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Scientific Developments Fuel Debate Over Stem Cells; Missing Children Spotted in Montana; Big Business News Could Influence Summer Travel
Aired May 20, 2005 - 13:00 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.
MILES O'BRIEN, CO-HOST: A breakthrough in stem cells and human cloning research in South Korea raising ethical and medical questions here in the U.S.
BETTY NGUYEN, CO-HOST: The lawyer for Saddam Hussein raises questions after photos of the former Iraqi president in his underwear appear in the tabloids.
ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Alina Cho in Coeur D'Alene, Idaho, where that's been a possible break in the case of two missing children. We'll have the latest on the investigation in a live report coming up.
O'BRIEN: President Bush set to speak at a Christian college. But not all the students are thrilled about the choice for commencement speaker. We'll talk with a few of them.
From the CNN center in Atlanta, I'm Miles O'Brien.
NGUYEN: And I'm Betty Nguyen, in for Kyra Phillips today. CNN's LIVE FROM starts right now.
First off today, Saddam Hussein on the front pages again but probably not the way he'd prefer. A photo of the former Iraqi leader naked, save a pair of underpants, splashed most unflatteringly on the cover of "The New York Post" and Britain's "Sun" newspapers. Photographer? Well, that is unknown. Impact, very significant.
"The Sun" says it got the photo and others from a U.S. military source. The Pentagon says, "Not from us" and is investigating.
Now Saddam's lawyer tells CNN there are issues on the table that are more relevant than embarrassing photos.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GIOVANNI DI STEFANO, SADDAM HUSSEIN'S ATTORNEY: Well, whether they're authentic or not is actually quite irrelevant. The important issue -- and it's regrettable that something like this has happened -- the important issue is the statement made that we've just heard from the Kuwaiti foreign minister that he is expecting a fair trial.
The other important issue, of course, is the whole question of when is this man going to be charged? This is what the whole world wants. Never mind about photographs of Saddam Hussein in his underpants. That will be dealt with by the Pentagon and their aggressive inquiry.
But I would suggest that Mr. Rumsfeld, under President Bush's aggressive inquiry, is into why no charges have still been laid against the president, Saddam Hussein, after 19 months in custody and only two legal visits within that 19 months.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Now, again, the Pentagon says it is looking into who snapped the pictures of Saddam Hussein and, furthermore, says there is no confirmation that the pictures, indeed, are authentic. Certainly more to come on this story.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PROF. GERALD SCHATTEN, UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURG: Theoretically, this will be bigger than discoveries of vaccines or antibiotics.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: Tantalizing to many, terrifying to some, it's nuclear technology but not the radioactive sort. A bombshell to be sure, but not a bomb.
It's news from Korea, South Korea, that scientists have created almost a dozen new batches of stem cells from cloned human embryos with unprecedented efficiency.
It comes a little more than a year after the same lab created the world's first cloned human embryo, a feat, incidentally, that's just been, well, duplicated, so to speak, in Britain.
In this country, a bid to free up federal dollars for embryonic stem cell research is taking on a life of its own, though President Bush is warning he'll kill it if he can.
NGUYEN: The process is called therapeutic cloning, for the promise it's believed to offer against no end of chronic or life- threatening afflictions.
Now, a patient's own DNA from skin cells or elsewhere is inserted into donated human eggs that have been emptied of their own nuclear material. The resulting embryos are artificially simulated to grow and then develop, and a few days later stem cells are harvested.
They're coveted by researchers for their potential to develop into any kind of cells in the human body. They're controversial, because the embryos are destroyed when the stem cells are removed.
O'BRIEN: And we are quoting here now, "Destroying life in order to save life." CNN's Ed Henry gives us the state of play on the political front.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ED HENRY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The president confirming a story first reported on CNN, declaring that he will issue a veto if both houses of Congress pass that legislation that's coming up for a vote in the House early next week. This veto threat, a clear sign that the White House is nervous that, in fact, this legislation is picking up steam in both the House and Senate and could result in a political defeat for the president.
They feel that issuing this veto threat could stem the momentum for this legislation, and that's why the president did just that.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I made my position very clear on embryonic stem cells. I'm a strong supporter of adult stem cell research, of course, but I made it very clear to the Congress that the use of federal money, taxpayers' money, to promote science which destroys life in order to save life is -- I'm against that, and, therefore if the bill does that, I will veto it.
