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CNN Larry King Live
Lance Armstrong Accused of Doping; Lindsay Lohan Posts Bond
Aired May 20, 2010 - 21:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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LARRY KING, HOST (voice-over): Tonight, Lance Armstrong is injured in a bloody crash just hours after he's been called a doper.
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LANCE ARMSTRONG, PRO CYCLIST: We have nothing to hide.
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KING: Disgraced rider, former teammate, Floyd Landis, makes the claims, admits that he himself is a cheater. We got the latest on the scandal.
Plus, Lindsay Lohan's big new legal mess, the warrants out for her arrest. Could the tormented actress end up in the slammer?
And then, the disastrous Gulf oil spill one month old today. B.P.'s man-in-charge answers tough questions -- next on LARRY KING LIVE.
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KING: Good evening.
An arrest warrant issued today for Lindsay Lohan after she failed to appear at a court hearing in Los Angeles this morning. Her attorney claims she lost her passport and was unable to fly back to the United States from Europe. Late today, that warrant was recalled. Lohan posted bond, meaning she won't be arrested when she returns. We'll have that story for you shortly.
Meanwhile, seven-time Tour de France winner, Lance Armstrong, crashed earlier today during the tour of California. Smash-up occurred just hours after Armstrong flatly denied allegations of the disgraced former team Floyd Landis that they both used performance- enhancing drugs.
We'll start on the phone. To talk to with us is Johan Bruyneel. He is Lance Armstrong's longtime coach, director of RadioShack's cycling team for which Lance currently competes. How is he doing physically, Johan, right now?
JOHAN BRUYNEEL, LANCE ARMSTRONG'S COACH (via telephone): Well, he's -- he's definitely hurt. The crash was spectacular, Larry. And when I got there on the spot, I saw a lot of blood on his face. That was our main concern at first. I had to talk to him quite a bit to get him back on the bike because he was shocked and hurt. He got back on the bike. And after a few miles, we basically got him back into the group.
But then he started to feel really heavy pain in his left elbow, which started to be really a concern. He couldn't stand up on his bike. He had some problems with braking. So we decided to be -- to play it safe and take him to the hospital.
Initially, we were fearing for a fractured elbow, because the elbow started to swell on the bike and got really big. But finally, the good news came after a few hours. He went to the hospital in Bakersfield and the x-rays revealed no fracture, which is good news for the next few months.
But at the same time, he's hurt and he's, of course, very, very disappointed that he had to pull out of Tour of California because his form was coming really to a good level.
KING: How many stitches near that eye?
BRUYNEEL: I don't know. I think six or seven stitches. But that's going to be healing fast. So, the elbow was more of a concern.
KING: And where is he now?
BRUYNEEL: And it still -- it still is. It still is. I mean, he's on the plane back home. When a rider gets hurt, the best is really to leave the race as soon as he can and be with the family and take care of himself. So, that's what he's doing right now.
KING: Johan is with us. Also with us in New York is Bill Strickland, editor-at-large of "Bicycling" magazine. He's, by the way, author of the forthcoming book "Tour de Lance." A great title.
With us as well is Ben Delaney of VeloNews. He's the editor of VeloNews, the official sponsor of Tour de California.
Bill, you -- have you said that the coincidence of this crash coming on the same day as the doping allegations is typical of everything that surrounds Armstrong. Elaborate on that.
BILL STRICKLAND, EDITOR AT LARGE, BICYCLING: Yes. Well, he's an incredibly complex figure. And everything that happens to him just sort of turns into grand theater.
His supporters see it one way. You know, they're just going to see that Lance had a really bad day, you know, the worst day than most of us ever have in our lives.
And his critics are going to, you know, think that Lance crashed out on purpose, you know, just to escape the media circus.
And to me, it's just -- as I researched the book and followed Lance around and researched his history, it's just typical of everything he goes through in his life. There's a million interpretations to it, and everyone finds in it what they want to.
KING: Why him, Ben? Why Lance? It's because he's won so much?
BEN DELANEY, EDITOR, VELONEWS: He's the biggest target in the world whether he's a bike racer or the source for media news. You know, the timing is what's surprised a lot of people here. Floyd Landis won the 2006 Tour de France, and for four year has years vigorously denied any doping. And he waits until Armstrong is enjoying his day in the California sunshine here to come forward with these allegations.
