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Campbell Brown
Hurricane Alex Takes Aim at Mexico; Should President Obama Blow Up the Gulf Well?
Aired June 30, 2010 - 20:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANNOUNCER: CNN primetime begins right now.
CAMPBELL BROWN, HOST: Hi, everybody.
Breaking news in the Gulf tonight: Hurricane Alex, it is now a big category two storm that's pounding Mexico at this hour. But, of course, the worry is that Alex will just add to the misery along the Gulf Coast. And that is exactly what's happening tonight.
Even more oil has been pushed up on to the beaches in Louisiana, Alabama and Florida. Cleanup ships were sidelined for a second straight day. And another 1.5 to 2.5 million gallons of oil poured into the Gulf today.
Clearly, President Obama needs something big to solve this problem. But should he go so far as to blow up the well? Well, that's what some experts are now saying and we're going to talk to one of them tonight.
And then later, new developments in the case of the spies who loved us. A suspected Russian secret agent in her own words tonight.
We got a lot of ground to cover here. But we're going to begin with our number one story: Hurricane Alex and the disaster in the Gulf.
The storm could make landfall in Mexico anytime now. But it has been wreaking havoc in the Gulf all day. We want to go right to Chad Myers in the weather center.
And, Chad, just moments ago, upgraded to a category two storm.
CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes.
BROWN: And what's the very latest on the path?
MYERS: The path is still due west, right into Mexico tonight. Literally in this hour, the western eye wall should make landfall here, right along the coast of Mexico. It's 100 miles from Brownsville. But we've already had a tornado on the ground in the city of Brownsville as these bands come on shore.
Now, we're not so much worried about the bands for our oil problems across parts of the northern Gulf. Six hundred twenty-four miles -- that's the number from the center of the eye, right to the center of the oil problem -- 624 miles. It has suspended operations for skimming. It has suspended the burning operations.
So far, still, the boats that are out there, the ships that are still sucking the oil out of the old well, those ships are still running. They can run into 12-foot waves.
Right now, we're six to eight foot waves. I don't think we're going to get a lot bigger than that. But the winds are 15 to 20 miles per hour in those wave action zones.
So, what that does mean? How is this really going to change the forecast for the oil? Well, let's just take you into a 3D model of the hurricane itself. And the problem is: how the wind spins around.
The wind spins in this direction. And as the wind spins in this direction, even though we're not near the eye, literally 600 miles from the eye, that wind is going to push this oil right back on to the shore, right into the places that we've been trying to protect for so very long.
There is the oil. Wind out of the south and out of east, 15 to 20 for three more days. That will push all the oil that's been protected by those booms right back into the Louisiana parishes, the -- all those areas that we've seen the oiled birds, that oil that's been off shore only five or so miles, that oil's going to be right back on shore tonight and into tomorrow -- Campbell.
BROWN: All right. Well, Chad, what everybody was afraid of, unfortunately, and not great news. But we appreciate it. We'll be checking back in with you. Chad Myers for us.
The havoc in the Gulf tonight just underscores the urgency of plugging that well once and for all. And with up to 2.5 millions of gallons of oil gushing out every single day, the solution to this problem just may need to be a big one.
Former President Bill Clinton said this week that the best way, may be the only way to solve this, is to blow up the well. So, is it time for President Obama to seriously consider that?
Joining me right now is Christopher Brownfield, who is a "Daily Beast" contributor, a former nuclear submarine pilot as well, and the author of the upcoming book "My Nuclear Family." He recently argued in favor of detonating the well in a piece in "The New York Times." And he's with me right now.
And, Chris, you -- I read, were in a submarine under the water during Hurricane Katrina. So, you know what sort of is going on now. Before we get into blowing up the well, talk to me about the weather implications, just given your sense and your experience with this, of what we're seeing right now.
CHRISTOPHER BROWNFIELD, "THE DAILY BEAST" CONTRIBUTOR: Well, in 2005, when my submarine drove behind Hurricane Katrina to come back into port, what we felt underwater was just a gentle deep ocean wave. But on the surface, things get a lot more dangerous.
BROWN: Right.
BROWNFIELD: A ship can't operate during a tropical storm. And they'll have to suspend these relief well operations if they're not finished yet. That sends a high decibel alarm out to me because if we don't have these relief wells finished by the time a big storm hits, this one seems like it's going to blow right past.
But when a big storm hits, if we don't have a backup plan, then there's nothing else. We lose those relief wells. And there's a possibility that this leak could continue without any plan for sealing it, for a very long time.
BROWN: So, given that, let's talk about the plan. You're a proponent of a pretty controversial idea --
BROWNFIELD: Yes.
BROWN: -- to blow it up essentially. Just explain to people how that would work, what it would mean.
