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New Energy Bill and Hate Crimes Bill Drafted
Aired June 25, 2009 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: We are pushing forward now on three big stories. Beginning at the White House. As we speak, President Obama bringing in lawmakers from both parties to talk immigration. That's the latest hot-button issue he plans to address this year. A reelected president of Iran wants Mr. Obama to apologize for what Tehran considered meddling in that country's election. Iranian protesters, by contrast, are quiet.
The price of infidelity. Did South Carolina taxpayers foot the bill for their governor's affairs? We are not the only ones asking that question.
First, hate in America. The Justice Department is pushing Congress to expend federal hate crime laws which now apply to crimes based on a victim's race or religion. Attorney General Eric Holder and many Democrats want the law to cover gender, sexual orientation and gender identity, along with nationality and stability. Supporters say it's a matter of simple justice. Critics see a solution in search of a problem.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. ORRIN HATCH (R), UTAH: Do you have any evidence that this is the case, that there is a trend specifically with regard to biased motivated crimes, justice is not being served in this country?
ERIC HOLDER, ATTORNEY GENERAL: I am not sure I would say I see a trend. I think state and local prosecutors are partners doing a good job. I also know, as I noted in my prepared remarks, that there are instances where there is the need for the federal government to come in where a state...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: The vote is scheduled for tomorrow. A climate change bill. The president now with his last pitch.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It is a new, clean-energy economy. For more than three decades, we have talked about our dependence on foreign oil and seen that dependence grow. We have seen our reliance on fossil fuels jeopardize our national security and pollute the air we breath and endanger our planet. Most of all, we have seen that other countries realize a critical truth. The nation that leads in the creation of a clean energy economy will be the nation that leads the twenty-first century global economy. Now is the time for the United States of America to realize this as well. Now is the time for us to lead. The energy bill before the House will finally create a set of incentives that will spark a clean energy transformation of our economy. It will spur the development of low carbon sources of energy, everything from wind, solar and geothermal power to safe nuclear energy and cleaner coal. It will spur new energy savings, like the efficient windows and other materials that reduce heating costs in the winter and cooling costs in the summer. Most importantly, it will make possible the creation of millions of new jobs. Make no mistake, this is a jobs bill. We are already seeing why this is true in the clean energy investments we are making through the recovery act. In California, 3,000 people will be employed to build a new solar plant that will create 1,000 jobs. In Michigan, investments in wind turbines and wind technology is expected to create over 2,600 jobs. In Florida, three new solar projects are expected to employ 1,400 people.
The list goes on and on. But the point is, this legislation will finally make clean energy the profitable kind of energy. That will lead to the creation of new businesses and entire new industries and that will lead to American jobs that pay well and can't be outsourced. I've often talked about the need to build a new foundation for economic growth so that we don't return to the endless cycle of bubble and bust that has led us into this deep recession. Clean energy and the jobs it creates will be absolutely critical to that new foundation. This legislation has also been written carefully to address the concerns that many have expressed in the past. Instead of increasing the deficit, it's paid for by the polluters who currently emit dangerous carbon emissions. It provides assistance to businesses and families as they make the gradual transition to clean energy technologies.
It gives rural communities and farmers the opportunity to participate in climate solutions and generate new income. Above all, it will protect consumers from the cost of this transition so that in a decade, the price to the average American will be about the same as a postage stamp per day. Because this legislation is so balanced and sensible, it has already attracted a remarkable coalition of consumer and environmental groups, labor and business leaders, democrats and republicans. I urge every member of Congress, democrat and republican, to come together to support this legislation. I can't stress enough the importance of this vote. I know this is going to be a close vote. In part, because the misinformation that's out there that suggests there is somehow a contradiction between investing in clean energy and our economic growth.
But, my call to those members of Congress who are still on the fence as well as to the American people is this. We cannot be afraid of the future. We can't be prisoners of the past. We've been talking about this issue for decades. Now is the time to finally act. There is no disagreement over whether our dependence on foreign oil is endangering our security. We know it is. There is no longer a debate about whether carbon pollution is placing our planet in jeopardy. It's happening. There is no longer a question about whether the jobs and the industries of the 21st century will be centered around clean renewable industry. The only question is which country will create these jobs and these industries? I want that answer to be the United States of America. I believe that the American people and the men and women they send to Congress share that view. So let's take this opportunity to come together and meet our obligations to our constituents, to our children, to God's creation and to future generations. Thank you very much.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Once again, the president of the United States with his last pitch there as the democratic leaders in the House have scheduled a Friday vote on what he was talking about there, that climate change bill that would establish a pretty complex cap and trade system to limit the nation's greenhouse gas emissions. We'll of course follow that vote tomorrow.