KING: Johan, hasn't he literally passed every doping test?
BRUYNEEL: He has. He has. I think Lance has been the most tested -- not only cyclist, but the most tested athlete in the world. And there's been -- there's been a lot of critics and a lot of accusation accusations. So for us, I mean, these accusations of Floyd were not a surprise. We kind of knew about this already for several weeks, even months.
KING: Hold on a second. Prior to the crash, disgraced cyclist Floyd Landis unleashed a series of e-mails accusing Armstrong of doping and teaching other riders how to do it. Landis also recanted years of denials, finally confessed that he himself had doped for many years.
In an interview with ESPN.com, Landis declared, "I don't feel guilty at all about having doped. I did what I did because that's what we cyclists did, and it was a choice I had to make after 10 or 12 years of hard work to get there. It was a decision I had to make the next step. My choices were, do it and see if I can win, or don't do it and tell people I just don't want to do that, and I decided to do it."
What do you make of that explanation, Bill?
STRICKLAND: Well, you know, I -- Floyd is sort of an interesting character. He's a bit of a circus, you know? He has been since the doping trial began.
He's in a -- he's in a little bit of a rough spot personally. His racing career isn't going good. He spent $2 million on his legal trial and he's admitted that sort of drained him financially. And his marriage ended.
And it's, unfortunately, for Floyd, he's just discredited himself to the point where the allegations by themselves mean nothing. You know, if investigators were to look into it and find something, you know, then we're talking about a possible scandal. But, you know, coming from Floyd at this time, given his past, the allegations themselves, you know, it's just hard to put any real stock into them until they're investigated.
KING: We'll be back with more right after these words. Don't go away.
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KING: We're back.
At an impromptu news conference before today's fifth stage of the Tour of California, Armstrong denied the doping allegations and he slammed Landis. Watch.
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ARMSTRONG: From our perspective and what's gone on at U.S. Postal and Discovery and all of those tours, we have nothing to hide. This is a man that's been under oath several times. This is a man that wrote a book for profit that had a completely different version. So, this is somebody that took some would say close to a million dollars from innocent people for his defense under a different premise and now when it's all run out, the story changes.
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KING: Johan, you're his coach. What do you make of all these allegations about Lance?
BRUYNEEL: Well, as I said before, Larry, it's not new. And as I said, coming from Floyd, we knew that this was coming. And for me, it's just analyzing the situation and going back to almost four years ago now when Floyd was on Phonak -- Team Phonak and won the Tour de France and was stripped of his victory, he has come back with us in numerous occasions.
So, first, because he wanted to start a legal battle and he found out that he needed -- he was going to need a lot of money. So, he was -- he has been asking us for money, which we didn't give him. And then later when he was able to race again, he's been asking me for a job on the team, which I didn't give him.
To me, it's clear that Floyd has a problem. He's angry at -- I think he's angry at the world, but he's definitely angry with the cycling world. And this for me really sounds like somebody who wants revenge and wants to throw everybody under the bus.
KING: Bill Strickland, in the cycling world, is Floyd Landis regarded as a great cyclist?
STRICKLAND: He was regarded as a great cyclist when he won the tour. You know, he's very talent. As a kid, he grew up in the same area I did. He raced mountain bikes as a Mennonite. You know, phenomenal physical potential.
The question people have about him now is that he's really sort of struggling even domestically in the U.S. racing at this level. You know, he also had a hip replacement. So, it could be attributed to that.
But in general, people in the cycling world think that Floyd was a great talent obviously.
KING: A positive drug test cost Landis the 2006 Tour de France title. He spent years trying to discredit that result and insisting he was not a cheater. In an interview with me in February, he again denied and -- here, watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, FEB. 18)
KING: Tonight, you flatly deny, one, ever doping, right?
FLOYD LANDIS, CYCLIST: Yes.
KING: You're saying that. And two, ever tapping into a computer -- which you would not know how to do.
LANDIS: I shouldn't laugh.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can tell you for sure he couldn't do that.
KING: I couldn't.
(LAUGHTER)
KING: So, that's what he's apparently charged with, right?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's what's in the press.
KING: And the title was taken away?
LANDIS: It was taken away by the very lab that's making these allegations. And it's odd to me, again, Larry, even more so now having read the statement they made to you. The reason this story is out there in the first place is because of an assertion made by this very lab that now says they don't have a comment. So, they started story and now they don't want to comment on it. And I'm here to defend myself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Ben Delaney, why now?
