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Campbell Brown
Disaster in the Gulf Day 71; Interview With Florida Governor Charlie Crist
Aired June 29, 2010 - 20:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAMPBELL BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, everybody.
Day 71 of the disaster in the Gulf, and, tonight, yet another setback in the cleanup effort. Tropical Storm Alex churned up waves as high as 12 feet today, forcing oil-skimming ships back to shore from Louisiana all the way to the Florida Panhandle. Tonight, I will ask Florida Governor Charlie Crist about the state of his beaches and what he thinks of that idea being kicked around a little bit to just blow up the well.
Also today, confirmation hearings that could be important for all of us, Elena Kagan and General David Petraeus. What we have learn about the woman who could be our next Supreme Court justice and the man who is expected to take over as the new top commander in Afghanistan.
And then later, police in Cyprus arrest an 11th spy suspect. The shocking new details about the ring of Russian secret agents that may have passed our secrets to Moscow.
We have got lots to get to tonight, but we are going to begin with our number-one story, the disaster, of course, in the Gulf.
Vice President Joe Biden spent today in the region. His message, the White House feels your pain. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOSEPH BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: A lot of people talk about how somehow that, you know, there's no federal role. Look, man, there's only one reason in my view for the governor . And that is to help people in trouble.
And sometimes life is not fair. You all have been hit with Katrina and Gustav and now the BP spill. And, in a sense, were it not for your character -- you have been through more than any community has a right to be asked to go through.
And I want to make sure that everybody understands that our top commitment, the president's top commitment, my top commitment -- I don't presume to speak for the governor or congressman, but I expect they wouldn't contradict me when I said their top commitment is to make sure that we save this way of life.
(END VIDEO CLIP) BROWN: The vice president also said the government wants to get these fishermen back to work as soon as possible.
Again, those were pictures of General David Petraeus. Apologize for that. We are back to the storm now, forecasters predicting Tropical Storm Alex will become a hurricane within hours. The storm is expected to make landfall late tomorrow on the coast of Mexico, south of Brownsville, Texas.
But Alex could still cause a brand-new nightmare in the fight to stop the spill.
Ed Lavandera joining us tonight from New Orleans with more on that and the latest on the White House visit to the region.
Ed, on his trip today, the vice president really focused, as we just heard there, on the fishing industry, both the safety issues and the economic concerns. Tell us a little bit more about that.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, this is really the crucial aspect, economically speaking, along the Gulf Coast.
You have heard repeatedly over the last few months just how crucial this region is to the seafood industry and the country nationwide, how so much of the nation's seafood comes from this coastline here in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, as well as Florida as well.
So there are many of the fishing waters that remain closed because of this oil spill. And obviously it would just take one tainted shrimp, one tainted fish on someone's plate in a restaurant somewhere to cause a real panic nationwide.
So, Vice President Biden and as well as several other government agencies announcing today that after many of these fishing waters are reopening -- reopened, they will set standards to test them to make sure that all of the seafood that is being distributed throughout the country is safe to eat.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BIDEN: NOAA and the Food and Drug Administration are announcing an agreement today that with all the Gulf states and with the federal government to set safety levels for seafood coming out of the Gulf. Well, we want one single standard, so you all don't have to worry about where you fish, if you can fish, and when the waters are open, whether they are federal waters or state waters.
And, look, the bottom line is, we want to get fishermen back out on the water as soon as possible after the oil has been removed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LAVANDERA: Campbell, obviously, it will be really interesting to see here in the months and perhaps year ahead, when these fishing waters are reopened and people start to resume fishing and selling the seafood that they are catching.
You know, this is a region that is already complaining heavily about federal government and the red tape and that sort of thing. So, it will be interesting to see what kind of reaction people have in the months ahead and to see if this kind of plan creates any more red tape that these fishermen clearly don't want to deal with at this point.
BROWN: Right.
And, Ed, also, I have got to ask, everybody is watching the path of Tropical Storm Alex. We are hearing it is already having somewhat of an impact down in the region. Give us a sense for that.
LAVANDERA: Well, you can just look at the weather here in New Orleans. We are hundreds of miles away and it has been cloudy and rainy throughout the day, most of it.
So, clearly, the effects of this tropical storm really stirring up the Gulf hundreds of miles away. And even though that we haven't seen crews or anyone evacuated from those vessels out at the high seas, we do know that the waves along the coastline have been much more intense than we have seen in recent weeks. That will create problems for the booming that has been done. A lot of that will have to be replaced and reorganized and cleaned up.
So, that will -- those heavy waves will cause a lot of problems here in the days ahead.
BROWN: All right, Ed Lavandera for us from New Orleans tonight, Ed, thanks very much. Appreciate that.