When health care is still the hot topic on Capitol Hill, a key lawmaker said that a bi-partisan group of senators are making progress on writing reform legislation that will cost the government no more than a trillion dollars. Democrat Max Baucus says that there is no deal yet. He says the senators have what he is calling options. Meantime, President Obama is pushing ahead with his version of health care reform. On televised town hall last night he says that thee says that there will have to be a role for government in any changes. But he said the government won't take over the system.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: Unfortunately, whatever it is that we are doing right now, isn't working. What we see is great examples of outstanding care, businesses that are working with their employees on prevention. But it's not spreading through the system. Unfortunately, government, whether you like it or not, is going to already be involved. We pay for Medicare. We pay for Medicaid. There are a whole host of rules both at the state and federal level governing how health care is administered. And so the key is for us to try to figure out, how do we take that involvement, not to completely replace what we have but to build on what works and stop doing what doesn't work. I think we can do that through a serious health care reform initiative.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: The president also did rule out a new tax on health care benefits saying he didn't want to prejudge anything.
The Justice Department is pushing Congress to expand federal hate crime laws which now apply to crimes based on a victim's race or religion. Attorney General Eric Holder and many democrats want the law to cover gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity along with nationality and disability. Supporters say it's a matter of simple justice. But critics see a solution in search of a problem.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SEN. ORRIN HATCH, (R) JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: Do you have any evidence that this is the case that there is a trend specifically with regard to biased motivated crimes that justice is not being served in this country?
ERIC HOLDER, ATTORNEY GENERAL: I am not sure that I will say that I see a trend. I think that state and local prosecutors, our partners do a good job. I also know as I noted in my prepared remarks, there are instances where there is the need for the federal government to come in where a state or local locality, for whatever reason, has decided not to pursue a case where I think it is clearly appropriate or does not have the ability to do that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: It is called the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act named for the University of Wyoming student who was tortured and killed in 1998 because he was gay. It passed the House by a wide margin earlier this year. Senate prospects aren't quite as certain. In just a few minutes, I'm actually going to talk live with Matthew Shepard's parents who say the new law is long overdue.
Now, to Iran, where for a change, the reelected president was way out in front today and anti-government protesters were out of sight. At the opening of a petrochemical plant, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad accused President Obama of interfering in Iran's affairs and called for an apology. Back in Tehran a city described by one resident as defiant but nervous, a gathering plan to honor unknown numbers of demonstrators hurt or killed by government forces was postponed. In its place, one of the losing candidates in this month's election is calling for dueling rallies, one for reformers, one for Ahmadinejad backers, to see which draws the bigger crowd. Reza Sayah was a guy in Iran and he just got back from there. No sensors, no filters, just a firsthand account of what it was like to be there as all hell broke loose.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REZA SAYAH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I heard gun shots. I wasn't at any location where I actually saw gunshots and saw people getting shot but I saw plenty of beatings. We all know the Rodney King incident here in Los Angeles. What I saw in Iran was one Rodney King after another. These are plainclothes people that are not accountable to anyone. These are government-hired thugs. That's the only way you can put it, given a baton and told to go out there and just crush these protesters. These protesters, I have got to tell you, to me it would seem the best of Iran and the worst of Iran. At the height of the silent protest, there are so many people out there, different ages, different walks of life.
PHILLIPS: This was uncharted territory.
SAYAH: It was. When is the last time you saw so many people, the sustained type of dissent against the Islamic Republic? We got a glimpse of what the Islamic Republic does when it is stranglehold on power appears to be in jeopardy. They crack down and they crack down brutally.
PHILLIPS: What's your take? Is this going to get worse? Is your sense, is your gut telling you that this will get more violent? That this could become a lot bigger?
SAYAH: I'll be honest, I don't know. This has been an unpredictable set of events. I challenge you to find any analyst, any expert that will say I predicted for us to be --
PHILLIPS: Because we never expected to see what we're seeing now.
SAYAH: Right, exactly.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Ivan Watson is watching the news coming in from our other sources in Iran. We're going to check in with him in just a few minutes.
