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CNN Saturday Morning News

Coretta Scott King Lies In State In George Capitol Rotunda; Frustrated Families Await Word On Loved Ones In Ferry Disaster; Danish Embassy In Damascus Burns; Iran Referred To U.N. Security Council; Search Continues For Teen Who Assaulted Gay Bar Patrons; Upcoming Super Bowl Discussion; Joseph Lowery Interview

Aired February 04, 2006 - 10:00   ET

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

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: As you can see there on the screen, there is a lot going on this morning. If you're just getting started, here's what we're following for you today.
Four p.m. in Vienna. Tough talk leads to fast action. Iran says it will resume nuclear activities after the U.N. watchdog group decides to report Tehran to the Security Council. And Senator John McCain says don't rule out the military option. We are going to hear more from him coming up.

RICK SANCHEZ, CNN ANCHOR: Also families grieving the loss of their loved ones in Safaga, Egypt. It's about 5:00 p.m. there. They are seeking answers, after a ferry sank in the Red Sea.

They are pushing and they're throwing rocks and they're getting even more angry by the moment. And we're going to be following that story for you as there are reports that as many as a thousand people may have perished in the horrible situation with the ferry.

NGUYEN: We have so much going on including this. History will be made this morning in Atlanta. Coretta Scott King becomes the first woman, as well as the first African-American, to lie in state in the Georgia state Capitol building.

So we're going to bring all of this to you with live pictures as well. It is Saturday, February 4th, 10:00 at the CNN Center in Atlanta. Good morning, everybody. As it's a day of remembrance for Coretta Scott King. I'm Betty Nguyen.

SANCHEZ: And I'm Rick Sanchez, in for Tony Harris this morning. Thanks so much for joining us.

This hour the procession carrying Mrs. King's casket to the Capitol will begin, and we're going to be bringing that to you in about 30 minutes or so. Time could be an issue here, not sure. The weather may not be cooperating.

Could be a little later, could be a little sooner. Whenever it happens, we are committed to bringing that to you. We're going to be speaking, in fact, to the Reverend Joseph Lowery, long-time King family friend and confidante about her life and her legacy.

But first, let's get a check of some of the other headlines that are now in the news.

NGUYEN: Right now firefighters are battling a four alarm blaze in downtown Austin, Texas. I want to show you a picture of a two- story building which includes two nightclubs and a radio station that suffered an electrical fire last month.

CNN affiliate KXAN, which is providing these pictures that you see right now -- some new video coming into us -- is reporting two injuries so far. We'll keep monitoring the situation and bring you the latest information on that.

SANCHEZ: Also a Massachusetts teen remains on the loose this morning. 18-year-old Jacob Robida is wanted for attacking three people in a gay bar Thursday. He faces felony charges in what police are calling a hate crime. We're going to have a live update on that in just a couple of minutes, where he may have snapped as some of the witnesses are describing.

NGUYEN: In Alabama now, no apparent motive and no arrests so far after fires at five small Baptist churches there. Investigators say the churches, all in the same county, were torched. Three of the churches are destroyed; two of the others damage.

SANCHEZ: Well, it's official. The Patriot Act remains intact for at least five more weeks. President Bush has signed the bill that extends provisions that were set to expire Friday if they hadn't done that. Critics claim that the anti-terrorism law enacted after the September 11th attacks infringes on many civil liberties.

NGUYEN: Want to give you this video now from Iraq. Check it out. Aired on ABC's "World News Tonight," it was in the camera when a roadside bomb exploded last Sunday. Anchorman Bob Woodruff and photographer Doug Vogt -- you see Bob Woodruff right here -- was wounded very seriously. That explosion, though, was not taped.

SANCHEZ: Also a frozen body that was encased in a California glacier has finally been identified 64 years later. This is a follow- up to a story that we had been bringing you.

