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Firefighters Battle Massive Blaze in California; Big Three Meltdown; Where's Evo Morales?
Aired November 17, 2008 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Coming at you right now: ignorance on display in Kansas. And the baseless message is put on God and the Bible.
It's a daunting map: Cuba, Ecuador, Venezuela, Brazil, Bolivia. Have the Bush years pushed Latin America more to the left?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): Yesterday, the devil came here, right here.
SANCHEZ: I will ask the leftist president of Bolivia, Evo Morales, in a rare interview.
The protests spread, marching, screaming.
CROWD: We want equal rights.
SANCHEZ: And the painful question about same-sex marriage that divides families and a nation. You will hear both sides.
Are unionized autoworkers who have signed sweet deals keeping their industry from getting a government bailout? We will ask.
What you're talking about during lunchtime in Spokane and 3:00 in Richmond. Your newscast on the air and on the Net begins right now.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: Hello again, everybody. I'm Rick Sanchez here from the World Headquarters of CNN in Atlanta.
A bunch of stuff to get to. So, let me take you through kind of a menu of sorts of what we're going to be talking about.
Obviously, the story in California has not gone away. So, we're going to be staying on top of that fire situation.
In fact, before we do anything else, yes, let's give them a sense of the pictures that we have been monitoring and will continue to monitor. It's now several fires that are burning in the area, thousands of people who have had to leave their homes as a result, in some cases, apartment buildings, in other cases, homes, but not small homes, very large homes. As we told you about the Tea House Fire -- now, this fire we're looking at here is the freeway fire that they're also dealing with. This is KCBS pics that are coming out of Los Angeles. And we're going to be keeping our eye on this, monitoring both the information and the pics. And we get them, we're going to be sharing them with you.
Now, come back to me, if you would, Dan, because I want to show them something else.
Let's go over here. Facebook and MySpace has been buzzing with this interview that we're about to do today. I'm almost surprised at the reaction that we're getting.
Evo Morales is in the United States, spoke at the United Nations, and will speak to us on this show, very unique individual, makes this a rare interview. He doesn't speak any English. He's very much a leftist, admittedly so, and is really part of a pattern of what's going on in the United States. So, many of you want very pointed questions to him. And that's exactly what I plan to do, including your questions on Twitter.com/ricksanchezCNN and Facebook and MySpace.
But the story that really has been for the last 48 hours generating the most interest and captivating so much of the United States is the backlash that's still occurring as a result of Proposition 8, essentially banning gay marriage in the state of California.
Look at this. Look at these pictures that we have been -- 300 different cities in the United States had protests over the weekend. These are some of the cities that we have been watching in Boston, Oklahoma City, Orlando. I mean, these are from Los Angeles. There were also protests in rallies in Atlanta. This one you're looking at here, look at the number of people at this. This is KGO from San Francisco, even protests from Boise, Idaho, that have been taking place over the weekend.
There's Boston, WHDH. We thank them for their video. We have got too much video to be able to show you. In fact, if we just did nothing but show video, we could use the entire hour. That's how massive some of these protests have been.
We will stay with some of these pictures. We will dip into them. We will show them to you.
But, in the meantime, I want to introduce a couple of people who are very much tied to this particular story.
First, I want you to meet Molly McKay. She's the media director for Marriage Equality USA. There she is.
Let me just start with you, Molly.
This story seems to be taking on a life of its own. There's a real backlash, I mean, you know, a real, credible backlash that's now going on in this country. Some people would watch this and say, why so riled up? What are these folks protesting? MOLLY MCKAY, MARRIAGE EQUALITY USA: Well, I think this is really a tipping point in American civil rights for LGBT Americans.
I really feel that our community has stood up nationwide to say, the world spins forward. And though we, of course, are heartbroken over the loss of Prop 8, which was so incredibly close, what we're saying is that the world spins forward. We are -- our victory, our equality for all people is an American principle and tradition that has been extended over time. And we're not going back.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: American principle, that's an interesting point that you make.
We do have, by the way, a little bit of a problem with your microphone. It almost sounds like it's a little bit away from you. So, while you get that straight, I want to bring in Lou Engle. He's the founder of TheCall. And he's against gay marriage. He's good enough to join us as well.
You heard her say this is an American principle. By denotation, then, I guess what she's saying is that it's un-American to oppose this. How would you respond to that?
LOU ENGLE, FOUNDER, THECALL: Well, I would like to just say that the people that voted for marriage between a man and a woman, they weren't hating anybody.
They were simply saying, we believe that this is the foundations, the best for society. It seems to me that right now, the rage and the hatred is directed to a people that don't have hatred. And I am afraid for where America is going because, if this is freedom, then I'm afraid there's a lot of people who are going to suffer because of it.
