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Life Inside Tahrir Square; U.S Demonstrators Show Support for Egypt Protests; Sex Trafficking and the Super Bowl
Aired February 05, 2011 - 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: This disturbing and graphic video causing an uproar around the country. Police repeatedly kicking and punching an unarmed teenage suspect. A grand jury is asking if it's excessive. You decide.
A story that is sure to make your blood boil. Thugs pimping children for sex trafficking, capitalizing on the most anticipated sporting event of the year. Tonight, we explore the shocking, dark and seedy side of Super Bowl Sunday.
A white man suddenly turns black at 30 years old. How did that happen? Stick around to hear his stunning personal revelation in just minutes.
And one of the biggest pop stars in the planet is on this show tonight. Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas gives the inside scoop only to us about their halftime performance at tomorrow's big game.
Good evening, everyone. I'm Don Lemon. Let's get you up to speed on the big stories of the night.
It's 5:00 in the morning in Egypt, the dawn of day 13 of a national pro-democracy uprising.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(CROWD CHANTING)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Unlike a week ago, Saturday's demonstrations were relatively peaceful and non-confrontational. Vice President Joe Biden called Egypt's vice president to inquire about progress in resolving the crisis, stressing the need for a clear plan and timetable. There were some tense moments, however. The Army chose not to challenge protesters who had formed a human chain to block tanks from passing through barricades in Tahrir Square.
Also on Saturday, Egypt's newly appointed vice president met with a group of opposition leaders. They have called for continued public demonstrations until Mubarak steps down. More from Cairo in just a moment. President Barack Obama is moving forward with his theme of winning the future, first unveiled in his recent State of the Union speech. He is using his weekly address to promote what he called a true measure of progress for the nation, defined as whether every American, who wants a job, can find one. He also acknowledged that progress toward this goal needs to happen faster.
Take a look at this. In Frankfort, Kentucky, a police officer stopped a suspected drunk driver at a gas station. The truck tried to back away but the officer stayed with it. And the driver sped forward, dragging the cop. The truck slammed into a parked car, injuring the officer. Police later found the suspect hiding in a culvert. The officer had only minor injuries.
Streets looked more like rivers in parts of Sri Lanka. Heavy rains have forced nearly a million people to flee to higher ground. At least seven have died and a thousand homes are in ruins now. The rising waters have cut off entire villages. In one horrific incident, a boat carrying 17 villagers fleeing the high waters smashed into rocks, killing five people including two children.
A Connecticut man has some explaining to do after calling 911. He didn't have an emergency but he did have a question. And his question revealed he was, well, up to something.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
VOICE OF ROBERT J. MICHELSON, CALLED 911 TO ASK QUESTION ABOUT POT: I was just growing some marijuana. I was just wondering what the -- how much, you know, trouble you can get into for one plant.
911 OPERATOR: Depends on how big the plant is.
MICHELSON: It's only a seedling.
911 OPERATOR: Well, it's possession.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
LEMON: Police tracked the call to the home of Robert Michelson where they confiscated a small amount of marijuana along with items used to grow and smoke pot. He is facing a variety of drug-related charges.
The FBI is on the case of who has been hacking into the NASDAQ. "The Wall Street Journal" reports hackers infiltrated the computer network that runs the NASDAQ stock market several times over the past year. The exchange's stock trade platform was not breached, but other parts of the system were accessed.
Dallas is thawing out ahead of tomorrow's Super Bowl XLV. The area was hit with nearly twice its annual snowfall in a single night on Thursday. Ice slid off the roof yesterday at Cowboys Stadium, injuring people below but temperatures rose today and the forecast is looking good for tomorrow. The game will be under a dome. Later in the show, we'll hear from Will.i.am, who is performing at the halftime show with his group, the Black Eyed Peas.
On the eve of the Bowl, the NFL elected seven people to its Hall of Fame, six of them were players including Deion Sanders shown in action right here.
The others are Marshall Faulk, Shannon Sharpe, Richard Dent, Chris Hanburger and Les Richter. Ed Sabol was elected as a contributor. He is the founder of NFL films. The induction ceremony will be held August 6th in Canton, Ohio.
Let's go now to the uprising in Egypt. It is ending its second week. A small army of protesters has set up camp in Tahrir Square, which has become ground zero of the pro-democracy movement. CNN's Arwa Damon takes us inside the barricades.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Cordoned off not just by the military but by an army of volunteers. Tahrir Square in the heart of Cairo appears to be a well fortified site. Searches are stringent and thorough by lines of people forming human barricades. Piles of rocks to be used as ammunition are never far away as the anti-Mubarak demonstrators stand ready for the next battle.
