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Dome Removed Due to Technical Problems; Aid for Flood Ravaged Tennessee; Hundreds Attend Funeral in Baltimore for Slain UVA Student; Native American Meth Problem; Republican Senator Bob Bennett Loses Re- election Bid

Aired May 08, 2010 - 17:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: This hour, a mile deep in the Gulf of Mexico, they have reached the leak, they're ready to cap it, but there is an unanticipated issue throwing a monkey wrench into the entire operation. We're live for you.

In Tennessee today, where do you start? There is so much to clean up, so much heart break for people who just a week ago flooding was the last thing on their minds.

And I have one question for you, considering what is going on in the world this week, Times Square, threats of revoking citizenship, what is it like these days to be Muslim in America?

And the first lady's message to the class of 2010.

Hello, everyone. I'm Don Lemon. It was the best and quickest solution to stop thousands of gallons of oil gushing into the Gulf of Mexico. And word came just a short time ago that there is a major setback, a technical problem. That large metal dome resembling an upside down funnel has been lowered 5,000 feet into the ocean about a mile down, and was supposed to cap at least 85 percent of the leak, giving workers the ability to eventually fix the entire problem. Just a short time ago, BP and government officials explained what went wrong.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DOUG SUTTLES, BP CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER: We were placing the dome over the leak source in large bowl, in a hydrates formed inside the top of the dome requiring us to move the dome to the side of the leak point. The dome is currently sitting on the sea bead while we evaluate options to deal with the hydrate issue.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Well, that dome is just one option. BP is pursuing to stem the flow of crude oil, all with no guarantee that any of them will work.

Let's go right now to CNN's David Mattingly, he joins us now from Venice, Louisiana -- David.

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Don, they say they haven't failed yet. So, they're not giving up on the dome idea just yet. They're going to take a couple of days, regroup, try to figure out how to solve this problem of those crystals that are a lot like ice crystals forming on the inside of the dome. They hadn't anticipated this. This is a gaseous material coming out under pressure and the cold temperatures, mixing with water, and forming sort of like a slush inside the dome. It also clogged the top of the dome where they were going to be able to pump this oil out and up to the surface.

They had anticipated a problem with these crystals inside the pipe they were going to connect. And to counteract that, they were going to be pumping warmer water from the surface down below to heat the pipe up. So, it is possible they may be looking at some sort of variation on that idea to heat up the dome as well. They were also looking at the possibility of pumping some sort of ethanol solution into that area to dissolve these crystals, to dissolve that slush and clear open the dome.

But another problem with the crystals is they're lighter than water. So, when they were starting to accumulate on the inside of the dome, they were actually making this hundred ton dome buoyant, making it so that was able to float. And that is something they really can't do as long as it is that sort of condition. They could not load it into place.

LEMON: So, David, they couldn't load it into place. Are you hearing from the people who live there and work near the area, what are they saying about this latest setback because, for them, that could be a setback in their livelihoods.

MATTINGLY: Their livelihood is already set back. What they're dealing with right now is the oil that is already out there. It is already touching the Chandelier Islands making contact with the ground there. They got cleanup crews trying to take some of the oil that made contact with the shoreline there. They're re-establishing booms. They actually spread the no fishing zone a little further to the west of the mouth of the Mississippi river yesterday.

So, all of this is just a creeping concern that they have of an already big problem. They have got something out there, they got to mitigate, they try and keep from getting worse, a course cutting it off at the source will go a long way to making this salvageable, possibly. But right now, everyone here is involved in the cleanup, the containment, and just hoping that BP is successful in capping that leak as quickly as possible.

LEMON: And David Mattingly, we're hoping along them. Thank you very much. Reporting to us from Venice, Louisiana. Let's talk more about this. Because the Coast Guard Rear Admiral Mary Landry cautioned today that the dome was quote, "no silver bullet." Still many people were hoping it would provide a quick fix while a longer term solution was worked out. The plan was for the dome to seal up one of the major oil leaks. A pipe would then funnel the oil to a ship at the surface. The well is leaking about 5,000 barrels of oil, that is per day. Oil slick is being attacked on the surface with booms, chemicals and fire. Control burns can help destroy the oil in some locations. In other places, chemicals cause the oil to sink and then to disperse and surface ships have been suctioning up thousands of gallons of water mixed with oil. But it can't stop all the oil from reaching land. Now the coast guard today says, tar balls believed to be from the oil spill have been found in Alabama's Dauphin Island and that is at the mouth to Mobile Bay.