SANCHEZ: Do you hate the people, Molly, who are protesting against gay marriage?
MCKAY: Of course not.
And what we believe is that we need to continue to have dialogue about equality under the law. I respect everyone's religious beliefs, not asking to get married in any church that doesn't want to marry us, but I'm saying that our Constitution has always stood for the principle of equality under the law. And there's no reason to have sexual orientation discrimination.
And it's -- you know, we make marriage -- we want to get married. We want to protect our families, like anybody else. So, of course, we don't hate anyone.
SANCHEZ: Let me take that over to Lou.
Lou, if it has nothing to do with your particular church or your organization or your community, and it's just something that's done in an organization or a church that invites it, why should it bother you?
ENGLE: Well, the redefinition of marriage is going to affect the whole society, from education on down.
And so, when you're saying it's -- it's a civil rights issue, we don't believe it's a civil rights issue. We believe that people can live the way they want to, but to redefine the very foundations of society -- we see what's happening in Europe -- basically, marriage is just going out the door. And it ends up hurting children.
SANCHEZ: So, what if the word -- if it's a semantic argument, what if the word marriage was taken out and it were called a union?
Molly, would that be OK with you?
Lou, would that be OK with you?
ENGLE: Yes, that's that's fine with us. We're saying that's fine.
But let's not redefine the very basic foundations that have been with society for generations and centuries, really. And, you know, God designed -- and a benevolent designer said it between a man and a woman. Let's not change that for...
MCKAY: The definition of marriage has changed over time. It's a loving partnership of two adults.
Sexual orientation is discrimination, is wrong. And the trends are proving this. If you look at the age in the difference and divide, clearly, young voters get this. They don't know what in the world the fuss is all about.
We want to be married. We have the same commitment. We love the same. We bleed the same. Our families -- you know, I'm going up to Thanksgiving with my in-laws, like everybody else is going to be doing next week. We just simply want to live our lives with the same protection under the law.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Where does this take us, though?
Look, it looks, Lou, to me, anyway, watching this thing develop over the last 72 hours, that these protests are not going to go away. Is there a compromise?
First you, Lou, and then Molly before we wrap this up.
ENGLE: Well, I know that believers believe in the foundations of what we believe of the -- the word of God. People will not compromise on this, because they will be -- they will stand on the foundations of truth.
Here in California, they have already changed the definition of gender. A young lady is now sharing a bathroom in a public school with a young man's bathroom because of the gender change. We can't keep just opening the door for everything. Polygamy is coming.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: So, you're making it -- I get you. And I think our viewers understand. You are making a stand and you're not willing to give in on this.
Where does that leave you, Molly?
MCKAY: We want simple equality. We want the same thing as everyone else wants.
And I would just ask to anyone who wants sort of a compromise to say, you know, if we had said back in 1967, when the Loving v. Virginia decision came up, that, you know, interracial marriage is controversial and the majority of Americans don't support you, so why don't you have an interracial marriage -- interracial union; is that going to be sufficient?
And, of course, the answer is no. We're all one people. We all deserve equality under the law.
SANCHEZ: It's interesting that you mention Thanksgiving dinner, because it sounds like the type of thing that many Americans are probably going to be mulling over themselves as they sit down to eat that dinner this year.
We will keep following this story as well and the protests.
My thanks to both of you. Lou, Molly, thanks so much for being so respectful and being with us.
ENGLE: Thank you.
MCKAY: Thank you very much.
SANCHEZ: There's a piece of this -- speaking of respectful, there is a piece of video I want you all to look at now.
Let's see if we can get that up. This is a sign. Look what it says. "America, we have a Muslim president. This is sin against the lord."
What's happening? That's what we want to know. And that's what we're going to focus on as we continue here.
We will also be bringing you my interview with Evo Morales live as it happens in simultaneous translation.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Hey, welcome back. I'm Rick Sanchez.
Want to show you some a couple of the comments that we're getting. As you know, this is very much a newscast that's really a conversation that all have all over the country. So, there's folks right now on Facebook and on MySpace and on Twitter.com/ricksanchezCNN who are watching and sharing their opinions as they watch what we're talking about.
So, let's go to that. First of all, we have a comment here that's coming in on Facebook. This is Tyler. He's watching us now. He just watched that interview we had moments ago.
And he says: "Everyone makes reference to stats in Europe about marriage. How about Canada, where gay marriage has been legal now for years? Everything is OK here," he says.
Obviously, he's watching us from Canada, international viewer.
And then there's this comment. "He is not a Muslim," says Edgar, "referring to Barack Obama. And, even if he was, so what? What should it matter? We have freedom of religion in this country."
