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CNN Live Saturday
Investigation of Southwest Airlines Flight That Slid off the Runway, Killing a 6-year-old Boy, Begins; White House Exercise Helps Plan for a Possible U.S. Avian Flu Pandemic; Hostages Still Being Held in Iraq; The United Nations' Nuclear Watchdog Chief Accepted the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo today' Kite Flying Ban in Pakistan Causes Riots; San Francisco Police are in Trouble Over a Racy Video Posted on the Web.
Aired December 10, 2005 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: A deadline passes for hostages in Iraq. The latest update from Baghdad.
I'm Ceci Rodgers in Chicago where investigators are moving that Southwest Airlines flight back onto Midway Airport property.
And is it morale boosting or just plain insulting. The debate behind a police department's homemade spoof.
Welcome to CNN LIVE SATURDAY. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Those stories in a moment, but first other headlines now in the news.
Officials in Nigeria say today's plane crash at an airport there in the southern part of that country killed 103 people, 7 people survived. The jetliner crash-landed and then burst into flames. The accident happened during bad weather.
There is expected to be tension in Toledo, Ohio this afternoon as members of a neo-nazi group return to town. They're holding a rally to protest the treatment they received during a gathering in October. At that time, the group's planned march sparked a four-hour riot that ended with businesses burned and looted, and bricks thrown as police and an ambulance driver.
In New York, a uniform once worn by baseball great Joe DiMaggio is on the auction block. The uniform was the one DiMaggio wore during his rookie year with the New York Yankees in 1936. It stayed in the closet of a former minor league pitcher for more than six decades. Today, it's expected to fetch more than $600,000 at an auction in the Big Apple.
Well, is the U.S. prepared for an Avian Flu pandemic? Top government officials gathered at the White House today to discuss a possible outbreak. The officials had been looking at the worst case scenario examining how a pandemic might affect this nation's economy. That session wrapped up just about an hour ago.
CNN's Kathleen Koch joins us now from the White House. And we heard from Secretary Levitt, Kathleen, that this is a moment to inform, not inflame the public.
KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And participants, like Secretary Levitt, Fredricka, did call this a very valuable exercise. They said it was meant to push federal resources at the breaking point, identify gaps and fill them in. White House spokesman, Trent Duffy described the meeting, taking place in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, roughly 20 participants representing every department, seated at sort of a C-shaped table. And they met there for four hours. They were presented with a Bird Flu Pandemic scenario. A pandemic in the United States. A scenario that they had gotten a peek at about a week ago so they could prepare.
Now there are lessons learned, we heard were, that adequate vaccines and anti-viral treatments, which don't exist in adequate numbers now, that will be key. As will a way to track the development and spread of the flu.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRENT DUFFY, SPOKESMAN, WHITE HOUSE: What became evident was the Need for a comprehensive plan. We need to have a surveillance plan that allows us to identify when an incident has occurred in the world. The sooner we know, the more quickly and more adequately we can respond. We need to have a domestic surveillance system, knowing when it happens in the United States. Having the capacity to know what's occurring within the healthcare system is of vital importance.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOCH: It was more than a month ago that President Bush laid out his bird flu response plan. His Homeland Security Adviser Fran Townsend, this afternoon, said, "It is vital that Congress pass that $7.1 billion request because the White House does say that no, there's no evidence right now that a Bird Flu Pandemic threat is imminent, that another lesson learned in today's exercise was that every day matters."
Back to you.
WHITFIELD: Well, Kathleen, what can be read into the timing of these high ranking government officials coming out today at the White House?
KOCH: Nothing really specific about the timing, and we were pressing Trent Duffy about that. He's saying this is an ongoing concern of the presidents for years. He's been not only speaking with international leaders about it, but also, here in the United States. It's just a very important priority and something that they felt now was the time to get together and really focus on in this exercise.
WHITFIELD: Kathleen Koch at the White House. Thanks so much.
And you can find out more about the potential threat of the Avian Flu in a prime time special with Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta. We'll take you to Southeast Asia to explore the origins of Bird Flu. Check it out tomorrow at 10:00 pm eastern right here on CNN.