South Carolina's governor spending some family time today and touching base with other state leaders. Probably a good idea given the drama of the last few days. A top state lawmaker says if there is proof that Mark Sanford used taxpayer money to fund his affair with the woman in Argentina, the pressure will mount for him to resign. The governor did take a business trip down there about a year ago on the taxpayer dime. Yesterday he admitted the affair got serious about a year ago.
Some D.C. metro train cars must be upgraded and replaced. That's the word now from the D.C. mayor as metro officials begin moving the oldest and weakest cars to the middle trains. Some of the systems older cars were involved in Monday's crash which killed nine people. Investigators are now inspecting the systems' 3,000 track sensors. They tell train computers when to go faster or slower. And a sensor near the scene of Monday's crash had what investigators are calling anomalies.
You don't see this at church most Sundays. That's a teenager rolling around on the floor, sweating, panting, dragged to his feet, as church members sing and shout at his homosexual demons.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: A financial crisis has left a deep impact on Americans forcing families across the nation to rethink their finances. CNN's senior correspondent Allan Chernoff introduces us to one couple, how they were hit and how they responded.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Not only were Kevin and Lucy Aikman heavily invested in the stock market last fall, but Kevin's employer, AIG, nearly collapsed. Kevin is in a stable end of the business, home insurance assessments. So the dual crisis rocking his investments and employer, was especially jarring.
KEVIN AIKMAN, HIT HARD BY FINANCIAL CRISIS: First thought is fear, what about all these years I have put in hard work. All the money that I have invested, is there going to be anything left at the end of the day?
CHERNOFF: For Lucy, the financial crisis has been terrifying. LUCY AIKMAN, HIT HARD BY FINANCIAL CRISIS: Terrible anxiety. I ended up having to go get pills because I couldn't sleep so much anxiety.
CHERNOFF: Lucy lost her job as a trader on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange two years ago and hasn't worked since. Her grown daughter also lost her job as did Lucy's sister who worked at Bear Stearns when it collapsed.
L. AIKMAN: Everybody is fearful. Everybody is falling like soldiers around me.
CHERNOFF (on camera): Just a few days before the stock market began collapsing last September, the Aikman's hired a contractor to chop down trees and excavate a pond by their home. Today, more than seven months later, it is still a hole in the ground. The project is on hold.
(Voice-over): The hold in the ground was like a hole in their pocket. It had cost $10,000. The Aikman's chopped their spending, they gave up their personal trainer and now exercise on their own. They have postponed plans to build a screen porch, don't go out to dinner as much and planted a vegetable garden.
L. AIKMAN: One of our biggest expenses is food. I mean it sounds strange but we eat a lot of fresh produce. As you know, to eat healthy, it costs money.
CHERNOFF: They have become more conservative investors with the help of financial planners Doug Flynt and Rick Zitto, who reduced their exposure to stocks.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have taken it all the way down to about 15 percent stocks.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you are losing sleep, then you probably don't have the right portfolio. We need to find the right portfolio for you.
CHERNOFF: To sleep better, the Aikman's bought extra insurance and Kevin is shelving his dreams of retiring in just 10 years when he'll be 55.
K. AIKMAN: The 401(k) just about fell in half. When that happened, I reassessed and said, well, maybe I am going to need to put a few more years in.
CHERNOFF: The Aikmans realize they can't control the economic environment that affects all of us, but by cutting spending, boosting insurance and becoming more conservative with investments, the Aikmans feel they are controlling what they can to weather the financial storm while still being positioned to profit as it begins to pass. Allan Chernoff, CNN, Hurley, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE) PHILLIPS: You can catch "Money & Main St." every Thursday right here on "American Morning." You can see even more "Money & Main St." tonight at 8:00 p.m. Eastern on "Campbell Brown."
CNN has some new poll numbers to share, they shed some light on what it's like to be "Black in America" in a recession.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Let's talk about some blazing heat again today. Much of the U.S. midsection still in the grips of a searing heat wave and there's no end in sight. Chicago just one of the cities where it can be pretty dangerous to be outdoors right now. Also in Houston, a record yesterday as the thermometer climbed to 104 degrees. With the air so hot and stagnant, the nation's fourth biggest city is now under a code red alert. That means the air quality is extremely bad. At least one death in Houston is linked to the heat. A man who died after his air conditioner went out.
