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CNN Sunday Morning
President Prepares for Memorial Day Ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery; Interview With Founder of Operation Bombshell
Aired May 24, 2009 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: From the CNN Center, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING for 24th day of May. Hello to you all. I'm T.J. Holmes.
ALINA CHO, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, it is the 24th of May.
Good morning, everybody. I'm Alina Cho. Betty has the morning off.
HOLMES: Let's show you what we got ahead today.
I think we have a live picture for you there this morning from Arlington National Cemetery. We will take a look at the work and dedication that goes into caring for the fallen heroes.
CHO: And how about this for a story? You're going to meet that lady there. She's a former stripper-turned-author. The brain child of something called "Operation Bombshell."
Lily Burana is her name. She teaches what's billed as the only burlesque class for military lives and she's going to join me live and tell you why they need to find the bombshell within.
HOLMES: The only one, huh? I can't believe there aren't more, huh?
Well, also, a bizarre story. This is strange here, folks. You got to see this and a bit disturbing. This is out of Seattle, where a group of elementary girls created a cartoon that shows them killing a classmate. We will share this story with you later this hour.
CHO: And you're going to meet Piper, too -- an adorable little girl.
But we're going to get to our top story now. Is the third time a charm? Will the space shuttle Atlantis finally land today? And will it happen in California or Florida? Of course, it always depends on the weather and NASA says for now, "It's iffy."
HOLMES: Yes. And, Alina, as she just said, they finally get to land because the landing has been pushed back two days straight. They were trying on Friday, tried it again yesterday, going to try it again this morning.
NASA says that while the shuttle could -- if it had to -- stay up in space until Monday, they don't want to do that. So, it will land today. We just don't know where yet. Either it's going to be in Florida, but also a chance Edwards Air Force Base in California, if necessary.
CHO: Now, I'll break it down for you. The first opportunity for the shuttle Atlantis to land is in Kennedy Space Center in Florida. That comes at 10:09 Eastern Time. If the weather is not cooperating by then, the next landing opportunity will be out west, Edwards Air Force Base in California, that's late in the 11 o'clock Eastern hour.
But no matter which landing site NASA picks, CNN will bring it to you live or we're going to bring it to you live tomorrow if it happens then.
HOLMES: Whenever they land, they decide to land, Reynolds, we're going to bring it to him.
CHO: Keep it here.
HOLMES: But should we have our cameras, what do you think, fixed on Florida or should we have them fixed on California, Reynolds?
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It really is going to be a coin toss.
CHO: Oh, really?
WOLF: It really is. I got to tell you, we had a shot out of Orlando a while ago and skies are relatively clear, but the thing is, you take a look what's happening right along the coast, you have a string of storms that have been popping up, just some showers that have been just trading right off the coast.
And the number one goal they have at NASA is to ensure the safe return of the crew. They want everyone to be safe. So, if things are not going to be picture perfect here in Florida, well, they are going for Edwards Air Force Base. Obviously, more expensive, but, at the same time, it's going to get them back safely.
Hey, take a look what we have on the national perspective. We've been talking about the rain they've been getting in Florida. Some places over two feet of rain just this past week alone. That's going to continue through a good part of the day. We're also going to see plenty of rainfall across much of the southeast.
When you get into the Great Lakes, some sporadic activity there, and the same is true over the Rockies, but relatively dry out towards the west. Let's expand this shot over here, that shows you that we're going to see more of this as we get into tomorrow. So, for Memorial Day, look for the rain to continue in the southeast, including Florida.
But in the Great Lakes, in the northeast, high pressure is going to be moving into the region. What that's going to do is it's going to have a calming effect on the atmosphere, giving you plenty blue skies for places like New York, for Boston, for Detroit and Michigan, even over towards Chicago. Out to the west, same deal. But in the center of the nation, it looks like it's going to be umbrella weather for you for the Northern Plains, back to Fargo down to parts of Nebraska and into Texas and, of course, the gulf coast, the showers will continue.
That is a look at your forecast. Guys, let's toss it back to you, guys.
CHO: It always depends on where you are, right?
WOLF: You bet. It always does.
CHO: OK. Thank you.
HOLMES: Thanks, buddy.
Well, Memorial Day, of course, is time to honor those who have served this country. For years, the public wasn't allowed to see the coffins of the fallen as they returned home.
CHO: That's right. But a policy change, as many people know, means cameras are now allowed inside Dover Air Force Base. And as Chris Lawrence learns firsthand, caring for the dead is something the military takes very seriously.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When you handle the remains of a fellow soldier, you don't flinch and barely blink.
SPEC. WILBERT STEINBORN, U.S. ARMY: The standard is zero, unless the command is given, you do not move.
LAWRENCE: Soldiers Will Steinborn and Brenton Bush are part of the army's old guard.
PFC. BRENTON BUSH, U.S. ARMY: The position that I'm in, I don't even have handles. I'm just carrying from the bottom of the case.
LAWRENCE: A case packed with ice and the soldier's body weighing up to 500 pounds.
STEINBORN: Your fingers more hurt than become numb. We wear white ceremonial gloves on a cold steel transfer case, and it's almost like pins and needles.