The U.S. military says the body of that man, Leo Mustonen, at the time a 22-year-old Army Air Corps cadet. Mustonen died in a 1942 plane crash. The body was recovered just in October.

NGUYEN: Well call it communication breakdown. An unmanned spacesuit -- yes, a spacesuit -- released from the International Space Station has run into a little trouble. The suit is supposed to be transmitting messages to ham radio operators worldwide, but it went silent just hours into that mission. NASA blames -- get this -- battery problems.

SANCHEZ: This is a just in on really what is a development on a story that we've been following for the last couple of days. Hundreds of Syrian demonstrators have stormed the Danish embassy in Damascus, and they have set fire to the building there. This is according to witnesses on reports that we're just now getting in. The demonstrators are protesting some offensive caricatures, which you may have heard about, of Islam's Prophet Mohammed that were first published in a Danish newspaper just several months ago. Now, it certainly would be blasphemous according to the Koran to even represent or depict Mohammed in any way, shape or form.

In this particular case, it was demeaning, according to several who have seen the ad, and as a result, we have seen protests throughout the Arab world. This the ver latest. Once again, the top of the story is that in Damascus they have set fire to the Danish embassy, a story that we'll continue to follow. As we get more information we're going to share it with you -- Betty.

NGUYEN: We begin this morning with our continuing coverage on the passing of civil rights icon Coretta Scott King. This hour, her body will be moved from an Atlanta funeral home to the Georgia state Capitol. You're taking a live look now where it will lie in state beginning at noon today.

CNN's Drew Griffin is live in Atlanta with the latest. Drew, not only is Mrs. King being remembered today. She is also making history.

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that honor guard that we were showing you just a minute ago -- a live shot of the honor guard -- that will make history when they carry Coretta Scott King's body up those steps and into the Capitol dome. She'll be the first black person and the first woman to lie in state officially under the Georgia dome.

That is just a part of history she will make as her passing is honored and the mourning begins here in Atlanta which will culminate Tuesday in her funeral. We're standing outside where the public is waiting to get in and there's about 100, 150 people lined up so far here, Betty, waiting. They will get their turn about 12:30.

The procession will begin at the funeral home by carriage. The body will be carried by horse-drawn carriage. That was Coretta Scott King's wish. Her children will be behind in a limousine. They will all come to the Capitol where they will be greeted by the governor's wife and the body escorted in for a short ceremony.

After that, there will be some viewing by state legislators, politicians, other dignitaries. And at 12:30 is when all these people will begin to make their procession past the body and pay their respects to this civil rights leader and, of course, the wife of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Interestingly enough, Dr. King was not honored in this way in the state of Georgia so many years ago. But his wife's body will be carried up Martin Luther King Drive as she is honored as she should be here in the state Capitol -- Betty.

NGUYEN: Drew, as we follow this today, I want to look forward to the funeral on Tuesday at a church where her daughter is pastor, Bernice. Do you know if she is going to be taking part in that funeral service? GRIFFIN: You know, the details have been sketchy. We assume that Bernice will have some role in it, the church in Lithonia is one of, if not the largest, black congregation in the state of Georgia, some 25,000 members. It's a huge church and fitting for the crowd that they fully expect.

There's also going to be a viewing Monday at the Ebenezer Baptist Church, of course, where Dr. King preached. That will be an all-day affair, so really we have a four-day period of mourning here that began -- actually this began the moment it was announced of her passing.

I was at the tomb of Dr. Martin Luther King when people spent an entire day just bringing flowers to that tomb, marking the passing of Coretta Scott King at 78 years old, a real icon and a civil rights leader. In fact, she is being called the first lady of the civil rights movement is how they remembered her -- Betty.

NGUYEN: And history will be made today and we will be there bringing it to you live. Drew, thank you so much for that.

CNN will continue bringing you live pictures from that procession once it begins in less than 30 minutes from now. And coming up at the half hour the Reverend Joseph Lowery joins us to talk about Coretta Scott King's life and her legacy.