And then Claudia is watching as well. Now, that was obviously a reaction to a story that we're going to be doing in just a little bit. Claudia watched that argument we had moments ago between our two guests.
And she's writing and saying: "Race and sexual preference are two very different things. I'm offended by the comparison. It's a slap in people of color's face."
Well, that's an interesting perspective on that as well. Think about that.
I want to talk about this now. I want you to see what is being said by the United Auto Workers in respect to the demand or question that they're being about perhaps helping to seal some kind of deal. Some are calling it a bailout. Others prefer that it be called a loan for the big three, for the big three automakers in this country.
Should your money be used, whether it's a loan or something even more generous to help them? Now, here's the key question on this now, because we have been talking about this for the last week. Here's the key question now. Will autoworkers, will the unions come in and pitch in and say, yes, we're willing to give something up if it means that we're able to come up with a deal? The word we're looking for here is concessions.
Here's what the president of the United Auto Workers said. His name is Ron Gettelfinger. Here he is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RON GETTELFINGER, PRESIDENT, UNITED AUTO WORKERS: AIG, Bear Stearns, active and retired workers, did anybody go in and ask them to give up wages and benefit levels? What about the bond traders? Did anybody ask them? What about the cleaners in the building? Why would the UAW be any different? The point that we have got to get across is, as Rick just pointed out, we made an agreement and we made major concessions.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Major concessions.
However, if you look at the history, some are arguing that rules like the 30-and-out rule that allowed some people to retire at 46 years of age with a full pension is just too costly, and it was a mistake.
Let's talk about that. We're joined now by David Kiley from "BusinessWeek" magazine.
David, you look at this, and some would argue that if the unions stay stubborn on this issue, even the Dems are going to turn away from actually helping them come up with some kind of bailout or loan proposal. You say what?
DAVID KILEY, "BUSINESSWEEK": Well, one of the things you have to remember here is that what's going on in Washington and Detroit is negotiation.
So, when you're negotiating, you're not going to put out everything you're willing to do on TV.
SANCHEZ: Am I hearing you say that you think, from your experience as a writer in the business world, that you think eventually they will succumb?
KILEY: I think that, if it's the difference between deal or no deal in saving General Motors, in saving the U.S. auto industry, if the UAW has to kick in a concession or two, they're going to do it. Otherwise, they're going to really implode their own union and implode the industry.
SANCHEZ: How important is it for them to make the concession? Can it be done without them?
KILEY: It could be. But it's very fluid in Washington.
I mean, I have been on the phone all day today with people on Capitol Hill. There's a Senate hearing tomorrow with the Senate Banking Committee, where the big three CEOs and Gettelfinger are going to testify. It's going to be in the House the day after that.
What they're looking to do is to try and educate the senators and House members who are vehemently against these loans to bail them out and educate them about what they have already done and what is kind of around the corner, because, I must tell you, I have been watching and reading a lot of the commentary in the last 10 days or so, and there's a lot of really shallow, misinformed commentary about what the auto industry is going through and what it's already done to fix and restructure itself.
SANCHEZ: Well, let's talk -- let's talk about some of those areas, because, unfortunately, the American people don't delve into this and get real deep on what the conversation is. But this is what they hear, and this is what they perceive to know. The management of the big three has not been good. They have also not kept up with what's going on all over the country. They should have known, for example, that it was time to start making smaller, more fuel-efficient cars. And, three, they gave way too much money to their employees, like this 30-and-out thing that I was just talking about.
KILEY: Yes.
SANCHEZ: Is that wrong?
KILEY: Part of the problem here, it's not -- it's not all the way wrong.
Look, I have been as critical as anybody. I have covered the industry for 25 years. General Motors management, I have been very critical of. They have made some bad decisions. Ford has had a couple of bad managers. I happen to think they have a very good one now in Alan Mulally.
And Chrysler is actually a really strange case that we're -- that they're going to have to be careful how they deal with, because Chrysler is basically owned by a hedge fund now. So -- but the thing that I guess bothers me the most is -- in covering the industry, is this idea that there's no innovation going on here...
SANCHEZ: Yes.
KILEY: ... and they have just willy-nilly been making SUVs, while Japan has been making the small cars that we want.
And that's not really true. When gas was a buck-and-a-half a gallon, everybody wanted SUVs. And Toyota, while they have a Prius, it's actually a very small percentage of their sales. Toyota also makes a pickup truck, and SUVs, and all these other things.
And you know what? For the most part, those pickup trucks and SUVs that the Japanese make aren't more fuel-efficient than the U.S. trucks and SUVs. So...
