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Live From...
Predawn Raids Net Four Arrests in London Attacks; Police Draining Flood Pond in Holloway Search; Clement Clocked; Danger Lurking in Florida Zipcode
Aired July 27, 2005 - 13:59 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Suspected terror bomber nabbed. Investigators make an arrest in the London attack. Will it lead to the mastermind of the plot?
Child molesters in the neighborhood. CNN visits a zip code with Florida's highest concentration of registered sex offenders.
Flattened by a line drive. Ooh. A Major League pitcher gets slammed. We're going to check in on how he's doing.
From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Kyra Phillips. This hour of CNN's LIVE FROM starts right now.
First up, caught by surveillance cameras, now by British police. Scotland Yard calls today's arrest of a suspected bomber a breakthrough in their search for those who have been planning and carrying out attacks on London's trains and buses.
CNN's John Mann standing by outside the very high security Paddington Green jail.
Hi, John.
JONATHAN MANN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, most of this country was still asleep when police made their biggest breakthrough yet of their terror investigation, the arrest about 100 miles north of here of Yasin Hassan Omar, a 24-year-old Somali who was suspected of being one of the four bombers who tried to attack the London transit system last Thursday.
Omar was taken by surprise, but he didn't give up easily. He resisted arrest. Police used a Taser stun gun to subdue him long enough to grab him and bring him back here to London, to Paddington Green for an interrogation, an interrogation that we understand would still be under way -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: And interrogations that have taken place for a long time, John. Give a little bit of the history behind the types of individuals, extreme type of individuals, criminals interrogated in this jail over the number of years.
MANN: That's right. This is where you'd end up if you were in the worst kind of trouble in this country. This is where they interrogated IRA suspects, where they interrogated the British prisoners at Guantanamo Bay who were given a chance to leave Cuba and come back here.
The interrogations go on in a building that's really built like an office tower built into a bunker. And right across the street, reinforcing how central this is to the investigation, the Edgware Road subway station. That was one of the places that the bombers did hit earlier in the month. Six people and a bomber died just across the street from this station among the 52 victims who were killed that day -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right. John Mann, you'll keep us posted if that suspect indeed gives police any other leads to other suspects.
Meanwhile, Egypt is also on the trail of terrorists after Saturday's deadly attacks in Sharm el-Sheikh. Police are said to be searching for more than a dozen Egyptians and local tribesmen, all believed to have played a role in that weekend bombing, as well as an attack last year.
Egypt's leaders are looking at new ways to combat what they now admit is a well organized network while urging citizens to just stay the course.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AHMED NAZIF, EGYPTIAN PRIME MINISTER: We don't believe that we should let the terrorists have their way. I mean, this is exactly what they want us to do, to stay at home, to be scared. I don't think we should be.
We should be careful, of course. We should learn our lessons. We should make sure that we increase our security measures, but I don't think that we should capitulate to this and just leave Sharm el- Sheikh to become -- you know, it's, as I said, a ground jewel. You don't want to make it a ghost city by any means.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: At least 84 people were killed in the explosions this past weekend at the Red Sea resort.
Turning now to Aruba and what authorities hope will be a break in the search for Natalee Holloway. Investigators are draining a flood pond right now amid some new information that's come to light in the case.
CNN producer Bethany Chamberland has been at that pond in Palm Beach, Aruba, all day. She joins me now on the phone.
Bethany, what can you tell us about the specific area and why they're draining that basin and what they're looking for?
BETHANY CHAMBERLAND, CNN PRODUCER: Well, they had a lead that when Natalee Holloway disappeared that she might have gone through this area at one point with the three suspects. And so they're draining it. They've been doing it for about 17 hours now. There's still a lot left to go. They have as many as four ponds going, and right now, actually, Kyra, most of the manpower is going to a new pump that they brought in that got stuck in the sand.
PHILLIPS: Oh, it got stuck in the sand?
CHAMBERLAND: Yes, before they were able to set it up.
PHILLIPS: So it's not working well right now? Are they trying to troubleshoot that?
CHAMBERLAND: They're definitely trying to troubleshoot it, and that's where a lot of the manpower is going right now. But I can tell you that the water is going out at a much stronger pace than it was a couple of hours ago. So it hasn't put too much of a drain on the progress.
PHILLIPS: Now let's talk about this area specifically. What do we know about this gardener, evidently a witness that called in and said he saw the suspects, van der Sloot and the Kalpoe brothers, at this location at a bizarre time in the middle of the morning. Is that right?
CHAMBERLAND: Yes, it is. And this location is directly across the street from the beach where in some of the statements they're saying the last place that Natalee Holloway was last seen. So it definitely makes sense that we should be looking more in this area.
