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Stimulus Showdown; Michael Phelps Captured on Camera Smoking Marijuana; GOP Picks Its First Black National Leader; Phelps Marijuana Photo Continues Legalization Debate; Men Allege Past Abuse at Florida Reform School; Man Beaten and Ignored on D.C. Street; Pittsburgh Celebrates Steelers' Dramatic Win
Aired February 01, 2009 - 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: Tonight, managing expectations. Just hours before the economic stimulus plan gets picked apart in the Senate, a softer tone from the White House.
What was he thinking? There's a picture of Olympic golden boy Michael Phelps smoking pot, making him the poster child for marijuana legalization? A no-holds-barred discussion with you live.
Caught on tape. Dozens of people ignore a man beaten and left for dead out in the cold. Why didn't anyone help?
Plus this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They didn't slap you. They abused you. They sexually abused you. They mentally abused us and they beat you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Waahh!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Dozens of men finally speaking out after decades of silence suffering. You'll see it tonight right here.
And on the move. The famous Hudson River plane makes a surprise appearance. Where did it turn up this time? The news starts right now.
LEMON: Good evening, everyone. I'm Don Lemon. If you're lucky enough to have a job in this economy, the workweek starts tomorrow. And if you think you're in for a busy one, think about what the new administration is up against. New daily job cuts are making headlines nationwide. And tomorrow the Senate takes up its version of the president's huge economic stimulus plan. Mr. Obama says he realizes the bill isn't perfect, but he's confident it's going to pass.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The important thing is getting the thing passed. And I've done extraordinary outreach, I think, to Republicans because they have some good ideas, and I want to make sure that those ideas are incorporated. I am confident that by the time we actually have the final package on the floor, that we are going to see substantial support and people are going to say this is a serious effort. It has no earmarks. We're going to be trimming out the things that are not relevant to putting people back to work.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Republicans argue the bill spends a lot of money on programs that won't boost the economy. Democrats, of course, disagree, but the GOP leader in the Senate says the bill cannot stay the way it is.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL (R), MINORITY LEADER: What it will need to change if it's going to do any good, I mean, things like $150 million for honeybee insurance and $600 million to buy government employees' cars is not exactly what the American public had in mind.
SEN. CHARLES SCHUMER (D), NEW YORK: It's hard to figure why Republicans have been against the stimulus bill so far. And I do think there are a lot of excuses, believe me. With America in economic crisis, no one should be voting for or against this because it has $150 million for honeybees, even if that should and probably will come out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Let's talk now about the looming showdown in the Senate with our political editor, Mark Preston.
OK, Mark, in the House, no Republican support. What do you think it's up against now?
MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICAL DIRECTOR: It certainly has a lot of work that needs to be done on the bill. We heard that from Mr. McConnell. The Republicans now seem to have a voice, Don. You know, after months and months of Barack Obama heading to the White House and really soon to be in control of what's happening in Washington, Republicans now seem to have their voice.
They seem to have really brought it together and they're going to focus on this issue, controlling spending here in Washington. This is a huge bill. It's $819 billion right now, but it is now in the Senate. That is the cooling saucer, so to speak. And expect, you know -- Mr. Obama, Don, would like to see this bill done by mid- February. That might be a little bit ambitious right now.
LEMON: All right, Mark, thank you very much. I want you to stick around. We are going to take a closer look at the selection of Michael Steele as the chairman of the RNC, and whether this marks the beginning of the rebirth for the GOP.
Well, take a listen to that. That is ice falling and the ice is melting. You can hear it in this iReport from Katie Brown in Evansville, Indiana. Evansville is just across the Ohio River from Kentucky. That's where the damage from last week's ice storm is most severe. Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear says it was the state's biggest natural disaster in modern history. 92 of the state's 120 counties declared emergencies. Some 400,000 customers are still without power.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I drove about six miles in what seemed to be a glass tunnel because normally the road is open and the trees on either side have bowed together.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There were some total losses over there in some of the cabins and homes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But everyone was all right?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Everyone was all right.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: All the National Guard units in the state are now going door to door and farm to farm to assess the most critical needs and make sure everyone is accounted for. And now another major storm is brewing in the south. Our Jacqui Jeras is tracking it. Her forecast is just moments away.
First now, the smell of gas. That came first. Then a huge explosion. This is what it looked like after a house blew up in Milwaukee early today. Four people were inside at the time but somehow they escaped with only minor burns and cuts. The blast may have been caused by a leak in an underground gas main.
In St. Petersburg, Florida tonight, two 16-year-old boys are under arrest in connection with a string of arsons early this morning. In a two-hour period, 14 cars and one house were damaged. Police say the boys have admitted setting the fires apparently because they were bored. Police believe other teens were also involved.
It is a startling image. A young man admired by millions captured on camera smoking marijuana. Olympic champion Michael Phelps today confirmed the rumors and said he is indeed the man in the photo.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON (voice-over): Say it ain't so. Is this really America's Olympic hero? Smoking pot from a bong?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I sort of held him in high esteem, especially for my son, (INAUDIBLE). So, yes, it does kind of hurt me.
