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CNN Live Today
Bush Courts Minority Voters at Urban League Speech; Dem Convention 3 Days Away Has Security Officials Speculating on Potential Threats
Aired July 23, 2004 - 11:19 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.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Here is a look at what's happening now in the news.
President Bush reaches out to African-American voters. He has just wrapped up a speech at the National Urban League convention in Detroit. Mr. Bush addressed the group a week after he declined to speak at the NAACP convention.
A key witness in the Martha Stewart case is spared prison and probation within the last half hour. Douglas Faneuil was fined $2,000 for his role in the case. Faneuil could have gotten up to a year in prison after pleading guilty to accepting a payoff.
Investigators in Turkey are trying to determine whether faulty tracks or speed may have caused a deadly train crash. At least 36 people were killed and dozens of others were wounded in the crash outside Istanbul. The head of the Turkish railway system ruled out the possibility of sabotage.
The U.S. Navy's newest and most advanced carrier is headed for its home port. The USS Ronald Reagan arrives at a naval air station near San Diego in just a few hours. Nancy Reagan, the former first lady, is expected to take part in the ceremony set to begin around 2 p.m. Eastern time.
Keeping you informed, CNN, the most trusted name in news.
Up first on CNN, convention countdown. The Democratic National Convention in Boston is just three days away. It takes place amid extraordinary security and looming concerns about a possible terrorist attack.
National correspondent Bob Franken is in Boston with a preview of the convention and a look at the security precautions. And I imagine, Bob, right now they are putting the finishing touches on a lot of those security measures.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Right. They are practicing, telling us we can't do that -- we can't do this, we can't do that.
There is going to be probably the largest single group of people here -- and I'm just guessing this -- is going to be security. Now not only are we going to have all the security measures that we've heard about, lots of them we haven't heard about. There's even been a threat against media. And so that's going to be added to the mix.
And some of the people who might normally be in security will be picketing. Some of the Boston policeman, members of the union who are in contract dispute with the city of Boston, while not walking off their jobs are setting up informational picket lines, at least at some of the pre-convention events which are going to cause a dilemma for union-oriented Democrats about crossing that line, who of course also want to go to a convention.
But yes, security is going to be massive. The roads that you see moving right now in back of me are not going to be moving at least in the hours around, during and after the convention. It's going to be hunkered down.
WHITFIELD: And Bob, passes and passes -- passes and badges have always been scrutinized in conventions past, but I imagine this time it might be a little bit different coupled with some unprecedented type searches.
FRANKEN: Well, yes. First of all, the T, as they call it here, the subway system here, people can expect to get random searches. And we're told that they've already started.
Credentialing is going to be very strict. That's always the case. There are going to be magnetometers everywhere. There are going to be thousands of people. There are going to be long lines.
Probably the most important advice anybody can get who is coming here is, be patient.
WHITFIELD: All right. Bob Franken -- good advice -- from Boston, thanks very much.
Well, John Kerry is in Colorado today to begin the cross-country trip that will take him to the convention in Boston. CNN's Elaine Quijano has the latest from the Kerry-Edwards campaign from Denver.
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The aim of the Kerry-Edwards ticket in the next few days is to tell the American people just who Senator John Kerry is and what he represents. And today here in Denver kicks off the cross-country tour to do just that, ahead of the Democratic national convention.
Now today Senator Kerry is expected to emphasize the concept of national service. He is expected to propose a new grant program to encourage people to start service initiatives.
Now why this area? Because John Kerry was born at an Army hospital just outside of Denver, the son of a military pilot, the idea tying in to the theme of service to the nation.
Now yesterday John Kerry spoke to the National Urban League in Detroit and previewed some other topics that we will likely here repeated in the days and weeks ahead, talking about groups he says he will not forget if elected.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Let me tell you where my heart is. My heart is with the middle-class, who are the heart of this country. It's with the working families who literally built this country. It's with the veterans who save this country. It's with the cops, and the firefighters and the soldiers who protect this country. And it's with the children who are the future of this country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUIJANO: Here in Denver, Senator Kerry's running mate, John Edwards, is expected to focus on Kerry's military service, his actions during the Vietnam War, which resulted in three Purple Hearts and a Silver and a Bronze Star.
Now today's appearance is expected to last for about an hour. Both Senator Edwards and Senator Kerry's families are expected to be on hand. And after this appearance here in Denver, the senators will go off in different directions: Senator Kerry going on to Iowa and Senator Edwards moving to the key battleground state of Wisconsin.
Elaine Quijano, CNN, Denver, Colorado.
WHITFIELD: Well, as the convention season kicks off, a new poll shows President Bush and Senator Kerry running neck and neck.
