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Christian Broadcaster Calls for Presidential Assassination; Chavez Supporters Express Outrage over Robertson Comments; Extraordinary Cars Turn Heads at World Expo; Banning Panhandlers

Aired August 23, 2005 - 14:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

PHILLIPS: Well, a call by Christian broadcaster Pat Robertson for the U.S. to assassinate the president of Venezuela is putting Hugo Chavez in the spotlight. He's one of the most outspoken critics of the Bush administration, and he's a big fan of Fidel Castro. CNN Havana bureau chief Lucia Newman reports the two men have a lot in common.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LUCIA NEWMAN, CNN HAVANA BUREAU CHIEF: This isn't the first time that there's been talk about assassinating President Chavez. In fact, it was Cuba's President Fidel Castro who, earlier this year, went live on television to announce that there was, according to Cuba's secret police, a plot to kill Chavez. And that if he was murdered it would be Washington that would be behind this plot.

President Chavez then, himself, went on television and accused the United States of trying to kill him. Although he gave no proof, no evidence of this.

The State Department has rejected these claims over and over, has brushed it off, saying that this is all part of the anti-American rhetoric that's being promoted both by Havana and by Caracas. But the comments now by Pat Robertson will obviously feed into all this anti- American feeling here.

Chavez is still in Cuba. He has spent the whole weekend in Cuba promoting what he calls Latin American integration. He claims that his Bavarian Populist Revolution is now also heading towards socialism, just like the Cuban revolution.

Lucia Newman, CNN, Havana.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Well, a State Department spokesman condemned Pat Robertson's assassination comments as inappropriate. They even caught the attention of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DONALD RUMSFELD, DEFENSE SECRETARY: Certainly, it's against the law. Our department doesn't do that type of thing. He's a private citizen. Private citizens say all kinds of things, all the time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Chavez supporters are expressing outrage over Robertson's comments. One Venezuelan lawmaker calls the televangelist a fascist. More Latin American reaction. Ligimat Perez joins us now by phone. She's a CNN Espanol reporter in Caracas, Venezuela.

I'm curious if there's been any reaction since you and I talked earlier this morning.

LIGIMAT PEREZ, CNN ESPANOL CORRESPONDENT: We don't have reaction from the president himself yet, President Chavez is in Cuba like Lucia mentioned. But Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel said, in a press conference, that he considered that messages such as the one broadcasted in "The 700 Club" of religious leader Pat Robertson are not only an example of religious extremism, but also put to the test the American anti-terrorism speech.

Rangel also said that there are legal implications in Robertson's statements, saying that American law prohibits the broadcasting of messages of this type which he has called criminal.

Another argument by Vice President Rangel was that this kind of message actually justified and reinforced the concern of Venezuelan authorities about the possibility of President Chavez being assassinated here. These are some of the statements that Vice President Jose Vicente said early this afternoon.

PHILLIPS: So, Ligimat, do people in Venezuela, even political leaders there -- obviously, the political leaders are responding to Pat Robertson, but do they pay attention to him? Do they know him? Have they ever had any conversations with him? Are there any individuals there in Venezuela that follow "The 700 Club" or his religious beliefs?

PEREZ: Well, there has not been a big reaction among Venezuelan people on Robertson's comments, not also among politicians. First of all, Robertson is not very well known in Venezuela. He may be known among members of the evangelist community. But this is a minority in Venezuela. It's around 92 percent of Catholic what actually rules the religions here in Venezuela. Also, his show, "The 700 Club" is not aired in Venezuela.

So there's no way for people to know the statements that came from this show but through CNN or some media who have indeed reported on this.

PHILLIPS: Ligimat Perez joining us by phone there. She's the CNN Espanol based there in Caracas, Venezuela.

Ligimat, thank you so much.

PEREZ: You're welcome.

PHILLIPS: Straight ahead, banning panhandlers. Some say they're a nuisance who should be kept at bay. Others maintain the homeless have rights, too. The situation begs for a debate. We're going to have it next on LIVE FROM.

Missing mystery. Singer Olivia Newton-John's longtime boyfriend vanishes without a trace. LIVE FROM has latest on the investigation.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, Atlanta has become the latest U.S. city to place restrictions on panhandlers. A newly-enacted ordinance makes it illegal to ask strangers for food or money in parts of Atlanta's central business district.