LEMON: This amateur photo of a man in profile lighting a bong, lifts the pipe, began circulating on the Internet this weekend.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's human. Let the man live. You know, if he wants to smoke a marijuana joint, I don't see anything wrong. But I mean, if it's not in his system 24/7, it's not steroids. LEMON: Rumor became fact after London's "News of the World" published the picture and Phelps fessed up saying, "I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment. I am 23 years old, and despite the successes I've had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner people have come to expect from me. For this, I am sorry. I promise my fans and the public, it will not happen again."
But in 2004, Phelps was arrested in his home state of Maryland on suspicion of drunk driving. Then he told ESPN, "I'm 19, but was taught that no matter how old you are, you take responsibility for your actions, which I will do. I'm extremely sorry."
He could be sorrier if public support starts to dwindle.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It really disappoints me because, you know, I thought he was this great all-American athlete that was, you know, abiding by the rules.
LEMON: The U.S. Olympic Committee agrees, but says they are confident that, going forward, Michael will consistently set the type of example we all expect from a great Olympic champion. But the jury is still out on advertisers, who've committed more than $100 million to the Phelps brand.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Michael Phelps was staying with a friend during his November trip to the University of South Carolina, where the photo was apparently taken. That friend now has this to say to our affiliate WIS. "It was just some jealous kid at Carolina and I hope that the situation dies down quickly."
Well, the photos could cost Phelps dearly when it comes to endorsements. By the time the Olympics ended, Phelps had signed up as a spokesman with some of the biggest names in the business. Among the companies that sell products associated with Phelps -- Visa, Hilton, Omega watches, AT&T and Kellogg's cereals.
We want to know what you think about this and about the argument for decriminalizing marijuana. Should pot be legal? We'll take a closer look and get your thoughts. Make sure you log on to Twitter, to Facebook, to MySpace or iReport.com. Become part of our community.
Check this out. It's not exactly what you would expect to see during your afternoon commute. Buckle up.
Also this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You got to realize what these guys did. You know, they didn't slap you. They abused you. They sexually abused you. They mentally abused us and they beat you.
(END VIDEO CLIP) LEMON: Facing the horror he endured more than 50 years ago, CNN investigates the secrets of Florida's White House.
And surveillance video that is difficult to watch. A man is beaten on the streets of Washington, left to die while people go about their business. It's a story you have to see to believe.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: All right. Imagine seeing this coming in your rear-view mirror while you're driving -- gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "objects may appear closer than they are." This is a US Airways jet that had to make a crash landing in New York's Hudson River on January 15th. It's been moved from an arena to another site in northern New Jersey, much to the surprise of drivers like Eugene Ababio, the iReporter who sent us this video.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The power of our country's values, please welcome the crew of US Airways Flight 1549, who helped safely rescue 150 passengers on New York's Hudson River last month.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: And of course, we cannot talk about Flight 1549 without talking about its intrepid pilot and heroic crew. Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger and crew were honored at tonight's Super Bowl walking out on the field before the game to thunderous applause. You heard them. The crew is credited with, of course, ensuring the survival of everyone on board that plane.
And of course, they deserve all of those applause, Jacqui Jeras. They are heroes. A lot of people are not applauding the weather, though, and what may be the start of their workweek.
JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: They're not. Hey, by the way, Don, as for those of you that care about the Super Bowl, the Steelers just won, by the way, like literally a minute ago. I think we got a live shot. There we go. We got some fans there from WPXI-TV. Yes, the Steelers are happy. (INAUDIBLE) is not so much, but, you know, you can say this about the game. Boy, it was a great last quarter, wasn't it? It was fantastic. So, congratulations to the Steelers.
All right. Let's talk about that weather. And conditions changing across the Ohio Valley now. Still, all those people, hundreds of thousands, still without power now. Winds have changed direction now. They're coming in from the north to northwest. And so, you know, trees were bending this way. Now, they're coming back the other way. It's also bringing in some much colder air after highs in the 50s today. We're going to be looking at highs in the 30s tomorrow.
Developing storm system down here into the Gulf of Mexico, bringing in some storms to the lower Mississippi River Valley. This is going to be heading eastward tomorrow. Could bring some strong storms into Florida right up towards the coast. We think it's going to meet up with the cold air and bring some snow into the Appalachians. Right now, my best thinking is that this is going to continue to pull offshore and not be a huge deal for those of you in the Northeast. But it's still kind of iffy at this time. I think the big cities will get some snow, just not a monster snow.
Don, back to you.
LEMON: All right, Jacqui, thank you very much.
Let's talk more now about Michael Phelps' story that has so many people talking tonight. Many of you are e-mailing us about it. The record-setting Olympic swimmer confirms he's the man seen in this image smoking marijuana at a party last fall. Phelps says he's sorry but the picture could have a lasting impact. Want to bring in Vicki Michaelis. She has covered Michael Phelps for years at "USA Today."
