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Spanish Authorities Investigate New Angle in Terror Attack; Interview With NASCAR Driver Ken Schrader
Aired March 11, 2004 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to LIVE FROM. I'm Kyra Phillips. Here's what is making news this hour.
Shock and mourning in Spain, where at least 190 people are dead, more than 1,200 wounded in coordinated terrorist attacks in Madrid; 10 bombs, mostly hidden in backpacks, exploded on commuter trains and in stations during morning rush hour. Spanish officials had been blaming the Basque separatist group ETA, but Interior Ministry officials say another angle is also being investigated. They cited last month's seizure of a truck filled with explosive explosives, which they now say had Arabic writings on it.
President Bush calling Spanish officials to express sympathy on behalf of the American people. He spoke with Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar and King Juan Carlos. Mr. Bush tells them the U.S. weeps with the families of Spain. Spain is a key U.S. ally in the war on terror and has supported the U.S.-led war in Iraq.
Keeping the airwaves clean. The Federal Communications Commission is getting some support from Congress. Today, the House passed legislations significantly raising fines for broadcast stations and performers who violate indecency rules. Similar legislation is being considered in the Senate.
A Maryland woman accused of spying for Saddam Hussein is a former congressional aide; 41-year-old Susan Lindauer is being arraigned this afternoon for spying for Iraq both before and after the war. She had worked in the '90s for two Democratic senators, after stints with two major newsmagazines.
We begin this hour with a potential change of direction in the Spanish investigation of those catastrophic bomb attacks on train stations in Madrid. After a day of disgust and suspicion heaped on the separatist terrorist group ETA, Spain's interior minister say police have been tipped to a van containing detonators and a tape of Koran verses in Arabic. So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the bombings that killed at least 190 people and wounded 1,200 more. And the government says ETA remains the No. 1 suspect.
We get the latest now from CNN's Christiane Amanpour. She's in Madrid.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: They're still not saying al Qaeda, and the Interior Ministry is still saying that ETA is the main suspect. But they say now they have found a new element and they're opening an additional line of inquiry.
Now, according to Interior Ministry spokesmen that we spoke to, they're saying that according -- they got a citizen's tip which led them to a van in a town outside of Madrid, a town that's a university town that happens to be on the commuter line that these trains were on today. In that van, we're told, they found eight detonators and a tape in Arabic that was about Koranic teachings.
This, we are told, was a commercially available tape. It's a tape that can be store-bought. And according to the spokesman from the Ministry of Interior, it contained no threat. So they're saying this is a new element which has been brought to their attention by a citizen's tip today, and they're looking into it, and they are opening a line of investigation to investigate exactly what this might add up to.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Now, that was a report that Christiane Amanpour brought to us within the past 30 minutes or so. But she's been working this story. She has new information for us from her sources, joins us live from Madrid now.
Christiane, go ahead.
AMANPOUR: Well, those are basically the facts that remain as they are, as we are continuing to try to find out where this latest connection may lead to.
We've asked over and over to the Interior Ministry, are you saying a possible al Qaeda link? And over and over, they're telling us, no, we're not saying that right now. We don't know. We're investigating. We found this van. We found the detonators. We found the tape with the Koranic verses on it. And we continue to see where this will lead us and what it all amounts to.
So that is the formal investigation right now. But it certainly is a new element. And it's something that has come many hours after they first insisted that this was just a pure ETA, a pure ETA attack. Certainly, we know that ETA in the past has been linked to various terrorist organizations, reaching back to the IRA, the Irish Republican Army in years past, reaching to guerrilla groups in Latin America and other such places.
We also know that Spain has been a sort of a place for logistics, for false documents, to some of these terrorists groups, including al Qaeda, Spanish officials and authorities have made arrests, have charged people with belonging to al Qaeda and these Islamic groups in the past. And, of course, back in 2001, in the summer of 2001, before 9/11, there was, according to Spanish officials, a planning meeting which took part, they believe, here in Spain with Mohamed Atta and company ahead of the September 11 attack.
But right now, they're not telling us that al Qaeda is suspected or is involved, simply that they have found this tape, that it does have Koranic teachings on it, and that they still believe ETA to be the prime suspect, but they continue to investigate. And we will bring you the results as soon as we know the latest developments as they are told to us -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Christiane Amanpour, live from Madrid, Spain, following the story for us that continues to develop -- Christiane, thank you.