In Chicago now, word, it could take up to a year to determine the cause of that jetliner accident at Midway Airport. Meantime, in the last hour, the plane has been moved from the crash site and on its way to a hanger at the airport.
CNN's Ceci Rodgers is with us now from Chicago. And Ceci, why is it they think it will take so long to figure out the cause?
CECI RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, they're trying to be cautious, Fredericka, about what the actual cause of this accident was. Southwest airlines plane that slid off the runway on Thursday night, in the middle of a terrible snowstorm while trying to land, is now being moved by investigators.
And as you can see, they're making pretty good progress. You see the crane near the nose of the airplane, the nose of that airplane which, of course, crushed a car and killed one little 6-year-old boy. And also, injuring a total of 13 people. That nose is being lifted off. What they want to do is reattach the nose.
They're going to re-inflate the tires of the airplane. They had deflated them to stabilize the airplane. And once they get all of that done, think 'all be able to move it into a hangar.
They've been able, over the past hour, to pretty much move it out of the intersection of 55th and Central what you see down there, when the plane went through the barricade on Thursday evening. It's been sitting there, ever since, in the middle of that intersection. And of course these roads have been closed.
So when they get that done, investigators say, and airport officials say, they hope to get those roads reopened.
In the meantime, the NTSB is going to be interviewing pilots today about what happened that night. We spoke to one passenger who said that it all happened so quickly that they didn't even know what was going on when they came to a stop in the middle of the road.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE WITNESS: The Oh My God moment was the big, huge bump. You know, it's at this point, you just don't know where you're at. But it was quick, oh my God." You know, it was one of those things. And then we stopped within probably three to five seconds after that, and then you look out the window and you realize you're in the middle of a city street.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOCH: So what NTSB investigators want to figure out is just how much of this was runway conditions, how much of it might have been pilot judgment, and all of that is yet to be determined. Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: All those to be taken into consideration. Ceci Rodgers in Chicago, thanks so much. Well a family attorneys says 6-year-old Joshua Woods were singing "Santa Claus is coming to town" when the plane hit the car he was riding in. Joshua was killed. His two younger brothers and parents injured. His death is the first in Southwest's 35-year history. The accident stunned neighbors.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Being a mother obviously it affects me because, you know, it could have been my own child. But as a sense of loss to the community, I think, it strikes home with everybody's hearts or families. Or it could have been us or, you know, the fact that it's so close to home that they just did live right down the street from me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITIFIELD: An attorney says the boy's father remains in the hospital. The family is said to be suffering from shock and a tremendous amount of grief.
Turning to Iraq now, four U.S. soldiers died today in separate incidents around Baghdad. Police also found the body of a kidnapped Egyptian contractor in DeKret (ph). Gunman killed a Sunni election worker in Mosul and local citizens in Ramadi turned in a high-ranking member of al Qaeda known as The Butcher.
Today's is also the deadline set by kidnappers threatening to kill four hostages. CNN's Aneesh Raman reports from Baghdad now.
ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A deadline has come and gone and the fate is still unknown for four western aid workers kidnapped in the capital two weeks ago today. The American, the British and the two Canadians, part of a group called Christian Peacekeepers Team. They are being held by a previously unknown insurgent group calling it Swords of Justice.
The original deadline had been Thursday. That deadline extended until Saturday. The demands, the release of thousands of Iraqi prisoners and the withdrawal of U.S. and British troops.
The last we saw of the hostages was on Wednesday, a video released of two of them, American, Tom Fox, and British National, Norman Kember (ph). Both of them in orange jumpsuits, blindfolded.
This kidnapping has prompted an outpouring of support from around the world, especially from the Muslim community. Clerics, worldwide, calling for the safe release of the four hostages. And in Baghdad, in Friday prayers, clerics here also saying that the release of these hostages is best thing for the Muslim cause throughout the world. But again, no word yet on the fate as this deadline has come.
We tend to find out about instances like this on extremist Islamic websites. No postings yet.