(on camera): This gentleman is just one of the many walking wounded at the demonstration ground, but just as determined that he is not going to leave no matter how hard it is to live out here.
(voice over): This was once a busy intersection. Now, it's packed with people determined to stay for what the square is called, Tahrir, liberation.
"It's not that hard to survive because we want our freedom and our rights," Sanna (ph) explains, who only leaves to shower.
As for food, some buy from a handful of vendors but most rely on handouts.
Asmad Abdul Nadi (ph) is providing bread and cheese to fill empty stomachs here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am a teacher teaching English in secondary school
DAMON (on camera): And now you're giving food to people?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: With anything. Anything for all these people.
DAMON (voice over): Before all this began, Ahmad Muktar (ph) was a driver. Now, he shuttles food into the square. On this day, he managed to find small bean sandwiches. Even this is a dangerous task.
"I had to buy it in another neighborhood," he told us. "And then I came by metro, but there are gangs on the road. Yesterday, I just had a piece of bread for dinner because the gangs stopped the food from coming in," Sayed (ph) says, showing us the stab wound he received in the fighting last week.
No more fast food but a fast medical fix for the injured in front of Kentucky Fried Chicken. This is just one of many makeshift clinics for these diehard demonstrators.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know. I will not go. I will not go home.
DAMON (on camera): Why?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Until I get my rights.
DAMON: Even if you die here?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Even if we die.
DAMON (voice over): Isam Abdul Aziz (ph) isn't budging either.
"Local media is saying that we're traitors," he tells us, "that foreign powers are paying us and that we're eating Kentucky Fried Chicken."
It doesn't really look like it. The KFC rumor has become something of a running joke here. The mood despite people's exhaustion is quite festive.
"All Egyptians are smart, Mubarak is Egyptian, he's smart and he's very good at plotting," Isam points out. "We're playing a game now of biting the fingers. Whomever is in the most pain is going to leave first. So we're staying here until his pain is unbearable."
The demonstrators have dug in, saying that the violence over the last few days is driving them even further away from any notion of reconciliation with the Mubarak regime. They say they are determined to hold this ground and never surrender.
Arwa Damon, CNN, Cairo.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: And in just moments here on CNN, I'll take you to a rally that I attended today right here in Atlanta.
In the meantime, a teenager suspected of burglary caught by police. It's what happens then that everyone is talking about. See for yourself, judge for yourself, and wait until you hear the charges against those officers. Look at that video.
And the Super Bowl brings lots of fun and excitement to the host city each and every year, but there is a dark side that comes with it. The big game is also a magnet for child sex trafficking. We're talking with the head of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about that.
I'm online and I know you are too. Check out my social media accounts. Let's connect. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILL.I.AM, SINGER: I'm Will.i.am and I'm a news junkie and I follow Don Lemon on Twitter. You should, too. That's at donlemoncnn.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Welcome back, everyone.
Here in the U.S., people are showing their solidarity with protesters in Egypt. Demonstrators marched today outside the United Nations, blasting President Hosni Mubarak and making their voices heard. It was a similar scene in Washington, where protesters voiced support for the protests in Egypt. And this picture showing Christians forming human chain to protect Muslims during prayers in Tahrir Square speaks volumes about a country where Christians and Muslims are often divided.
Earlier today, I got a chance to meet some demonstrators here in downtown Atlanta who talked about the show of unity between people of different faiths and why they are supporting the people of Egypt.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: While most of the protests last week were focused on Mubarak, this week they're focusing on this -- Egypt means Muslims and Christians, meaning unity among people who had once been separated.
Why are you so passionate about this?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because they protected us in Tahrir Square. The Christians protected us in the Tahrir Square. The Christians protected us in Tahrir Square. Right now, Christians and Muslims in Egypt is one bar, not two. It's one bar, not two, and will never be two, and never will be two. It will always be one.
LEMON: People would say why is a 10-year-old out here?
UNIDENTIFIED BOY: I'm here to support every age that's in Egypt. Every age should have equal rights no matter how small or old you are.
(PEOPLE CHANTING)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I want to tell all Americans that if you're for freedom, if you're for democracy, get out here, protest for Egyptians. They deserve freedom just as much as anyone else and please, please President Obama, I know you have the power to get him down. So just tell him that he needs to go. One phone call isn't enough.
