell you what, this is about foreign policy and that will be the majority of what we'll hear during this debate, Don. But look, I wouldn't be surprised if the first question is the economy because this has become a global problem. It's not just here in the U.S.
LEMON: Hey, Mark, real quick, I've got a real quick question for you. I've also heard that Barack Obama can't come off so brainy and thought-out. He has to be crisper and shorter and more concise in his answers in this debate.
PRESTON: Yes, which was, you know, something he needed to do work on and something he did better over the primaries through the 20- plus debates. Some people say that he acts like a professor. He does need to tighten it up.
LEMON: Mark Preston, appreciate it. Thank you, sir.
PRESTON: Thank you.
LEMON: Well, another reminder for you. This is debate week. The first showdown between John McCain and Barack Obama is Friday night, 9:00 Eastern. Join the Best Political Team on Television for your front row seat.
And in three years after the Atlanta courthouse shootings, the Brian Nichols trial, remember him? It is finally set to begin. But how does a defense team plan to defend him?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: I remember the Atlanta courthouse shooting rampage just a few years back. It happened right here in downtown Atlanta, blocks from the CNN world headquarters. Well, this is video of the alleged shooter, Brian Nichols, just days after the shooting.
It has been more than three years. And after quite a few setbacks and delays, the case is finally going to trial. Prosecutors and defense attorneys plan to deliver their opening statements tomorrow. Nichols is accused of killing three people at the Fulton County Courthouse including a judge, then killing a federal agent later that day.
You know, joining me right now, criminal defense attorney and prosecutor B.J. Bernstein. She has been following this from the beginning.
And I've been speaking with you about this as well as other cases, but B.J., what took so long for this trial to start and all of the millions and millions of dollars in this?
B.J. BERNSTEIN, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: You know, ever since this one day, which I'll never forget because I was over here. I was on my way to the Fulton County Courthouse and was stopped on the way with a phone call about what was happening there. And ever since those 26 hours where Atlanta was really kept in fear, everything that could happen to be exposed about the judicial system has happened with this one case, in terms of having difficulty with the appointment of counsel.
You know, remember that lawyers in Atlanta couldn't really be selected because we all knew the judge. We're all part of the community and the courthouse. So, they got out-of-state lawyers. It essentially bankrupted our statewide criminal justice system, defense system here.
LEMON: My gosh.
BERNSTEIN: Then we had issues with the judge. The judge spoke to the media and ended up resigning, and we now have a new judge, Judge Bodiford, who has really been the reason, I think, right now, why we're actually starting opening arguments tomorrow.
LEMON: Yes and when you hear about this, you go, my gosh, you know, the possibility of a mistrial. That's what people think when they hear about all of this, you know, all of these delays that have happened. There was just a big settlement with the court reporter's family and with the judge's family as well that came down late last week.
BERNSTEIN: Exactly. There were a lot of lawsuits after this because besides all the problems with the case itself, it brought up security issues, how the sheriff's department here in Atlanta took care of those judges, took care of the employees and, of course, there were lawsuits that followed, and rightly so, the family was compensated. And that, at least, is a start for peace for those families.
LEMON: OK. So I know that, you know, you can't make predictions, but do you think -- are you hopeful, and, I guess, people in the town, who are familiar with law matters that this will go off without many more problems?
BERNSTEIN: You know, I'll never going to say never with this case because every day something's new. Now, this judge has made the right decision of moving the case away from the Fulton County Courthouse. That's been a big issue because originally the trial was going to be at the place of the crime scene, which is unheard of. So, he's moved it, and now the big battle's going to be the defense of insanity. It's not whether Brian Nichols killed anyone that day. It was what was his mindset and can he be held guilty and beyond that, should he get the death penalty?
LEMON: It's very interesting when you said it bankrupted the judicial system here and it exposed that. Unbelievable.
BERNSTEIN: Exactly. And, I mean, really symptomatic of everything that's going on in the world. How one incident can show how we all want to help the court.
LEMON: Snowball. Yes. Thank very much, B.J. Bernstein. We appreciate you joining us late here on a Sunday night.
BERNSTEIN: Thanks, Don.