The U.S. military also, today, announcing and encouraging sign. It happened in the city of Ramadi, west of the capital, an area with a strong insurgent presence there. Civilians captured and turned in a high-ranking al Qaeda in Iraq leader. Number three in terms of the most wanted on the list of the U.S. military group that patrols that area.
The civilians had called in to the Second Brigade. They told them they wanted this man taken into custody and they did it themselves, and brought him to U.S. and Iraqi security forces. It's seen as an encouraging sign.
The key, of course, to getting civilians to do acts like this, to give better intelligence is to set up Iraqi security forces on a permanent basis throughout Iraq. Iraqi security forces that are efficient and can guarantee security. So the U.S. military seeing this as a good step forward.
Aneesh Raman, CNN, Baghdad.
WHITFIELD: Two brothers of an American held captive in Iraq say they support his peace mission. James Loney (ph) and three other humanitarians from the west were kidnapped in Iraq on November 26th. Their captors threatened to execute the men unless all prisoners in Iraq are released.
Loney's brothers spoke with CNN's Kyra Phillips on this week's "Live From."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED WHITE MALE: Well, I think he is really taking solace in the fact he's got his support network. And I know that he's really concerned about the other people that are being held captive with him and their treatment. As well as what's happening to his own family and his own network of friends.
UNIDENTIFIED WHITE MALE: He's an individual who's, I think, trying his best to get all four of those captives out of there. And everybody safe and out of that situation.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: And now an update on that Nigerian plane crash-taking place earlier today. On board, apparently now, we are learning that a number of passengers were school children who were from a Catholic secondary school. They were returning home for the holidays. The children range in ages from 10 to 18. In all, officials are telling us 103 of the 110 people on board have been killed. Still no cause of the accident but bad weather was reported.
Now, we've been dependent on it for such a long time. What happens if the oil tap runs dry, and when could such a thing actually happen? Details on new predictions, straight ahead.
Plus, digging out in the Northeast after days of snow. Is the country's weather finally clearing up? We'll bring you the latest forecast. And honored in Oslo. We'll show you what it's like to receive one of the world's most prestigious awards.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Time now to check some stories making headlines around the world.
The United Nations' Nuclear Watchdog chief accepted the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo today. Shannon Cook, from our international desk, has more on what Mohammad El Baradei had to say about achieving this atomic peace. Shannon --
SHANNON COOK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thanks, Fredricka. Good afternoon to you.
In his acceptance speech, Mohammad El Baradei said nuclear weapons must be as universally condemned as slavery and genocide. El Baradei received the Noble Peace Prize in a ceremony in Oslo, Norway, today. He shares that prize with his International Atomic Energy Agency for its work to promote atomic peace.
Now, on Friday, El Baradei said he hopes Iran will resume negotiations with the European Union over its disputed nuclear program. But today, the head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization said Iran will enrich uranium and produce nuclear fuel. He added that construction of a new nuclear plant has begun.
Meanwhile, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad has ignited new controversy by expressing doubts about the Holocaust and saying that Israel should be moved to Europe.
The U.N. Security Council and a number of nations have condemned his comments.
To London now. The city has said bye-bye to one of its most recognizable symbols. The red double-decker bus known as the Route Master. These buses have been in service for about half a century now, but deemed unfriendly for disabled passengers because of their hop on, hop off open platforms, they've slowly been fazed out since the '80s. And yesterday, the last remaining Route Master, number 159, made its final trip around the city.
Now, Fredricka, when you think of flying a kite, you probably associate that with a somewhat relaxing experience, right?
WHITFIELD: I do, I do.
COOK: Fair enough. You wouldn't expect it to cause a scene like this. Take a look at this. This is a protest in Pakistan that turned violent when police attempted to disperse the crowd Friday. Protesters were upset over the Supreme Court for upholding a nationwide ban on kite flying.
WHITFIELD: Wow. And, and they're banning kite flying, exactly why? COOK: Very good question. Well, recently several people have actually been killed by the thin strings of kites. The strings are sometimes coated with glass or a substance that makes them quite sharp. Apparently, they do this because they intend to cut the strings of rival kites flying in the sky. But several children have unfortunately gotten in the way and been killed, hence the Supreme Court ruling. But as you can see there, upsetting lots of people in Pakistan. Kite flying considered a popular past time.