LEMON: What's at stake for Syrians like you and other people of Arabic --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, it's really going to set the tone for the whole Middle East, and hopefully leaders around the region will start paying more attention to the voices of their people. The Egyptian people are our brothers. What happens to them is vitally important to them and all of us in the region, and we support them a hundred percent.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thirty years is too much. And unplugging Egypt from the rest of the world won't help. He can't unplug our voices.
(PEOPLE CHANTING)
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: And once President Mubarak is out, one of the top names to replace him is leading opposition figure Mohamed ElBaradei, and CNN has him tomorrow on Fareed Zakaria GPS. Be sure to tune in, 10:00 a.m. Eastern here on CNN.
I want to show you some newly released video now that is causing a huge furor. It's out of Houston, Texas. And you see a 15-year-old, a burglary suspect, running. He is clipped by a police car and then he goes down. Officers surround him. They kick and punch him repeatedly even though he is not resisting. This all happened last March but the video, which was sealed by the court, has now been leaked to the media by a community activist. Seven officers were fired because of this. Four have been indicted and five were suspended or disciplined.
I talked earlier with Sunny Hostin. She's a contributor to "In Session" on our sister network truTV and will be with us every week here on CNN this weekend. I asked her why the officers are facing misdemeanor charges not felonies.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUNNY HOSTIN, LEGAL CONTRIBUTOR, "IN SESSION" ON TRUTV: People are really outraged to buy that -- the charges, the misdemeanor charges. I mean, they are if found guilty, they would be possibly put in prison for about a year. They could possibly be fined. But many people are asking why not more? Why is this not a felony? Why not aggravated assault? Why not some sort of assault charge?
We don't know, Don, what happened in front of the Grand Jury because Grand Jury proceedings are secret. But I have called around and what I have learned is they may have presented assault charges to the Grand Jury but the Grand Jury didn't indict because there was no serious bodily injury, no impairment.
He actually is fine now and so perhaps that is why the officers are looking at misdemeanor charges but I will say this and you mentioned Rodney King. Perhaps this is a teachable moment for, you know, the police department there in Houston. Perhaps it's time to sort of clean out. I mean clean up the police department.
LEMON: You know, Sunny, listen, you know I love you, right? And we always -- we send out about every story like this. Maybe it's a teachable moment. Maybe people will get it. Maybe the officers will get it. We don't know exactly what happened until the officers, you know, until they go to court and a verdict is rendered. We don't know exactly what happened.
But, I mean, how many teachable moments like this do we need? How many times do you have to kick a suspect on the ground? Now the kid was guilty of something, you know. Don't get me wrong, but did it take all of this for an unarmed teenager? That's the question. And why isn't it called anymore excessive force? Why is it called official oppression? What does that mean?
HOSTIN: Exactly. It really -- it should be excessive force. And I think I am just as outraged as you are, Don, and I think just as outraged as the country is at this moment, especially given that this happened on tape. Because oftentimes these things happen and there is no tape. And so how many times does this have to happen? I think it probably unfortunately happens more than we know.
LEMON: Yes....
HOSTIN: I don't know what the answer to that is. Perhaps the justice department needs to get involved.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Now Houston's mayor says she is shocked by what she saw on the tape and says there was no attempt to keep the tape secret. And the Houston Police Officers Union says there are thousands of officers who do a great job every day and are not involved in situations like this.
A Pennsylvania high school student who was filmed being bullied and beaten got a huge surprise when he went on the television show "The View" to tell his story. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There are some guys here that also want to tell you just how brave you are. Please welcome pro Bowl wide receiver DeSean Jackson, Jamaal Jackson and Todd Herremans. They are here for you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: DeSean Jackson, Jamaal Jackson and Todd Herremans of the Philadelphia Eagles gave him an autographed jersey. Thirteen-year-old Nadin Khoury says he was picked on because he was small. DeSean Jackson says he has run into problems throughout his career with people thinking he is too small, too. Look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DESEAN JACKSON, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: First and foremost, man, I want to say you're brave because this happens every day and people are not, you know, brave enough to stand up and take this on. You know, man, bro. Really, you doing it, man. And I just want to say I appreciate you.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: This disturbing video was filmed by one of the suspects and it shows Khoury being dragged through the snow and eventually hung by his jacket on an iron gate. All seven of the alleged bullies are older high school students. They face numerous charges including false imprisonment. The Eagles players say they have his back in case anything happens again.
I want you to take a look at this man. Take a close look. Is he white? Or is he black? Ahead this hour, the stunning discovery about his race that changed his life.