PHILLIPS: So the suspects, were they actually seen in a car? Were they seen walking around this area? What was suspicious?
CHAMBERLAND: They were seen in a car, and this area is a new construction development. So there really is no reason why people would be there at night.
There are some houses that are being lived in, which is one of the ones that the gardener, you know, was going to. But most of the area is very quiet, very open, and it's about -- a lot of empty houses.
PHILLIPS: So has anyone said to you as you've been there at the scene that they feel pretty confident that a body could possibly be in this area?
CHAMBERLAND: No, they're being very, very quiet. All they're talking about so far is the progress that they're making in draining the water. They're not saying exactly specifically what they are looking for. So kind of implied, but they are definitely keeping the information close to the vest.
PHILLIPS: Our producer, Bethany Chamberland, there as this pond in Palm Beach, Aruba, is being drained, possibly looking for clues to crack the case, maybe even find Natalee Holloway.
We'll keep checking in with you, Bethany. Thank you. Meanwhile, the Space Shuttle Discovery crew is hard at work today, a day before its scheduled rendezvous with the International Space Station. The first order of business was inspecting the orbiter for any outward signs of launch damage. That was done with the help of a newly modified robotic arm attached to Discovery.
NASA officials say they don't think a piece of tile that hit Discovery's belly during liftoff is a serious matter. NASA does expect to have enough information by Sunday, though, to decide whether any repairs are needed.
Footage also shows the fuel tank's nose cone hit a bird just seconds after liftoff yesterday. You can see that highlighted red area there in the front of the nose.
Well, that bird and Boston Red Sox pitcher Matt Clement have something in common.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Off Clement.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Ooh. I don't know if you saw that, but believe me, we'll probably play it a couple more times.
The pitcher was clocked in the head by a line drive during last night's game against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Clement was knocked down to the ground and taken to the hospital for evaluation.
CNN's Steve Overmyer joins me now with an update on how he's doing.
Let's start there. What's his condition?
STEVE OVERMYER, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Well, first off, I think the prevailing theme here is it could have been a lot worse. Matt Clement right now -- actually, that night, there were some tense moments when he lay on the ground, nobody really knew exactly what was going to be happening there. But he was taken off on a stretcher.
The good news is x-rays and the CAT scan were negative. Though, Kyra, he will undergo some more tests today. We have not found out anymore information today, but he did take one right there, really behind the ear, as you saw.
It hit so hard it careened into the outfield. That is really a terrible shot.
PHILLIPS: All right. Let's talk about Clement for a minute and just -- how fast does he usually pitch, about 90 miles an hour?
OVERMYER: Well, that pitch, that was about a 90-mile-an-hour pitch. Now, you're expecting the ball to be coming back probably a little bit faster than that. So... PHILLIPS: Off the bat?
OVERMYER: Absolutely. But this is...
PHILLIPS: So more than 100 miles an hour that ball could have clocked him in the head?
OVERMYER: Exactly. But this isn't uncommon. I mean, pitchers do get hit quite often.
As a matter of fact, just this year a couple of all-star pitchers, Roy Halladay and Mark Prior, both spent time on the disabled list by being injured, one hit in the arm, one in the leg. Again, they weren't hit in the head, but there are guys who have been hit in the head. Recently...
PHILLIPS: When is the last time it happened?
OVERMYER: Well, recently Al Leiter, Carl Pavano both hit in the head recently, and they've come back and they've actually pitched very well. As a matter of fact, in 2002, L.A. Dodgers pitcher Kaz Ishii, actually got hit in the head so hard, he needed to put a titanium plate in his forehead to repair it. He's come back, and he's been OK, but all of the news is not good when it comes to being hit in the head.
I mean, you're talking about a baseball hitting a guy in the head. The most memorable and most graphic was back in the year 2000, right there.
Bryce Florie of the Red Sox, coincidentally, had a liner that broke several bones in his face, including his orbital bone, his cheekbone. He was on the disabled list for 10 months. Impaired vision was a problem with him as well.
He actually came back the next season but only pitched in seven games. He's been out of the majors and has not been back since. Since then, he has said that there wasn't a day that he was pitching that he didn't think about that ball coming back to his face.
So clearly, even though Clement could come back fully and 100 percent...
PHILLIPS: It's a psychological thing, yes.
OVERMYER: ... there's some psychological damage that he's got to overcome, and maybe some emotional stress that's going to have to overcome. Because you know what? Standing 60 feet, six inches away from a hitter hitting the ball, and the ball coming back to you that much faster, it's going to have some sort of a psychological effect on the way that you deliver the ball and maybe getting in more of a defensive stance.
PHILLIPS: Wow. All right. Well keep -- keep us updated on his condition. OVERMYER: You bet.
PHILLIPS: All right. Thank you, Steve.