BROWNFIELD: Well, what I've been talking about is using a conventional demolition, not a nuclear explosive, but using conventional demolitions to implode the well. If you look at the way an oil well is constructed, it's kind of like a straw that goes down through several different layers of rock.
BROWN: Right.
BROWNFIELD: And what we're talking about is putting an explosive next to that and breaking it from the side. It's more like stepping on a garden hose than blowing anything to smithereens. And the reasons why people are objecting to this proposal are that they say that it may not be able to seal off all of the oil leakage. That's true. It might not seal it off entirely.
But in the worst-case scenario, it can't make it any --
BROWN: Any worst.
BROWNFIELD: -- the spill any bigger than it already is.
So, it's going to reduce the flow, probably get us out of a crisis situation, and buy us more time.
Now, there's another more important reason why people are objecting to this, and that's the sense of fear that is stricken into hearts of businessmen around the world when they hear talk of a government intervention into something that they think the free market should be handling on its own. If President Obama were to demolish this well, it would be a government intervention from the most powerful government in the world that would tread upon the territory that's traditionally kept in the domain of the free market.
BROWN: Yes, but give me a break -- this is unprecedented what we're experiencing right now. Let me -- let me point out that President Clinton seems to agree with your idea. He talked about it just the other day. And let me play that for people.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WILLIAM J. CLINTON, FORMER U.S. PRESIDENT: Unless we send the Navy down deep to blow up the well and cover the leak with piles and piles and piles of rock and debris, which may become necessary -- and you don't have to use a nuclear weapon, by the way, I've seen all that stuff -- just blow it up. Unless we're going to do that, we are dependent on the technical expertise of these people from BP.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: So, I mean, you laid out the advantages of doing this.
BROWNFIELD: Yes.
BROWN: I mean, it sounds to me like the -- like it's almost crazy that the Obama administration hasn't already sort of -- can't you order BP to do this? I mean --
BROWNFIELD: Well, they could, but there are some political problems with the Obama administration doing this at this point. We're day 72 I think. If the Obama administration ordered this and it succeeded, then they would face criticism for not having done it sooner. So, you know that's a bit cynical perhaps when I say this but --
BROWN: But you're giving terrible reasons for not doing this right now.
BROWNFIELD: I don't think they're very good reasons, too. I think they should do it. I don't understand what's holding it up.
There are a lot of people saying to Mr. Obama, no, you can't do this. But I say, yes you can. There's no reason why we can't do it.
BROWN: But in terms of the technical -- just to be clear, in terms of the technical aspects of this, you're 100 percent sure blowing it up couldn't possibly make it any worse.
BROWNFIELD: Right, there's no way -- the biggest explosive on the planet could not break through the geological formations that are holding that oil and natural gas in place. We're talking about 13,000 feet of rock and sentiment and huge geological layers that are keeping that compressed bubble of natural gas and oil down there. And you can't blow it up even with the nuclear weapon.
BROWN: So, very quickly, are you trying -- I mean, you've written about it in the paper, obviously -- there are other people who support you, obviously, pretty powerful people.
BROWNFIELD: Yes.
BROWN: When do you think that message is going to get through?
BROWNFIELD: Well, I think once we get around those political roadblocks of recognizing that somebody's going to have to take one on the chin and take a little bit of responsibility for not doing this sooner. And, also, we have to take that big leap and say that, yes, the most powerful government in the world can take a stand on this, they can intervene, they can stick up for the little guy and they can fight for the environment against something that is traditionally kept in the domain of free market capitalism.
BROWN: Christopher Brownfield, very interesting idea. We'll see what happens. Hopefully, something will happen soon. Appreciate your being here. Thanks for joining us.
BROWNFIELD: Thank you for inviting me.
BROWN: Without a clear plan to stop the gusher, and as you just heard, there doesn't appear to be one -- the devastation to the coastal economy, its wetland, will only continue to grow.
Coming up next: the president's point man for Gulf restoration tours the area, looking for answers. But is it too little too late?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: The president's point man for Gulf restoration today said the development of a plan to bring back the region's economy and wetlands is underway. The U.S. Secretary Ray Mabus spoke this morning in a joint press conference with Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RAY MABUS, U.S. NAVY SECRETARY: We're looking at months to put the plan in, not years, very finite period of time to get the plan going. Implementation is going to depend on what sort of projects are in the plan.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: Mabus is touring the Gulf to gather information about the spill's impact. His hope, and the president's approach, is for coastal communities to tell him what they need and then the White House will jump to action. But is that the most effective plan of attack?
Connie Moran is the mayor of Ocean Springs, Mississippi. She was at today's meeting with Mabus and with Governor Barbour. And she's joining us right now, along with senior political analyst and former presidential adviser, David Gergen.