As we mentioned a little earlier, Biden was joined today by Florida Governor Charlie Crist. Just in the last hour, we have gotten word that Pensacola Pass will close after reports of a six-mile stretch of tar mats of oil, each between six and 10 feet across.
Now, that is the main entry from the Gulf into Pensacola bay and into Escambia Bay. Officials there are telling CNN they haven't seen anything like this before.
And it is in Pensacola where Governor Crist is joining me tonight.
Governor, appreciate your time tonight.
As we told people earlier, you had the vice president...
GOV. CHARLIE CRIST (I), FLORIDA: Of course. Good to be with you, Campbell.
BROWN: You -- I mentioned you had the vice president's ear today. Give us your take on the administration's response. Are you satisfied with how they have been responding to your concerns and issues?
CRIST: Well, I was very pleased to have the vice president with us down here in Pensacola today.
And you mentioned at the outset one of the most important reasons why. The message that I was conveying was that we need more skimmers, so that we can get that stuff before it comes into the shore and stays off our beautiful beaches here in Pensacola.
That is the most important thing that we need to be doing. And it looks like we may be getting some of that red tape out of the way, so that we can protect our beautiful Florida in a better way.
BROWN: In an interview, Governor, yesterday, you said that the oil situation there on the beaches is more of a nuisance than a safety concern. Should people really feel safe to bring their families there?
CRIST: Well, what we do is we test continuously the water. And I can only speak for the waters off Florida.
And I think it is important that they monitor what the local health department has to say, whether it is here in Escambia County or Santa Rosa County next to us or whatever local authority it is, and really pay attention to those health departments, but we also have a role in that at the state level to make sure that the waters are safe.
And it is a day-by-day thing. I mean, so far, we haven't had to have people not come into the water because of a health concern. But what you just mentioned about what's coming into the pass, that may be of a concern.
So, I think it is important for all residents to pay attention to what the local health authorities are saying after the most recent testing that they have been able to acquire.
BROWN: But even up until this point -- and I know those beaches well. I brought my kids to Pensacola and to Perdido many, many times to play on the beach. And I'm reading today, over 90,000 pounds of tar ball oil material collected in the Pensacola area and Perdido Key State Park, the day before, 88,000 pounds. You know, we have seen the pictures.
I just can't imagine letting my kids run around in that. I mean, do you -- are you suggesting that families should be out there with their children?
CRIST: No, I'm suggesting that what families ought to do is listen to the health authorities.
You know, I'm not a scientist. Neither of us are. And so I think what's important is that people ought to listen to what health authorities say, whether it's at the local level in the county that may be affected or impacted adversely. You know, it is important to use your head, be smart and be logical.
And if the local authorities close the beaches, then that is a clear signal that you shouldn't be near them, and you ought to protect your children. BROWN: You, yourself, have expressed frustration with BP, I know. You have just gotten them, though, to send you some new funding, about a half a million dollars, to try to keep the oil away from the shores.
You mentioned the skimmers earlier. How do you want that money directed? What specifically is the most important thing you need in terms of your plan right now?
CRIST: Well, really, the most important thing are twofold. It is the skimmers that I mentioned earlier, but also boom. They sort of go hand in hand, if you will.
The boom can be utilized to protect the pass, like, you know, Pensacola Pass or at Perdido Key, wherever you might be talking about, and that can keep it from getting into the marshes, the estuaries, and even the more sensitive parts of Florida or the Gulf Coast, if you will.
The other thing, though, are the skimmers. And I was very encouraged, as I said earlier, by the conversation I had with the vice president today, the possibility of significant additional skimmers being able to come to the Gulf Coast and protect my beautiful Florida.
That's what it's all about. We want to stop it before it gets to these beautiful beaches. That is the best solution of all.
BROWN: I want to ask you. President Bill Clinton had this suggestion for how to deal with the ongoing leak that I just want you to hear. He said this yesterday at a forum in South Africa when he was asked about it. Listen for a second.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BILL CLINTON, FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: One of the best things that they have done is to deploy massive Naval and Coast Guard resources and finally start taking help from other countries.
But Unless we send the Nevada down deep to blow up the well and cover the leak with piles and piles and piles of debris, which may become necessary -- you don't have to use nuclear weapon, by the way. I have seen all that stuff. Just blow it up. Unless we're going to do that, we are on dependent on the technical expertise of these people from BP.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: So, I am not asking you to be a scientist or to evaluate this, but, just generally, what do you make of what the president said?
CRIST: Well, I think all of us are extremely frustrated by the fact that this thing is out there spewing, you know, gallon after gallon after gallon of this disgusting oil into the Gulf of Mexico every single day. As a Floridian, somebody who actually grew up here on the Gulf Coast in Saint Petersburg, near Tampa Bay, it drives me crazy. It breaks my heart and frankly it ticks me off. And, so, what I would want to see is, as soon as we can close that thing with a safe solution, that's exactly what we need to do.