HENRY: Earlier the president spoke at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast about the culture of life. Stem cell research falls into this category because the president joins the Catholic Church in opposing the destruction of human embryos for this research.
That's why the president's current policy limits federal funding for this research to cell lines already in existence, but some scientists complain that many of these cell lines have been contaminated. These scientists have powerful allies like Nancy Reagan, who have been lobbying because they believe more research is needed to battle diseases like Alzheimer's.
That argument has gotten some weight on Capitol Hill among some Republicans who have joined with Democrats in a rare fight here with the president in their own party. That's why this legislation has picked up some steam.
The White House says it respects Nancy Reagan's view, of course, but they believe they have a powerful lobbyist of their own in first lady Laura Bush, daughter of an Alzheimer's patient, who has pointed out in the past that the president does support stem research. He just does not want to see an expansion of federal funding for that research.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Now, you can read up on the science, the ethics and the politics of embryonic stem cells and human cloning any time you want. All you have to do is go to CNN.com -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: An all-out search for two missing children now centered north of their Idaho home. This after authorities received a tip that Dylan and Shasta Groene may have been spotted outside a store in northern Idaho.
CNN's Alina Cho is following developments in the children's hometown of Coeur D'Alene. Alina, what's the latest?
CHO: Miles, here's what we know at this point. There has been a possible sighting of the two missing children, or children who resemble them. The children, of course, Dylan and Shasta Groene, 9 and 8 years old respectively. They have been missing since Monday night.
They were apparently spotted at a pawnshop which sells sporting goods about 70 miles north of here in Bonners Ferry, Idaho. The children were apparently with a tall man in a light-colored, full- sized van. The man apparently asked for directions to Libby, Montana, and the owner called in the tip, but the van has not been seen since.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CAPT. BEN WOLFINGER, KOOTENAI COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT: They weren't able to find the vehicle Thursday evening. We put in attempts to locate it on the description of that vehicle, particularly focused on northern Idaho, western Montana and southern Canada area. Every law enforcement agency and, quite frankly, a lot of the public are looking for that van.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: Family members certainly have more hope today because of that potential tip. They also spoke out today. The children's father had this message for his two missing kids.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEVE GROENE, FATHER: If they can see me or hear me I want them to know that -- and I know that they know I love them and I need them back with me. Everybody is praying for them, and all I can tell them is just please hang in there. This will be over soon. They're coming home.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: Remember, this is not just a missing persons case. It is also a triple murder investigation. The bodies of the children's mother, brother and boyfriend were found Monday night at the home, which is still, by the way, an active crime scene.
FBI technicians do hope to wrap up their work here at the home sometime later today.
I spoke with the county sheriff just a moment ago. He did tell me that so far nearly 500 tips have been called in to the hot line. Forty investigators are following those tips, Miles. But interestingly enough, no one who attended that gathering, that picnic at the home on Sunday night, which was the last time the victims were seen alive, have called in to authorities with any information.
O'BRIEN: That is so odd to me, and I guess in the face of it seems a little suspicious, doesn't it?
CHO: It certainly does, but, you know, I want to caution you, because the sheriff's captain did say earlier, "Listen, although we can't tell you how many people were at the gathering, if it did happen early enough in the day and nothing happened while these people were there, they might think in their own minds, 'Why should I call in? I have no information to offer'."
But authorities certainly are urging people very strongly, if you were at the home on Sunday night, please do call in to police and give them any information that you have -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: What do they have to lose? Alina Cho, thank you very much -- Betty.
NGUYEN: Two airlines, they get an urge to merge, but will it affect your summer travel plans? We'll talk about that with the Dolans.
And remember this accident caught on tape? Ouch. It hurts every time I see that. Well, today, the deputy that was hit tells about how he survived. That's coming up.
ANNOUNCER: You're watching LIVE FROM on CNN, the most trusted name in news.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(WEATHER REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Let's take a look at some news across America right now.
A satellite designed to improve weather forecasting was launched into space early today. A rocket carrying the satellite blasted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base after four delays. It is the fourth in a series of five polar orbiting weather satellites.
Inspectors, they are trying to determine the cause of a building collapse in Brooklyn. Look at these pictures. The three-story building was undergoing renovations yesterday when its side walls fell in. Eleven construction workers were injured. Remarkably, though, no one was killed.