OVERMYER: Sure.
PHILLIPS: Well, America's top general in Iraq makes a prediction on when U.S. troops might be able to leave that country. We've got details.
And what do scribbled notes and written memos reveal about Supreme Court nominee John Roberts? We're going to go in-depth on those documents we've uncovered straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: A developing story here in Atlanta, Georgia. These pictures coming in from our affiliate WXIA.
This is the I-285 freeway on the west side of 285, a pileup that has happened because of an explosion. Five semi trucks, two vehicles, we're told. Traffic now at a standstill.
Not quite sure what caused the explosion, not quite sure the condition of those in the semi trucks or the vehicles. You can see the area has been cordoned off. A number of police cars, fire trucks, rescue teams working this explosion on I-285 on the west side of Atlanta, Georgia.
Not quite sure what caused that explosion, but we're following this for you, trying to get as much information as possible. And we'll bring it to you as soon as we have more information.
All right. We're going to move on now to some sparring today over when Senate confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee John Roberts should begin. Now, yesterday, the National Archives released thousands of Roberts' documents. Democrats say that they need more to learn Roberts' thinking on hot-button issues.
Joining us from Washington, Ed Lazarus, former Supreme Court clerk, author of the book "Closed Chambers."
Good to see you again, Ed.
EDWARD LAZARUS, FMR. SUPREME COURT CLERK: Nice to be with you, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Well, we're learning more and more about John Roberts. And now that these documents have been released, I want to get into some details about these documents. But I guess maybe your overall impression after seeing sort of his thought process over the past 20 years or so. All in all, staunch conservative.
LAZARUS: Yes, that's what I would say, Kyra. If you wanted to put a needle on the meter, do those documents suggest he's more or less conservative? They suggest that he's more conservative. PHILLIPS: All right. So this one memo to Sandra Day O'Connor back in September of 1981, and he actually prepped her for her confirmation hearings. He says, "The proposition that the only way senators can ascertain a nominee's views is through questions on specific cases should be rejected. If nominees will lie concerning their philosophy, they will lie in response to specific questions as well."
It's amazing, considering his age, the advice he was giving to Sandra Day O'Connor.
LAZARUS: Yes, there he is at, what, 27 years old.
PHILLIPS: Right.
LAZARUS: And he's in the middle of a confirmation fight. Who could imagine 23 years later he's going to have to face that same issue himself?
PHILLIPS: It's incredible. He's up for the seat of the woman that he prepared for confirmation hearings.
LAZARUS: It's a very small world, isn't it?
PHILLIPS: Now, did you get a chance to meet him at any point in time?
LAZARUS: We've met, but I don't know him personally.
PHILLIPS: What does Sandra Day O'Connor think of him? And what did she think of the way he prepped her?
LAZARUS: Well, I don't know the answer to that, but I know she thinks very highly of him. In fact, she released a statement saying that she was very impressed with the confirmation choice except for the fact that it wasn't a woman. I thought that was rather unusual, that a sitting justice, one who's leaving the court, would comment on her potential successor.
PHILLIPS: All right. Well, he also -- a number of quotes out on a number of issues. Obviously we can't hit them all, but let's talk about what he had to say just about judicial activism and limiting Supreme Court powers. Let's take a look at this quote here that we put together.
"Real courage would be to read the Constitution as it should be read and not kowtow to the Tribes, Lewises and Brinks."
And I guess we should probably set up Laurence Tribe, liberal Harvard professor.
LAZARUS: Right.
PHILLIPS: OK.
LAZARUS: And that's -- the other refers to a liberal journalist and also the head of the ABA. And basically, what you see there is in 19 -- in the early 1980s, there was a real battle going on over whether Congress could take the power of the Supreme Court to decide abortion and school prayer and school busing cases away from the court.
And Roberts came down on the most conservative side of that, saying, yes, Congress can do that. His boss at the time, Ted Olson, thought that those bills would be unconstitutional. So that shows a real independence of mind, but also a very conservative bent of mind.
PHILLIPS: He had no problem going up against his superiors even in his 20s, did he?
LAZARUS: That's right. He had strongly-held views, and he was willing to put those forward, even, as I say, when other people like Ted Olson, who were senior to him, had contrary views. And I think that's an impressive trait.
PHILLIPS: All right.
Affirmative action, this memo to the attorney general back in 1981, he says, "The logic of the report" -- of course talking about this report on affirmative action -- "is perfectly circular: the evidence of structural discrimination consists of disparate results. So it is only cured when correct results are achieved through affirmative action quotas. Perhaps the clearest example of the self- serving nature of this report is found in the dismissal of failures in affirmative action as caused not by inherent flaws but sabotage."
I mean, this is definitely somebody that doesn't believe in making decisions upon being politically correct.
