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Obama Expected to Name Supreme Court Choice Soon; Push for Gay Rights in Diplomatic Corps; Memorial Day Remembers the Fallen; Student Cartoon Portrays Ways to Kill Classmate; Dance Company Celebrates 50 Years; Fallen Heroes Returned Home; North Korea Conducts Nuclear Test
Aired May 24, 2009 - 22:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RANDI KAYE, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, I'm Randi Kaye. Don Lemon is off tonight.
We start with a very political showdown, featuring famous names and former allies who now hold opposing views, and they all belong to the same party. Colin Powell says he's a Republican and has been one for years. He says the GOP should be more inclusive and that the president is right to try to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility.
Views like those have opened the door to tough criticism from his party's conservative base. Today on "Face the Nation," the former general fired back.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE (voice-over): Colin Powell tells CBS's "Face the Nation" the Republican Party, his party, is in danger of fading away.
GEN. COLIN POWELL (RET.), FORMER U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: The Republican Party is losing north, south, east, west. Men, women, whites, blacks, Hispanics. And I think the Republican Party has to take a hard look at itself and decide what kind of party are we.
KAYE: Powell says the party of Ronald Reagan, the president he worked for and advised needs a change of direction, but he said he's not going anywhere.
POWELL: And I'm what people call, oh, heavens a moderate Republican.
KAYE: The former Joint Chiefs chairman and secretary of state is restating his party affiliation after endorsing Barack Obama for president last fall. He wants the party to become more inclusive, but others think he's already defected.
Two weeks ago, former Vice President Dick Cheney said, "I think my take on it was Colin had already left the party. I didn't know he was still a Republican."
Powell hears the former vice president, but says he has no veto over who belongs.
POWELL: Neither he or Rush Limbaugh are members of the membership committee of the Republican Party. I get to make my decision on that.
KAYE: As for the heated debate about closing the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, Powell says he's wanted it closed for six years, but adds President Obama might have fumbled the issue.
POWELL: I think President Obama didn't handle it very well by going up to the Congress and asking for $80 million without a plan.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: Lynn Sweet of the "Chicago Sun-Times" joins me from Washington. She's also a columnist for PoliticsDaily.com.
Lynn, right now, the Republican Party isn't exactly gelling. Anyone watching this Powell-Cheney-Limbaugh back and forth can obviously see that. But is this heated debate do you think hurting or helping the party?
LYNN SWEET, WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF, "CHICAGO SUN-TIMES": No, it doesn't help the Republican Party because there's no leader right now that can bring them together. Colin Powell, though, is as a general in a sense of fighting back. He's not letting himself being chased out of the party. That's why that was very interesting today. And that is he's trying to press the reset button on this conversation and telling the former vice president and Rush Limbaugh, don't you tell me what I'm about. I will tell you what I'm about. And I think that was a very strong message he sent today to the party doing a bit of soul- searching right now.
KAYE: Right. It certainly is.
So, what's your take? Where is the Republican Party actually heading?
SWEET: Well, they're heading to the right right now. They have a big problem with keeping moderates in. There have been a lot of serious losses in the northeast part of the United States. Everyone notice there's a defection of Arlen Specter from Pennsylvania, who was in a rough re-election, bid as a moderate Republican. So they have to figure out.
I guess, what is this big tent that Ronald Reagan talked about so much? Who is allowed in it? Who can -- how can they keep the different parts together? One thing the Democrats can do -- you know, they have their blue dogs, they are very conservative Democrats and their left and left of lefties.
And for the moment and for the past year, they've been coexisting. The Republican Party has decided it's a place where moderates and very conservatives can coexist.
KAYE: That's for sure. Stay right with us for just a moment.
It may be a president's most influential move while in office, selecting a Supreme Court justice. And we may know President Obama's choice to replace Justice David Souter as soon as Tuesday. CNN White House correspondent Elaine Quijano has the latest.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (on camera): President Obama hasn't yet named his pick to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter, but he told C-SPAN in an interview taped Friday he wants the Senate to confirm his nominee quickly.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think it's safe to say we're going to have an announcement soon. And my hope is, is that we can have hearings in July so that we end up before Congress breaks for the summer.
QUIJANO: Not so fast say some Republicans, including Senator Jeff Sessions. The top Republican on the Judiciary Committee recently told ABC he doesn't think a vote before Congress' August recess is feasible. And former top Bush aide, Karl Rove, warned it would be a mistake for Obama to name someone too soon.
KARL ROVE, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: I mean, they've got problems with vetting already. They had the well-known tax problems with five of their nominees.
QUIJANO: Still, Senate Democrats are prepping for an imminent announcement. On CNN's "STATE OF THE UNION" with John King, California Democrat Senator Barbara Boxer said she and Republican Senator Olympia Snowe wrote the president a letter, urging him to choose a woman.
SEN. BARBARA BOXER (D), CALIFORNIA: Mr. President, there's only one woman on the court, and there are eight men. Frankly, if it were reversed, I'd be saying appoint a man. You just need that point of view.
QUIJANO: But the president says he'll pick the best candidate, period.
OBAMA: I don't feel weighed down by having to choose a Supreme Court justice based on demographics.
QUIJANO: The former Republican speaker of the House says the choice will be a defining moment, and a decisive task of the moderate approach Obama stressed in his commencement speech at Notre Dame.
NEWT GINGRICH (R), FORMER SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE: Because, if he picks a radical, it'll prove that the Notre Dame speech had no meaning and that, in fact, this is a really radical administration.