SANCHEZ: That's interesting. Well, no, it's an interesting perspective. I'm glad we had you on to give us a perspective that's not heard all of the time because of the prevailing anger that's being heard and seen in America over America getting pretty much bailout fatigue right now.
KILEY: If I could leave you with a quick analogy...
SANCHEZ: Please.
KILEY: ... a quick analogy, and that is, they have already done a lot of restructuring. The union has already given a lot back.
In 2010, after GM and the other automakers fund the health care fund for the union, their cost of sales are going to be about equal with Toyota's. So, we're sort of on the cusp here of Detroit really having fixed itself and restructured itself. And they're almost at the finish line, and we're about to toss a grenade on them because of the broader economic meltdown on Wall Street.
SANCHEZ: Well, you know, that's why, like I said, it's a good thing that we got somebody like you on, who can give us a little more of a layered look at actually what's going on. And we will continue to do so. We will get you back.
By the way, unfortunately, there's a lot of people out there who still have that perspective that I just referred to as bailout fatigue in this country.
Here's an example of what I'm talking about. This is from Facebook.
"When a guy sweeping floors at Ford," says John Robinson from Indianapolis, watching us now, "can have a better income and benefit package than an elementary school teacher, something is seriously wrong. The only reason these union jobs are so lucrative is because the companies roll on their backs like dogs" -- one man's perspective who is watching us right now from Indianapolis.
We have got so much more.
Evo Morales is going to be joining us in just a little bit. He is the president of Bolivia, part of a movement that's going on in Latin America that Americans need to know about.
Also, we will have the latest on some of the signs that we have seen across the country, the ones that seem either ignorant or hateful. You decide. We will show them to you. Stay with us. We will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: We welcome you back.
There's a couple of comments I'm seeing that are coming in that I want really to share with you.
Let me tell you first about this.
First single day, the moment I get off the air here and I start looking at either my BlackBerry or my iPhone, they start pouring in, blogs, Web sites, writing about what we say or what we did or did not say on this newscast, right?
So, here we go. Let's go through some of these.
First, the German Web site Goodplaytief (ph) says, I am catering to Republicans -- quote -- "Trying to get right with the right wing," Sanchez quotes Ronald Reagan.
I like Ronald Reagan. The French Web site Tan Dao says this after watching our show. We -- quote -- "measure our audience with Twitter, field questions." And they say, "Rick Sanchez, he listens, he's on the air live and it feels alive. It feels true."
Thanks. There's a good one.
And then Media Matters for America, this one is not so good. They did not like the question that I asked Friday of Patricia Murphy. I asked her if Obama was trying to keep his friends close, but his enemies closer -- that's Michael's one of favorite lines from "The Godfather" -- thank you very much -- by considering Hillary Clinton for secretary of state.
Thank you, Michael.
We appreciate all comments and criticisms. Please, keep them coming, good or bad. Doesn't matter.
Coming up, something that you have never seen before. I'm going to interview the leftist president of Bolivia, who does not speak English. And I will use a -- I will not use a translator.
Leftist, communist, how far is this guy going to go?
And why should we, as Americans, care? In fact, as I ask that question, I'm looking over here. And there is a comment that's popping up right now on Twitter.com, Robert. And listen to what this is. Is this the one I got at the top? Here, yes.
Look at NP9455. It says: "Half the people I know couldn't even find Bolivia on a map. Why is this important?"
Now, are we as a nation a little two ethnocentric? I don't know. Just watch this. Give me your 10 minutes, and then we will talk about it.
Evo Morales, president of Bolivia, when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, let's check out the scene downstairs here.
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Atlanta real estate agent Melissa Morgan is helping Clare Brown navigate a market that's overcrowded with properties, but not so many buyers.
MELISSA MORGAN, REAL STATE AGENT: I think buyers are just overwhelmed with the number inventory that we see on the market today.
ROMANS: Clare wants a home with a rental unit that could provide extra income. She's decided to act now while prices are lower. CLARE BROWN, PROSPECTIVE HOME BUYER: I'm more motivated by what's happening in the stock market. What's happening with the weakness of the U.S. dollar.
ROMANS: Personal finance author Eric Tyson says long-term investment properties can pay off. But in today's economy, would-be landlords need to realize they won't always have tenants.
ERIC TYSON, PERSONAL FINANCE AUTHOR: You can't assume that the property is going to be rented a 100 percent of the time. You're going to have a certain vacancy rate.
ROMANS: If you're prepared for those hassles, he says there are deals to be had.
TYSON: We've gone through a pretty significant correction, of the likes of which we really haven't seen since the early 1990s. There really are some terrific buying opportunities right now if you do your homework and be careful about what you buy.
