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Another American Dies of Swine Flu; Obama's Message on Abortion
Aired May 18, 2009 - 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): It's official. He died of swine flu and he's an assistant school principal. And now, schools are closed.
Hecklers get shouted down after they interrupt the president's Notre Dame speech.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Make sure that all of our health care policies are grounded not only in sound science but also in clear ethics as well as respect for the equality of women.
SANCHEZ: Lindsey Graham gets heckled by Ron Paul republicans. You'll see it.
Drew Peterson confronts a judge on first degree murder charges.
Did Donald Rumsfeld manipulate President Bush with, among other things, biblical quotes?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD RUMSFELD, FORMER U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: Your statement, your assertion, is flat-wrong.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Insiders speak out.
And, Mr. Conciliatory, Meet Mr. Hard-line. Good luck.
Your national conversation for Monday, May 18, 2009, begins right now.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: And here we go. Hello again, everybody. I'm Rick Sanchez with the next generation of news.
This is a conversation. It is not a speech. And it's your turn to get involved.
I want you to watch a piece of video from Toledo, Ohio, that is setting off a controversy tonight. It's kind of tough to watch, though. First, though, I want you to take a look at the pictures. Here, let's go ahead and put that up.
Look at this. This is 14-year-old Trevor Casey. These are pictures that were taken by his family after this incident that he had with police. They say he's the victim of police brutality. We have gone through a bevy of these, by the way.
You notice the bloody face, notice the swelling, notice the bloody nose, the cut lip. They have filed a formal complaint, we learned just before going on the air. And this is why people are going to be talking about this.
I want you now to watch a piece of video that the family has actually put out on YouTube now. Watch as a neighbor with a camera comes upon the scene of this boy. He's 14 years old. He's 120 pounds. And, at the time, he's being subdued by police. I am going to shut up and just let you watch. We will talk a little more on the other side. Here it is, about a minute-and-a-half.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Put your hands behind you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Don't get too close.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: I'm staying right here. What you talking about? I'm going home.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Put your hands behind you.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: I'm going home.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Put them behind you.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: Open my door, bro.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: He's bleeding. Move.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hands behind you.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my goodness. Oh, my God. Is you serious? Huh? Oh, my God.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sir -- shaking, sir.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come on out.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: Go in the house.
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: (INAUDIBLE) car. They have got...
I'm shaking from watching him shake.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Me, too.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) We have got one under arrest.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: There's a confrontation between his sister -- she's about to come up here and talk to the police officers. There, it's coming up right here. I want you to listen to that, too.
So, let's do that, guys. Let's stay with it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: Oh, my God. Oh, my goodness.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: Also, was he unconscious. And they kept referring to him as shaking and shaking, which we can hopefully get some information. All right, here we have got the confrontation. His sister arrives on the scene now and comes up to the police. Listen to what they say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You did my brother like that?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He didn't give us a choice.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You did my brother like that, Officer Daniels (ph), for real?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What choice (OFF-MIKE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You did my little brother like that, though, Officer Daniels?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (INAUDIBLE) know what happened. all right?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) anybody got a phone?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: All right, there you go. We will show you some more of this underneath, but I want to bring you some more information now.
First of all, we have been in contact with the police department. So far, they're not saying a lot about this. Toledo Police Captain Ron Navarro is not giving a lot of details, other than to say that he's aware that the family has filed a police complaint.
As we understand it, the only charge against this 14-year-old young man at this point is resisting arrest, which seems ironic that you would be arrested and the reason for being arrested is only resisting arrest, obviously, something that we're going to continue to try and drill down on.
I think we have a chance right now to hear from a family member. This is -- Trevor Casey is the young man you saw in the video, the 14- year-old. His brother's name is Vincent Casey. And I do believe that we have him there.
Vincent, are you there?
VINCENT CASEY, BROTHER OF TREVOR CASEY: Yes, I'm here.
SANCHEZ: How are you?
CASEY: I'm doing all right.
SANCHEZ: I imagine you haven't been on TV a lot, so let me just ask you a series of questions.
I was just raising the question to the viewer, as we were watching that video, and we will probably watch cuts of it again as I'm having this conversation with you, but it almost appeared that when police let him down, I heard somebody say, he looks like a puppet. He seemed like he was unconscious.
Can you confirm that he was?
CASEY: He was.
If you watch the video, you can see that he was choked until his body fell motionless to the ground.
SANCHEZ: What do you make of the police trying to subdue him in that situation the way that they did? How would you describe it?
CASEY: I would describe it as too excessive. You can see his hands are already behind his back. He's not resisting, but yet they're still choking him.
SANCHEZ: What was he being subdued for?
CASEY: That question, I cannot answer.
SANCHEZ: Do you know what the charge is, other than resisting arrest, which is what we understand is the only charge right now that police are possibly even suggesting?
CASEY: No. I don't know that, either.
SANCHEZ: How hurt -- how hurt was he as a result of this?
CASEY: He was very hurt. He -- like, as you shown on the tape, when my sister was trying to talk to him, he said that he heard her, but he didn't want to talk to her because he was in fear that they did him so bad that they was going to start stomping him and kicking him if he said something.