At nightfall, Basque residents turned out by the thousands in that region's largest city to show solidarity with the suffering. A silent vigil in Bilbao came as Spain's King Juan Carlos lamented what he called the wicked craziness of terrorism.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUAN CARLOS, KING OF SPAIN (through translator): It has been a nightmare scenario that has filled every one of the Spanish households to show the most cruel and murderous side of terrorism. In these tragic moments, I want to let the victims' family know my deepest condolences and that of my entire family's.
With everyone, I would like to hug them, to console them. I will always be with you and with every single one of you that suffers the consequences from a wicked craziness without any justification.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Well, earlier today, the U.N. Security Council unanimously passed a resolution expressing its outrage at those attacks.
Other news across America now, cracking down on the sports supplement known as andro. Today, the FDA issued warning letters asking 23 companies to stop selling the steroid-like substance. The feds say the bulk-building supplement is too dangerous.
College sports at center court on Capitol Hill. Speaking today before a congressional subcommittee, an NCAA task force says it will consider strict new recruiting standards. A task force was formed after allegations of shady recruiting tactics at the University of Colorado.
Security fears at the house of Mouse. Today, Walt Disney officials announced that they'll build permanent security gates at their theme park in California. Security measures were beefed up after the September 11 attacks and the discovery of documents listing Disneyland as a possible terrorism target.
The issue of same-sex marriage is back before the Massachusetts Statehouse and lawmakers got quite an earful on their way in to work today.
National correspondent Gary Tuchman is getting an earful, too, from a lot of protests going on there in Boston. He joins us live with the latest -- hi, Gary.
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, hello to you. On a chilly late winter day here in New England's largest city, hundreds of demonstrators on both sides of the same-sex marriage issue have been out here for hours, yelling at each other, but so far not fighting physically with each other. Inside the State Capitol Building we're standing next to, 200 legislators have begun a constitutional convention, reconvened after last month.
They were not able to agree on any bill to outlaw gay marriage. The reason many legislators want to outlaw gay marriage is because this has become the first state to allow it to be legal. The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, the highest court in Massachusetts, ruled in November that, beginning on May 17, gay people will be allowed to marry each other. If these 200 legislators pass a law to outlaw gay marriage -- and that's a very strong possibility -- it still would not go into effect until November 2006, under state law.
So, therefore, gay marriage will take place beginning this may. Now, beginning earlier this morning, people started thronging into the State Capitol. There are a lot of people outside, but the people who came the earliest were allowed to be inside. They were yelling, singing, chanting, holding signs, lots of police presence, and so far there have been no problems whatsoever.
You can see where I'm standing now outside, you have signs from all over the country, people on both sides of the issue all holding up signs, signs that say things like, civil marriage is not a religious issue, left-wing elitists are the enemy of the people. Those are obviously two different sides.
And then we'll take you right across the street. This is a busy street. And on the other side of the street, in addition to the school bus that's passing us right now, with signs on it, as you can see. "Remember Sodom and Gomorrah" is one of the signs. You can see across the street, there are hundreds more people standing there.
Police doing a very good job keeping the traffic going and keeping the people apart from each other, apart from any fisticuffs. And we do have to acknowledge that is a possibility, because tempers have gotten heated. Right now, legislators involved in procedural issues, haven't gotten to the main issues at hand just yet -- Kyra, back to you.
PHILLIPS: All right, live from Boston, thanks, Gary.
Well, straight ahead, undercover officers put their lives on the line to protect the public. So who's putting their names and addresses on the Internet?
Also ahead, Donald gets another TV gig. Imagine that, side by side with beautiful women.
And NASCAR bigger than life. Strap in, get behind the wheel, coming to a theater near you.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Someone is playing a dangerous and possibly deadly game with other people's lives on the Internet.
CNN's Gary Tuchman reports on a revealing Web site that's leaving police officers and their families exposed.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TUCHMAN (voice-over): It isn't hard to spot police officers when in uniform. But many cops do their work under cover, in plainclothes, for their protection.
And that's why a web site that has undercover officers' names, addresses, pictures, and in some cases, pictures of their family members, has made many angry.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I wouldn't want some people that I arrest to know where I live, because who knows what they're capable of?