And safety concerns follow a massive oil well fire in southern California. The oil well exploded yesterday, sparking a fire which injured two people and threatened nearby homes. The owner of the oil well warns the rigging above the wall or the well could collapse.
O'BRIEN: And now for this week's edition of planes, trains and recreational vehicles. It means, of course, who else could it be but the Dolans standing by, Ken and Daria here to shamelessly promote their program, which is now...
KEN DOLAN, CO-HOST, "DOLANS UNSCRIPTED: That is correct.
O'BRIEN: ... a ratings juggernaut beyond all -- well, who would have guessed it? Who would have guessed it? There they are, the kings of Saturday morning.
K. DOLAN: Hello, Miles. Because of our specialty rate, we have renamed ourselves. We are now known as the flying Dolanzo twins. O'BRIEN: The flying -- a high wire act.
DARIA DOLAN, CO-HOST, "DOLANS UNSCRIPTED": Or Dolans and O'Brien. Whatever you want to.
O'BRIEN: I like that.
K. DOLAN: No way, Miles.
O'BRIEN: Different part of Ireland there.
All right. Let's talk about this merger. It's like -- it's like having two patients in the ICU. They're about to pronounce them dead, and they fall in love with each other. They go to...
D. DOLAN: U.S. Airways and Northwest.
O'BRIEN: They try to embrace. They try to embrace, but they have too many tubes attached. They really can't embrace. We're talking U.S. Air and America West.
K. DOLAN: American.
O'BRIEN: What do you think?
K. DOLAN: All right. Let's get started.
D. DOLAN: Here's what I think. This is the equivalent of hitching up the "Titanic" to the "Lusitania" in the thought that they'll keep each other afloat a little bit longer, when in fact, the added weight will just drag them down.
K. DOLAN: All right, all right, all right. Enough of that.
O'BRIEN: So don't buy tickets. Is that what you're saying? Don't buy tickets on this airline?
D. DOLAN: No, no, no. I'm not saying that. They're going to fly for awhile.
O'BRIEN: Yes.
D. DOLAN: They're going to fly for awhile. But, Ken, go ahead.
O'BRIEN: All right, Ken.
D. DOLAN: I don't want to be accused of...
K. DOLAN: You're depressing the heck out of us. You're ruining our weekend.
Miles, here's the good news. You are talking about an industry in incredibly, incredibly bad shape. Airlines followed closely by the auto industry.
OK. But the good news in this in this merger is that fact that it's starting a trend that has to continue. It's called consolidation.
I talked to the president. And I'm not going to tell you who it is, Miles, although you're one of my best friends in my whole life. I've talked to the president of a low-fare airline on Wednesday morning. And I said, "What do you have to do to make this airline really, really work?"
And he says, "I've got to get people to sample it," which means you've got a finite list of passengers and everybody is after them.
This merger is OK. There's going to be labor troubles, but I'm telling you any investor watching us across the country, the airline industry is a disaster.
O'BRIEN: So run for the exits if you're thinking about buying stock.
D. DOLAN: Absolutely.
O'BRIEN: If you're flying, there might be an opportunity, right?
D. DOLAN: Well, there certainly may be an opportunity for the near term, because they're going to be another low-cost airline, as long as they can afford the gasoline or the petroleum products that they need for the near term.
They will keep their frequent flier programs intact and consolidate them together. Nobody will lose any points.
And the only thing you have to worry about is their mechanics and machinists belong to different unions, and therein lies the labor problems. And if you recall the mess over Christmastime with U.S. Airways...
O'BRIEN: We do.
D. DOLAN: We could see more of that going forward.
O'BRIEN: All right. Speaking of messes...
K. DOLAN: Yes.
O'BRIEN: ... Amtrak, in a word, a mess, right?
K. DOLAN: That's two words, Miles, but I will agree with you.
O'BRIEN: A mess, you're right.
K. DOLAN: I went down -- I went down to Washington to talk to some people about Amtrak and then came back Amtrak. I won't reveal what happened to me on the way back. You've got to watch on Saturday. But Amtrak...
O'BRIEN: But it's ugly. Folks, it's ugly.
K. DOLAN: It is very ugly. Whoa. Who is that man?
D. DOLAN: It's ugly just as you materialize on screen.
K. DOLAN: Is that -- is that Pierce Brosnan? Oh, no, that's me. All right.
Amtrak has a problem. They put over $20 billion in Amtrak, Miles, since 1970 when Amtrak was -- when Amtrak was founded. The problem is it's in not much better shape than it was. There's very -- there's going to be very little money in the budget for Amtrak.