You know, as you say, I'm not a geologist, I'm not a scientist, so I don't know about this blow-up option, if you will, but I think whatever we can do in a timely fashion that would be safe that shuts that thing down, that is exactly what we need to be doing.
BROWN: I finally want to ask you about the potential -- as you know, that area where you are standing right now has been hard-hit by hurricanes in the past. It looks like you may dodge a bullet on this storm, but this has got to have people down there just on pins and needles, the thought of the next storm.
We are just at the beginning of hurricane season. How do you prepare for it? How worried are you?
CRIST: Well, we are always concerned.
You know, in Florida, we have had a lot of hurricanes a number of years ago, but we handled them very well. The added dimension, obviously, and the distinction that we are facing today is we have got a Gulf of Mexico that is full of oil. So, you know, our hope and our prayer is that we don't have a mixture of hurricane with oil that could potentially damage the beautiful beaches of Florida.
But if we do, we are prepared for it. Our emergency operation center is prepared for that sort of double duty, if you will. Dave Halstead does a great job covering that for Florida. And if we have to face it, we will. We are a resilient people. We are a tough bunch. We hope that doesn't happen, but we have got to be prepared for the worst, but pray and hope for the best.
BROWN: Governor Crist, Governor Charlie Crist, appreciate you taking the time to talk to us tonight, given all that is going on. Thanks a lot.
CRIST: My pleasure, Campbell. Good to be with you. Thank you.
BROWN: And when we come back, backed by big oil, should Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu accept thousands in BP campaign contributions, despite the devastation to her state right now? A CNN special investigation when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: Is this the price of politics? Even as the Deepwater Horizon oil spill continues to ravage her home state, Senator Mary Landrieu defends the need to drill offshore. Is she protecting Louisiana's jobs or is she trying to keep big oil's political contributions flowing for her reelection, as some environmentalists charge? Tonight, CNN Special Investigations Unit correspondent Abbie Boudreau takes a hard look at the money filling Senator Landrieu's campaign coffers. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ABBIE BOUDREAU, CNN SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT (voice-over): She's the top recipient of BP-related money in the last election cycle among all congressional candidates. And Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu makes no apologies for it.
(on camera): How do you respond to people who say that because you receive campaign money from BP, that you will not be able to hold that company accountable?
SEN. MARY LANDRIEU (D), LOUISIANA: I have been one of the strongest voices for holding BP accountable. I have been one of those that said BP has to pay every penny to everyone that has been economically injured. And I would just ask my critics, look at all the campaign contributions I have received. And if you find them out of balance, let me know.
BOUDREAU (voice-over): So, we looked at her contributions. In the last Senate term ending in 2008, BP ranked among her top 30 contributors, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. She received nearly $17,000 in BP-related money in that cycle, including checks from BP executives.
And when it comes to oil and gas money, Senator Landrieu has raked in more than $750,000 during her 14-year Senate career.
Sheila Krumholz of the Center for Responsive Politics says money buys influence on the Hill.
SHEILA KRUMHOLZ, CENTER FOR RESPONSIVE POLITICS: If they are giving tens of thousands, or in the case of Mary Landrieu over her career, hundreds of thousands of dollars, from the oil and gas industry, that means that she is a key person in their strategy.
LANDRIEU: What are the regulations for these ultra-deep wells?
BOUDREAU: Senator Landrieu sits on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Compared to other members of Congress investigating BP on the Senate and House Energy Committees, her career oil and gas takings are only surpassed by one man, Texas Republican Joe Barton, who is known for his controversial apology to BP.
Senator Landrieu says oil and gas money is just a small percentage of her campaign fund and she has no plans to give the BP money back.
(on camera): Would you continue to accept campaign money from BP?
LANDRIEU: Yes. Well, I will continue to accept money from the oil and gas industry. I haven't made a final decision about BP. I think that they are showing themselves to be an extremely reckless, you know, company. And, you know, I will consider that.
I have denied contributions from certain companies at certain times when I feel like their behavior is not in line with my personal values or integrity.
BOUDREAU: So why would you even consider accepting campaign money from BP, considering the kind of damage that this company has caused your...
LANDRIEU: Well, they haven't contributed to me in the last couple of months and I'm probably not going to accept contributions.
BOUDREAU: But just so I'm very clear when I walk out the door, is it -- are you going to accept...
LANDRIEU: I haven't made a final decision and I'm not going to tell you right here what I'm going to do.
(CROSSTALK)
KRUMHOLZ: Members of Congress say that they can take the money on one day and vote against that same interest the next. I think the reality is that members of Congress are very concerned about being able to raise the huge resources necessary to run a successful campaign. And to turn your back or turn against a critical source of campaign cash is not something that members of Congress do lightly.