QUIJANO (on camera): As for the time frame, Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, the number two Democrat in the Senate, says he's been told an announcement is likely this week.
Elaine Quijano, CNN, the White House.
(END VIDEOTAPE) KAYE: And Lynn Sweet is back to talk about the president's choice of a Supreme Court nominee.
Lynn, with just one woman on the court, some have said that adding another woman isn't about adding diversity, it's really about adding perspective.
Does the Supreme Court need another woman?
SWEET: Well, I'm going to just want to hang out on this one and say yes. As some people out there may know, since 1789, we've only had two women on the Supreme Court. So, frankly, by whatever argument you want to make, I'm not fussy. It seems to me that it would be quite reasonable to look at all the women in the pipeline right now and some of whom we can talk about, and say for whatever reason it certainly seems historical or whatever you want, I'm not fussy as I say about the reason that you need another woman on the Supreme Court.
KAYE: Well, let's talk about some of these women. President Obama had said he wants to find a justice with a common touch. Many have said that that could be the circuit judge from New York -- Sonia Sotomayor. She was raised by a single mom in the Bronx.
What do you think of that choice?
SWEET: Well, I think the Obama people love a good story line. And that would be a good storyline. Jennifer Granholm would be. There are two former governor -- one former governor in the mix, Granholm who I just mentioned and Janet Napolitano, former Arizona governor who is now the homeland security.
KAYE: With Sonia Sotomayor, though, she's a woman and she's Hispanic. Would that help?
SWEET: Well, I think, within the community of maybe a dozen people now who are the names most prominently mentioned, most of them have one or two on them, either demographically or whatever.
And yes, the list is weighed towards women. And almost all of them have in common, I think, a record that many people would not call radical, but I think that no matter who Obama nominates, they will probably get a radical tag on them by some of the conservatives. But going back to your bigger point, I think the quality that Obama talked about wanting empathy, wanting life experience might weigh a little bit against a sitting judge. It may be weighing more towards having a Granholm or Napolitano.
KAYE: Let's talk a little bit more about Jennifer Granholm. She went to Harvard Law School. She also served as Michigan's attorney general. She could have the empathy that Obama is looking for since she lead a state, as you know, that's very hard-hit by the recession.
SWEET: Right. And she's term limited. And I've seen her speak. She has a body of some legal opinions by attorney -- when she was attorney general and prosecutor. I don't know what's in them. And that's why when you talk about vetting for -- certainly her record isn't as deep in the paper trail as a sitting judge or someone who has a lot of appellate decisions such as Diane Wood from Chicago. But there's still a paper trail to go through, and the time that the Senate needs to go through, that is what is the discussion here when you heard -- when you talked about time.
Any sentence, any portion of an appellate decision that a week ago might not have seemed controversial can in the context of a Supreme Court nomination become radioactive. But that still doesn't mean that the life story wouldn't be very important.
KAYE: Absolutely. Lynn Sweet, nice talking with you tonight.
SWEET: Thank you.
KAYE: NORAD and the FAA say the restricted air space around Camp David was violated today by what's described as three small slow- moving aircraft. President Obama and his family were at the western Maryland retreat at the time, but they were apparently never in any danger. The president came back to the White House last hour ahead of Memorial Day ceremonies. The air space violations are being called minor, and fighter jets intercepted each of those aircraft. At least one of them was a small plane. A NORAD spokesman says the incursion happened separately over a six-hour period. No details for you on the pilots.
If you thought the H1N1 outbreak was waning, well, think again. New York City's health department is reporting its second death linked to the virus commonly known as swine flu. The latest victim is described as a woman in her 50s who had various other health problems. Assistant public school Principal Mitchell Wiener became the city's first death from that virus one week ago.
There could be big changes at the State Department as the battle over gay rights rages on. And the state is set for California's Supreme Court to rule on Proposition 8.
Also, a story you will have to see to believe. Sixth grade students list the top six ways to kill Piper. And that's Piper right there on your screen. It is the latest front in cyberbullying.
And Susan Boyle sings again. How did she do? You'll have to listen to that one.
And Don is off tonight, but, of course, we still want to know what is on your mind tonight. So, log on to Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, iReport.com. Whichever way you want to do it, tell me what you're thinking.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Same-sex couples in the U.S. diplomatic corps could receive the same benefits as heterosexual couples if Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has her way. A senior administration source tell CNN that Clinton is preparing to send a notice to state department employees saying the present policy is, quote, "unfair and must end." Clinton wants to give same-sex partners of diplomats the training, benefits, allowances and protections already given to heterosexual partners. The source says an agency review is required before that new policy could take effect.
And changing the policy might not be so simple. The Federal Defense of Marriage Act could be a major obstacle. Still, gay activists are looking to the Obama administration to push for equal rights for gays and lesbians, especially in the military.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE (voice-over): On the campaign trail, he promised to fight for gay rights.
OBAMA: Those are the kinds of basic rights that I think everybody should enjoy.
KAYE: Do those rights include serving openly in the U.S. military?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What do we want?
UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTERS: (INAUDIBLE).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And when do we want it?
UNIDENTIFIED PROTESTERS: Now!
KAYE: At this rally in Washington, pressure on the president to do away with "don't ask, don't tell," which bars gays from openly serving in the military.
ZOE DUNNING, FORMER U.S. NAVY COMMANDER: So I had the opportunity to serve for 13 years as an open lesbian in the military and I can tell you the entire military did not come crippling down to its knees by my mere presence.