Supporters of the law claim that panhandlers are bad for business. Opponents argue that ordinance is mean-spirited and it discriminates against these individuals. Our two guests: Anita Beaty is executive director of the Metro Atlanta Task Force for the Homeless, Martha Zoller, Georgia-based radio talk show host. Good to have you both. Martha, you're for it.

MARTHA ZOLLER, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Yes, I think that what's got to happen is when you come downtown, Atlanta used to be the premier city for meetings, conventions that kind of thing, where we're bringing in the aquarium. You've got to know that you're going to be safe when you come downtown.

I agree that in some ways it's discriminatory, however you don't know whether someone's actually homeless or they're going to approach you to mug you or yesterday in the news all across the country, al Qaeda supposedly is supposedly is going to use homeless people, because they can get closer to buildings. I think it's a security issue and I think there's some people that won't benefit from it, but that overall, the safety is the key concern.

PHILLIPS: Well, let's talk about the safety. I mean, you interact with these individuals day in and day out. Are they dangerous? I mean are these the ones that are committing violent crimes against tourists, against people in the business district?

ANITA BEATY, TASK FORCE FOR THE HOMELESS: No, they're not and the statistics that we have don't bare out any kind of fear of homeless people. In fact, panhandlers are 50 percent more likely to be the victims of crime than the perpetrators.

So, we are really concerned that people who need help will be rounded up and won't know where they are, because the restrictions on panhandling apply to a certain tourist area and apply after dark. And I don't think it's very clear when dark is. But the real issue is, there is -- there are already laws against aggressive behavior. So, we're protected without this ban. We're already protected against any kind of aggressive behavior.

PHILLIPS: Isn't this, Martha -- you know, it's easy for an bunch of wealthy businessmen and women to work the politicians, work their friends, get this law passed and not really address maybe a deeper issue here and that is, so many of these individuals are dealing with mental illness and can't help themselves. You know, wouldn't it be more beneficial to put money into say, Anita's program, to try to help individuals versus pass a law to ban them from being there?

ZOLLER: I think it has to be a two-track process. And I would agree with you that there are people out there that you deal with every day that are in legitimately in need of help, but the problem is the average person who is coming here that aren't necessarily rich business people -- they're people that come down with their families for vacation, they come down to visit sites and if they get approached coming off the express way or they -- which has happened to me -- where people come up to my car and I don't know who those people are. I don't know why they're approaching my car.

PHILLIPS: It's uncomfortable. It's disturbing.

ZOLLER: It's uncomfortable. It's disturbing. You'd know what's going to happen next. I think it has to be a two-track process. There needs to be more help for the homeless that are legitimately in need, but also people have to have the security of knowing they're not going to be approached aggressively about giving money or food or something like that.

PHILLIPS: Anita, two questions. First of all, the terrorism aspect that Martha brought up: Is this something that's being talked about in the shelters? Are -- do you know if any of these panhandlers have been approached to, I don't know, "Hey, become a suicide bomber," or somehow participate in a cell that we have forming here in Atlanta, Georgia?

BEATY: No, we don't know anything about any of that. And we're very guarded against the fear mongering that seems to accompany these measures to get people to be afraid enough to legislate against the behavior that's required of people who live in public.

We're talking about people who have nowhere to go and who may -- most of the homeless people I know, are trying to get jobs or getting jobs or want help. Most homeless people want help, there just isn't enough help to get. And they're asking for it every single day and we're saying, just wait here with us. We sort of -- my agency is Grand Central Station for homeless people who need help every day.

PHILLIPS: But what about those individuals -- I mean, driving home, I see the same individuals. I even know Robert is a Vietnam vet and he's in my neighborhood every single day and I say hello to him. I don't see him trying to get a job. I see these same people in certain places every single day.

What about those -- because that's, I think, the individuals that we're talking about, not the individuals that have had hard luck and do want to come to you and say, "Just give me a place to sleep. I promise I'm going to try and find a job." And you see them trying to put together a resume and go out and interview.

BEATY: We do, but there are dead-ends for everybody. And the Roberts who may be standing out with a sign, "I will work for food," and you see them day after day, may have tried that and it may not have worked. You can have a minimum-wage job in Atlanta and not be able to afford housing. It takes two-and-a-half minimum-wage jobs or $15 an hour, to be able to afford housing.