TUCHMAN: The operator of the site is believed to be a New Yorker currently out of the country. Why he's doing this is not clear.
But in addition to undercover cops in New York, he also has information about uniformed officers, judges and federal in other parts of the country.
New York Daily News reporter Michele McPhee has been investigating the web site.
MICHELE MCPHEE, "NEW YORK DAILY NEWS": The most egregious thing on the web site is descriptions, physical descriptions of both the officers and the officers' children. So-and-so jogs in this park at 8 a. m.
TUCHMAN: But is the web site illegal? As of now, apparently not.
MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY: I don't know who is doing it and probably can't stop it, but it is irresponsible.
TUCHMAN: Can it be stopped? The congressman is drafting legislation.
REP. ANTHONY WEINER (D), NEW YORK: My legislation would say to police departments that they have an absolute right to go into a court, and if they can show that a law enforcement officials lives would be in danger if an Internet web site revealed information about them, that they can get an order that an Internet service provider would have to take that web site down.
TUCHMAN (on camera): Even if such a bill passed, nobody pretends it would be easy to enforce. A spokesman for the NYPD says the department is troubled by the web site and would hope it starts getting less publicity.
Gary Tuchman, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE) PHILLIPS: Well, he's got the job. Look who's been tapped to host "Saturday Night Live."
Speaking of cool jobs, check out Ken Schrader's 9:00-to-5:00 gig. NASCAR driver is in the house. We're going to go really, really fast, I promise. He joins us live just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(FINANCIAL UPDATE)
PHILLIPS: Well, checking entertainment headlines this Thursday , live from New York, it's the Donald. NBC says rowdy TV star and all- around rich guy Donald Trump will host "Saturday Night Live" on April 3. Of course, his hit show "The Apprentice" also airs on NBC.
ABC is done practicing. The alphabet network has canceled the Emmy-winning drama "The Practice" after eight seasons. The final episodes, which conclude May 16, will set up a spinoff series.
And if rapper Will Smith can act, then his actress wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, can sing. Fresh off fighting the machines in "The Matrix," Smith and her band, Wicked Wisdom, will open for Britney Spears in Europe. Smith formed the band about a year ago.
Well, what's eight stories high, has 12,000 watts of sound, and a guaranteed fan base of millions of speed freaks? How about this? It's NASCAR, the 3-D IMAX experience, the movie released by Warner Brothers, a sister company of CNN. It's racing into IMAX theaters tomorrow. Drivers say it puts you right in the middle of the action.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When I take somebody new to a race or somebody who hasn't ever seen a race, I think the pit stop is the first thing that I would want them to see, because of how exciting and dangerous it is.
JEFF GORDON, NASCAR DRIVER: There are some fans that don't get a chance to be there in the pits. And to me, that was as real as it gets.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: And who better to talk about the twists and turns of the movie -- he's ready to see it -- and the track than NASCAR's oldest active driver, shall we say, Ken Schrader?
(LAUGHTER)
KEN SCHRADER, NASCAR DRIVER: Yes, I can see that right on there. Boy, you got that out first, didn't you?
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: You know, I'm sorry. SCHRADER: Man, right at the bottom. I couldn't...
PHILLIPS: I know. Last time we talked about this, you said, Kyra, why did you have to do that to me?
SCHRADER: Yes. Yes.
PHILLIPS: But, see, you're a legend, see.
SCHRADER: No, no, that's not it. That's not it.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: It is. You should be proud that you've lasted this long.
(LAUGHTER)
SCHRADER: That we are. We're proud to still be involved with the Nextel Cup series, that's for sure.
PHILLIPS: Well, I think it's cute because you talked about how you and dad used to go out in the go-cart. And he'd attach the cable when you were 3 and spin you around. You said you've been dizzy ever since.
SCHRADER: I have been. I have been. Still going around circles. And, hopefully, we're going to continue to do it for just a few more years.
PHILLIPS: And I know you will.
Let's talk about this IMAX film. Gosh, forget "National Geographic" and all these beautiful, serene pictures. You get in the driver's seat. You see it from that perspective. Do you think this is going to pull a lot of people in that aren't even NASCAR fans?
