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BP's Offer Called Pennies on the Dollar; Israel to Ease Gaza Blockade; Bloodshed and Tears in Mexico; Manute Bol Dies; Oil Spill Scams; Ray Charles Robinson Jr.: 'Our Time Was Too Short'

Aired June 20, 2010 - 22:00   ET

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

DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Tonight, the power of international pressure. Weeks after this incident on the high seas, Israel changes its Gaza policy, but is it enough to bring peace?

A war rages out of control at our border. This weekend, a mayor slain in front of his wife and child. Another young man is murdered. We'll tell you how his mother risks death to save others from rival gangs preying on Mexico.

And he was one of the most beloved players ever in the NBA. At just 47, Manute Bol loses his life to a rare disease. His longtime friend and teammate Charles Barkley joins us tonight to say goodbye.

Good evening.

Remember BP's early estimate of how much oil was spilling from its broken well in the Gulf? Well, on day 62 of this disaster, we find that privately the company's estimate was 100 times greater. Back in April, BP said only 1,000 barrels a day was escaping from the well, but an internal BP document before the accident said the well could spew 100,000 barrels a day in the worst case. That's more than 4 million gallons a day.

The deeply religious people of Louisiana are appealing to a higher power to stop this catastrophe. Today was designated a day of prayer in Louisiana to ask for a miracle. Outrage is flowing along with the oil over BP CEO Tony Hayward taking the day off to attend a yacht race in England. Republican Senator Richard Shelby of Alabama did not mince words.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. RICHARD SHELBY (R), ALABAMA: I thought, Bob, that the fact that the chairman of BP had the gall, the arrogance to go to a yacht race in one of his -- in England while all of this was going on here. I thought that was the height of stupidity, and I believe myself that he should go. I don't know how he can represent a company in crisis like BP and ignore what's going on in the Gulf of Mexico.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: And as we have reported here on CNN, BP has set up a $20 billion fund to compensate victims of the oil spill. The company has publicly promised to pay people for their business, their losses and other damages.

Well, it makes a good sound bite, doesn't it? But actually getting paid, that might be a different story.

BP offered one fishing captain, a charter captain, just pennies on the dollar. Here's CNN's Chris Lawrence tonight with his story.

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Don, thousands of workers and small business owners are still waiting for BP to pay their claims, and others cannot figure out how BP is deciding how much they are willing to pay.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LAWRENCE (voice over): It took 40 years for Stu Scheer to build this business -- running charter fishing boats for tourists in the Gulf. Now it's all falling apart between the oil spill that shut down business and haggling with BP over his claim.

STUART SCHEER, CHARTER BOAT CAPTAIN: Excuse me. You wonder how a guy my age at 260 pounds can be emotional. Sorry. But you know, like I told you, saltwater runs through my veins. I mean, it's all I've done. It's all I've ever wanted to do is fish.

LAWRENCE: Stu walked into the local claims office, but BP classified him large loss and moved his claim 90 miles away. He only speaks with his adjuster by phone.

SCHEER: They wanted 2007, '08, '09 returns. They wanted my logbooks. They wanted my bank statements. They wanted all my licenses, P&L statement.

LAWRENCE (on camera): So, you laid out--

SCHEER: Everything.

LAWRENCE: --all this paperwork.

SCHEER: Everything.

LAWRENCE: To the -- to the number.

SCHEER: To the penny, virtually.

This is what I calculated from May 9th through the end of December that I had on the books, actual books, not projections, not people still calling me.

LAWRENCE: And when you itemized these costs for BP, you even accounted for -- that you wouldn't be using fuel?

SCHEER: That's right. If my boat didn't leave the dock, I wouldn't have fuel, bait, rod, reels, ice, contract labor. My gross was 162.8, less expenses daily, boat expenses, came out to 107,982. My bookings for this year amounted to a gross net of $107,000 and they basically offered me $33,000. LAWRENCE (voice-over): He turned down that offer and is now haggling to make up the difference.

(on camera): Are you any more confident in the government running the claims process as you were with BP?

SCHEER: Well, again, like I said, there's always an air of optimism and, you know, the fact that the Obama administration has gotten BP to put the $20 billion in escrow and supposedly a new regime is going to come in and handle the claims. Yeah, there's optimism. I hope it works out, but I'm suspicious.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LAWRENCE: Unfortunately, he's probably going to have to take that initial offer and then re-file additional claims every few months as long as his boats are out of business.