Now here's the catch. The people I talked to said, don't worry so much about profitability. Hello! Talk about it as a public service. We need it so people can make it work.
O'BRIEN: We can make it up with volume right?
K. DOLAN: That's right.
D. DOLAN: Exactly. But you know, the other problem with Amtrak is it was originally put together in 1970 to become a self-sufficient company.
O'BRIEN: Any day now.
D. DOLAN: It has failed that for 34 years.
O'BRIEN: Any day now. I think if they merge with America West, maybe that will help.
Let's finally -- one final thought here.
K. DOLAN: Yes.
O'BRIEN: I want to hear about these fraction ownerships on RV's.
D. DOLAN: This is a fascinating concept.
O'BRIEN: Because you're doing a thing on this tomorrow, right?
D. DOLAN: We are.
K. DOLAN: We're going to do that. Yes.
O'BRIEN: Tell me about this.
D. DOLAN: You know how some wealthy people will take fractional ownership of jets so that they can avoid the TSA and the crowd at airports?
K. DOLAN: Miles has one. Miles has a fractional ownership of jets.
D. DOLAN: Well, he didn't need one. He can just fly his own.
K. DOLAN: Yes.
D. DOLAN: But -- but this is for you and me, you know, people that don't have bazillions of dollars lying around to put into fractional ownership of big items.
You can get a luxury RV by buying a fractional piece of it for a couple of weeks, three weeks, a month, touring the country in it and then dropping it right back and going on with your merry way and not have the insurances and all the other things that can break the budget.
O'BRIEN: That's an -- that's an interesting concept. So you think this is something to look at as a business? Do you think the business will work?
K. DOLAN: Well, yes, I think it may very well. Fractional ownership is here. We're going to put a satellite, but a big CNN on the side and do our show from the road.
O'BRIEN: I like that idea. "THE DOLANS: UNSCRIPTED, UNTETHERED." All right. Excellent.
D. DOLAN: And I'll also offer fractional ownership of Ken to anyone out there interested.
O'BRIEN: All right, Dolans.
K. DOLAN: Thanks, guys.
O'BRIEN: The program, of course, as you know, because it's in your TiVo right now, is 10 a.m. Eastern Time. Tomorrow, "Planes, Trains & Automobiles," summer travel special. "DOLANS UNSCRIPTED." They're busy doing their scripts right now -- no, they're preparing their ad libs.
All right. Thanks, guys. Always a pleasure. More coming up.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN (voice-over): Next on LIVE FROM, President Bush may not be preaching to the choir tomorrow. Why some people at a Christian college are not necessarily thrilled about their commencement speaker.
Later on LIVE FROM...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To me that was dirty. That was cheap.
O'BRIEN: While this soldier was fighting in Iraq, his wife had to fight a battle on the home front.
And also ahead on LIVE FROM, pitching a perfect game. Meet an 11-year-old maestro of the mound who just happens to be a girl.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) PHILLIPS: Well, hey, you've seen the pictures and now the Minnesota sheriff's deputy who narrowly escaped death is telling his story. So amazing, these pictures.
O'BRIEN: It's -- well, you know, let's watch it because it just takes your breath away.
PHILLIPS: Ooh!
O'BRIEN: Deputy Glenn Pothen trying to pull a car out of a ditch. A truck driver who was not driving responsibly lost control, plowed right into him. Remarkably, he walked away from this. And we were talking about it yesterday. Going into the bushes, I think, was crucial here.
Anyway, the deputy appeared on CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING," along with a state patrol trooper who was right there when it happened.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEPUTY GLENN POTHEN, RAMSEY COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT: I have no idea how I survived it. I don't know if the fact that I didn't see the vehicle coming meant that when I was struck, my body was limber, as opposed to being tensed up. But, again, it's a miracle that I wasn't seriously injured or killed.
I remember, I think I was somewhat on my side, but I remember lying on my back and then just start going through an assessment of myself, kind of going, "OK, my head feels good. My neck feels good. My back feels fine. I can wiggle my fingers. I can move my toes and legs and everything like that."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Remarkable.
O'BRIEN: He walked away with minor injuries. Truly remarkable story. A story to tell.
The lonely Maytag repairman has a new boss.
NGUYEN: That's another story. Kathleen Hays has that story and a check of the markets.