SCHRADER: Well, I think it will.
And the ones that -- if you go to it and just get a little glimpse of it, then you've got to see the real thing. But I'll tell you what. Sometimes, just when I sit up in the TV booths or something and watch the race, it looks a little scarier from up there than it does actually in the car. So I don't know if I want to really get too much into that movie yet.
PHILLIPS: Especially after we started looking at all the video that we had in-house and all the pictures of you. Let's see, you're either crashing, going upside down, getting out of a burning car.
(LAUGHTER)
SCHRADER: We've had some good days, too. I could have helped you with the video selection just a little bit there.
(LAUGHTER) SCHRADER: They haven't all been crashes and fires.
PHILLIPS: I know that. You've had a number of wins, of course.
Let's talk, though, about you being, I guess we could say the more mature driver of NASCAR and the changes you have witnessed from the beginning to this point. Give us kind of a glimpse inside of how it's going more mainstream.
SCHRADER: Well, it's just amazing how much it's grown.
You know, we used to go to facilities that held 30,000 people, and now we've got places that hold 160,000, 170,000, up to 200,000- plus. Indianapolis holds more than that. I'd say our normal average crowd now is probably 150,000 people, all the races televised live every week, you know, more and more sponsors coming in to this sport.
We were fortunate to sign Schwan's Home Service, a delivery, food to your house. It used to be all automotive products, you know? Now we've got everyone wanting to be involved in our sport. It's good.
PHILLIPS: It's amazing.
I've got to ask you, too, talk about kind of the old-school mentality. in light of -- we've seen this hockey incident, with Bertuzzi getting knocked out for -- knocked out of the game right now for knocking out another player, the steroids, the crime that's happening within sports. And now we hear about you know, Sauter, Johnny Sauter, getting fined and points taken away for cussing during an interview.
It still seems like it's a bit of a gentleman's sport. There are some strict standards here.
SCHRADER: Yes.
But more than NASCAR even coming down on us, probably our biggest governing body is our sponsors. You know, they spend large, substantial amounts of money to be involved in the sport and promote their products. And they can't do all that and then have one of the members of the team, whether it be our crew members, crew chief, driver, whatever, getting out on public television and international TV and running their mouth, saying things they shouldn't, going out, getting in trouble. We're representing them.
PHILLIPS: Well, do some of these younger guys come to you, and, you know, Kenny, you've been in this the longest, give me some advice, some of these young guys, like Brian Vickers and, you know?
SCHRADER: Yes.
We've got some really good kids, though, that are coming up in our sport, just tremendously proud of them. They're doing such a good job. They've got a lot of talent. They're representing the sponsors good. They know. They've already been in it. Maybe they're new to Winston Cup level, but they've been in the Craftsman Truck series or the Busch Grand National series or the ARCA series or something like that, and they know what they need to be doing. There's some bunch of sharp kids in our future.
PHILLIPS: Well, I'll tell you, you've got this big IMAX movie coming out, which is a milestone for NASCAR. But speaking of milestones, so I'm reading, you know, tell me about the 16th driver to reach a certain mark.
SCHRADER: Well, I guess, this weekend will be our 600th career Winston -- or Nextel Cup start.
PHILLIPS: No longer Winston. Now Nextel. So you got to get used to all these changes, Kenny.
SCHRADER: Yes. Well, the first 19 years was Winston Cup for me. But this year 20, it's Nextel Cup.
(LAUGHTER)
SCHRADER: There's guys out there who have been around longer than I have. I'm just older. I got a later start than they did. But there's guys out there who have run a lot more races.
PHILLIPS: All right, well, we're going to be rooting you on this Sunday. You going to do well for us, now that you've been on CNN, we're talking about this great career?
SCHRADER: A lot of pressure now.
(LAUGHTER)
SCHRADER: You know, I mean, at least, if we're going to get some footage, I want to make something that's good, not on fire or upside down or something.
PHILLIPS: Get me some good stuff, will you?
SCHRADER: Yes, ma'am. Will do.
PHILLIPS: All right, Kenny, thanks so much.
SCHRADER: Thanks. Thank you.
PHILLIPS: Well, that wraps up this edition of LIVE FROM.
"INSIDE POLITICS" right after a quick break.