ROMANS: Christine Romans, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: And we welcome you back.
Take a look at some of these pictures that we're getting in now. These are live pictures, once again, from KCBS, KCAL, in Los Angeles as well.
As we get the pictures, we're monitoring what we're being told now is finally a little bit of good news coming from the California area. And that is that the winds are starting to subside. The winds really have been key on this fire. As they blow through some of those canyons, they spread this fire from neighborhood to neighborhood, in some cases, from home to home. That is what's caused already thousands of people to have to evacuate the area.
We're going to be obviously staying on top of this real desperate situation for some of the folks there.
We're also getting information now from some of the folks with President Evo Morales that they may not do this interview that we have been telling you about, after all. We're not quite sure what's going on here, but it's certainly perplexing enough for me -- something that we had carefully set up with them. All matters had been worked out, details discussed.
Stay with us here, though, because I think this is something we'll probably be able to work out. And if we can, we'll be able to bring it to you.
He went -- he was at the United Nations scheduled to go to the Time Warner Center. And then he's also going to be speaking tonight at Fordham University.
If we're able to hook this up right away, we'll turn it around.
In the meantime, I want to bring you up to date on the other big story that we've been following, having to do with Hillary Clinton with Barack Obama -- as in Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. We have been asking all the political experts that we can find to see if they see this as a bonus, a benefit. And is she up for the job or up to the job? What we found may surprise you.
Here now, Jim Acosta.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SEN. HILLARY CLINTON (D), NEW YORK: I'm going to say that I'm not going to speculate or...
JIM ACOSTA, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over):
Barack Obama's first potential cabinet pick, Hillary Clinton as secretary of state, has the makings of a blockbuster. Prominent Republicans are weighing in, with Nixon era Secretary of State Henry Kissinger saying she would be an outstanding appointment.
ED ROLLINS, GOP STRATEGIST: I think it's a brilliant move. I personally think that, you know, she came within 100 delegates of being president of the United States. You know, I think she's got worldwide experience.
ACOSTA: Still, there's enough baggage in the Obama-Clinton relationship to fill Air Force One -- like the 3:00 a.m. ad Clinton ran trying to raise doubts about Obama's ability to handle a foreign crisis.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, FROM HILLARY CLINTON FOR PRESIDENT)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's 3:00 a.m., time for a president who's ready.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: During the campaign, the New York senator questioned Obama's stated interest in diplomacy with countries like Iran. She gave this dire warning to the Iranians should it ever launch a nuclear strike against Israel.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM YOUTUBE.COM)
CLINTON: We would be able to totally obliterate them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: And Clinton once ridiculed Obama's opposition to the war in Iraq.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) CLINTON: Senator McCain will bring a lifetime of experience to the campaign. I will bring a lifetime of experience. And Senator Obama will bring a speech that he gave in 2002.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ACOSTA: Then there are the political implications. Analysts point to the upside -- picking Clinton would reward her legions of supporters, many of them women. Downsides -- passing on Bill Richardson could disappoint Hispanic voters.
Also, where would Joe Biden's years of global experience fit in with Clinton at State?
And then there's the matter of the former president.
Yet campaign strategists say it is this unforgettable rivalry that could strengthen Obama as a new president.
JAMES CARVILLE, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: She's, you know, terrific for that position. And the fact that he's willing to put all of this aside and go with what's obviously the best choice for the position here says a lot really good about him.
ACOSTA: Barack Obama has often praised the book "Team of Rivals," written by historian Doris Kearns Goodwin. The book is about Abraham Lincoln's decision to appoint political adversaries to his cabinet. Lincoln wanted debates in his White House, not group think.
Jim Acosta, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: Talk about political adversaries -- imagine if John McCain were also asked to be a part of Barack Obama's administration. Well, there was a meeting that's got a lot of people asking that question and thinking about it. There now, John McCain with Barack Obama. Maybe the title should be Together Again.
No, there were no actual -- how should I say this -- there were no actual offers made by Barack Obama to John McCain. Certainly it's been part of the speculation. None of it, at this point, has been confirmed, we should pass on. Interesting picture to look at, though.
And this, though -- as we told you, we're trying to see if we can hook up that interview with Evo Morales, the president of Bolivia. A lot of you are now chiming in.
As a matter of fact, let's go to our Twitter board, if we possibly can. I want to show you what some of the folks have been saying.
First, let's go right to the very top. And you'll see that some people disagree with the last person who called us and said they don't really -- they had no interest in this story because they couldn't find Bolivia on a map. "More interested in the Morales story than Clinton. Sorry."
Interesting enough.