DELANEY: That's the question everyone here is asking. Why now? (AUDIO BREAK) conclusion that Lance thinks is drawn is it's an attention thing. It's not a matter of proving a particular point or the veracity of the claims. He's had four years to take on these issues if he chose to.
But there's the argument that Floyd Landis's team didn't get into this race, the Amgen Tour of California and he's bitter about that. This is just, you know, speculation here at the race.
KING: Johan, Lance said -- I mean, apparently, Floyd said he's going to end at the Tour de France this year. What do you make of that?
BRUYNEEL: I don't know. I don't think -- I don't think that's a possibility because as far as I know, Floyd is not allowed to enter into France right now. So, that could be -- that could be a problem.
KING: Bill Strickland, will it be? Do you think he can compete again?
STRICKLAND: I don't think so. I think his career certainly at the pro tour level in Europe is over and likely in the U.S. as well. I think this is maybe the beginning of a new -- a new story looking at these allegations. But for Floyd, it seems like the end, you know, sort of the final chapter.
KING: Johan, why does Lance keep riding?
BRUYNEEL: Because he loves it. I was -- I was really surprised when he announced his desire to come back almost two years ago now, at the end of 2008. But he -- after three years of retirement, he found out that he really likes to be a bike rider, that he loves the competition and just loves to ride his bike.
I mean, he doesn't have to do it for anybody or anything. He has won the tour seven times and he has achieved anything he could ever dream of. But yet, every day, I see him with passion on his bike, as a young kid who starts his career. And I think that's what keeps him going.
KING: Thank you. We thank all of our guests.
Lindsay Lohan has a new crisis. Is this the last one? That's next.
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KING: An arrest warrant was issued today for Lindsay Lohan -- excuse me -- after she failed to appear at a court hearing in L.A. this morning. Late today, that warrant was recalled. Lohan posted bonds. As a result, she will not be arrested when she returns to the United States.
With us to talk about this latest turmoil is "Access Hollywood" co-host Billy Bush, and the attorney, Lisa Bloom, who represents Lindsay's father, Michael.
Billy, bring us up-to-date. The story right now is?
BILLY BUSH, CO-ANCHOR, "ACCESS HOLLYWOOD": Well, Lindsay is going to come home tomorrow at 2:00 is what they say. She'll land at LAX and it will be from the Cannes Film Festival. She's going to fly to London and then London to LAX. And it's going to be a paparazzi mad house. There's going to be cars chasing -- it's going to be the most ridiculous scene you've ever seen.
KING: Because? Why? Why her? BUSH: Because the drama -- now there's more drama to it. That she's supposed to appear in court this morning at 8:30 and she doesn't make it. She's accusing her father, for whom you represent, of stealing her passport. I mean, it's just -- it's playing out -- she's almost feeding into the drama. That's, you know --
KING: You were in court today, why?
LISA BLOOM, MICHAEL LOHAN'S ATTORNEY: I was. As Michael Lohan's attorney. Of course, he's been in Los Angeles the last few days, so the accusation that he stole her passport in France is absurd.
We sent a letter to the court two weeks ago, Larry, asking that in the event she's in violation, that the court impose stricter controls on her. So far, the control has only been that she attends an alcohol ed class once a week.
We asked for stricter control and we're pleased today that the judge granted that request. The judge has ordered her to not drink alcohol at all, to wear a monitoring device, and to be subjected to random drug testing. So, that's a small victory for Michael Lohan.
KING: It is.
All right. Now, Lindsay has had this contentious relationship with her father. Here's what she said to Hollywood.TV about him on her way to the airport for Cannes.
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REPORTER: You want to comment on your dad or not something you want to talk about?
LINDSAY LOHAN, ACTRESS: I just wish he would shut up. Enough is enough. Isn't there a way to, you know -- whatever happened to slander? People slander. I don't know how people can still allow him to continue to do such things, and even TMZ, I just think it's horrible what they do to people in general.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: I thought fathers and daughters are supposed to love each other, Lisa.
BLOOM: Michael has worked tirelessly behind the scenes to try to help his daughter, including trying to get her a private plane, trying to get her an expedited passport yesterday. He's also tried to get her to go to rehab for many months.