SANCHEZ: Why would you expect that police would do that? Is there any past that would lead you to believe that they would normally do something like that with a 14-year-old 120 pound kid? CASEY: Only thing that I can think of is maybe they were trying to send a message, because over in that area where it happened, there is always a lot of kids out maybe causing ruckus. And as soon as the police come, they scatter. And my little brother, he didn't get up and listen to the orders as quick as they wanted him to.
SANCHEZ: Some people might be critical of the fact that your family has chosen to put this video out on YouTube. What would your answer to them be?
CASEY: I would be -- my answer would be that we wanted to expose the situation as quick as possible before the police or somebody tried to put a hold on the tape and it couldn't get out, because a tape speaks 1,000 words. That is better -- that is the best witness that you can have.
SANCHEZ: Some people would say, well, why didn't you take the tape to the police first, to Captain Navarro, or maybe one of his superiors, to see what his reaction would be before you went public.
CASEY: Because they could have probably subpoenaed the tape, and then maybe edit it or did something. I don't really know why. I figured that it would have been better off in the news than to get exposed before someone else could doctor the tape up.
SANCHEZ: Well, that's understandable. We thank you so much.
I know we just got hold of you just before we went on the air. We are going to be staying with this story. And, obviously, if we get a chance, we are going to try and see if we can bring in...
CASEY: I just want to say...
SANCHEZ: Go ahead, Vince.
CASEY: ... the family, we didn't put it on YouTube. It was -- we actually really don't know who it was that put it on YouTube. We're speculating from different sources and different people.
But we didn't actually were the ones that put it on YouTube.
SANCHEZ: But -- all right. So, that makes me then have to clear something up here, because we're using this video. You have seen this video. This is a...
CASEY: Yes.
SANCHEZ: This -- this -- you authenticate this as a video of what actually happened that day, right?
CASEY: Exactly.
SANCHEZ: OK. Just wanted to make sure we were on the record on that.
Vince, we will stay in touch with you. We are also going to try and get ahold of some analysts. And we're obviously going to try and get ahold of the police department, try and get their perspective on this as well.
Casey's brother, Vincent -- pardon me -- Trevor's brother, Vincent Casey, joining us on the line.
Yes, you see that one fellow screaming. He screams. Then they scream. They all scream, but is there any understanding now on the abortion debate? We are going to be all over that.
Also, look at this video. Look at this kayaker. He's getting sucked in a bridge crossing where another kayaker earlier this year was killed in the same spot. And now the rescue is on.
Also, fighting for moderation in the GOP -- Lindsey Graham is heckled by one of his own. We are going to get that video.
And you have heard there has been another death with swine flu. We are going to be all over that story. In fact, we have got an expert here standing next to me, Jay Steinberg, Dr. Jay Steinberg, who is going to be taking us through this and answer some of the questions you may have after finding out that a 55-year-old has died. He's a principal. And it's in New York, the biggest city in the country. We will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: And we welcome you back. I'm Rick Sanchez in our conversation, our national conversation, as we ask it.
I asked you just before we showed that video a little while ago from Toledo, Ohio, if you would watch it and give me your take on it. And a lot of you have. Let me just share a couple of those real quick.
First of all, let's go to our Twitter board, if we can, Robert. And Vivid13 is watching. She says: "It takes a lot to leave me speechless. Alas, I'm pretty much at a loss for words right now. Surprised the cops didn't stop the video."
I'm not sure they actually knew where the video was taken from. I think a neighbor was in the other part of the building and may not have been seen.
Let's do this now. Let's go over to MySpace and get another one on that as well. This is interesting. Here's another take. "How can you only be charged with resisting arrest without being charged with anything else after all that? Why did they even approach him?"
This family is about to get rich. Interesting takes on those videos. And we will continue to share our information as we get it and hopefully we will be able to contact the police department.
Now on to a story that has much of New York today very concerned, if not the entire country. First, they told us that swine flu could turn into a worldwide epidemic, and we were concerned. Then they told us, yes, slow the routine; don't worry so much. And now, well, listen to this.
A middle school principal in New York City is dead, and his death is being linked to swine flu. That's what he looks like. The victim is Matthew Wiener, 55 years old. The school he worked at is now closed as a result. Kids have been staying at home. Hospital officials say there were medical complications, but his family says, other than gout, he was healthy.
At a World Health Organization meeting today, the acting director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the outbreak is -- quote -- "not winding down" -- unquote. He says the epidemic isn't even over in Mexico, where it started.
So, I -- let's do this, because we all look at this information and we're left almost confused, wanting more. Let's get more.
I want to clear up a couple things. Here is Dr. Jay Steinberg. He's good enough to join us now to bring us up to date on this situation. He's an infectious disease specialist at Emory University Hospital in midtown here in Atlanta.
Doctor, first of all, it's -- you can't help but react to the fact that it's a 55-year-old man, an American, who suddenly comes down with the flu in the biggest city in the United States. Is that -- when you put all those things together, is there cause for alarm?
