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Kidnapped Girl Found Alive; Congress Returning to DC; Myanmar's Democracy Activist Speaks Out; Megachurch Pastor: I'm Gay

Aired November 14, 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: On the rundown tonight, for your week ahead, a vacation nightmare. A resort hotel loaded with tourists explodes. People are dead. The pictures from the scene unbelievable. What caused the catastrophic accident?

The interview that everyone is talking about. The Megachurch pastor who came out of the closet in front of his congregation, and now the world, my candid interview with him in just moments.

And a superstar in the music world speaks only to me about the release of the human rights hero. Bono on Aung San Suu Kyi's first days of freedom. It's a CNN exclusive.

We begin tonight with a developing story. A mystery that grows stranger by the minute. An entire family just vanishes. Then during a police raid they find the 13-year-old from the family still alive but bound and gagged in the basement of a strange man's home, but still no sign of the girl's mother, brother and a family friend.

This is all unfolding in Mount Vernon, Ohio, where early this morning a police S.W.A.T. team moved in on the suspect's home. A neighbor and the sheriff pick up the story from there.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JOE CHRISTOPHER, NEIGHBOR: Squad team came and the blast I heard -- it was -- they blasted the door and went in, and, you know, I heard the guy was sleeping on the couch and they found one of the girls that was missing tied up down the basement.

SHERIFF DAVID BARBER, KNOX COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPT.: In the house with her at the time that she was located was an individual from Mount Vernon. He is now in the Knox County Jail, currently charged with kidnapping.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: The family disappeared on Wednesday night, and now the entire community has organized a massive search effort to try to find them. The 13-year-old, her name is Sarah Maynard. She's now resting in a hospital. Police are still searching for her mother. Her name Tina Herrmann. Her 10-year-old brother, Kody, and a family friend name Stephanie Sprang.

Now police have arrested 30-year-old Matthew Hoffman on kidnapping charges in this case. The Maynard Family has set up a Facebook page tonight, we're told. It's called Pray for the Maynard Kids. Pray for the Maynard Kids, and that's where people can leave tips if they have them.

Again, this story is still developing, and we'll have more information as it becomes available for you.

Also developing tonight, near Cancun, Mexico. At least seven people, including a child, were killed today by a powerful blast at a Caribbean resort. State media is reporting four of the dead are Canadians. Another 20 people are hurt, including two Americans. Investigators also say the explosion appears to have come from a gas leak, possibly a stove. The resort is the Grand Riveria Princess of the Yucatan Peninsula.

A British couple is savoring their freedom tonight after more than a year under the control of pirates. Paul and Rachel Chandler landed in Kenya today one year and three weeks after Somali pirates kidnapped them from their yacht. The family will not speak about the details of how the Chandlers were freed, but Somali elders tell CNN a $750,000 ransom was paid.

"Time" magazine reports, though, the family hired a private hostage negotiation team after the British government held to its policy of not responding to ransom demands.

Let's talk about Congress because it is returning to D.C. for a lame duck session beginning tomorrow. It has to pass a spending bill, and that's to prevent the government from shutting down next month. And it faces a handful of congressional legislative items and controversial ones as well. But agenda could be overshadowed by a trial that also starts tomorrow.

So let's bring in CNN's senior political editor Mr. Mark Preston.

Mark, you know what I'm talking about. I'm talking about Congressman Charlie Rangel. He has to face the music on Monday, doesn't he?

MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICAL EDITOR: He has to face the music, Don. And this is the trial we've all been waiting for. You know, it's been a couple of years now since this investigation into whether he broke house ethics rules. Did he not properly report income from a rental company? Did he use the power of his office to raise money for a center in New York that would bear his name? Well, tomorrow morning, Don, we're going to hear it all and we'll have to hear it on Capitol Hill right behind you.

The big question here, Don --

LEMON: But Mark, here's the thing. He's representing himself in this. Is that smart because everything he says is going to be on the record, and if it does go over to some sort of criminal proceeding, that's going to be on the record. Is that smart of him to represent himself even though he knows these people.