LAZARUS: That's exactly right. And he felt that the dominant political correctness then was liberalism. And he was a foot soldier in the Reagan revolution, which was aimed at combating that. And I think, you know, that seems to be who John Roberts was. It's probably fairly close to who John Roberts is. And that's what we're getting.
PHILLIPS: Well, does it surprise you from his 20s up to now, age 50, right? I think he's 50 now?
LAZARUS: Yes.
PHILLIPS: That he has pretty much remained the same, I guess, more or less, with the way he thinks, the way he acts, his character, his background? Knowing what you know about who sits on the Supreme Court and working very closely with Sandra Day O'Connor, of course, as her clerk, is this type of character, this value system, does it not surprise you that he's pretty much the same person he has been for two or three decades?
LAZARUS: It doesn't surprise me that much because what these memos show is that even at a young age he had a real depth of conviction about his thinking. If you look back at the early memos of his former boss, Chief Justice Rehnquist, when he was clerking for Justice Jackson in the 1950s, you see that same depth of conviction. And Chief Justice Rehnquist hasn't changed that much either.
This is a young man who knew what he thought, and that's really been the guiding force behind his views ever since.
PHILLIPS: What do you think his biggest challenges will be, Ed?
LAZARUS: I think the biggest challenge for him right now is going to be not explaining any of this away, but humanizing himself in front of the committee so they understand that he is not just an agenda-driven person, but that he's open-minded and he's going to be listening to all sides.
PHILLIPS: Well, that's good to hear. Ed Lazarus, former Supreme Court clerk, also author of the book "Closed Chambers." Ed, always great to talk to you.
LAZARUS: Thank you, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Thank you.
Now to some big surprises in Baghdad.
First, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld arrives on an unannounced visit. Then the top U.S. commander in Iraq, General George Casey, says some American troops could be going home next year.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEN. GEORGE CASEY, COMMANDER, MULTINATIONAL FORCES: And I do believe that if the political process continues to go positively, and if the development of the security forces continues to go as it is going, I do believe we'll still be able to take some fairly substantial reductions after these elections in the spring and summer next year.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Now, General Casey's remarks came as police in Baghdad reported a flurry of attacks. At least six people were killed, including a U.S. soldier. A suicide car bombing killed two civilians and wounded 10 people, five of them Iraqi policemen. The bomber attacked an Iraq army convoy in northern Baghdad.
Well, is your neighborhood a haven for sex offenders? Just ahead on LIVE FROM we uncover a zip code that many of them call home.
Also next, a crisis that could have been prevented. CNN takes you to a country Americans rarely pay attention to but probably should.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Well, in the west African nation of Niger, a human tragedy of immense proportions. Hundreds of thousands of people, many of them women and children, are facing acute food shortages. And organizations estimate that thousands of people will die in the days and weeks ahead if help doesn't get to them soon.
CNN's Jeff Koinange sent us this report just a short while ago.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEFF KOINANGE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Now, the first thing that hits you when you arrive at one of these displacement camps is the sight, the sight of starving mothers in the hundreds, and they're equally starving and malnourished children. Mothers who have walked, some of them, hundreds of miles to get to displacement camps like this in the hot and baking African sun.
But these are the lucky ones. These are the ones who are going to get some sustenance to keep them going for the next few days and maybe even the next few weeks.
Tens of thousands of others in the bush and in the villages face imminent starvation. Across the country, 3.5 million people face starvation and 150,000 children will die if help doesn't arrive on time.
And this for a catastrophe that could have easily been avoided. Aid workers had been raising the red flag as far back as last November, telling the world that help is needed in Niger. But it seems the world turned its back on the country, and now a country is in dire need of help, help which if it doesn't arrive in the next few days, in the next few weeks, these children who are already suffering from starvation, from diseases such as cholera, malaria and pneumonia, these very children will surely die.
Jeff Koinange, CNN, Maradi, in southern Niger.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Well, time may be running out for many of the children there in Niger. Here are some numbers that you can call if you want to help.
UNICEF, at 1-800-486-4233. You can also call CARE, 1-800-422- 7385. And there's the United Nations World Food Program, 202-530- 1694.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Stories "Now in the News."
New York's three-term governor, George Pataki, says his current term will be his last. Pataki says that today he will not seek a fourth term in office. But he is not giving up politics altogether. The 60-year-old Republican is considering running for the presidential nomination in 2008.
Nabbed in Britain, British police arrest four men in connection with last week's botched bombings. One is said to be Yasin Hassan Omar, who police say was the attempted bomber at the Warren Street underground station. All four men were arrested in Birmingham, about 100 miles north of London.