DR. JAY STEINBERG, EMORY UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL: Well, it's clearly a tragedy for that person and his family and for his school and for New York, but I think we must realize that flu can be a serious disease. Even in regular flu season...
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Thirty-six million (sic) people get killed.
STEINBERG: Thirty-six thousand per year in the United States die.
So, there may be 100,000 people in this country who have been infected by -- with the swine flu so far this year. Having five deaths is not surprising. And I predict that we will see more.
SANCHEZ: That's funny. I apologize, by the way, for saying 36 million. It's obviously 36,000.
STEINBERG: Yes.
SANCHEZ: I know.
Let me ask you a question about what happens in a situation like this that has a lot of people concerned. The fact that we have this disease and that it is seeming to slow down, at least the way we see it, not -- maybe not from an expert's standpoint, but is there a possibility that it almost goes into a dormant stage and then could come back again and should we -- how concerned should we be about that? STEINBERG: I think that's absolutely true.
Flu is usually transmitted from person to person in the winter, in the colder weather. It usually -- flu season usually goes away in the spring and summer. However, there's a little bit of spread of flu usually under the radar screen in the summer. And also remember that it's summer here -- it's becoming summer here. It's winter in South America. So, they're just entering the flu season.
I think what happens in South America this flu season will be telling. But, also, when flu comes back in the fall, the virus changes from year to year. All it takes is to become a little more aggressive, and we could have a serious flu season in the fall.
SANCHEZ: It sounds like we need to be vigilant over.
Doctor, thanks so much for coming in and sharing that information.
STEINBERG: It's a pleasure. Thank you.
SANCHEZ: All right.
That's Drew Peterson. His plea to charges of killing his third wife, we're on the story.
Also, it takes main to wear pink boxers during war. But there's an interesting story behind this one -- no pun intended.
And then is Donald Rumsfeld being used to rehabilitate George Bush's legacy through Scripture, using the Bible? And, if so, how? I will explain it to you.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Video to share with you here. Get me the heck out of here is what this guy must be thinking or saying or maybe something even a little bit stronger.
Look at him right there. It happened last Friday. The guy's in a kayak. He's on the Blackstone River in Rhode Island. Current got stiff and the next thing you know, bang, he's stuck. They were finally able to get him out of there. But, just last fall, a canoer was killed in that very same spot, also stuck or pinned by the water up against that bridge.
Couple quick tweets and some information. Let's go over here, if we can, Robert, before we go to the next story. I want to show them the middle one there. "Why after he's handcuffed are they yanking his arms in an awkward position? People wonder why cops are not trusted." It does raise the question. But we want to make sure we get both sides.
And, finally, let's go over here to Facebook, if we possibly can, take these two really quick. "The video isn't clear on what happened prior," again, referring to that video we showed you moments ago, which we may be getting a chance to show you again for those of you who missed it. "Regardless, it's excessive force. If police cannot get a 14-year-old under control without that much force, then I believe they need more training."
And, finally, down there, J. Darroll Hall says: "No excuse. Four 200-, 300-pound cops to beat a kid senseless like that, no excuse."
Our thanks to you and your comments. We will continue to look at them and share them with our viewers.
Now, you have got to see this video we're about to show you. It depicts how difficult it is to be a Republican moderate these days. Senator Lindsey Graham in this video is among those battling the hard- core right for the soul of the GOP. And this is an especially tough sell for Graham in his home state of South Carolina.
Here's the video from the South Carolina GOP conference where Graham is called to his face by a heckler a hypocrite.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: The only way you can stop anything now in Washington is to filibuster in the Senate, because we completely lost the House.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're a hypocrite.
GRAHAM: There's 21 -- I'm a winner, pal.
There's 21 percent of this country thinks they're Republicans or will admit to it. The biggest group in this country right now are independents. And they are not Democrats. They will come back our way if we go get them and talk with them and welcome them in this party. And that's exactly what I intend to do.
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: And there's more to it. Did you hear what Graham just said there, though? He said that 21 percent of the voters out there will admit, that's the word he used, admit to being Republicans.
Joining me now from Washington, Republican strategist Rich Galen is good enough to join us.
RICH GALEN, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: I'm not admitting to anything. Wait a minute.
(LAUGHTER)
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: You're not going to cop to that.
Also, Democratic strategist Maria Cardona is good enough to join us as well.
Rich, let me start -- let me start with you.
GALEN: Lindsey Graham is basically aligning himself here against the party purists.
GALEN: Well, I don't know about that.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: I mean, wait, hold on. Limbaugh and Cheney and Hannity and those guys would say you got to stick to the core and not allow these other people into the party, right?
GALEN: Well, here's what -- here's what goes on at these GOP state conventions. It's been going on for about a year-and-a-half.
The Ron Paul forces are very well-organized, extremely well- organized, and they learned early on how to hijack these conventions. Now, it doesn't work anymore because the -- the party regulars figured out and they know what to look for.