Plus a wannabe burglar locks himself in a store room and it's all caught on tape. Viral videos, up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: It is viral video time. In tonight's most popular viral videos, the Super Bowl is almost upon us, but one little girl in Chicago is not happy. Her dad recorded this after the Bears lost to the Packers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(GIRL CRYING)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey, what's the matter? Lauren? What's the matter?
UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: I want the Bears to win.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But the Packers won. Don't we like the Packers?
UNIDENTIFIED GIRL: I hate the Packers.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: She is not happy. We e-mailed her father after the video went viral and he tells us the Bears-Packers game had just ended. She hadn't even watched the game, but when her mother told her the Packers won, the water works started. It is a house divided, I have to tell you. Dad's side of the family are Packers fans. Mom's, well, they're Bears fans. Lauren clearly sided with her mom on this one. It'll be OK, Lauren.
Now we go to Australia. If you've never heard of the bottle octopus, I want you to check this out. An amazing demonstration of the advantages of not having a skeleton. A beer bottle at the bottom of the ocean turned out to be the temporary home of a small octopus. Now, if only this little guy could predict tomorrow's Super Bowl.
You may recall another octopus named Paul, since deceased, was famous for his predictions during the World Cup soccer match. You know, it is not exactly the Super Bowl but these two Corgis seem to have a blast playing tetherball. The dogs named Martin and Aston, they even seem to know how to play it. Corgis, of course, have very short legs, so someone set the ball close to the ground just for those little guys.
OK. This story is sure to shock you. The big business surrounding the Super Bowl extends beyond football. It's also a huge magnet for sex traffickers. We'll talk to the president and CEO of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: I want everybody to pay close attention. This is a shocking and little known story that we're going to tell you about. It's more than a football game. The Super Bowl is business, we know, huge business. Millions of people, of course, will party and watch it on TV and thousands more will converge on the Super Bowl city.
Unfortunately, big events like this also attract criminal elements. In this case, sex traffickers and their potential customers. Let's talk about it with Ernie Allen. He is the president and CEO of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Ernie, thank you for joining us. We're talking about children here. How bad is the problem and why does an event like the Super Bowl attract this type of activity?
ERNIE ALLEN, PRES./CEO, CTR. FOR MISSING & EXPLOITED CHILDREN: Don, it's a huge problem in this country. Millions of Americans think this only happens somewhere else on the other side of the world. We estimate that at least a hundred thousand American kids are involved in child prostitution, child trafficking.
It happens at the Super Bowl and other major events because of supply and demand. The operators of this illicit business go to where the action is. They take these kids to where there's a lot of money, there's a lot of people, a lot of opportunity to be successful and generate a lot of revenue for themselves.
LEMON: So they're looking at this as an opportunity. These are potential customers to them. Who are the victims? Are they under age? Are they immigrants? Are they Americans? Who are they?
ALLEN: Well, primarily the victims in the United States are American kids. Most of them initially run away and then are befriended, provided shelter by people who appear to be kind and interested in their well being. Then they become sex slaves. Clearly, some element of this involves kids and adults brought in from other countries. But the problem with child sex trafficking in the United States is primarily American kids.
LEMON: What can people do to help, Ernie?
ALLEN: Well, the most important thing that people can do is be alert and aware and watch for it. If you see it, if you know about it, if you suspect it, report it to law enforcement or report it to us at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800- THE-LOST.
Texas, I think, is prepared. The attorney general of Texas is heading an anti-trafficking task force. Law enforcement is prepared. The hotels are prepared. But this is a serious problem.
LEMON: Have you had any success in fighting this?
ALLEN: Well, we have. We've been working in partnership with the FBI, with the justice department. We've had initiative called Innocence Lost for the past eight years. 1200 kids have been rescued. Nearly 700 adults have been successfully prosecuted. But that's still just the tip of the iceberg. For most of these kids, they're hidden victims. These are people who America doesn't see. We really need to wake up the country about what's going on.
LEMON: Ernie, there's no other way of putting it. It's disgusting.
ALLEN: Well, Don, it's not only disgusting but it is fundamentally illegal and exists. It exists because main stream people are purchasing kids for sex. The marketing and sale of these kids has moved from the streets to the internet, further minimizing the risk.
So, we're trying to do something about it. There are an array of advocacy groups out there who are trying to wake up the country about it. These kids are victims. They're not perpetrators. We need to identify the operators and also attack the demand by holding the customers accountable. What they're doing is engaging in illegal acts.