(WEATHER REPORT)
PHILLIPS: As you know, CNN's follow-up series, "Black in America 2" debuts next month, July 22nd and 23rd at 8:00 Eastern. And of course it's hosted by our own Soledad O'Brien. She joins me now live from New York with some new polls that we have done with our friends at "Essence" magazine. Hey Soledad.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: Hey Kyra. Good afternoon to you. Yes, you're absolutely right, we have some new polls. It is all on our website. I wanted to give you a quick tour of what our website, the "Black in America" site on cnn.com looks like. Obviously at our front page you can see all the breaking news, etcetera. But if you go right here to "Black in America," we have highlighted it for you. This is what it looks like. This is a picture that we took when we were reporting on one of the stars of our documentary. A picture we took in South Africa. But here of course, we have all the new stories, we followed Colin Powell, did a story on him, taking a look at the NAACP and their 100th year anniversary, etcetera.
But we also wanted to see some polls. Here is a question for you. The question was, will your children be better off than you? That was a telephone poll. You can take a look at some of the answers here, 86 percent of African-Americans said, yes, in fact they would. Fifty nine percent of whites, in fact 36 percent of whites said no, they would not be better off, their children, than they are. Take a look at this though, when you break it down and take a look at how the same people answered the poll a year ago, same question, 86 percent now for African-Americans. A year ago, 73 percent of the people who were polled thought that their children would be better off. Keep in mind, we are in a recession, that's all we've been talking about. That's a pretty stunning difference, that 13 point difference. Look over at whites, 70 percent a year ago said that they felt their children would be better off than they were. That number has dropped to 59 percent.
That's the recession playing in very heavily here. And also many people point to the affect of Barack Obama and how he has really and continues to energize African-Americans in this country for those high numbers among African-Americans. We are really interested of course on the website in getting your feedback and having a lot of interaction. So we have posed a question here. What ways do you think your children will be better or worse off than you. Already, we have folks writing in to us. Tia Stover's written in she says, "My daughter will be better because I have chosen to let her know about our past, present and future. I am also choosing to impact my community by helping other girls in the same exact way."
Many other people have weighed in with that very same question. We are really interested in having people also send us their i- Reports. Of course, that's a great way to get in touch and show us your story, we'd love to see it. You have an assignment desk here, meaning we'd love to hear about your family roots, community leadership, want to hear about urban farming, state of education, African perspective. My personal favorite, Kyra, your hair story. I have a lot of hair stories I could talk about. On the state of education, though, we have a wonderful i-Report that I want to share with you. It is from Tamica Currie, she's an author of the (INAUDIBLE) Kids and Adventures. Let's play a little bit of that, she has a wonderful i-Report that I want to share.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
Hey, D.J., yes, that's me, won't you tell the people how it really should be.
In our days, we learned how to rap and we sing but haven't learned a thing about our history. Our history, it goes from A to Z and now my sister Rhonda Barry is going to sing with me.
That's my brother, D.J. Barry and he is really cool. It's because he gets good grades and learns in school. Of course, he would like to throw the ball and dunk them all, but he doesn't let black history education fall. That's my sister Rhonda Barry and she's really tight, not because she likes to dance but read and write. Don't keep saying being black is a setback, because we have to learn to fight the (INAUDIBLE) and teach black history.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: A creative and smart comic strip rap. We love it, right here on cnn.com on the "Black in America" page. Of course, we want you to know that we update this page all the time. We are contributing original articles. Many of the folks in fact who are profiled in the documentary are also contributing. We would love to have you come check it out. Kyra?
PHILLIPS: Sounds great, we look forward to it. Thanks Soledad. A reminder "Black in America 2" airs July 22nd and 23rd at 8:00 Eastern. Soledad is going to explore the most challenging issues facing African Americans, you can watch it right here on CNN.
Getting close to 11:00 p.m. in Tehran. A call for dueling rallies and a message to the U.S., from Iran's president. Say you are sorry and butt out. Our Iran desk keeping an eye on all of it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: This was not the scene in Tehran today, so far as we know. This heavy show of force from the recent past is probably why the streets are quiet, at least for now. The demonstration planned to honor protesters hurt or killed in rallies like this has been postponed. In its place, one of the losing candidates in this month's election calling for dueling rallies, one for reformers and one for government supporters, to see which draws the bigger crowd.
Freelance American journalist Roxana Saberi spent four months as an Iranian prisoner. She talks about her experiences and the crisis in Iran with CNN's Anderson Cooper. Here is a preview of what you will see tonight.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROXANA SABERI, FREELANCE AMERICAN JOURNALIST: The first day, they took me to this neutral site outside a prison and they say, we'll give you a chance. We are going to interrogate you for some hours and if you cooperate, we will free you and you won't have to go to prison, you can go home. Their definition of cooperation I found out as this interrogation went on, was that I was supposed to admit to being a spy. I might sound kind of absurd but this is apparently what happened to a lot of people who get arrested for, so-called security charges. They have to confess to certain crimes whether they did them or not. And of course I didn't cooperate that first day so they took me to Evan Prison that night.