ZOLLER: I just think the sad thing is, is that it's true that there are some folks that Anita deals with that are being treated unfairly. I don't think we can disagree with that. However, we don't know what the situation is. And I don't think al Qaeda is going into homeless shelters and recruiting people, but they may be having people pose as homeless people and are -- because they can get closer to the buildings and people aren't going to be afraid of them.

And I don't want to cause fear mongering either, but I think we need to know. It's a security issue and it makes people feel uncomfortable to come down. I do think it should be a two-pronged thing: That we ought to see what we can do, especially on the mental- health side. I think Anita and I would agree...

BEATY: Ninety-nine percent about mental illness. That's for sure.

ZOLLER: My husband is a jail doctor. He -- most of the people he deals with in the Hall County and the Parsise County (ph) jails are people that probably need mental health care, as well as other kinds care.

So, I'm fully aware of this problem, but because we feel compassion about that, doesn't mean that when we go downtown -- I don't mean we, me, anybody comes downtown, they ought to feel comfortable about where they're going..

BEATY: It's a perception issue. It is not a security issue. It's the perception of a security issue. It's a fear issue we could educate against. If people would have conversations, if they would know who to call when they see somebody who needs help. There are all kinds of things we could do to educate against the fear. But there's not a real danger.

PHILLIPS: Robert in my neighborhood. I talk to him on a regular basis though.

ZOLLER: But did you...

PHILLIPS: Look, I'll tell you what, we've got to wrap it up, but I promise you, we'll follow up. This is -- obviously just got passed. So, let's see how it affects the city. We'll come back. We'll talk about it again. Anita Beaty, Martha Zoller, thank you both very much.

ZOLLER: Thank you .

BEATY: Thank you.

PHILLIPS: Well, the world's first sports car run on electricity. If you think eco-friendly equals boring, well the fetish many change your mind. LIVE FROM takes you on a test drive.

SIBILA VARGAS, CNN HOLLYWOOD CORRESPONDENT: And I'm Sibila Vargas in Hollywood. A puzzling mystery for singer Olivia Newton John. Her long -time boyfriend has been missing for nearly two months. We'll have more with CNN's LIVE FROM continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Almost two months after her longtime boyfriend disappeared, Olivia Newton-John is pleading for the public's health. CNN entertainment correspondent Sibila Vargas joins us now with the story. A bit of a bizarre, story, Sibila.

SIBILA VARGAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. A mystery that's -- it's definitely shrouded in mystery. Olivia Newton- John is back in the spotlight and it's not for her music, Kyra. Her boyfriend of nine years vanished. And now authorities are hoping Newton-John's household name status will lead to some clues.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(voice-over): "I Honestly Love You" was one of the multiple hits that Olivia Newton-John turned out in the 1970s, and it won her two Grammys. Fans loved her when she became Sandy in the 1978 movie "Grease." "Grease" became the top-grossing non-animated musical of all time.

Newton-John's career kept her in the spotlight over the years, but behind the scenes, she faced personal hurdles, including a 1992 diagnosis of breast cancer. Now the singer-actress is dealing with the heartbreak of a different sort.

Her boyfriend of nine years, Patrick McDermott, has been missing for almost two months. The 48-year-old TV cameraman told friends he was joining an overnight fishing excursion on this 80-foot boat, the Freedom, off the Los Angeles coast on June 30.

The landing manager said the trip included nearly two dozen other fishermen and several crew members. There were conflicting reports about whether McDermott was seen returning with the boat, and he hasn't been heard from since the vessel docked the next day at San Pedro Harbor.

SCOTT EPPERSON, U.S. COAST GUARD: The manifest showed that he signed on to the boat. He was spotted eating -- at least eating on the boat, or in the galley on the boat, sometime during the trip. And they're still trying to determine, through interviews, if someone had seen him actually get off the boat.

VARGAS: When he didn't show up for a family function nearly a week later, McDermott's family reported him missing. On July 11, they discovered his car in the marina parking lot. McDermott's backpack and personal belongings had been found on board the Freedom.

FRANK LIVERSEDGE, MANAGER, 22ND STREET LANDING: In 45 years down here, we've never lost a fisherman. We've lost divers that went down and drowned. I've had people jump over the side and swim to the shore at Catalina, or something like this, but I've never heard of a passenger drowning down here or falling overboard.