Now, we did call BP. They don't talk about individual claims, but so far they have cut more than 30,000 checks and handed out more than $100 million -- Don.

LEMON: Chris, thank you very much.

We go the Middle East now and word that Israel plans to ease a blockade of Gaza that was imposed three years ago this month. Although eased, the naval blockade remains in place and military officials will continue to inspect goods on ships bound for Gaza. The restrictions will continue on military-related items. Today's news comes three weeks after nine Turkish activists died in a confrontation with Israeli forces aboard an aid ship trying to reach Gaza.

I asked CNN's Paula Hancocks about it today.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's not what the Palestinians wanted or many leaders were calling for, which was the complete lifting of this blockade, but it's certainly significant in itself, the fact that there will be more aid being allowed to go into Gaza as 1.5 million residents of the Gaza Strip. Israel says there isn't a humanitarian crisis, but the United Nations says there is a humanitarian crisis.

So, certainly, this is going to help, but what the U.N., which is very active in Gaza, is saying is they also want to see exports being allowed out of Gaza. It's not just what's allowed in. They want to see that small businesses are able to reassemble as they have been decimated by this three-year blockade.

They say 80 percent of the population is relying on handouts. And people are sick and tired of this. They want to be able to earn their own money. They want to be able to provide for their own families and stop being a handout state.

So this is what the NGOs are going to be watching. Israel says that these restrictions will be eased with immediate effect. So the NGOs are looking to see if they are able to bring raw materials in for businesses so that the people of Gaza can try and rebuild their own economy -- Don.

LEMON: And Paula, the timing of all of this -- the death of those nine activists, those Turkish activists on that flotilla. How much pressure, if any, did that put on this to happen?

HANCOCKS: There's been huge international pressure on Israel over the past few weeks certainly since that flotilla incident. Now, at the beginning there was pressure for an investigation, pressure to find out exactly what happened. But once that international pressure was there, it then turned to the blockade itself, which was why the flotillas were trying to go to Gaza to take humanitarian aid.

And even though Israel says that they intended to ease the blockade all along, many people believed that certainly this international pressure has made Israel realize that even though they need to look after their own security, there is more that they can do to try and allow the people in Gaza to have somewhat of a normal life.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: Thanks to Paula Hancocks.

And former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who now heads an international peace effort in the Middle East region, says he hopes to see more supplies flowing into Gaza as soon as tomorrow.

We have a developing story to tell you about right now. An apparent tornado has touched down in Billings, Montana. I want you to take a look at this video. It's just in to CNN. It seems to be right under the funnel cloud as it is forming there. It hit around 4:30 p.m. local time. The video also captured the unbelievable noise a weather phenomenon like this creates.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Holy (BLEEP). Oh, my word. Oh, my gosh. I can't believe we're this close to it. Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Unbelievable. And you can just really understand their reaction there. CNN affiliate KULR reports that a major venue there, the MetraPark Arena, 77,000 square feet of space, had its roof torn off and other damage. The Billings Heights area is dealing with major flooding, street flooding right now, scattered debris and a gas leak, and all of this.

Again, it's coming in just as we're speaking right now. I'm getting some of the information in my ear here. Just amazing to see that sort of -- you can see the cloud there--

BONNIE SCHNEIDER, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes.

LEMON: --forming in that close up.

SCHNEIDER: Absolutely, Don. And just note that that has now been confirmed as a tornado from the National Weather Service out of Billings, Montana.

The building you saw with the debris and the shingles coming right off the roof? Well, you saw the after picture. This is what it looked like before. This is one of the pavilion buildings at the MetraPark.

This is one of the largest facilities of its kind within five states. It's a 17,000-seating arena where they have concerts and races and all sorts of events. So this is one of the smaller buildings, but imagine watching that roof actually fall apart before your very eyes from a tornado that possibly had winds as intense as 128 miles per hour.

Right now, we're looking at just light rain through the area, but, again, there's still flash flooding to contend with and a tornado watch that will continue until 11:00 later on tonight -- Don.

LEMON: All right, Bonnie Schneider, thank you very much. Please keep track of that. Unbelievable there.