But, still, you heard how clear that guy's voice was on that video. My guess is the Ron Paul guy was holding the camera and then shouting at -- just so he could get this on CNN. And guess what? It worked.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: It's like a little cabal of Ron Paul guys.
(CROSSTALK)
GALEN: It is. And they're -- they're everywhere. I mean, they are everywhere.
SANCHEZ: But I watched this video earlier. And I went through the entire thing. And I was listening to what this guy who was holding the camera or the guy next to him stands for.
They love Jim DeMint. They love Jim DeMint, but -- who really is a bit of a purist in the Republican Party. But they don't like -- they don't like Lindsey Graham. Maria, can you explain that to us?
MARIA CARDONA, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Well, I think what it does is it underscores the problems that this Republican Party is facing right now, which is that their supposed big tent is collapsing all around them.
And I actually have to applaud Senator Graham for focusing on what he believes and I think what most smart strategists believe is the right way for the Republican Party to expand, which is to try to bring in independents, women, African-Americans, Latinos.
But, as long as the extreme right wing has control of that party, and it does right now, there is no way they are going to be able to lead them out of the wilderness.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Well, let Rich respond to that. I'm not sure that's fair.
I mean, do -- do -- I know there's a -- there's a tussle going on. I think anybody can see that. But is it fair to say that the right wing controls the party right now?
GALEN: Well, I think -- yes, I do -- I agree with everything with Linda (sic) just said.
I mean, I wish I had some alternative views of the world, but I don't. What Republicans have to do -- I was talking to Candy Crowley about this last week -- what Republicans have to do is literally and figuratively construct a platform that is wide enough, deep enough, and strong enough, so that both a Rush Limbaugh and a Colin Powell can fit on it.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Yes, good luck.
CARDONA: Yes, exactly. Good luck with that.
GALEN: But, you know, eight years ago, Linda (sic), this is exactly where you folks were. And it took you about two years to get your legs back under you. And then, over the next six years, you made it work.
(CROSSTALK)
GALEN: These are -- it's possible to do it.
SANCHEZ: Let me talk about something else. Somebody -- a name that might actually come into this conversation is Liz Cheney. Did you guys see her yesterday? She was pretty bold.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: She was on "This Week With George Stephanopoulos" trying to defend her father's record. Here she is answering questions about whether torture was used not to protect the United States -- this is going to be a big argument here, a big controversy -- but rather to make a political link to the Iraq -- between Iraq and 9/11. Let's listen to it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "THIS WEEK WITH GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS")
LIZ CHENEY, DAUGHTER OF FORMER VICE PRESIDENT DICK CHENEY: I think that it's important for us to have all the facts out. And -- and the first and most important fact is that the vice president has been absolutely clear that he supported this program, this was an important program, it saved Americans' lives. Now, the way this policy worked internally was, once the policy was determined and decided, the CIA made the judgments about how each individual detainee would be treated. And the vice president would not substitute his own judgment for the professional judgment of the CIA.
(CROSSTALK)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: This is interesting. I mean, she has his mannerisms. I was kind of compelled to watch yesterday.
(LAUGHTER)
SANCHEZ: Either one of you, pick up on this.
CARDONA: Rick, if I can just jump in here, she is defending her father. And I don't -- you know, I don't criticize her for that. That's what family does.
But it doesn't change, first of all, the ineptness or the severe lack of credibility of Dick Cheney's comments. Look, they condoned torture way back then. They were wrong then. They were wrong now.
(CROSSTALK)
CARDONA: And, in addition to that, what -- what is happening is that more and more proof is coming out about not just how ineffective these methods were, but just how completely and totally they went after -- they -- they were breaking U.S. and international law and had no qualms about doing that.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: What's interesting, Rich, as you look this, is -- as you look at this is the rehabilitation of Dick Cheney vis a vis the rehabilitation of the Bush administration. Does that message get in the way of the message you were talking about a little while ago, which is expanding the Republican Party?
GALEN: Well, I'm not sure -- I mean, I'm a Bush fan, so I don't know that his reputation needs any rehabilitation.
SANCHEZ: Right.
GALEN: We have not been attacked since 9/11.
But let me also make the case, Linda, and Rick, that here's -- the only thing that Liz Cheney said there is that...
CARDONA: Maria.
GALEN: Maria, I'm sorry. I don't know why I kept calling you Linda.
(LAUGHTER)
GALEN: It's because we haven't been on together enough.
CARDONA: OK.
(LAUGHTER)
GALEN: That what Liz said was that people who are talking about this largely don't know what they're talking about.
And, in fact, on CNN's Web site, a guy named Lawrence Wilkerson, who was...
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Yes, chief of staff for Colin Powell, yes.
(CROSSTALK)
GALEN: ... said, this is how strong he was in his -- in his -- in his sense of what he knew he was talking about.
An exact quote, "I'm pretty sure it's fairly accurate."
Now, that's as close as the opponents can come. And I think that I'm -- I'm sticking with the vice president.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: He got hammered, by the way, Lawrence Wilkerson, yesterday.
All right, take us out, Maria/Linda.