Connie, just -- I know that Secretary Mabus probably got an earful from you and other local officials about the frustrations you've experienced so far. What did you tell him today?
MAYOR CONNIE MORAN, OCEAN SPRINGS, MISS.: Well, all the officials had a two-prong approach. First of all, it was to vent a little of our frustrations in dealing with the unified command that's out of Mobile making decisions for the effort here, for recovery, and for the disaster out on the Gulf.
We feel it's been very irresponsive. It's been inept. Some things have gone on have been inexcusable. In fact, I asked the secretary if he would please send a flotilla from the Navy to take over this boondoggle.
But on the other hand, what his task is, is for the longer-term, for restoration. He wanted to hear our input. He made it very clear this should come from the ground up, not from the Washington down --
BROWN: So --
MORAN: -- on restoration of our wetlands, our barrier islands.
BROWN: Right. So, to that point, given that that's the message what did you tell him you need?
MORAN: Well, we need exactly that -- a plan to restore our islands. This is going to be massive federal projects, probably with the Corps of Engineers. Our islands, our wetlands -- what we need is how we can make sure that those people whose livelihoods are threatened, in the fishing industry, for example, could be transitioned, at least temporarily, into those kinds of jobs. How do we make sure that those people's livelihoods are whole, while, at the same time, taking a look at what other kinds of industries we can bring into Gulf Coast area, and to also restore our tourism.
BROWN: So, let me ask David about this, because it's a very similar approach, I guess, he did argue the president took with health care reform and sort of putting out this vague idea, "I want to do this, now give me your ideas for how we should do this." And given the urgency of the situation, sort of the vagueness, the lack of specifics here, seems to be a little bit problematic for the administration, doesn't it?
DAVID GERGEN, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST: Campbell, I think the whole thing -
MORAN: No, I don't think so. I think --
BROWN: Let me have David respond to that. Go ahead, David.
GERGEN: Yes, Campbell. I think the whole effort is problematic. One thing, for example, just for starters, Ray Mabus is a good fellow, I'm sure he'd do a very good job, if he had a full-time job on the restoration plan for the Gulf. But he is the secretary of the navy. He is responsible for the U.S. Marine Corps in that job.
Last I looked, we had two wars going on, in which Marines are hugely exposed, a lot of people putting their lives on the line. I don't understand how he can run two wars for the U.S. Navy with his left hand and try to do the Gulf restoration with his right hand. It does not seem to make any sense to me. A good man -- get two people to do this, not one. There are two jobs here.
That said, the Gulf restoration is a huge project. It is not our most immediate project. The most immediate thing is the urgency of trying to protect the coast lands, as the mayor says, and trying to get the darn spill, you know, stopped. And the restoration, seems to me, ought to be a sort of follow-on project, once we know how much damage there is and what's the long-term prospects there are.
And you've got to do that in the context, by the way, of the Rust Belt of this country which has suffered other kinds of devastation. How do you sort of apportion what the country ought to be doing across regions?
BROWN: So, I mean, it sounds to me, David, like you're just frustrated generally with how every aspect of this has been handled, in sort of a lack of leadership?
GERGEN: Well, Mayor Moran has experienced this firsthand, I defer to her on this. But it sounds to me what she's facing is what so many others have now complained about, that is, we have an extraordinarily over-bureaucratized, overly complex structure of the federal government working the state and local governments that has really slowed this whole process down, and has made it seem very unresponsive with the people who live there.
And the frustrations that she has expressed last night on your program are very understandable. We do -- we still don't have a command and control structure, starting in Washington. That would really ensure urgency and a massive mobilization of resources to protect these coasts and protect the wildlife.
BROWN: And not only resources here in the U.S. but outside of the country -- and I know, Connie, Secretary Mabus talked about taking help from other countries today. What did he tell you about that?
MORAN: I did ask him about the Jones Act, and, of course, there are supertankers that are out there from other countries that can scoop up massive amounts of oil in the Gulf and the secretary made it clear that Jones Act has been waved and that no offer from any country will be turned down.
BROWN: And --
GERGEN: It took a long time. It took a long time.
BROWN: Yes, and it's amazing to people that it did take so long.
And, David, I mean, what is -- what's the source of that? Is it just Washington gridlock? The bureaucracy, I guess?
GERGEN: Well, in this case, Campbell -- Campbell, in this case, you do have a Democratic -- Republican Party and Democratic Party both have their own interest groups and labor, you know, U.S. labor unions in this country were not in favor of waving the Jones Act because it does bring in these foreign sources. But now that we've got a great, big supertanker coming, this one that is owned by Taiwan, this as long as 3 1/2 football fields, it may arrived in the next few days, it's great -- it could be a potentially big, big answer on the skimming. But why weren't things like this brought in earlier? There's a lot of politics in this.