Twenty-two years in prison, that's the sentence for Ahmed Ressam, the so-called millennium bomber. Authorities say the 38-year-old Algerian admitted he was planning to blow up the Los Angeles airport on the eve of the millennium. He was arrested after entering the country from Canada. Prosecutors have recommended a 35-year sentence.
A horrific mass pedophilia trial in France is winding to a close. That case involves dozens of people charged with raping, molesting and prostituting infants and children for years in a working class neighborhood. Several key figures were sentenced today. At least two of them got 28-year prison terms.
Two high-profile attacks on children are drawing our attention to Florida now and to questions of why so many child predators live in that state. Now, imagine the shock of one woman who learned that there are more sex offenders living in her community in Broward County than anywhere else in Florida.
CNN's Randi Kaye talked to her about the danger that may be lurking close to home.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): So you just found out a few weeks ago that there were sex offenders...
NOREEN WILLIAMS, 33311 RESIDENT: It's about three weeks ago that they were in our neighborhood.
KAYE (voice-over): Noreen Williams is a grandmother of five living in Broward County, Florida, zip code 33311.
WILLIAMS: Say, "Hi, bird."
KAYE: Noreen never paid much attention to the numbers until she learned her zip code has more sex offenders living on their own than anywhere else in the state of Florida.
WILLIAMS: I think it's a horror, total horror, that so many in one particular area.
KAYE: 122 sex offenders live here. That's more than double the number of offenders found in neighboring zip codes. State law requires residents be notified only when violent, repeat offenders move in.
(on camera): How did you feel before you found this information out about your neighborhood?
WILLIAMS: I was a little bit more relaxed. I'm not that relaxed now.
KAYE (voice-over): Noreen's grandchildren are no longer allowed to play in the front yard alone.
WILLIAMS: So this way they don't just open this and walk out. And nobody just don't open it and come in.
KAYE: And in the backyard, new four-legged protection.
(on camera): We did some checking with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and found 34 sex offenders living within one mile of Noreen Williams' home. One of them lives right up the street, just two blocks away.
WILLIAMS: I have a fear, especially for my little girl, for my little granddaughter, Nyeema. I need to protect her.
KAYE: When your grandma first told you that you need to be careful in the neighborhood, about other men, how did you feel?
NYEEMA DEMETRIUS, WILLIAMS' GRANDDAUGHTER: I felt scared.
KAYE: What has happened here in 33311? Has it become a dumping ground, in your opinion, for sexual offenders?
DON BOWEN, URBAN LEAGUE OF BROWARD CO.: I don't know that I would necessarily characterize it as a dumping ground, although, whether it's intentional or not, that may be the unintended consequence.
KAYE: 33311 is one of the poorest communities in Florida. Because of its proximity to the turnpike, housing is inexpensive here, making it attractive to those fresh out of prison. Many offenders also come here to live with their families.
Parts of 33311 are in six cities -- Fort Lauderdale, Lauderdale Lakes, Lauderhill, Oakland Park, Plantation, and Wilton Manor. Plus a piece of unincorporated Broward County. While nearby communities have successfully passed ordinances to restrict offenders from moving in, getting a uniform policy across zip code 33311 would require action in seven different municipalities.
KAYE: Do you worry about these kids on the street with these sexual offenders living in the area?
BOWEN: Of course you worry about it, because you have well over 20,000 school-aged kids in the zip code. And many of them live within two miles of the school that they attend, which means that they're not bused, that they would walk unless somebody drives them. So, I mean, they're passing at least the addresses where sexual offenders and predators live.
KAYE (voice-over): Back in Noreen's neighborhood, I knocked on the door of one convicted sex offender. He wasn't home. I couldn't help but notice the children's toys scattered in the yard.
(on camera): Are there children that live here?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No.
WILLIAMS: That's the shocking thing, that it is so close to our children. KAYE (voice-over): So close, and so many residents still unaware.
WILLIAMS: If I have to go around with a bullhorn and let them know, I will.
KAYE: Randi Kaye, CNN, Broward County, Florida.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Well, the wife of the notorious BTK serial killer has been granted an emergency divorce. A Kansas judge waived the usual 60-day waiting period yesterday, granting Paula Rader an immediate divorce. Rader said her mental health was in danger. And her now former husband Dennis Rader pleaded guilty, as you know, last month to killing ten people during a 17-year crime spree.
(WEATHER REPORT)
PHILLIPS: Well, the man you're about to see sold millions of CDs. Do you recognize him in his new role, though? Check this out. That's right. No funky clothes, no backup singers. We're talking Andre Benjamin. You know him probably as Andre 3000, but, you know, we got a new role here. Look at that. Now you see him live. He's still got the cool clothes. Did he design these? We're going to find out. We're going to be right back.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRISTINA PARK, CNN.COM CORRESPONDENT: Home is where the heart is. Whether you're single looking for a hot city to live in, married and looking for the best place for your family or ready to retire, CNNmoney.com/bestplaces outlines a new survey of America's best places to live just for you.