A promise today, though, from the Federal government about the ravage, the flood ravaged Tennessee. Homeland Secretary Janet Napolitano toured Nashville earlier and she says, the money is already flowing to that devastated region. Let's hope so.

Martin Savidge standing by live for us in Nashville right now -- Martin.

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good evening, Don. Take a look at this. This is just one example of how quickly and, well, how furious the water was that came racing into this particular neighborhood. This is Bellevue. Cars totals, you wanted the keys, they're still here. But they don't work. And quite frankly, the water still is in the vehicle. Let's show you where the water came from. Actually, it came from a creek, a creek which now, if you went and looked at it you wouldn't believe.

But that's where the water came, came rushing up this way. And if you look carefully at the tree line there, you might be able to see how high the water was. You see the bright green of the foliage and then it gets into that kind of soft brown color. That's where the water level was that came into this community. Now, all day, we talked about the cleanup effort. We talked about the volunteers. We wanted to introduce you to a couple of them.

So, Kevin Quinn, you're with which church?

KEVIN QUINN, CROSS POINT COMMUNITY CHURCH: CROSS POINT COMMUNITY CHURCH.

SAVIDGE: OK. And who did you bring today?

QUINN: We brought up to about 450 volunteers out to the Bellevue area.

SAVIDGE: How hard was it to get people to come?

QUINN: Not hard at all. We sent out two e-mails and we were flooded with them.

SAVIDGE: All right. We want to introduce you to some of the young people that you've been working with. Excuse us, we're going to go pass, let me get your names?

BETH: Beth.

BRANDY: Brandy. MARTHA: Martha.

SAVIDGE: All right, Beth. You start this morning, what have you been doing?

UNDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, we came to a house over there that the lady hadn't done anything, like it was just as she left it. And so, her remote was still standing there and she had newspapers all over the place.

SAVIDGE: What did you think -- when the door opened? What did you think?

UNDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my goodness. How are we supposed to get this all done. And literally within two hours, I mean, we were doing sheetrock and drywall and it was coming down. And it is all in the front yard and everything she owns...

SAVIDGE: Out in the front yard right now. So, you start off, you probably were amateurs. Now, you're experts. So, what advice would you give me about ripping out, let's say, drywall.

UNDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, taking out the sheetrock, start at the base and get that out and work your way up to the seam. I know all about it now.

(LAUGHTER)

SAVIDGE: I bet you do. I know you're tired. I know you all are. But how do you feel otherwise?

UNDENTIFIED FEMALE: Really good. I think everyone out here has just worked so tirelessly throughout the past week. But it is such an encouraging thing to see all of the community of Nashville just kind of pull together and dive in wanting to help each other out. It has been encouraging.

SAVIDGE: Thank you, ladies. Thank you. Thank you very much. It is encouraging. I mean, that's the most important thing you've seen, despite all the devastation and there is no shortage of that, it is the outpouring of volunteerism. But then, what would you expect? This is the volunteer state in Tennessee.

LEMON: Thank you very much for that, Martin Savidge.

A final good-bye to a murdered University of Virginia Lacrosse player today. Funeral services were held in Baltimore for Yeardley Love who found beaten to death in her off campus apartment last Monday. A player on the UVA's men's Lacrosse team is charged with her murder.

Our Sandra Endo tells us hundred gathered today to remember Yeardley.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) SANDRA ENDO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Bright pink flowers decorated the casket of 22-year-old Yeardley Love, for a celebration of her life in the wake of her tragic death.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEPHANIE COLBY, YEARDLEY LOVE'S FRIEND: I was in her sorority. She was a sweet girl and just kind to everyone and made everyone feel special.

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: I thought they did a beautiful job in representing her and what she meant to her school, and to her family, and what a tragic loss this is for everyone.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ENDO: Hundreds of friends, teammates and family members gathered to remember the University of Virginia Lacrosse player who was found beaten to death in her off campus apartment last Monday.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just senseless, shocking. That's all I have to say.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ENDO: On the cover of the funeral program, a quote from Love's high school yearbook saying, truly great friends are hard to find, difficult to leave, and impossible to forget. But friends say, it is her memory that will never be forgotten.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DANIEL EHRLICH, Yeardley Love's Friend: I knew her from high school. And, I mean, she was a great person. I wanted to come show my support.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ENDO: Love's ex-boyfriend, 22-year-old George Huguely has been charged with first degree murder. Huguely is also a UVA Lacrosse player with the history of alcohol related violence. His lawyer says, Love's death was an accident.