When you heard the news -- I'm sure you heard the rumors that were floating around this weekend and the picture on some of the sites. But when it was confirmed, your thoughts?
VICKI MICHAELIS, "USA TODAY": My thoughts instantly were back to 2004 when he was charged with the DUI not long after the Olympics. And something he told me before the Beijing Olympics actually, which was that his coach prefers him to be in the pool because he usually gets into trouble when he's out of it.
LEMON: Well, you know, he is a young man, and that was back in 2004. He was 19, 23 now. He is a young man, and young people do experiment, not saying that it's right, but it's just sort of the rigors of growing up. What's -- the question here is judgment. Since he had been in trouble before with the DUI, you would -- one would think that he would know better and also what he's putting on the line, Vicki -- hundreds of millions of dollars.
MICHAELIS: I have to think that maybe he's not fully aware of what he is putting on the line. I can imagine that he's not, given how exposed he was to all of the fame and everything that happened to him last summer. But I think you get into this situation, you think, I am just a young man, I'm at a party, why not? And you don't realize that this kind of thing is going to just explode and it's going to be everywhere.
LEMON: I'll give you a second to clear your throat as I ask this next question. When you spent time with him, and you did spend a substantial amount of time covering him for "USA Today," anything in his personality that would make you think that he would do this? You said his coach said he liked him to be in the pool because he was out of trouble in the pool. But just -- was he just a typical young man or did he just seem troubled to you?
MICHAELIS: I don't think he seeks trouble. I think that when he gets out of the pool...
LEMON: No. Did he seem troubled? Because we know about his childhood. We read about his father not being there. Did he seem troubled in any way to you?
MICHAELIS: Not at all. He seems to have a very solid family situation. His mom is, as I think a lot of people saw at the Olympics, one of the best moms. And he's got his sisters. And he doesn't seem like a troubled young man at all.
LEMON: All right. Vicki Michaelis from "USA Today," thank you very much.
And by the way, just from an unscientific poll that we're taking here at CNN, about 98 percent of the responses we're getting saying that he's a kid and he just made a mistake and that all is forgiven.
So, lots of people are reacting to this story tonight. Here's what Raviraven says. "He is young and he admitted it. I forgive him." Exactly what I just said.
Another viewer writes, "At least Phelps was honest, unlike our other all-American athletes, Bonds, McGuire, Clemens."
AphenomenonL9 says, "I believe that nobody is perfect and he should be forgiven."
AshleyBigFine says, "It's great he was honest about it. Not so great that he serves as a role model to so many."
What are your thoughts on this Michael Phelps story? Also, this is also bringing up a discussion about decriminalizing marijuana. We're going to talk about that. A no-holds-barred conversation coming up. Log on to Twitter, Facebook, MySpace or iReport.com. Tell us what you're thinking. We will definitely get it on the air.
The new face of the GOP leadership. Does Michael Steele really represent a rebirth in the Republican Party? CNN political editor Mark Preston in the house with a surprising answer.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Iraqi officials say voter turnout in this weekend's provincial election was, quote, "very high." More than 50 percent of the country's 15 million eligible voters are believed to have cast ballots. The head of the election commission said even the Anbar Province, which largely boycotted the 2005 election, showed about 40 percent turnout.
Tonight, President Obama told NBC that the election could be a turning point for U.S. and Iraqi relations. Preliminary results are expected sometime this week.
Well, four long-time hostages held in jungles of Colombia were freed today. Two more could be released in coming days under an agreement with the government. Leftist rebels turned over three Colombia police officers and a Colombia soldier to the Red Cross. The Colombian governor and another politician are expected to be freed later this week. The rebels are believed to hold up to 700 hostages in secret jungle camps. Now to the political scene here in the U.S. The Republican Party took the unprecedented step last week of picking its first black national leader -- former Maryland Lieutenant Governor Michael Steele. But are Republicans in America going to be taking their cues from Steele or from conservative talk radio personalities like Rush Limbaugh. Here's what Steele had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL STEELE, RNC CHAIRMAN: Rush Limbaugh is a conservative voice in this country that, clearly, people must pay attention to, and, clearly, the Obama administration and others in the administration must be paying attention to. So, Rush will say what Rush has to say. We will do what we have to do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Well, CNN political editor Mark Preston is here.
Mark, what does the GOP hope to accomplish by picking Steele? I mean, are they pandering to African-Americans or minorities or is this legitimate? You know, it's interesting -- he's an interesting pick.
PRESTON: He is an interesting pick and it is legitimate. They aren't pandering to minorities. Certainly, Michael Steele will help the Republican Party right now as it goes through this rebuilding, reach out to minorities, reach out to African-Americans, perhaps reach out to Hispanics. You know, these are voting groups that really are overwhelmingly moving towards the Democrats and have really been locked in by the Democrats. Certainly, you saw that in the last election.
Michael Steele is an interesting case point. Some think that he's a little bit too moderate and that he didn't have a chance at winning the RNC chairmanship, Don. But he was able to overcome those doubts and, of course, he will now head the party. He won't be the only one, though, who will be the leader, though, Don. Look for the governors throughout the states as well to really stand by Michael Steele. People such as Bobby Jindal from Louisiana, Mark Sanford from South Carolina, Sarah Palin from Alaska, really to take on prominent roles.