BOUDREAU (voice-over): Despite the hundreds of thousands she has received in oil and gas money, Senator Landrieu insists she has been tough on BP...
LANDRIEU: Will BP pay?
BOUDREAU: ... and that she is not representing the interests of big oil, but the jobs the industry provides.
LANDRIEU: I have 330,000 people in my state that work directly or indirectly for the oil industry. I'm going to continue to advocate with integrity and with purpose and with passion for an industry that employs so many people in my state. I make no apologies for it.
BOUDREAU (on camera): No conflict of interests?
LANDRIEU: No conflict of interest whatsoever.
BOUDREAU: It does not affect your job?
LANDRIEU: It does not affect my judgment at all.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BROWN: And Abbie Boudreau is joining us right now.
And, Abbie, in fairness to Senator Landrieu, because we're singling her out here, obviously, how is this any different from any other politician who takes a lot of money from one of the top industries, one of the top job creators in their states?
BOUDREAU: Well, we put that question to the Center for Responsive Politics and found out it is actually fairly common.
Now, for Senator Harry Reid, for example, of Nevada, casinos and gambling have been on -- his second highest contributor during his Senate career. And then, in New York, we learned that Wall Street is Senator Schumer's number-one donor. So, big job creators tend to be the big contributors for members of Congress -- Campbell.
BROWN: And also, Abbie, how does Senator Landrieu's oil and gas contributions stack up against other politicians the region? Because it is such a huge industry all along the Gulf Coast, presumably a lot of other politicians there are raking in the dough as well.
BOUDREAU: Well, right.
And as you can imagine for Gulf Coast states like Texas and Louisiana, oil and gas bring in big campaign money for members of Congress. Texas Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison has brought in more than $2 million during her career. That is more oil and gas money than any other senator in the region.
Out of the 10 Gulf Coast senators, Senator Mary Landrieu ranks fourth, right below Louisiana Senator David Vitter. Also worth noting, many governors along the coast rely heavily on oil and gas money. Rick Perry of Texas, for example, he has brought in more than $7 million during his career.
But, remember, Campbell, Senator Mary Landrieu is the one who is on the Senate Energy Committee, which is responsible for investigating BP -- Campbell.
BROWN: All right, Abbie Boudreau for us tonight -- Abbie, thanks very much.
Coming up next: President Obama's two crucial nominees both faced scrutiny today. You are going to hear what General David Petraeus thinks of the president's controversial timeline for leaving Afghanistan as he moves one step closer to taking command of the war.
And the gloves are starting to come off as Elena Kagan tries to become the next Supreme Court justice. We will tell you about the position she will not back down from.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: It was a long day on Capitol Hill for Elena Kagan. It was day two of her confirmation hearing. It just wrapped up a little while ago. She faced some tough questions on everything from the war on terror to her politics. Listen to this exchange with Arizona Senator Jon Kyl.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JON KYL (R-AZ), MINORITY WHIP: Do you agree with the characterization by some of my colleagues that the current court is too activist in supporting the position of corporations and big business?
ELENA KAGAN, SUPREME COURT NOMINEE: Senator Kyl, I would not want to characterize the current court in any way. I hope one day to join it.
(LAUGHTER)
KYL: And they said you are not political, right?
(LAUGHTER)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: So, apart from the fact that she has got a sense of humor, what did we really learn today about Elena Kagan?
Here now to talk about that, senior legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin.
And Jeff, as we have mentioned before, you have known her for a very long time. Just give us your overall take on the day, how you think she did today.
JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: You know, there are 58 Democrats in the Senate. There is no chance , it appears, after today that she will lose any of those votes.
She will probably get a few Republican votes. She seems to be cruising towards confirmation. And we are getting a little bit more of a sense of what kind of justice she will be.
BROWN: So, let me play, though -- we did have our first, I guess, heated exchange today that we have with seen in these hearings so far happening when Republican Jeff Sessions asked her about her decision as dean of Harvard Law School to limit military recruiting on campus because of the don't ask, don't tell policy. Let's listen to that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: I have repeatedly said that I believe that the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy is unwise and unjust. I believed it then and I believe it now. And we were trying to do two things.
We were trying to make sure that military recruiters had full and complete access to our students, but we were also trying to protect our own anti-discrimination policy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: Now, this issue, Jeff, had Senator Sessions certainly very worked up, but overall what do you think of her response and whether that could have any bearing on what ultimately happens, which I don't think you think will have any, given what you just said? TOOBIN: Well, she holds a position on Don't Ask, Don't Tell which is identical to that of the president of the United States and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, so it is not exactly a crazy, out-there position.
She thinks the policy should be changed. But this was something she took a stand on. I thought she actually looked good, because, you know, on so many issues, she didn't say anything about how she stood. This was an issue where she was outspoken and clear.