PRESTON: Well, again, that's the big question, right? So who knows if he'll show up with a lawyer in tow or whether he'll be representing himself before this body.

I'll tell you this, Don, even if he doesn't show up with a lawyer tomorrow, I can guarantee you this. He has enough friends and colleagues who I'm sure have given him enough advice. He's not going into this hearing cold.

LEMON: So you'll be surprise if he shows up tomorrow by himself, right?

PRESTON: I'd be surprised if, a, he showed up by himself and, b, Don, I'd be surprise if he actually makes a big gaffe during this trial.

LEMON: Yes. What do they say? A man who represents himself is a fool for a client or something like that.

So listen, let's move on now, because this is what everyone is talking about.

A lot of people are out of work. The economy not great right now. Congress has to deal with, starting with what we call the Bush tax cuts.

PRESTON: Yes, the big showdown. So we'll find out over the next week or two whether there will be an agreement on the tax cuts. Will Democrats give in a little bit? Will Republicans give in a little bit?

I will tell you President Obama just a few hours ago, when he -- on his way back to the White House from his nine-day trip, is really seeming to try to call the Republican bluff. He wants Republicans to try to explain to him why tax cuts for people above $250,000 a year should continue, and that will be the big showdown the next couple of weeks.

LEMON: You know, there was some movement on Don't Ask, Don't Tell last week with the courts, and then there was a dig demonstration today I know. Is Don't Ask, Don't Tell, going to come up next week?

PRESTON: It certainly going to come up, and there will be a lot of discussion. The fact is will Congress be able to approve something to repeal it. And I'll tell you the fact that the Pentagon has not approved or released its report about what to do on this, it's very unlikely that Don't Ask, Don't Tell will be passed in this session.

LEMON: Yes, because if it doesn't, Republicans in the majority and the House, it's going to be very difficult in the coming term, correct?

PRESTON: Yes, no question. No question about it.

LEMON: Let's talk about the New START Treaty. Is there a New START Treaty?

PRESTON: Well, I'm sure the Obama administration hopes that something can start. You know, out of all the legislative items, there's a possibility that this could get done, and really what this would do was to help reduce the stockpile of nuclear weapons from the Russians and from the U.S.

There's a little bit of a hang up right now in the Senate. However, President Obama, again, expressed some hope on his way back here to the U.S. that in fact they can get over that, so we might see some progress on that.

LEMON: We've been seeing the former President Bush out a lot. You know, he always said nuclear and you say it as well, Mark, with your Boston accent.

PRESTON: Well, Texas, Boston, it goes together.

LEMON: Thank you, Mark. Have a good evening. We appreciate it, sir.

PRESTON: Thank you.

LEMON: Still ahead here on CNN, my exclusive interview with one of the biggest names in music. What Bono has to say about the release of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

Plus, a Megachurch pastor announces he's gay.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JIM SWILLEY, MEGA-CHURCH PASTOR: The other thing, and I wouldn't have known what to call it at the time was my sexual orientation. I know a lot of straight people think that orientation is a choice. I want to tell you that it certainly is not, and let me explain to you --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: I'm going to talk with Pastor Jim Swilley about his decision to come out. It's a controversial interview, and it's getting a lot of traction online.

And don't just sit there. We want you to be part of the conversation, for sure. Any one of those sites right there. You can send us a message. You can check out our blog at CNN.com/Don. Also check in with us on FourSquare. We have our own page, FourSquare.com/DonLemonCNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: She survived more than a decade of confinement alone, but today Aung San Suu Kyi says she needs the help of others to bring democracy to the country once known as Burma. She says she also supports national reconciliation.

Myanmar's military regime released the 65-year-old freedom fighter from house arrest on Saturday. Peace activist around the world celebrated, including rock star Bono. He told me in an exclusive interview how she reminds him of another iconic political prisoner.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BONO, MUSICIAN AND SINGER (via telephone): She's a character of great grace. Maybe that's what she has in common with Nelson Mandela. Her struggle has become a symbol of what's best about our humanity and worst.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Aung San Suu Kyi says the ruling generals treated her well, but they need to return the country to, quote, "The rule of law."