(LAUGHTER)
(CROSSTALK)
CARDONA: The problem here is, and you mentioned it earlier, is that the longer that Dick Cheney is talking and the longer that Liz Cheney is underscoring his comments, the more that it reminds Americans exactly the reason that they rejected Republicans in the first place.
SANCHEZ: Yes. Yes.
(CROSSTALK)
CARDONA: And it also reminds all of those independents as to why they're not welcome in the Republican Party.
GALEN: Yes, I think the worm is turning when it comes to national security. I wouldn't -- I wouldn't bet a whole lot on that.
SANCHEZ: Let's leave it at that, guys.
CARDONA: We will see.
SANCHEZ: Interestingly enough, as I watched that yesterday, she kept referring to him as the vice president.
GALEN: And she's going to call me Don now next time.
SANCHEZ: Well, but -- yes.
(LAUGHTER)
SANCHEZ: Rich, Maria, my thanks to both of you.
CARDONA: Thank you, Rick.
GALEN: Thank you.
SANCHEZ: It's something a lot of folks in the Chicago area have been waiting for, for a long, long time. Former officer Drew Peterson, and you're about to see him right here, he went in front of a judge today to answer a first-degree murder charge.
Now, look how melancholy this guy looks as he's walking out. He looks up. He smiles. He's talking to the folks. You would think he's going to a picnic or a party or something. He's accused of killing his third wife, Kathleen Savio. Police reopened the investigation of her 2004 drowning death after the disappearance of Peterson's fourth wife, Stacy, and that was in 2007.
Now, Stacy Peterson is still missing. Peterson denies having anything to do with her disappearance, by the way. We will follow it for you.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: I also want to congratulate the class of 2009 for all your accomplishments. And since -- and since this is Notre Dame, I mean...
(SHOUTING)
(BOOING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: The president and how he handled the hecklers at Notre Dame. But did we achieve a middle ground on abortion?
Also, was the Bible used by Donald Rumsfeld to manipulate George W. Bush? That's the thesis in a major story that's out this week that I'm going to share with you.
And, then, Bibi Netanyahu comes to town to tell President Obama what to do and how to do it when it comes to Israel. We will share.
Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Welcome back. I'm Rick Sanchez here in the world headquarters of CNN.
By now you have probably seen this picture, an American soldier in Afghanistan fighting the Taliban in his skivvies. That's right, those are his skivvies, his boxer shorts. "I love New York" is what's on them.
It made the cover of "The New York Times." Now the story behind the story, or maybe we should say now the story behind the behind story.
Our Texas affiliate WFAA caught up with the parents of the soldier, Army Specialist Zach Boyd.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TOMMY BOYD, FATHER: I just died laughing. I couldn't believe it. And I must have laughed for 10 minutes straight.
SHEREE BOYD, MOTHER: These were boxers, pink boxers that say "I love New York" that he bought when he was -- he got stranded in New York City.
T. BOYD: He was resting, and then he said they just started getting shot at. So instead of taking the time to pull his pants on and everything, he just put his helmet on, his body armor on, and grabbed his gun and went out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: His mother said of Zachary Boyd, he has always been an interesting little character.
By the way, show that MySpace response we just got a little while ago there, if you would, Robert.
"Pink boxers? Laughing out loud, Rick. I want to hear that story."
You just did.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: We have to make progress on settlements. The settlements have to be stopped.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: President Obama tells Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel needs to stop expanding Jewish settlements in the West Bank if they really want peace. Well, how does B.B. respond? We'll share that with you.
Also, the president deals with hecklers at Notre Dame, but has the abortion controversy moved to the center, or has it not?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: We got a lot of comments on those pink boxers.
Let's show a couple of tweets if we can, Robert, before we move on to the next story.
"Rick, have you heard that everything is fair in love and war? Pink boxers or whatever."
Underneath that one, Rasheed says to us, "From sleep to battle, Hooah."
And then Twisted Puppet says, "I don't think those boxers are really Army regulation."
There you go. Thank you for your comments.
Six presidents of the United States have been commencement speakers at Notre Dame University, but none has received as much controversy as President Obama did yesterday. Is abortion really a Catholic hot button on that campus, or was it portrayed that way by some of the president's critics? Fair question.
All right. Here's the facts. Let's deal with that.
There was a speech. There were arrests. There were hecklers. And there was a CNN crew there to get it for you.
Here's Suzanne Malveaux.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Outside the gates of Notre Dame, hundreds of anti-abortion protesters objecting to the president's appearance.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Blessed art thou among women...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The president of the United States.
MALVEAUX: But inside the graduation ceremony, an enthusiastic welcome and a robust defense for the invitation.
REV. JOHN I. JENKINS, PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME: President Obama has come to Notre Dame though he knows full well that we are fully supportive of the church's teaching on the sanctity of human life and we oppose his policies on abortion and embryonic stem- cell research.
(APPLAUSE)
JENKINS: Others might have avoided this venue for that reason, but President Obama is not someone who stops talking to those who differ with him. MALVEAUX: The president's appearance and an honorary degree from one of the nation's largest Catholic universities ignited a political firestorm. Mr. Obama tackled the abortion controversy head-on.
