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New Day Saturday
One Escapee Dead, One On The Run; Two People Arrested After Confederate Flag Removed; Police Hopeful Killer "Contained" In Perimeter; Are Three Terror Attacks Connected?; How Will Churches Respond to Same Sex Marriage Ruling?; Stirring Speech for Church Pastor; Glenn Campbell Opens up about Alzheimer's. Aired 8-9a ET
Aired June 27, 2015 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: Breaking news this morning from upstate New York. How close are search teams from escaped convict David Sweat? The net here is tightening as search teams are in hot pursuit.
CHRISTI PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: In Kuwait, they're calling a terrorist and criminal act, a deadly bombing outside a crowded mosque. Is this a new tactic by ISIS?
It's always so grateful to have you with us. I'm Christi Paul.
BLACKWELL: I'm Victor Blackwell. Good to be with you.
We are starting with two breaking stories this morning. First, an activist has climbed the flag pole in Columbia, South Carolina at the state house and has removed the confederate flag. You see the video here. She calls herself Bri. This happened about an hour and a half ago.
PAUL: She was arrested, we understand, the flag was taken away from her. It has not yet been replaced, however. This flag, as you know, has been at the center of controversy all week long. A lot of people protesting demanding that it be taken down, and obviously she took matters into her own hands. We'll have a live report for you on this story in just a couple of minutes.
But we do want to get to the race to find escaped killer, David Sweat as well this morning, an ongoing situation right now as more than 1,000 officers are manning a perimeter near the community of Malone, New York.
BLACKWELL: They are hoping to block Sweat's path before he gets any farther. Police say at one point, they were following two sets of footprints before Matt was killed, but they haven't been able to lay eyes on Sweat.
Polo Sandoval is live within the search perimeter, in the search area there in Malone, New York. Polo, what is happening right now?
POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Christi, Victor, that search does continue. In fact, moments ago, law enforcement up in the air just passing by a few moments ago. Really what we are getting from authorities is that they are confident that they will find David Sweat, if he's hiding out in the woods here at the Adirondacks.
However, they're moving forward very cautiously after yesterday's deadly shooting of Richard Matt. They know that David Sweat is potentially armed. He's dangerous and most importantly he's getting more desperate by the minute.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SANDOVAL (voice-over): After three weeks on the run, escaped killer, Richard Matt, was shot and killed near Malone, New York.
GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO, NEW YORK: You never want to see anyone lose their life, but I would remind people that Mr. Matt was an escaped murderer from a state prison. Mr. Matt killed two people who we know about.
SANDOVAL: Police narrowed in on a cabin in the surrounding woods after receiving a tip from the driver of a recreational vehicle. He reported hearing gunshots and then later realized his camper was hit.
JOSEPH D'AMICO, NEW YORK STATE POLICE SUPERINTENDENT: We discovered the smell of gun powder and realized a weapon had been fired as we were doing the ground search in the area. There was movement detected by officers on the ground.
What they believe to be -- a tactical team from Customs and Border Protection met up with Matt in the woods, challenged him, and he was shot dead by border patrol at that time. We recovered a 20-gauge shotgun.
SANDOVAL: Now the focus of the manhunt is on David Sweat, who is said to be contained in the area, though, there's been no actual sighting. Police are now using helicopters and vehicles with infrared spotting technology. Residents remain on edge.
(on camera): How have you been feeling?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Anxiety through the roof and I'm on medicine! It's been awful. I can't sleep. Then darkness hits. I'm wondering where they are, what they are doing, how they got out.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANDOVAL: Those are just some of the many questions being asked by the people who live in the shadows of these mountains here.
[08:05:00] We did get to speak to some of them, Christi and Victor, there is a level of relief knowing that one of these two individuals is no longer a threat, but they are completely aware that this is far from over.
Meanwhile, we'll continue to see heavy law enforcement presence not only on the ground, but also in the air, hoping to provide a reassurance for the public, people who are really caught in the middle of this manhunt -- guys.
BLACKWELL: All right, Polo Sandoval there for us in Malone, New York, thank you.
PAUL: All right, so, let's bring in CNN law enforcement analyst and former FBI assistant director, Tom Fuentes as well as Lenny DePaul. He is a former commander of the U.S. Marshals New York Regional Task Force. Thank you, Gentlemen, for being with us.
Lenny, I want to start with you. Let's talk about these two sets of footprints that were found in the woods. How do trackers know specifically what they're looking at? How can they discern this has to be from David Sweat?