(on camera): Her death brings renewed attention to the issue of abusive relationships, a reality, the director of UVA's women's center says, students should be more aware of.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CLAIRE KAPLAN, UVA WOMEN'S CENTER: Talk to your friends if you see them in an unhealthy relationship or you wonder about your friend who has been rude to his girlfriend or whatever. It is not just women. It is men need to speak up.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ENDO (voice-over): Tragically, no one spoke up for Yeardley Love who wrote in a high school essay, one of her dreams was to have a happy and healthy family when she grew up.

(on camera): How do you think she'll be remembered?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, she was all about love.

ENDO: Sandra Endo, CNN, Baltimore.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

LEMON: We turn now to drugs in America. One community in this country is getting hooked on meth at almost twice the rate than the rest of us. And the government is doing something about it. We'll talk about that.

It is awesome to look at, but not so cool if you have travel plans this Mother's Day weekend. Icelandic volcano is grounding hundreds of flights again. And don't just sit there, become part of the conversation, send me a message, on twitter, Facebook, follow us on twitter and check out my blog at CNN.com/don. We want to hear what you think.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: A major drug problem on America's Indian reservations. Methamphetamine use. Native Americans have the highest rate of addiction of all ethnic groups. So, recently the office of National Drug Control Policy kicked off an anti-meth campaign targeting American Indians.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We need to be strong. We don't need meth.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: That effort that you're looking at is just one example of the new way the nation's drug czar Gil Kerlikowske is practicing what he has been preaching, the message over and over, message over muscle, he says, in other words, public outreach over drug enforcement. Now earlier, Gil Kerlikowske gave me this take on multiple issues facing his office. He first explained why he is focusing on the meth problem among Native Americans.

Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GIL KERLIKOWSKE, DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL POLICY: Later on in the next few months, we'll be announcing the media campaign for other drugs, among other populations. So, we think that these are more effective when they're targeted to populations and when they're targeted to specific drugs in many ways. LEMON: So instead of a large -- focusing on a large group, you do more specific, more pointed areas and populations and you think that helps?

KERLIKOWSKE: Yes, you know, a generic ad isn't going to resonate. An ad down in Brooklyn isn't going to resonate on the reservation.

LEMON: As we're sitting here, there has been a lot of talk about what is happening in Arizona about the immigration, you know, proposal that's going to take place soon. And there is a lot of resentment among -- especially among border towns and even in Arizona saying that illegal immigrants are coming in and they're fostering drug trade and they're fueling the drug trade. Can you tell us about illegal immigrants and how much are they really fostering, is that true? Are they involved in a big part of the drug trade especially in those border towns, especially in places like Arizona, California, Texas?

KERLIKOWSKE: I think, it's very hard for people to get a handle on it, to understand it. But I would tell you that it is a much smaller subset than the number of people that are here in this country illegally.

LEMON: OK. What do you make of it? What is your take on the policy in Arizona?

KERLIKOWSKE: You know, the president has made a very clear statement about this issue. And the immigration issues are a little bit outside of my lane right now. I am pretty much focused only on the drug issues.

LEMON: Will it affect what you do on the drug issue?

KERLIKOWSKE: Well, I know from the police chiefs that I've worked with for many years and known, but it is a very difficult thing. I am so thankful, I am not a police chief in Arizona trying to balance how I am going to enforce that law.

LEMON: Yes. So, listen, we know you're a police chief in Seattle. And that -- there was a ballot that wanted to place a low priority on marijuana, people being stopped for marijuana and being prosecuted for marijuana. The prosecution of people who were using and distributing. You said, you were against it but during your tenure, and they said that a low priority was placed on it. Now you have California in November and they're going to be voters again to figure out-- going to be deciding whether or not they want to allow recreational marijuana. What do you think about that? Because that will pose a different problem for you, one that is unforeseen, how do you deal with that?