LAWRENCE: But the grip is firm, eyes straight, jaw tight.
STEINBORN: If you learn how to keep your mouth closed throughout a yawn. You learn how to control coughing fits.
LAWRENCE: Each branch has its own team, but they all take service member's remain from the plane as part of a dignified transfer process.
Some days are quiet and peaceful in Iraq or Afghanistan.
(on camera): And when it's violent there, several bodies are brought here to Dover. The team never makes eye contact with anyone. But they know the families are watching.
STEINBORN: It was very emotional. I mean, I don't know if it was sadness or pride or what, but it was -- honestly, the most difficult and touching thing that I have ever done.
LAWRENCE (voice-over): Not that it shows.
They call it the locked up -- what they feel, we don't see.
BUSH: For instance, I wanted to sneeze since I started talking with you, but I just won't do it because it's just become a creator of habit.
LAWRENCE: But even those trained to kill can only see so much death.
STEINBORN: I mean, we're soldiers, too. I mean, we're infantrymen. We could easily be in their place. We went through the same training that these men did.
It's hard, because you honestly think, you know, you see your wife or your girlfriend sitting where the next (INAUDIBLE) is. I mean, you can imagine yourself being there.
LAWRENCE (on camera): The teams don't get a lot of information about the soldier who's died. Sometimes, a name and rank, sometimes not. But they all say they prefer it that way -- that knowing each and every soldier personally would make the job too hard.
Chris Lawrence, CNN, Dover, Delaware.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: And meanwhile, the president, this weekend, is spending some time at Camp David with his family. We know he'll be back on Monday to participate in that annual tradition, essentially, of the president laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown at Arlington National Cemetery -- also be making some comments there. CNN will bring that to you live.
Meanwhile, the work does continue for the president, one of the things at the top of his agenda is finding a replacement for Supreme Court Justice David Souter. Well, we could hear an announcement as early as Tuesday.
CNN deputy political director Paul Steinhauser is joining us now from Washington.
Paul, first of all, who is it? I'm just teasing.
(LAUGHTER)
HOLMES: I'm sorry, man -- just throwing you off there.
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Ssshh!
HOLMES: But no, really, the time line at least is pretty important here. He's not just trying to pacify everybody and put a name out there, he needs to get a name out there fairly quickly.
STEINHAUSER: Yes, and he talked about this during an interview with C-SPAN. Yes, it could come -- people think it come up either this week or the beginning of the following week, before he leaves for Egypt, Germany and France on a trip. If it has to, I guess it could come right after he gets back from his overseas trip.
But the thought process and the president said that he wants to get a name out pretty soon because he wants the Senate nomination -- the Senate confirmation process to get under way. And he would like the Senate to confirm whomever he nominates by the end of July or early August, before the Senate leaves on its long summer recess. Why? He wants his person in place well before the next Supreme Court session begins -- and that begins, of course, the first Monday in October, T.J.
HOLMES: I joked with you earlier that the president, on this pick at least, men need not apply. People seem to be -- the conventional wisdom some would say is that he will nominate a female judge. But in an interview this weekend, he thunk a little bit about who he might pick and that demographic is not the home to anything.
Let's take a quick listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, C-SPAN)
PRES. BARACK OBAMA, UNITED STATES: Actually, I can't tell you the number of women, including Michelle, who say choose the person you think who is going to be best. If I, you know, if I end up having more than one nominee, I'm pretty confident that, you know, there would be reflected there some diversity.
I think, on any given pick, my job is to just find somebody who I think is going to make a -- make a difference on the courts and look after the interests of the American people. And so, I don't feel weighed down by having to choose a Supreme Court Justice based on demographics. I certainly think that, ultimately, we want a Supreme Court that is reflective of the incredible variety of the American people.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: And, Paul, we know there are certain segments -- certain groups who, of course, pushing the president to do one thing or another. But as a whole and in general, what about the American public?
STEINHAUSER: Yes, you're right. There is a lot of pressure. You mentioned women's groups -- of course, there's only one woman on the High Court right now. There used to be two. Hispanic groups would like to make history to name the first Latino or Hispanic to the High Court. And African-Americans would like a black president to name the first another black man or woman to the High Court.
But take a look at this. Americans seem to agree with the president. Only four in 10 said it's important. They think it's important that the president name a woman. Twenty-six percent say Hispanic, and only 22 percent say African-American.
What is important to Americans? Take a look at our next question right here. You can see -- nine out of 10 say it's important whoever the president nominates, that person has experience as a judge; about half of Americans think it's important for somebody to have elected experience, elected office experience, T.J.
HOLMES: All right. So, it may come on Tuesday. We are standing by. Paul Steinhauser for us from Washington this weekend -- always good to see you, buddy. Enjoy the rest of your Memorial Day weekend.
STEINHAUSER: Thanks, T.J.
CHO: A graduation party turned deadly outside Phoenix, Arizona. That standoff in Mesa is now over.
But here's what happened: Police say a man got into a fight and shot and killed two adults. Five others were injured, including a 10- year-old and a police officer. After holding police in a standoff, the man eventually gave himself up.