KAYE: President Obama says he plans to repeal don't ask don't tell. Richard Socarides advised President Clinton on gay and lesbian issues.
RICHARD SOCARIDES, FORMER CLINTON ADVISER: I think the polling now suggests that the majority of Americans favor letting openly-gay people serve in the military.
KAYE: The last CNN poll showed four out of five people wanted don't ask don't tell scrapped. Tony Perkins with the Family Research Council is unmoved.
TONY PERKINS, FAMILY RESEARCH COUNCIL: I think they see the military as an organization that's there to defend our nation, defend our ideals. It's not a place of social experimentation.
KAYE: But the gay rights issue goes far beyond the military. Two federal judges in California say employees of their courts are entitled to health benefit for their same-sex partners. But a branch of the federal government said no, citing the 1996 defense of marriage act, which defines a spouse as someone of the opposite sex.
(on camera): If you were advising President Obama, what would you tell him today?
SOCARIDES: I think that now is a very good time to tackle some of the more controversial issues. People are somewhat distracted quite frankly. I don't think we're going to have a big debate about that now while we're trying to find ways to solve the economic crisis that we're in.
KAYE (voice-over): While in the Senate, Mr. Obama sponsored legislation to provide health benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees. And the White House says he supports repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act. But conservatives say he'll alienate a lot of people if he moves on this issue now.
PERKINS: This mandate was to address the economy, and as he goes off and side tracks into these controversial social issues, I think two things happen. One, he takes his eye off the ball of the economy, slowing down the economic recovery and, two, he loses the support of the American people.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: The Log Cabin Republicans are a group working within the GOP to promote equality of gays and lesbians. I spoke with spokesman Charles Moran about the State Department proposal to extend benefits to same-sex partners in the diplomatic service and about the upcoming showdown Tuesday in California over Proposition 8.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: If the State Department makes an exception to the Defense of Marriage Law here which defines marriage as a man and a woman, if the federal government approves that here, then what happens to the fight for same-sex marriage across the country?
On Tuesday, we're probably going to learn about Proposition 8, the ban on same-sex marriage in California. We're going to learn if that's upheld by the state Supreme Court. It just seems everyone may not exactly be on the same page here.
CHARLES MORAN, SPOKESMAN, LOG CABIN REPUBLICANS: I hate to have to say it, but these days it's all gay all the time. And, really, what this boils down to is a further discussion in America about gay and lesbian civil rights. Basic human rights and rights to us guaranteed under the American constitution under, you know, the pretense of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. This is just continuing that conversation.
California is absolutely going to be a firestorm here in a few days on Tuesday when the ruling comes out on Prop 8, continuing to have the discussion in America over civil rights for gay and lesbians. And, again, the defense of marriage act and the prohibition of the federal government for recognizing same-sex relationships when it comes to benefits of these, it's an extension of the same argument.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Obviously, this is a very hot topic. A lot of you are weighing in on Twitter on this topic. Let's share some of those.
LadiJRB writes, "I think that we, the U.S., have much bigger fish to fry. It matters not about benefits if people, gay or straight, are jobless.
Beedublyoo says, "Our fed government should lead the way in stopping unconstitutional discrimination. Duh!"
PastorGKell says, "It is inconsistent with other federal departments such as the U.S. military."
And this from Abaesel, "I think it's a great idea long overdue."
One more from MorgaineSwann, "Equal protection under the law means everybody. Of course same-sex partners should receive benefits."
What do you think? Log on to Twitter, Facebook, MySpace or iReport.com. You can Twitter with me directly at Randi Kaye CNN. I would love to know what you're thinking.
Honor bound -- respectfully receiving the remains of troops killed in action. We'll take a closer look at the service men and women who escort our fallen heroes home.
Also, the lights will still be bright, but some stretches of Broadway will now be car-free. We'll tell you why.
And how do you sneak into Buckingham Palace? A British reporter found a way. Yes, somebody is in big trouble.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: America is honoring its service men and women who gave their lives for their country. Arlington National Cemetery is all set for the president to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns. That's tomorrow.
Plus, Rolling Thunder roared through the Washington area this weekend. The bikers loudly reminding us not to forget the service men and women who were lost or taken captive in all previous U.S. wars.
And the family of Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant Enrique Valdez will return to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial this weekend. His four adult children petitioned to have his name added to the wall after he died from wounds he received in Vietnam.
The remains of two American soldiers killed in Iraq are back home. Tonight's ceremony at Dover Air Force Space marks the first Memorial Day weekend dignified transfers since the Pentagon changed its policy to allow media coverage of them.
One of the soldiers being remembered is Sergeant Brian Naseman of Racine, Wisconsin. He died Friday, in a noncombat incident. He leaves behind a wife and two sons. The other soldier is Army Medic Paul Brooks of Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. He died Thursday along with two other soldiers in a suicide blast. He leaves behind a wife and eight children, all under the age of 16.
The men in charge of handling the remains of fallen soldiers like Sergeant Naseman and Brooks take their jobs very seriously. CNN Pentagon correspondent Chris Lawrence got an up-close look at what they do.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When you handle the remains of a fellow soldier, you don't flinch and barely blink.
VOICE OF SPEC. WILBERT STEINBORN, U.S. ARMY: The standard is zero movement. Unless the command is given you do not move.
LAWRENCE: Soldiers Will Steinborn and Brenton Bush are part of the army's old guard.