Also, this viewer is asking whether it's something to do with what I said. Auritech says: "I think it's the way you've been setting up the interview -- throwing the words leftist and communist. They may be offended."
Is that possible?
How would one be able to do an interview with someone like Evo Morales without mentioning that part of the story?
It certainly would be salient, noteworthy, if not newsworthy. It's something maybe we should consider. And if we get a chance to talk to his camp some more, I'll fill you in. I will let you know what they're saying up to this point.
Last up, I talked to Angie, my producer. She said it really had more to do with some kind of timing and schedule issue. But we'll find out. And if there's any apologies that need to be made, I will be big enough to make them.
So stay with us as we work our way through this. And look at this picture.
Does this require an apology? This is a church in Kansas. And this is what it says on the sign outside the church. It's interesting that they would have something like this: "America, we have a Muslim president. This is sin against the lord."
That's another one of the signs that we've been following for you.
Stay with us. We'll get into this, as well. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: I am still somewhat taken aback, I'll be honest with you, that the folks with Evo Morales have decided not to join us here live, though we're still working on it. We're trying to kind of work our way through this. I mean there's a part of this story -- there's part of this story that's very important and I think it needs to be told. And it's not to be in any way judgmental or disrespectful. But there seems to be a trend that's going on in Latin America and it's important that we know what's going on south of the border.
I mean, look at this -- Cuba, Ecuador, Venezuela, Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia. These are all countries that have presidents or administrations or some type of tendency of late to turn toward the left, in some cases much more than others. But nonetheless, it's something that's happening now.
Let's do this. Let's go over to Glenda Umana. She is our anchor down at CNN en Espanol. You know, Glenda it's funny, I'm hearing that the folks with Evo Morales may have decided not to do this interview. Why would they not want to? Do you think -- one of my viewers just sent me a note saying that I may have offended them when I said that there was a leftist movement and that he represented part of that leftist movement.
GLENDA UMANA, CNN EN ESPANOL: Well, you know, I know how disappointed you might feel, because you have been talking about this interview since last week. So please if the people of Evo Morales, President Evo Morales of Bolivia, are hearing us right now, please say yes, because we are ready to, in our show, announce...
SANCHEZ: Does that...
UMANA: ...that we're going to have this interview tonight with us, too.
SANCHEZ: Oh, really?
UMANA: So -- and I think it's a -- it will be a great opportunity for Americans to know closer President Evo Morales.
I think he will say yes at the end, don't you think?
SANCHEZ: Pero, (INAUDIBLE) no se.
Do you think I said something that he doesn't already know?
UMANA: Well...
SANCHEZ: Do you -- I mean, to say that he's a leftist and that he's moving in that direction why -- should that be news to him?
Should that be offensive?
UMANA: Well, you know, they are -- I think they are more careful about what is said, especially in the United States, because of their point of being. I think we have been very respectful, all of the media here, especially CNN. And we -- we have had him here in our studios.
SANCHEZ: Yes.
UMANA: CNN has had him, too. And I think we thought it was a great idea.
SANCHEZ: Yes.
UMANA: It was your idea, Rick, to have him -- especially to have more information to educate more the Americans.
SANCHEZ: But, you know, I'm all for respect. But I even believe more in truth. I mean, do you deny the truth of a situation to try and appease someone or try and sound like you're respecting them?
UMANA: That is a -- that is a very important point, what you're saying. SANCHEZ: I mean -- anyway, we're going to work through this.
UMANA: I hope...
SANCHEZ: And hopefully...
UMANA: I hope you can do it. I hope.
SANCHEZ: Thanks. I know you're always pulling for me.
UMANA: Chiao.
SANCHEZ: Glenda Umana, mucho gracias.
UMANA: Chiao.
SANCHEZ: I appreciate it.
All right. More on what's going on with some of these pictures. Look at this. This is something that really hit a nerve with a lot of Americans who have been watching this newscast.
Let's go over here. This one came in a little while ago. This is in MySpace.
Thank you, Michael. "I don't care what they call it, I just want every last right that any heterosexual couple is afforded. Those for the protection of marriage continue to make this a religious issue. If marriage is strictly a religious issue, then why does the state recognize it? Either the state allows all marriage or none at all."
This is something that's certainly captivating a lot of interesting all over the country. We'll stay on that, as well. Three hundred cities -- 300 cities had protests over the weekend. Think about that.
All right. The signs -- the anti-Obama signs at churches, places of worship, places of God. How do you put this one together and what does it say about us?
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: It's funny how some of you are trying to help me now, trying to get on President Morales' good side. This was coming over just a little while ago. It's from patriot2008. He says: "Bienvenido, Presidente Morales."