And a mother in Portland, Oregon, is facing some serious charges this morning. Police say she threw her two children into a river, killing one of them. Witnesses apparently heard the children scream before daybreak Saturday morning and called police.
The body of the woman's 4-year-old son was pulled from the river about an hour later. Her 7-year-old daughter was rescued. She is in serious condition. The community is in shock.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, KPTV)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's basically complete shock.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My heart hurts because of the children. I don't think a mother would do that. That's really out of character, especially being a mom myself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: Police say they found the suspect Amanda Jo Stott-Smith in a parking garage in downtown Portland. They have charged her with murder and attempted aggravated murder.
HOLMES: We turn to a British tabloid now. When you say that, you don't know what's coming next usually.
CHO: Well, you know it will be salacious and this one is. HOLMES: It's pretty salacious stuff here. Fifteen hundred bucks, they say, is all it took to get an undercover reporter past security at Britain's Buckingham Palace.
CHO: Yes. Usually, you have to show a photo I.D., and here's the hidden camera video of the security breach at the queen's London residence that happened in the Royal Garage. London's News of the World" says it happened there. The reporter paid off a royal chauffeur, apparently, got a tour of the royal fleet and even sat inside one of the queen's cars.
Can you imagine that? Buckingham Palace, as you might imagine, is investigating this.
HOLMES: Yes, you can't do that. I can't get into the presidential limo with 1,500 bucks here, can I?
CHO: No, you can't. A little different across the pond, apparently.
HOLMES: A little different.
CHO: Child's play or something much worse?
Decide for yourself when you see "The kill Piper" cartoon. That's not it, but we'll show it to you. We're going to have the story for you and the story behind the video that made it on the YouTube. A lot of people are watching this and a lot of people talking about it.
HOLMES: Yes. Also, that video you were seeing, we're going to be talking about ...
CHO: That's Piper.
HOLMES: That's Piper there. Yes.
That -- you remember that? The miracle on the Hudson, the plane that crash-landed earlier this year. Everybody got out OK. It was a miracle on the Hudson, celebrated the pilot. But you know what? Whatever happened to all of that luggage?
CHO: I want to know.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Terry was just one of the nicest, most pleasant kids you'd ever want to meet. Always a smile on his face, always a handshake or a pat on the back for everybody he'd ever meet. Amazing (ph) kid. He joined the marines, he wasn't drafted. He died on July 6th, 1967 in Quang Tri, South Vietnam. He was 20 years old when he died.
I miss, Terry. God bless you. Keep watching over us. (END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My friend Greg Fischer, I went to high school with him at Valley Forge High School in Parma Heights, Ohio. He's just an amazing kid. He died on February 22nd, 1968. Greg was killed in Quang Nam, South Vietnam. He was 19 years old when he died.
Greg was just -- he was a super kid and, once again, I think about him and miss him every day. Every single day, I think about him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Tens of thousands of U.S. troops are stationed this Memorial Day weekend from Iraq to Kosovo and to Afghanistan and other hot spots around the world. This morning, we recognize not just our fallen defenders, but those currently serving as well.
Here are some of their stories in their own words.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(GUNFIRE)
SGT. 1ST CLASS BLAKE SIMMS, U.S. ARMY: I was a bagger at a grocery store. I saw a commercial and decided I wanted to serve my country. And this is the best way I could do it.
UNIDENTIFIED U.S. SOLDIER: It's something I always wanted to do. We didn't really have anybody in my family do it. I just figure it would be an adventure.
STAFF SGT. CLYDE BARLOW, U.S. ARMY: My father, he served 23 1/2 years in the United States Navy. He led by example and I just wanted to follow that example and do my part for the country.
UNIDENTIFIED U.S. SOLDIER: My little brother and my little sister, I have helped raised them ever since their little. My father has always been away because he's been to war and all that. But I came here to fight so that way they don't have to.
UNIDENTIFIED U.S. SOLDIER: I'm a fourth generation soldier. I just got back from my first appointment to Iraq and about to leave again in a few weeks for my second tour.
UNIDENTIFIED U.S. SOLDIER: I went to Korea for a year and I went to Iraq for seven months and again to Iraq for 15 months, and I just got back this past August.
SIMMS: Iraq, it was -- it was interesting. Dealing with the people over there -- they're good people. There's some bad apples but, for the most part, good people. UNIDENTIFIED U.S. SOLDIER: We there to find the bad guys. And in the unit that I was in, that's what we specialized in.
UNIDENTIFIED U.S. SOLDIER: Don't be scared, you know? You know what we signed up for. Go there and do our job and then come back home safe.
(GUNFIRE)
UNIDENTIFIED U.S. SOLDIER: I get letters from my 10-year-old sister and it's so cute. She says she's very proud of me, that she loves me very much.
UNIDENTIFIED U.S. SOLDIER: Every time I walk through an airport and people see me in uniform, people always thank the soldiers.
BARLOW: A gentleman came up to ask if I was eating lunch. It was around lunch time. And he offered to buy me a meal, thanking me for what I was doing.