Here is a development this morning -- Republican Senator John McCain is drawing the proverbial line in the sand when it comes to Iran with its nuclear intentions.

This morning in Germany, McCain told American allies that a military option should not be ruled out if diplomatic efforts do not defuse the situation, a nuclear situation, and discussions that are now taking place with Iran. According to McCain, "the only thing worse than a military action is a nuclear armed Iran." His words, quote.

As fast as McCain's commentary came, so did Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's. He's ordering his nation to resume enriching uranium, despite what the U.N. is saying. All this on the heels of the U.N. nuclear agency's vote to refer Iran now to the U.N. Security Council.

CNN's Matthew Chance is live in Vienna, Austria where the vote was just taken a few hours ago, and he brings us up to date on all the morning's developments. Good morning, Matthew.

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you as well, Rick. Very dramatic diplomatic developments here in Vienna, the Austrian capital, and the very frosty headquarters of the United Stations nuclear watchdog, the IAEA.

It's in the Board of Governors meeting, an emergency session that was called for three days here, where the vote was actually backed a resolution that would report Iran to the United Nations Security Council. That's something the United States, for instance, has been recommended happen for several years now.

But it's only just given the -- how thin patience has worn with Iran refusing to give the IAEA the kinds of answers that it's looking for. It's only now that the right kind of consensus has been possible for that kind of move to be made with the agreement of the vast majority of all the members of this, the Board of Governors at the IAEA.

The resolution was passed by 27 votes out of a possible 35. So that's sending a strong message to Iran about the will of the international community, Rick.

SANCHEZ: All right. Matthew Chance following that story for us. We certainly thank you, and it's a developing story, as we mentioned. As information comes in, we're going to be sharing with you this morning. Betty, over to you.

NGUYEN: You want to be sure to stick around, because next hour we're going to talk live with Republican Senator John McCain with more on Iran's nuclear intentions and political consequences. That's at 11:00 a.m. Eastern right here on CNN, the most trusted name in news.

Now to other news. Outrage and tears in Egypt. Relatives of those aboard the ferry that sank in the Red Sea yesterday, they want answers. Nearly 200 bodies have been found in the ongoing recovery effort. Eight hundred to 900 people are feared dead. Meanwhile, family members stormed the port gates in Safaga demanding authorities give them answers about the missing loved ones.

CNN's Paula Hancocks joins us now from Safaga, Egypt, where the frustration has been building. And, Paula, the question is why is there a disconnect between recovery efforts and those family members waiting, who just want to know if their relatives survived?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Betty, it's the absolute worst situation for them, as you can imagine. They have been standing here, going into the second nighttime now -- dusk is falling for the second almost 40 hours after that ferry did sink just off the coast here in Safaga.

And they really want to know exactly what has happened to the relatives. Obviously, 389 people is the latest that we have, have survived. And also we know 185 have lost their lives, at least.

But considering there's about 1,400 people that were believed to be on that ferry, that does leave an awful lot of people left. That said, their relatives are standing out here desperate to know any news whatsoever.

And they were angry and frustrated that they felt they were not getting that news. They have been standing here for a couple of days now and occasionally an official would come out and read a list of survivors, but they're now doing it with a loudspeaker. They're now doing it in a slightly more organized way.

But this is why we saw some violence break out a couple of times throughout Saturday. The frustration got the best of some of these relatives as they started throwing rocks and throwing bottles at police who in turn were trying to push them back with their batons. They have riot police surrounding the port to make sure that a situation like that doesn't happen again.

But there are survivors. As I say, they're at Hagada (ph) hospital, which is very close to here. And this morning, this Saturday morning, president Mubarak went around the hospital meeting some of the survivors to talk to them and also to say there would be compensation.

But also this Saturday, we are learning a little bit about what happened on that ferry or at least the initial report from the transport ministry saying that indeed a fire did break out on the ferry on one of the vehicles in the lower deck and when the crew tried to put it out and the captain tried to turn the boat around, then high winds caught the boat and that's when it's thought to have sunk -- Betty.