Hi there, Kathleen.
(STOCK REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Aired May 20, 2005 - 13:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CO-HOST: A breakthrough in stem cells and human cloning research in South Korea raising ethical and medical questions here in the U.S.
BETTY NGUYEN, CO-HOST: The lawyer for Saddam Hussein raises questions after photos of the former Iraqi president in his underwear appear in the tabloids.
ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Alina Cho in Coeur D'Alene, Idaho, where that's been a possible break in the case of two missing children. We'll have the latest on the investigation in a live report coming up.
O'BRIEN: President Bush set to speak at a Christian college. But not all the students are thrilled about the choice for commencement speaker. We'll talk with a few of them.
From the CNN center in Atlanta, I'm Miles O'Brien.
NGUYEN: And I'm Betty Nguyen, in for Kyra Phillips today. CNN's LIVE FROM starts right now.
First off today, Saddam Hussein on the front pages again but probably not the way he'd prefer. A photo of the former Iraqi leader naked, save a pair of underpants, splashed most unflatteringly on the cover of "The New York Post" and Britain's "Sun" newspapers. Photographer? Well, that is unknown. Impact, very significant.
"The Sun" says it got the photo and others from a U.S. military source. The Pentagon says, "Not from us" and is investigating.
Now Saddam's lawyer tells CNN there are issues on the table that are more relevant than embarrassing photos.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GIOVANNI DI STEFANO, SADDAM HUSSEIN'S ATTORNEY: Well, whether they're authentic or not is actually quite irrelevant. The important issue -- and it's regrettable that something like this has happened -- the important issue is the statement made that we've just heard from the Kuwaiti foreign minister that he is expecting a fair trial.
The other important issue, of course, is the whole question of when is this man going to be charged? This is what the whole world wants. Never mind about photographs of Saddam Hussein in his underpants. That will be dealt with by the Pentagon and their aggressive inquiry.
But I would suggest that Mr. Rumsfeld, under President Bush's aggressive inquiry, is into why no charges have still been laid against the president, Saddam Hussein, after 19 months in custody and only two legal visits within that 19 months.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Now, again, the Pentagon says it is looking into who snapped the pictures of Saddam Hussein and, furthermore, says there is no confirmation that the pictures, indeed, are authentic. Certainly more to come on this story.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PROF. GERALD SCHATTEN, UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURG: Theoretically, this will be bigger than discoveries of vaccines or antibiotics.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: Tantalizing to many, terrifying to some, it's nuclear technology but not the radioactive sort. A bombshell to be sure, but not a bomb.
It's news from Korea, South Korea, that scientists have created almost a dozen new batches of stem cells from cloned human embryos with unprecedented efficiency.
It comes a little more than a year after the same lab created the world's first cloned human embryo, a feat, incidentally, that's just been, well, duplicated, so to speak, in Britain.
In this country, a bid to free up federal dollars for embryonic stem cell research is taking on a life of its own, though President Bush is warning he'll kill it if he can.
NGUYEN: The process is called therapeutic cloning, for the promise it's believed to offer against no end of chronic or life- threatening afflictions.
Now, a patient's own DNA from skin cells or elsewhere is inserted into donated human eggs that have been emptied of their own nuclear material. The resulting embryos are artificially simulated to grow and then develop, and a few days later stem cells are harvested.
They're coveted by researchers for their potential to develop into any kind of cells in the human body. They're controversial, because the embryos are destroyed when the stem cells are removed.
O'BRIEN: And we are quoting here now, "Destroying life in order to save life." CNN's Ed Henry gives us the state of play on the political front.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ED HENRY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The president confirming a story first reported on CNN, declaring that he will issue a veto if both houses of Congress pass that legislation that's coming up for a vote in the House early next week. This veto threat, a clear sign that the White House is nervous that, in fact, this legislation is picking up steam in both the House and Senate and could result in a political defeat for the president.
They feel that issuing this veto threat could stem the momentum for this legislation, and that's why the president did just that.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I made my position very clear on embryonic stem cells. I'm a strong supporter of adult stem cell research, of course, but I made it very clear to the Congress that the use of federal money, taxpayers' money, to promote science which destroys life in order to save life is -- I'm against that, and, therefore if the bill does that, I will veto it.
HENRY: Earlier the president spoke at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast about the culture of life. Stem cell research falls into this category because the president joins the Catholic Church in opposing the destruction of human embryos for this research.