UNIDENTIFIED U.S. SOLDIER: I can't tell you how much it means to me to have people come up to me when I'm eating in a restaurant and say, "Thank you."
UNIDENTIFIED U.S. SOLDIER: It's almost as everyday occurrence still. I'm glad for that because I like that people haven't forgotten what we're doing here.
(GUNFIRE)
UNIDENTIFIED U.S. SOLDIER: You'll never be able to think up an experience like this.
UNIDENTIFIED U.S. SOLDIER: It's something you can always look back and say you're proud of. It makes you feel a part of something.
UNIDENTIFIED U.S. SOLDIER: I believe in green. This is what -- this is what I was born to do.
SOLDIERS: Happy Memorial Day! (INAUDIBLE).
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHO: That's great stuff.
HOLMES: That is great to see.
CHO: You know what? Memorial Day, Supreme Court nominees, unsolicited advice from Dick Cheney ...
HOLMES: Yes.
CHO: ... what a busy time for President Obama and, of course, king of the magic wall, John King, it's a job only John can do. He's going to take a look at the political highlights for us, of course, "STATE OF THE UNION" on at the top of the hour. HOLMES: Also coming up, a lot of you may complain when you lose your luggage. Well, think about the passengers of this flight. Do you remember this? Flight 1549, the miracle flight that splash-landed in the Hudson? You know, the crash happened a while back -- well, they just got their baggage.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: Twenty-three minutes after the hour. "STATE OF THE UNION" is on at the top of the hour. And our John King is up in Washington with a preview.
Hey, John. Good to see you, as always.
JOHN KING, "STATE OF THE UNION" HOST: Good morning. Is T.J. taking good care of you?
CHO: He is, as always.
HOLMES: We are very hospitable here in the south.
CHO: He is going to have a little cookout later.
HOLMES: Even that, I invited her to the cookout later.
CHO: That's right. That's right.
KING: That's nice. What do you cooking?
HOLMES: Oh, man. We got kabobs going, we got corn, we got turkey legs -- all kinds of good stuff -- if I can get a break in the weather for about an hour to let the fire do it (ph).
CHO: Hey, we got to get to the business part of this.
HOLMES: Oh, yes.
(CROSSTALK)
CHO: Combination. You know, President Obama gave the interview to C-SPAN, as you know, John, and he talked about how he wanted the Supreme Court justice was a combo of intellectual firepower and common touch. Does that mean it has to be a woman or could he shock us?
KING: Well, I think that was one of the most fascinating parts of that interview by Steve Scully at C-SPAN, where he says he's asked his wife, you know, do I have to pick a woman and his wife and his daughters should told him, make the best choice, it doesn't necessarily have to be a woman.
Well, guess what? Maybe inside the White House, he's not feeling pressure from the ladies in his life, but there's a lot of pressure around this town and from the interest groups to pick a woman. Some say he should pick an African-American, some say he needs to pick a Latino, because there's never been a Latino on the court. We do know this: The president's choice is coming up soon. We expect it even by the middle of this coming week. So, high stakes for the president. All presidents covet this.
He's a constitutional law professor. He, himself, has thought about this since his days at Harvard Law School. And this is a legacy pick. We'll get it soon.
HOLMES: Oh, I wonder, John, if he'll ill get any advice from former Vice President Cheney on who he should pick? How did this working out with the vice president -- the former vice president becoming now an informal adviser to President Obama now?
CHO: It's like a big fight. It's like a heavyweight fight.
KING: You don't they fretted each other on Facebook, do you?
(LAUGHTER)
KING: You know, hat may be the one issue where the former vice president hasn't offered any advice to President Obama, in picking a Supreme Court justice. It was a remarkable moment this past week. The dueling speeches -- the president of the United States outlining his national security policy, trying to answer his critics on Guantanamo Bay, trying to explain why he's banning those enhanced interrogation techniques. And the president wraps up and says thank you.
And the vice president walks out to give another speech in Washington, where he essentially says President Obama is wrong on Gitmo, wrong on banning those waterboarding and other enhanced interrogation techniques and the former vice president thinks the American people are less safe because of this new president.
We're going to have on the show today, a man who is at the table with George W. Bush and Dick Cheney in those early ominous days just after 9/11, the first homeland security secretary, Tom Ridge. And you might be surprised that on that question: Who would you agree with, Mr. Obama or Mr. Cheney? The answer may surprise you.
CHO: Yes. It is interesting. Tell us what else you got on tap for "STATE OF THE UNION" at the top of the hour. You got a whole lineup there, John.
KING: We got a busy show. We're going to have Tom Ridge, as I jus said, the first homeland security secretary.
We'll also have two members of the United States Senate: Democrat Barbara Boxer of California, Republican Richard Shelby of Alabama. We'll talk to them about these big national security questions -- including where should those detainees at Gitmo go if President Obama keeps his promise to shut it down? Should they come to your community -- somewhere in the United States of America? We'll ask them about the court's choices as well that the president faces in the next few days. And at the end of our hour, at 9 o'clock, we're going to take you to the place you guys have been talking about out for a very moving tribute at Arlington National Cemetery on this Memorial Day weekend.