NGUYEN: As we can see at this hour, people have gathered, frustration and desperation this hour in Egypt. Paula, thank you for that.

Well, there's a terrifying description of that attack inside the Massachusetts gay bar that we've been telling you about.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT PERRY, VICTIM: The hatchet came so fast that I don't think I had time to think, but when it hit my head, all of a sudden I said this is something really serious is happening here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: You can tell by looking at the injuries. Lucky to be alive and telling his story. We'll hear more from survivor Robert Perry and get the latest on the search for the suspect when CNN SATURDAY MORNING continues.

SANCHEZ: And as we continue, we're also going to have the very latest on this. You're looking at the Capitol rotunda. That's where a body will lie in state that really marks the end of an era for civil rights in the United States. Coretta Scott King laid to rest. We'll be back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SANCHEZ: Breaking news coming out of Damascus. What you're looking at here is fire being set to the Danish embassy in Damascus. This is a protest that really has been the culmination of angry reaction throughout the Arab world for the last couple of days, ever since a Danish newspaper published a picture of Mohammed in what is being described as a demeaning way.

Now, according to the Koran, the mere fact he was even represented in a political cartoon would be enough to anger Arabs. But in this case the cartoon seemed to show him in a threatening manner, showing him with a sword and a bomb. So as a result, there has been this building frustration and anger in the Arab world.

And now we see this, the first hints of violence. These are pictures coming in from Damascus, and this is the Danish embassy there that is being set afire according to the pictures that we're getting now. And, obviously, it's a story that we're going to follow for you. As we get more information, we're going to be passing ate along to you.

NGUYEN: Here's some of our other top stories today that we want to tell you about. History is being made here in Atlanta this morning. The funeral cortege will transport the body of Coretta Scott King to the Georgia state Capitol. Mrs. King becomes the first woman as well as the first African-American to lie in state in the Capitol rotunda.

In other news, tempers flair in Egypt as grieving families demand answer. More than 1,000 people may be lost after a ferry capsized in the Red Sea. Survivors say that fire -- that a fire started before the boat sank which caused that ferry to sink.

And in Iran, stonewalls, the U.N.'s nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, votes to report Iran to the U.N. Security Council for possible sanctions. Tehran replies with the fact that it says it's going to resume full uranium enrichment activities, and Iran says it will also halt all international inspections.

SANCHEZ: And there's this story in New Bedford, Massachusetts. The search is on for a teen suspected of rampaging through a gay bar, shooting and hacking up patrons with a hatchet. When found, the teen faces attempted murder and hate crime charges. When found is the key word there, because he's still on the loose according to officials.

CNN Senior correspondent Allan Chernoff joining us now from New Bedford with the details, that I imagine must have a whole lot of people there shaking their heads, Allan.

ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN SENIOR CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely. This was a very violent attack that occurred Wednesday night at a gay bar here in New Bedford called Puzzles Lounge.

According to the police, 18-year-old Jacob Robida walked into the bar late Wednesday night, showed a fake I.D. and then asked the bartender if it was a gay bar. The bartender said yes.

Then Robida had a couple of rum drinks according to the police, walked over, watched a pool game and then suddenly pulled out a hatchet and began attacking one of the patrons. In all three patrons were hospitalized. Robida escaped and late yesterday one person was released from the hospital.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PERRY: The hatchet came so fast that I don't think I had time to think but when it hit my head all of a sudden I said this is something really serious is happening here and just about putting those thoughts together and I heard the gunshot and then it escalated to a bigger thing. And then I was on the floor in a pool of blood. So I -- at that point I said I guess I'm going to die. And this looks like the way it's going to end.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHERNOFF: Robida apparently, according to police, then returned to his home. He lives with his mother and his mother actually saw him at about 1:00 that morning, Thursday morning. He had blood coming down from his head and then he took off in his car, a green Pontiac Grand Am, 1999 model with Massachusetts plates and he has not been seen since.