OBAMA: No matter how much we may want to fudge it, indeed, while we know that the views of most Americans on the subject are complex and even contradictory, the fact is that at some level the views of the two camps are irreconcilable.
MALVEAUX: But he also called for common ground.
OBAMA: So let us work together to reduce the number of women seeking abortions. Let's reduce unintended pregnancy. Let's make adoption more available.
MALVEAUX: Early on, several protesters disrupted the president.
OBAMA: And since -- and since this is Notre Dame, I mean...
MALVEAUX: But the sea of graduates before him drowned them out, chanting, "Yes, we can" and "We are Notre Dame."
OBAMA: We're fine, everybody.
MALVEAUX: A small number wore pictures on top their caps of crosses and babies' feet to protest the president's abortion rights position. Other students donned pro-Obama signs. About a dozen people walked out during Mr. Obama's remarks, but the audience gave him a standing ovation when the president praised Notre Dame students' handling of the controversy.
OBAMA: I want to join him and Father John in saying how inspired I am by the maturity and responsibility with which this class has approached the debate surrounding today's ceremony.
MALVEAUX (on camera): In the weeks to come, President Obama will pick his Supreme Court nominee, and conservative groups will be watching out for their on abortion, not because they believe they can block the nomination, but rather raise awareness and money over this controversial issue.
Suzanne Malveaux, CNN, South Bend, Indiana.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER: The worst danger we face is that Iran would develop nuclear military capabilities.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SANCHEZ: It's a story that we have been following here throughout the afternoon. In case you missed it as you're getting home from work, the president reaches out to Iran in efforts to stop its nuclear program, among topics that are addressed while meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu.
We'll bring you reaction and we'll give you some cuts.
Also, what do verses from the bible have to do with the Iraq war and President Bush? This is a fascinating story that we're going to be sharing with you.
Also this: the Marine accused of killing a pregnant colleague. New DNA results could give us a brand new motive in this thing. Wait until you hear what happened.
Stay with us. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NATASHA CURRY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: When you think of Cannes, you may think of late night parties, high art and high-profile filmmakers. Well, speaking of high art and high profile, guess who's in town right now? Oscar winning director Ang Lee.
Lee, of course, won Oscars for "Brokeback Mountain" and "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." Now he's here with his latest film, "Taking Woodstock," which is competing for the big palm door, the Golden Palm. And I sat down with him to chat, and the veteran director tells me that the competition and all the attention has him pretty nervous.
ANG LEE, DIRECTOR, "TAKING WOODSTOCK: I'm a little shy. And it's a comedy, and it's warm. You know, it's competition.
CURRY: "Taking Woodstock" is a comedy, kind of a departure for Lee. The movie stars Live Schreiber and Emil Hirsch and Imelda Staunton, and also acting newcomer comedian Dimitri Martin. Lee also told me when "Taking Woodstock" premiered here at Cannes this past week, it got a very warm reception, which he really appreciated.
Now, that's the high art side of Cannes, but there's a whole different side that most people didn't even know about before. So we grabbed a camera and we ran inside to what's being called the Cannes film market to see some other movies.
"Comatose," it comes to you when you sleep. What is "it"? I'm scared.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a ghost that comes to you.
CURRY: Is it scary?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's not scary but very scary.
CURRY: Do I smell a ripoff here?
"Ong Bak 2." I missed "Ong Bak 1." What about you?
"Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus." Who wins? Hey, but it stars Deborah Gibson.
So you must tell me about the title, "Reptilicant." Am I saying it right?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are saying it right. It's part reptile and part replicant. So, together, we get "Reptilicant."
CURRY: Really like a whole different world in here. I'm still wondering, though -- this is bugging me, who wins, Mega Shark or Giant Octopus?
"Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus" comes out in the U.S. May 26th, but only on DVD. But I am so renting that.
Ang Lee's film, on the other hand, probably I would almost bet here -- OK, for sure -- will be coming out in theaters.
Natasha Curry, Cannes, France.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Welcome back. I'm Rick Sanchez.
I want you to look at some pictures I've got for you here. These are cover sheets for George Bush's daily briefing from then-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.
All right. Each of these includes a verse from the bible, and they made sure every time they presented something to the president that there was a verse from the bible, something scriptural like this one from the Book of Peter. Above a picture of Saddam Hussein, it reads, "This is God's will, that by doing good, you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men."
Now, insiders do say that all news from the war was presented to the president with scripture, calling it Rumsfeld's way of "manipulating" the president, even though Rumsfeld himself was not, according to sources, quoted very religious. OK.
Where are we getting the information? It comes from the pictures and the interviews with government officials that are now speaking out against Rumsfeld that can be seen in the upcoming issue of "GQ" magazine. It was brought to our attention. We wanted to bring it to your attention.
Joining me from Austin, Texas, Wayne Slater of "The Dallas Morning News." He's the co-author of "Bush's Brain: How Karl Rove Made George W. Bush President."