LENNY DEPAUL, FORMER COMMANDER, U.S. MARSHALS NEW YORK REGIONAL TASK FORCE: Good morning, Christi. Well, I mean, with respect to footprints and I know there are bloodhounds that are active and they're there. I'm not sure the other evidence that is coming out of this cabin.
But there may have been some sort of a shoe or a boot that they are looking at previously that compared to the prints that they're looking at. I'm certainly not a professional tracker with respect to footprints.
But I'm assuming what they picked up on and the matted down leaves and brush and what not they're able to determine it's a good possibility that the footprints were these two guys.
So, you know, again, I'm hoping David Sweat is contained in this perimeter and this thing goes down without incident.
PAUL: Sure. Tom, the big change here this morning from what we've been seeing in the last several weeks is that he is now alone. His partner in crime has been killed. So we have to assume that his desperation level is heightened this morning. The longer this goes on, better or worse for Sweat?
TOM FUENTES, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Well, I think it's definitely worse for Sweat. You know, when he had a partner one of them could stay awake and keep a lookout and the other one could take a rest, get a little bit of sleep and use each other, again, to have extra eyes and ears to see if they were being tracked and now he is all alone.
He doesn't have that assistance. He really can't sleep. If he does, he can't sleep soundly at all. It's a matter of time. He doesn't have someone to help him obtain food or water or break into cabins or houses. So, it's going to be, I think, much more difficult for him to survive on his own if he's out in the woods.
PAUL: Lenny, you had mentioned earlier, they stuck together and they needed each other and now he does not have that. Do you think that Sweat has the wherewithal to go this alone and survive somehow and would he be taken, do you think, based on what you know of him and his crimes and his personality, would he be willing to be taken alive? DEPAUL: I mean, those are great questions and you know, he realizes at this point that if he is captured, he's going to die in segregation. I mean, there's no way out for him. His mindset is, I'm sure, as Tom just said, he is without now his partner. He's right now being, he's better being lucky than good at this point.
I hope they find him shortly. But, yes, the big concern for law enforcement is how is this going to go down? Is he armed? And, again, I'm hoping he's contained and he didn't slip through the cracks here. But, is he armed? Is it suicide by cop?
These are a lot of questions that law enforcement is scratching their heads about right now. A tight perimeter set up, Christi, so I'm hoping he is contained.
PAUL: They do have a tight perimeter, but Tom, real quickly, I understand that this area is usually crowded with visitors in the winter because of the ski resorts, but in the summer, there are all kinds of camp grounds there.
Do you have any concerns of people who may be at some of these camp grounds and, you know, they may be unplugged. They may not know what is going on or, at this point, do you think law enforcement has a good handle on that?
FUENTES: No, I think law enforcement won't know every person that's out there hiking and running around as you say unplugged that may not have been hearing the news. That happens. You have backpackers that go weeks at a time and breakaway from civilization and brag that they don't have their smartphones with them and can't stay in touch.
And you know, it's possible they would have no idea other than why there is all these police helicopters in the air around the clock, but again, you know, it creates a distraction for law enforcement. It creates an added danger factor if Sweat decides to take one of them hostage or if any of them are carrying weapons.
That gives him a chance to have another weapon. It does complicate the issue that other people live there or may be walking through the area.
PAUL: Tom Fuentes and Lenny DePaul, appreciate your expertise on this. Thanks for being with us.
BLACKWELL: Now, as police close in on David Sweat, could there be a change in tactics coming? We'll break down what this new perimeter means for law enforcement. If there is any way Sweat could outsmart officers?
[08:10:08] We're also learning about another shark attack, another one on the Carolina coastline. That is now five in the past two weeks. We'll discuss how weather could be bringing sharks into shallow waters.
Also, more on the breaking news in Columbia, South Carolina, we've got a new detail just coming in about the confederate flag having been removed by an activist. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PAUL: It's 13 minutes past the hour. Some breaking news we want to share with you. In South Carolina, police say two people now are under arrest after this happened this morning. The confederate federal flag removed from the state capital there in Columbia.
That's an activist you see there, who reportedly calls herself Bri taking down the confederate flag. We're trying to get more details about both individuals right now.
BLACKWELL: And this came down less than two hours ago and we're now learning that the flag has already been put back up. But joining us on the phone is Bakari Sellers, a CNN contributor and former Democratic state legislature for South Carolina. First, your reaction to what you're seeing this morning.