WHITFIELD: Wow. Well popular. Dangerous. But I don't know what's more dangerous at this point. The protests taking place as a result of the ban --
COOK: I know.
WHITFIELD: ... or the kite flying itself.
COOK: I know. Exactly.
WHITFIELD: It really is a passionate subject there. All right. Thanks so much, Shannon.
COOK: Thanks, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Well, New England's Snow Belt lives up to its name. But is there finally some blue sky to enjoy? Your weather forecast straight ahead.
And still to come, this scandal in a city by the bay. Why did city police spoof their own profession?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(WEATHER REPORT)
Well, it's slow going for motorists in the Northeastern United States after the region got walloped by a major snowstorm. Take a look at Hampton, New Hampshire. A foot or more of snow fell in parts of this state. In neighboring Massachusetts, thousands of people were in the dark this morning, after the storm knocked off power across the region. Snowfall ranged from about 12 to 16 inches in Massachusetts, four to 16 inches fell across the state of Maine.
Dangerous, but pretty. And pretty, Monica, you and the snow.
(WEATHER REPORT)
WHITFIELD: Defining victory in Iraq. We have heard a lot lately from President Bush about the Iraq Conflict. Is his administration changing its tune?
Plus, in Miami this week, a man, who air marshals said yelled He had a bomb in his bag, was shot and killed. What are the possible legal ramifications now? It's on the docket for the legal eagles when "CNN Live Saturday" returns.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
UNIDENTIFIED CORRESPONDENT: He was once told he'd be lucky to get a job laying carpet, but instead, Paul Orfalea became a billionaire by making copies. Battling dyslexia didn't stop the Kinko's founder from learning how to succeed.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL ORFALEA, FOUNDER, KINKO'S: You only do three things in business. Motivate your workers, understand your customers, where they're going, and balance your checkbook.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CORRESPONDENT: Thirty-five years ago, Orfalea opened one copy shop in California. Before Fed-Ex acquired the company in 2004, there were more than a thousand Kinko's locations worldwide. Orfalea used his learning disability for a unique, but effective, business strategy.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ORFALEA: I'm lucky enough not to be a very good reader. I had no mechanical ability. You have to basically trust other people, and people are innately honest, they want to go to work everyday and do a good job. So if you can manage the environment, it's a lot less work than managing people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: With today's execution deadline for four westerners held in Iraq, there are more appeals for their release. Anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan is adding her voice to those calling for the release of the kidnapped aid workers, an American, two Canadians and a Britain.
Sunni clerics and Muslim scholars used Friday prayers to call for their freedom. The captors want all prisoners in Iraq to be freed from the jails.
Just a short time ago, top government officials wrapped up planning exercises for a possible Avian Flu Pandemic in this country. The four-hour tests were conducted at the White House. Officials were looking at the worst case scenario. Examining how a pandemic might effect this nation.
The Southwest Airlines jet that skidded off a runway at Chicago's Midway Airport is moved to a hangar. A 6-year-old boy died Thursday night when the Boeing 737 slammed into his family's car. Investigators say it could take up to a year to determine the cause of the accident.
All right, ladies. Strike Matt Damon off the list. Damon's publicist says the Hollywood superstar married girlfriend, Luciana Bozan, at a small, private ceremony yesterday in New York. Bozan's 7- year-old daughter witnessed the ceremony. Damon's best friend Ben Affleck didn't attend the nuptials. And that's probably because he's been nursing a new baby, or helping. This is Damon's first marriage.
And don't forget you can read all about the romance and Matt Damon's marriage at CNN.com.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: From Iraq, daily pictures of death and violence put a major dent in public support for the war here in the United States. But the White House is on the defensive. Faced with plummeting opinion polls on his handling of the Iraq war, President Bush has hit the road.