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Attack; Interview With NASCAR Driver Ken Schrader>
Aired March 11, 2004 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Welcome back to LIVE FROM. I'm Kyra Phillips. Here's what is making news this hour.
Shock and mourning in Spain, where at least 190 people are dead, more than 1,200 wounded in coordinated terrorist attacks in Madrid; 10 bombs, mostly hidden in backpacks, exploded on commuter trains and in stations during morning rush hour. Spanish officials had been blaming the Basque separatist group ETA, but Interior Ministry officials say another angle is also being investigated. They cited last month's seizure of a truck filled with explosive explosives, which they now say had Arabic writings on it.
President Bush calling Spanish officials to express sympathy on behalf of the American people. He spoke with Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar and King Juan Carlos. Mr. Bush tells them the U.S. weeps with the families of Spain. Spain is a key U.S. ally in the war on terror and has supported the U.S.-led war in Iraq.
Keeping the airwaves clean. The Federal Communications Commission is getting some support from Congress. Today, the House passed legislations significantly raising fines for broadcast stations and performers who violate indecency rules. Similar legislation is being considered in the Senate.
A Maryland woman accused of spying for Saddam Hussein is a former congressional aide; 41-year-old Susan Lindauer is being arraigned this afternoon for spying for Iraq both before and after the war. She had worked in the '90s for two Democratic senators, after stints with two major newsmagazines.
We begin this hour with a potential change of direction in the Spanish investigation of those catastrophic bomb attacks on train stations in Madrid. After a day of disgust and suspicion heaped on the separatist terrorist group ETA, Spain's interior minister say police have been tipped to a van containing detonators and a tape of Koran verses in Arabic. So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the bombings that killed at least 190 people and wounded 1,200 more. And the government says ETA remains the No. 1 suspect.
We get the latest now from CNN's Christiane Amanpour. She's in Madrid.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: They're still not saying al Qaeda, and the Interior Ministry is still saying that ETA is the main suspect. But they say now they have found a new element and they're opening an additional line of inquiry.
Now, according to Interior Ministry spokesmen that we spoke to, they're saying that according -- they got a citizen's tip which led them to a van in a town outside of Madrid, a town that's a university town that happens to be on the commuter line that these trains were on today. In that van, we're told, they found eight detonators and a tape in Arabic that was about Koranic teachings.
This, we are told, was a commercially available tape. It's a tape that can be store-bought. And according to the spokesman from the Ministry of Interior, it contained no threat. So they're saying this is a new element which has been brought to their attention by a citizen's tip today, and they're looking into it, and they are opening a line of investigation to investigate exactly what this might add up to.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Now, that was a report that Christiane Amanpour brought to us within the past 30 minutes or so. But she's been working this story. She has new information for us from her sources, joins us live from Madrid now.
Christiane, go ahead.
AMANPOUR: Well, those are basically the facts that remain as they are, as we are continuing to try to find out where this latest connection may lead to.
We've asked over and over to the Interior Ministry, are you saying a possible al Qaeda link? And over and over, they're telling us, no, we're not saying that right now. We don't know. We're investigating. We found this van. We found the detonators. We found the tape with the Koranic verses on it. And we continue to see where this will lead us and what it all amounts to.
So that is the formal investigation right now. But it certainly is a new element. And it's something that has come many hours after they first insisted that this was just a pure ETA, a pure ETA attack. Certainly, we know that ETA in the past has been linked to various terrorist organizations, reaching back to the IRA, the Irish Republican Army in years past, reaching to guerrilla groups in Latin America and other such places.
We also know that Spain has been a sort of a place for logistics, for false documents, to some of these terrorists groups, including al Qaeda, Spanish officials and authorities have made arrests, have charged people with belonging to al Qaeda and these Islamic groups in the past. And, of course, back in 2001, in the summer of 2001, before 9/11, there was, according to Spanish officials, a planning meeting which took part, they believe, here in Spain with Mohamed Atta and company ahead of the September 11 attack.
But right now, they're not telling us that al Qaeda is suspected or is involved, simply that they have found this tape, that it does have Koranic teachings on it, and that they still believe ETA to be the prime suspect, but they continue to investigate. And we will bring you the results as soon as we know the latest developments as they are told to us -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Christiane Amanpour, live from Madrid, Spain, following the story for us that continues to develop -- Christiane, thank you.