BAKARI SELLERS, CNN CONTRIBUTOR (via telephone): Well, I can honestly say when I woke up this morning I didn't expect that the flag would be down already. I thought that the legislative process must have been moving amazingly fast.
But, you know, I completely understand the activism. There are people out there, especially young people, with activism and the only problem is that when the flag comes down like this, one, it's going right back up.
BLACKWELL: Why is that?
SELLERS: One of the biggest issues -- well, I mean, the governor is going to make sure that the flag goes right back up because legally the law states that you can only take it down in two ways.
There is going to be a vote in about two weeks, two to three weeks that is going to determine the fate of the flag and, for me, I'd much rather prefer that that flag come down forever. Not just momentarily.
[08:15:09] And, so, I want my friends to funnel their energy towards making sure that their legislators know what we need to do to get that flag down. Not just for an hour. I think the flag stayed down for maybe two hours in this case, but I want it to stay down forever.
BLACKWELL: You expect that. You know the way things work there, not only in Columbia, but at the state house specifically that we'll get to a situation where the flag will be under guard.
SELLERS: I totally expect that the flag will be under guard. What we have to understand is that later on today there is also going to be a rally in support of the flag, defenders of the Southern Cross or some group that is planning a rally under that same flag today.
So, there are a lot of moving parts. But what we want to do is make sure that we in South Carolina understand that the final goal is to keep the flag down forever and that is what we need to focus our energies on. BLACKWELL: You know, there have been a few, not many, but a few contentious moments there in front of the state house in conversations over the confederate flag. Do you believe that the tone is changing?
SELLERS: I'm not certain that this one act has changed the tone, by any stretch. But what I can tell you is that people from the top all the way down to the bottom is one thing that cannot happen in South Carolina for us to tell the world and for Nikki Haley and all the other dignitaries to tell the world that the confederate flag will come down. And then the confederate flag does not come down. So, that is the focus. That's the goal and I'm not sure that this act today changed any of that.
BLACKWELL: All right, CNN contributor and former state legislator, Bakari Sellers, good to have you with us this morning.
SELLERS: Thanks for having me.
PAUL: Breaking news story that we're following for the first time this morning we believe that David Sweat is alone as he tries to escape or continue to get away from this swarm of officers who are looking for him in New York this morning.
Officials say he's contained. This, of course, a day after his accomplice has been shot dead. Why hasn't he been caught? Of course, now that daylight has come, easier for the officers or easier for Sweat? We'll talk about that in a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLACKWELL: A flood of resources in and around a small town. We continue with the breaking news, an intense manhunt going on right now for fugitive David Sweat. More than 1,000 officers and law enforcement tactical crews are taking part in this search for Sweat.
Officials reveal that the escapee is, in their word, contained. But police admit they do not have eyes on him. All this comes after hours cops shot and killed the fellow inmate, Richard Matt in Malone, New York.
Let's bring in CNN law enforcement analyst and retired NYPD detective, Harry Houck. Let's start with the use of this term -- good morning -- the use of this term contained. What does that mean if they haven't seen the man?
HARRY HOUCK, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Well, I think they probably have some kind of evidence to indicate that he might be in the perimeter area. Although the police keep on saying that they're hopeful. All right so, this isn't probably any information that can confirm the fact that he is in that area, but they're very hopeful that he is.
You know, the fact that maybe Matt and him were together at the time of the shooting. We don't know. They found those footprints. They believe that Sweat's footprint was found there, also. I don't believe that was confirmed, also. I think they're hoping for the best right now. If he is in that area that they have contained, they should be able to find him. A lot of people don't understand. This is like looking for a needle in a haystack in an area like that.
I have been up there several times, I love the place. But if you go off a trail and you don't have a map and compass, you could be lost forever up there. Those woods are so thick and areas there that are so thick with so much brush that somebody could be seven, ten, 15 feet away from you and you can't even see them.
BLACKWELL: You have roughly 1,000 people looking for this one man in now a smaller area. I just knew when I went to sleep last night after Richard Matt had been shot and killed that this would be over by the time we started the show this morning. Should there be a change in tactic and a change in approach?
HOUCK: Well, I think now that they believe he is contained in one specific area. If they take all the specific resources and focus on that perimeter and move their way in, remember, it has to be slow moving because I go back to the days when I was in the Marine Corps and I learned my evade and escape tactics on what to do and how to get away from people following you.