PFC. BRENTON BUSH, U.S. ARMY: The position I'm in, I don't even have handles. I'm carrying from the bottom of the case.
LAWRENCE: A case packed with ice and the soldier's body, weighing up to 500 pounds.
STEINBORN: Your fingers hurt more than become numb. We wear white ceremonial gloves on a cold, steel transfer case and it's almost like pins and needles.
LAWRENCE: But the grip is firm, eyes straight, jaw tight.
STEINBORN: You learn how to keep your mouth closed throughout a yawn. You learn how to control coughing fits.
LAWRENCE: Each branch has its own team but they all take the service member's remains from the plane as part of a dignified transfer process. Some days are quiet, when it's peaceful in Iraq or Afghanistan.
(on camera): And when it's violent there, several bodies are brought here to Dover. The team never makes eye contact with anyone but they know the families are watching.
STEINBORN: It was very emotional. I mean, I don't know if it was sadness or pride or what, but it was, honestly, the most difficult and touching thing that I've ever done.
LAWRENCE (voice-over): Not that it shows. They call it being locked up. What they feel, we don't see.
BUSH: For instance, I wanted to sneeze since I started talking to you, but I just won't do it because it's just a creature of habit.
LAWRENCE: But even those trained to kill can only see so much death.
STEINBORN: I mean, we're soldiers, too. I mean, we are infantrymen. We could easily be in their place. We went through the same training that these men did. It's hard. You honestly think, you know, you see your wife or your girlfriend sitting where the next of kin is. I mean, you can imagine yourself being there.
LAWRENCE (on camera): The teams don't get a lot of information about the soldier who has died. Sometimes a name and rank, sometimes not. But they all say they prefer it that way, that knowing each and every soldier personally would make the job too hard.
Chris Lawrence, CNN, Dover, Delaware.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: And celebrities honor those who pay the ultimate sacrifice to ensure our freedoms.
(VIDEO CLIP)
KAYE: Performers like Katie Holmes, Trace Adkins and Gary Sinise were joined by former Secretary of State Colin Powell for PDS's annual Memorial Day concert in the nation's capital. "This is My Country" is just one of the many patriotic songs performed by this star-studded group. This marks the 20th year the nation's memorial service honors the service and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform.
"The Top Six Ways to Kill Piper." No, it is not a new TV show. This is Piper, and her classmates found some very creative ways to kill her. Wait until you see the video.
Also, the face of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Judith Jamieson is an African-American first who danced her way to the top. And we'll introduce you to her.
And singing sensation Susan Boyle -- she sings again. We'll tell you if she made the cut.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Welcome back. I'm Randi Kaye in for Don Lemon.
Now, to a story that takes bullying to a whole new level. It is sure to make any parents wince. A group of grade-school girls create a cartoon of themselves killing a classmate in half a dozen ways.
Elisa Hahn of our Seattle affiliate, KING, has this disturbing story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELISA HAHN, KING-TV CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The cartoon is called "Top Six Ways to Kill Piper." It includes depictions of five girls shooting her, making her commit suicide, even pushing her off a cliff.
BETH SMITH, MOTHER: I was horrified. I hoped to find kids making jokes, and it wasn't. It was death.
HAHN: Beth Smith says the cartoon targeting her daughter was posted on YouTube to a Hannah Montana song called "True Friend." Piper is a 6th grader at Elk Plain School of Choice. The girls who made the video attend the same school.
PIPER SMITH, STUDENT: It was beyond funny stuff. I mean, it really, really hurt my feelings. I mean, if somebody could hate me that much to make a video about me like that, it would make me feel, like, really bad.
HAHN: Piper's mother contacted the parents of the girls who made the video. Some were shocked. Others were dismissive.
B. SMITH: One guy blew it off and said he was making dinner. Yes, he's busy making dinner right now. He would get back to us.
HAHN: The school district says because of privacy rules, it can't say how the girls were disciplined.
KRISTA CARLSON, BETHEL SCHOOL SYSTEM: Since then, these students have expressed their remorse about this incident, and we do believe that Elk Plain has been and will continue to be a safe place for students to learn.
HAHN: Not knowing what happened leaves Smith frustrated because she wants to know her daughter is safe.
B. SMITH: My heart aches. I fear for her safety.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAYE: Cyberbully experts tell CNN parents need to be extra vigilant when it comes to potential cyberbullying, especially since more students will be keeping in touch online with the summer break ahead of them.
Which prominent Republican called President Obama's first 100 days a reign of error? We'll find out right after the break. And find out what our top radio hosts have to say about that.
And I guess it's true that money can buy just about anything, even unauthorized access to Buckingham Palace?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: Welcome back. Thanks, everyone, for your comments and all your tweets. Let's get to some of them. Mutantkat writes, "My thoughts on closing Guantanamo Bay? Bad idea. Where are we going to keep Cheney and his peeps?"
ESParedes writes, "I don't think it should be closed and if it is, then prisoners have to be placed in U.S. jails. There is nowhere else."
So, keep them coming. Log on to Twitter, Facebook, MySpace or iReport.com. You can Twitter with me directly, Randi Kaye CNN. Let me know what you're thinking.
For a discussion of the big talking stories of the week, we turn now to attorney and radio talk show host Warren Ballentine. He joins us live from Raleigh, North Carolina. And joining us live in Atlanta is conservative radio talk show host Martha Zoller.
Welcome to both of you.
Martha, let's start with you.