Joining us to talk about poll positions in the race for the White House, CNN's senior political analyst Bill Schneider, who has taken his position in Boston.
Good to see you, Bill.
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Good morning, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Well, it is indeed a tight race. The latest poll showing Kerry with 49 percent, Bush with 47 percent on this, which -- apparently 83 percent of voters have made up their minds -- which makes you wonder the other 17 percent, do they have something in common in terms of economics, race or geography?
SCHNEIDER: Well, there are a small number of people who are still swing voters. What these people are, people who said they're inclined to vote for either Bush or Kerry but they could change their minds up.
So we're going to go find them, I suppose. You know, I'll get a butterfly net. They're known to exist in places like Columbus, Ohio. And you know, I'm going to make a little list, Fredricka, and I'll share it with our viewers. We're going to find out every person there who says they could change their mind.
WHITFIELD: OK. Now, apparently people, voters in general, are very enthusiastic, according to these latest poll numbers, about this election. Why is that? Let's look at some of these numbers. This comparing now to October of 2000. Now 60 percent are very enthusiastic, 38 percent weren't so enthusiastic. What's the difference? What's happened?
SCHNEIDER: The difference is this. It was 50-50 four years ago. It's 50-50 this year. But 50-50 can mean two different things. It can mean, eh, I'm 50-50, I can't make up my mind.
That's the way it was four years ago between Bush and Gore. Now it means people are really divided, intensely divided. Then it meant, whatever. Now it means, we're really pumped.
That's what's happening right now. It's like it was after November 7th when we went into the recount and people suddenly cared who won. It's still just like that in the country.
WHITFIELD: And here so many people were thinking this very long campaign season might backfire, but now it looks like it might be quite an exciting time come November with voters pretty enthusiastic.
Bill Schneider, thanks very much, from Boston.
SCHNEIDER: OK.
WHITFIELD: Well, CNN is your campaign headquarters for the Democratic national convention. Our coverage begins Monday at 7 p.m. Eastern, 4 Pacific.
We turn now to Salt Lake City and the baffling disappearance of Lori Hacking. Police have described her husband, Mark, as a person of interest though not a suspect. Yesterday they removed a box spring from the couple's apartment.
And CNN's Ted Rowlands joins us now from Salt Lake City to explain why this particular item has drawn so much attention -- Ted?
TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, new reports out today are very concerning, and they revolve around Lori Hacking's husband, Mark Hacking.
Meanwhile, the report -- or people here, volunteers and family members are holding out hope that they will be able to find Lori Hacking alive. She has been missing since Monday.
Those reports you're talking about, and specifically a mattress, is now the biggest concern for a lot of folks that have been following this and a lot of volunteers.
According to the "Salt Lake City Tribune," Mark Hacking purchased a brand new mattress on Monday morning just hours before he called Salt Lake City police to report that his wife was missing. As you mentioned, earlier in the week police did search the Hacking apartment, and they took out a number of items including a box spring.
Another item that has surfaced is that, according to a local television station here, Hacking was outside a Salt Lake City hotel on Monday night, reportedly naked. Police do confirm that there was an incident outside that hotel on Monday night involving Hacking. But that's all they will say for now.
Meanwhile, family and friends continue to support Mark Hacking and continue to support the search for Lori Hacking. Mark and Lori Hacking were high school sweethearts. They were married five years ago. And everybody to a person on both sides of the family say this was a very, very loving couple.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATHY BLACK, LORI HACKING'S COUSIN: Lori and Mark have always been just an ideal couple. Mark was always very kind to Lori and just opening doors for her and just a gentleman and would, you know, do the dishes and, you know, he was just sort of -- we'd look at him and go there's the ideal husband.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROWLANDS: Now, earlier this week it was revealed that Mark Hacking was virtually living a lie about his schooling. He had told family and friends that he was headed to North Carolina to begin medical school this fall.
In fact, Lori Hacking, according to friends, was telling people that she was very excited to be going. They were looking at apartments. It turns out Hacking was not going to medical school. He had never graduated from undergraduate college here in Utah.
That came out earlier this week. The family said they were shocked to hear that news, but they continue to support Mark Hacking. They say that they're happy that those lies have come out into the forefront.
A police spokesman, however, this week said that, that lie about his schooling was just, "the tip of the pyramid."
And they continue to call him, "a person of interest."
There is a news conference scheduled here within the hour in Salt Lake City. We may learn more about the investigation, but it's unclear whether or not the police will attend -- Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: All right. Ted Rowlands, thanks very much, from Salt Lake City, Utah.