The fact that, you know, he could be hiding up in a tree. So, he could be, when you're going through an area like this, not only moving slowly looking at the area in front of you, but you also have to be looking up at the trees because he could be up there and just looking down as the police just walk right by him. So, that's why it takes slow and methodic to be able to go through those woods to be able to find this guy.
BLACKWELL: Yes, you talked a moment ago about the dense vegetation that really tough terrain. Listen to how a person who lives there describes the area.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MATT MAGUIRE, RESIDENT AFFECTED BY MANHUNT: It's, you know, it's mountainous Adirondack area with trees and swamp and just thick, thick vegetation that you can't see ten feet in front of you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A lot of places to hide here.
MAGUIRE: Absolutely. Absolutely.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLACKWELL: A lot of places to hide and a lot of places to break through. What is the degree of confidence that he will not be able to break through this perimeter? This area is pretty close to Canada, as well.
HOUCK: Well, I'm hoping that the perimeter is so tight that he can't break through. You know, but, we don't know. Did he break through before? Was he with Matt at that time when the shooting occurred? We don't -- did they split up earlier? We don't know. And I think if he is within that perimeter, we should know some time today and I'm hoping we will know some time today.
[08:25:08] BLACKWELL: Yes, a community state -- beyond that state -- go ahead, 15 seconds.
HOUCK: Yes, well, you know, sweat has to be mentally -- he's got to be having problems right now. He's been out there for like 20 some days now. He's probably not thinking correctly and probably going to make a lot of mistakes now especially that he is alone.
BLACKWELL: Yes, Harry Houck, thank you so much. We'll continue the conversation throughout the morning.
HOUCK: Have a good one.
PAUL: New information this morning into the deadly attack on a Kuwait mosque that killed at least 27 people in that attack. We've just learned the car that dropped off the suicide bomber has been found. But where is the driver? We have a live report on this new development, coming up next.
Also the White House, you've never seen it like this before have you? Rainbow colors. How will religious organizations react after the Supreme Court legalizes same sex marriage nationwide?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLACKWELL: All right, so here's a look at some of the breaking news we're following this morning. The upstate New York community of Malone on high alert, the hunt for escaped killer, David Sweat, now is focused on that area. Police are looking everywhere.
I mean, you see the rush of resources here for David Sweat. They admit, though, they have not seen him. All of this is going on after police shot and killed fellow inmate, Richard Matt.
PAUL: New details on the terror attack in Tunisia this morning. We now know the gunman that attacked a beach resort was not known to be affiliated to any terror group and his passport did not have foreign travel.
ISIS is claiming responsibility for the attack and posted a photo of the alleged attacker.
Here's the thing, witnesses say they cannot be certain that that photo is the same gunman they saw at the shooting scene. The attacker killed at least 38 people and wounded 36 others.
And then in Kuwait, security forces, we understand, getting word they have tracked down the car used to drop off the suicide bomber who attacked a Shiite mosque. They're still looking for that driver, but at least 27 people were killed in the blast. 227 others were wounded and ISIS claiming responsibility for this attack, as well.
Let's bring in Jomana Karadsheh. Jomana -- so have police released any details about this car specifically?
JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Christi, here's what we know from authorities in Kuwait through state media. They are saying that in the past 24 hours or so since the attack that they brought in a number of people for questioning, for possible involvement, suspects who are possibly involved in the attack on this Shia mosque in this Kuwait city.
And also, as you mentioned, in the past couple hours or so we're hearing from state television there quoting the ministry of interior saying that they managed to track down the car that was used to drop off the suicide bomber at the mosque. They also arrested the owner of the car, but they are still looking for the driver of that vehicle who seems to be a different person.
Kuwait today, Christi, a nation that is mourning; a nation that is in shock. In the coming hour or so we expect to see the mass burial of those 27 victims. This is a country that has not been hit by a terror attack in more than two decades. So, this has really shocked a nation that has pretty much remained immune to the kind of violence that we see in other parts of the region, even neighboring Iraq and the Shia minority there in Kuwait has pretty much peacefully coexisted with the Sunnis.
But of course, now, concern after we heard ISIS in recent weeks calling for attacks to be carried out by followers on Shia Muslims who they consider to be apostates as they call them and not true Muslims. And this kind of attack, Christi, does near the kind of attacks we saw in recent weeks taking place in Saudi Arabia also targeting Shia mosques and, of course a lot of concern about this happening during the month of Ramadan, a time historically where extremist groups do ramp up these kinds of attacks and violence that we have seen in the past.