LEMON: Yes. But at this point, there's not one person who's speaking for the Republican Party. And we've been hearing a lot about Rush Limbaugh. Some people think way too much. Are we giving Rush Limbaugh too much credit when it comes to what goes on inside the GOP?
PRESTON: Rush Limbaugh has an incredible amount of power. No question about that. And he has power with the people who are listening to him out in the states. Does he have a lot of power on what happens on Capitol Hill? Perhaps not. What he might have done was actually empower the House Republicans to really stand strong and stand united when they voted against the stimulus package, which we just talked about just moments ago.
And having Rush Limbaugh really try to energize the Republican base and try to put pressure on their senators to try to oppose certain programs certainly like the stimulus bill, he really is a force reckon with.
LEMON: Hey, Mark, just really quickly. We touched on this earlier. We talked about the stimulus package. As we said earlier in the week, got really no support in the House from the GOP. Do you think that he will get any support, the president, or this package, from the Senate on the GOP side?
PRESTON: Well, I mean, certainly, he'll go get Democratic votes. No question about that. He will get some Republican votes but, again, you know, the Senate really is the place where everything stops. I mean, it really is the last line of defense for Republicans in Washington, D.C. They have enough votes, if they're able to stay together, to stop things from moving forward.
And we just saw hours ago Barack Obama said that he would like to see some of those Republican suggestions be inputted into the bill. I will tell you, literally during the game, during the Super Bowl, Don, I was talking to a senior Republican who is up there on Capitol Hill and he said, you know, that's great that he's saying that, but tell the Democrats on Capitol Hill to be the ones to let us in the room, don't be telling NBC.
So, we'll certainly see that in the next couple of weeks and the debate will happen tomorrow.
LEMON: All right. Political editor Mark Preston. We appreciate it, sir.
Well, that's what they're saying inside the Beltway. But what are they saying everywhere else? Radio talk show host Martha Zoller and Warren Ballentine know all about it because people call them and say exactly what's on their minds. So, let's get ready to rumble with these two.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: All right. Now back to our closer look at the new look of the Republican Party. New RNC Chairman Michael Steele made clear the other day that he and the new president are not ideological soul mates.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEELE: I would say to the new president, congratulations. It is going to be an honor to spar with him. And then I would follow that up with, how do you like me now?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: He's got a little attitude there. Martha Zoller and Warren Ballentine, both join us. Radio shows with their names, both of them. I'd say Martha Zoller -- let's go to Martha Zoller show and then it's just...
MARTHA ZOLLER, HOST, "THE MARTHA ZOLLER SHOW": That's right. That's what you do.
LEMON: ...you guys with your own radio shows. All right. So, what do you of this pick, Martha?
ZOLLER: I endorsed Michael Steele early. I thought he was a great choice because he is not only a fiscal conservative but a social conservative and an open-minded guy.
LEMON: You weren't surprised by this, by them picking an African-American?
ZOLLER: Not at all.
LEMON: I mean, that's -- honestly, that's the last thing that many people would say that they think the Republican Party would ever do.
ZOLLER: Look, I think I said this maybe last week. That we don't need another middle-aged white guy heading up the party. So I think I said that before. I think Michael is a guy that's won as a lieutenant governor statewide in Maryland, which has not been a red state. So, he shows that he can carry states. He does a good job. Plus, he's a communicator. He's a communicator.
LEMON: OK. Before I get to Warren, is this a change in tone, an opening of the tent, trying to reach out moment for the Republican Party? And do your listeners agree with it?
ZOLLER: I think they will agree with it. Of course, it happened over the weekend. But I will tell you, why shouldn't the Republican Party reach out to minorities? They have a great record with minorities. They just communicate it poorly.
LEMON: OK. Warren, do you think it's pandering to minorities?
WARREN BALLENTINE, HOST, "THE WARREN BALLENTINE SHOW": You know, I think Michael Steele is a great choice here. Michael appears on my show quite frequently, actually. I think he's going to energize the Republican base. I think he's going to reach out to minorities.
But I will say this. This is not surprising to me because when you look at the history of the Republican Party, they did this in Illinois with Alan Keyes when Senator Obama was running for that senator seat. They came in and brought Alan Keyes in because he was a minority. Then, they came in and brought Sarah Palin in because of the Hillary Clinton factor. And now they're bringing Michael Steele because of the president factor.
(CROSSTALK)
BALLENTINE: It's not surprising, but it's a good choice.
ZOLLER: Wait a minute. I wouldn't equate Alan Keyes. The Republican Party didn't bring him in. He brought himself in.
BALLENTINE: Well, no, no, no. In a way -- in a way it was interesting.
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: They brought in Alan Keyes because of Barack Obama.
BALLENTINE: Yes, they did. Yes, they did.
LEMON: The state senator at the time running for Senate...
BALLENTINE: That's right.