KERLIKOWSKE: Well, let me be clear. First of all, in Seattle, it was a ballot initiative by the voters. And it said that possession of small amounts of marijuana by adults would be considered a low priority for the police and for the prosecutor. Both the prosecutor and I resisted that. We opposed that. However, it passed. But frankly in the police department and in prosecution, there isn't a great deal of emphasis that is always done about marijuana arrests for adults, for small amounts of marijuana. And that's clearly just because of resources.

You have finite amount of resources and where do you direct them and how do you use them. And that's though exactly probably the issue that California is facing. Now, I won't speculate whether or not that ballot initiative is going to pass. And will it complicate things. But clearly, the control substances act that the Federal government enforces is enforced by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the United States Department of Justice.

LEMON: Do you think marijuana should be legalized?

KERLIKOWSKE: No.

LEMON: Do you think it should be decriminalized?

KERLIKOWSKE: In many states, most of the arrests for marijuana are already handled at state of local level. And they have already developed a wide array of ways to handle this. Some places cite -- issue citations and fine people. Other places have physical arrests, et cetera. And the states and the cities and the counties have actually handled this subject pretty well.

LEMON: Do you think it should be decriminalized?

KERLIKOWSKE: I would tell you that I am not a proponent at all of decriminalizing marijuana. And here is the reason. When something is a criminal act, it does reduce the number of people that are using. And regardless of how you feel about marijuana, one way or another, it does cause significant problems. And my own state of Washington, more people were calling the help hot line for a substance abuse problem about marijuana and this is young people also, than any other substance. Well, that should be a clue.

LEMON: I want you to define what you mean by not having a war on drugs. What does that mean to the Obama administration? What does that mean to you?

KERLIKOWSKE: Here's what it means. We called it a war on drugs for a long, long time. I haven't heard police chiefs or sheriffs in my career call it a war on drugs. The problem is that the war tells you that you only have one tool and that tool is usually force. If we call this for what it really is, which is both a public safety and a public health problem, we can bring in prevention, treatment, et cetera, all to deal with this. And I am completely convinced that when we deal with this comprehensively, that we will make a positive difference for this country and for young people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: And our thanks to the Director Gil Kerlikowske.

And just to clarify the difference between legalizing and decriminalizing marijuana, legalizing would make the drug lawful, like alcohol. Decriminalizing can mean reducing or even abolishing the criminal penalties for marijuana offenses.

Got travel plans? Well, you might want to pack a little patience, especially if you're headed overseas. A volcano in Iceland is forcing more than a dozen airports to shut down.

And out of the darkness, one man is lighting up the night for thousands of rural households all across Kenya. This week's CNN hero after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: The top stories right now. A frightening accident in New York City this morning. A Staten Island ferry boat crashed into the terminal. No one was killed, but as many as 55 people were hurt. One of them seriously. A passenger says, there was almost no warning before the crash. Officials say, mechanical failure prevented the crew from slowing the ferry. The same boat was involved in an accident back in 2003. That accident killed 11 people.

At least 19 airports are shut down in Spain today because of ash spewing from that volcano in Iceland. Those closures include the country's second biggest hub in Barcelona. The ash plume extends up to 35,000 feet. Transatlantic flights are being rerouted north over Greenland and south around Spain to avoid the 1200 mile cloud of ash. Welcome to mile cloud.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is leading a congressional delegation to Afghanistan this weekend. The group met with Afghan President Hamid Karzai following a meeting with U.S. troops and the top U.S. Commander General Stanley McChrystal. According to a statement from Pelosi's office, the meeting with President Karzai focused on the political and security situation inside Afghanistan.

When night falls across rural Kenya, more than 27 million people who live without electricity are plunged into darkness. Children trying to escape generations of poverty, straining to see their school books.

But our new CNN hero of the week Evans Wadongo, is providing life for thousands for free.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

EVANS WADONGO, CNN HERO OF THE WEEK: I have problems with my eyesight due to prolonged exposure to smoke. We bend that around. I had to use firewood to study as a child. I grew up in a small village in western part of Kenya. These families are so poor, they don't have electricity. It is only kerosene and firewood, they use for lighting, cooking. It is very, very frustrating. I couldn't compete effectively with other kids who have access to lighting. A lot of kids just drop out of school, they remain poor for the rest of their life.

My name is Evans Wadongo. And when I made the first lantern, I thought I must find a way of using solar to light up rural homes. I was so overwhelmed. I knew the impact that the lantern would have on rural communities.