LEMON: All right. The phone number is 1-800-THE-LOST. 1-800- THE-LOST. The website is www.cybertipline.com. There it is on your screen. 1-800-THE-LOST. www.cybertipline.com.
Ernie Allen, thank you.
ALLEN: Thank you, Don.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Celebrating what would be the 100th birthday of Ronald Reagan. What does an Apple iTouch have to do with learning about the 40th president? Plus, former Vice President Dick Cheney about to take the podium at the Reagan Ranch. Live pictures now from Santa Barbara, California.
And he lived for 30 years thinking he was one race only to find out he wasn't. How he made the discovery and how it's changed his life, coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Welcome back, everyone. Former President Ronald Reagan would have turned 100 years old tomorrow and this weekend his family, his friends, and former staff members are among those honoring his memory at the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California.
Ted Rowlands is there tonight.
Good evening, Ted.
TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good evening, Don. It seems a little quiet where we are because we're at the grave site of Ronald Reagan.
Inside the library right now, there's a concert going on featuring the Beach Boys. So, this is really a weekend full of things happening at the Reagan ranch. Sarah Palin was there yesterday riding horses with her daughter. Dick Cheney is speaking in Santa Barbara tonight. We're awaiting him to take the podium. That'll happen in a few minutes.
Here at the library tomorrow, Nancy Reagan is going to cut the ribbon on a $15 million renovation of the museum. It is very impressive. We got a sneak peek. Check it out.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RONALD REAGAN, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.
ROWLANDS (voice-over): Video and sound are a constant feature. Reagan's movies and speeches played throughout.
JOHN HEUBUSCH, EXEC. DIR., REAGAN PRESIDENTIAL FOUNDATION: We have right over here to my right, the very famous debate with President Carter where he asked the question, "Are you better off now than you were four years ago?"
ROWLANDS: There's also a Berlin Wall, with tunnels and interactive videogame table and an inauguration day exhibit complete with Reagan's speech on the teleprompter. His diaries have been digitized for people to flip through. There's also an exhibit dealing with the assassination attempt on President Reagan after 70 days in office.
As in many presidential libraries, you can see an exact replica of the Oval Office and Air Force One, the actual plane used by seven U.S. presidents and the one Reagan flew in during his eight years in office.
HEUBUSCH: They get to see where the president sits in the aircraft. They get to see his working quarters. They get to see where the Secret Service would sit, where the traveling press corps sits. They get to touch and feel the airplane. It's just a great experience.
ROWLANDS: An Iran-Contra affair exhibit deals with the low point of the Reagan presidency. Also on display, the letter Reagan wrote, with the audio of him reading it, announcing to the world he had Alzheimer's.
REAGAN: My fellow Americans, I have recently been told that I am one of the millions of Americans who will be affected with Alzheimer's disease.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROWLANDS: It is really remarkable, Don. No matter where you stand politically, it's a pretty impressive place to go through, and that last thing where he's reading that letter telling the American people, telling the world he had Alzheimer's, is very, very moving.
One other thing I want to mention, you talked about it in the tease. They have iPod touches here which have an audio tour for each exhibit. You can also use it to take video and photos and they'll e- mail them to you afterwards. They are so pleased with that idea they've taken out a patent on it.
So, lots to see here. It's not open to the public until Monday, but the doors do open at 10:00 and cake for all that arrive here on Monday until it lasts.
LEMON: Hey, Ted, let's talk about this a little more. Let's look at the live pictures at the Reagan ranch where we're expecting the former Vice President Dick Cheney to come up and speak at any moment now about his friend, former Republican and President Ronald Reagan. He should take to the stage in just a bit.
But as you mentioned, Sarah Palin is speaking here as are other Republicans, high profile Republicans.
ROWLANDS: Well, let's face it. Ronald Reagan's popularity is as high as anyone's, you know, now. And every politician uses his name at every opportunity -- if you're on the right especially.
You know, it's almost nauseating to some people that it's Ronald Reagan this and that, but it's because he is loved by so many people. And you can really feel that here. People have been coming here, you know, all weekend long and there is a real deep love for this man post-presidency and his life as -- you know, as he lived it.
And also, there is a big section of it in the museum here, his death. So many people were moved by that. They have a whole section about the funeral and the outpouring. So, you feel that and obviously politicians know it and they take advantage of it.
I asked the executive director here: do you think Ronald Reagan would be upset by that? He said, no. He didn't think so as long as they were, you know, consistent with his ideals. He just didn't think it was a big deal.