HOLMES: All right. John, as always, good to talk to you this morning.
CHO: Hey, buddy, I know you're -- yes, I know you're not cooking out, but happy anniversary.
KING: Thank you both very much. I'm a very lucky man.
CHO: Yes, you are.
HOLMES: We'll see you shortly, buddy.
"STATE OF THE UNION," 9 o'clock Eastern with our John King -- do not miss it.
Well, there's a new cartoon we need to tell you about this morning -- nothing funny about it. It's teaching a lesson. It's teaching how to kill a classmate in about six different ways. You need to hear this story. A pretty scary stuff here.
CHO: Yes, it is.
And then the woman who says -- I'm switching gears here -- that the military wives don't have to suffer in silence while their husbands are away serving our country. Her solution? A school that teaches burlesque dancing. Find your inner bombshell -- next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Well, welcome back, everybody, at the bottom of the hour on this Sunday morning. I'm T.J. Holmes.
CHO: Good morning, everybody. I'm Alina Cho.
And here's what ahead over the next half hour.
Do you know how Memorial Day got started in the first place? Here's a clue. It had to do with the Civil War. CNN's student news anchor, Carl Azuz, may surprise with the details. He'll be along in a moment.
HOLMES: Also, this detail will surprise as well. A twist on the church collection plate. In this morning's "Faces of Faith," a church that's giving out money instead of taking it in, a sign of hard economic times maybe?
Also, NASA was hoping to catch a break in the weather today. It doesn't sound like they are going to get it. We've been telling you this morning, all morning we're expecting their first attempt to try to land the shuttle today in Florida was a little after 10:00 Eastern time and they have just scrapped that landing. They will not be attempting to land in Florida at the Cape where they prefer to land. Not going to do it after 10:00 this morning.
The next opportunity, we are told, is out in California, Edwards Air Force Base in the Mojave Desert where they do not like to land because it takes so much to bring the shuttle back across the country and it costs money, it costs time. So that is the next opportunity.
Weather, Alina as we know, is usually just fine out there in California so they do want to bring it down today. They could stay up longer but they do want to go ahead and land today after scrapping landings on Friday and Saturday; the weather just a mess in Florida.
CHO: Interestingly, the crew is in deep orbit mode already and woke up to a little Wagner music and so they are getting ready to land. One more day out there enjoying the view might not be so bad but we have to bring the shuttle home so and we will be watching that story closely.
Meanwhile, in Patterson, New Jersey, a funeral held for one of five U.S. troops allegedly shot by a fellow soldier in Iraq. It happened at a stress clinic where that suspect was being treated. Army sergeant Christian Bueno-Galdos was killed two weeks ago at that clinic. Bueno-Galdos was born in Peru, he joined the army and became a U.S. citizen during his second tour of duty in Iraq.
HOLMES: It was supposed to be a celebratory occasion. A graduation party and now we know that two people are dead. This happened in Mesa, Arizona, outside of Phoenix. Standoff ended up overnight. As we reported earlier, that standoff now over, the suspect's in custody. Police say a man, the one in custody now got into an argument and shot and killed two adults. Five other people were wounded as well, including a 10-year-old, as well as a police officer. Again, the man surrendered to police.
Parents and teachers near Seattle, Washington, are baffled and horrified by a cartoon that's been circulated on YouTube. A group of sixth grade girls created the cartoon and it shows them killing a classmate in a half dozen ways. Elisa Hahn of our Seattle affiliate KING has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELISA HAHN, REPORTER, KING, SEATTLE (voice-over): The cartoon is called "Top Six Ways to Kill Piper." It includes depictions of five girls shooting her, making her commitment suicide, even pushing her off a cliff.
BETH SMITH, MOTHER: I was horrified. I hope to find kids making jokes and it wasn't. It was death.
HAHN: Beth Smith says the cartoon targeting her daughter was posted on YouTube to a Hannah Montana song called "True Friend." Piper is a sixth grader at Elk Plain School of Choice. The girls who made the video attend the same school.
PIPER SMITH, STUDENT: It was beyond funny stuff. I mean, it really, really hurt my feelings. I mean, if somebody hate me that much to make a video about me like that it makes me feel really bad.
HAHN: Piper's mother contacted the parents who made the video. Some were shocked and others were dismissive.
B. SMITH: One guy blew it off and said he was making dinner. Yes, he's busy making dinner right now, he'd get back to us.
HAHN: the school district says because of privacy rules it can't say how the girls were disciplined.
KRISTA CARLSON, BETHEL SCHOOL SYSTEM: Since then, these students have expressed their remorse about this incident and we do believe that Elk Plain has been and will continue to be a safe place for students to learn.
HAHN: Not knowing what happened leaves Smith is frustrated because she wants to know her daughter is safe.
B. SMITH: My heart aches. I fear for her safety.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHO: School officials in that suburban Seattle community say a report has been filed with the Pierce County Sheriff's Department.
HOLMES: You see those signs, those stickers around a lot of times about what would Jesus do? Well, one church trying to preach, be more like Jesus and they're doing this in Argyle, Texas. They are truly trying to live up to that.