That's why the president's current policy limits federal funding for this research to cell lines already in existence, but some scientists complain that many of these cell lines have been contaminated. These scientists have powerful allies like Nancy Reagan, who have been lobbying because they believe more research is needed to battle diseases like Alzheimer's.
That argument has gotten some weight on Capitol Hill among some Republicans who have joined with Democrats in a rare fight here with the president in their own party. That's why this legislation has picked up some steam.
The White House says it respects Nancy Reagan's view, of course, but they believe they have a powerful lobbyist of their own in first lady Laura Bush, daughter of an Alzheimer's patient, who has pointed out in the past that the president does support stem research. He just does not want to see an expansion of federal funding for that research.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Now, you can read up on the science, the ethics and the politics of embryonic stem cells and human cloning any time you want. All you have to do is go to CNN.com -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: An all-out search for two missing children now centered north of their Idaho home. This after authorities received a tip that Dylan and Shasta Groene may have been spotted outside a store in northern Idaho.
CNN's Alina Cho is following developments in the children's hometown of Coeur D'Alene. Alina, what's the latest?
CHO: Miles, here's what we know at this point. There has been a possible sighting of the two missing children, or children who resemble them. The children, of course, Dylan and Shasta Groene, 9 and 8 years old respectively. They have been missing since Monday night.
They were apparently spotted at a pawnshop which sells sporting goods about 70 miles north of here in Bonners Ferry, Idaho. The children were apparently with a tall man in a light-colored, full- sized van. The man apparently asked for directions to Libby, Montana, and the owner called in the tip, but the van has not been seen since.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CAPT. BEN WOLFINGER, KOOTENAI COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT: They weren't able to find the vehicle Thursday evening. We put in attempts to locate it on the description of that vehicle, particularly focused on northern Idaho, western Montana and southern Canada area. Every law enforcement agency and, quite frankly, a lot of the public are looking for that van.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: Family members certainly have more hope today because of that potential tip. They also spoke out today. The children's father had this message for his two missing kids.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEVE GROENE, FATHER: If they can see me or hear me I want them to know that -- and I know that they know I love them and I need them back with me. Everybody is praying for them, and all I can tell them is just please hang in there. This will be over soon. They're coming home.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: Remember, this is not just a missing persons case. It is also a triple murder investigation. The bodies of the children's mother, brother and boyfriend were found Monday night at the home, which is still, by the way, an active crime scene.
FBI technicians do hope to wrap up their work here at the home sometime later today.
I spoke with the county sheriff just a moment ago. He did tell me that so far nearly 500 tips have been called in to the hot line. Forty investigators are following those tips, Miles. But interestingly enough, no one who attended that gathering, that picnic at the home on Sunday night, which was the last time the victims were seen alive, have called in to authorities with any information.
O'BRIEN: That is so odd to me, and I guess in the face of it seems a little suspicious, doesn't it?
CHO: It certainly does, but, you know, I want to caution you, because the sheriff's captain did say earlier, "Listen, although we can't tell you how many people were at the gathering, if it did happen early enough in the day and nothing happened while these people were there, they might think in their own minds, 'Why should I call in? I have no information to offer'."
But authorities certainly are urging people very strongly, if you were at the home on Sunday night, please do call in to police and give them any information that you have -- Miles.
O'BRIEN: What do they have to lose? Alina Cho, thank you very much -- Betty.
NGUYEN: Two airlines, they get an urge to merge, but will it affect your summer travel plans? We'll talk about that with the Dolans.
And remember this accident caught on tape? Ouch. It hurts every time I see that. Well, today, the deputy that was hit tells about how he survived. That's coming up.
ANNOUNCER: You're watching LIVE FROM on CNN, the most trusted name in news.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(WEATHER REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Let's take a look at some news across America right now.
A satellite designed to improve weather forecasting was launched into space early today. A rocket carrying the satellite blasted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base after four delays. It is the fourth in a series of five polar orbiting weather satellites.
Inspectors, they are trying to determine the cause of a building collapse in Brooklyn. Look at these pictures. The three-story building was undergoing renovations yesterday when its side walls fell in. Eleven construction workers were injured. Remarkably, though, no one was killed.
And safety concerns follow a massive oil well fire in southern California. The oil well exploded yesterday, sparking a fire which injured two people and threatened nearby homes. The owner of the oil well warns the rigging above the wall or the well could collapse.