MARTHA ZOLLER, HOST, "THE MARTHA ZOLLER SHOW": Sure.
KAYE: President Bush wanted to close Guantanamo. Even John McCain said he wants to close it. President Obama is being criticized not for wanting to close it, but for not having a plan ready before the big announcement to close it. Poor planning by the administration?
ZOLLER: I really think so. I mean, I don't think there was any doubt that he was going to keep that promise. But to do it right off the bat and then to really incite his base by saying, you know, he looks like he's changing his mind quite a bit on this kind of issues. Now I like it because I think he's moving more towards the Bush way of doing national security. But I think for his base it hurt him.
KAYE: And, Warren, what do you think? Miscalculation or a rare misstep by the White House?
WARREN BALLENTINE, HOST, "THE WARREN BALLENTINE SHOW": I think it was a misstep here because of the monetary issue. But I think he needs to close Gitmo. I mean, they can put them in supermax cells here in America. Some of these cells are 300 feet below ground.
And, in fact, you probably get more terrorist cells over in Gitmo than you would in general population in America, because in general population at supermax they would be only with themselves. Over there, they get to talk and strategize everything else at Gitmo. It's a vacation for them. So I think they need to shut it down.
KAYE: What about -- is the public making too big of an issue of where to put the detainees and spreading fear?
BALLENTINE: I think so.
KAYE: But the president has said in his speech no one has ever escaped from one of our federal supermax prisons, so where's all the fear coming from?
ZOLLER: But the big problem is you don't want to have these guys on U.S. soil, because then what happens -- you know, what if you put them in the regular trial system. It has not been proven that they should be there. And that's my big problem with it.
And I don't think the American people are wrong about this.
BALLENTINE: We already have terrorists over here, though, Martha.
ZOLLER: I don't think the American people are wrong about this. Where are you going to put them?
BALLENTINE: We already have terrorists in our jail systems right now.
ZOLLER: Oh, so let's bring some more that we know like Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and those kind of guys. I don't think it works.
BALLENTINE: They're 300 feet below ground, Martha. This is nothing but a scare tactic. He needs to close Gitmo. It's a vacation and they're over there talking with more excess.
ZOLLER: Well, let's make a prediction. He won't be closing Gitmo. It will be open in 2012.
KAYE: All right. I want to get to one more subject before we have to go here.
At a speech to the RNC earlier this week, party chair Michael Steele called Obama's first several months "a reign of error," I'm quoting him there, and called for more aggressive attacks on the president.
What's that about, Warren?
BALLENTINE: Well, I think Michael Steele is reaching for straws. Unfortunately, the Republicans don't run anything right now. They don't have the House, the Senate or the White House.
If they were smart -- and I'm telling Martha this in a break -- if they were smart, they would hop all over this gay issue -- this gay marriage issue. Because a lot of minorities -- you get that Southern Bible Belt, you have Latinos, you have a lot of Americans who are very conservative about this who don't want gay marriage. If they were smart, they would hop all over that.
And I think he's just grasping at straws right now.
KAYE: Martha, quick last word.
ZOLLER: Well, I think what they're going to do is they have to go after the president because they're not in power. And I think that's what's going to happen. And that's what's going to -- they know that it's in their favor to pick up some seats in 2010. And they got to work towards that.
KAYE: And we'll continue to keep talking about it.
Martha, Warren, great to see you both. Thanks so much.
BALLENTINE: Thank you, Randi.
ZOLLER: Thank you.
KAYE: British singing sensation Susan Boyle takes the stage again. How did she do?
And the lights will still bright, but some stretches of Broadway will be car-free. We'll tell you why.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAYE: How about this for a change. Portions of New York's Broadway will soon be free of cars. Today, road crews began preparations to close off Broadway to automobile traffic near Times Square and Herald Square.
It's an attempt to make the "city that never sleeps" more livable. Pedestrian malls are also opening at the famous thoroughfares. The city wants to cut pollution, cut down on pedestrian accidents and, of course, improve traffic.
The shuttle Atlantis headed west for a picture-perfect landing today. Atlantis touched down at 11:39 a.m. Eastern time at Edwards Air Force Base in California.
Rainy weather postponed the shuttle landing Friday and Saturday at Florida's Kennedy Space Center. NASA had said that Atlantis could have remained in orbit until Monday, but mission controllers wanted to land the shuttle today.
Clear skies for Atlantis in California, bad weather, though, just about everywhere else. CNN meteorologist Jacqui Jeras with a stormy Memorial Day outlook.
(WEATHER REPORT)
KAYE: OK. Jacqui Jeras for us tonight.
Thank you, Jacqui.
Surprise British singing sensation Susan Boyle, well, she has done it again.
(VIDEO CLIP)
And the crowd loved her. Boyle made a return to the TV show "Britain's Got Talent" and wowed the audience with her rendition of "Memory" from the musical "Cats."
The shy church volunteer refused to compromise here signature frumpy look which had made her an Internet sensation. Boyle was voted the best of the eight performers, which means she will return Saturday in the show's finals.
There's a royal-sized scandal at Buckingham Palace over the queen's chauffeur, now suspended, after the release of this video. Take a look.
It was reportedly shot by two British tabloid journalists who alleged they bribed the Queen's driver for access to the palace and the royal garage. The price? 1,000 pounds or about U.S. $1600. Now, the chauffeur, who has yet to be identified, has been suspended pending an investigation.
She is the face of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Judith Jamison is an African-American first who danced into her dreams. We'll introduce you to her.