He and other top administration members are highlighting the successes of the U.S. military and Iraq's Democratic and economic transformation. More and more, they talk of victory in Iraq.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: By fighting the terrorists in Iraq, we are confronting a direct threat to the American people and we'll accept nothing less than complete victory.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Well, there you heard it again. The president talking of complete victory but for some of that, it raises many questions as it provides answers. What exactly is complete victory? Young Iraqis have mixed eked opinions.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ENES AL-KHAFAJI, STUDENT (through translator): I want to understand what does he mean with victory? Does he mean a victory over the Iraqis or over the terrorists? If it's over terrorists, why hasn't he achieved the victory so far? Terrorism is stronger in Iraq than it was before. We only see civilians being killed every day.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GHAYDA TALALTUDENT, STUDENT (through translator): God willing, we will defeat the terrorism in Iraq with the help of U.S. and Iraqi troops. Yes, we are on the road to victory. The strongest evidence is the coming elections as it will be free elections and everyone will vote for whoever he wants and God willing, we are on the road to victory.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RANA EMAD MIHRAN, STUDENT (through translator): America failed at many aspects. It did not know what Iraq is, its environment, its people. America only knew one thing, that there was a tyrant regime and it helped us to get rid of it. It's OK but now we should have an Iraqi who understands us and rules us and not to bring people who are ruled by America itself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Well, there are some who believe the administration may be redefining what victory in Iraq means. Joining us now to sort through this is Mike Allen of "Time" magazine. Good to see you, Mike.
MIKE ALLEN, "TIME" MAGAZINE: Hey, Fredericka.
WHITFIELD: Well, you have to wonder. Did the Bush administration think that using the word victory would have universal definition or that it would be ever-changing?
ALLEN: Well, Fredricka, they've been very clever with their policy and they have said that part of the -- part of remaining stable, part of remaining on track, is to adapt as conditions on the ground do. So that, of course, leaves them a lot of running room.
Fredricka, I think the main thing that the president is trying to do with these speeches is to define victory in terms that are achievable. That's why you'll hear the president pointing out that with victory in Iraq, and victory over the terrorists, the insurgents, the rejectionists, as he's now started calling them, there's going to be no singular event. So we're not going to see a Battleship Missouri or an Appomattox.
It's going to be a process, and that's why the president talks about a victory in the short term where you start to make progress toward Democratic institutions, in the medium term where Iraq is serving as an example to other reformers, and in the long terms where Iraq is stable and safe and the terrorists are defeated. So you can see each of those is mushy and is subject to definition.
But, as you see in that clip, again and again, the president is going to say, victory is our goal. And, the repetition of that word is what the White House hopes will help bring some people on board to this policy who obviously have not been.
WHITFIELD: Well, is it correct, this mantra with the use of victory really came as a result of the many calls -- particularly Representative Murtha's calls -- for a troop withdrawal? And if so, is this the direct response? Was the hope from the Bush administration that it would be interpreted as such or something otherwise?
ALLEN: Yes, no. I think that that's a good insight. And you are right that that is the timing of this. And, the White House felt that the argument was sort of getting away from them, Fredricka, during the president's trip to Asia.
s You covered all the conversations back here on the Hill. Republicans were starting to fracture. So there's an effort by the president to bring everybody back on one page and you covered his speech in Annapolis the other week before the midshipmen. We just saw his speech there in a Washington hotel room in front of the Council of Foreign Relations.
Fredricka, this week the president will be talking about Iraq twice heading up to the parliamentary elections. On Monday, he'll be in Pennsylvania, again in a hotel. They love those hotel ballrooms. Tuesday, he'll take a break to talk about Medicare in Springfield and then -- Springfield, Virginia, right here in the suburbs. And then Wednesday he'll be back again talking about Iraq at the Woodrow Wilson Center.
What the White House tells me is that by laying out this plan as it becomes possible to draw down troops next year, the president will -- their hope is he will be able to do it from a position of strength, not weakness, that it looks intentional, and not like he's pushed into something.
WHITFIELD: And how hopeful is the Bush administration that the use of the word victory just might impact the slumping poll numbers as well?
ALLEN: Well, the polls started to turn around little bit last week and the White House told me that they now feel like they have hit bottom. There were some fears that he was in freefall. Now they think he's solid.