Police say that Robida weighs about 200 pounds, he is 5'6", and they say he is armed and extremely dangerous. They did search his room. They found Nazi paraphernalia in the room. And also the police say that he does keep a Web site and on his personal Web site he describes himself as Jake Jekyll and says, quote, "I'm interested in death, destruction chaos, filth and greed," and also says on the Web site that his favorite murder weapon is a hatchet.

Robida did drop out from high school here in New Bedford, but the police say he's actually a graduate of a program that the police run here called the Junior Police Academy. It's a 12-week program, Rick. It's supposed to teach discipline.

SANCHEZ: Sounds like it didn't work, Allan.

CHERNOFF: Absolutely.

SANCHEZ: We appreciate the report. Allan Chernoff bricking us the latest on a real eerie story. We'll continue to follow it for you. Over to you, Betty.

NGUYEN: We're also talking about a day of remembrance, not only here in Atlanta, but throughout the nation. We are looking now at a live picture of the Capitol rotunda here in Georgia where the body of Coretta Scott King will lie in state later this afternoon.

A funeral procession will take place just minutes from now, and we're going to be following that live. Ironically that funeral procession will take Mrs. King's body down the street named after her late husband, Martin Luther King, Jr. Stay with us. There's more to come on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Air freshener, $1.29 on debit MasterCard. Tube sock, $4. Paper clip, ballpoint pen, rubber band, tweezers, nasal spray and a turkey baster, $14. The little things that get you through the day, priceless.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) NGUYEN: I've got to tell you, McGyver, he can get out of anything with a paper clip. And that's all he needs. That's all the man needs. Well, the only thing bigger than the Super Bowl itself are the commercials, of course, that are going to be aired during game time. And bigger is the key word this year. They always want to make it bigger and better than last year.

SANCHEZ: You wonder why they spend that kind of money.

NGUYEN: Lots of money.

SANCHEZ: Advertisers are paying a record $2.6 million for -- you ready? Thirty seconds. That's all they get.

NGUYEN: That's it.

SANCHEZ: Not 31, not 32, not 31.5. So who is shelling out the big bucks for the 30 seconds of fame? Sports analyst Rick Horrow is going to have the answer. He's the author of "When the Game is on the Line." He's joining us from Detroit. So, what, usually big spenders are rolling out ads tomorrow night?

NGUYEN: Yes, we are going to check them out now. Take a look, Rick.

RICK HORROW, CNN SPORTS ANALYST: Yes.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'll do the talking. Diddy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So, you want to make a record with my client Diet Pepsi.

P. DIDDY, MUSICIAN: He's fresh, he's new, the ladies love him. I got to have him signed to the label.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It sounds good. But we have to have mutual creative control.

DIDDY: You got a deal.

(MUSIC)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HORROW: ... over the last 10 years, and the reason why, by the way, is a $200 million bump of stock price when corporations are identified with the NFL and vice versa. That's why they are doing it. And that's why the NFL had $2 billion by the way, guys, of advertising over the last year alone from football.

SANCHEZ: Is it worth it though? I mean, you could put that money into so many other things for one spot. I mean, why not just balance it out a bit, Rick? HORROW: Well, I ain't the ad executive. I'm the guy that sounds like he knows what he's doing about the business side of it, by the way. But guys, here's the deal. The deal is that they spend the money for the one big hit. Careerbuilder.com, a small start up organization last year had a monkey in office commercial.

Their sales he went up 50 percent and total revenue 75 percent. They also can fail as well, so it's big stakes as you would probably guess. ABC makes $150 million this year from those Super Bowl commercials alone.