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KAYE: For the last 50 years, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has danced their legacy into history books with class, sophistication and a style that is always en vogue.
In our special series "Up From a Past," Don Lemon spoke with artistic director Judith Jamison who became the first African-American woman to direct a major modern dance company. And you're about to see why she was more than capable stepping into those shoes.
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DON LEMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When Judith Jamison hit the stage, audiences couldn't take their eyes off of her. And in 1965, legendary choreographer Alvin Ailey knew it and made the statuesque classically trained ballet dancer the centerpiece of his unique burgeoning modern dance troupe.
JUDITH JAMISON, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER: I felt very aggressive in what I wanted to do. And what I wanted to do was make sure that the company that I was with dancing would make a mark that would never be forgotten. And I would be a part of that history.
LEMON: When Jamison joined, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater was just seven years young. She was 22 -- a Philadelphia girl who had, until she started touring, avoided Southern bigotry.
JAMISON: Of course, during the civil rights movement, that was a mess.
LEMON (on camera): Were you ever not allowed to go into a certain place because there were black dancers or because you were black?
JAMISON: I remember being on tour, not being able to be served in a restaurant when we were just touring in buses, you know, with the props and everything. The luggage was on the bus. We were on the bus. The props were on the bus. The lighting was on the bus. Everything was on the bus.
LEMON (voice-over): The turmoil forged an exceptional bond among Ailey's group.
JAMISON: I believe Alvin was guided. I believe all of us are here for a purpose, and that purpose will come through no matter what.
LEMON: Their dream was to change the world's perception of black people through the art of modern dance, a dream in motion.
(on camera): Do you think that helped people, especially African-Americans, see themselves as beautiful when they saw these dancers up on stage?
JAMISON: Absolutely. The main idea was to celebrate our experience and our cultural expression because it wasn't seen as we would have it seen.
LEMON: Was there resistance like, this isn't the way we do it, you have to do it the way the established -- the establishment has decided?
JAMISON: They would tell me what I can't do. This is wonderful. That was such a challenge to all artists.
Alvin said the most beautiful thing in the world is you, your individuality, what do you have to contribute and not in a pompous way, but in a most giving and generous way.
LEMON (voice-over): By the 1970s, the struggles of the '60s gave way to world tours, presidential performances and even a school with the Ailey name.
JAMISON: What is that saying -- the minister said pray, prepare, and proceed. You know, I grew up in that, so there are no barriers. There are none. Well, as you put them up in front of you, and that's hard for a dancer to do -- to kick something over.
LEMON: She kicked over a racial taboo in 1976 by dancing with one of the greatest dancers of the 20th century, Mikhail Baryshnikov. And when she went it alone, a Broadway hit soon followed with "Sophisticated Ladies."
But in 1989, the death of her mentor, Alvin Ailey, brought her back to the company as its artistic director.
(on camera): It was his dream, but you're just as much a part of it as he was. Your face is out there.
JAMISON: I am the face that you identify with Ailey, but there are so many more faces and so many more hearts and minds and spirits that are out here. I just happen to be at the helm guiding the ship.
LEMON (voice-over): Under Jamison's direction, the Alvin Ailey dream is celebrating 50 years of reality in a new $54 million school building in Manhattan. JAMISON: He left us this celebrate the past, stay in the present, but also look toward that future. What -- that door that's opened is incredible. It's a force and it's a force of creativeness and a force that doesn't lay back on its laurels but that is completely, completely propelled into a future that is without bounds.
LEMON: At 66 years old, she has won awards from the Kennedy Center Honors to the National Medal of the Arts to "Time" magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2009.
JAMISON: This was that gospel song, "No Ways Tired."
LEMON: That's why Judith Ann Jamison is an African-American first.
Don Lemon, CNN, New York.
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KAYE: And next week in "Up From a Past: African-American Firsts," we will feature Alice Dixon, who served in the only unit of African-American women to serve overseas during World War II.
It's the hardest part of having a parent serving in the military.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I try not to think about the bad stuff. I just try to remember him as an awesome guy.
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KAYE: But one organization is helping kids and their families cope with their loss. We'll tell you about TAPS.
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KAYE: We told you just a few minutes ago the remains of two American soldiers killed in Iraq are back home. This video just in to CNN from a ceremony tonight at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. It marks the first Memorial Day weekend dignified transfers since the Pentagon changed its policy to allow media coverage of them.
You can see the actual ceremony taking place right there.
One of the soldiers being remembered is Sergeant Brian Naseman of Racine, Wisconsin. He died Friday in a noncombat incident. He leaves behind a wife and two sons.
The other soldier is Army Medic Paul Brooks of Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. He died Thursday along with two other soldiers in a suicide blast. He leaves behind a wife and eight children under the age of 16.
Also this Memorial Day, a special gathering in Washington of children who lost their fathers as a result of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. They're part of Good Grief Camp, a program held by TAPS, the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors.
CNN's Kate Bolduan talked with some of the children about their dads.
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KATE BOLDUAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): These are the courageous faces and the most heart-breaking legacies of war -- young people brought together in Washington for Memorial Day to honor and to heal.
PAUL SYVERSON, 12 YEARS OLD: I try not to think about the sad stuff.
BOLDUAN: Meet 12-year-old Paul Syverson.
SYVERSON: I just try to remember him as an awesome guy, and what a great dad he was.