And it's clear that Senator Sessions is going to vote against her, but, frankly, she doesn't need his vote. And this is an issue where she has a pretty popular position.
BROWN: There were some lighter moments today. We sort of played one of them earlier. Another happened when she was asked where she was on Christmas last year when a man tried to blow up the U.S.-bound plane with a bomb in his underwear. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: You know, like all Jews, I was probably in a Chinese restaurant.
(LAUGHTER)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Great answer.
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: She is a comedian.
TOOBIN: Yes. You know, you got a sense of her personality. As you mentioned, yes, we were law school classmates. I have known her for a long time. She is no shrinking violet. She is funny. She is self-confident. She is outspoken.
And you saw that. And, you know, it is not perhaps the most typical judicial temperament, but I think that's why President Obama picked her. He wants someone who is going to go in there and try to mix it up with the other justices, build alliances. I don't know if she will be successful, but it sure looks like she is going to be on the Supreme Court.
BROWN: Yes. She also had this great bit about putting cameras in the Supreme Court, what she thought of it, and said she would have to get her hair done a whole lot more often.
Jeff Toobin, appreciate it, as always. You will be back with us as we continue to update people on how the hearings are going. But, so far, at least, a walk in the park, from your perspective, huh?
(CROSSTALK)
TOOBIN: Looks like only one more day, I think.
BROWN: All right, Jeffrey, really appreciate your time. Thanks so much.
TOOBIN: All righty. See you.
BROWN: And coming up: If General David Petraeus takes over the war in Afghanistan, he will join President Obama in staring down a deadline critics say could jeopardize our entire fight against terror. We are going to talk about it with those who know Petraeus and the war in Afghanistan firsthand when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: Today with lightning speed, the Senate Armed Services Committee confirmed President Obama's nomination of General David Petraeus to take over the war in Afghanistan. And Petraeus is thought to be a shoo-in when the full Senate votes later this week. But today's hearing wasn't so much about who is leading the war as it was about when we are leaving Afghanistan.
President Obama has announced that he wants to start withdrawing troops next July. Republicans like Senator John McCain warn that could just make things a whole lot worse. But today, Petraeus stood by the president.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DAVID PETRAEUS, COMMANDER, U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND: It is important to note the president's reminder in recent days that July 2011 will mark the beginning of a process, not the date when the U.S. heads for the exits and turns out the lights.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: A new "USA Today"/Gallup poll finds 58 percent approve of the president's timetable, 38 percent are opposed. Many of them believing no deadline should be set.
And with me now to talk about this, retired Colonel Peter Mansoor who served as an aid to General Petraeus. And also "Time" magazine senior correspondent Michael Crowley who has covered the war in the ground in Afghanistan as well. Welcome to both of you.
Colonel Mansoor, let me start with you here. Senators used this hearing I think as an opportunity to argue about the withdrawal, about the timeline. And I do want to play a little bit of the pushback that General Petraeus got this morning. Listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: It's causing Afghan leaders to hedge their bets on us. This is not only making the war harder, it's making the war longer.
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: Somebody needs to get it straight without doubt what the hell we're going to do come July because I think it determines whether or not someone in Afghanistan is going to stay in the fight.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: Colonel, did General Petraeus answer the criticism adequately? Do you think he defined the withdrawal, I guess, in a realistic way?
COL. PETER MANSOOR, U.S. ARMY (RET.): I think what General Petraeus tried to do is put a little bit more time back on the Washington clock and make the people realize that July 2011 is the beginning, as he said, of a process of withdrawal. But the scale, scope, the pace of that withdrawal is going to be conditions based. And that's exactly what the president said but the people in the region are hearing mixed messages out of Washington and I think General Petraeus tried to clarify that today.
BROWN: Michael, why do you think they're hearing mixed messages? Why isn't there clarity? Is that because there's a lack of clarity internally within the administration?
MICHAEL CROWLEY, SR. CORRESPONDENT, "TIME" MAGAZINE: I think there is. I think there is both a look of internal clarity and also conveniently, that allows the president to have taken a position that kind of pleased both sides. As far as domestic politics go, it sent a signal to liberals, look, I'm not locked into this thing forever, but send a signal to people more on the right. I'm not going to pull the plug. I'm not going to give up on this. But he was able to do that I think in part, because there's not solid unity within the administration. And to some degree this is a placeholder now.
I mean, I see this as saying we're going to come back and revisit it next summer, and then we'll decide. They don't know. It's not like there's some secret plan for how fast they're going to withdraw. They're going to figure it out when the time comes and everyone is kind of punting for now.
BROWN: And, Colonel Mansoor, Michael said the word "unity." I mean, we heard a lot of words like that, team work, unity, coming from him today, like he was attempting to make a very clear contrast between himself and General Stanley McChrystal. Talk to me a little bit about what kind of repair work General Petraeus may have ahead of him.