Straight ahead here tonight on CNN, the politician who stood up and defended BP. Now he's in trouble with his own party in Washington. CNN's political editor Mark Preston on the fallout on Capitol Hill. He is up next for us.

And how the oil spill is creating money-making opportunities for scammers. What to watch out for, straight ahead this hour. And don't just sit there. Make sure you become part of the show, part of the conversation here. Send us a message on Twitter, on Facebook or check out my blog, cnn.com/don.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: The White House blasted BP CEO Tony Hayward for taking time off from the oil disaster in the Gulf to attend a yacht race in England. President Obama's chief of staff described the move as one more misstep in a long string of gaffes by Hayward. I want you to take a look and judge for yourself.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TONY HAYWARD, BP CEO: I think the environmental impacts of this disaster have been very, very modest. Food poisoning is a big issue when you've got, you know, concentration of this number of people on temporary camps, temporary accommodations. It's something we have to be very, very mindful of. We're sorry for the massive disruption it's caused to their lives, and, you know, there's no one who wants this thing over more than I do. You know, I'd love my life back.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: A new week, important primaries and the Gulf oil disaster is having huge impact on politics all the way to Washington, and, of course, down south to the Gulf, and apparently in England as well this weekend. Let's bring in and get a look ahead from Mark Preston.

Mark, the Sunday shows were full of Republicans really running away from GOP Congressman Joe Barton. He's the guy who apologized to BP, then had to apologize for his apology. Here's an example of what we heard today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. RICHARD SHELBY (R), ALABAMA: I think that was a dumb statement by senator -- by Congressman Barton, and he repudiated it later. He only spoke for himself.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: So, Mark, what's going on here?

MARK PRESTON, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL EDITOR: Well, Don, as Senator Shelby said right there, he only spoke to himself -- only spoke for himself. We've heard that over the past couple of days from Republicans who are trying to distance themselves from Mr. Barton at a time when the Republicans thought that they had Democrats against the rope politically on this issue.

President Obama is in the White House. Congress is run by Democrats, Don. The fact is oil is spewing out in the Gulf right now. Republicans thought that this was a Democratic issue, that they weren't fixing it. And then you had Mr. Barton come out and make a comment like that. Republicans are very upset at him. In fact, he was threatened that he would lose his committee seniority on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, a very powerful committee, had he not come out and taken back that statement.

Don, heading into next year, very likely that Mr. Barton probably will not get to have the senior Republican spot on that committee next year because of this comment.

LEMON: Just because of that comment.

So, Mark, let's look ahead though to Tuesday. It's primary day. Utah has a Republican runoff to replace Senator Bob Bennett, who was unseated at his own party convention. And then there's our new favorite state for politics, South Carolina. What's up -- what's up there on Tuesday?

PRESTON: Well, Don, we're finally going to see a conclusion in this -- this race for the Republican gubernatorial nomination. This is a race that has been marred with slurs, with accusations of infidelity and the fact is Sarah Palin has weighed in.

Nikki Haley, a woman who came out of nowhere, very conservative. In fact, she was aligned with Mark Sanford, the disgraced governor who refused to step down after he acknowledged his having an affair, and, of course, he's been divorced from his wife because of that. But Nikki Haley has come out of nowhere. Two gentlemen, Don, have come out and said that they had extra marital affairs with Nikki Haley. She says that that is not true, and if fact, the voters seemed to have sided with her. Heading into Tuesday, she seems to have the leg up on Gresham Barrett. He is a congressman, a Republican, also aiming that nomination.

Nikki Haley backed by Sarah Palin, a darling of the conservatives. Looks like she's going to overcome all of this -- all of this -- all of this negativeness that has been thrown at her to win the Republican nomination. And we'll see what happens on Tuesday.

LEMON: We shall see. We'll be looking forward to that. Thank you very much, Mark Preston.

PRESTON: Thank you.

LEMON: Up next tonight on CNN -- a mother's anguish over the death of her son, one of the latest victims of the drug war raging in northern Mexico. What she told CNN could get her killed, but she doesn't care.