BROWN: And that's what's frustrating so many people who are going through this, just like the mayor.
Mayor Connie Moran, appreciate your time again. And, David Gergen, as always. Thank you both.
GERGEN: Thank you.
BROWN: Coming up, even with its history of disasters, BP wants to ax its internal watchdog group. Why the oil giant may be turning a deaf ear to worker safety concerns. It's tonight's special investigation.
And up close with the glamorous Russian redhead accused of spying here in the U.S. Anna Chapman reveals her life undercover -- still ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: Tonight, BP's internal watchdog unit, a group focused on company safety. Congress pressured the oil giant to create the group after a deadly 2005 explosion at a Texas refinery. And one year later, a disaster spill in Alaska.
But now, BP is trying to eliminate the unit despite a written promise to Congress that the safety group will exist for at least another year.
Drew Griffin tonight has our special investigation.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DREW GRIFFIN, CNN SPECIAL INVESTIGATION UNIT: For 26 years, Jeanne Pascal was a lawyer for the Environmental Protection Agency, investigating and helping to prosecute some of the worst environmental polluters in the northwest, including oil companies in Alaska. And the worst of the worst, she says, is British Petroleum.
(on camera): You describe BP as a serial environmental criminal.
JEANNE PASCAL, FMR. EPA ATTORNEY: I have.
GRIFFIN: Do you believe that?
PASCAL: I do.
GRIFFIN (voice-over): BP has pled guilty to illegally discharging oil in Alaska and also faces a criminal complaint, alleging it violated clean air and water laws. Pascal retired earlier this year, so she is now free to speak out about a company she says reportedly violates environmental laws.
PASCAL: From my perspective, BP has, for a long time, been a company that is interested in profits first and foremost, safety and health and environment are subjugated to profit-making and I do not think that it's changed.
GRIFFIN: In congressional hearings after the fatal explosion at BP's Texas refinery in 2005, lawmakers asked BP's then CEO: "Did workers warn about safety issues at the plant?" He said they had not. There were questions about whether they feared retaliation or speaking up.
(on camera): Bottom line: after pressure from lawmakers, BP opened an independent ombudsman office to manage and hear the safety concerns of its workers. It's run by a former federal judge, just not here in Alaska.
It's a very small office, tucked away inside this office building here in Washington, D.C. But British Petroleum has been running this employee complaints program for several years.
(voice-over): The independent former judge who runs the unit refused to comment to CNN.
Michigan Congressman Bart Stupak was one of those who pressured BP.
(on camera): They tell the reason that office came to fruition was because of safety.
REP. BART STUPAK (D), MICHIGAN: It was because of safety, yes. And safety concerns continue yet today.
GRIFFIN (voice-over): Since the ombudsman office opened, 112 BP workers have come forward to file reports; 35 of them deal with, quote, "system integrity or safety issues." And the ombudsman office says they are extremely serious.
But keeping them honest, sources close to the ombudsman office tells CNN, BP doesn't like it and its independent investigators, and that it doesn't like employees reporting safety problems outside the company.
A union representative says some BP workers who complained have faced retaliation. Jeanne Pascal agrees.
PASCAL: Many of the employees who have actually reported safety, health, environmental and safety issues, particularly in Alaska, have been retaliated against, they've been demoted, they've been terminated, and they've also been blackballed.
GRIFFIN: A BP spokesman tells CNN the company has, quote, a "zero tolerance" policy regarding retaliation. The company, he says, is unaware of any unresolved cases that violate the policy.
And there's this: not long after he took over as chairman of BP America, Lamar McKay met with Congressman Stupak.
STUPAK: One of the first things Mr. McKay said was, I'm going to replace the ombudsman. I want to shut her down. We asked, what do you mean? He wasn't even on the job, but a few weeks, maybe a month or two, and start wanting to shut down the ombudsman. We encouraged him not to do so.
GRIFFIN (on camera): Doesn't it stun you he would make that remark?
STUPAK: Yes, it did. We were shocked he would bring it up in the first meeting, and then second meeting we had with them. The logic was, well, we'll make things better. Well, we don't see --
GRIFFIN: Their logic was "Trust us"?
STUPAK: Trust us.
GRIFFIN: You don't?
STUPAK: No.
GRIFFIN (voice-over): BP has said it can do a good job investigating complaints through an established internal system without the ombudsman's office.
PASCAL: I think at some point a reasonable person has to come to the conclusion that this is a company that has no intention of changing its mode of operation, that the dollar is going to be paramount, and that the health, safety, and safety of American workers and the American environment are a secondary or tertiary concern.