Open enrollment season is officially under way, and a lot of people thought their health care insurance costs would be going down with the passage of health care reform, but our Stephanie Elam says the reality could be -- couldn't be more different.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN BUSINESS NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Hey there. That's absolutely right. Most rate increases were put into place before health care reform, meaning costs were already going up.

The average family increase for 2011 will be about 14 percent or $4,000 for the year versus just a 3 percent rise in the total bill. Meaning that you, not your employer, are footing the majority of the jump.

So what can you do as an employee to lower your costs? Well, first of course, pay attention and choose the right plan for your family. PPOs are insurance plans that allow you to go out of network, but usually with higher costs than HMOs that restrict your coverage to only in- network doctors. If seeing a doctor out of network is important or at least knowing you have the option to do so, make sure you understand your potential costs, including deductibles, co-pays and co-insurance. Younger, healthy people may want to consider a high-deductible plan if it's available. These plans are less expensive, but if you get sick, you'll be responsible for the full cost up to that high deductible amount.

Next, see if your employer offers any programs to stay healthy or for preventive care. This could mean big savings on your health care premiums, but more importantly it's good for your health. And for goodness sake, don't waste money. Many employers offer flexible spending accounts, and these are yet another smart way to put away tax-free money toward your health care.

And lastly, as our good friend Andrew Rubin from NYU's Langone Medical Center always tells us, negotiate, negotiate, negotiate. Your doctor has unlimited flexibility on services and coverage.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Negotiate. Stephanie, thank you very much.

Coming up here on CNN, one police officer called the scene devastating. We'll have the late on a deadly accident in California that killed at least five people.

Plus, the power goes out at the New Meadowlands Stadium in New York leaving NFL players and fans in the dark.

We're going to have the details for you. What went on.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Let's check some of your headlines right now on CNN.

Police in Southern California are searching for a driver they say fled the scene after causing a deadly motorcycle pile-up. Just look at that video. They say a gold Honda tried to pass a dozen motorcycles on a two-lane highway east of San Diego. An oncoming car swerved into the bikers. Four motorcyclists were killed there. A passenger in the second car also died. The driver of that vehicle has been arrested for suspected DUI, but police don't think he is responsible for the accident.

Late results from Election Day. Arizona officials have determined that Prop 203 which permits medical marijuana has passed by about 4,300 votes. The no votes had been leading. The Arizona Republic reports, until election officials began counting provisional ballots. Arizona becomes the 15th state to allow medical marijuana.

A surprise in today's NFL game between the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants. And it wasn't the score there. Two power outages at New Jersey's New Meadowlands Stadium temporarily halted play during the third quarter when both power feeders went down.

After about 12 minutes, power was restored. The score, by the way, Cowboys 33, Giants 20.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: Take a look now at what the week ahead will bring from politics to business to Hollywood. These are the stories that will grab the headlines this coming week.

We begin tonight with what's on the horizon for the president.

ED HENRY, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: I'm Ed Henry in Yokohama, Japan, where President Obama is wrapping up a nine-day tour of Asia. Once he returns to Washington, it's right back to domestic politics. He's hosting a meeting with Democratic and Republican congressional leaders at the White House to try and work out thorny issues such as whether to extend all of the Bush tax cuts. Then he heads back overseas to Lisbon, where he's going to a NATO Summit where Afghanistan is front and center.

DANA BASH, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Dana Bash on Capitol Hill where Congress returns this week for its lame duck session. And there is a lot they are going to try to squeeze in on their agenda. Everything from keeping the government running to food safety legislation, to how to deal with that thorny issue of extending Bush- era tax cuts.

Now, on Monday, two new Democratic senators who won special elections will actually be sworn in. And on the House side, about 100 newly elected members of the House are going to be descending on the capitol for orientation and get a glimpse of what life will be like as a member of Congress.