Wayne, good to see you.
WAYNE SLATER, CO-AUTHOR, "BUSH'S BRAIN": Great to be with you.
SANCHEZ: Most Americans, even if they're personally devoted to their faith, would have a bit of a problem with framing the government's business around scripture and biblical verses. Why then did it seem to work so well with George W. Bush?
SLATER: Well, one thing about George Bush -- and I know this from years of talking with him here in Austin -- he's very serious about his religious faith. And so those around him know that if you want to get to the president, if you want to make a public policy argument, if you frame it in the context of a matter of faith or bible verses, it's more likely to be accepted or persuasive.
That sounds simplistic, but it's not, because George Bush is a guy who wanted to reach a point of certitude, wanted to be sure when he made his decisions. He saw the world as divinely inspired. He sees as an evangelical that there was a battle between good and evil, and so when the Pentagon was presenting him these proposals, specific assessments, intelligence reports with biblical verses, then it further enhanced the idea, really reinforced the idea that he was doing God's will.
SANCHEZ: Well, you know what's interesting? Some people are going to look at this and say, well, I've got a real problem with it. But when you think this through, an article like this or information like this would tend to split the field.
Those who think him a really dumb president are going to see this as another example of just that, what they believed to begin with. Others will give him the benefit of the doubt. After all, I mean, he was reacting like a Christian, right?
SLATER: Yes. Well, here's the danger. When you really invite this kind of interjection of religion, bible verses in the context of this kind of debate, you move from religion, which is about absolutes, into public policy, which is really about subjective judgments.
It's one thing to say that I want to do what God wants me to do and to do the right thing. It's another thing to think, I'm on a mission from God. And that's the line you don't want to cross.
SANCHEZ: Yes. Not to mention the line that could get the United States in a lot of trouble overseas.
SLATER: Yes.
SANCHEZ: We'll have you back, Wayne Slater. Thanks so much. Always good to see you.
SLATER: Great to be with you.
SANCHEZ: Likewise.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NETANYAHU: I want to start peace negotiations with the Palestinians immediately.
(END VIDEO CLIP) SANCHEZ: Prime Minister Netanyahu says that he's willing to resume peace talks with Palestinians, but places conditions. We are going to talk to the man who speaks for the president in just a little bit. The Israeli president, that is.
And also, DNA could provide a new motive for the killing of a pregnant Marine. You are not going to believe the new information on this story.
Stay with us. We'll have it for you in just a bit.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: He appears to be one of the most conciliatory presidents that we have had in a long time. Meanwhile, the fellow he was talking to today seems to be one of the most hard line presidents that Israel's had in a long time.
I think we've got some pictures of these two fellows together. It's the president of the United States, along with B.B. Netanyahu, or Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel.
And let me show you somebody else. This is Dore Gold, who knows as much about the character and the timing of B.B. Netanyahu as anybody else who's been with him for a long time, a long time confidante.
He and I are going to watch right now as Robert Gibbs, the spokesperson for the president of the United States, takes some questions about that conversation today.
Let's listen to this and we'll bring Dore back on the other side.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
ROBERT GIBBS, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: I think you have heard them both reiterate that.
I think you did hear the president reiterate his strong position and his strong belief that the only way that we're going to have peace in the region is through a two-state solution. That's his belief. We think that the prime minister is -- the prime minister set forth that he believes that we have to work toward that common goal of peace, and I heard the prime minister also support the president's policy of engaging Iran.
So I think there's hope and there's optimism, but again, this is -- maybe we have gotten you too conditioned to good progress if you thought after two hours we were going to walk out with a big deal. We understand it's a long roads, and the president is willing to use his time and his energy to slowly make progress towards a long-term peace in the region.
QUESTION: What is this threat from Iraq?
GIBBS: Well, I think if you match the rhetoric of their leadership in wiping Israel off the map...
QUESTION: There's been rhetoric because the United States and Israel...
GIBBS: I'm sorry.
QUESTION: There's been rhetoric, amazing rhetoric in the last two or three years against Iran.
GIBBS: Well, I don't think I would match the rhetoric of President Obama with the rhetoric of the Iranian leadership and threatening and vowing to seek the capability that...
(CROSSTALK)
GIBBS: Well, as we have discussed, Helen, I'm the new spokesperson for the incoming administration, or the current administration, not the previous one.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)
GIBBS: In Israel, several thousand years, I'm told. But, look, I think that if you match the nuclear weapons capability with the rhetoric of the Iranian government, there is certainly cause -- there's always cause to be concerned. That's why...
QUESTION: Can you give me a quote from them to say what they're going to blow up and so forth?
GIBBS: I can certainly provide you some quotes after the briefing of what they have vowed to do. We can certainly -- somebody can Google that and we'll send them to you.
Yes, sir?
Raise your hand when you're -- all right. Wow, this is like -- this is bringing people together.
QUESTION: Yes.
A bunch of ones you probably won't answer. When Governor Granholm comes tomorrow, will she be talking to the president at all about Supreme Court vacancies?