LEMON: ... and there was no Republican candidate, so they brought in Alan Keyes because they thought he might get some minority votes.
ZOLLER: They couldn't get another Republican to do it. That's right.
LEMON: OK. So, in a way, you know, they were trying to open up the tent as well. All right, let's move on guys. Let's talk about the stimulus package. Tuesday, going in front of the Senate. Do you think this time that more Republicans, Martha -- he'll get more support from Republicans in the Senate than he did last week?
ZOLLER: Well, he'll get fewer Republicans than Democrats that voted against it in the House. I think, too, he could get two that are peeled off. Now, if two or three Democrats that are in more conservative areas go across, I don't know what will happen. The senator to watch, though, is Georgia Senator Johnny Isakson. He has got the best proposals that might bridge the gap.
LEMON: OK. Here's what people are saying. And I read something this morning, Frank Rich in "The New York Times," a columnist, said that it was pure partisan politics. He said, "Where is their own patriotism?" He's talking about the Republicans. "Where is their own patriotism now that economic terror is inflicting far more harm on their constituents than Saddam Hussein's nonexistent W.M.D.?" Weapons of mass destruction.
BALLENTINE: I think that's a case of Catch-22, Don. I think Republicans are in a situation where if they don't support this stimulus package, if they don't support the bill, they almost look like they're being unpatriotic, unfortunately, when, in fact, maybe they're just trying to look out for their constituents.
It's also true for the Democrats. I mean, I think some of the Democrats may look at this bill and say it's a lot of pork in here, and maybe we don't need to do this, or maybe this is a form of socialism. But I think a lot of people are going to support it because they don't want to come off, because they want to keep their position.
ZOLLER: I think equating the economy to terrorism is a little ridiculous, but the good news is the Senate will pass something and then it has to go to committee.
LEMON: OK
ZOLLER: It's not going to be what the House passes.
LEMON: All right. You said economic terrorism. So, I get you on that. But also, it's unfortunate that people, you know, many lawmakers, see an opportunity to stick something in there and...
BALLENTINE: Well, that's politics as usual.
(CROSSTALK)
ZOLLER: You know, Barack Obama needs to get hold of the leadership.
LEMON: I've got to go guys.
BALLENTINE: President Obama.
LEMON: Thank you.
BALLENTINE: President Obama.
ZOLLER: President Obama, that's right.
LEMON: Oh, gosh. You guys talk, I'll keep reading.
All right. Let's talk about something that many of you are talking about out there. Caught on camera. Olympic swimming champ Michael Phelps shown in a photo smoking a bong. What was he thinking? And should pot be legalized? We'll take a closer look.
Also, a brutal attack on a D.C. street. The victim left lying alone for a long time before paramedics were called. Why did no one help?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To me, I think marijuana should be legalized, myself. I mean, it's -- what's the difference between that and drinking? You know, that's the way I look at it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: A lot of you are commenting tonight on this. Here's what ZepProf says. "No big deal. He's young and under a lot of stress. My question is about the one who took picture. What a friend. Jealousy, jealousy."
IrishGirl2 says "It's good he cleared it up so quickly. He should have been a bit more responsible, though."
And someone else writes, "What does it say about the harmlessness of pot if the most winning Olympian in history smokes it?" That's a good question. Make sure you join our community. Logon to any one of those platforms right there. And tell us what you're thinking. We'll get it on the air.
That last comment leads us to this. This controversy over Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps photographed smoking marijuana has many people, you know, saying, so what? So, we want to know. Should marijuana be legalized or decriminalized?
Our guest tonight is Bruce Mirken of the Marijuana Policy Project, a group that advocates regulating marijuana the same way alcohol and tobacco are regulated.
Thank you so much for joining us. I can tell you right off that people are going to say it's a slippery slope. If you start with marijuana, then where do you stop? Does it go to cocaine? Does it go to other illegal substances?
BRUCE MIRKEN, MARIJUANA POLICY PROJECT: Well, that makes no sense at all. You know, alcohol is legal. But because alcohol is legal doesn't mean that marijuana or anything else has to be legal. And the fact is that when we're talking about so-called recreational drugs, marijuana is, by any objective scientific standard, safer than alcohol. It's less addictive. It's less -- massively less toxic and its orders of magnitude less likely to cause people to become violent or aggressive when they use it.
LEMON: Well -- but people say that it's a gateway drug. Once you start in a slippery slope this way. Once you start with marijuana, then that leads you on to even more toxic or more dangerous drugs.
MIRKEN: Well, once again, there is a vast probe of data that shows that that's not true. Every independent scientific body that's ever looked at the so-called gateway theory has debunked it. There is no evidence that marijuana causes people to use other drugs. None, zilch, zero.
LEMON: OK. So let's talk about on the campaign trail. Now President Barack Obama was a senator then and a presidential candidate said he was for medical marijuana or decriminalizing it. And this is the quote. Basically saying "My attitude is if the science and the doctors suggest that the best palliative care and the way to relieve pain and suffering is through medical marijuana, and then goes on and says that it should be, of course, prescribed by doctors."