(SINGING)

The amount of money that every household uses to buy kerosene every day, if they can just save that money, they can be able to buy food. Come on. All along I've been skipping at least two meals a day so that I can construct the lamps. But I want to do more. It gives me satisfaction knowing that I'm lifting people out of poverty. I just feel like it is right.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Evans Wadongo's work has brought light into more than 10,000 rural Kenyan homes for free. To nominate someone you think is changing the world, make sure you go to CNN.com/heroes.

You know, after the Times Square bombing attempt this week, what is it like being Muslim in America? We'll talk with three leaders in the Muslim American community about racial profiling. And how this week's events could make a difference in how they are treated.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: It has been a really, really crazy week here. After a week after the attempts in Times Square, that bomb attempt in Times Square, the fact that the suspect, Faisal Shahzad, is a U.S. citizen has put the Muslim-American community on guard. In fact, some are saying that this latest terrorist act will increase law enforcement scrutiny of Muslims, Muslim-Americans.

Tonight, we have those voices and we want to hear from three of them from the Muslim-American community. First one up is Arsalan Iftikhar, the human rights lawyer and a founder of themuslimguy.com; and Soumaya Khalifa is executive director of the Islamic Speakers Bureau in Atlanta; and Hussein Rashid is an associate editor of the daily online magazine, "Religion Dispatches" and a blogger and a speaker and a professor of race and religious issues.

Hussein, let me start with you. You're a Muslim-American man in New York City. How did this week affect you? What did you think of that this week?

HUSSEIN RASHID, ASSOCIATE EDITOR, RELIGION DISPACHES & PROFESSOR OF RACE AND RELIGIOUS ISSUES: Don, it is a great question. And I remember thinking here we go again, after it was revealed this guy was a Muslim. And I remember thinking I would rather -- if something like this is going to happen, I'm glad it is happening in New York because, a, we don't scare. It makes me proud to be a New Yorker. But, B, I think we handle ourselves so well after September 11th that while everybody across other parts of the country are calling out for profiling of Muslims, as though you tell a Muslim by sight, in New York, things have gone back to normal.

LEMON: You touched on what I was going to say. Many times you hear -- and it's the honest truth -- if someone does something wrong or does a bad deed, and African-American goes, gosh, I hope they're not black when the picture comes up on television. You've heard this before.

RASHID: Yes. Absolutely.

LEMON: What did you think? Did you go, I hope this guy isn't Muslim?

RASHID: You know, I really hoped -- I remember when the first stories were coming out, people were saying maybe it is a white guy, maybe it is a tea party guy. And you think, well, why is anybody attacking New York in the first place? It doesn't matter what the reasons are. But, of course, you sort of hope that it isn't somebody that will be identified with you.

And I think we have got to also think about the strong, very strong racial component to a lot of the discussion that is going on. A third of alls Muslims in America are African-American, as you said. How many people are going around saying here is a black man.

LEMON: Let me get to Soumaya.

Did you have the same thought? Did you hear that way when you heard about the bombing at all, when you hear any incident that involves terrorists?

SOUMAYA KHALIFA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, THE ISLAMIC SPEAKERS BUREAU, ATLANTA, GA: Absolutely. Absolutely. It is the same mind set. Hope it is not a Muslim, hope it is not an African-American.

At the same time, it really upset me in terms of the sense of insecurity that we have as a country right now. What is going to happen next? And whether it is Muslim, a Christian, it is anybody, it is that sense of insecurity. And we all need to work together as a nation to work on bringing back the sense of security that we have been missing in this country for a while now.

LEMON: You know, I want to ask Arsalan this.

We had several things, and it was a Muslim American at the time, the Times Square, the alleged bomber, the suspect, the Army psychiatrist that we saw at Ft. Hood, and that shooting, Nidal Hasan. There is also Adam Gadan, born here, a known member of al Qaeda. So what do you think of this, that -- you know, the terrorists coming from outside of the country, but now it seems that they may be coming from people who were either born here or were naturalized citizens. Does that have an effect on the Muslim American community?