BOLDUAN: His dad, Army Major Paul Syverson III, fought in Afghanistan and Iraq. He died in combat in 2004. This is the Syversons' only family photo. Little Amy was just a newborn.
The memories and the pain still raw.
How do you want people to remember your husband and what he fought for?
JACKIE SYVERSON, HUSBAND DIED IN COMBAT: I'd like him and he, I know, would have liked to be remembered as a great husband, a great father and a great soldier. He loved -- being in the military, he loved his job, but he also loved to come home at night and be with his kids.
BOLDUAN: Joey and Billy Ruocco share a similar loss. Their dad, Marine Corps Major John Ruocco, flew 75 helicopter missions in Iraq.
JOEY RUOCCO, 15 YEARS OLD: I mean, no one can ever replace my dad, but, I mean, that it helps a lot to have so much support.
BOLDUAN: Then in 2005 just before returning to Iraq for a second tour of duty, John Ruocco killed himself.
(on camera): The nature of your husband's death, does it add another layer of difficulty?
KIM RUOCCO, WIDOW: Absolutely. And one of the first things I said is, why couldn't he have died in a cover (ph)? It would have been so much easier, you know. It would have been so cut and dried. You could fall back and say, he died doing what he loved.
The fact that someone can come back from war and make it through and survive and then kill himself, take his own life, is very confusing.
BOLDUAN (voice-over): Along with the Ruoccos and Syversons, about 1,000 children and family members of fallen soldiers are here in Washington this weekend, helped by an organization called TAPS, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors.
BONNIE CARROLL, FOUNDER, TAPS: Good Grief Camp is the chance for all those who have lost a loved one in military service to come together, find each other, find hope and peace and comfort and support and to become once again part of that military family on Memorial Day.
BOLDUAN: It's also a chance to let loose, enjoy the monuments, spend time with newfound friends. Every kid assigned their own mentor like Matt Thibodeau, a soldier himself.
MATT THIBODEAU, TAPS MENTOR: I thought, you know, if I already had children and I were to go and pass away, that I would want somebody to do the same for me.
K. RUOCCO: It's about remembering the love, remembering the memories that you have with that person, and not just focusing on the death. So, there's a lot of joy here along with the grief.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How do I look?
BOLDUAN: And though the pain never seems to be far away, at least this weekend...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: After one, that's when you let go!
BOLDUAN: Kids like Paul, Amy, Billy and Joey...
J. RUOCCO: Dear Dad, baseball season starts soon.
BOLDUAN: ... can let go, healing together...
J. RUOCCO: Don't feel bad about what happened.
BOLDUAN: ... carrying on the stories...
J. RUOCCO: I can imagine what you're going through.
BOLDUAN: ... and the legacies of their fathers.
J. RUOCCO: I miss you. Love, Joey.
CROWD: 3, 2, 1, blast off!
BOLDUAN: Kate Bolduan, CNN, Washington.
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KAYE: And breaking news just in to CNN. Sources tell South Korea's Yonhap News Agency that North Korea appears to have conducted a nuclear weapons test. CNN's Sohn Jie-Ae is following developments from Seoul, South Korea. She joins me now live.
Sohn Jie-Ae, can you -- are you with us, Sohn Jie-Ae?
All right. We'll get right to her as soon as we can.
Let me just tell you a little bit about what we are learning. Sohn Jie-Ae has confirmed for us that the South Korean president has called for an emergency meeting of this council there. South Korea believes that a nuclear test, as we just mentioned, has been carried out.
Once again, we're getting this -- South Korea is getting this from the Yonhap News Agency.
You may recall back on April 5th, North Korea had launched a long-range missile.
We do have Sohn Jie-Ae now live for us.
Sohn Jie-Ae, can you tell us the very latest, what you've been able to confirm?
SOHN JIE-AE, CNN SEOUL BUREAU CHIEF AND CORRESPONDENT: Well, the South Korea's presidential office has said that so far what they can confirm is that there was a 4.5 magnitude earthquake in North Korea. And with the circumstances, South Korea believes that there is a high probability that this was a North Korea's nuclear weapons test, although, at this present time they're still investigating.
But in order to investigate, the South Korean president has convened an emergency meeting of his national security officials. And after they draw all the facts together, they will be able to reach a conclusion. But we do believe there's a high probability that North Korea did conduct a nuclear test.
KAYE: And this earthquake that you mentioned, that would be about the right size for a nuclear test, this 4.5 magnitude?
JIE-AE: That is what we are hearing. It's about the right size and also it is actually at the place where the North Koreans conducted its last nuclear test in 2006. So a lot of circumstances are pointing to the high probability that North Korea actually did carry out a nuclear test.
KAYE: And do you know if there was any warning that this may be coming? I mean, last time with this launch we had a lot of warning and even certain days that it may happen on, certain hours it could happen within. Was there any sign that this was going to be taking place?
JIE-AE: Not on this circumstance. If North Korea actually did conduct a nuclear test, then it did not give out the warning that it gave out in its previous -- the missile firing last month.]
Now, North Korea although did say that it was going to carry out it's nuclear weapons development activities. And many analysts said that the next step would be for North Korea to conduct another nuclear test.
So there are a lot of analysts predicting that this would happen, but no sign directly from North Korea.
KAYE: And does it appear then, given this earthquake that occurred there, does it appear then that this all took place underground?
JIE-AE: Yes. We're hearing that it took place very much underground, very deep into North Korean earth. And North Korea is known for conducting -- the last time it conducted nuclear weapons test, it also was done very much underground.