ANDERSON COOPER: For the record you're not a spy?
SABERI: No, I'm not a spy and as I said before, I was not a spy, I am not a spy and I will never be a spy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: And you can see the full interview with Roxana Saberi tonight. "ANDERSON COOPER 360," 10:00 Eastern, only on CNN
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Some folks believe in exorcisms. Some don't. What I can't believe is a ritual performed by one Connecticut church trying to exercise the gay out of a teenage boy.
(PLAYING VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Rip it from his throat, come on, you homosexual demon.
That's what these church elders are shouting at this boy, who, by the way, is convulsing on the floor. Are you kidding me? At one point, he starts coughing and he even seems to be vomiting. The church actually posted this -- 20 minutes of this -- on YouTube, but has since removed it. And youth advocates and gay rights groups are horrified and demanding an investigation now. Church leaders deny that the boy was injured in any way and insist that they're not prejudice.
From Reverend Patricia McKinney, quote, "We have nothing against homosexuals, I just don't agree with his lifestyle." In addition, she says, "This young man came to us. We didn't go to him."
Ali Velshi in for Rick Sanchez, this week. He's pretty busy working on this story.
ALI VELSHI, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: What a remarkable story, huh?
PHILLIPS: How do you define that?
VELSHI: Well, we're going to be talking to the reverend.
PHILLIPS: It's crazy.
VELSHI: You know, first of all, I'm curious as to whether they think they succeeded in exercising the homosexual demon, how they figure that out? But, we're going to be talking to her.
And apparently, they claim that this was a session in which they invited people to come up and get whatever demons they need exercised. And this teenage boy came up on his own accord. We're going to get to the bottom of this story. It is fascinating as it is to you. I think it's fascinating to all have our viewers.
PHILLIPS: Well, quite honestly, I think it's angered a lot of people. It sure angered a lot of us when we say it. I just can't understand in 2009, you know, to me, it is a tremendous amount of ignorance. And I'm very eager to see what --
VELSHI: Yes, that'll be a very interesting discussion. So, stay tuned for that.
The other thing, of course, we're continuing to follow the sad story about Farrah Fawcett. I mean, so many people are thinking back to the role they played in their lives. I remember I grew up and she was TV. She was on it all the time. She was you know, ever present.
PHILLIPS: You know, one thing that A.J. -- I think it was A.J. Hammer -- I can't remember. We aired something, you know, saying her poster was in every guy's bedroom. It wasn't in every guy's bedrooms. It was in gals and guys' bedrooms. I mean, we all looked up to her and thought she was strong and sexy. I mean, she was Charlie's Angel.
VELSHI: It's theoretically what got her the job on "Charlie's Angels." That poster made her -- and she has a fantastic smile.
PHILLIPS: Yes.
VELSHI: And you know, if anybody has forgotten it, go look it up. And we'll be showing you many pictures of it. That fantastic smile, she just seemed happy. And all those condolences that are coming in from her co-stars and people who have known her over the years, they just talk about that happy person, that great smile that she would flash.
PHILLIPS: And she was diverse. I mean, she was beautiful, she was an artist. A lot of people didn't know that she was an artist and had exhibits up around the country.
VELSHI: And then this courageous fight that she put up with cancer and how she documented some of this.
It's really -- it just sort of reminds us all of our past. And there are some great memories. Some people are tweeting about those. We'll be talking to A.J., as well. You know, you can't but take some time out to remember Farrah Fawcett.
PHILLIPS: Did you have the lunch box?
VELSHI: I didn't.
PHILLIPS: I did.
VELSHI: I didn't have one. I had cars on my lunch box.
PHILLIPS: OK. You had cars. I had Farrah.
VELSHI: But she's great.
PHILLIPS: We'll see you coming up in a little bit.
VELSHI: OK.
PHILLIPS: All right.
We want to talk about Iran now. At our desk, we are constantly keeping watch on what's coming in. We want to check in with Ivan Watson, before the half hour here.
Ivan, some strong words from President Ahmadinejad toward the west. No surprise.
IVAN WATSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No surprise. But first, I really want to bring your attention to some new video we've found.