LEMON: All right, Ted.
ROWLANDS: That the former president would have been upset by it. LEMON: Ted Rowlands, thank you. All eyes again on Santa Barbara, at the Reagan ranch where we're expecting the former vice president to come out at any moment, will bring you his comments if it happens live during this show. Our thanks, again, to Ted Rowlands.
And CNN is the place to be for complete coverage of a Ronald Reagan birthday centennial celebration. Our John King will host our special coverage tomorrow on Sunday from the Reagan Library. It all starts at 2:00 p.m. Eastern -- 2:00 p.m. Eastern, 11:00 a.m. Pacific right here on CNN.
I want you to look at this man. I want you tell me if you think he's black or white. Wait until you hear what he thinks. That's next.
And Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas makes a cameo on this show. If you haven't heard he's part of the halftime entertainment at tomorrow's Super Bowl. That's straight ahead.
But, first, this: millions of football fans are counting down to the kick off of tomorrow's Super Bowl in Dallas. Among those watching will be this week's CNN hero. His name is Eddie Canales. He is the father of a son who suffered a spinal cord injury in a high school game in Texas.
Well, today, his group, Gridiron Heroes, provides emotional and financial support for other high school players who have been sidelined the same way.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRIS CANALES, EDDIE CANALES' SON: Growing up in Texas, football is very important. It's like a religion. You get the adrenaline going. You want to win.
EDDIE CANALES, COMMUNITY CRUSADER: It was senior night. Chris was having the game of his life.
C. CANALES: It was the fourth quarter and made a touchdown saving tackle. I could hear my teammates saying, Chris, come on, let's go. I can't move.
E. CANALES: You don't even want to think your son may never walk again. That was a hard pill to swallow.
C. CANALES: Around my one-year anniversary, I was going through a lot of depression.
E. CANALES: I said, "Let's go to a football game."
C. CANALES: We ended up watching another young man suffer a spinal cord injury.
E. CANALES: Chris turned to me and said, "Dad, we've got to go help him."
I'm Eddie Canales. My goal is to be there for young men that suffered spinal cord injuries playing high school football.
C. CANALES: When we hear about an injury, we go to the families as soon as we can.
E. CANALES: Since we started, we've worked with 19 families just in the state of Texas. We help them with ramps to their homes, a wheelchair accessible vehicles. It's a very expensive injury. Someone injured on the professional level is going to be taken care of. But on a high school level, it's a totally different story. We wanted to make sure these kids are not forgotten.
C. CANALES: We're a band of brothers. Our biggest bond is football.
E. CANALES: They were on the gridiron. But they've never quit. They've never given up. That's what keeps me pushing.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: In tonight's "What Matters," a strange case of mistaken identity. Michael Fosberg is an actor and author who until a decade ago believed he was white. He grew up in a white middle class family in Chicago and he spent most of his adult life as a white man.
Then his mother divorced Michael's stepfather the man who had raised him and she revealed a secret. Michael's birth father was African-American.
Now, as you can imagine it was a major jolt to his psyche. Fosberg eventually wrote about discovering his true identity in the book "Incognito: An American Odyssey of Race and Self-Discovery." He also turned his story into a one-man play.
I talked with him about the experience.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Looking at you, I'm from Louisiana. I have lots of relatives who look like you. I have lots of relatives.
MICHAEL FOSBERG, AUTHOR, "INCOGNITO": Yes.
LEMON: And I would not have known. I wouldn't have thought one way or another, had I met you, I probably would have asked or maybe it would have come up in conversation. But the whole time, you had no idea you were black?
FOSBERG: Yes, well, I don't think the afro when I had sported during high school really was a big clue for me, but no, I really -- I really didn't. You know, I grew up in a white family, a white working class family. So, there wasn't anything there that really gave me any indication that I would be any different than what they were. So, yes, it was -- it was quite a shock, yes.
LEMON: Take me through that phone call. What happened after that?
FOSBERG: Well, after I braced myself against my dresser and then I kind of caught myself in a mirror across my room and looked at myself quickly like, did I really just change or what just happened? And then we exchanged information, we exchanged phone numbers and swore that we'd stay in touch.
And about a week later, I woke up at about 6:00 in the morning to a phone call from my grandmother. For the first time, my grandmother had called me to find out how I was and as she said, where the hell you've been? We've been expecting you 10 years ago.
They had hoped I would come back to find them a long time prior to this.