He then also on a campaign stop, he was asked about it and someone said, did you inhale? Unlike other presidents, did you inhale? He said, I did. Obama said it to a lot of applause and laughter. It's not something that I'm proud of. It was a mistake, but you know, I'm not going to -- I never understood that line -- the point was to inhale. That was the point to do it.
So, apparently, he's had it. He's done it in the past. The reason I read that is because I want to know what you think your chances are with the new administration of possibly getting some sort of decriminalization of marijuana through.
MIRKEN: Well, we certainly aware that this is not item number one on the Obama administration's agenda. You know, rumor has it there's stuff going on with the economy he needs to deal with.
LEMON: But you say -- but you say if we start taxing this, it could actually help the economy.
MIRKEN: Well, indeed, it could. But I think realistically what we can expect from Obama in the short term is to keep his campaign promise, which he did make quite specifically, which is to stop the federal attacks on the 13 states that allow medical use of marijuana.
LEMON: OK. Hang on --
MIRKEN: If he'll do that --
LEMON: All right. Listen, we've got to run. But I want to know real quickly. Let's get it back to Michael Phelps. Do you think this helps or hurts your case?
MIRKEN: Well, I just think it's sad that this incredibly accomplished young man feels like he's in a position of having to apologize and act like he did something terrible for relaxing with something that's safer than beer.
LEMON: All right. Bruce Mirken, we appreciate it.
MIRKEN: Thank you.
LEMON: All right. Facing the horror he endured more than 50 years ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You got to realize what these guys did. You know, they didn't slap you. They abused you. They sexually abused you. They mentally abused us and they beat you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: CNN investigates a secret of Florida's White House, straight ahead. Dozen of stories you won't soon forget.
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LEMON: We have to warn you about this next story. It is disturbing to watch. Warn you right off the top. Dozens of men are now coming forward alleging decades-old abuse at a reform school for boys in Florida. Their allegations are chilling.
Our Ed Lavandera has the story for you. And again, I want to warn you the stories you are about to see are disturbing to hear.
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DON STRATTON, ALLEGED VICTIM: It was terrible. They all are.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Don Stratton is an old-fashioned country boy. STRATTON: That's why I'm --
LAVANDERA: But the tough exterior crumbles when he talks about the Florida school for boys, a now defunct reform school that many former student say was to them a torture chamber.
STRATTON: You got to realize what these guys did. You know, they didn't slap you. They abused you. They sexually abused you. They mentally abused us and they beat you.
LAVANDERA: As a young teenager, Stratton spent two years at the boys' reform school in Mariana, Florida. It was around 1960.
STRATTON: And we're boys. You know, we're young men growing up.
LAVANDERA: Stratton is now suing the State of Florida and two former school employees. In recent months dozens of now-older men have detailed gruesome stories of abuse suffered at the hands of administrators. The former students say it's taken 50 years to muster the courage to speak out.
STRATTON: Two o'clock or 3:00 in the morning, you would hear a boy over here crying or you would hear a boy over here crying, and then the door would open, you see these guys come in and come up to somebody that they like, and they would just tell you, you are mine for tonight. Come on with me. What are you going to do?
LAVANDERA: Stratton's attorney says they've interviewed 80 former students who say they were abused. Florida's governor has ordered an investigation to uncover records, interview students and find former administrators.
HEATHER SMITH, FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT: Well, there are challenges because of the length of time that has passed. But, again, we are confident that we can conduct a thorough and methodical investigation, and establish as much as we can about what happened here.
LAVANDERA: The truth of what happened here may be lost to time. The school administrators are hard to find. But we did find a man named Troy Tidwell who is being sued by Don Stratton and other alleged victims.
Tidwell wouldn't talk to us about the allegations, but he told the "Miami Herald" that boys were spanked, quote, "When we felt it was necessary, but denied abuse." His attorney wants the lawsuit thrown out. Tidwell is now in his late 80s.
LAVANDERA: Dick Colon remembers Tidwell and the leather strap the administrators use to whip the boys. The description is chilling.
DICK COLON, ALLEGED VICTIM: After that lick hit you, man, you just started to go all over again. And you got that tick on the ceiling and it was -- and then waah. You know, and then down you went and up you came and you just -- you got ready for the next round until it stopped. LAVANDERA: The former students say they were punished in this building that still stands today. It was known as the White House. And they could be sent down for the most trivial violations.
(on camera): Many of the boys who were marched down to the White House were told to stand along these walls, come through this door and just stand at attention. And behind this window here, they could hear the instructors and the administrators of the school they say unleashing lashes on the other students, and they had to stand there and listen to it all.
(voice-over): Don Stratton says he watched the beatings from a cafeteria window. There's one boy he vividly remembers who walked into the White House, 45 minutes later carried out and put in a car.
STRATTON: Open the back door and they carried him out and throw him in the back of the car. Was he dead? Yes. And we never see him again.
LAVANDERA: CNN has spoken with three former students who say they saw students killed. We can't verify that. But there is the mystery of this site hidden in a wooded area on the school grounds. 31 unmarked crosses. The state is now investigating who if anyone rests beneath them.