At nightfall, Basque residents turned out by the thousands in that region's largest city to show solidarity with the suffering. A silent vigil in Bilbao came as Spain's King Juan Carlos lamented what he called the wicked craziness of terrorism.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JUAN CARLOS, KING OF SPAIN (through translator): It has been a nightmare scenario that has filled every one of the Spanish households to show the most cruel and murderous side of terrorism. In these tragic moments, I want to let the victims' family know my deepest condolences and that of my entire family's.
With everyone, I would like to hug them, to console them. I will always be with you and with every single one of you that suffers the consequences from a wicked craziness without any justification.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Well, earlier today, the U.N. Security Council unanimously passed a resolution expressing its outrage at those attacks.
Other news across America now, cracking down on the sports supplement known as andro. Today, the FDA issued warning letters asking 23 companies to stop selling the steroid-like substance. The feds say the bulk-building supplement is too dangerous.
College sports at center court on Capitol Hill. Speaking today before a congressional subcommittee, an NCAA task force says it will consider strict new recruiting standards. A task force was formed after allegations of shady recruiting tactics at the University of Colorado.
Security fears at the house of Mouse. Today, Walt Disney officials announced that they'll build permanent security gates at their theme park in California. Security measures were beefed up after the September 11 attacks and the discovery of documents listing Disneyland as a possible terrorism target.
The issue of same-sex marriage is back before the Massachusetts Statehouse and lawmakers got quite an earful on their way in to work today.
National correspondent Gary Tuchman is getting an earful, too, from a lot of protests going on there in Boston. He joins us live with the latest -- hi, Gary.
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, hello to you. On a chilly late winter day here in New England's largest city, hundreds of demonstrators on both sides of the same-sex marriage issue have been out here for hours, yelling at each other, but so far not fighting physically with each other. Inside the State Capitol Building we're standing next to, 200 legislators have begun a constitutional convention, reconvened after last month.
They were not able to agree on any bill to outlaw gay marriage. The reason many legislators want to outlaw gay marriage is because this has become the first state to allow it to be legal. The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, the highest court in Massachusetts, ruled in November that, beginning on May 17, gay people will be allowed to marry each other. If these 200 legislators pass a law to outlaw gay marriage -- and that's a very strong possibility -- it still would not go into effect until November 2006, under state law.
So, therefore, gay marriage will take place beginning this may. Now, beginning earlier this morning, people started thronging into the State Capitol. There are a lot of people outside, but the people who came the earliest were allowed to be inside. They were yelling, singing, chanting, holding signs, lots of police presence, and so far there have been no problems whatsoever.
You can see where I'm standing now outside, you have signs from all over the country, people on both sides of the issue all holding up signs, signs that say things like, civil marriage is not a religious issue, left-wing elitists are the enemy of the people. Those are obviously two different sides.
And then we'll take you right across the street. This is a busy street. And on the other side of the street, in addition to the school bus that's passing us right now, with signs on it, as you can see. "Remember Sodom and Gomorrah" is one of the signs. You can see across the street, there are hundreds more people standing there.
Police doing a very good job keeping the traffic going and keeping the people apart from each other, apart from any fisticuffs. And we do have to acknowledge that is a possibility, because tempers have gotten heated. Right now, legislators involved in procedural issues, haven't gotten to the main issues at hand just yet -- Kyra, back to you.
PHILLIPS: All right, live from Boston, thanks, Gary.
Well, straight ahead, undercover officers put their lives on the line to protect the public. So who's putting their names and addresses on the Internet?
Also ahead, Donald gets another TV gig. Imagine that, side by side with beautiful women.
And NASCAR bigger than life. Strap in, get behind the wheel, coming to a theater near you.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Someone is playing a dangerous and possibly deadly game with other people's lives on the Internet.
CNN's Gary Tuchman reports on a revealing Web site that's leaving police officers and their families exposed.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TUCHMAN (voice-over): It isn't hard to spot police officers when in uniform. But many cops do their work under cover, in plainclothes, for their protection.
And that's why a web site that has undercover officers' names, addresses, pictures, and in some cases, pictures of their family members, has made many angry.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I wouldn't want some people that I arrest to know where I live, because who knows what they're capable of?