LEMON: OK. Were you upset by this to find out like oh, man, I'm black or did it not really matter?
FOSBERG: Oh, was I upset to find that out? No. Actually, you know, my whole life, I've felt connected to African-American people, to African-American culture.
LEMON: Hello?
FOSBERG: So, when I found out this piece really fit. Yes, exactly!
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: All right. And you can learn more about Michael Fosberg and his incredible story at incognitotheplay.com.
Saturday's protests in Egypt were relatively peaceful. We'll have an update as dawn approaches in Cairo. Your top stories are straight ahead here on CNN.
Plus, Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas says 12 minutes is plenty of time to perform at this year's Super Bowl. He does a cameo on this show to talk about it. That's next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILL.I.AM, BLACK EYED PEAS: What's up? It's Will.i.am and I'm a news junkie and I follow Don Lemon on Twitter. You should, too. That's @DonLemonCNN.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Well, thank you, Will.i.am.
Less than 24 hours from now, the kick off for Super Bowl XLV.
It's not just the world's most watched sporting event. It's also one of the biggest stages for the world's top performers. This year, the Black Eyed Peas will be the halftime entertainment. They'll only have 12 minutes but Will.i.am am says that's s more than enough time.
And earlier, he told me he's glad Dallas is finally thawing out for the game.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILL.I.AM: Oh, it's getting warmer. I've been here for three days and, wow. The past three days have been unbearable. My bones are cold. But now, it's getting warmer and tomorrow looks like it's going to be a pretty warm day.
LEMON: Did you have any trouble getting in? Because they canceled over 800 flights yesterday and a day before and I think things are picking up. Did you have any troubles getting in?
WILL.I.AM: No, we got in right in the nick of time. When we got in, it wasn't snowing and then it just -- you know, it came down pretty hard.
LEMON: Yes. All right.
So, over 100 million people -- I know you're used to performing in front of big crowds. But 100 million people are going to watch you and that's in the U.S. alone. So, are you nervous?
WILL.I.AM: Oh, you know, this time, you know, we played the World Cup last year. But being an American citizen and, you know, football being an unofficial holiday and watching -- you know, growing up watching Super Bowls -- for us, this is like the biggest thing that we've ever done because we know what it means culturally.
And we're just super thrilled, excited. We've got a lot in store, like great choreography. The outfits are like on the next level --
LEMON: OK, I want to ask you that. You're right. You're right. I think we have a poll that says 78 percent of Americans are going to watch the Super Bowl, all right?
So, that -- you know, I don't farewell in that because I'm on tomorrow during the same time as the Super Bowl. But that's all right. And, by the way, I think it's an official holiday.
OK. So, let's talk about -- let's talk about those outfits. Fergie is going to be the first female star to perform since Janet Jackson, her -- remember that infamous wardrobe malfunction? So, I'm sure a lot of people want to know what Fergie is going to be wearing. And is there a possibility of a wardrobe malfunction?
WILL.I.AM: No possibilities on a wardrobe malfunction. The Black Eyed Peas, we have the best technology, the best costume-makers, and we're fusing technology with fashion, and no malfunctions.
LEMON: Your performance, when you're performing tomorrow what can we expect? What songs are you going to perform? What's going to blow it out of the water and be different than what you've done and what any other performer has done at the super bowl?
WILL.I.AM: So, I don't want to give away too much but, you know, we were inspired by the Olympics in China where everyone came together as one and I don't want to give too much but it's to that level --
LEMON: Really?
WILLIAM: -- of, you know, team work and, you know, it's to that level. I don't want to give it away.
(END VIDEOTAPE)'
LEMON: All right. So, Will.i.am said he wouldn't give any hints about the halftime show but I got him to do it anyway. Hear that when we come right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: All right. Welcome back everyone.
We were talking to Will.i.am before the break on the eve of the Black Eyed Peas' performance at the Super Bowl halftime show. He was pretty cagey about the details but he told me that he is adding a whole new interactive spin to the big event. Here it is.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILL.I.AM: I can show you one thing.
LEMON: OK.
WILL.I.AM: I can tell you one thing that I'm doing that is brand spanking new and that's -- you know, we all perform with microphones and big speakers that project the sound and when Fergie is doing her part and when Taboo and Apl are doing their part, I'm going to be tweeting from stage taking pictures of the crowd, taking pictures of what's going on and blasting it to all the people that are following my tweets.