And Lindsay doesn't like that. She doesn't like hearing that. Michael doesn't take her out partying. He doesn't support the lifestyle that she's in.
And because he's worked so hard -- he's a recovered alcoholic himself, Larry. Six years clean and sober now. He knows what she's going through. But any parent who tells a child, your lifestyle is wrong, it's hurting you, you need help, is going to get some resistance from the child. And that's what he's getting.
BUSH: Michael's problem, though -- and I've spoken to Michael many times over the years, and he knows it. The problem is that he's a tough messenger. Michael's -- you know, his record over the years has been very spotty. Sometimes he'll talk to the media. Sometimes he won't talk to the media. Sometimes he talks too much.
And, you know, it's a good message that Michael has. It's just -- it's the messenger that is tough.
KING: What about, Billy, you're in this segment only tonight. So you're our entertainment expert. Yes, make it count, OK? What's with her?
Jane Fonda, who worked with her in a movie, told me she is a terrific talent.
BUSH: Sure. Jamie Lee Curtis will say the same thing.
KING: OK. Why?
BUSH: Her problem is, as far as I'm concerned, it's both parents. Michael's doing the right thing now. But the parenting over the years has been awful. She moved out here at 17 years old, OK? She's got an assistant who's 20-something looking out for her. That's not OK. Who's going to send a 17-year-old to go live in L.A. and do that?
Dina, the mother, is a real problem now in my opinion. Michael came to me in the fall, came over to "Access Hollywood" and played some voice messages from September.
Dina Lohan, I listened in my -- I listened to her voice saying, "Michael, we've got to help Lindsay. She's got a problem again. Michael, she's drinking again.
Michael, you know, she's in with the wrong people. Michael, what are we going to do? Michael, Michael."
OK, that was September. We would have known because of the paparazzi coverage. We would have known had she gone into some kind of great program or she's straightened herself out. So, we can only assume it's either the same or worse since then.
And I've heard Dina admit that and yet, she doesn't step up. I think the thing is, she's got the relationship with Lindsay and she's got Lindsay's ear. She doesn't want to sacrifice that relationship or jeopardize it.
KING: I want to -- here's what Lindsay has to say about her mother. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) REPORTER: Talk about your momma. She's an absolute sweetheart and she's by your side.
LOHAN: My mom is amazing. I love my mom so much. She's been through a lot in her life and she's a very strong woman. I really love her. And she's just -- you know, we've recently this past week -- I did postpone a traffic school for one day because my uncle passed away, my mom's brother. So, that was kind of a rough point for my family. But God rest his soul.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BUSH: So, that is with Dina Lohan.
(CROSSTALK)
BLOOM: Let me say this: Lindsay has certainly had her challenges growing up and Michael was incarcerated several times. And he's apologized to her for being absent while he was incarcerated.
KING: For what was he incarcerated?
BLOOM: For assault and for a probation violation when he went to visit her in the hospital and he left the state to go visit her in the hospital. He's apologized for that.
But I don't think a parent has to be a perfect parent. When a child is in distress he wants to help her. And he's worked tirelessly to help her. He knows he gets attacked by the media.
And by the way, it's the same media show like "Access Hollywood" that beg him for interviews that then turn around and say, he does too many interviews. I know from representing him over the last month, he gets dozens of requests for interviews every day, and we've turned down 99 percent of those interviews and then attacked by the same entity.
(CROSSTALK)
BUSH: He calls me.
BLOOM: That's ironic, isn't it?
BUSH: No, he also calls me and says, "Billy, Billy, you got to put this on. You got to help me." I've -- sometimes I do and sometimes I don't, when it's pertinent.
BLOOM: Well, not anymore he doesn't. Not anymore, he doesn't.
OK. We'll go -- that was quite interesting to see Michael Lohan with a spokesman.
BLOOM: But there are worse -- but there are worse things than talking to the media. And by the way he doesn't get paid for when he does interviews. He's often baited by the press.
People say your wife said this. Your daughter said this. He wants to go and respond.
That's how all of us in the media get people to come on our shows. But he is there for Lindsay behind the scenes. He is finding her the ideal rehab program. He sent a letter to the judge requesting that program, requesting stricter controls, and the judge sided with Michael Lohan today.
BUSH: In this case, he's right. I mean, he's definitely got the better message. I mean, I'd love to see Dina Lohan who actually has the relationship say some of the same things. I think she's afraid of jeopardizing her daughter's trust. She's got that relationship.