This is difficult for us to verify, Kyra. What we have here, it's coming from YouTube. It was posted today and it's dated to have taken place yesterday. We can see people running down the street. We have not seen this kind of video before and our experts her e-- our whole team -- has been looking at it. And it's the strongest possible visual evidence we have seen of what took place in Tehran yesterday.
You can see people fleeing down the street. It's very shaky video. They're being pursued by security forces, being beaten in this area, trapped around these cars. You can just see the panic on the ground here. And the reason we're bringing this out is we had numerous, vivid accounts of security forces outnumbering demonstrators in Tehran yesterday, and, catching them in enclosed areas and really beating them badly. Numerous accounts of that.
And this may be the first video evidence we have of what took place yesterday. And we'll be following this as close as we can. Of course, we're having to operate this way, Kyra, because of the draconian measure that the Iranian government has imposed, almost completely blacking out foreign media and arresting scores of Iranian journalists over the course of the past week and a half -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Ivan, thanks.
All kinds of statements rolling in about the late Farrah Fawcett.
Kate Jackson now, her fellow Angel, writing, "When you think of Farrah, remember her because of the smiling. It's exactly how she wanted to be remembered. Just smiling."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Attorney General Eric Holder urged senators today to pass federal hate crimes legislation. The bill would allow the Justice Department to provide help to state and local authorities to prosecute hate crimes. It also would expand federal protection to include crimes against people because of their disability, gender and sexual orientation.
Well, a hate crime is committed in this country almost once every hour. That's according to government records. And the parents of Matthew Shepard say well, what happened to their 21-year-old son should have counted as one of them.
On the night of October 7, 1998, two men pistol whipped Shepard and tied him to a fence post along a lonely road in Laramie, Wyoming. He was left there in freezing temperatures for 18 hours until a passing cyclist found him. Matthew died just a few days later in the hospital. Police said the motive for the crime was robbery but many believe the motive was hate. They say he was targeted because he was gay.
Since then, Matthew Shepard's parents have worked tirelessly to expand hate crime laws to cover crimes against people based on their sexual orientation. In fact, the hate crimes bill being talked about in Washington today is named after Matthew.
Judy and Dennis Shepard join me live, from San Antonio, Texas.
Great to see you both.
JUDY SHEPARD, MATTHEW SHEPARD'S MOTHER: Thanks, Kyra.
DENNIS SHEPARD, MATTHEW SHEPARD'S FATHER: Thank you.
PHILLIPS: Well, you know, and it's definitely not easy for me to read about what happened to your son. I know that it doesn't leave your mind as well and it's hard probably to listen to that description again. But when you do, I am assuming that it only just lights your heart and soul and efforts on fire just to get this bill passed. J. SHEPARD: Well, that's true. We've waited long enough for this to happen. It seems pretty much like a no-brainer to us.
PHILLIPS: And tell me, and Dad, I want your perspective, you know.
What kind of difference can this make for men and woman like your son?
D. SHEPARD: Well, first of all, it will allow them a little bit more comfort, knowing that there is some protection for them and that it's not open season. Number two, is that it provides some funding for local law enforcement agencies to prosecute in case of a crime like this.
PHILLIPS: And, you know, Judy, what do you think this is about? Is it about social justice? Is it about diversity awareness? Is it about looking at the power of hate in a much more serious way?
J. SHEPARD: You know what, Kyra, it's about all those things.
Hate crimes are committed against the gay community based on sexual orientation or sexual identity much more frequently than we read about in the press. For some reason the reporting just isn't as thorough as I think it should be. And this piece of legislation will definitely help define and give a sense of protection, safety, for the community out there knowing that someone is acknowledging that this problem exists and there are steps being taken to help protect them and prosecute if necessary.
PHILLIPS: Well, and the House was in tremendous support of this. It was the Senate where it stalled out.
J. SHEPARD: Right.
PHILLIPS: And I want to get both of you to respond to what some lawmakers are saying about this and why they are against this hate crimes bill.
Let me start with Senator Jim DeMint, Republican, South Carolina who said, "It will lead to the criminalization of biblical truth as hate speech. Under this legislation a pastor who teaches that homosexuality is wrong could be accused of a hate crime or charged with inducing a violent crime against a gay person."
How do you feel about that, Dennis?
D. SHEPARD: It has nothing to do with free speech. This is an amendment to protect a certain class of people who need protection. And there's nothing in the bill that has anything to do with charging a crime against free speech.