BRYANT MIDDLETON, ALLEGED VICTIM: For these people to be here, these young children to be buried in unmarked graves, not knowing who they are, this is a travesty against man kind.
LAVANDERA: For the men known as the White House Boys digging up the past brings back the nightmares of their youth.
Ed Lavandera, CNN, Tampa, Florida.
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LEMON: And now to some surveillance video that is also difficult to watch. A man beaten on the streets of Washington left to die while people go about their business. It is a story you've got to see to believe.
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LEMON: You know, this is really a sign of the times. Camped out all weekend in chilly temperatures. These days, people will do whatever it takes to get a job. Just look outside the Miami Government Center where people are looking to apply for a job at the Miami Fire Department. Applications are being accepted starting tomorrow. But as you can see, hundreds of people aren't waiting until tomorrow.
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UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: How long have you been out here?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Since 4:00 or 5:00 yesterday. I don't think anybody suspected it to be the turnout that it has been. I think there's like 500 people out here right now.
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LEMON: The Miami Fire and Rescue says it is only accepting the first 750 applications and all applicants must be Miami-Dade County residents. They also say this is the first time they've seen so many people line up two days in advance to apply for a job.
You know, the problem in Atlanta tonight right here. Not enough firefighters on duty. 27 Atlanta firefighters called in sick tonight. More than double the number. I wonder what caused the so-called brown outs at five different stations forcing them to close. The city has recently imposed furloughs and a hiring freeze on the department. But the fire chief says he doesn't think firefighters are making a political statement.
Washington, D.C. surveillance video captures a very terrible crime. A man knocked out cold on the streets and then left to die, even as many people passed by. Courtney Robinson of our affiliate WJLA has the story, and we should caution you, this is again disturbing video.
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COURTNEY ROBINSON, WJLA CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This surveillance video shows the last time 31-year-old Jose Sanchez would ever stand. Watch as a suspect, identified by court records as Maxmillo Argueta punches Sanchez. Minutes later another suspect named in those same records as Humberto Escobar, pushes him. Officers say Sanchez hit his head on the minivan and lost consciousness. It all happened around 5:00 Tuesday night on a busy 14th Street corner in Columbia Heights right in front of a grocery store.
MERBION MAZARIEGOS, STORE EMPLOYEE: The guy was on the floor everyday. I mean, this is normal for us. It's not normal that somebody come and kill another one.
ROBINSON: The reason this store employee says no one did anything. The video shows Sanchez lying on the sidewalk. People pass by. One customer loads groceries. He was like this for at least 20 minutes until a store employee did call 911. It took just two minutes for an ambulance to arrive.
AUGUSTINE AMAYA, STORE CUSTOMER: Many people coming every day. We need attention by the police.
ROBINSON: Residents and employees say this fight wasn't unusual. They see it almost daily.
MAZARIEGOS: In this corner or the other corner, and they're always fighting, you know.
ROBINSON: This employee says he didn't see the fight, but he does know the guys now charged for assaulting Sanchez. He says Sanchez, Escobar and Argueta knew each other. Court document say Escobar confessed saying he did it because, "The Mexican guy called him a homosexual."
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LEMON: WJLA also reports that the 31-year-old victim was homeless. He died later at the hospital. A police spokesman says the two alleged assailants will now face new charges.
Now, I know you have something to say about this story. So make sure you logon to MySpace, to Twitter or iReport. Any of those platforms. We'll get your responses on the air.
But first, take a look at this. Check out the scene in Pittsburgh live. This is courtesy of our affiliate WPXI. They are partying on the street. There are thousands of people celebrating the Steelers' dramatic win tonight.
Our Larry Smith was at the game. We'll go live to him in moments. But guess what? Because of all this partying, schools in Pittsburgh delayed their opening tomorrow by two hours. A city in celebration. We'll go there live, next.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Steelers, baby!
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LEMON: You can see Steeler fans had a lot to cheer about tonight. Even in Baghdad. That's in Baghdad. Those are our troops. They didn't have to miss out on the big Super Bowl. (INAUDIBLE). In addition to the usual Armed Forces Network Broadcast, the Pentagon used high-tech satellites to try to bring the game to every service member possible no matter where they are stationed. We appreciate their service and we are glad they got to enjoy the game tonight.
We want to go live now to Pittsburgh. A super night for the Steelers and fans everywhere. Let's go live to Tampa, I should say, not to Pittsburgh. Tampa and our Larry Smith.
Larry, big celebration there, I would imagine, happening right now as well as in Pittsburgh.
LARRY SMITH, CNN SPORTS: Yes, you might be able to hear, Don, a few of the people cheering back here. This is a game that everyone tomorrow at the Water Cooler is going to be talking about. And here's why.