So, a lot of concern across this region about this sort of attack and, of course, ISIS' ability to strike outside the battlefield s in Iraq and Syria -- Christi.
PAUL: Yes, very good point. Jomana Karadsheh. Jomana -- thank you so much. Appreciate it.
VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN HOST: Now in France, authorities are questioning a man who drove a van into a gas factory and set off an explosion. Look at this -- he left the decapitated head of a victim pinned to the fence of the factory he attacked.
Let's bring in Michael Weiss, CNN contributor and co-author of the book "ISIS: Inside the army of terror".
Michael, I want to pick up from one point of Jomana's report about the call to attack especially during Ramadan. We heard recently from the spokesman for ISIS al Adnani urging followers to quote, "Make Ramadan a month of disasters for the infidels." But I want you to speak specifically to the significance of not only Ramadan but of Friday -- attacking on a Friday. MICHAEL WEISS, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, it's the day of prayer in
Islam. And, you know, targeting a Shia mosque is very purposeful (ph) from the very beginning of ISIS' existence -- and we're going back now to 2004 when it was known as al Qaeda in Iraq. The founder was Abu Musab al Zarqawi, a jihadist who actually made Osama bin Laden look like a pussy cat because Zarqawi's call was to commit genocide effectively against the Shia, to attack them, to blow up their mosques, their hussainias with the ultimate ambition of fomenting a sectarian civil war which in his grim calculus could only benefit the Sunnis because they outnumber the Shia by orders of magnitude.
So going after Shia mosques first in Saudi Arabia, now then Kuwait which is a relatively stable gulf state ISIS' goal to do exactly that, to create the sectarian meltdown scenario for the region which in their mind will only benefit them in the long term. So I think you can expect to see more such attacks as this.
Obviously yes, it's the holy month of Ramadan as you mentioned. Adnani put out this this call. Whether or not these three attacks that occurred yesterday again, on three separate continents were in any way coordinated or related, remains to be seen. I believe -- I mean in addition to the Kuwaiti one, that Tunisia was, in fact, you know ISIS linked. The one in France could be a lone wolf who was inspired by ISIS.
But again at what point do we say, you know, a guy, a crazy guy who's living in a faraway country who connects with the ISIS guys on Twitter or Skye -- at what point do we draw a distinction between him being part of the organization and not part of the organization.
[08:35:10] BLACKWELL: Yes, let's talk about that. Because they have claimed responsibility for these, but U.S. officials, at least two of them do not see or have not seen a direct connection to ISIS, but they believe that possibly they were inspired by ISIS. Are they just claiming responsibility after the message and they really had no knowledge of these things?
WEISS: Well, they've done it before. But, look, we tend to be a little too doctrinaire in our approach to thinking about organizations. You know, we like work charts and hierarchies and structures and codifications systems. You know, if you pledge allegiance to ISIS you're part of ISIS.
ISIS doesn't really work that way. They have affiliates and they have liaisons, they have interlocutors. Ansar al Sharia -- a group, you know, in Tunisia has not pledged allegiance to ISIS, but there's operational cooperation between the two organizations.
This is what I call rolodex pragmatism. If you're a jihadi -- it's the people you know, the people in your circle and the constellation of associates that matters the most. And they don't necessarily have to be signed up members of your organization, you can egg them on, you can encourage them to commit attacks like this. That's what ISIS wants to do.
BLACKWELL: And by their definition of success, they are quite successful.
WEISS: Exactly.
BLACKWELL: Michael Weiss, thank you so much.
WEISS: Sure.
PAUL: You know, across the country, people are celebrating the Supreme Court legalizing same-sex marriage. Here is the question a lot of people are wondering this morning. How will religious organizations and churches respond to this? We're going to have that conversation.
BLACKWELL: And later, understanding the President's moving eulogy in South Carolina. We're going to show you more of the most compelling moments that moved a lot of people to tears and you see here members of the AME church, the leaders standing up and supporting him.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[08:40:29] BLACKWELL: Record turnout expected today at LGBT Pride celebrations today across the country. A lot of people will be celebrating yesterday's landmark ruling by the Supreme Court legalizing same-sex marriage in all 50 states.
But while they're celebrating the ruling is kind of forcing some people into unchartered territory, especially churches; religious organizations, other religious organizations.