And, of course, Fredricka, lately where that poll erosion has been coming from is Republicans. You know, the independents and Democrats were gone sometime ago so what I'm told is you will continue to hear the White House pushing back hard against Democrats, pointing to Democratic fissure in order to keep their own conservative supporters on board, but then in the speeches, they'll be very fact heavy in an effort to get critics and skeptics to take a second look at the president's policy.
WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks so much, Mike Allen, for your point of view.
ALLEN: Happy weekend, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Happy weekend to you. Thanks so much.
Beyond the headlines, beyond the daily bombings and casualty tolls are the personal stories of ordinary Iraqis, as well, the heartbreaking tales of death, grief and sorrow in Iraq today.
Former CNN Iraq bureau chief Jane Arraf recalls one such story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JANE ARRAF, FORMER CNN CORRESPONDENT: In the heart of the Sunni Triangle, we ran across one of the most heartbreaking stories that I have seen. And there have been a lot of heartbreaking stories.
(voice-over): This was a man, Latif Alo (ph), who was the electricity minister in Diyala province. He yearned for the day Saddam would be gone an Iraq would have a future and his family would have a life.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The area with the floor. She dreamed that we -- someday Iraq could become as this picture.
ARRAF: When fighting with insurgents broke out on June 24th, Latif sent his wife and six of their children to Baghdad in the car. Alo's nephew, Ahmed (ph), was driving.
(on camera): He seems to take a wrong turn and he turns down the street where there are American tanks.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Apparently the driver may have been scared, thinking that it was insurgents firing at him.
ARRAF: So he had to speed up to go to the safety of the Americans. The tanks shot at the car. And as that car was burning, his wife managed to escape. His wife managed to get out of that burning car where her children were burning and run to the American soldiers and say, don't shoot us. And they shot her. We went to see the soldiers that is did this. And they were so traumatized.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There is not a place that I will go for the rest of my life that I will not have a picture of the Latif family.
ARRAF: These were extraordinary children by any standards. They played music and they read poetry.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): I don't like the news that talks about death. I ask myself, why don't the grown-ups think to teach me instead of fighting?
ARRAF: Latif Alo, despite all this, seems to harbor almost no trace of bitterness. It's a tragedy. He believes it should not have happened. They should have more careful. But he isn't bitter and he actually says that the loss of his family is a price that he has been willing to pay for the future of Iraq. An absolutely extraordinary man.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: And you can watch more from Jane Arraf and other stories from Iraq in "CNN PRESENTS: 1,000 DAYS IN IRAQ." That's coming up tomorrow evening at 8:00 Eastern, 5:00 Pacific. You don't want to miss that one.
A San Francisco police video spoof creates a lot of controversy. We'll take an in-depth look at the issue and see what our legal eagles have to say about that.
And still ahead, our planet -- is it running on empty when it comes to oil? We'll look at the hype and the facts.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) WHITFIELD: Several more San Francisco police officers have been suspended without pay after a video parody many found offensive. CNN's Gary Tuchman has more on the police video controversy.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Yes, it is a spoof on "Charlie's Angels."
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALES: Good Morning, Captain.
TUCHMAN: It stars San Francisco police officers, but hardly an example of San Francisco's finest.
CHIEF HEATHER FONG, SAN FRANCISCO POLICE: This is a dark day, an extremely dark day in the history of San Francisco Police Department for me as the chief to have to stand here to share with you such egregious, shameful and despicable acts by the members of the San Francisco Police Department.
TUCHMAN: The controversial skits, like this one, where an officer is dressed in drag were made for a department Christmas party, and posted to a Web site by Officer Andrew Cohen. He claims the goal of the videos was to share some laughs.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have to put this in context. The video was done as a humor video for a Christmas party and as a roast. Period. Take it out of context, anything goes.
TUCHMAN: There are five skits in total depicting police officers in various mock situations. Like in this skit where a traffic officer pulls over an attractive woman. He asks her to get out of the car so he can get a good look at her.
And one where a homeless woman is run over by a police car, the officer nonchalantly keeps on driving.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It has nothing to do with a white officer and a black woman, it has to do with the officer's characteristics and humor pointed at him not even noticing it. It's an inside joke.