And hot, dry conditions already fueling wildfires out west, and this one today in Arizona was no accident.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: There is a deadly war going on in Mexico just minutes from the U.S. border. Rival drug gangs are battling each other and the police. It seems no one is safe. Just this weekend the mayor of a border Mexican town was gunned down in front of his wife and child. He is not the only victim. A mother spilled out her grief and her suspicions to CNN's Karl Penhaul.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Maria Jesus Mancha has just buried her son. 27-year-old Miguel Angel Vazquez was gunned down as he drove home late one night, another victim of a ruthless battle between drug gangs in the border city of Reynosa.

MARIA JESUS MANCHA, MIGUEL VAZQUEZ' MOTHER (through translator): Just think how many other people are being left without their children because of these damned people. They took my son, the thing I most loved in this life.

PENHAUL: Police sources told a local newspaper he was killed in crossfire when a drug gang ambushed police. Vazquez's mother doesn't buy that. She's convinced some of Reynosa's police are siding with one of the cartels.

MANCHA (through translator): I blame the authorities, our bad government and the police. You must realize these people are disguised as police.

PENHAUL: She knows voicing such opinions could be a death sentence.

MANCHA (through translator): If they want to kill me for saying this, then here I am. They killed me when they killed my son. I'm already dead.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: Karl Penhaul just returned to the U.S. after spending three weeks in Mexico, and I asked him why that mother, Maria Mancha, is taking such a huge risk by speaking out.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PENHAUL: I did say to her, hey, you know that what you're saying to me could be a virtual death sentence for you and she pleaded with me. She says please do not edit these words; please, put this criticism out that I'm giving you. Many of us feel the same; many people will not say it because the cartels and the local authorities have imposed this law of silence, she said.

But she said whatever, I will speak, she says, because I already feel as if I'm dead; they killed me when they killed my son.

And it really is that. These people are so desperately trapped. They can't see what they are seeing. They can't talk about what they are hearing. They have to pretend they have seen nothing. They have to pretend they have heard nothing.

And we talk to a psychotherapist there as well, and she says that this is a real blow for your own identity when you just cannot say, when you cannot speak out about what's going on in your city.

Reynosa is 10 minutes from the border with Texas. It's a city of 500,000 people. It's not a village. And it's so completely controlled by the drug cartels. We had to be inside by 8:30, 9:00 every night. Everywhere we went, there were cartel trucks following us or young guys on foot following us, watching our every move.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: Karl also told me that he will continue to check on Maria Mancha to make sure that she is safe, and make sure you look for Karl's reporting on Mexico all week on CNN.

A day of hope for the future ends in tragedy for residents in part of Colombia. Details on the deadly election day straight ahead.

Plus, already hit hard by the BP oil spill, some Gulf coast residents are now having to watch out for new dangers lurking on the horizon. We'll tell what you they are watching for.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Checking some of your top stories.

Deadly violence overshadowing Election Day in Colombia. Seven police officers and three soldiers have been killed. The police on patrol in the north when a roadside bomb destroyed their truck. Meanwhile, to the south, FARC guerrillas are blamed for an ambush on soldiers carrying election materials. The attacks came as voters headed to the polls in a presidential runoff.

At least a dozen people are in Chicago hospitals tonight after a fire ignited in the city's subway system. Five of them are in serious condition. Thick, black smoke billowed above ground after railroad ties in a tunnel near the Clark Street station caught fire. It's believed sparks from passing trains started that blaze. A Transit spokeswoman says the fire was extinguished quickly.

Hundreds of firefighters are battling several fast-growing fires in and around Flagstaff, Arizona. The blazes have driven hundreds of people from their homes. One man is under arrest. He is suspected of causing one of the fires by dumping coals from a campfire on the ground. Searchers are also looking for several missing hikers who apparently got lost in the smoky area.

Mew concerns in the housing markets and the job markets as well, and a gain that will have you dancing like the "King of Pop." Patricia Wu explains in this week's "Getting Down to Business."

PATRICIA WU, CNN CORRESPONDENT: While many people are still reeling from the worst housing crash since the Great Depression, a new worry is already looming. Economists are warning that if not enough new homes are built, there could be a housing shortage when the job market recovers. Construction began on fewer than 700,000 new homes in April. They say that's not enough to keep up with population growth. We'll get the latest housing figures this week.