ARSALAN IFTIKHAR, HUMAN RIGHTS ATTORNEY & FOUNDER, THEMUSLIMGUY.COM: Well, I think it does, Don. I think another important thing to keep in mind is that terrorism knows no race or religion. We remember, a few months ago, when a white man named Joe Stack flew his single-engine airplane into the IRS building in Austin, Texas. Now we didn't hear anybody call it a domestic act of terrorism, but, I assure you, if it was a brown named Ali Muhammad, who had flowed his plane into an IRS building, we would have shut down every other IRS building in the country. There is a double standard here when it comes to acts of extremism committed by, you know, white men or committed by brown Muslim people.

Something else important to keep in mind, and I think your viewers --

LEMON: Before you go -- I'll let you make your other point. But why do you think it is a double standard?

IFTIKHAR: You know, I think that the term "terrorism" sadly within our public discourse has been co-opted to apply only to brown Muslim people. I think that, like I said, if the IRS plane attacker had been a brown Muslim man, I think that we would have heard resounding calls for it to be called an act of terrorism. But since it was a white guy named Joe Stack, we never heard the term domestic terrorism being used to classify it.

LEMON: I know we've done, Arsalan, and maybe in the broader context, in the broader media, that may happen, but here we talked about that subject at CNN. and we also have used that term domestic terrorism when it comes to Timothy McVeigh.

ARSALAN: Right. And the Oklahoma City bombing, from April 1995, is a perfect example, as you point out. Everybody talks about racial profiling in this post-9/11 world. After Oklahoma City, we didn't go out and racially profile every white guy with a buzz cut, you know, who may have been a former member of the Army. So this whole racial profiling debate, which is, you know, recently been exemplified by the whole Arizona immigration debacle, really applies to people of color in America. I think that double standard needs to be pointed out.

LEMON: I cut you off earlier. I want to make sure you make your point. This is an important subject that we need to talk about here. Did you make your point with the question I asked?

ARSALAN: I did. What I was trying to say, Don, is that, you know, people -- Americans, your viewers, need to understand that American-Muslims are as part and parcel of American society as anyone else. People tend to forget that the greatest athlete ever, Muhammad Ali, and the funniest dude in America, Dave Chappelle, are both Muslims. American-Muslims made as many contributions to the American society as any other demographic group.

LEMON: I'm going to let Soumaya jump in because she's nodding her head at what you're saying.

Do you agree with what he's saying?

KHALIFA: Absolutely. The situation that we had not too long ago with the Michigan militia, I don't believe they were called terrorists at all. It is a double standard that we see, maybe not across all news outlets, but the majority of them.

LEMON: I understand what you guys are saying and, you know, I -- there are some very valid points. I wish we could have a much, much longer conversation about this, because I would love to talk to you about that. But many people who do commit the acts are Muslims or either Muslim-Americans. So you have to be cognizant of that fact. But there is not a reason to be profiled for anyone, for anyone to be profiled.

I wish we could have a broader discussion. Maybe we'll bring you back and talk about that.

Thank you, guys, so much. Sorry about the names a little earlier. The camera was a little bit far back and I couldn't read them and I wanted to make sure I got them right. But thank you so much. I really appreciate it.

KHALIFA: Happy Mother's Day, Don.

LEMON: Happy Mother's Day to you as well.

RASHID: Happy Mother's Day.

LEMON: And to your wives.

At home, and to your moms.

Thank you. We really appreciate it.

KHALIFA: Thanks a lot, Don.

IFTIKHAR: Thank you, Don.

LEMON: Listen, now we want to correct some information, some misinformation we reported during our breaking news on the would-be Times Square bombing last weekend. We showed some blurry pictures of Times Square from Google Earth during the hours immediately after the car bomb was discovered, and speculated the pictures might be blurred because of the work of investigators -- were doing down in Times Square. Google Earth says that was not the case. What happened, what appeared to be a blurry reporting on our part, it must have been a delay in loading the imagery. So it was not deliberate on our part. Now, with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, we're sorry, again, a little bit of blurry reporting, but we apologize.

Still to come on CNN, the first lady inspiring the future generation, what she had to say to some college graduates just moments ago.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: We have some breaking political news to tell you about right now. Republican U.S. Senator Bob Bennett, of Utah, ousted today in a re-election bid at the state GOP convention.

We want to go now to CNN producer, Kevin Bohn. He joins us on the phone from Salt Lake City with all the details.

What is going on?