MANSOOR: I think it's no secret that General McChrystal and Ambassador Eikenberry didn't have the closest of relations, and unity of effort in a counterinsurgency conflict is absolutely essential to get the ball down the field. General Petraeus had a wonderful relationship with Ambassador Crocker in Iraq and he will attempt to make -- bridge that gap between the military side and the political side in Kabul with Ambassador Eikenberry, with Ambassador Holbrooke, with President Karzai, Steffan de Mistura (ph), the U.N. representative, and get unity of effort at the top. Because until you have that, then you're going to have all sorts of sides pulling in different directions and you're going to have chaos, which I think what we've seen in the recent months.
BROWN: Do you get the sense from the administration perspective, Michael that there is a -- I guess a willingness to make changes, if necessary?
CROWLEY: Well, I think for now, they're going to keep the rest of the team in place. I mean, there have been calls for Eikenberry to go and Holbrooke to go for this to be a moment to kind of clean house. I don't think that's a signal the administration wants to send. I think that one of the reasons the Petraeus pick is working out pretty well for them is that it sends, you know, by and large, the sense of continuity. Petraeus was there at the creation of the strategy. He's a known quantity, and I don't think they want to shake things up too badly. I think they want to stay there largely staying the course and they don't want this to be too disruptive. But again, I think they really have yet to resolve what they're going to do next summer. How many troops are they going to pull out and how quickly, when they say conditions based, what conditions? That hasn't really been defined. So, these are decisions they're postponing until later.
BROWN: All right. We're going to leave it there. Michael Crowley from "Time" magazine and Colonel Mansoor, I really appreciate your time tonight. Thank you both.
CROWLEY: Thank you.
MANSOOR: My pleasure.
BROWN: Coming up next, Russians accused of spying in America. What exactly are they after? We're going to have the latest on this new spy caper, coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: That solo teenage sailor who tried to circle the globe sets her sights a little closer to home. It's maybe something a little less scary, like getting a driver's license. We have that story ahead. But first, Joe Johns here with a look at some of the other stories we are following tonight. Hey, Joe.
JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Campbell. Larry King, our friend here at CNN, a television legend, is retiring from his nightly program later this year. Larry, who is 76, says he wants to spend more time with his wife and young children. "LARRY KING LIVE" has been the face of CNN at 9:00 p.m. for the last quarter of a century since 1985. Larry recently said he's incredibly proud of making the Guinness Book of World Records for having the longest running show with the same host and the same slot. But he tweeted tonight, quote, "It's time to hang up my nightly suspenders."
No lead but lots of questions tonight in the case of a missing boy in Oregon. The child's father filed yesterday for divorce from the boy's stepmother. Detectives say she appears to be the last person to have seen 7-year-old Kyron Horman before he disappeared. The father, Caine Horman, also requested a restraining order against his wife. The child was last seen inside his Portland elementary school on June 4th.
And a disappointing day for the Americans at Wimbledon. Five- time champion Venus Williams knocked out of this year's quarterfinals. Her sister, Serena, stays alive in the semifinals. And for the first time in this World Cup, a game was settled in a dramatic penalty shootout. Japan lost to Paraguay, but at least Japan comes away with one record this year. Last week's matchup between Japan and Denmark broke a Twitter record, with 3,283 tweets being sent every second. And I guess I better get that phone.
BROWN: Yes. Joe Johns, Joe, thanks very much. Appreciate it.
The cold war is over but the pursuit for spies is red hot. Tonight, the latest on the suspects arrested on charges of being Russian agents on a long-term mission in the U.S. What were they after?
And today, we finally hear from teen sailor Abby Sunderland, whose goal to sail the world on her own was cut short.
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BROWN: The story getting all the buzz tonight comes from China, where there's some pretty interesting new employment opportunities. Westerners, specifically white westerners, are being hired by some companies as fake employees or business partners. Apparently the theory is that any company that has foreign employees must have prestige and connections. CNN caught up with two westerners who say they were rented by Chinese companies.
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ANDREW STEVENS, HONG KONG, CHINA: Does it worry you a little bit that you sort of have to stand up there and be paid to lie?
JONATHAN ZATKIN, U.S. ACTOR: Well, for me, since I thought it was -- you know, we settled in (INAUDIBLE), I thought I was standing in for somebody who because of time commitments wasn't able to participate. It was not -- it didn't bother me but as I found out and became more suspicious of the company, I decided not to do it again and I have not done it since.
VALERA KOVTUN, STUDENT: I had no idea what we were doing. We were sent there and after we found out that it was them trying to con themselves, well, I don't mind what they do to themselves. It's basically the government people trying to con the government people.
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BROWN: OK. Well, these jobs have been called apparently the token white guy gig for those who have them.