The 9/11 Commission has spoken. One of the big questions now, what will it mean for the U.S. military? Our Barbara Starr takes a close look.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired July 23, 2004 - 11:19 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Here is a look at what's happening now in the news.
President Bush reaches out to African-American voters. He has just wrapped up a speech at the National Urban League convention in Detroit. Mr. Bush addressed the group a week after he declined to speak at the NAACP convention.
A key witness in the Martha Stewart case is spared prison and probation within the last half hour. Douglas Faneuil was fined $2,000 for his role in the case. Faneuil could have gotten up to a year in prison after pleading guilty to accepting a payoff.
Investigators in Turkey are trying to determine whether faulty tracks or speed may have caused a deadly train crash. At least 36 people were killed and dozens of others were wounded in the crash outside Istanbul. The head of the Turkish railway system ruled out the possibility of sabotage.
The U.S. Navy's newest and most advanced carrier is headed for its home port. The USS Ronald Reagan arrives at a naval air station near San Diego in just a few hours. Nancy Reagan, the former first lady, is expected to take part in the ceremony set to begin around 2 p.m. Eastern time.
Keeping you informed, CNN, the most trusted name in news.
Up first on CNN, convention countdown. The Democratic National Convention in Boston is just three days away. It takes place amid extraordinary security and looming concerns about a possible terrorist attack.
National correspondent Bob Franken is in Boston with a preview of the convention and a look at the security precautions. And I imagine, Bob, right now they are putting the finishing touches on a lot of those security measures.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Right. They are practicing, telling us we can't do that -- we can't do this, we can't do that.
There is going to be probably the largest single group of people here -- and I'm just guessing this -- is going to be security. Now not only are we going to have all the security measures that we've heard about, lots of them we haven't heard about. There's even been a threat against media. And so that's going to be added to the mix.
And some of the people who might normally be in security will be picketing. Some of the Boston policeman, members of the union who are in contract dispute with the city of Boston, while not walking off their jobs are setting up informational picket lines, at least at some of the pre-convention events which are going to cause a dilemma for union-oriented Democrats about crossing that line, who of course also want to go to a convention.
But yes, security is going to be massive. The roads that you see moving right now in back of me are not going to be moving at least in the hours around, during and after the convention. It's going to be hunkered down.
WHITFIELD: And Bob, passes and passes -- passes and badges have always been scrutinized in conventions past, but I imagine this time it might be a little bit different coupled with some unprecedented type searches.
FRANKEN: Well, yes. First of all, the T, as they call it here, the subway system here, people can expect to get random searches. And we're told that they've already started.
Credentialing is going to be very strict. That's always the case. There are going to be magnetometers everywhere. There are going to be thousands of people. There are going to be long lines.
Probably the most important advice anybody can get who is coming here is, be patient.
WHITFIELD: All right. Bob Franken -- good advice -- from Boston, thanks very much.
Well, John Kerry is in Colorado today to begin the cross-country trip that will take him to the convention in Boston. CNN's Elaine Quijano has the latest from the Kerry-Edwards campaign from Denver.
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The aim of the Kerry-Edwards ticket in the next few days is to tell the American people just who Senator John Kerry is and what he represents. And today here in Denver kicks off the cross-country tour to do just that, ahead of the Democratic national convention.
Now today Senator Kerry is expected to emphasize the concept of national service. He is expected to propose a new grant program to encourage people to start service initiatives.
Now why this area? Because John Kerry was born at an Army hospital just outside of Denver, the son of a military pilot, the idea tying in to the theme of service to the nation.
Now yesterday John Kerry spoke to the National Urban League in Detroit and previewed some other topics that we will likely here repeated in the days and weeks ahead, talking about groups he says he will not forget if elected.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Let me tell you where my heart is. My heart is with the middle-class, who are the heart of this country. It's with the working families who literally built this country. It's with the veterans who save this country. It's with the cops, and the firefighters and the soldiers who protect this country. And it's with the children who are the future of this country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUIJANO: Here in Denver, Senator Kerry's running mate, John Edwards, is expected to focus on Kerry's military service, his actions during the Vietnam War, which resulted in three Purple Hearts and a Silver and a Bronze Star.
Now today's appearance is expected to last for about an hour. Both Senator Edwards and Senator Kerry's families are expected to be on hand. And after this appearance here in Denver, the senators will go off in different directions: Senator Kerry going on to Iowa and Senator Edwards moving to the key battleground state of Wisconsin.
Elaine Quijano, CNN, Denver, Colorado.
WHITFIELD: Well, as the convention season kicks off, a new poll shows President Bush and Senator Kerry running neck and neck.