GRIFFIN: Before the Deepwater Horizon disaster, BP promised Stupak in writing that its watchdog unit would be in place for at least another year. But a source inside the ombudsman's office tells CNN, "Frankly, I'm surprised we're still here."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BROWN: And Drew Griffin joins us right now from Seattle.
Drew, on the record, BP says, there's no problem here, employees can come forward, report safety problems without fear, and that safety is obviously top priority. Yet these EPA investigators and Congress don't believe BP. So, who's telling the truth?
GRIFFIN: Campbell, I have talked with several BP employees now, some managers, contractors of this company, and they all tell me the same thing, you don't report problems outside the company, you don't raise any red flags, you don't slow down production, for fear you'll lose your job.
And quite frankly, I talked yesterday with a former BP executive -- former executive with this company -- longtime executive, who told me, "Look, the real motto of this company ought to be, 'save time, save costs.'" That's what that executive told me. And he said and the others have told me the same thing, in the end, when the investigation is over, they all believe the root cause of what happened in the Gulf will be this push to save time and save costs.
BROWN: All right, Drew Griffin for us tonight -- Drew, thank you.
She is all over the tabloids. Coming up: Brand-new details about the Russian redhead accused of spying in the United States. Her story in her own words -- when we come back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: Our number political story tonight is a moment you got to see to believe. It comes from Elena Kagan's confirmation hearing today. You might have thought the very last thing anybody would ask the president's Supreme Court nominee would be the "Twilight" saga, well, you'd be wrong.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. AMY KLOBUCHAR (D), MINNESOTA: Solicitor General Kagan, you did -- had an incredibly grueling day yesterday and did incredibly well, but I guess it means you missed the midnight debut of the third "Twilight" movie last night. We did not miss it in our household and it culminated in three 15-year-old girls sleeping over at 3:00 a.m. So, I have the urge to ask you about the famous --
ELENA KAGAN, SUPREME COURT NOMINEE: I didn't see that.
KLOBUCHAR: I just had a feeling. I keep wanting to ask you about the famous case of Edward versus Jacob or the vampire versus the werewolf.
KAGAN: I wish you wouldn't.
KLOBUCHAR: I will refrain. I know you can't comment on future cases, so I'll leave that alone.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BROWN: All right. Kagan's testimony wrapped up today. Supporters and opponents will testify tomorrow.
She looks like one of those Bond girls, flaming redhead accused of being a Russian spy. She goes by the name of Chapman, Anna Chapman, a 28-year-old self-proclaimed real estate entrepreneur. And earlier this week, Chapman and nine others were arrested and jailed without bail for acting as foreign agents for Russia. CNN's Deborah Feyerick has more on the busted Manhattan beauty.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Describing herself as founder of a real estate business with a holding company in Europe, 28-year-old accused spy Anna Chapman comes across as engaging, ambitious, coy, and at times flirtatious with a hint of a British accent. Watch this clip as she does a sound check for the camera.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANNA CHAPMAN, ACCUSED SPY: La, la, la, la, la.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just tell me what you're going to do later today.
CHAPMAN: Well, shop. I will shop. I will have a business meeting at 2:00. Then have a wonderful dinner.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. Yes.
CHAPMAN: In a nice restaurant.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FEYERICK: In the interview, she says she was an investment banker living in London and came up with an idea to start a Web site pulling together open source apartment listings because she had such a hard time during her own search to buy an apartment with money she'd saved.
CHAPMAN: It was very, you know, very small how all this started because I wanted to bring value to all those people who, you know, who wants to get a new place to live in, so I launched this business purely because I wanted to help someone.
FEYERICK: She arrived in Manhattan sometime in the fall of 2009 after first stopping in Russia to get a business model together. This interview is from an entrepreneur's conference in April. She talks about her plans and why New York City is such a great place to do business.
CHAPMAN: I think that is the best choice I've ever had to do in my life, and I never would go back. And that's something I never regret to do. And actually to be completely frank with you, I studied a lot to be an investment banker and to really understand something in finance. It was very competitive all the time, even though I did have a lot of success in doing so. But I think the most challenging part of my life really started when I quit all my jobs, really cut all my salaries, and really did something I wanted to do.
I was someone who just arrived in New York, basically, just arrived. I didn't know anyone. Maybe in Europe I know most of the people, but here I knew no one. And this was something to start with and that really made a difference to me. Now I know a lot of people, introduce me to someone else and those introduce me to someone else. And you know, entrepreneurship, it's all about solving problems. It's not just going for your dreams. It's not just being successful all of a sudden. It's solving problems.
FEYERICK: The interview was done by independent producer, John Palacio, hired to cover New York City entrepreneur week.