Say you don't like to sweat. We've got the hottest cities in America you'll want to stay away from. Rancho Mirage, California's average July temp, over 108 degrees. Then again, if you don't want to freeze your butt off, either, Rosemont, Minnesota, is a chilly 0 degrees in January. Just a tip from us to you.
And if you're looking for a sugar momma or daddy or looking for the best job markets for yourself, check out our cities with the biggest earners. Take Great Falls, Virginia, where the median income is a staggering $165,000 and change. Castle Rock, Colorado boasts the highest job growth rates.
And if you don't want to put bars over your windows, and that's not your thing, Islep, New York; Wayne, New Jersey and Avon, Connecticut are some of the safest cities in the U.S.
We've got your best of the best from a new survey at CNNmoney.com/bestplaces. Get packing. I'm Christina Park from the dot-com desk.
(END VIDEOTAPE) (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Well, many of you know our next guest from, of course, the signature song.
(MUSIC: "Hey Ya")
PHILLIPS: But for the past nine years, Andre Benjamin has pushed the boundaries of hip-hop as the member of Atlanta-based duo Outkast. And now he's joined a couple of other singers-turned-actors in a new action film. See if you recognize him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This doesn't add up. He's already has the money.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That was no gang shooting. It was an execution.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They set mom up, they set her.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why would somebody hire a killer to shoot mom?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's the plan, Bobby?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're winging it, Jerry. We always wing it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're going to get killed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What you mean "we," white boy?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Andre Benjamin in his first leading role in the movie "Four Brothers." He's joining me now to talk about that and all kinds of other things. Good to see you.
ANDRE BENJAMIN, ACTOR: Yes, same. Thanks for having me.
PHILLIPS: So we were talking about how you were bonding with these guys in "Four Brothers."
BENJAMIN: Oh, yes. Oh, yes. We had a great time. It was actually the brother part of "Four Brothers" is probably the easiest part of the movie.
PHILLIPS: So the four of you clicked well. There were no issues, there was no drama. I mean, you truly felt like brothers?
BENJAMIN: Yes, yes, not at all. There was no egos, anything. Mark Wahlberg, he's one of the top class dudes. Like he is one of the best people I've met in Hollywood. And, you know, me and Tyrese and Garrett, we all were like brothers. We were joneing each other, talking about each other's clothes and getting on each other's nerves. PHILLIPS: I hope they were giving you a hard time.
BENJAMIN: Oh, yes. Oh, yes.
PHILLIPS: You're the one with the fashion sense and the design...
BENJAMIN: Not Jeremiah, not Jeremiah.
PHILLIPS: So you didn't take them all down and say look, we got to talk about the clothes here, guys, off the set. Let me hook you up. Let me dress you.
BENJAMIN: Well, yes, yes, we talked about it a little bit. You know, but I was pretty much Jeremiah the whole time.
PHILLIPS: Well, let's talk about Jeremiah, your character. Take me into the mindset. I mean, when you're singing, you always have to be happy and outgoing.
BENJAMIN: Right.
PHILLIPS: And this type -- but here, you really got to express a lot of different emotions. What was that like? Was it hard, was it difficult? Tell me about Jeremiah.
BENJAMIN: No, it was pretty therapeutic, you know, because as an entertainer -- well, a singing entertainer, you only get to experience like one emotion a show and that's the only one people dig. In film, you get to explore all of them, you know. And with Jeremiah, he was pretty much the -- I guess the responsible brother, you know. We all grew up on the streets of Detroit and I'm the only one who has a family, you know, two kids and a wife. And so my other brothers are wild and they have like, you know, less to lose than I do, so I have to kind of be a thinker.
PHILLIPS: All right, there's -- we got a clip here, OK.
BENJAMIN: Surely.
PHILLIPS: About a great scene with you. Let's take a look at this and then I want to ask you a question.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARK WAHLBERG, ACTOR: Just when it seems like all is lost for you, I get shot by some gangsters and now you hit the lottery?
BENJAMIN: Y'all trippin' because I made insurance payments? What? I paid all her bills. How many years did I have to take care of her myself? Y'all were around doing nothing.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Pretty intense moment. I guess we should tell folks, Momma was white. She adopted the four of you. So you're not really blood brothers, but you're brothers, all right.
BENJAMIN: Right.
PHILLIPS: Let's talk about the message here. I mean, there's a cultural message.
BENJAMIN: Yes.
PHILLIPS: There's a message about loving your mom and appreciating an adopted mother, and a message about loyalty and brotherhood.