KEVIN BOHN, CNN PRODUCER: Hey, Don, good afternoon. Basically, you know, in an unusual system that is set up here in Utah, those vying for Senate candidacy have to vie off in different balloting of those 2500 delegates. In three, this was the second round of balloting, and only the top-two vote getters move on to the final round. And Bob Bennett was not able to get enough support in that round, so he's out. He cannot run as a Republican nominee for Senate.

Now there will be two more conservatives, Tim Bridgewater and Mike Lee, who are vying in a final round of voting. If one of those gets 60 percent, they'll become the Republican nominee.

But basically, Bennett had been taking a lot of anger in the state over his vote for the financial bailout, over his support for raising the debt ceiling over a proposal of health care. And in an analogy of himself, he's probably wrapped in a lot of anti-incumbency across the state and a lot of people just said it was time for Bennett to be out.

Bennett has been a three-term incumbent. He was seeking his fourth term. He had been, at one time, a member of the Republican leadership. But he was a very conservative Senator. And a lot of people are shocked that he was finding himself in this position.

LEMON: Kevin, that is interesting you say that. He was, you know, the Senate Republican Leadership Council, tapped to serve that, as you did mention right there. And you mentioned some of the issues that he had. But there was still some hope on -- that he, at least, from his campaign and from people who supported him, that he would win out. Is this a surprise to most people or not surprising at all?

BOHN: I think the polls have shown that he was trailing far behind those two other candidates. He said all week, when we were talking to him, he hoped he would be able to sway enough people. He would make an argument that his seniority would be able to bring a lot to the state, that he would be able to win because of his connections and his ability and the relationship he found that he could do the most for his state versus a freshman Senator. But there is a lot of anti-incumbency, anti-Washington mood, as we've seen, and he's fallen victim to that.

LEMON: Yes. And everything is shaking up with the Congress and the Senate, with everything, with the House and the Congress, and this is one more thing playing out.

Kevin Bohn, stand by. We may come back to you if we need you here.

Kevin Bohn, one of our producers, on this political story in Utah, telling us about Republican U.S. Senator Bob Bennett, of Utah, ousted in a re-election bid at the GOP convention. Breaking news here on CNN.

In the meantime, it has been a frustrating day in the Gulf of Mexico. We'll bring you the very latest on the efforts to control the oil spill.

And also straight ahead, First Lady Michelle Obama's commencement address, what she said to the class of 2010.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) LEMON: We want to update some of your top stories right now. Hopes dashed today of a quick fix to that gulf oil spill. A large metal dome lowered nearly a mile down to cover up the leaking pipe had to be removed when ice-like material clogged up the dome. The structure was meant to act like a funnel and captured much of the escaping oil. A pipe would then bring it to surface. It could take several days to overcome today's setback.

At least 19 airports are shut down in Spain today because of the ash spewing from that volcano in Iceland. Those closures include the country's second biggest hub in Barcelona. That ash plume extends up to 35,000 feet. Transatlantic flights are being rerouted north around Greenland and south around Spain avoid the 1200-mile cloud of ash.

First Lady Michelle Obama delivered the commencement address today at the University of Arkansas, Pine Bluff. She urged graduates to remember those who paved the way for their success.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHELLE OBAMA, FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES: I wish for you a life lived not in response to the doubts or fears or desires of others, but in pursuit of passions and hopes and dreams that are all your very own. And whenever you get discouraged -- and you will -- whenever you start to lose heart, and you want to give up -- and you will -- I want you to think about all those who came before you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Mrs. Obama reminded graduates to work hard. In her words, "Few things worth achieving happen in an instant."

An historic moment in Costa Rica, the Central American country inaugurated its first female president. Laura Chinchilla is a 51- year-old prodigy of the previous president, Nobel Laureate-prize winning -- Nobel Laureate, I should say, Oscar Areas ([ph). Chinchilla is vowing to pursue the same economic policies that resulted in a trade pact with the United States and open commerce with China. She won by a landslide.

"The Situation Room" is straight ahead.

Wolf Blitzer, what do you have for us, sir?

WOLF BLITZER, HOST, THE SITUATION ROOM: Don, thanks very much.

Lots coming up right here in "The Situation Room." We'll have the latest on the Times Square bomb suspect. We'll get analysis from Fareed Zakaria and Jane Harmon. She chairs the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Intelligence.