JOHN PALACIO, FOUNDER, AND NOW MEDIA: How did she impressed me? Well, she clearly is well spoken, very flirtatious, very attractive. I mean, she walked in the room she knew the power of her looks and was able to sort of connect with all the people in the room, male and female, you know, give them that wink, that smile, and understood the power of her sexuality, as well as the power of her information. And so, you know, clearly she makes an impression when she walks in the room.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BROWN: And Deborah Feyerick is with us right now, who's been tracking the story for us since it first broke. Chapman, nine other alleged spies are in custody here in the U.S., in New York and Virginia. But the 11th, who is detained in Cyprus, disappeared. What's going on?
FEYERICK: You know, I can't say that's exactly a huge surprise. He was arrested on an Interpol warrant. And the police in Cyprus basically told him, OK, pay a $24,000 bail and check in with us every night. And he just disappeared. It's not exactly difficult to get a boat and get off Cyprus, you know?
BROWN: OK, well, I'm sure the U.S. government is thrilled about that.
FEYERICK: Yes.
BROWN: Deb Feyerick for us tonight with the latest on this. Deb, appreciate it.
Coming up next, Elizabeth Edwards on the record for the first time since she and her husband John Edwards split. She speaks out about her husband's cheating and about the other woman. We're going to have the highlights.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: In just a moment, Elizabeth Edwards speaks out about her husband's affair in a dramatic series of appearances. But first, Joe Johns has other stories in the news tonight for us.
Hi, Joe.
JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Campbell, Breaking news out of Oregon tonight. Police there say they are reopening the case of a massage therapist who accused Al Gore of sexual assault. That's according to "The Portland Oregonian" newspaper. The therapist claims the former vice president assaulted her at a hotel in October 2006. Police said last week the case was closed unless new evidence surfaced. No explanation for their change of heart, but the woman went public in "The National Enquirer" today demanding a full investigation. A Gore name spokesman released a statement emphatically denying that accusation.
The man who confessed to plotting to detonate bombs in New York City has implicated a senior Al Qaeda figure in the plan. Najibullah Zazi pleaded guilty to last fall's terror plot to blow up New York City subways. Today, a federal law enforcement source tells CNN that Zazi spent time at an Al Qaeda training camp with an Al Qaeda operative who has eluded American authorities for years.
On Capitol Hill today, a rare display of bipartisan consensus. The Senate voted unanimously to confirm General David Petraeus as the new U.S. military commander in Afghanistan. Petraeus replaces General Stanley McChrystal who was fired over that "Rolling Stone" article. Petraeus told Congress he supports the president's deadline to start withdrawing troops in 2011, but he also insisted that the decision should be based on conditions on the ground.
Joran van der Sloot, who was indicted today on charges he tried to extort a quarter million dollars from the mother of Natalee Holloway, van der Sloot has been a suspect since Holloway disappeared while on a graduation trip to Aruba in 2005. He's accused of trying to get her mother to pay for information about where Natalee was buried. Van der Sloot is in a Peruvian prison charged with the murder of another young woman.
And finally, the buzz on what's killing the bees off in the world. Would you believe cell phones? A new study says cell phone radiation may be contributing to declines in the world's bee population. Researchers in India pitted cell phones to beehives. After three months, they found the bees stopped producing honey and egg production by the queen bees was cut in half. But I guess the bees actually stayed in touch so much better -- Campbell.
BROWN: What are the cell phones doing to us, Joe?
JOHNS: Yes, I know., your brain.
BROWN: When are we going to end that today? Joe Johns tonight. Joe, thank you very much, appreciate it.
Coming up, Elizabeth Edwards. She's been knocked down but she is getting up again to set the record straight. The wife of John Edwards responds to damning portrayals of her and speaks out about her husband's mistress and the soap opera that her life has become.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BROWN: The story getting all the buzz tonight, Elizabeth Edwards breaks her silence. For the first time since her separation, she took to the spotlight in a series of television interviews. She spoke out about her husband John and the other woman, Rielle Hunter.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WHOOPI GOLDBERG, HOST, "THE VIEW": On her interview with the "Today" show, Elizabeth Edwards admitted she couldn't believe that the man she married could be attracted to someone like Rielle Hunter.
ELIZABETH EDWARDS, JOHN EDWARDS' WIFE: I still think this person is so completely unlike me, that it's hard to imagine the same person could marry me and be attracted to that woman as well. LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": Photos accompanying that "GQ" article caused a lot of fuss. "People" magazine quoted a friend of yours as saying you were disgusted by the pictures. Is that a correct quote?
EDWARDS: I think it's really important when you're a mother to convey that that's the role you value and -- and I think she just had probably too many T's to cross. She also wanted to be viewed as sexy and everything else. And you want to say, you know, at some point, you know, you can be sexy, but that can't be your goal.