TUCHMAN: But if it is a joke, neither the mayor nor the police chief think it's funny.
MAYOR GAVIN NEWSOME, SAN FRANCISCO: The culture that exists within the department that would allow people to think that their behavior and conduct in any way, shape or form is appropriate, that is simply not, it is shameful. It is offensive. It is sexist. It is homophobic and racist and we are going the make sure that it ends and ends immediately.
TUCHMAN: Videos have been pulled off the Internet and more than a dozen officers suspended without pay. Gary Tuchman, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE) WHITFIELD:: Well, let's discuss the San Francisco police video incident. In Cleveland, Ohio, civil rights attorney and law professor, Avery Freeman. And New York criminal defense attorney Richard Herman is in Fort Lauderdale, sunny Fort Lauderdale, you lucky dog. Good to see you, Richard.
RICHARD HERMAN, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: 80 degrees and sunny.
WHITFIELD: You're killing us.
HERMAN: 80 degrees and sunny.
WHITFIELD: Well, let's begin with this case in San Francisco. Well, clearly, there were a lot of officers besides this officer Cohen and the others who were disciplined who seem to think that this tape was appropriate and would boost morale.
So, Richard, how does the department proceed if beyond just disciplining these officers?
HERMAN: I think universally, it is acknowledged by everyone, this video was absolutely inappropriate. And, you know, there's a very strict code with that police department, San Francisco. Behavior of officers concerning race, religion and gender.
If this video performed a the a time when the officers were on duty, if they utilized any equipment from the police, and it looked like they had badges on, it looked like they were in uniform. These guys are all going to get fired, Fredricka. They're going to get thrown off the police force. Fired with cause.
WHITFIELD: Avery, Richard talked about a strict code, but you also have that blue code of silence. You know? Apparently Officer Cohen said he produced videos like this before and no one raised an eyebrow.
What's different this time perhaps is not only done and some who saw it were very offended, but it was on the police department's Web site as well, for a moment. So, are they likely to see other charges given that they misused government property? Possibly?
AVERY FREEMAN, CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY: Well, you have -- there are civil consequences and some argue criminal consequences. I have heard the argument. I heard a statement made by the attorney for Andrew Cohen that it's protected speech. And, he's been slandered.
WHITFIELD: Saying it's a first amendment issue.
FREEMAN: It is so wrong. I represented police officers and First Amendment cases successfully in federal court. This has nothing to do with the First Amendment. Any principled person would have to see how wrong this behavior is and now to suggest that it's entirely permissible -- if there are first amendment issues, I'm there for it.
This is behavior unbecoming an officer. And to me, I don't know that it's going to result in the discharge but all the officers are in a world of trouble right now.
WHITFIELD: Wow. Richard, big apologies to everybody. We keep showing the video on the other side and we certainly don't want to offend anyone out there.
At the same time, we are talking about potentially a much bigger problem. Aren't we, Richard? Maybe that could cascade into some other cases.
Because might there be defendants to say, ah-ha, this is exactly what I'm talking about. During my arrest or charge, etcetera, I'm certain that I may have been targeted. Or, perhaps that I was mistreated and this video shows this kind of lack of sensitivity.
HERMAN: Well, they've got from what I understand, major problems with the police and the community in San Francisco right now. So, frankly, I don't see the spoof of someone faking hitting a pedestrian and driving on. I don't see it. I have to agree with Avery, although I rarely do that.
WHITFIELD: I know you hate to agree. We have you agreeing this weekend.
HERMAN: Big, big trouble, these officers.
WHITFIELD: Maybe there's some disagreement on the next topic, talking about Marshal shooting involving that flight in Miami. Avery, did the marshals have just cause to shoot and kill?
FREEMAN: Well, the short answer, Fredricka, is that it is -- they did have -- they did it -- exhibit reasonable conduct. You have to understand, federal air marshals are trained unlike any other law enforcement officials in America.
They are part of what's called ICE, which is Immigration and Customs Enforcement. They have special training in closed area. They have special training in dealing with psychological issues.