PAUL STEINHAUSER CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: I'm Paul Steinhauser at the CNN Political Desk. The counting of the write-in ballots in Alaska goes into overtime this week in the battle between Senator Lisa Murkowski and Republican Senate nominee Joe Miller.

Also this week, a possible Republican presidential hopeful heads to Iowa as former House Speaker Newt Gingrich goes to the state as part of a tour for his new book.

And Republican governors and governor-elects will be in the political spotlight when they team up in San Diego at an annual conference.

POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM: I'm Poppy Harlow in New York. Well, Wall Street is gearing up for a pretty big week. Starting on Monday, we'll get the latest retail sales, followed by earnings from Wal-Mart and Home Depot on Tuesday.

Also on Tuesday, the Senate Banking Committee will hold a hearing on foreclosures. That will be a major focus for the big banks. And on Wednesday, the latest housing starts and building permits report is released. We'll look for any signs of a rebound in the sector. And then this week, wraps up with earnings from Target, Dell and Gap. We'll track it all for you on CNN Money.

A.J. HAMMER, HOST, SHOWBIZ TONIGHT: I'm "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT'S" A.J. Hammer. Here's what we're watching this week. The stars of "The Color Purple" reuniting on "Oprah" 25 years after the move came out. That should be pretty cool.

Also Barbra Streisand gives a rare sit-down interview and Halle Berry tells all to Ellen. "SHOWBIZ TONIGHT" is live at 5:00 p.m. Eastern on HLN. And we are TV's most provocative entertainment news show 7 days a week at 11:00 p.m. Eastern and Pacific.

LEMON: All right, guys. Thank you very much.

Azadeh Ansari is here, an international desk editor.

Azadeh, you have some interesting stories. The pictures from the Hajj are always amazing.

AZADEH ANSARI, CNN INTERNATIONAL DESK: Breathtaking, Don. So nearly 2.5 million Muslims have already gathered in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, which is Islam's holiest city as we know to partake in the largest pilgrimage being The Hajj. Now The Hajj is Islam's fifth pillar and over the course of this week, they're going to follow in the footsteps believed to be taken by the Prophet Muhammad.

LEMON: We have some pictures there. They've already gathered, right? They've already gathered there?

How many Muslims in the world?

ANSARI: 1.8 billion and growing.

LEMON: OK. All right, let's move on and talk about this incredible jewel to say the least and expensive, and probably giant.

ANSARI: Huge. It's the rarest gem stone ever to be auctioned off. And it's going to happen on Tuesday in Geneva, Switzerland. And it's not just any kind of diamond, Don. It's a 24.78 carat diamond called The Fancy, Intense Pink Diamond, as we can see right here. And how much do you think it's going for or they're thinking of?

LEMON: Way more than I'm sure you or I could afford.

How much?

ANSARI: Between $27 million and $38 million. Pocket change, right?

LEMON: Wow. I mean, is that the actual ring right there?

ANSARI: Yes, that's it. Right there.

LEMON: I think when you talk about carats like that, you would think it would be like, you know, as big as iPhone or Blackberries.

Who would wear that around? Would you? Would you wear it?

ANSARI: If I had the money, maybe.

LEMON: Don't wear that on the subway, all right.

Thank you, Azadeh Ansari. Have a great week.

ANSARI: You, too.

LEMON: Appreciate it.

You know what we all know about outsourcing, but what about bringing jobs back to the U.S. from overseas.

Plus, getting vaccinated without a needle.

Here's Alison Kosik with this week's "Getting Down to Business."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ALISON KOSIK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: President Obama just wrapped up his tour of Asia and says he's bringing home a souvenir for Americans. More jobs. The president announced deals with Indian companies that could create more than 50,000 new jobs in the U.S. We'll get the latest unemployment numbers this Thursday.

It should be good news that foreclosures fell in October, but, unfortunately, that's only half the story. The drop is instead because banks have been freezing foreclosures to review loan documents. This could mean higher prices in the short term, but a slower recovery in the long term. New housing numbers are released on Wednesday. Flu season is back again which means time for those shots. But if you're afraid of needles, there may be another option at a clinic near you. A needle-free injector from Pharmajet delivers vaccinations with a spring-loaded high velocity stream directly into the skin. The new injectors have big potential for preventing the spread of disease around the world.