Plus, new concerns for the unemployed. Experts say some companies are only considering applicants who already have jobs. But these employers may be missing out on a new tax break for companies that hire out-of-work job seekers. New unemployment numbers come out Thursday.

And finally, if you've ever wanted to dance like the "King of Pop," now is your chance. A new video game by Ubisoft Entertainment will use motion detecting cameras to let players imitate Michael Jackson's dance moves, including his famous moonwalk. There's no name for the game yet, but it should hit stores this holiday season.

And that's this week's "Getting Down to Business." Patricia Wu, CNN, New York.

LEMON: His death has shocked the sports world.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

CHARLES BARKLEY, FORMER NBA PLAYER: The world is not a better place today. It's worse because we don't have Manute Bol.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

LEMON: We'll hear more from Charles Barkley about the passing of his friend, Manute Bol.

And Michael Jackson's death, one year later. Still many questions remain unanswered. This week, CNN takes a look back at the pop star's tragic death. You'll get a preview straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: The pro basketball world is mourning the death Manute Bol, a Sudan native who became an instant hit in the NBA because of his height and his shot-blocking skills. The 47-year-old Bol died yesterday at a Virginia hospital. His cousin said he suffered from a kidney condition and other complications from Stevens-Johnson syndrome, a rare skin disease that he apparently contracted from kidney medicine he received in Africa.

7'7" tall, Bol was living in rural Sudan when discovered by an American basketball coach. He had never played the game. He didn't speak English. But he attended cattle and once killed a lion with a spear. He went on to play for four NBA teams and was known as much for his generous spirit as his basketball skills.

One of his early teammates was former NBA star Charles Barkley. I asked him what he remembered most about Manute Bol.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHARLES BARKLEY, FORMER NBA PLAYER: One of the funniest people that I ever met in my life. You know, he was just a wonderful person. You know, he would always talk about the civil war that was going on in Sudan because he was sending all his money back to Sudan. And I can honestly say I never played with a better person.

LEMON: You know, what did you think the first time -- the first time you laid eyes on him?

BARKLEY: Well, first of all, you know, he's a -- he's a physical freak. He's 7'7". So any time you see somebody that's 7'7", it gets your attention. So -- and then you wonder, can this guy play? But I've got to tell you something. He's one of those guys. Any time you're going to the basket, you are looking for him.

So, a bunch of guys who they said their shot blockers were not shot blockers, but any time you went to the basket, you were looking for Manute. I mean, he tried to block every shot. It didn't matter if you were physical with him. It didn't matter if you dunked on him. Nothing fazed him. He wanted to keep just trying to block shots.

LEMON: Yes. And it was amazing -- you know, I was reading up on him. On average, he never averaged really more than four points a game, but man, he could touch the rim without even jumping, just standing there.

BARKLEY: You know, he did that all the time. But I just got to tell you, you never met a more funny guy, but, like I say, you never met a better person. I mean, he would always talk to us about every time he got paid, he would send all his money back to Sudan. You know, living here in the States we don't have any concept of what a civil war is.

LEMON: Yes.

BARKLEY: But the world is not a better place today. It's worse because we don't have Manute Bol.

LEMON: Hey, had you spoken to him recently because he had been sick recently and some people knew about it and some people didn't. Had you had the chance to talk to him?

BARKLEY: We had not talked, but we found out when he got sick probably about two weeks ago. He had an emergency with his kidneys during the NBA playoffs. So I had not talked to him personally, but when I got the phone call earlier today, it ruined my whole day. It just sucks, to be honest with you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: And coming up, we'll take a look ahead at the stories that will be making headlines this week and --

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RAY CHARLES ROBINSON, JR., SON OF MUSIC LEGEND RAY CHARLES: Not being around him when he was dying, yes. I'm still overwhelmed, but there's healing in that in this book.

LEMON: It can be tough this time of year.

ROBINSON JR.: A lot was lost after he -- after he died.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: His name is Ray Charles Jr., and on this weekend devoted to fathers, the son speaks honestly about the man he's named after. Intimate details not in the movie.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: And let's check the stories you'll be hearing a lot about in the week ahead from the State Department to Wall Street to Hollywood. We start tonight at the White House.