KING: Neither of you are doctors. Billy, in your opinion, is Lindsay recoverable? Can she lead a full life?
BUSH: Oh, I can only hope so. Pray for her. I mean, she's a kid as far as I'm concerned.
KING: Is she likable?
BUSH: Very likable -- very likable, very sweet, had some great laughs over the years with her. Had some great -- she's really talented. She's -- that's the thing in all this. She's actually got talent. This is a kid who will, I hope, come back one day and be a great movie star.
BLOOM: Britney Spears did it.
BUSH: Sure. She can do it.
KING: All right. Thanks, Billy. As always, great seeing you.
BUSH: Good seeing you, sir.
KING: Lisa, you stay.
We'll be back. Could Lindsay face some jail time? We'll have a judge and attorney as well. Don't go away.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: We're back with Lisa Bloom.
Joining us is Greg Mathis, the star of the TV court show, "Judge Mathis"; Robin Sax, former L.A. county deputy D.A.; and Michael Flanagan, the famed defense attorney who, by the way, represented Britney Spears in her 2007 hit-and-run case.
Last weekend on her way to Cannes, Lindsay Lohan talked about her court appearance she ended up missing today. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you a little nervous about your court date or you think everything is going to work out fine with that? LINDSAY LOHAN, ACTRESS: I think -- I've been in compliance more than ever. So -- and it would take me about two and a half weeks to be finished completely. So I think it should go well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Michael, why was the warrant withdrawn?
MICHAEL FLANAGAN, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Apparently, she posted bail.
KING: That's all you have to do if they issue the warrant?
FLANAGAN: Well, I understand the judge gave other conditions for the bail, but she posted bail. I don't know why it was withdrawn, but it should have been -- shouldn't have been issued.
KING: Judge Mathis, have you had cases like this?
JUDGE GREG MATHIS, HOST, "JUDGE MATHIS": Absolutely. And I believe she needs to be sentenced after her probation being revoked. I believe her probation should be revoked and she should be sentenced to in-house treatment, if not part of a jail term, where she is required to participate in drug and alcohol rehab courses, classes and the meetings.
I think one of the big problems we're having is relying on her just to stop drinking, just to stop doing this, stop doing that. We must require and give her the assistance to stop.
KING: Robin, is that harsh?
SAX: No, it's not harsh whatsoever. We expect that when a defendant pleads guilty and they get probation, which is a gift from the court to fulfill certain terms, that they're going to fill those terms. And the benefit of that is having their case end successfully without having to go to jail. So Lindsay Lohan should be responsible for the terms of her probation and do what she's supposed to do. The bare minimum is getting her butt into court.
KING: Lisa, was -- does her father want her treated with tough love?
BLOOM: The letter that was sent to the court two weeks ago asked that if she's in violation she be sent to rehab, not to jail. I am sure you can understand as a father, no father wants to see his daughter go to jail. And Michael himself has been incarcerated. He does not want that. In fact, he fears that for Lindsay.
As a practical matter, we know that the jails are overcrowded in Los Angeles. If she's sentenced to 30 days, she'll probably serve three days. The last time it was 84 minutes. What good does that do?
KING: But, Michael, if you violate the terms of a probation, shouldn't you go to jail?
FLANAGAN: You probably should depending upon the underlying violation. But before you go to jail, you should be entitled to a hearing.
(CROSS TALK)
FLANAGAN: She had a warrant issued for her arrest today. She was ordered put on a scram device. I don't know why the warrant had to be issued. I think it should have been issued and then held until Monday. I think the judge could accept the attorney's representation that the -- her inability to get back from France was unavoidable or through no negligence of her own.
MATHIS: How was she allowed to go to France? Most folks who are on probation must get permission to leave the state, let alone the country. I'm not understanding that either from the judge.
BLOOM: She -- it was not a requirement of her probation that she get permission to leave. She was a misdemeanor -- she had misdemeanor convictions. The only requirement was alcohol and classes. She attended 10 out of the 13. The hearing today was about missing three of those.
KING: By the way, on the way to the airport last weekend, Lindsay addressed those of her doubters. Watch.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What do you have to say to the people that doubt you and think your career is over?