J. SHEPARD: There's actually specific language in the bill that addresses this issue. And it's not speech that commits the crime, it's actually the actions that commit the crime. And that's what the bill addresses. PHILLIPS: And Representative Mary Fallin, Republican of Oklahoma, against it as well. She says this: "Crimes like murder, rape and assault are despicable and should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Today's hate crimes bill however, circumvents the legal system we have in place and elevates some citizens above others based on their race, gender and sexuality."
What do you two think about that?
J. SHEPARD: Well, I think that's really interesting because we already have hate crime laws in existence that protect individuals based on race, religion and nationality. So to add these protections really only makes sense to me because statistically, they are a collection of people where hate crimes are committed.
So, it seems only the logical step to extend these same protections to different classes. And to say that it circumvents or special laws for special people -- I don't know where that's coming from because it seems to me it just elevates everyone on to the same plain.
PHILLIPS: Dennis, your thoughts?
D. SHEPARD: I think it's kind of silly. If that's the case, then like Judy said, we already have laws against any crimes or hate crimes for race or religion. Get rid of those laws, too. Everything's a crime then. Make it all equal.
PHILLIPS: And you bring up an interesting point. Because whether you are gay, black, female -- and I had a discussion with a rape victim about this, is that many times you feel threatened. You feel threatened because of your sexuality or your color our your gender.
And how many times have people come forward and said to a teacher or to a cop or an employer and said, I'm telling you, something is going to happen. I feel threatened. This is what people are saying to me. These are letters that I'm getting, calls that I'm getting. And unfortunately, how many times do we see something fatal happen because there isn't anything there to protect them? I mean, we know how weak restraining orders can be.
J. SHEPARD: Right. It happens all the time. It's tragic. We don't take them seriously or even worse, we don't tell anyone, because we are fearful of their reaction or that we have no recourse once we do tell. It's a catch 22. The whole thing. You never know how to respond. You don't know how to reply and you don't even know how to ask for help.
PHILLIPS: Final thought.
Dennis, you guys both have this tremendous foundation and you are really, truly, trying to keep your son's spirit alive. Tell me why the two of you continue to do that and really make it a full-time job? It is more than just about laws, right?
D. SHEPARD: It's about doing what's right. We had a choice when this first happened to either hide in the closet, pretend we had one son instead of two, or doing something about it to protect other families and other kids.
And that's the whole idea behind it, is to allow everybody to have their own freedom to be their own individual person. Right now, there's a threatened group. It's not so much against one person, it's against a group of people throughout the country. And it's almost like it's hunting season.
J. SHEPARD: And it's really not even so much about Matt anymore. It's about Matt's friends and Matt's community. We don't want this to happen anymore. And at the very least, what this hate crime bill will educate the public on the situation it faces the gay community every day.
PHILLIPS: Well, we'll definitely follow up on it.
And Judy and Dennis Shepard -- thanks so much for spending time with me. You are such a strong couple and you continue to do wonderful things.
We really appreciate you both.
J. SHEPARD: Thank you, Kyra.
D. SHEPARD: Thank you very much.
PHILLIPS: And if you want to find out more about the Matthew Shepard foundation, we're going to have a link on our blog -- CNN.com/newsroom.
You can also go there to respond to this question.
Do you think there needs to be a federal hate crimes law?
You can also tweet us. Your comments right there at KyraCNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: House Democrats stepping up their push to get a sweeping climate bill passed. And President Obama lending his support. Among other things, the bill calls for a 17 percent reduction in greenhouse gases by 2020. Supporters say it would reduce the country's dependence on foreign oil and it would create American jobs. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: Now is the time for the United States of America to realize this as well. Now is the time for us to lead. The energy bill before the House will finally create a set of incentives that will spark a clean energy transformation of our economy.
It will spur the development of low carbon sources of energy, everything from wind, solar and geothermal power to safe nuclear energy and cleaner coal. It will spur new energy savings like the efficient windows and other materials that reduce heating in the winter and cooling costs in the summer. And most importantly, it will make possible the creation of millions of new jobs.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: House speaker Nancy Pelosi says that she hopes for a vote on the measure tomorrow but most Republicans are a hard sell. They're calling the bill a huge energy tax.
As the House gears up for that vote tomorrow, debate is heating up over what roll nuclear power should play in America's energy mix. A new U.S. reactor hasn't been built in 30 years. The long pause could soon be over.
Alison Kosik has our Energy Fix from New York.
Hey, Alison.
ALISON KOSIK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Kyra.