VARGAS: The Coast Guard isn't offering a theory of McDermott's disappearance. For now, it's treating it as a missing person's case rather than a crime.

McDermott and Newton-John met on a TV commercial set in 1996. Newton-John released a statement calling his disappearance a heartbreaking experience and says she hopes for answers. The Coast Guard is asking the public for help.

Sibila Vargas, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(on camera): As you can see, there are many unanswered questions. Among them, why has the story taken so long to surface? The Coast Guard is asking anyone who has seen anything or heard anything to call them.

Kyra, back to you.

PHILLIPS: All right, Sibila, thank you so much.

Well, time now to check in with CNN's Wolf Blitzer. He's standing by in Washington to tell us what's come up at the top of the hour in "THE SITUATION ROOM."

Hi, Wolf.

WOLF BLITZER, HOST, "THE SITUATION ROOM": Hi, Kyra. Thanks very much. Today, assassination threat reaction. The Venezuelan ambassador to the United States, he's here in Washington. He's coming here to "The Situation Room." We'll hear what he has to say about Pat Robertson.

Also, secret audiotapes. Who recorded New York Governor George Pataki, then sent those audiotapes to a newspaper? We'll take a closer look.

Plus, Bob Dole, one on one. He wrote the law to make it illegal to leak the name of a CIA officer.

So who does he think should be sitting behind bars right now? I'll ask him. He'll join us live in "THE SITUATION ROOM."

And labor difficulties. Northwest mechanics on strike but still in the air. Our Ali Velshi takes us under the hood of a plane. We'll find out it really takes to keep one in the sky.

That, much more, all coming up at the top of the hour.

In the meantime, Kyra, back to you.

PHILLIPS: Wolf, you better be careful of Ali. If you look in your big monitor there, he's kicking the tires. That's not a good thing, Wolf.

BLITZER: There he is right there.

PHILLIPS: Yes. Let's hope he doesn't get kicked out of there. BLITZER: He looks good, though. Maybe he's got a new career ahead of him as a mechanic. He could get a job probably.

PHILLIPS: He could fly us around, Wolf. Forget the corporate jet.

BLITZER: All right.

PHILLIPS: Wolf and Ali, we'll see you coming up.

BLITZER: Thanks, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Straight ahead, out of control, scary moments for the people in this chopper and those watching from the ground. That story and amazing pictures coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Check out this dramatic helicopter crash. It's unbelievable, this video. It was caught on tape in Kyrgyzstan. The helicopter, which was chartered for a scientific expedition, slammed into a glacier and exploded in flames. Witnesses say that 22 people were on board. Several people were injured. But listen to this, remarkably no one was killed.

Now to Japan where some extraordinary cars are turning heads at the World Expo. CNN's Atika Shubert takes a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Think environmentally friendly means boring? Well, think again.

This is the appropriately named Fetish, the world's first sports car run on electricity. It goes from zero to 100 kilometers in just 4.5 seconds. Not bad for 100 lithium ion batteries under the hood.

Gildo Pastor is owner and president of Venturi, the Monaco-based manufacturer that created the Fetish. He says he wanted to prove a car could be both powerful and good for the environment. Not to mention stylish.

GILDO PASTOR, VENTURI: What's special about the car is really performance, because this car can run, like, even better than most sports cars. The car gives you a lot of adrenaline. It's really -- it's really sporty. It's really fun.

SHUBERT: The Fetish is also for sale, for a cool $500,000. It is just one of dozens that took part in the world's largest eco car rally for the 2005 World Expo in Japan.

French fashion designer Coqueline Courreges has been campaigning for electric cars for decades, with a fashionable twist. The Bubble Car is based on a nickel cadmium prototype vehicle she created in 1969, while the EXE runs on lithium ion batteries encased in clear plastic so that the public can literally see how eco cars work. But Courreges says it's not just car buyers that need convincing.

"It's not the public who has to make the decision. The decision needs to be made first by politicians, then manufacturers," she says. "They have to understand they can make as much money with this car as they can make with regular cars. That's the problem."

With stylish options like these, the public could well be clamoring for more.

Atika Shubert, CNN, at the World Expo in Aichi, Japan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: And I'm Kyra Phillips.

Now Wolf Blitzer is live in "THE SITUATION ROOM."

We'll see you tomorrow.

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