Also, we'll get the latest on what's going on in the Gulf of Mexico. The U.S. Coast Guard commandant, Thad Allen, will join us.

And we'll also have a special discussion with the two top strategists from the 2008 presidential campaign. Former Obama strategist, David Plouffe, and former McCain strategist, Steve Schmidt. They're together right here in "The Situation Room."

That, and a lot more, Don, coming up at the top of the hour.

LEMON: Sounds good, Wolf. Thank you very much.

There's no doubt that most kids need more exercise, right? But children who excel at baseball face a threat very different than obesity. What parents of pitchers need to look out for, from someone who knows the sport inside and out.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Nothing quite says spring like his running around on the baseball diamond. It's good exercise, of course, but there are few things parents need to watch out for, especially if their sons or daughter are pitchers. Well, future hall-of-famer, Tom Glavine, talks about it with our Dr. Sanjay Gupta. It's this week's "Fit Nation."

(FIT NATION)

LEMON: You know the saying, "Spare the rod, spoil the child." Well, in Dallas, there's a push to return the rod -- well, the paddle anyway. Five years ago, the Dallas Independent (ph) School District banned paddling. Now one tutor has started a movement to bring back what's called "licks." He says just the threat of physical punishment keeps kids in line. And teachers agree. They need more alternatives to control students.

Just ask the teacher who just now recovered from that torn cartilage. She had a torn cartilage in her knee courtesy of a second grader's shoe.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KIMBERLY LINDSEY, DALLAS TEACHER: We have students that don't take teachers seriously. They're sent on referrals to the office and sent back, and it's like a joke to them.

GILBERT LEAL, CREATOR, BRINGBACKLICKS.COM: The psychology of it, the threat of licks, I think that's what's so effective.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Well, "The Dallas Morning News" reports suspensions in Dallas schools have surged since the district ended paddling.

I used to get paddled in school. I think I turned out OK, maybe.

All right, well, moviemakers thrive for realism, right? But here's a case of a movie scene maybe being a little bit too realistic. In New York, in Nassau County, police there raced to a convenience store where people were waving guns -- waving guns as part of a scene in a movie being filmed. Well, someone should have told the cops, who made an unexpected cameo, not realizing the situation wasn't real. It's part of the movie scene. The filmmaker wasn't charged with any crimes, but he could be bills for the police manpower wasted on that false alarm.

P.T. Barnum once said, "I don't care what they say about me as long as they spell my name right." remember that? It couldn't be more true than in Hollywood. So how does this happen? Take a look. Beautiful, right? You know her. That's Julia Louise Dreyfuss. Her name was misspelled on her Hollywood Walk -- her star on the Walk of Fame, "Luis" instead of "Louise." Like a pro though, she laughed off that mistake, which apparently got past everyone except a CNN producer, who noticed the error, prompting a quick temporary fix. A new star that's gone through spell check will replace that old one.

And one more for Mother's Day for you. A mama duck in Texas is reunited with her babies.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We got some of some of sprinkler pipe in there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Look at that. So if you've never seen a duck in distress, this is what it looks like. Nine baby ducks fell through a grate and were stuck in a deep hole there. The mama duck's quacking was so loud, it alerted nearby residents, who called for help, as they should have. For 12 hours workers tried to reach the trapped babies while mama duck nervously paced back forth, just like a mother hen. One by one the babies were rescued. It's all good news. The entire family, taken to a nearby park and they were set free. They are cute. We can just sit on that all day because people love it. Look at that. You're free! Fly, go back into the water! All right, enough of that.

Tomorrow will be Sandra Bullock's first Mother's Day, but not everyone is celebrating with her and her new black son. The controversy over mixed-race adoption heats up. That is straight ahead in our 7:00 hour of the CNN NEWSROOM.

I'm Don Lemon. Thank you for joining us. I hope you enjoyed it. I especially enjoyed our conversation about being Muslim in America. We should all be conscious and aware of that.

And I hope you enjoy our new digs. We're still getting used to it here, camera positions, teleprompter, the jig.

Give them a big wide shot of the place. Show our viewers.

Here we go. It's nice. We're having fun with it. But the story is what's important here. And that's what we want to tell you is first. But it's important to look good. This is television.

Thanks for joining us. I'll see you back here 7:00 p.m. Eastern.

"THE SITUATION ROOM" with Wolf Blitzer begins right now.