So, following my handle is Iamwill, @Iamwill so you can be part of that broadcast from my phone from -- you know, my perspective on stage. That's never been done before. So, we're really - we're really trying to fuse technology, art, and fashion. And that's all I can tell. I don't want to give too much.
(LAUGHTER)
LEMON: I was just letting you go on. I was like maybe he'll go on. maybe he'll say something. So, it's @Iamwill and then I think the Black Eyed Peas is @BEP. But to be a part of this, you need to go to @Iamwill, right?
WILL.I.AM: Yes. Because this is from my phone, this is personal, right? I really want to have that connection with the people that are watching the Super Bowl or people that can't, no matter what country you are, follow me, and you'll be connected straight to me. Right where I'm showing you from my perspective on moments where I'm not singing to, you know, have that relationship, that interactivity between people watching and the person on stage.
LEMON: All right.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Time for your top stories on CNN.
It's almost 6:00 in the morning in Egypt, the dawn of day 13 of a national pro-democracy uprising.
(VIDEO CLIP PLAYS)
LEMON: Unlike a week ago, Saturday's demonstrations were relatively peaceful and non-confrontational. Vice President Biden called Egypt's vice president to inquire about progress in resolving the crisis, stressing the need for a clear plan and timetable.
There were some tense moments however. The army chose not to challenge protesters who had formed a human chain to block tanks from passing through barricades in Tahrir Square. Also on Saturday, Egypt's newly appointed vice president met with a group of opposition leaders. They have called for continued public demonstrations until Mubarak steps down.
Also happening right now, we'll take you live to Santa Barbara, California, and the Reagan ranch. That is the former Vice President Dick Cheney talking about his friend Ronald Reagan who would have been 100 tomorrow. Let's listen in.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- that he did, was able to establish a relationship with Gorbachev but I remember at the time one of my jobs was to stay in touch with conservatives, and I don't have to tell you, sir, there's a lot of -- there was a lot of grumbling at the time from conservatives that Reagan was being snookered by Gorbachev. It took a really providential man to see the possibilities of how the Cold War could end.
From your vantage point in Congress, you were always a very strong advocate of strong national defense -- did you have any concerns like that, that maybe Reagan was being snookered a little bit by the younger Gorbachev?
RICHARD CHENEY, FORMER U.S. VICE PRESIDENT: I am tempted to say I'm going to save that for my book.
(LAUGHTER)
CHENEY: Let me say that I was one of the most conservative members of congress. Look at my voting record when I was there. And I -- one of the first things I did was a television interview on the old "Evans & Novak" show where I predicted the demise of Gorbachev, said he's never going to last. That caused some trouble over in the State Department, a little bit of heartburn, and in the White House. So, I was a skeptic. I must say. And I thought for a long time that it was very important for us to stay focused on the traditional relationship, if you will, that Gorbachev, in the end, I think basically did the right thing in the sense that he could have called out the troops. He could have smothered Eastern Europe the way his predecessor had in Hungary in 1956 or Czechoslovakia in 1968, and he didn't. I think he'll always deserve a lot of credit for that.
But I think, in part, looking back on it now, that was made possible because I do believe he established a relationship of trust with Ronald Reagan. And so, I think, as much of a skeptic as I was, I would have to say, I think -- I think President Reagan got it right.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And how about the Strategic Defense Initiative, something that really wasn't talked about that much prior to his famous speech in 1983 when he just sort of logged it into the East/West discussions? How much of an impact do you think that had on the eventual peaceful end of the Cold War?
CHENEY: I think it had a big impact. I think it said to the Soviets that the United States was going to use its technology and lead in a lot of areas to be able to build defenses against incoming missiles. They were worried we were going to build a system so big that it could defeat their deterrent. And that was their major concern.
The fact was the estimates on the Soviet economy were inflated. In effect, what had happened as I recall I had an economist working for me who got it right -- but they, in effect, the official estimates were based upon the Soviet statistics, on what their economy was doing, economic performances, its GNP. And those were inflated numbers.
So, when they were building the fences trying to keep up with the United States --
LEMON: If you want to watch the rest of this, we're streaming it on CNN.com live, CNN.com, and you can find it there live. Again, that is the former Vice President dick Cheney, the headliner there at the celebration, along with Sarah Palin, who's speaking as well. He is speaking at the closing dinner, 100 dinner banquet that's being held at the Reagan ranch in Santa Barbara, California.
I'm Don Lemon at CNN world headquarters in Atlanta. I'll see you back here tomorrow night, 6:00 and 10:00 Eastern. Have a great night, everybody.