BENJAMIN: Well, I mean, really the film is a great action drama. It's about revenge, but at the same time, like behind revenge is family. You know, it's about the brothers. It's about true brotherhood, not really blood, you know. We were not brothers by blood, but we grew up together so we have a certain love for our mom. And she happens to get killed in the movie and we have to find out who's the killer. And that whole path of finding that out, we found out a couple of other things, you know, so...
PHILLIPS: And of course...
BENJAMIN: You have to go see it.
PHILLIPS: We don't want to give it all away. Exactly, right. It's a great flick. Now, interesting -- let's talk about real life and the way you were raised and who was important to you in your life. Could you feel some real-life emotion when you were playing the role of Jeremiah with this adopted mom?
BENJAMIN: Yes, most definitely. I had to put my mom in the head space, you know. And even -- well, I can't give the movie away -- but even when certain events happen, you have to think of people that I know.
PHILLIPS: Tell me about your mom.
BENJAMIN: My mom, she's a cool person.
PHILLIPS: Big influence in your life.
BENJAMIN: Yes, yes. She got me into all kinds of things as a youngster. Tried to get me into all kinds of classes, piano class, art class...
PHILLIPS: I think it paid off.
BENJAMIN: Tennis, you know.
PHILLIPS: Tennis? You're a tennis player?
BENJAMIN: Well, not now. When I was younger. You know, I think I'll take it back up though.
PHILLIPS: Really? BENJAMIN: Oh, yes.
PHILLIPS: Well, let's take about your painting. I know we're getting off on a bunch of different tangents.
BENJAMIN: No, that's cool.
PHILLIPS: But when I read that you like to paint -- tell me about your artwork. And is that therapy for you, too?
BENJAMIN: Yes. Honestly I thought I was going to be an artist growing up, you know. I was out of the womb drawing and painting. And then in late high school, started doing music, then started doing film, so I kind of just go, you know, how the wind has taken me. But art, I still do it kind of as a hobby. I sell my prints, you know, online. You can go to www.outkast.com. I use that skill -- I used to draw comic book characters a lot. So and -- like all the costumes that I wear in videos, I design them. So like, the "Hey Ya," costumes, those are clothes I designed. So my clothing brand, I'm really excited about that.
PHILLIPS: Wow, you got all kind of things going on.
BENJAMIN: Yes, it's just, you know, just...
PHILLIPS: Do you ever relax? What do you do to relax? It seems like you've got 50 million things going on all at once.
BENJAMIN: Like I really get enjoyment out of creating new things so, like, if I'm not creating or if I feel like I'm stagnant, that's depressing to me.
PHILLIPS: "Charlotte's Web."
BENJAMIN: Yes.
PHILLIPS: You're actually going to do a voice in a film?
BENJAMIN: Yes.
PHILLIPS: Did you read "Charlotte's Web" as a kid?
BENJAMIN: Honestly, before I started doing music, I was like in a drama troupe at Atlanta Sutton Middle School.
PHILLIPS: Really?
BENJAMIN: And we put on the play "Charlotte's Web" and I played Avery.
PHILLIPS: You did?
BENJAMIN: Yes, yes. But in this one I'll be -- I'll be a crow, yes, trying to get the corn.
PHILLIPS: Can you give us a little -- give us a little crow. BENJAMIN: No.
PHILLIPS: Oh, come on, Andre. You're a performer.
BENJAMIN: I can't make my crow noises. It's embarrassing.
PHILLIPS: Why? Just a little.
BENJAMIN: No.
PHILLIPS: OK, all right. I tried. All right, what about this musical? I was always -- I was also reading about "Magic Man." Tell me about this.
BENJAMIN: "Magic Man"? "Magic Man," I don't know. But...
PHILLIPS: This new musical?
BENJAMIN: I have no idea what "Magic Man"...
PHILLIPS: Are you serious?
BENJAMIN: No, but we're doing -- we have a musical that's coming out at the top of the year. It's an HBO project and it actually has Big Boi in it, as well.
PHILLIPS: What's it called?
BENJAMIN: Well, right now it's just like a working title and I can't say.
PHILLIPS: OK, well, you know in the press it's being called "Magic Man"?
BENJAMIN: Really?
PHILLIPS: Yes, do we need to jump on that?
BENJAMIN: Yes, maybe so.
PHILLIPS: I apologize. It kind of sound cools.
BENJAMIN: Yes, "Magic" -- yes, maybe.
PHILLIPS: All right. Well, anyway, tell us about the musical.
BENJAMIN: So it's going to feature Outkast songs. Actually the next Outkast album, which we're working on right now, will be out at the end of the year, so check it out.
PHILLIPS: Is there a favorite song on the new album yet? Can you give me a little flavor of that?