In our "Faces of Faith" this morning the story of Cross Timbers Church as reported by our Shana Franklin of our affiliate KDAF.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SHANA FRANKLIN, KDAF (voice-over): Even from a distance it's clear the Cross Timbers Community Church is unusual. But what is happening inside is being called unheard of.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You don't hear about a church giving money away.
GRANKLIN: that's exactly what this 9-year-old denominational church in Argyle is doing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're really, really excited about what God is doing among us.
FRANKLIN: Over the past two months, Cross Timbers has given away $500,000 to those members and nonmembers who are struggling financially in today's economy.
PASTOR TOBY SLOUGH, CROSS TIMBERS COMMUNITY CHURCH: We've given single moms and widows a hundred dollar gifts. We've taken $200,000 and spread it out to organizations or local to missions who are feeding and clothing hungry people in these tough times. We pay utility bills for members of our church who are underemployed or unemployed.
FRANKLIN: The Pastor Toby Slough's favorite giveaway came three weeks ago. The church gave 1,400 families $50 each and told them to give it to someone else.
SLOUGH: It's my privilege today to baptize you.
FRANKLIN: Katie Lewis who was baptized today is one of those recipients. The gesture changed her life.
KATIE LEWIS, CHURCH MEMBER: I've been alone for so long. Just to be thought of and to be remembered and to be welcomed is amazing. All I've ever wanted.
FRANKLIN: This movement started early this year when Pastor Slough told his congregation to take money from the collection plate if they needed it even though church donations were down. That day they had the largest offering ever. Then just after Pastor Slough gave a ride to a man looking for a job who just used his last bus pass.
SLOUGH: In that moment, I just knew this is what our church has to do about it.
FRANKLIN: I asked Pastor Slough if he worries people will hear of the church's generosity and take advantage of it.
SLOUGH: I told our church a couple of weeks if I'm not being taken advantage of, I'm not being like Jesus.
SLOUGH: The church says giving away money is not an event for them but a lifestyle. In fact they just formed a group to look at the best ways to do that. They say as long as there is a need in the community, they will work to fill it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: All right. In Argyle, Texas, there; a town of about 3,000 people just north of Dallas.
CHO: When former stripper Lily Burana married a military intelligence officer, she was not prepared for the long, lonely, frustrating days when her new husband was sent to Iraq. She says she met spent many other military wives who felt the same way, not so surprising. To fight the boredom, she founded something called Operation Bombshell.
The author of "I Love a Man in Uniform" started what is called the world's only burlesque school for military wives.
(INAUDIBLA) tips strip tease by the way, joining us from New York with more is the founder of Operation Bombshell, Lily Burana. Lily, so glad to see you. Thanks for joining us on this Sunday morning.
You say Operation Bombshell was born out of your own deployment blues. Explain that. LILY BURANA, FOUNDER, OPERATION BOMBSHELL: Military wives, when you go through your husband's deployment, it was one of the most isolating, stressful and frightening times that you're ever going to go through as a military spouse.
When I came out of that experience myself, military wives have a historical tradition of volunteerism and I wanted to give back to other wives. I thought what more than anything would I like to give to my sister spouses? Relief. A good time. Just an opportunity to get out of the deployment doldrums and have a little glamour and a little fun.
CHO: I love that. A little glamour.
You say it's about finding your inner bombshell. I love that line. But this is not a striptease. This is a burlesque class. A lot of people don't really know the difference. What exactly is it?
BURANA: One key difference is that you come in a sweat suit and I promise, I make you a bombshell in an hour. We don't take off anything more revealing than a pair of gloves. If modesty is an issue, that doesn't prevent you in any way from coming to Operation Bombshell and taking a class.
Also, the moves are different. These are the old-fashioned, beautiful, fluid, sensuous movements from days gone by. It's not the sort of crazy, super-genius not athletic pole dancing type of stripping that we see today, which is wonderful, but most of us, myself included, don't have the baseline muscle power to get through a class like that without a huge crate of Advil. This is much, much, much more mellow and much, much easier on the body.
CHO: Even I could do it then maybe.
BURANA: I would love to teach you!
CHO: Ok. I'll sign up. I live in New York. T.J. loves that. I should mention this is a free class.
But I'm curious. What is the goal? The goal really is to show your husband a little something when they come back from deployment, right?
BURANA: You know, husbands can thank me all they want but I tell them thank your wives. She's the one who took the class and if you reap the benefits, say no more. Just enjoy every second of it.
CHO: Very quickly, I'm just wondering Lily, what is the response from the military been? Have they responded to this at all to you?
BURANA: I am a civilian and unless a military wife is a soldier, she's a civilian as well, so there really wouldn't be any official army response, but I can say that to my surprise, West Point canceled my book signing at the Cadet Bookstore because they thought I was, in their words, inappropriate, which was very shocking to me since my husband and I have been a loyal part of the West Point community since 2003.
CHO: It's too bad.
BURANA: Yes.
CHO: You're doing what seems to be something great for military wives. Lily Burana I salute you, pardon the pun, and congratulations on your new book.
BURANA: Thanks so much. I appreciate your attention to the military families this weekend. Thank you.