LOHAN: I feel like there are always people that are going to say certain things. I just try to not acknowledge it. I think a lot of it distracts from the fact that I got into this to be an actress and to be an entertainer. But, I mean, I feel like the more that you welcome that kind of energy into your life, the worse it is. I like to be positive as much as possible.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Robin, a puzzle. What's the role of the court when someone is harming themselves? Who is she harming but herself?
SAX: She is harming herself. But if she isn't going to take care of herself, and if her parents don't have the ability to take care of herself, and she's breaking the law, then the judge has the ability to be able to force them to take care of themselves by holding them accountable. And DUIs, while it is harming yourself, it is a harm to the rest of us too.
KING: Is this a tough defense, Michael?
FLANAGAN: I don't know. Why didn't she come back from France? I don't think we really know that. That's what the purpose for her hearing is. I think the judge can issue a warrant, tell them that I'm going to hold the warrant. I want you in here next week. We'll set the hearing date. And if she's going to lie about what she's been doing or have her attorney lie about what she's been doing, that is going to go rougher in probation. KING: Is there a hearing date next week?
BLOOM: They don't have a hearing yet. The judge will set a hearing date upon Lindsay's return. The judge wanted to know if her passport was stolen, was anything else stolen? Did she have a ticket in hand ready to come back?
KING: Do you have any legal standing at that hearing?
BLOOM: No more than he has now. The answer is no. But he can send a letter to the court and maybe the court will consider it, as he did today.
KING: Lindsay's trip to France, for work, excuse to party? Next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KING: Back with our panel. Let's take one more look at Lindsay just before she flew to France.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Congratulations on your movie role with Linda Lovelace.
LOHAN: Thank you. I'm off to Cannes right now to announce the movie. We're having a dinner and I'm very excited. So it's going to work more, which is good. I've been working a lot, but I like it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Judge Mathis, the judge ruled there was probable cause to believe she's in violation of her probation. Will she be arrested when she lands?
MATHIS: Well, yes, unless she has posted bond, and they've made U.S. Customs aware that her bond has been posted. But routinely, someone who has a warrant on them, they're apprehended by U.S. Customs upon entering the country.
KING: But a bond was posted, so she won't be arrested, right?
FLANAGAN: She will not be arrested.
KING: Not arrested.
SAX: Not arrested.
KING: Then what does she wait for? A date?
BLOOM: Then there will be a date on the hearing. That is going to be the big date, Larry, because then the question is did she violate probation in a number of ways, by not showing up to the alcohol ed classes, and today by failing to show, as specifically ordered by the court. If so, if she is in violation, then what? Then will she be incarcerated? Will she be ordered to rehab? That's the big question.
KING: And that's a judge's decision, Judge Mathis?
MATHIS: Correct. And I certainly would order her to inpatient treatment, not necessarily jail or prison. That won't do her much good. She needs inpatient treatment. And I think that will help go a long way for her.
KING: You represented Britney Spears, who straightened herself out completely, right?
FLANAGAN: Britney has it all together now. We don't know that Lindsay doesn't have it together. She's entitled to a hearing. A lot of people are being very presumptuous about this before hearing what the actual explanation is. I don't see why they can't delay all these proceedings until Monday, set a hearing. Let her attorney make representations. Maybe Lindsay will make some representations. Then set it for a hearing two weeks down the line.
KING: Are we prejudging?
SAX: I don't think we are prejudging. Lindsay Lohan hung her own attorney out to dry today. Shawn Chapman Holley had to go into court and basically say, I can't even control my own client to get her here.
KING: She said she lost her passport.
SAX: Right, but she said she lost the passport. But anybody who wants to get a passport expedited to them can figure out a way to get back here. Not to mention she didn't report it to the authorities. There was nothing else that was stolen. And how do you lose your lifeline to travel when you have a court hearing?
BLOOM: And as the judge pointed out today, there's been a series of violations over the last several years. The judge has waived prior violations. We've gotten to the point where the judge felt she really had to act.
KING: What do you think of what Judge Mathis recommends?
BLOOM: I thought today's decision was very fair.
KING: You think Judge Mathis is right?
BLOOM: In fact, Judge Mathis, this is exactly what Michael Lohan and I asked the court in our letter, to please send her to inpatient rehab. Michael took the time and effort to identify a program in Long Island, New York, near her family, where they could all go for family therapy, something that has never happened before with this family. I think we can all agree that would benefit them. Michael said it would be his number one priority to show up for any family therapy sessions to help his daughter. It would be a very private facility. Most people don't even know about this place, away from the paparazzi which hound her night and day.