Like if he's watching, he'll be proud now. He's being welcomed officially by the 3:00 news show community. All right. We'll keep working on that.
In the meantime, this story really having a serious affect on the nation and its consciousness about children, and especially older children. Can you imagine abandoning -- abandoning your children? Well, right now, Nebraska's legislature is considering blocking parents from abandoning teenage children. Existing law does not specify an age limit. That's the problem.
It was meant to try and stop what they call -- as horrible as this may sound -- dumpster babies, where mothers would drop their children off after they were born. More than 30 children have been dropped off in Nebraska, but they're not babies -- they're teens and pre-teens.
Now nothing frightened me more when I was a kid -- true story -- me and my brothers, than hearing my parents threaten to put us in a un escuela pupilo. Have you ever heard that term? Un escuela pupilo -- it's Spanish for a boarding school, which I think is how parents of our generation would tell their kids that they needed to straighten up or they would be dropped off at some school somewhere. And we never knew where it was.
Today, the new generational threat is, "I'm driving you to Nebraska."
A threat is one thing. But imagine actually doing something like that. Really. Imagine actually doing that. Immigrant telling your 16- year-old, get in the car, I'm going to drive you -- and then drive them all the way to Nebraska and then open the door and then tell them to get out -- your own flesh and blood.
As you drive away and you catch a glimpse of them in the mirror looking at you, what do you think?
Imagine, these are the parents that have been doing this. Even worse, when you look back and you catch a glimpse of yourself in that mirror, what do you think of you?
That's what makes this story so inconceivable. Yet to some, it's not inconceivable. If you're a parent, I know you've had a go-around with your kids. I have with mine. And I've also been reading from many of you today who say I could never do something like that -- drop my kids off in some state, give up on them, but I get it.
And some of you are saying don't excuse the parent, but maybe they do need some help. And think about it. There seems to be no shortage in this country of support or care facilities for small animals or small children.
But what happens to those children when they get beyond the cute stage or the cute age, when they become teenagers? Then what do we have for them?
Maybe that's what we ought to be thinking about with this story about Nebraska.
Hopefully, we'll have the story with the president, when we come back.
And the story of the signs that are in places like South Carolina and Kansas.
Stay with us. We'll be right back,
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Take a look at this picture. This is from Wichita, Kansas. And look what this thing says -- "America, we have a Muslim president. This is a sin against the lord."
And this is the Spirit One Christian Center spokesperson. In fact, this is the pastor. His name is Mark Holick.
Here's what he had to say about this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARK HOLICK, SPIRIT ONE CHRISTIAN CENTER: The main point of the marquis is to cause the Christians to understand he is not a Christian. Again, they would call me and they would tell me he's not a Muslim, because he is a Christian. But that's not the point. The point is he's not a Christian.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Is there a point there?
Now look at this sign. This is from South Carolina. This is back in April, by the way. Take a look at that what this says: "Obama, Osama. Hmm. Are they brothers?"
What's going on here? Why do we seem to see these types of things in this country at this particular point? Is it just, you know, episodic? I mean are people angry that their side lost the election? Or is there something more deep here, something perhaps more meaningful, that may have a longer effect?
Wayne Slater is the senior political writer for "The Dallas Morning News." He's good enough to join us. This is the guy who interviewed George Bush when George Bush said that he had been told by God to run. So, you know, it's -- it all comes back into politics.
Wayne, you and I were talking earlier. You said you think a lot of this has to do with just race.
WAYNE SLATER, SENIOR POLITICAL WRITER, "DALLAS MORNING NEWS": I think it does. You remember -- in fact, I remember talking to George Bush, when he was the governor of Texas, about the signs that -- you know, the billboards that used to be all over the South about 50 years ago. And when I was a little kid, I used to see them. A big picture of Martin Luther King gathered at some kind of meeting and a headline that said "Martin Luther King at communist planning session." Totally false, totally not true and absolutely believed by a certain percentage of not crazy people, Rick, but otherwise decent people in places like the South.
SANCHEZ: Well... SLATER: This has been with us.
SANCHEZ: But then you have to consider, who are these people and is it generational? Because I guess what we've got to wrap our heads around is how long are we going to have to deal with this kind of ignorance?
SLATER: Yes, I mean, you know, it's ignorant. It's absolutely not true. He was born in the United States, Barack Obama. He is not a Muslim. Yet there are people who hold onto this. And part of this, I think, is an attempt to believe what people want to believe about their environment, because their environment is changing. Things are happening.
Right -- two weeks before the election, 23 percent of Texans in a University of Texas poll said they believe Barack Obama is a Muslim. That's astonishing. That's crazy. Do they all really believe that?