CHO: Thanks so much for joining us here on CNN. Good luck.
HOLMES: That's part of the military story as well. Everyone has a story. Yes, sure, it's a little different.
CHO: Women seem to be getting into it, dressing up.
HOLMES: Absolutely. And they're not taking any clothes off there like she said. So good for them.
CHO: Much to your dismay.
HOLMES: Stop, Alina, no.
Let's turn to New York. This is a story you brought to our attention this morning.
CHO: Yes.
HOLMES: Some workers got trapped in their store because of bees. They were scared to leave the place. Take a look at this. This is a store in New York. Thousands of bees apparently stormed the place. You see them out there. They are scared to come out. See the sign? "Temporary closed due to bee infestation."
CHO: Where did this happen? It happened in upstate New York?
HOLMES: No, this is in Union Square.
CHO: It was? In New York City?
HOLMES: Yes. In New York City.
CHO: You know those bees actually might get me to leave the store.
HOLMES: They were trapped there. A passerby, a Good Samaritan, tried to help out there. They finally got a bee expert who lured all these bees away.
CHO: The hives. The hives will be moved to upstate New York.
HOLMES: The hives are going to be moved, yes.
CHO: Exactly where they belong. Yikes. A scare.
Up next, the buzz.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: That's snappy.
HOLMES: See? Everybody loves this.
Betty and I say it every weekend. Why can't we get something cool like that? But it belongs to Carl. Carl Azuz from CNNStudentNews. Good to see you as always. You're going to teach us a little something today. Probably a lot of people need this lesson.
CARL AZUZ, CNNSTUDENTNEWS.COM: I am, indeed. You know, we knew that going into the Memorial Day holiday, millions of students are going to be off school. It means their parents are off work. We wanted to bring them a little history behind it to explain how this went from being a day of decoration, so to speak, to a day of memory.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He was in the service for 27 years. He did a great service to his country. He joined right out of high school.
SPEC. THOMAS WEBER, U.S. ARMY: I'll remember them as five guys who were doing their jobs, who were doing what they raised their right hand and swore to do.
AZUZ (voice-over): That is the purpose of Memorial Day, to honor those who have served our country and are no longer with us. The time period or conflict doesn't matter. Politics don't play a part.
The holiday itself goes back to the Civil War. It was originally known as Decoration Day named for the flowers placed on the graves of Union and Confederate troops. In 1868, General John Logan who headed up an organization of union veterans, pushed for this day to be observed on May 30th. And so it was for more than a century.
But after World War I, Americans began observing this day in honor of all U.S. troops who had fallen in all conflicts. That gave rise to the name Memorial Day and in 1971, Congress, in order to create a three-day weekend, established the holiday as the last Monday in May.
This year, as always, you'll see American traditions observed at Arlington National Cemetery, in addition to religious ceremonies, parades and events across the country. They'll share a common theme regarding the nation's fallen and those still serving.
WILLIAM FRANK, VIETNAM VEETERAN: If they are sent, and when they are in harm's way, do everything, everything to support them and let them do their mission.
GEN. BARRY MCCAFFREY, U.S. ARMY (RET.): All of us here will, again, be reunited with these brave soldiers who we remember the last time we saw them when they were alive, frozen in time, their youth, their optimism.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
AZUZ: That is one way in which CNNstudentnews is honoring and paying tribute to those who've served our country and gone on before us.
While I'm on the subject of CNNstudentnews, I would like to invite all of you to our official Facebook page. You just search CNNstudentnews official on Facebook. And T.J. as well is also on Facebook; just search T.J. Holmes. And we look forward to seeing you guys online.
HOLMES: She is laughing because she is the only CNN employee who has resisted...
CHO: I am not. That's not true.
HOLMES: Only one. Last one.
AZUZ: The invitation is open.
CHO: Thank you very much. It's just kind of scary. Wide open world there.
HOLMES: People are very honest.
CHO: I'm sure they are. Maybe that's what I'm afraid of. Carl, thank you.
HOLMES: Carl, we appreciate you as always. We need that history lesson. We do appreciate it. Thanks buddy.
AZUZ: Thank you very much.
CHO: It's been called the second miracle on the Hudson. How about that?
HOLMES: Yes. People do remember the first one on the Hudson. Not only did every passenger make it out of that ditched plane; that is the first miracle. Apparently so did their luggage. Find out what still works after being submerged in that cold and muddy water.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHO: You're looking live, kind of fuzzy, but you're looking at the Hudson River in New York. There, I can see clearly on another monitor. But it is Fleet Week in New York. You know, another Memorial Weekend tradition and a lot of ships there; a lot of men and women in uniform.
The largest, interestingly enough, and most familiar is the USS Iwo Jima, I learned is a 4,530-ton assault helicopter carrier. People can go on tours and there are deployments, tactical demonstrations and so forth and all kinds of good stuff. If you are in the New York City area, check it out. HOLMES: And I will be a little later today.
CHO: Yes, you will be.
HOLMES: Tomorrow as well. I will check that out. In the Hudson today, it doesn't have any planes in it like we saw a moment ago.