Hopefully that can make a difference for her.
FLANAGAN: Why don't we give her a hearing first to see if the failure to appear was --
KING: wait a minute. You want to observe the law?
MATHIS: What about the education? What about the alcohol education? Was that a passport problem, too, counselor?
FLANAGAN: Do we know if she's in violation of probation? And what she has done to be in violation of probation? Why don't we give her her trial first? We try people before we execute them in this country. She's entitled to a probation violation hearing.
MATHIS: This is not a trial. A probation violation is not treated the same as a trial. The judge has jurisdiction to do whatever he'd like, with or without a hearing, in a probation revocation. He can revoke the probation, let them sit in jail, hear it when he wants.
KING: We're going to know a lot more next week. Thank you all very much.
The gulf oil spill took a couple of new and ominous turns today. And the BP executive overseeing the company's response is here and he's next. Don't go away.
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KING: Bob Dudley is BP managing director. He's overseeing the company's response efforts in the Gulf. You just heard the report by Anderson. Why so late with us seeing those films? And what's the story with the 5,000 barrels?
BOB DUDLEY, BP MANAGING DIRECTOR: So good evening. Good evening, Larry.
KING: Hi.
DUDLEY: It's been a tough day for us today. For the first time, we've seen those images of oil on a number of beaches in Louisiana and oil in a section of marsh there. So it's very disappointing for the thousands of people working on the spill.
We -- regarding the release of the feeds, tomorrow -- right now, in fact, we are working out the technology to upload those feeds on to the BP website, and I believe the unified command center tomorrow, so that not only the American people -- actually the whole world can look at that. We have to be careful tonight we don't bring down our existing feeds of our robotic vehicles.
We've been providing that feed from the very beginning to the Department of the Interior, the Coast Guard, this unified command center in Louisiana, as well as the scientists and engineers working on it. So I think we've been trying to be as open as we can. We'll put it up there now for everyone.
KING: And we're looking at it live. Bob, a simple -- maybe a simple question maybe -- when is this going to end?
DUDLEY: Well, Larry, this is a crisis at the sub-sea, a mile and a half deep, dark waters, and we're doing everything by robots. We -- from the very beginning, it brought together some of the best engineering experience and scientists from around the world, and we have engineered a set of engineering options to attack two things. One is containing the spill at one point where it's leaking at the end of a pipe laying over from a wellhead, and the second set of tracks has been to shut down the well.
You have to do this without emotion. You have to do it with a great deal of discipline, take the data, reprioritize. We've been doing that.
So, two days ago, or really a day and a half ago, we began the first successful probe to be able to begin pulling oil right out of the pipe. That well now is producing between 2,000 and 4,000 barrels a day on -- at the surface. We had a four-hour period where it was as high as 5,000 barrels a day.
On Monday, we want to attempt what we call a top kill, which is entering into this giant four-story blowout preventer that weighs 400 tons. We've x-rayed it. We think we know what the inside looks and be able to pump in heavy fluid to try to shut off that well.
If that option doesn't work, we've got a second and a third option we'll do after that. We're hopeful that next week we'll be able to shut it off.
KING: We'll ask you in a minute, Bob, if you are confident. We're talking with Bob Dudley, the BP managing director. Every year, millions of hungry Americans rely on food pantries to eat. But often that means a diet of canned and processed foods. So when this week's CNN Hero saw that local pantries were lacking fresh produce, he came up with a simple way to help, found it in his own backyard. Watch.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pancake mix and syrup.
GARY OPPENHEIMER, CNN HERO: The system we have in America is you donate canned goods or dry goods to a food bank. Fresh produce is almost never available.
Horseradish.
I had an idea about how to not waste food. We're having an ample harvest. The very least we can do is give it to people who need it. They'll be enjoying this tomorrow at the pantry. AmpleHarvest.org enables people who grow food in home gardens to easily find a local food pantry to donate their excess produce to.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A nice big one. We didn't know what doors to knock on. But now that Gary has got this wonderful program, there's some rhubarb. Taking it to one of the pantries really is a way to share with Ample Harvest.
OPPENHEIMER: AmpleHarvest.org gives them the ability to easily get that food to somebody who genuinely really needs it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Doesn't it smell good?