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BROWN: And you can hear more from Larry King's exclusive prime- time interview with Elizabeth Edwards tonight. That's at 9:00 Eastern Time.
Earlier I did speak with CNN senior political analyst Gloria Borger on the Edwards saga and Elizabeth's latest public comments.
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BROWN: Gloria, Elizabeth Edwards has been laying low recently but clearly she wants to return to public life. She says she still has a role to play. Do you see that happening? Has she remained influential?
GLORIA BORGER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: You know, I think that in this whole coming out, if you will, talking about her personal life quite publicly, paying attention to the elephant that's sitting in the middle of the table, letting it be known, as she put it, that she's not a cuckolded spouse, leads me to believe that perhaps she sees some kind of political role in her future if her health allows it. Maybe she'll run for office, maybe not. But it's clear that what she loves is the public policy arena and she doesn't want to be shut out of that just because John Edwards is shut out of that right now.
BROWN: Her reputation took a real hit in a best selling book on the campaign.
BORGER: yes.
BROWN: She was called abusive, condescending and a crazy woman. And she talked about that on the "Today" show this morning. Let's listen.
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ELIZABETH EDWARDS, JOHN EDWARDS' WIFE: I wish I could say it didn't matter to me, but it does matter to me what people think -- think of me. So, you know, one of the things -- one of the reasons also to write the additional chapter was to say, you know, I didn't pretend -- I never pretended to be perfect. I laughed about that image. I couldn't do anything about it, but I laughed about it with people in the campaign. But I sure didn't, I hope, to be a monster.
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BROWN: You know, it's easy to forget that Elizabeth Edwards was really a key figure in the campaign.
BORGER: Oh.
BROWN: She was a huge asset to her husband, wasn't she?
BORGER: She was a huge asset, but behind the scenes she was somebody who could be quite difficult to deal with, as "game change" showed. And I think, you know, what's kind of interesting, she also said in this interview, which is that, you know, I thought when we were talking strategy among us on the staff that I was treated as an equal, that they wouldn't treat me differently because I was the candidate's wife. Now, come on, that's a little naive. And I think she was tough. But I think, you know, looking at her today, it's clear she's done a lot of reflection about the campaign and her life and how she behaved and who she was. And I think that's very healthy.
BROWN: It's really been astonishing to watch this marriage dissolve in public.
BORGER: Yes.
BROWN: We know Rielle Hunter did this tell-all interview with Oprah. Larry King asked Elizabeth Edwards about that in an interview airing tonight. And let's watch.
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LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": She said your relationship was dysfunctional, toxic, way before she came along.
ELIZABETH EDWARDS, JOHN EDWARDS' WIFE: If that were true, why would John and I have worked so hard, under such difficult and public circumstances, to make the relationship work? We really -- we both -- I mean, I really think we both worked hard in the end to make it work. I did not think -- I mean, and I suppose there are a lot of women in her position who like to justify their behavior by thinking --
KING: Rationalize.
EDWARDS: Right, rationalize it. By thinking that this relationship in which they're thrusting themselves wasn't valuable to begin with. It was clearly valuable to both of us and something that we tried very hard to save.
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BROWN: Gloria, a lot of time has gone by since Edwards was a candidate.
BORGER: Right.
BROWN: He's virtually disappeared. Why are we still so fascinated by this? BORGER: Well, I mean, just look at her. Look at how hard and how difficult it must be for her. She is somebody who clearly wants to have a voice in the public scene. I think we're fascinated with her. Her book is called "Resilience." Clearly, she has that. And we're fascinated with him because, you know, it's very rare in public life, people always get a second, a third, a fourth chance. Somebody I was talking to in the Democratic Party today was saying to me, you know, John Edwards is kind of like O.J. Not sure he's ever going to get another chance in public life.
BROWN: I was going to say, it's over for him, right?
BORGER: Yes, totally, totally over for him, so far as I can tell. And largely -- look at his wife. I mean, she is the one who's coming out and addressing this in an honest way. We haven't heard John Edwards really come out there and address this in an honest way. What we've heard from John Edwards at first was that he hadn't had a child with this woman. Then he admitted that he had had a child with this woman. So, you know, I think there's probably not another political life left for John Edwards.
BROWN: All right. Gloria Borger for us tonight. Gloria, thank you.
BORGER: Sure.
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BROWN: "LARRY KING LIVE" starts in just a few minutes. And Larry will have his full interview with Elizabeth Edwards coming up tonight.
Up next, the humbling of a once all-powerful inside the beltway businessman. It has been years since mega lobbyist Jack Abramoff fell from grace. And you may be shocked to find out just where he's landed.