Joining us to talk about poll positions in the race for the White House, CNN's senior political analyst Bill Schneider, who has taken his position in Boston.
Good to see you, Bill.
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Good morning, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Well, it is indeed a tight race. The latest poll showing Kerry with 49 percent, Bush with 47 percent on this, which -- apparently 83 percent of voters have made up their minds -- which makes you wonder the other 17 percent, do they have something in common in terms of economics, race or geography?
SCHNEIDER: Well, there are a small number of people who are still swing voters. What these people are, people who said they're inclined to vote for either Bush or Kerry but they could change their minds up.
So we're going to go find them, I suppose. You know, I'll get a butterfly net. They're known to exist in places like Columbus, Ohio. And you know, I'm going to make a little list, Fredricka, and I'll share it with our viewers. We're going to find out every person there who says they could change their mind.
WHITFIELD: OK. Now, apparently people, voters in general, are very enthusiastic, according to these latest poll numbers, about this election. Why is that? Let's look at some of these numbers. This comparing now to October of 2000. Now 60 percent are very enthusiastic, 38 percent weren't so enthusiastic. What's the difference? What's happened?
SCHNEIDER: The difference is this. It was 50-50 four years ago. It's 50-50 this year. But 50-50 can mean two different things. It can mean, eh, I'm 50-50, I can't make up my mind.
That's the way it was four years ago between Bush and Gore. Now it means people are really divided, intensely divided. Then it meant, whatever. Now it means, we're really pumped.
That's what's happening right now. It's like it was after November 7th when we went into the recount and people suddenly cared who won. It's still just like that in the country.
WHITFIELD: And here so many people were thinking this very long campaign season might backfire, but now it looks like it might be quite an exciting time come November with voters pretty enthusiastic.
Bill Schneider, thanks very much, from Boston.
SCHNEIDER: OK.
WHITFIELD: Well, CNN is your campaign headquarters for the Democratic national convention. Our coverage begins Monday at 7 p.m. Eastern, 4 Pacific.
We turn now to Salt Lake City and the baffling disappearance of Lori Hacking. Police have described her husband, Mark, as a person of interest though not a suspect. Yesterday they removed a box spring from the couple's apartment.
And CNN's Ted Rowlands joins us now from Salt Lake City to explain why this particular item has drawn so much attention -- Ted?
TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, new reports out today are very concerning, and they revolve around Lori Hacking's husband, Mark Hacking.
Meanwhile, the report -- or people here, volunteers and family members are holding out hope that they will be able to find Lori Hacking alive. She has been missing since Monday.
Those reports you're talking about, and specifically a mattress, is now the biggest concern for a lot of folks that have been following this and a lot of volunteers.
According to the "Salt Lake City Tribune," Mark Hacking purchased a brand new mattress on Monday morning just hours before he called Salt Lake City police to report that his wife was missing. As you mentioned, earlier in the week police did search the Hacking apartment, and they took out a number of items including a box spring.
Another item that has surfaced is that, according to a local television station here, Hacking was outside a Salt Lake City hotel on Monday night, reportedly naked. Police do confirm that there was an incident outside that hotel on Monday night involving Hacking. But that's all they will say for now.
Meanwhile, family and friends continue to support Mark Hacking and continue to support the search for Lori Hacking. Mark and Lori Hacking were high school sweethearts. They were married five years ago. And everybody to a person on both sides of the family say this was a very, very loving couple.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KATHY BLACK, LORI HACKING'S COUSIN: Lori and Mark have always been just an ideal couple. Mark was always very kind to Lori and just opening doors for her and just a gentleman and would, you know, do the dishes and, you know, he was just sort of -- we'd look at him and go there's the ideal husband.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROWLANDS: Now, earlier this week it was revealed that Mark Hacking was virtually living a lie about his schooling. He had told family and friends that he was headed to North Carolina to begin medical school this fall.
In fact, Lori Hacking, according to friends, was telling people that she was very excited to be going. They were looking at apartments. It turns out Hacking was not going to medical school. He had never graduated from undergraduate college here in Utah.
That came out earlier this week. The family said they were shocked to hear that news, but they continue to support Mark Hacking. They say that they're happy that those lies have come out into the forefront.
A police spokesman, however, this week said that, that lie about his schooling was just, "the tip of the pyramid."
And they continue to call him, "a person of interest."
There is a news conference scheduled here within the hour in Salt Lake City. We may learn more about the investigation, but it's unclear whether or not the police will attend -- Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: All right. Ted Rowlands, thanks very much, from Salt Lake City, Utah.
The 9/11 Commission has spoken. One of the big questions now, what will it mean for the U.S. military? Our Barbara Starr takes a close look.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