OPPENHEIMER: You're not only doing good, you're feeling great about it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KING: Gary Oppenheimer's website is AmpleHarvest.org. See how one harvest can help a family in need. To nominate someone who you think is changing the world, go to CNN.com/Heroes. More with Bob Dudley after this.
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KING: We're back with Bob Dudley of BP. You sound fairly optimistic, but you estimated the leak at 1,000 barrels a day. That was bumped to 5,000 barrels a day. That estimate probably too low. What -- how are people going to have confidence in BP, frankly, Bob?
DUDLEY: Larry, on this well control issue. we've got -- we've got the best scientists and engineers from across the country. We've got them coming from more than 100 companies as well as from the government, working on this 24 hours a day. We've got almost a small city underneath the sea, at a mile and a half down, of robots working on this. We've got equipment in place to make this effort on Monday. We've got a secondary and tertiary efforts if it happens.
These are the best people in the world. If anybody can do it, it's this group. We're not going to give up. Nobody wants this closed off more than us. And we have just an amazing array of dedicated people working on this. Wish us luck, please.
KING: We do. You've been -- BP has been using a dispersant called Corexist (ph) 9500 on the Gulf Coast spill. The EPA has given you 72 hours to stop using it. How is this going to impact your efforts?
DUDLEY: Well, Larry, we've been using a dispersant -- actually two kinds of dispersant from the beginning, EPA-approved dispersants. One in particular they're used in the Gulf Coast. They've been the dispersant of choice, in many ways, by the coast guard for 20 years. We are testing four additional, and they're readily available, which is what you need with a fast, swift response effort.
We're testing four other ones with the EPA. We'll be in a position to use whatever one that they recommend here shortly. If we don't have it in stock, we may have to stop. The dispersant we're using today seems to be doing the job. If there's another one that can do it, we're perfectly happy with that.
KING: Do you have -- is it true you have until midnight tonight to identify an alternative to 9500?
DUDLEY: Well, Larry, we're working with the EPA at a big unified command center in Louisiana with the Coast Guard. The EPA is there, NOAA, some of the other agencies. They're very much involved in the operations and planning. They know what the constraints would be. I can't tell you whether it will be ready by midnight tonight. I do know we're not going to do anything they don't want us to do. And we'll work it in complete cooperation with them.
KING: I'm hardly a scientific expert. If you don't know how much oil is being leaked, how do you know how much dispersant to use?
DUDLEY: Well, dispersant is like a dish soap. It works on the oil and breaks it up into small droplets. And then it biodegrades effectively, and particularly in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Usually, the issue with dispersants is making sure there's enough contact to be able to break up the oil. We've got a technique that was suggested by another company of injecting it right at the leak and at the well head. That seems to be particularly effective at breaking it up.
You are correct. Dispersants used for this length of time, even though they are EPA approved and extensively tested -- one of the things that will undoubtedly come out of this is studies to understand the longer-term effects of the dispersant. But Larry, they are doing their job. I mean, everyone who's involved with the spill looks at it and says they're doing what they've been designed to do. And it is much better than having black oil wash up on the shores.
KING: Is BP feeling sorry about things?
DUDLEY: Larry, for the 23,000 employees of the U.S., this is devastating. I mean, as a company, we -- I grew up in Mississippi. I swam and fished on the beaches of Mississippi. Our employees are woven into the fabric of the Gulf Coast. People have worked their whole lives to produce energy, whether it's oil or gas or wind or solar in the United States.
I think everybody just -- it really hurts to see this happen. It's made up of a company that's very proud of what it does. The people are proud of what BP does. It's really a collection of American companies. of Amoco and Arco and BP. We have more employees in the United States than anywhere in the world. And so yeah, this really, really hurts. And I think that's why we've seen our retirees volunteer there all along the coast. We've got -- people have come from their jobs all over the country down there, trying to help in whatever they can along with the local communities.
And that's why the company stepped up and said, you know, we're going to meet our obligations. We're going to pay the claims. We want to minimize the impact in the communities that we live in.
KING: Thanks, Bob. Thanks, Bob.
DUDLEY: Thanks, Larry. KING: Call on you again. Good luck. Bob Dudley of BP. Remember, our show is also a podcast. Download it on iTunes. "Dancing with the Stars" finalists tomorrow night. "AC 360," Anderson Cooper, now.