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BROWN: Here's a political flashback for you. Remember Jack Abramoff? Well, it has been more than four years since the man who was once an uber-lobbyist in Washington struck a plea deal with the government. Abramoff pleaded guilty to fraud, tax evasion and conspiracy to bribe public officials whom he lavished with luxury trips, campaign contributions and jobs for their spouses. Before getting caught, Abramoff and his former business partner netted more than $80 million for their lobbying efforts. Well, now, you can say Abramoff is rolling in dough of a different kind. Here again, Joe Johns.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I solemnly affirm this testimony I give today will be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth --
JOE JOHNS, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Jack Abramoff went from high-profile super lobbyist in D.C. to super high profile crook to decidedly low profile worker at this kosher pizza joint in Baltimore. Abramoff wouldn't talk to us about his new life. But his boss did.
(on camera): You have a celebrity working here.
RON ROSENBLUTH, OWNER, TOV PIZZA: I just have a guy who's going through the system and hopefully he'll get back on his feet soon enough.
JOHNS: And you gave him a break. How did all of that come about?
ROSENBLUTH: Oh, this is really nothing new to us here at Tov Pizza. We are in business for 26 years. I've had over 1,000 employees come through the doors over those years. I'd say between 15 to 20 of them have been through the prison system. And people need a second chance.
JOHNS: Jack Abramoff spent more than 40 months in prison. Now he's living in a halfway house and working at this pizza restaurant in an unremarkable section of Baltimore. He's only been here about a week. He's expected to stay on the job about six months. He's making a little bit more than minimum wage.
(voice-over): A far cry from the millions he was raking in as a lobbyist before being convicted of fraud, conspiracy and tax evasion. The one-time high roller pleaded guilty to illegally showering gifts on officials who provided favors for his clients. The scandal tainted the image of then House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, a key ally and one of the GOP's most powerful politicians. It sent another Republican congressman, Bob May of Ohio, to prison, and led to the convictions of former hill staffers and other government officials. Tens of millions of dollars later, the downfall of Abramoff prompted Washington to tighten its ethics rules.
Here at Tov Pizza, casino Jack is not making any dough, mostly sticking to the business side of things.
ROSENBLUTH: He's getting the job done. He's helping with the marketing and, you know, run some ideas past him. And he's a pretty bright guy.
JOHNS: Just another worker paying his debt to society. But he's certainly attracting a lot of attention. The restaurant's Web site, for example, has gotten more hits in the last week than in the last year.
ROSENBLUTH: He seems like a really nice guy. Seems quiet, he's nice, he's doing his job. I don't have to look over his shoulder to see what he's working on. I go in, talk to him from time to time to see what's going on. That's really it. You know, hopefully he'll be here six months and I don't know what he's doing after that. But if he wanted to stay, I, at this point, would love to keep him.
JOHNS: For the time being, he's given Rosenbluth advice on e- mail blasting his customers, just to remind them their favorite pizza place is there. But for some, could any pizza be as delicious as this tale of how the mighty have fallen?
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BROWN: Joe Johns with us right now once again. And, Joe, it does seem like just yesterday that Abramoff went to prison. Isn't it a little bit early for him to be getting out?
JOHNS: Well, think about it, right now, he's on supervised release, sort of halfway in, halfway out. He served 3 1/2 years of a six-year sentence. By December, when he's done with that, it will be four years. Plus, he got a $20 million fine. And it would have been even worse if he hadn't cooperated with the authorities. So Jack Abramoff didn't exactly get off easy. We just think the time really flew.
BROWN: Joe Johns for us tonight. Joe, thanks very much, appreciate it.
"LARRY KING LIVE" starting in just a few minutes. But up next, tonight's "Punch Line."
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DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST, "LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN": Now there's a tropical storm in that area and it may interfere with the cleanup of the gulf. Too bad because it was going pretty well.
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BROWN: Finally, tonight's "Punch Line," the best of late night in just under a minute. Take a look.
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GEORGE LOPEZ, HOST, "LOPEZ TONIGHT": Congress has given President Obama the power to turn off the Internet for four months. Do we want the president in charge of our sex lives?
DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST, "LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN": But the Russian spies tried to blend in. They were acting like Americans. As a matter of fact for two weeks, they were pretending they love soccer.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Vice President Joe Biden arrived in the gulf today to survey the oil spill. And I'm like, haven't the people suffered enough?
JIMMY KIMMEL, HOST, "JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE!": Apparently they have an eternal magazine called "Planet BP." It's like their company newsletter and there's an article in it that says most gulf residents aren't upset with BP because their cleanup crews have boosted the local economy. BP taking credit for boosting the economy in the gulf is like Al Qaeda taking credit for creating jobs in airport security. But they're doing --
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BROWN: That's it for now. Thanks for joining us everybody. Larry King starts right now.