TUCHMAN: The operator of the site is believed to be a New Yorker currently out of the country. Why he's doing this is not clear.
But in addition to undercover cops in New York, he also has information about uniformed officers, judges and federal in other parts of the country.
New York Daily News reporter Michele McPhee has been investigating the web site.
MICHELE MCPHEE, "NEW YORK DAILY NEWS": The most egregious thing on the web site is descriptions, physical descriptions of both the officers and the officers' children. So-and-so jogs in this park at 8 a. m.
TUCHMAN: But is the web site illegal? As of now, apparently not.
MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY: I don't know who is doing it and probably can't stop it, but it is irresponsible.
TUCHMAN: Can it be stopped? The congressman is drafting legislation.
REP. ANTHONY WEINER (D), NEW YORK: My legislation would say to police departments that they have an absolute right to go into a court, and if they can show that a law enforcement officials lives would be in danger if an Internet web site revealed information about them, that they can get an order that an Internet service provider would have to take that web site down.
TUCHMAN (on camera): Even if such a bill passed, nobody pretends it would be easy to enforce. A spokesman for the NYPD says the department is troubled by the web site and would hope it starts getting less publicity.
Gary Tuchman, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE) PHILLIPS: Well, he's got the job. Look who's been tapped to host "Saturday Night Live."
Speaking of cool jobs, check out Ken Schrader's 9:00-to-5:00 gig. NASCAR driver is in the house. We're going to go really, really fast, I promise. He joins us live just ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(FINANCIAL UPDATE)
PHILLIPS: Well, checking entertainment headlines this Thursday , live from New York, it's the Donald. NBC says rowdy TV star and all- around rich guy Donald Trump will host "Saturday Night Live" on April 3. Of course, his hit show "The Apprentice" also airs on NBC.
ABC is done practicing. The alphabet network has canceled the Emmy-winning drama "The Practice" after eight seasons. The final episodes, which conclude May 16, will set up a spinoff series.
And if rapper Will Smith can act, then his actress wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, can sing. Fresh off fighting the machines in "The Matrix," Smith and her band, Wicked Wisdom, will open for Britney Spears in Europe. Smith formed the band about a year ago.
Well, what's eight stories high, has 12,000 watts of sound, and a guaranteed fan base of millions of speed freaks? How about this? It's NASCAR, the 3-D IMAX experience, the movie released by Warner Brothers, a sister company of CNN. It's racing into IMAX theaters tomorrow. Drivers say it puts you right in the middle of the action.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When I take somebody new to a race or somebody who hasn't ever seen a race, I think the pit stop is the first thing that I would want them to see, because of how exciting and dangerous it is.
JEFF GORDON, NASCAR DRIVER: There are some fans that don't get a chance to be there in the pits. And to me, that was as real as it gets.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: And who better to talk about the twists and turns of the movie -- he's ready to see it -- and the track than NASCAR's oldest active driver, shall we say, Ken Schrader?
(LAUGHTER)
KEN SCHRADER, NASCAR DRIVER: Yes, I can see that right on there. Boy, you got that out first, didn't you?
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: You know, I'm sorry. SCHRADER: Man, right at the bottom. I couldn't...
PHILLIPS: I know. Last time we talked about this, you said, Kyra, why did you have to do that to me?
SCHRADER: Yes. Yes.
PHILLIPS: But, see, you're a legend, see.
SCHRADER: No, no, that's not it. That's not it.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: It is. You should be proud that you've lasted this long.
(LAUGHTER)
SCHRADER: That we are. We're proud to still be involved with the Nextel Cup series, that's for sure.
PHILLIPS: Well, I think it's cute because you talked about how you and dad used to go out in the go-cart. And he'd attach the cable when you were 3 and spin you around. You said you've been dizzy ever since.
SCHRADER: I have been. I have been. Still going around circles. And, hopefully, we're going to continue to do it for just a few more years.
PHILLIPS: And I know you will.
Let's talk about this IMAX film. Gosh, forget "National Geographic" and all these beautiful, serene pictures. You get in the driver's seat. You see it from that perspective. Do you think this is going to pull a lot of people in that aren't even NASCAR fans?
SCHRADER: Well, I think it will.