You ever wonder what happened to all that luggage and cargo that U.S. Flight 1549 was carrying when it did splash-land in the Hudson River?
CHO: Yes, they are calling this the second miracle on the Hudson. Remember it made Captain Sully famous?
Passengers on that flight thought that their precious personal belongings were gone for good but guess what? CNN's Mary Snow tells us how amazingly they started getting packages in the mail.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VOICE OF BARRY LEONARD, U.S. AIRWAYS FLIGHT 1549 PASSENGER: This is actually the other part of my boarding pass from January 15th. You can see over here, it's January 15th, Flight 1549 and my seat number which is 1 C.
MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's not something Barry Leonard ever thought he would see again when US Airways Flight 1549 splashed down into the frigid Hudson River he jumped into the river and started swimming. His jeans are one of the few things he was able to save from that day and he continues to wear them. But other reminders came rushing back recently when a box arrived at his home.
LEONARD: Everything from the "Wall Street Journal" of that day to my W-2 form that I didn't even realize was in this package. You know? My briefcase that, you know, I had had for decades. It was all of those things.
And to think about the fact that that was under water is just amazing to me and, you know -- and the fact that how many times does an airline get to send all of these types of products back to a living person?
SNOW: Rarely. US Airways worked with a Texas-based company which tells CNN it sorted through about 30,000 items from the flight, cleaning them, sometimes freeze-drying items to preserve them.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Passengers' emotional tie to their possessions because of a traumatic incident like this, highly emotional. So we just want to make it available.
SNOW: For Mary Ann Bruce, getting back some of her jewelry held strong sentiment. She was amazed to find her electrical toothbrush still working.
The book that Dan Vincent was reading on the plane is now back in his hand.
DAN VINCENT, U.S. AIRWAYS FLIGHT 1549 PASSENGER: I'm about two or three chapters into the book. In fact, I think my mark is still here.
SNOW: And still there and working for Vicky Barnhart (ph) are the four flash drives that were salvaged. She is now using running shoes that were returned but she says she mostly treasures her boarding pass.
VICKY BARNHART, U.S. AIRWAYS FLIGHT 1549 PASSENGER: That is kind of cool. That will be a nice little souvenir to save for the kids and grandkids.
SNOW: Mary Snow, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHO: I think I'd frame that boarding pass.
HOLMES: You'd hold on to that.
CHO: You know what? At least one laptop hard drive survived that. Can you imagine? 30,000 items; many of them so personal and sentimental -- so great they got it back.
HOLMES: We remember those pictures of everybody getting off and trying to get away from that plane and just happened to be alive. The last thing on their minds at the time was luggage but still, after the fact to get that stuff now, that has to feel great.
CHO: Oh, yes. All these months later, incredible. Saved and then the luggage saved. How about that?
HOLMES: Let's give Captain Sully credit for that one, too. Way to go, Sully.
CHO: Right. The guy goes to the Oscar party, he's a superstar now.
HOLMES: Up next, we'll be talking about veterans and how they rate the commander-in-chief. What President Obama is doing right, doing wrong and also what they think he is not doing at all?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: A beautiful live picture of the hallowed ground of Arlington National Cemetery on what will be a solemn weekend for this country and specifically for many families who have lost loved ones fighting for this country.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: All right. Folks, we are keeping an eye on a lot of stories today, including the president who is expected to nominate a replacement for a Supreme Court Justice David Souter. The president telling C-Span he would like to get the confirmation rolling so his pick could be in place well before the high court's October session starts.
Also space shuttle Atlantis will land today. We're told and told it's going to land no matter what. That is now the official word we are getting from NASA. The first possible landing this morning was scrubbed because of bad weather in Florida. The next opportunity is in California in about an hour and a half.
Also about a dozen spectators hurt when two school buses collided on the track at Columbus, Ohio's Motor Speedway. This happened -- you can see this on cell phone video -- we do have that video for you. I hope so -- there it is. This is during some kind of a derby. This is a demolition derby. Chunks of that wall went into the crowd and at least 11 people we know of were hurt. Some taken to the hospital but none of their injuries reported to be life-threatening.
Also some deadly violence to tell you about at a graduation party outside of Phoenix; the overnight standoff we reported earlier in Mesa, Arizona, is now over. Police say a man got into an argument, shot and killed two adults. Five others were wounded, including a 10- year-old and a police officer. The man eventually surrendered to police.
Also a British tabloid says $1,500 is all it took to get an undercover reporter past security at Britain's Buckingham Palace. They released hidden video -- you're seeing here now -- of the security breach at the queen's London residence. It appears, at least in here, that their reporter was getting kind of a run of the place. He got a pretty good tour after he bribed a royal chauffeur. You see the person there. The reporter allegedly sitting in the same car the queen rides around in.
CHO: Imagine that.
HOLMES: Imagine that. That's a heck of a seat to get, but Buckingham Palace as you can imagine is right now investigating.
CHO: After your cookout you're headed to New York to host "AMERICAN MORNING" for the first couple of days of the week. I'll be back tomorrow doing duty for Kyra Phillips. Right now, John King and "STATE OF THE UNION."
