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American Morning
Putting the Polygraph to the Test
Aired July 11, 2001 - 9:20 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.
STEPHEN FRAZIER, CNN ANCHOR: First the family of Chandra Levy and now Metropolitan District of Columbia police are calling on Congressman Gary Condit to take a polygraph exam.
For the truth about lie detector tests, we are turning now to CNN national correspondent Eileen O'Connor in Washington -- Eileen, good morning.
EILEEN O'CONNOR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Stephen.
Well, the police are also talking about administering a polygraph test to other people that they have interviewed in the investigation. Again, this is not a criminal investigation. It is still being classified as a missing person's investigation.
And with me is Walter Atwood (ph), who has been a polygraph examiner for 50 years.
WALTER ATWOOD, POLYGRAPH EXAMINER: Yes, ma'am.
O'CONNOR: So, Mr. Atwood, could you walk us through -- with me also is our executive producer, Bob Waller (ph)...
ATWOOD: Yes.
BOB WALLER, CNN EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Just call me honest Bob, thank you.
O'CONNOR: And we have actually gone through some of the questions, as you would, correct?
ATWOOD: Yes. That's correct.
O'CONNOR: Explain to me what the leads are and let's start the test.
ATWOOD: The hook up here is the blood pressure cuff. It's the same as the doctors use. It records the person's heart rate and mean pressure. And we have two attachments to the chest and stomach that record the person's breathing. And then on the fingers we have a couple of electrodes that record changes in the electricity of the hand or sweat glands.
O'CONNOR: OK, now, Bob has to... WALLER: Yes, and it works because once I put this on I started sweating.
O'CONNOR: A little nervous.
ATWOOD: That's the way it's supposed to work, see?
O'CONNOR: You have to swing around, because you're not allowed to see this. In fact, there is a problem if people are very honest sometimes. There's critics of polygraphs who say that if you're too -- that you're very honest and your worried about being honest you can register a false positive.
ATWOOD: Well, sometimes. But it's rare.
O'CONNOR: OK. Now, why don't you start the test, please?
ATWOOD: OK. It'll take me a couple seconds to set it up here so it...
O'CONNOR: And Walter and I were talking, and you've also said that this is very good for investigations. It's really what it should be used for, as I've said. It's not admissible in many courtrooms...
ATWOOD: That is true.
O'CONNOR: ... in fact, across the country because there is some problems with it. Some people, it is said by critics, can fool the test, people who are habitual liars. But we know that's not you, Bob.
WALLER: But don't look at me. No.
ATWOOD: That doesn't happen very often, either.
O'CONNOR: OK. Now, you have, we've already gone over these questions.
ATWOOD: Yes.
O'CONNOR: Again, so that people don't get too nervous.
ATWOOD: Yes.
O'CONNOR: OK. Pretty easy questions, I would say.
WALLER: I'll be the judge of that, Eileen.
O'CONNOR: We're not going to ask him anything controversial like does he like his boss or anything like that.
ATWOOD: Oh, we wouldn't dare do a thing like that. OK. Now just don't move and look straight ahead and do not move.
O'CONNOR: OK, now one of the things, as well, that we're looking for, people are looking for is basically leads in the investigation, also to eliminate people and just make sure that perhaps they're totally being truthful because there's not a polygraph, though, does not necessarily make you a suspect.
ATWOOD: That's correct.
O'CONNOR: That exam, and we only have one minute left to...
WALLER: Ask some questions.
O'CONNOR: ... ask some questions. So?
ATWOOD: OK. Is your first name Bob?
WALLER: Yes.
ATWOOD: Do you know Chandra Levy?
WALLER: No.
ATWOOD: Is your last name Waller?
WALLER: Yes.
ATWOOD: Have you been to Chandra Levy's house?
WALLER: No.
ATWOOD: Did you attend Harvard University?
WALLER: Yes.
ATWOOD: Were you born in D.C.?
WALLER: Yes.
ATWOOD: In your sports broadcasting, did you ever make a miscue in your broadcasting?
WALLER: No.
O'CONNOR: Now, I should explain that Bob was a sports broadcaster and did telecasts for major league baseball and football for years and we, of course, know that you're infallible, Bob.
WALLER: Absolutely.
O'CONNOR: Now, we will be looking at these results and giving you the results. Again, what exactly will the police find in an investigation of missing persons?
ATWOOD: This, all the tests remain quiet. They'll be able to find how much he was involved with the person, what he knows about her disappearance or knows somebody who might know about her disappearance. So that's the best way to use the polygraph right now in this investigation.
O'CONNOR: And again, the police are saying that Congressman Gary Condit is not a suspect in the investigation and they are planning to do these on several people -- Stephen?
FRAZIER: Eileen, thank you. Please extend our thanks to honest Bob, too.
ATWOOD: Yes.
O'CONNOR: Thanks.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We will see just how honest he is in the next hour. As Eileen mentioned, you're going to see the results of Bob Waller's lie detector tests. We are also interested to learn more about Bob.
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