BENJAMIN: No.
PHILLIPS: I'm calling your mom. This is not fair. BENJAMIN: All right.
PHILLIPS: All right. So we've got music, we've got acting, we've got painting, we've got voices. Your clothes, you're excited about this.
BENJAMIN: I'm very excited.
PHILLIPS: Where does this fashion sense come from? Because, you know, we all have fun making fun of your clothes. Even though they are really cool, don't get me wrong.
BENJAMIN: Oh, thank you. I really appreciate it. I mean, I think it's like a high school kid thing. You know, you always want to look fresh, you know, look cool and, you know, I think I'm what they consider like a polo kid. You know, like, you grew up in the Ralph Lauren era. And so it was all about style.
PHILLIPS: Did you wear like Izod shirts?
BENJAMIN: Oh, most definitely.
PHILLIPS: And penny loafers and the whole bit?
BENJAMIN: Most definitely.
PHILLIPS: Oh my -- did you have a little part?
BENJAMIN: Yes, most -- and I had a part now. But it was all about, you know, being a prep back then. But I guess that love for style or clothing, I think, is going to translate into what I'm doing. I'm so excited because I want to just -- I want to give people these colors. I want to just make these colors for people to wear so they can make their own little paintings, you know.
PHILLIPS: Well, maybe you can design something for us to wear. What do you think?
BENJAMIN: Surely. I think...
PHILLIPS: Does that sound good?
BENJAMIN: Yes, I got something real cool for you already.
PHILLIPS: Do you really?
BENJAMIN: Already.
PHILLIPS: I'm excited, thank you. And a painting, too. I want to make sure I buy a print from you. I'm going to check those out.
BENJAMIN: No problem.
PHILLIPS: OK. All right. Great flick. Don't want to miss it.
BENJAMIN: Check it out. PHILLIPS: Absolutely. We'll talk about it, we'll see how it does. Maybe we can talk again. Tell Mark Wahlberg I said hi.
BENJAMIN: Will do.
PHILLIPS: Love him. And you better watch "Entourage," OK?
BENJAMIN: Will do.
PHILLIPS: OK, very good. Andre, thanks.
BENJAMIN: Sorry, Mark.
PHILLIPS: All right. Straight ahead, the unhealthy connection between work and our waistlines. Hopefully, Andre is going to make something for me that will hide that waistline. We're going to talk about that straight ahead on LIVE FROM.
And you're not going to believe this file. Seriously, lifeguards. They only work a few months out of the year, but come winter some of them are collecting unemployment. We're checking into it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Well, a lot of people have a tough time finding work when they get out of jail, but things have been a little easier for one former prisoner: Martha Stewart. Imagine that.
(STOCK MARKET UPDATE)
PHILLIPS: Well, a New Jersey beach community is appealing a state ruling that actually allows out-of-work lifeguards to collect unemployment. The new commissioner of Longport, New Jersey, is leading that charge. His community is shelling out $10,000 in unemployment benefits for five out-of-work lifeguards. He thinks they ought to get a second job and as you can imagine, the lifeguards see things, well, a little differently.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To expect to spend the winter and use unemployment as a bridge is unfair because that could be an additional firefighter in Atlantic City, an additional patrolman.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not everyone sees it fit to go to college, pay for a college education and then work a menial job.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Well, lifeguards in several other New Jersey beach communities also collect unemployment during the off-season. Officials in those areas are closely watching what happens in Longport.
Straight ahead: A boy scout comes face to face with the largest animal in the forest and lives to tell about it. His survival story is just ahead on LIVE FROM."
Plus: Do clues in the search for Natalee Holloway lie at the bottom of this pond? We're LIVE FROM Aruba as investigators follow the new lead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: "Now in the News:" A rare visit as president bush goes to Capitol Hill. He went to lobby House Republicans on CAFTA, the central American Free Trade Agreement. Democrats say that the controversial bill is bad for labor, the environment and the nation. But Mr. Bush argues the CAFTA bill is needed for reasons of national security and the economy.
Longer lines at some airports, shorter ones at others: That's you can expect with the reshuffling of security screeners. A number of them are being moved from New York's JFK, Pittsburgh and Portland, Oregon, to Las Vegas, Houston and Los Angeles.
Back behind bars: John Tuggle captured earlier today in the Idaho mountains. The recently released sex offender had been on the run a week since his 12-year-old daughter was stabbed repeatedly and left for dead on the side of the road. She's still in serious condition.
Five tractor trailer trucks and at least one passenger vehicle involved in a massive wreck in Atlanta, Georgia. The fiery chain- reaction crash has shut down part of the city's busy interstate 285. And SUV was apparently crushed between two of the larger vehicles. No word yet on the number or extent of injuries.
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