I want to bring in CNN religion commentator Reverend Edward Beck. Father Beck, just start, generally, what is your reaction to the Supreme Court ruling?
FATHER EDWARD BECK, CNN RELIGION COMMENTATOR: Well, what's interesting, Victor, I think is that it really does not affect church teaching or church law at all. Church teaching remains the same that marriage is between a man and a woman. So, that does not change. And that the natural law that the church has always taught remains intact.
There have been some deep cries against the ruling by officials in the church. Archbishop Kurtz, the President of the Catholic Bishop Conference has said this. "It's a tragic error that harms the common good and the most vulnerable among us."
Now, having said that, so, the official church teaching is against the ruling however, the majority of Catholics in this country, are in favor and support same-sex marriage. So, you have this kind of dissonance where the hierarchy is saying one thing but the troops, Catholics in general are saying this isn't about religion. It isn't about church. It's is about civil rights. And a few bishops in fact have come out and said that. This is about equal protection under the law. It is separate from religion.
First amendment protects that.
BLACKWELL: How do the leaders of the church then lead, as you call them, the troops, if the troops disagree with what's coming from on high?
BECK: Well, again, this is where the conversation begins to happen on the root level. The church has always taught we need to accept one another. We need to in some way welcome all. So, how do you welcome all when you have these kind of disagreements.
This is the perfect time as Pope Francis has said for the inclusion to happen and the conversation to begin. If you have the majority saying, look, from our perspective, this isn't an issue. You're not asking churches to marry gay people. This is about equal protection under the law. We have separation of church and state. Why make it a church issue?
Bishop Hartmeyer (ph) of Savannah said this. "This decision is primary a declaration of civil rights and not a redefinition of marriage as the church teaches. So, some are wondering why is the church really so opposed to it if it's not going to affect church practice and understanding about the sacramentality of marriage at all.
BLACKWELL: Ok. So let me ask you. We've heard through you the statements and sentiments of others, but if a same-sex couple came to you and asked you to marry them, would you?
BECK: No, I would not be permitted to in the Catholic Church. This is about civil marriage. It has nothing to do with religious marriage. The church would not still permit same-sex couples to be married within the church.
And again, the First Amendment, the freedom to exercise religion, protects the right of the church to say "No, that is not our belief and we cannot do that."
BLACKWELL: Understood. Father Edward Beck -- always good to have your voice as part of the conversation.
BECK: Thanks -- Victor.
BLACKWELL: Christi.
PAUL: You know, the President's eulogy for the church shooting victims went beyond massacre -- a lot of people say. It challenged the nation to confront difficult issues like race and guns.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're guarding against not just racial slurs, but we're also guarding against the subtle impulse to call Johnny back for a job interview, but not Jamal.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL: But a lot of people are calling it powerful, personal, stirring speech. Later this morning on NEW DAY.
Also, we're following breaking news on the manhunt in New York. Police hopeful they have escaped killer David Sweat contained. We'll bring you the latest in a moment.
Stay close.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PAUL: Have an update for you on some breaking news that we have been following this morning. First of all, the upstate New York community of Malone -- look at this here they are on high alert. Officials are right now searching for escaped killer David Sweat. They believe that they are on his heels. They admit they have not yet been able to see him. All of this, though, going on after police shot and killed fellow inmate Richard Matt.
Now, the big changes are one, it's daylight and two, Sweat for the first time as far as authorities know is running from them alone. We will continue to have more on this this morning as we've seen a lot of police activity, but still no sign of him yet. But we have a live report coming up for you at the top of the hour on this as well.
Also an update on another breaking news story this morning out of South Carolina. Just in the last couple hours, police arrested two people after the confederate flag was removed from the state capital in Columbia. Take a look at this video we have. And this is one of the activists who reportedly calls herself Bri as she was taking down the confederate flag there.
We're trying to get more details about both of these individuals. But we know the flag came down about 6:00 this morning. It was back up an hour later and we have just learned a rally is planned today in Columbia to support taking down that flag for good. That's just one of many protests across the country. In fact this burning of the confederate flag took place in New Orleans.
PAUL: We just got in while you were saying that and to just follow on this story from South Carolina Department of Public Safety that, of course, Bri, the person who climbed up that flag pole to take it down, one person arrested. The second person arrested was a man who was inside the wrought-iron fence assisting her. They've been charged with defacing a monument.
[08:49:59] They were arrested without any problems and the flag was replaced, as we said. No damage was done. That's the word from the South Carolina Department of Public Safety.