Now to the very latest on the Russian spy suspects. It's the case prosecutors are comparing to a 1950 spy novel, something out of James Bond. The Russian foreign ministry confirmed today that suspects arrested for spying in the United States are, in fact, Russian citizens and that includes an 11th suspect detained today in Cyprus and accused of spying in the U.S. But Russia is calling all of the charges against them unfounded. CNN's Deborah Feyerick reports tonight.
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DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Talking on YouTube, accused spy Anna Chapman says she's inspired by the quantity and quality of people she has met in New York, many of them successful in business.
ANNA CHAPMAN, ACCUSED SPY (through translator): I'm working on a project that will connect two capitals, New York and Moscow. From my point of view, the two major cities for me to look for most talented people.
FEYERICK: The striking 28-year-old entrepreneur, seen her on her Facebook page, appears to have started domdot.ru, a search engine for Russian real estate. But Chapman says an acquaintance is not so much James Bond as she is James Bond's girlfriend. Many of her Facebook friends seemingly of Russian origin.
The FBI says she's a highly trained intelligence operative, a spy, the headlines read, sophisticated enough to elude detection until now.
(on camera): An FBI agent says Anna Chapman was inside this coffee shop on her computer when a van known to be driven by a Russian government official passed by. It's at that point that FBI agents detected a wireless network signal. They say Anna Chapman was passing encrypted data from her computer to a computer inside that vehicle.
(voice-over): Whether real estate was Chapman's real career, another woman in Boston accused of being a spy is also in real estate. On her Web site, Ann Foley is described as a native of Montreal who, quote, "lived and was educated in Switzerland, Canada and France." According to court papers, her alibi on a trip to Russia was she was working as an international business consultant. Her husband, Donald Howard Heathfield, an international sales consultant for an energy company, is also under arrest. Prosecutors say a birth certificate with his name was found in a safety deposit box and though it appears genuine, prosecutors say the real Donald Heathfield passed away five years ago.
Of the 11 alleged spies, one worked as a journalist for the New York-based Spanish language newspaper "El Diario." Vicky Pelaez is accused of traveling to South America where she received $76,000, allegedly for recruiting sources. On a wiretap, her husband, Juan Lazaro, who claimed to be born in Uruguay is allegedly heard telling his wife he and his parents moved to Siberia when the war started. Pelaez's son spoke about the charges.
WALDOMAR MARISCAL, SON OF VICKY PELAEZ: They were like, most reporters are like you guys. Innocent.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: In Espanol.
MARISCAL: Inosentes (ph).
It's very scary.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why?
MARISCAL: It's terrible.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BROWN: And Deborah Feyerick is with us right now to talk about this. And, Deb, when this first broke yesterday, we were sort of speculating as to the answer to this question, which I know you have hard information on tonight, why the Justice Department actually move now to pick these people up.
FEYERICK: Well, it's interesting, the FBI had to act now because they had some information that at least one if not more of the suspects was getting ready to leave the United States. It's not clear why they were getting ready to leave, whether they've been tipped off or what, but they had to basically sweep up everybody who was allegedly connected to this investigation. There was a 10-year investigation, so it had been ongoing.
BROWN: Wow, Deb Feyerick with the very latest on this. Really appreciate it, Deb. Thanks very much.
Coming up, she hoped to be the youngest person ever to sail the world alone until a terrifying storm destroyed her boat and her dream. Teen sailor Abby Sunderland in her own words, coming up next.
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BROWN: Teen sailor Abby Sunderland has no plans for another solo trip around the world, at least not yet. Rescued earlier this month after a failed attempt to become the youngest person to circumnavigate the globe, the 16-year-old remains passionate about sailing. But today, just hours after her California homecoming, she told reporters she now wants to concentrate on finishing high school and maybe get a driver's license. She also described those terrifying moments at sea when her dream came to an end. Listen.
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ABBY SUNDERLAND, 16-YEAR-OLD SAILOR: I knew when I headed out for this trip that I was going to be testing myself, and I was going to have to push myself to my limits. It had just gotten dark out, gets dark pretty early down there. The storm I was in wasn't, you know, horrible. It was what you expect to get into at some point in the southern ocean, regardless of the time of year.
A lot of the media has actually misquoted me. The storm I was in did not roll my boat. I was hit by a rogue wave once the storm was already dying down. The boat rolled fast. I didn't have a lot of warning. I did hit my eye kind of a hard and things went black for a second. It rolled. I went out and checked the damage, made sure the mast wasn't, you know, going to hit a -- bash a hole through the hull. I can't really say the moment that I was most afraid. There's definitely been times when I was terrified. I worked to try and find some way that I could get myself and the boat to land without having to set off my (INAUDIBLE). And once I realized that wasn't going to be happening, I set them off.