ED HENRY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: I'm Ed Henry at the White House. Another huge week for President Obama as he continues to monitor the Gulf oil spill, but on Monday he's also giving a big speech on the importance of fatherhood tied to this weekend's holiday. He's also gearing up for confirmation hearings for a second pick for the Supreme Court, Elena Kagan. A lot of people in Washington in both parties think she's probably going to be confirmed to the Supreme Court, but you never know. Those hearings start a week from Monday.

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN FOREIGN AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: I'm Jill Dougherty at the State Department. Defense issues, including Afghanistan, are on the agenda here at the State Department next week. Secretary Clinton will meet twice with Defense Secretary Robert Gates. Then Wednesday, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak comes for a visit. Thursday, she will meet with the Hungarian foreign minister. And another event of note, a gay pride event Tuesday that Secretary Clinton will host in honor of gay pride month here at the State Department.

PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: I'm Paul Steinhauser with the CNN political desk. The battle for Congress resumes Tuesday as three states -- Utah, North Carolina and South Carolina -- hold primaries. In South Carolina, Nikki Haley is the favorite in a runoff election for the Republican gubernatorial nomination, a race that has grabbed the national spotlight after being rocked by allegations of infidelity and the use of a racial slur.

POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM ANCHOR: Well, a lot ahead for Wall Street this week. The latest home sale numbers will be released and the Fed will announce its latest decision on interest rates. Also ahead, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner will testify before the Congressional Oversight panel on TARP while lawmakers in Washington continue to hash out a final Wall Street reform bill. The president has asked for that bill to reach his desk by the 4th of July. We'll track it all for you on CNNMoney.

BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: I'm "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT'S" Brooke Anderson. Here's what we're watching this week -- the one-year anniversary of Michael Jackson's death. And this Friday, one year ago to the day Michael died, "Showbiz Tonight" will be live with a one-hour special. Dramatic new revelations from Michael's family, and an emotional look at Michael's legacy. Big breaking news on "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" live at 5:00 p.m. Eastern and still TV's most provocative entertainment news show at 11:00 p.m.

LEMON: That is a lot going on domestically, and as you know we take you around the world right now with Azadeh Ansari.

Hey, why don't we start in Morocco, because it's actually a very serious story over in Morocco going on.

AZADEH ANSARI, CNN INTERNATIONAL DESK: It is. Actually, after -- there's a governing body that's considering -- reconsidering a 24- year ban on global whaling. And this is a multi-million dollar industry, as you know, Don. So countries like Japan, Iceland, Norway, this could have real dire effects for them should -- you know, depending on what happens here.

LEMON: Yes. So we'll be watching that, Morocco, at our international desk and then -- get this small, there we go -- and let's go to South Africa. I wish I had that horn. What are we talking about?

ANSARI: Look at that.

LEMON: The World Cup, right?

ANSARI: We're entering day 11 of the games and the game to watch here is Spain versus Honduras because, as we know, Spain lost to Switzerland, and that was unexpected because Spain is one of the game favorites here to win the Cup. So we'll see what happens.

LEMON: There are so many teams. It's hard to keep track of it. I just know that we tied Slovenia, and I was very upset about the call because I thought it was a bad one, bad call. Were you watching?

ANSARI: I was.

LEMON: You were?

ANSARI: It was bad.

LEMON: It was a bad call. Thank you, Azadeh Ansari. We'll see you next week. We appreciate it.

You know, they are already dealing with losing part of their livelihoods. Now, we'll speak with a scam expert who tells us about the dark side of the BP payouts. And we'll tell you what you can do to help the residents along the Gulf coast.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: In tonight's "State of our Nation," BP's $20 billion compensation fund is blood in the water for scam artists. The more people suffer and become desperate, the greater the chance they can be victimized by a greedy crook. I spoke with expert scam spotter Michael Haaren about the way scammers are trying cash in on the oil spill.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHAEL HAAREN, EXPERT SCAM SPOTTER: There are a lot of claims and losses out there, as you saw with the charter boat captain. So the scammers, they study these things. They study the headlines all the time, Don. And they see this as an enormous opportunity to prey on the desperate.

LEMON: The phony -- what about these phony cleanup job offers? What is that about?