GIBBS: I think the governor's primary objective in coming is an announcement we'll make tomorrow on a different topic.
QUESTION: Any secondary objectives about the Supreme Court?
GIBBS: I feel good about my first answer.
QUESTION: Which brings me to my question...
QUESTION: I...
QUESTION: Oh, you're not finished. Sorry. (LAUGHTER)
GIBBS: Five minutes to the gentleman in the natty blue tie. Well, not five minutes. Hold on. Let's -- go ahead.
Yes, I know. I realized, what am I thinking?
Sorry. Go ahead.
QUESTION: Why does the president feel this is a good time to change campaign standards when the automobile industry is in pretty serious trouble? I mean, I assume that's why the governor is coming tomorrow.
GIBBS: Well, I don't think it's...
SANCHEZ: All right. There you see the conversation. Part of the conversation, the two-state solution that President Obama has proposed. There will no doubt be some pushback from the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Very few people can speak for Benjamin Netanyahu better than Ambassador Dore Gold, who's good enough to join us now. He was listening to that conversation.
Let's try and be honest as we can about this. Is there any chance in hell that Israel will go along with a two-state solution as it's now presented between these two men?
DORE GOLD, FMR. ISRAELI AMBASSADOR TO U.N.: Well, I think there's a huge difference that I think everybody should be aware of between a situation like we have in Gaza, where Israel pulled out of the Gaza Strip unilaterally from every square inch of territory and got a Hamas state, which is alive with Iran, whose operatives go train with Revolutionary Guards outside of Tehran, and a situation where you have a peaceful Palestinian government emerging that recognizes the rights of the Jewish people to their own nation state, that teaches peace, and wants to live peacefully with its Israeli neighbors.
SANCHEZ: Yes, but let's go back to the question, sir. Will you allow a two-state solution where one country has autonomy, sovereignty, control of their own air space, their ability to make their own military deals? You're not going to go for that.
GOLD: Well, what's clear is that every Israeli prime minister from Yitzhak Rabin to Ariel Sharon Shimon Peres would never agree to a full-blown Palestinian state that could make a treaty with Iran and deploy Revolutionary Guards over Ben Gurion International Airport. You wouldn't agree to it either.
SANCHEZ: Exactly. Exactly.
GOLD: So what we need to do is...
SANCHEZ: Well, I was just going to say, if that's...
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Why is there -- and I hate the fact that we just talked over each other, and that was probably my fault, and I apologize. But if we know it's really not that doable, why are we talking about it? And why don't we talk about whatever is doable?
What is doable? What would the Israelis present as something they're willing to do with this very conciliatory president who's not going to back you -- or says he's not going to back you 100 percent like the past president did?
GOLD: Well, first of all, although these are two new governments, a new Israeli government and a new U.S. administration, each with their own perspectives, I thought you had a lot of convergence occurring with this meeting when I hear what was said. I think what you have is, first of all, ,two leaders who recognize that there are opportunities to move peace forward, real peace forward because of the changes with the Arab states.
They realize that Iran is an existential threat to them, a threat to Saudi Arabia, a threat to Egypt, a threat to Jordan. And therefore, they are beginning to converge with Israel, see things like we do.
They're saying the Arab-Israel conflict isn't their main concern, their main concern is Iran. Maybe we can build with them providing very important confidence-building measures for the Israeli- Palestinian dialogue. So both want to work on that, and both see that Iran is a huge danger to the region, bot the United States and Israel. And at the end of the day...
SANCHEZ: And I think most people would agree with you on that. I mean, I think most people would agree with you on that.
I'm interested, though, in what you won't give up. What will you not give -- settlements, for example, is that in play?
GOLD: Well, settlements are part of any future negotiation. In the Ospel (ph) agreements from the 1990s, it's one of the permanent status issues. We'll talk about Palestinian concerns on that, but we will also be focused on this rising Iranian problem and how that actually begins to bind Israelis and Arabs together in a way that you've never seen before.
SANCHEZ: What do you want President Obama to do about the Iran situation, the Iran problem, as you referred to it?
GOLD: Well, first of all, I think we have full agreement with the United States that we cannot allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapons capability, because just imagine -- I mean, you were struck on 9/11 when al Qaeda came out of Taliban Afghanistan. Imagine terrorism coming out of a nuclear Iran, terrorism under a nuclear umbrella.
You know, the Iranians already have Hezbollah in South America. They have tried to penetrate Canada. And of course they're around Israel in the form of Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
So, all of that terrorist presence becomes empowered and is far more dangerous should Iran acquire nuclear weapons. I think President Obama knows that, and certainly Prime Minister Netanyahu, who has been speaking about that.
SANCHEZ: Dore Gold, always enjoy my conversations with you, as many as we've had over the years.
Thank you. We appreciate it, Ambassador.
GOLD: It's my pleasure.
SANCHEZ: All right.
By the way, listen to the comment we're getting just as we take you out to the end of this here.
"That was an extremely fast hour. Time flies when you're talking news, I guess. LOL."
Yes, they do. I thought the same thing.
Here's Wolf in Washington.