We'll continue to follow that.
Also, President Obama, let's shift to this story, ending a historic week with one of, many people are calling, the most powerful, personal, stunning speeches -- in this case a eulogy -- of his presidency as he delivered that message for church pastor and state senator, Clementa Pinckney, one of the nine victims who were killed in South Carolina ten days ago.
And by the end, he had the crowd of about 5,500 people on their feet. They were applauding, cheering, singing at points. Here are some highlights. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: Blinded by hatred, the alleged killer could not see the grace surrounding Reverend Pinckney and that bible study group. The light of love that is shown as they open the church doors and invited a stranger to join in their prayer service. The alleged killer could have never anticipated the way the families of the fallen would respond when they saw him in court in the midst of unspeakable grief with words of forgiveness. He couldn't imagine that.
We all have to acknowledge the flag has always represented more than just ancestral pride. For many, black and white, that flag was a reminder of systemic oppression.
By recognizing our common humanity, by treating every child as important regardless of the color of their skin or the station into which they were born and to do what's necessary to make opportunity real for every American. By doing that we express God's grace.
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BLACKWELL: The eulogy inspired some of the 5,500 there in attendance to call the President "reverend president". Some even called the remarks life changing.
All right, coming up, living with Alzheimer's. We're seeing the "Rhinestone Cowboy" Glen Campbell in a way that likely you've never seen him. An intimate look at his daily battle with Alzheimer's disease -- that's next.
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PAUL: You know, memory is everything for six-time Grammy Award winning musician, Glen Campbell.
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PAUL: America's Rhinestone Cowboy was diagnosed with Alzheimer's back in 2012. The diagnosis eventually forced him to say farewell to touring when music just became too difficult for him. And now we're getting this glimpse of his very private battle with this crippling illness during that last tour.
Joining us the man who filmed this incredibly intimate moment from Campbell's farewell tour. James Keach, the director of the documentary "GLEN CAMPBELL: I'LL BE ME". It airs tomorrow on CNN. James -- it's so good to see you.
JAMES KEACH, DIRECTOR: It's good to see you, too, Christi.
PAUL: Thank you. So, I understand that you were asked by his producer to shoot this documentary. What do you think has been the most striking thing for you as you watch this progress?
KEACH: Actually, Trevor Albert and I my partner were asked to do this. And the most striking thing about it we started off very reluctant to do something about Alzheimer's because it was so daunting and everything we had seen before that had been very dark.
And after we met Glen and his family, we found the most amazing story. This is Rocky with a guitar. A guy with faith -- it's about his family, it's a love story. And he just happens to have Alzheimer's. This isn't an Alzheimer's movie, this is a story about a true American hero.
PAUL: I have seen it. I have cried. I have laughed through it. And I think what's important to people who are fans of his and people who aren't. People who maybe going through the same thing with a member of their family is you see some really raw moments that you didn't expect, don't you?
KEACH: Yes. You see a lot, well, the idea was to tell the truth. That's what Glen wanted. He wanted the gnarly truth to be told by making this movie. He asked this movie to be made. He knew what he was up against and he knew what he was facing and he knew the end game. But he wasn't afraid of it and his filmmakers, I'm trusting that we did it with dignity and the way Glen wanted it to be done with humor, love and faith.
PAUL: What did his family have to say? I understand that they thought that at some point it was a little risky for them.
KEACH: Well Kim, whenever she said -- and actually they say they feel like they have a warm blanket around them whenever they see the movie because Glen is not the same now. He's in the later stages and this reminds him of the remarkable experience they had. We started to do five and a half weeks and that's all we were going to do -- five and a half weeks. It turned into 151 shows and 2,000 hours of film.
PAUL: You had so much work on your hands and you have put it together so beautifully.
James Keach, always good to see you. Thank you so much.
KEACH: Thank you, Christi.
PAUL: Of course. And you can catch the documentary right here on CNN tomorrow night at 9:00 p.m. Eastern.
BLACKWELL: Wow, that lyric, "I'm Not Going to Miss You" -- it's so touching.
PAUL: Yes, he wrote the song called "I'm Not Going to Miss You" basically because he's not going to remember. It's so touching.
So do stay here. "SMERCONISH" is up for you next.
BLACKWELL: That's it. We will be back here at 10:00 Eastern for the "CNN NEWSROOM". Stay with us. We'll be back in an hour.