You know, the climate change bill could really wind up being a boon to the nuclear energy. The latest version reportedly makes reactors eligible for those from a green energy development bank. And that's just the latest sign nuclear power could be headed for a comeback.
Last week, Duke Energy announced plans for a nuclear plan in southwest Ohio. It wants to go ahead and build a reaction at a foreigner uranium enrichment site with help from French nuclear giant AREVA. France gets nearly 80 percent of its electricity from nuclear power. That's versus just 20 percent right here in the U.S. And AREVA's CEO says, it's time to step that up.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANNIE LAUVERGEON, CEO, AREVA: Nuclear is part of the solution, it is not the solution. It's part of the solution. But I think that you have no solution without nuclear.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOSIK: Now, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission still has to approve the Ohio plans, but the projects could create 4,000 jobs during construction and 700 permanent ones at the plant -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, Alison.
Thanks so much.
Well, just a few minutes ago, I had the chance to interview the parents of Matthew Shepard about a federal hate crime bill named after their son.
We asked you to send in your thoughts on that bill. Here's what you did. Appreciate this.
Cosmiccowboy writes, "Murder is murder, hate is hate, robbery and assaults are crimes already."
Nicolepeace writes, "The hate crimes bill is long overdue. Hate crimes are not only a matter of race."
Pastorgkell writes, "I have tried to understand Attorney General Eric Holder's position but the facts simply do not support the conclusions. This legislation would be misused."
And Bill writes, "I just don't think we should legislate thoughts. As you said, Kyra, clowns and bozos hate but who will be left that does not get special protection?"
PHILLIPS: Well, I thank all of you for writing in.
Farrah Fawcett -- the statements about her death today keep coming in.
Jaclyn Smith, one of her fellow Angels says "Charlie's Angels co-stars Farrah had courage, she strength and she faith and now she has peace and she rests with the real angels.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Well, she was gorgeous, she was incredibly famous and as we saw in recent years, incredibly brave. Farrah Fawcett's long battle with cancer is over.
CNN's A.J. Hammer looks back at stardom and her struggle.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We proudly welcome to the Hollywood Walk of Fame Ms. Farrah Fawcett.
A.J. HAMMER, CNN HEADLINE NEWS ANCHOR (voice-over): Farrah Fawcett will be remembered as one of the sexiest women of the 1970s. Her poster hung in the bedroom of teenage boys around the country. And her breakout role at one of "Charlie's Angels" made her a star.
Fawcett was born in Corpus Christi, Texas in 1947 and made her way to Hollywood as a 21 year-old. The blonde beauty was soon dating TV star Lee Majors and appearing on commercials and on various TV shows.
She married and become Farrah Fawcett-Majors in 1973. And then she had her first big break.
In 1976, "Charlie's Angels" made its debut and she was the blonde. The top rated Aaron Spelling show about three female private detectives grabbed the nation's attention. Farrah's face started showing up on magazine covers and even lunch boxes. And a poster of her in a swimsuit sold millions of copies, becoming one of the iconic images of the '70s.
Then just as suddenly as her rise to fame, she made a stunning choice deciding to leave the Angels after just one season to focus on a movie career. Her popularity immediately went on the wane.
Next few years saw several forgettable movies like "Logan's Run" in 1976. She got better box office with "Cannonball Run" 1981. The following year, she and Lee Majors divorced.
But she proved that she could be a serious actress in 1984's "The Burning Bed." Fawcett took the roe as a battered wife who kills her husband, a true story based on a landmark legal case. The role earned her an Emmy nomination, one of three in her career, though she never got to take home a statue.
She also became involved in the longest romantic relationship of her life. She dated Ryan O'Neil for 15 years before the relationship ended in 1997. And although they never married, they did have a son, Redmond O'Neil. Fawcett continued to turn heads well into middle age. She continued to get roles on TV and in the movies and shocked many by posing nude as she neared the age of 50. The magazine was one of "Playboy's" bestsellers.
But, as Fawcett approached her 60s, the spotlight turned away from Farrah the sex symbol to Farrah, the celebrity battling cancer in 2006.
The documentary, "Farrah's Story," which aired in May 2009, focused on Fawcett's battle to beat cancer and stay alive. Her courageous journey was cathartic in allowing Fawcett to finally tell her story in her own words to the world.
A.J. Hammer, CNN, New York.
PHILLIPS: That does it for us. I'm Kyra Phillips. We'll be back here tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Ali Velshi in for Rick Sanchez. He starts right now.