We believe that this one, if this turned out to be a nuclear test, would have been conducted in the same manner. So, if North Korea - it does - comes out that North Korea did conduct a nuclear test, it would have been done very deep underground.
KAYE: We know because you told us that this emergency meeting has been called by the president of South Korea. What do you expect the response to be from South Korea in this case?
JIE-AE: Well, South Korea will be very upset, and they will offer their - they will urge North Korea not to conduct any more - any type of provocation, what they would call an active provocation by North Korea. They have warned North Korea before not to push ahead with its nuclear weapons development, saying that it would endanger the security and peace of this region, as well as the world.
So, North Korea -- South Korea would, if they do think that North Korea conducted its nuclear test, would have a very firm word of warning against North Korea.
KAYE: And can you give us an idea? I mean, we have a map there on the screen with you. Can you give us an idea or a little bit better of an idea on where this actually took place?
JIE-AE: It is in the northern area of the -- I don't have the map. I can't see the map right as of yet. But it is in -- North Korea is a very mountainous region. And it would be in the northern part in the mid- to eastern -- it would not be too close to the Chinese border, nor would it be too close to the South Korean border. It would be sort of like in between the two borders. They do not want to endanger their relatively good relatively good relations with Beijing, so they would not conduct a test near North -- near China.
KAYE: And if you're just joining us, let us just recap for a moment. Once again, we are speaking live with Sohn Jie-Ae in South Korea. The president there calling for an emergency meeting. Apparently has been called in response to what they believe is a nuclear test that has been carried out underground in North Korea. A 4.5 magnitude earthquake there, which apparently is exactly the right size for a nuclear test.
You may recall it was back on April 5th that North Korea had this long-range missile test. They said it was a peaceful launch of a satellite, but many don't believe that. They apparently defied the U.S. sanctions that would bar North Korea from any ballistic missile activity. Now, Sohn Jie-Ae, tell us, do you think that this may have been in response possibly to the U.N. criticism of that April launch?
JIE-AE: Definitely. North Korea -- when North -- the United Nations passed the resolution verbally condemning North Korea for its missile launch, North Korea reacted very angrily and said that they were going to pull out of all talks, trying to get it to give up its nuclear weapons program. And they said that they were going to restart the program and to get its development of nuclear weapons under way. And from that moment, a lot of analysts said that when that next step that they could foresee for North Korea would be to conduct a nuclear test. And so, if indeed today North Korea did do that, then it was reacting to the global reaction to North Korea's missile test.
KAYE: And Sohn Jie-Ae, we should share with you that the Associated Press here is reporting that North Korea has said that it did successfully conduct this test, so now we have according to the Associated Press, North Korea confirming this test underground, which apparently caused this 4.5 magnitude earthquake in North Korea.
Tell me about this emergency meeting. And I guess, first of all, before we even get to that, what now, if this is actually being confirmed by North Korea, what now do you expect South Korea to do and to say?
JIE-AE: Well, it is one of the worst-case scenarios not only for South Korea, but for the United States and other countries that have been trying to get North Korea to give up the nuclear weapons program. It's a negotiation, a painful and a very long negotiation that has been conducted for years.
And it seems that we're now taking a major step back -- excuse me, a major step back, if North Korea and since North Korea said that it did conduct a nuclear test, this is North Korea resaying to the world that we are back on track on being a nuclear weapons state, that we're going to produce nuclear weapons once again. And it may be something that a lot of North Korean analysts see as North Korea upping the stakes again. If you want us to stop again, you have to give us more. So, we have to see, but we're going to see a lot of tough negotiations in the weeks and months ahead.
KAYE: And the future of the six-party talks?
JIE-AE: Well, the six-party talks were aimed at trying to get North Korea to give up the nuclear weapons program. Now that it seems North Korea definitely is on track to get its nuclear -- on its nuclear weapons program, people are trying to say that, well, you know, the six-party program is not dead yet because its goal is not dead yet. So, a lot of people will try to get the six-party talks again moving to again get North Korea to stop its nuclear weapons program.
KAYE: Sohn Jie-Ae, we really appreciate your expertise and your time and joining us tonight and bringing us that very latest information.
Just to recap for you in case you're just joining us, we want you to know what's going on here. First of all, the Associated Press, the headline here, the Associated Press says North Korea has confirmed that it did successfully launch a nuclear test underground in North Korea. That would have created this 4.7 magnitude earthquake, which CNN is confirming, and that quake really is exactly the right size for a nuclear test.
Sohn Jie-Ae, our reporter there in South Korea, confirming for us that the South Korean president has called an emergency meeting to figure out how to handle this. They have obviously been calling for an end to North Korea's nuclear program, and this really is a setback, as Sohn Jie-Ae has said for us.
You may recall April 5th, that was the last time we've seen some activity from North Korea. That was the long-range missile test. They said it was a peaceful satellite launch. They defied the U.S. sanctions that bar North Korea from ballistic missile activity. Sohn Jie-Ae again talking to us about how this may have been in response -- this underground test may have actually been in response to the U.N. and U.S. criticism of that April launch. The first-ever nuclear test by North Korea taking place in 2006.
So, once again, the headline, North Korea, according to the AP, confirming that it has had a successful nuclear test. A successful nuclear test has been carried out underground in North Korea.
All right. I believe that's going to do it for us tonight. I'm Randi Kaye in for Don Lemon. "STATE OF THE UNION" with John King starts right now.