One of the great Super Bowls we've ever seen. And here's how it went down here in Tampa. More than 70,000 here in the stadium to watch this game. You know, two weeks ago, Barack Obama, President Barack Obama said that anything is possible. He spoke to a crowd in front of the Lincoln Memorial. That was the theme for this night as well. Arizona driving late in the first half. Anything is possible. James Harrison, not only the interception, but he never goes down. Returning it 100 yards for a touchdown. So instead The Steelers being down at halftime to the underdog Cardinals, they led 17-7 at the half. That was a 20-7 game when all of a sudden, Arizona started scoring points. 16 in a row in fact.
Larry Fitzgerald, 64-yard touchdown return. And all of a sudden, the underdog Cardinals are up 23-20. Now back comes Pittsburgh. Antonio Holmes from Mock City, the area down there. Lake Okeechobee in Florida gets his feet in bounds here for the game-winning touchdown -- 27-23. The Steelers become the first team ever to win six Super Bowls. This was a thrilling match-up.
And by the way, Don, we talk about the economy all this week. Some guys six rows up from the top spent $1,800 per ticket. There were so many Pittsburgh fans here that the price never dropped. It never dropped. One guy spent $1,500 for a ticket to get in in the second quarter. So much money being spent here in Tampa.
LEMON: Hey, real quickly, we got to go but I wanted to -- it's also some history making here. Roethlisberger, the second youngest QB to win two Super Bowls, right? And then also the MVP.
SMITH: That's correct. MVP -- yes, exactly. Yes.
LEMON: Santonio Holmes. OK. Thank you, sir.
Boy, look at these live pictures. Larry, we're looking at live pictures right next to you. People partying on the street. I see some police officers there. I think they are trying to round people up to make them -- keep them at bay. I am trying to look at the monitor here. But those are live pictures from Tampa, Florida, tonight where they are celebrating.
And of course, they should be. The big Super Bowl game happening today. So we know who won the game. But who were the other big winners at tonight's Super Bowl? Well, you know, Rick Harrow has an opinion. Also our Twitters, straight ahead with their comments as well.
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LEMON: All right. The Super Bowl is the only game in town this week and it dominates the sports business landscape. Steeler fans will be celebrating throughout the night. And Tampa will be celebrating its economic windfall. Sports business analyst Rick Harrow is in Tampa and he joins me live.
Rick, winners and losers tonight. Obviously, Pittsburgh is a winner. But also Florida is a big winner as well.
RICK HARROW, SPORTS BUSINESS ANALYST: Well, yes, Florida is a big winner. Economic impact today, $500 million, potentially all-told in Tampa. Next year the game shifts to Miami. Pro-ball was part of it, too. (INAUDIBLE) and stronger franchise. And the other winner, obviously, Santonio Holmes.
You know, The Steelers are great. It's the third most recognized brand according to everybody just behind the Red Sox and the Packers. Holmes is the MVP. He's going to get some endorsements along with Roethlisberger. That's a big winner.
LEMON: Yes. And what about -- everyone waits for those Super Bowl ads. Who are the winners tonight? I'm sure Monster. Everyone was laughing -- dying laughing when the monster ads came on.
HARROW: The monster moose ads apparently with all of my focus groups have been calling me has been fantastic. Denny's giving away a free breakfast. That's where I'm going Tuesday. So I guess the win there is that they're going to be lining up for that breakfast. That is your classic loss leader. The other winner, by the way, not only Santonio Holmes, but when you talk about going to Disney World, it's only 80 miles from here so we're saving on gas.
LEMON: Yes, in proximity. Yes. They're getting some business there. Let's talked about the loser. There's nothing to do with football, but could Michael Phelps be a loser in all of this when it comes to him smoking pot, these pictures of him? Is he potentially going to lose some endorsements?
HARROW: Well, I talked to his representatives here at the Super Bowl. And I know that there is no current thought that endorsers are going to drop him. Michael Phelps has risen above the crowd. No guarantees, but it looks like he'll come through this unscathed. That is a loss, clearly, today because his image had gone through the roof. Now there may be a bump in the road. Could be larger, but maybe not.
LEMON: I read one report, though, where one economics person said that -- or advertiser said there are morals clauses in these contracts with these big advertisers and they can exercise it at any point because of something like this.
HARROW: Well, let's wrap it into a bigger picture. We had a whole lot of money spent on ads. Remember, NBC, $200 million of ads just in the Super Bowl here. Advertisers are open for business in a turbulent economy. Super Bowl ads, $40,000 in the first game ever 1967, now they're $3 million.
My point back to Phelps is that they are spending a lot of money based on endorsers. These are high stake games. So he needs to make sure he steps in the right direction to keep his image clean because endorsers if they don't drop him, they'll be watching very carefully.
LEMON: Thank you very much, Rick Harrow. We appreciate it.
A lot of you have been weighing in on your thoughts about all these stories tonight. Here's one about Michael Phelps. It said "He drove drunk and no one really seemed to care. And that decision endangered the lives of others. I expect he'll get a pass."
Another one writes, "I better not ever get taxed for marijuana. Don't use it, never have and my hard-earned money must not go toward such rubbish."
I'm Don Lemon. Thank you for joining us tonight. We'll see you back here next weekend. Good night.