And, you know what? When you are in a closed issue, and the passenger admits that he has a bomb, there's no opportunity for someone who serves in that position to analyze whether or not someone has bipolarity, which was the case in this case.
WHITFIELD: And Richard, you know, I understand during part of the training, in fact, even though the wife may have been yelling out that he is mentally unstable, he hasn't taken the medication, these air marshals are trained to ignore all the things that is are being said around them so that they can concentrate on their job.
So you have to wonder if the family does try to pursue any kind of lawsuit against the U.S. government. Do they have a leg to stand on here?
HERMAN: Oh, they don't have a leg. They don't have anything to stand on. These officers did what they had to do. Can you imagine if they had not taken this guy down and he did have a bomb and blew up half the plane and half the airport there? It's outrageous.
He had a backpack in front of him. He was running, saying he had a bomb. They told him stop, stop, get down, get down. He had ignored all of their orders to him. They had no choice but to do this.
WHITFIELD: Do you see this case in any way influencing or changing behavior from here on out with the air marshals?
HERMAN: No.
Absolutely not.
FREEMAN: No change.
Absolutely not.
Not going to see a change.
WHITFIELD: You are agreeing again.
FREEMAN: Agreeing on this, too. I can't believe it. That's right. This is serious. Remember the facts. The facts are that this passenger said he had a bomb. And Richard actually is right. I mean, the law enforcement has to focus in on the behavior.
WHITFIELD: We're starting it and ending it with you in complete agreement. Richard and Avery, what is going on?
HERMAN: A rare instance.
WHITFIELD: 'Tis the season?
FREEMAN: No.
WHITFIELD: Okay. We'll see you again next weekend. We'll try it then.
HERMAN: See you soon.
FREEMAN: Have a good day.
WHITFIELD: Thanks so much.
WHITFIELD: Straight ahead, is our planet running out of oil in less than 50 years? Or is it that that statement might be just hype? We'll sort through the facts when CNN LIVE SATURDAY returns.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Some people wonder if the world is running on empty when it comes to oil supply production and demand. It's a subject of today's "Our Planet" segment with CNN's Ali Velshi.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALI VELSHI, CNN ANCHOR: Are we running out of oil? The world produces about half a million more barrels of oil a day than it uses, that's about what U.S. drivers use in a day. Not a lack of slack. And now a U.S. congressional committee is hearing from people saying the wells could soon run dry soon.
DR. ROBERT HIRSCH, ENERGY EXPERT: A whole new Saudi Arabia will have to be found and developed every couple of years to satisfy demand forecasts.
VELSHI: Energy expert Robert Hirsch testified that world oil production could peek in as little as ten years. Others disagree.
FADEL GHEIT, ENERGY ANALYST: This is like a guy on Fifth avenue with a sign saying you all sinners go to hell and the world end is going to end this Sunday. I mean, good luck.
VELSHI: The U.S. Geological Survey estimates that the full tank, all the oil in the world discovered and yet to be discovered totals three trillion barrels.
Depending on who you ask, we have used somewhere between a quarter and third of that tank. The world burns through 25 billion barrels of oil every year. If demand stays the same, we could run out of oil in as little as 40 years.
We can squeeze oil out of places like Canada's oil sands, but that costs more than traditional drilling. However, there could be enough of it there to fuel the world for another 50 years or more.
The economic theory? There are lots of ways to make oil. As long as oil prices stay high enough, companies will keep up the search.
GHEIT: If oil companies believe that there is no downside risk below $45 of oil, we are going to see substantial supply increase over the next few years.
VELSHI: Ali Velshi, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Her shoe collection made her notorious but where is the former Phillipino first lady Imelda Marcos now? We'll take a look at her story and many others up next in "CNN 25: THEN AND NOW" coming up at 4:00, eastern.
Getting college credit for watching the hit series "Sex and the City." We'll tell you why one prestigious institution thinks it's time to deconstruct Carrie.
Tune in at 5:00 eastern to find out why one boss is giving his employees a choice between their jobs and their cigarettes.
Up next, a look at the headlines.
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