O'BRIEN: And now for this week's edition of planes, trains and recreational vehicles. It means, of course, who else could it be but the Dolans standing by, Ken and Daria here to shamelessly promote their program, which is now...
KEN DOLAN, CO-HOST, "DOLANS UNSCRIPTED: That is correct.
O'BRIEN: ... a ratings juggernaut beyond all -- well, who would have guessed it? Who would have guessed it? There they are, the kings of Saturday morning.
K. DOLAN: Hello, Miles. Because of our specialty rate, we have renamed ourselves. We are now known as the flying Dolanzo twins. O'BRIEN: The flying -- a high wire act.
DARIA DOLAN, CO-HOST, "DOLANS UNSCRIPTED": Or Dolans and O'Brien. Whatever you want to.
O'BRIEN: I like that.
K. DOLAN: No way, Miles.
O'BRIEN: Different part of Ireland there.
All right. Let's talk about this merger. It's like -- it's like having two patients in the ICU. They're about to pronounce them dead, and they fall in love with each other. They go to...
D. DOLAN: U.S. Airways and Northwest.
O'BRIEN: They try to embrace. They try to embrace, but they have too many tubes attached. They really can't embrace. We're talking U.S. Air and America West.
K. DOLAN: American.
O'BRIEN: What do you think?
K. DOLAN: All right. Let's get started.
D. DOLAN: Here's what I think. This is the equivalent of hitching up the "Titanic" to the "Lusitania" in the thought that they'll keep each other afloat a little bit longer, when in fact, the added weight will just drag them down.
K. DOLAN: All right, all right, all right. Enough of that.
O'BRIEN: So don't buy tickets. Is that what you're saying? Don't buy tickets on this airline?
D. DOLAN: No, no, no. I'm not saying that. They're going to fly for awhile.
O'BRIEN: Yes.
D. DOLAN: They're going to fly for awhile. But, Ken, go ahead.
O'BRIEN: All right, Ken.
D. DOLAN: I don't want to be accused of...
K. DOLAN: You're depressing the heck out of us. You're ruining our weekend.
Miles, here's the good news. You are talking about an industry in incredibly, incredibly bad shape. Airlines followed closely by the auto industry.
OK. But the good news in this in this merger is that fact that it's starting a trend that has to continue. It's called consolidation.
I talked to the president. And I'm not going to tell you who it is, Miles, although you're one of my best friends in my whole life. I've talked to the president of a low-fare airline on Wednesday morning. And I said, "What do you have to do to make this airline really, really work?"
And he says, "I've got to get people to sample it," which means you've got a finite list of passengers and everybody is after them.
This merger is OK. There's going to be labor troubles, but I'm telling you any investor watching us across the country, the airline industry is a disaster.
O'BRIEN: So run for the exits if you're thinking about buying stock.
D. DOLAN: Absolutely.
O'BRIEN: If you're flying, there might be an opportunity, right?
D. DOLAN: Well, there certainly may be an opportunity for the near term, because they're going to be another low-cost airline, as long as they can afford the gasoline or the petroleum products that they need for the near term.
They will keep their frequent flier programs intact and consolidate them together. Nobody will lose any points.
And the only thing you have to worry about is their mechanics and machinists belong to different unions, and therein lies the labor problems. And if you recall the mess over Christmastime with U.S. Airways...
O'BRIEN: We do.
D. DOLAN: We could see more of that going forward.
O'BRIEN: All right. Speaking of messes...
K. DOLAN: Yes.
O'BRIEN: ... Amtrak, in a word, a mess, right?
K. DOLAN: That's two words, Miles, but I will agree with you.
O'BRIEN: A mess, you're right.
K. DOLAN: I went down -- I went down to Washington to talk to some people about Amtrak and then came back Amtrak. I won't reveal what happened to me on the way back. You've got to watch on Saturday. But Amtrak...
O'BRIEN: But it's ugly. Folks, it's ugly.
K. DOLAN: It is very ugly. Whoa. Who is that man?
D. DOLAN: It's ugly just as you materialize on screen.
K. DOLAN: Is that -- is that Pierce Brosnan? Oh, no, that's me. All right.
Amtrak has a problem. They put over $20 billion in Amtrak, Miles, since 1970 when Amtrak was -- when Amtrak was founded. The problem is it's in not much better shape than it was. There's very -- there's going to be very little money in the budget for Amtrak.