And of those Texans, I think as we look at a more recent study -- a post-election poll done by a faith-based, a religious conservative -- a moderate conservative faith-based group, it showed that younger Evangelicals were much less likely to believe this kind of stuff than their elders.
One third of white Evangelicals under the age of 30 were receptive to and favored Barack Obama, but less than a fourth of their parents did.
And so what we're seeing, I think, is a generational divide. And these younger people are less likely to believe some of these crazy ideas.
SANCHEZ: You're good. Fascinating numbers. So much -- thanks so much for sharing those with us.
We'll keep getting you back. You and I were together in Austin, Texas on Saturday morning. I enjoyed it. Your books are fantastic. We'll keep getting you on as a guest. Wayne Slater, thanks for being with us, "Dallas Morning News".
When we come back, "The View" on Obama's children -- yes, the ladies from "The View."
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Carla is watching and she says, "Please get Evo on."
All right, Carla, you're taken care of.
Guess what?
We just talked to his folks. No offense taken, they say. It's just a scheduling problem and we've got him tomorrow this time. So there you go, Evo Morales. Wolf Blitzer is standing by for "THE SITUATION ROOM".
Did you ever have a guest cancel on you like this?
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Many times. Not a big deal. Try to reschedule, though. We'll look forward to it tomorrow.
SANCHEZ: Thanks, man.
BLITZER: All right. Good.
Coming up at the top of the hour, Barack Obama and John McCain meet in Chicago.
So what is Obama's plan for the former Republican nominee? Would he consider him for an actual cabinet position? Hillary Clinton might be tapped to become the next Secretary of State. But could her husband's work overseas create an issue? Could Bill Clinton actually stand in the way of his wife's cabinet position?
And Nancy Pelosi getting ready for a meeting with the Treasury Secretary, Henry Paulson. As the newest members of Congress show up for orientation, will this group be able to agree on what to do about the auto industry? We're live on Capitol Hill.
All that, Rick, and a lot more coming up right here in "THE SITUATION ROOM."
SANCHEZ: I'm sure it will be fantastic, Wolf. It always is.
BLITZER: Thank you.
SANCHEZ: Let's do The Fix. This is where we get to watch stuff that you may have missed, like "The View."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOY BEHAR, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": I think those kids should be educated in the White House. This is my...
(CROSSTALK)
BARBARA WALTERS, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": You think they should have public...
(CROSSTALK)
BEHAR: Other children.
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": No.
BEHAR: They should bring them into the White House and make a little house on the prairie.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A little house on the prairie?
BEHAR: Yes, in the White House. That would be what I would do.
ELISABETH HASSELBECK, CO-HOST, "THE VIEW": I'm all for home schooling. I think it actually is a good thing (INAUDIBLE)...
BEHAR: A lot of them are demented when they're home schooled.
HASSELBECK: No, they're not.
BEHAR: Come on.
(LAUGHTER)
HASSELBECK: I have a lot of friends who are home schooled.
BEHAR: Please.
HASSELBECK: That's not true.
(CROSSTALK)
HASSELBECK: ...a lot more parents now are actually home schooling because it's less expensive...
(CROSSTALK)
BEHAR: They learn to be scared of other children.
HASSELBECK: No. They're still on soccer teams.
BEHAR: And it's all about mommy and daddy telling us (INAUDIBLE).
HASSELBECK: It's not true.
(CROSSTALK)
HASSELBECK: People do it in consortium with other parents and their kids play on teams...
(CROSSTALK)
WALTERS: You're isolated enough in the White House without not getting out and seeing other children and having the other (INAUDIBLE)...
BEHAR: But that's right. Bring other children into the White House.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: My wife actually calls me every day to tell me what they're talking about in the morning. She loves that show. Ding dong, when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: So, Evo tomorrow.
Today, still, the argument about what's going on with Prop 8. This is one of the -- this is one of the comments that we got from MySpace a little while ago. And listen to what he's saying. "Rick, what if abolishing slavery were put to a popular vote state by state in the 1800s? Would people in the South still own slaves? Equality should never be a decision of the majority. The majority is almost always wrong on these types of issues."
Kinds is incorrect there, by the way. I just thought I'd point that out.
Let's check on the big board now and see what's going on. And, look, she's back -- Susan, welcome back.
SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thank you.
And, you know, Rick, I was in South America on my vacation, actually. And so I was very tuned in to the coverage of the election, which was quite exciting.
(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
SANCHEZ: Thanks so much. We appreciate that.
Wolf Blitzer is standing by now with "THE SITUATION ROOM" -- Wolf, take it away.
BLITZER: Thanks, Rick.