LEMON: A loss that defies description.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The pain in the stomach, just quivering all day, can't think, can't do much of nothing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: A soldier killed in Iraq allegedly by another soldier, and the victim's parents aren't getting any answers. You will meet them.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: A harsh reality of war is loss of life. But when a soldier is killed by a comrade, it's a lot harder to swallow, especially when there's no explanation for it. Brooke Baldwin has one family's story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MAXINE MATHIS, STEPMOTHER: I lost my little boy. He was one in a million.
BROOKE BALDWIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Losing a child in a war would make any parent weep, but for this Florida family, learning their son died not by enemy fire but at the hands of an American soldier seems incomprehensible.
M. MATHIS: I wish this is over. I want it to be over. That's all I want.
BALDWIN: Darryl and Maxine Mathis's son, 24-year-old Staff Sergeant Darris Dawson, was shot last Sunday along with another U.S. soldier at a base south of Baghdad. Since that afternoon, these Pensacola parents say they haven't heard much from the military. The suspect, a fellow soldier. The motive, unknown. And they don't understand why they haven't learned more.
DARRYL MATHIS, FATHER: Something is amiss there. And we don't know what it is. They're holding something back.
BALDWIN: The U.S. military did release this statement in reference to the incident, quote, "A U.S. soldier is in custody in connection with the shooting deaths. He is being held in custody pending review by a military magistrate. The incident continues under investigation."
That is not enough for this grieving family. Instead, they're stuck, searching for information anywhere they can find it.
D. MATHIS: We have a lot of different stories about what happened. So, we don't know what to believe at this point.
BALDWIN: All this couple wants now is answers.
D. MATHIS: The pain in the stomach, just quivering all day, can't think, can't do much of nothing.
BALDWIN: Anything to explain how their son could have died this way.
Brooke Baldwin, CNN, Pensacola, Florida.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: We're going to update our top story for you because folks are running on empty, drivers are striking out at gas stations in the south.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: All right. We want to share some of the stories behind this amazing video that's coming in here to CNN. First up, take a look at this one. Pull that one for us. And it's a bone-shattering crash of a racing boat. This was a practice run in San Diego. The boat was going 180 miles an hour when it briefly went airborne and then it came back down in splinters. Incredibly, the driver got out with only minor injuries. All right, let's push that one back. Wow! Can't believe that.
Take a look at that one. Bring it forward. OK. It is a piece of Miami history. It is down in a cloud of dust. This was the former home of the Miami Heat and also the Miami Panthers. It was knocked down today to make room for something bigger and better. Progress, they're saying. Progress. All right. Push this one back.
And sadly, Jacqui, come here and help me out with this one because we've got to pull it forward. Wave goodbye. Wave goodbye.
JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Goodbye, Yankee Stadium.
LEMON: The house that Ruth built, right? Tonight is Yankee Stadium's final inning and fans were let in ahead of time so that they could sort of soak up the atmosphere there, grab some mementos, the seats and what have you. And they're going to -- they're still have time, though, before the aging building comes down. I am told by my executive producer here that the Yankees are winning tonight.
JERAS: My goodness.
LEMON: Eric, what's the score again? 8-4 -- 5-3.
JERAS: 5-3, all right.
LEMON: 5-3 against Baltimore. So, there you go.
JERAS: That's the way they started, you know. The first game here, Babe Ruth, 1923, hit three-run homer. And it's history. There you go. Look at that.
LEMON: How beautiful is that? All right, Jacqui Jeras. All right. Can we turn now to the weather and also travel tomorrow? Are people going to have any problems getting around?
(WEATHER REPORT) LEMON: It's sad, right? A new beautiful home. I wish they could leave both of them just standing. You know, make a museum or something.
JERAS: So much history. So much history there.
LEMON: All right. Thank you very much for that, Jacqui. We want to recap our top stories before we go tonight. Drivers in parts of the south, this is a concern, and all along the Eastern Seaboard, report lots of gas stations are running on empty. The storm that shut down refineries along the Gulf of Mexico squeezed inventories and threw a wrench into the distribution system. One pipeline company says it could take weeks for supplies to get back to normal.
And we're just hours away from a new trading week on Wall Street. Investors have one eye on Washington where congressional leaders are trying to hammer out the details on the planned $700 billion financial rescue. I'm Don Lemon. I'll see you back here at 10:00 p.m. Eastern next week. Have a great week ahead.