Now here's the catch. The people I talked to said, don't worry so much about profitability. Hello! Talk about it as a public service. We need it so people can make it work.
O'BRIEN: We can make it up with volume right?
K. DOLAN: That's right.
D. DOLAN: Exactly. But you know, the other problem with Amtrak is it was originally put together in 1970 to become a self-sufficient company.
O'BRIEN: Any day now.
D. DOLAN: It has failed that for 34 years.
O'BRIEN: Any day now. I think if they merge with America West, maybe that will help.
Let's finally -- one final thought here.
K. DOLAN: Yes.
O'BRIEN: I want to hear about these fraction ownerships on RV's.
D. DOLAN: This is a fascinating concept.
O'BRIEN: Because you're doing a thing on this tomorrow, right?
D. DOLAN: We are.
K. DOLAN: We're going to do that. Yes.
O'BRIEN: Tell me about this.
D. DOLAN: You know how some wealthy people will take fractional ownership of jets so that they can avoid the TSA and the crowd at airports?
K. DOLAN: Miles has one. Miles has a fractional ownership of jets.
D. DOLAN: Well, he didn't need one. He can just fly his own.
K. DOLAN: Yes.
D. DOLAN: But -- but this is for you and me, you know, people that don't have bazillions of dollars lying around to put into fractional ownership of big items.
You can get a luxury RV by buying a fractional piece of it for a couple of weeks, three weeks, a month, touring the country in it and then dropping it right back and going on with your merry way and not have the insurances and all the other things that can break the budget.
O'BRIEN: That's an -- that's an interesting concept. So you think this is something to look at as a business? Do you think the business will work?
K. DOLAN: Well, yes, I think it may very well. Fractional ownership is here. We're going to put a satellite, but a big CNN on the side and do our show from the road.
O'BRIEN: I like that idea. "THE DOLANS: UNSCRIPTED, UNTETHERED." All right. Excellent.
D. DOLAN: And I'll also offer fractional ownership of Ken to anyone out there interested.
O'BRIEN: All right, Dolans.
K. DOLAN: Thanks, guys.
O'BRIEN: The program, of course, as you know, because it's in your TiVo right now, is 10 a.m. Eastern Time. Tomorrow, "Planes, Trains & Automobiles," summer travel special. "DOLANS UNSCRIPTED." They're busy doing their scripts right now -- no, they're preparing their ad libs.
All right. Thanks, guys. Always a pleasure. More coming up.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN (voice-over): Next on LIVE FROM, President Bush may not be preaching to the choir tomorrow. Why some people at a Christian college are not necessarily thrilled about their commencement speaker.
Later on LIVE FROM...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To me that was dirty. That was cheap.
O'BRIEN: While this soldier was fighting in Iraq, his wife had to fight a battle on the home front.
And also ahead on LIVE FROM, pitching a perfect game. Meet an 11-year-old maestro of the mound who just happens to be a girl.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) PHILLIPS: Well, hey, you've seen the pictures and now the Minnesota sheriff's deputy who narrowly escaped death is telling his story. So amazing, these pictures.
O'BRIEN: It's -- well, you know, let's watch it because it just takes your breath away.
PHILLIPS: Ooh!
O'BRIEN: Deputy Glenn Pothen trying to pull a car out of a ditch. A truck driver who was not driving responsibly lost control, plowed right into him. Remarkably, he walked away from this. And we were talking about it yesterday. Going into the bushes, I think, was crucial here.
Anyway, the deputy appeared on CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING," along with a state patrol trooper who was right there when it happened.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEPUTY GLENN POTHEN, RAMSEY COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT: I have no idea how I survived it. I don't know if the fact that I didn't see the vehicle coming meant that when I was struck, my body was limber, as opposed to being tensed up. But, again, it's a miracle that I wasn't seriously injured or killed.
I remember, I think I was somewhat on my side, but I remember lying on my back and then just start going through an assessment of myself, kind of going, "OK, my head feels good. My neck feels good. My back feels fine. I can wiggle my fingers. I can move my toes and legs and everything like that."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Remarkable.
O'BRIEN: He walked away with minor injuries. Truly remarkable story. A story to tell.
The lonely Maytag repairman has a new boss.
NGUYEN: That's another story. Kathleen Hays has that story and a check of the markets.
Hi there, Kathleen.
(STOCK REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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