That's this week's "Getting Down to Business."

Alison Kosik, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LEMON: Up next here on CNN, he has been married twice and has four kids, but Pastor Jim Swilley has just announced that he is gay.

When we come back, I'll talk to him about his decision to come out of closet now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LEMON: You know, it is the interview that you all have been tweeting about and commenting on. The pastor of a Georgia Megachurch telling his congregation the secret that he's been holding all of his life, that he is gay.

I want to play you some of the highlights from my in-depth conversation with him. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SWILLEY: After I knew that Debbie is going to divorce me, I knew we had to say something about it and I was really just sort of neither denying nor confirming anything that people were speculating. And then people started asking me about certain things. They heard rumors that I left her for a man or there was some scandal and there wasn't. Still, I just -- she encouraged me a long time ago to say something about it. I said, "Look, these words will never come out of my mouth."

But there's something about -- there was like four, five, six suicides in just a matter of days and the young man that you mentioned, for some reason his situation was kind of the tipping point with me.

LEMON: There is something that is very -- I know that you have said this and it's the hardest part for you was your wife thinking that she wasn't attractive?

SWILLEY: Well, that's something we had to make sure that she understood. And she knows that.

LEMON: And you guys talked about it. What did you -- tell me about it.

SWILLEY: Well, I said, look, you're a beautiful woman. There's nothing wrong with you. You're a desirable woman. And you know, the part of me that's her husband wants to still feel like, you're my wife. You shouldn't be with anybody else. The part of me that is her friend, wants her to be happy in a way that she's known for some time, I could not provide that for her.

We have a great mutual respect, a great synergy of working together but there comes a point in your life where you say, how much time do we have left in our lives, are we going to be --

LEMON: I want to read some of your comments. Let's go to Twitter right now. Someone says and if we can through this really quickly here. Someone says "Ask him about Eddie Long."

SWILLEY: And the next one would be.

LEMON: You don't want to talk about it?

SWILLEY: I don't really -- what are you asking? I mean, I don't really -- I know Bishop Long, I've known him for a long time and he's always been very gracious to me. His staff has always been very nice to me.

LEMON: I think what they're meaning is in asking you about Eddie Long is because of proximity, not only in time but in space. You -- I mean in place, you guys are basically --

SWILLEY: We know each other but we're --

(CROSSTALK)

LEMON: And he's been accused.

SWILLEY: Right.

LEMON: Of using his influence, sort of, over young man.

SWILLEY: I've known Eddie for many years but I wouldn't consider that we're close friends. I've never discussed this with him. I don't really have anything to say.

LEMON: But you don't think the two have really anything to do --

SWILLEY: No, not at all. And I'm not trying to make myself look good. I'm just saying that my situation is completely different.

LEMON: Someone said, ask him "what makes a man want to be with another man? Where is that in the Bible?"

SWILLEY: Oh, man. You didn't prepare me for these. You know, when it comes to people bringing up Bible stuff, I love the scriptures. I believe they are inspired. The Bible says a lot of things about a lot of things that people don't have answers for. Everything from Paul supporting slavery, which none of us would support that now, to many things. The scripture says, if you're given gluttony, put a knife to your throat. We seem to be fine with fat Christians in the church and people don't really say a lot about that.

LEMON: It talks about children.

SWILLEY: All kinds of things. If you have -- Deuteronomy says if you have a son that doesn't work for a living that is rebellious, to take him by the hand and lead him to the elders of the city and let them stone him with stones until he's dead. We don't support that now. If you have an unemployed son, you don't go kill him but that's what the Bible says.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: My thanks to Pastor Jim Swilley. And I thank all of you for your comments and for making that story number one on CNN.com today.

If you want to see the entire interview, you can go to our blog at CNN.com/Don.

I'm Don Lemon at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta. Thank you so much for watching. I'll see you back here next weekend. Have a good night and a great week.