HAAREN: Yes, we're seeing a lot of those on Craigslist, not necessarily -- not exclusively to Craigslist. They're also arriving as spam in people's e-mail inboxes. We're seeing them as ads online and that's where people are lured into paying for training, Hazmat training for example, to qualify for a job assisting in the oil spill cleanup.

But in fact, a lot of companies, BP included, are hiring people, and they are training them -- they're paying them to be trained. And so you don't have to pay for training to qualify for these jobs, but the scammers are -- they are depending on people not knowing that.

LEMON: So, Michael, anybody that tells you in order to get something -- either get money back or be trained for something and you have to pay, don't do it.

HAAREN: Yes. A general rule, Don, is you shouldn't pay to work anyway. You normally get paid to work. The state of Florida, for example, has over 3,500 jobs related to the oil spill that are on their website florida.gov. And if you want to go there and have a look, they can see legitimate jobs where they don't have to pay to go to work.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: You've seen the devastation. You've heard the complaints. Now it is your chance to help. Monday night, join "LARRY KING LIVE" for an all-star relief effort to help rebuild the Gulf coast. The special two-hour "LARRY KING LIVE" event takes place at 8:00 p.m. Eastern right here on CNN.

There's already been a movie, but Ray Charles Jr. will tell you there is much, much more to say about his father. He talks with me next about his new book.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: It is a weekend for honoring fathers, but when you're the namesake of a famous person, it can be a tremendous burden. There are many examples of those who have had problems trying to follow in the footsteps of their famous dads. Ray Charles Robinson Jr. has had his own struggles which he has chronicled in his new book, "You Don't Know Me: Reflections of my Father, Ray Charles."

I got a chance to talk with him about his relationship with his famous father.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: People are going to say, well, I've seen the movie, why do I need to read the book? What is the book going to tell me that I haven't already seen?

RAY CHARLES ROBINSON JR, SON OF MUSIC LEGEND RAY CHARLES: It's everything that you didn't see, right? I mean, you have a childhood. You have an illustration of the relationship that was not basically explained between my father and my mother. How they met, how he pursued her, what they went through to build that relationship on a sound foundation. And for him to go from being just Ray Charles Robinson to being Ray Charles, and that was a distinct moment, and his whole career changed upon that.

LEMON: Is it still hard? I mean, do you find yourself at moments going like -- overwhelmed by your father's -- by the story, by his death?

ROBINSON JR.: I miss him a lot. There was a lot that you feel -- I just feel that our time was too short here. And not being around him when he was dying, yes. I'm still overwhelmed, but there's healing in that in this book.

LEMON: It can be tough this time of year.

ROBINSON JR.: I was lost after he -- after he died. When I got the first call, I was in Russia. You know, I was making a film, and I was in St. Petersburg, and he called. You know, I found out that he had had an accident, and he might have had to have, you know, hip surgery.

And his first -- the first words out of his mouth, he said, who is this? He said it's your father. And it's just nice to hear your voice, son. And at that point, I said, he's dying.

LEMON: So at that moment it was like, oh, my gosh, he's actually dying.

ROBINSON JR.: There's panic, anxiety, OK. He's not going to be here. And he always used to -- always would come and tell me, son, I just want you to be able to do things on your own. You are talented. I need you to focus on what you really want to do. And you can do it.

He said, but what are you going to do when I'm not here? You don't -- you're not going to have me to come to. And that's what it means not to have a father on this Father's Day, because good, bad or indifferent or whatever your differences are, you still have your father to go to and say I love you and choose to take the high road and to say it's just good to touch him and kiss him and it's the person that birthed you. So that gave you the right to walk this earth. I think that's something.

LEMON: Did you get to say everything you wanted to him?

ROBINSON JR.: To my father?

LEMON: Uh-huh.

ROBINSON JR.: Yes.

LEMON: Want to share it?

ROBINSON, JR.: You know, we were sitting in his office, and I said, Dad, you know, I love you, your life is special. And he told me, son, you're special. And he says you don't have to do anything but be my son. That's enough. And I'm proud of you and I'm proud of what you've done.

LEMON: You said he did the head thing. How did he do -- what did he say to you? You can do it. If Jamie Foxx can do it, you can do it.