It was the morning after I rolled that I first saw the airplanes. It was a rescue plane obviously, flying so low. I think I was without contact for, I think about three days where all the ship was getting to me. The ship showed up and I wasn't quite ready to leave. You know, like a little more time there but I spent so long working so hard with that boat and for my trip and to just step off of it and you know that I'm never going see that boat again. It was really hard and, you know, I'm really sad to have lost her.
I've crossed two oceans. I've sailed around Cape Horn and Cape Agulhas. I love my trip. I wouldn't trade that memory of everything that's happened for the world. I think it's worth it and my parents, they support me.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BROWN: But that support provoked a firestorm of criticism. Since her rescue and reports of a failed reality TV show deal, Sunderland's parents have come under attack, not only for letting their daughter risk her life but for what some are calling child exploitation off for their own possible 15 minutes of fame. And Lisa Bloom had some strong feelings about all of this. She is an attorney joining us from Los Angeles with TheBloomFirm.com.
Hey, Lisa. This is obviously a very impressive young woman who made it clear she doesn't think her age should be an issue here, but she's still a minor. What did you -- what was your take on this?
LISA BLOOM, ATTORNEY, THEBLOOMFIRM.COM: Well, you're right. I think she is exceptionally brave and intelligent and she did a very nice job at the press conference but the bottom line is she is a minor child in the eyes of the law. She's 16 years old. Parent could not leave their 16-year-olds at home for six months and go off on a trip of their own. That would be child neglect here in the state of California. So, how on earth can they allow her to go sailing on her own around the world? She's out thousands of miles sometimes from other boats or from civilization. She was three days alone after she issued distress calls. They just can't get around the fact that she's 16 years old.
BROWN: So are you suggesting that they should be criminally charged for allowing her to do this?
BLOOM: Well, I don't know. I think that's a tough question. I think these parents did mean well and maybe they have learned something from this, but I do think it was neglectful for them to allow this. Just because a child wants to do something, just because they're good at something doesn't mean that it's appropriate for parents to allow it. My beef with what happened here was she was solo and she was truly solo, Campbell. If there had been a boat following her, escorting her all along, or at least within 100 miles of her most of the time, I might have a different take on this. But she was truly out there on the high seas all alone. There was a tsunami at one point. Luckily, it didn't affect her. It was over 1,000 miles away, but that was a concern. There are earthquakes, there are storms, there are rogue waves, as she said. I don't think it's appropriate for a minor child to be out alone under those conditions.
BROWN: Yes, I don't know what they were thinking. It does sound like this reality show or documentary, I guess, is now not in the cards but it was something that the family was definitely shopping around or, you know, shopping the story around for their own media purposes.
BLOOM: Yes.
BROWN: What did you make of all that?
BLOOM: Yes, documentary would be one thing. A reality show following around minor children for exploitive purposes, I don't like it. I don't like it when "Jon and Kate Plus 8." I wouldn't like it here. But let her do a story about her accomplishments. I think that would be fine.
BROWN: So let me finally ask you, though, her brother I know is younger, 17, when he did he a similar type thing. Is there any sexism in here, because he would still be a minor, technically?
BLOOM: Yes, I wouldn't have liked that either. I noticed the press didn't really cover that a couple years ago when he did it. This has gotten a lot of attention, maybe it's gotten all the attention because she's a 16-year-old girl, Campbell.
BROWN: Yes, all right. Lisa Bloom, Lisa, always good to see you. Really appreciate it.
BLOOM: And you.
BROWN: And when we come back, "LARRY KING LIVE," we should say, first starting in just a few minutes. But ahead, tonight's "Punch Line," after this.
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GEORGE LOPEZ, HOST, "LOPEZ TONIGHT": So now that we've been eliminated from the World Cup, let's all stop pretending that we like soccer.
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BROWN: Finally, tonight's "Punch Line," a look at the best of late night. Take a look. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEPHEN COLBERT, HOST, "THE COLBERT REPORT": We were all shocked by the bombshell dropped in the latest issue of the "Rolling Stone" magazine. Of course, I'm talking about Art Garfunkel postponing the Simon and Garfunkel summer reunion tour.
DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST, "LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN": Today, Senate began the confirmation hearings for Elena Kagan, going to be the next Supreme Court justice. And tomorrow, my favorite part of the whole procedure, the talent competition. And I want to tell you something, wait until you hear this woman sing "I Dreamed a Dream." Crazy.
JIMMY KIMMEL, HOST, "JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE": The U.S. team not advancing to the World Cup quarterfinals is sort of like Justin Bieber not winning a BET award this weekend. Neither of us really had any business being there in the first place.
GEORGE LOPEZ, HOST, "LOPEZ TONIGHT": Even though we have lost in United States fashion, everyone on the team is still going to get a trophy. Oh, my God. Oh, my God.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: That's it for us. "LARRY KING LIVE" coming up right now.