And the ones that -- if you go to it and just get a little glimpse of it, then you've got to see the real thing. But I'll tell you what. Sometimes, just when I sit up in the TV booths or something and watch the race, it looks a little scarier from up there than it does actually in the car. So I don't know if I want to really get too much into that movie yet.
PHILLIPS: Especially after we started looking at all the video that we had in-house and all the pictures of you. Let's see, you're either crashing, going upside down, getting out of a burning car.
(LAUGHTER)
SCHRADER: We've had some good days, too. I could have helped you with the video selection just a little bit there.
(LAUGHTER) SCHRADER: They haven't all been crashes and fires.
PHILLIPS: I know that. You've had a number of wins, of course.
Let's talk, though, about you being, I guess we could say the more mature driver of NASCAR and the changes you have witnessed from the beginning to this point. Give us kind of a glimpse inside of how it's going more mainstream.
SCHRADER: Well, it's just amazing how much it's grown.
You know, we used to go to facilities that held 30,000 people, and now we've got places that hold 160,000, 170,000, up to 200,000- plus. Indianapolis holds more than that. I'd say our normal average crowd now is probably 150,000 people, all the races televised live every week, you know, more and more sponsors coming in to this sport.
We were fortunate to sign Schwan's Home Service, a delivery, food to your house. It used to be all automotive products, you know? Now we've got everyone wanting to be involved in our sport. It's good.
PHILLIPS: It's amazing.
I've got to ask you, too, talk about kind of the old-school mentality. in light of -- we've seen this hockey incident, with Bertuzzi getting knocked out for -- knocked out of the game right now for knocking out another player, the steroids, the crime that's happening within sports. And now we hear about you know, Sauter, Johnny Sauter, getting fined and points taken away for cussing during an interview.
It still seems like it's a bit of a gentleman's sport. There are some strict standards here.
SCHRADER: Yes.
But more than NASCAR even coming down on us, probably our biggest governing body is our sponsors. You know, they spend large, substantial amounts of money to be involved in the sport and promote their products. And they can't do all that and then have one of the members of the team, whether it be our crew members, crew chief, driver, whatever, getting out on public television and international TV and running their mouth, saying things they shouldn't, going out, getting in trouble. We're representing them.
PHILLIPS: Well, do some of these younger guys come to you, and, you know, Kenny, you've been in this the longest, give me some advice, some of these young guys, like Brian Vickers and, you know?
SCHRADER: Yes.
We've got some really good kids, though, that are coming up in our sport, just tremendously proud of them. They're doing such a good job. They've got a lot of talent. They're representing the sponsors good. They know. They've already been in it. Maybe they're new to Winston Cup level, but they've been in the Craftsman Truck series or the Busch Grand National series or the ARCA series or something like that, and they know what they need to be doing. There's some bunch of sharp kids in our future.
PHILLIPS: Well, I'll tell you, you've got this big IMAX movie coming out, which is a milestone for NASCAR. But speaking of milestones, so I'm reading, you know, tell me about the 16th driver to reach a certain mark.
SCHRADER: Well, I guess, this weekend will be our 600th career Winston -- or Nextel Cup start.
PHILLIPS: No longer Winston. Now Nextel. So you got to get used to all these changes, Kenny.
SCHRADER: Yes. Well, the first 19 years was Winston Cup for me. But this year 20, it's Nextel Cup.
(LAUGHTER)
SCHRADER: There's guys out there who have been around longer than I have. I'm just older. I got a later start than they did. But there's guys out there who have run a lot more races.
PHILLIPS: All right, well, we're going to be rooting you on this Sunday. You going to do well for us, now that you've been on CNN, we're talking about this great career?
SCHRADER: A lot of pressure now.
(LAUGHTER)
SCHRADER: You know, I mean, at least, if we're going to get some footage, I want to make something that's good, not on fire or upside down or something.
PHILLIPS: Get me some good stuff, will you?
SCHRADER: Yes, ma'am. Will do.
PHILLIPS: All right, Kenny, thanks so much.
SCHRADER: Thanks. Thank you.
PHILLIPS: Well, that wraps up this edition of LIVE FROM.
"INSIDE POLITICS" right after a quick break.
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Attack; Interview With NASCAR Driver Ken Schrader>