ROBINSON JR.: You ask him something personal. Dad, what about -- all I know how to do is play the piano and sing songs. And so that was his answer for asking personal questions about girls or about life. If something's too complicated for him, that was his answer. I just know how to play the piano and sing songs.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: You know, it has been almost one year since the "King of Pop" died and we'll speak with someone who knew Michael Jackson well and get details into what his final days were like. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: This Friday is the anniversary of Michael Jackson's death, and CNN will feature a special report that will reveal details of the events leading up to his tragic demise. I talked to close associates of the entertainer who described his state of mind in the hours before the world lost the "King of Pop."

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LEMON (voice over): As the sun rose above the exclusive Los Angeles hills inside Michael Jackson's mansion, the entertainer began the morning of June 24th, 2009, doing what he loved -- preparing for a show.

TRAVIS PAYNE, 'THIS IS IT' CHOREOGRAPHER: Now do it slowly.

He and I would start about noon or 1:00 at his home. We'd dance a few hours and stretch.

You have to have a full attitude. You have a half attitude.

LEMON: Travis Payne was Michael Jackson's longtime choreographer.

PAYNE: We were, you know, on a journey with Michael that was going to return him to the stage, you know, that he loved so much. And I know that we were eight days away from leaving for London.

LEMON: The stage is where Michael was most at ease. On stage, there was no one better. Since age 5, he'd electrified audiences around the world with hit songs like "I Want You Back." And the world appeared ready to welcome him back. It had been 12 years since Jackson's last major performance. The "King of Pop" was poised to regain his throne.

MICHAEL JACKSON, ENTERTAINER: This is it. I mean, this is really it. This is the final. This is the final curtain call.

LEMON (voice over): On the afternoon of June 24th, Jackson arrived at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles. Rehearsals for "This Is It" often ran late into the night. On the surface, the man many say was born to perform never looked better.

(on camera): Was his voice getting stronger over a period of rehearsals?

PAYNE: Absolutely.

LEMON: Was his dancing getting stronger?

PAYNE: Absolutely.

LEMON: His body? Everything?

PAYNE: Absolutely. LEMON (voice over): Michael Bearden, the musical director for "This Is It", was on stage that last night.

MICHAEL BEARDEN, 'THIS IS IT' MUSICAL DIRECTOR: He looked back at me, you know, after we did one number. And he looked at me as if to say, yes, Michael Jackson, I got this. You know, he looked really good. And I teased some of the dancers when I see them because M.J. was 50 years old and they're like half his age and he still was wearing them out.

LEMON (on camera): Was anything out of the ordinary that night?

BEARDEN: The only thing that might have been out of the ordinary is that Michael was -- had a serious glow about him that night. You could see his confidence growing and he could see physically he was able to do the things that he wanted to do, that was just coming out naturally. The stage is where he grew up, and I think he was feeling more comfortable every day.

LEMON: Jackson left the Staples Center around midnight and headed to his rented mansion in the posh L.A. neighborhood of Holmby Hills. Just 12 hours later, however, nothing would ever be the same.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If your mom said get down here, it doesn't look good. I said, oh, my gosh, what's going on?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: We also talked with Michael's brothers, Jermaine and Tito about their unanswered questions about how he died and who they think is responsible. Make sure you watch my special report "Michael Jackson, The Final Days" this Friday, June 25th, 8:00 p.m. Eastern right here on CNN.

You know, every weekend we like to bring you up on interesting stories that you might have missed throughout the week.

"A Day in the Life" is now worth $1.2 million. John Lennon's handwritten lyrics, it's a Beatles classic, sold Friday at auction to a private collector in the U.S. That's nearly 13 times what the single sheet of paper sold for when it last came to auction in 1992. Now, Lennon is believed to have written the lyrics on January 17th, 1967. The Beatles began recording the song a few days later. Eventually it turned into a five-and-a-half minute tour de force that changed rock music forever.

What's the one thing you remember about the Obama's first state dinner at the White House?

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. and Mrs. Salahi.

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LEMON: Well, if you thought Tareq and Michaele Salahi's 15 minutes were up, you're wrong. Bravo announced this week the party- crashing couple will star in the network's "Real Housewives" reality series this fall. The setting, where else, Washington, D.C. A spokesman for the couple admits they had been auditioning for the series during that infamous state dinner fiasco.

I'm Don Lemon at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta. Thanks for watching. I'll see you back here next week. Have a good week.