NGUYEN: Yes, you know, you were talking about the big stakes and the big companies. But as mentioned, the smaller companies, they're getting in on this game. I want you to check out a commercial by some of the smaller companies.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Energy has a face, affection a name. And now you can experience a shampoo worthy of ...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: Fabio is back in the action. Well kind of, sort of, right?

SANCHEZ: Oh, my God!

NGUYEN: Yikes, a little scary there.

HORROW: Hey, if you like Fabio, here's the dimension of it.

(CROSSTALK)

HORROW: Well, you like him at any age. But a company like that is going to put 20 or $30 million of advertising and promotion behind the $2.6 million 30-second bite. If you like Fabio, if you like the commercial, the company takes off. If you don't, it may be on the scrap heap of failed commercials for example, like a lot of them have.

But the Super Bowl is a premium event. Thirty-five million people -- by the way, 35 million women watch the Super Bowl yearly, 25 million women watch the Academy Awards.

NGUYEN: More watching the Super Bowl.

HORROW: My point is this is the biggest premium by far.

SANCHEZ: But, you know what? The commercial still has to be good.

NGUYEN: Exactly.

SANCHEZ: It's not just putting out 30 seconds. It has to be 30 seconds that are memorable. NGUYEN: It's got to be a talk -- you know, one that people are going to be talking about Monday morning. That's usually what makes news at the Super Bowl.

SANCHEZ: Agree, Rick?

HORROW: Hey, Rick, and here's the deal though. They have got to be good, but they usually are expensive. Burger King, for example, has 60 Super Whopperettes dressed as bacon, lettuce, tomato, onions and pickles. That commercial better be good, because if it's not, I want to be in the ad executive's office first thing Monday morning, pal. I know that.

NGUYEN: All right. Got to get the picks. Got to know who you guys are rooting for.

SANCHEZ: You know, Rick and I are both from Miami, and if we could root for the Dolphins, I'd guarantee you we would, right?

NGUYEN: Yes, I would root for the Cowboys. but they're not playing.

HORROW: They are not in there. Hey, the Dolphins next year, Rick. OK, you and I go together, the games in Miami, which is better by the way because you can see my breath. They're predicting eight inches of snow here.

NGUYEN: Right.

HORROW: So I can't wait for next year.

NGUYEN: All right, so who's your pick?

HORROW: Your picks first. Oh, my picks first?

NGUYEN: Go ahead.

HORROW: Pittsburgh by 11.

NGUYEN: Eleven?

HORROW: The first team in the history of NFL Super Bowls to be the last team in the playoffs and win the title.

SANCHEZ: I'm talking Seattle because I'm a contrarian. Pittsburgh is the media darling ever since they knocked off the other media darling which was Payton in Indianapolis and whenever the media goes one way, I go the other way. I'll take Seattle.

NGUYEN: Although you're part of the media.

HORROW: Hey, Longhorn, Texas Longhorn, what about you?

NGUYEN: I would root for the Longhorns, but they don't play in the NFL so I'm going to go with Seattle. I think they are going to do it. I think they are going to do it. HORROW: Well, both of you guys -- Rick is the contrarian, but I'm not sure he knows the football knowledge about this. We'll see where we go on this. Rick, very interesting.

SANCHEZ: Old friend, we thank you my friend.

NGUYEN: Enjoy the game Rick. We'll talk with you soon.

HORROW: Absolutely.

SANCHEZ: Thanks for being with us. We'll look forward to seeing you again.

HORROW: OK.

SANCHEZ: Let's bring you up to date now on something that we're going to be following for you which we've been describing as what may be the end of an era. This is a horse and carriage that is starting what is a procession for Mrs. King.

It's something that is extremely meaningful for anyone in this country who has a sense of the history of the civil rights movement in this country and especially in Atlanta where this is taking place. We're going to be taking you through this procession, through the procession as it starts out in and ends up in the Capitol rotunda.

Here's really the upshot of this story on this day. Never before has an African-American, never before has a woman lay in state in the Capitol in the rotunda in the state of Georgia. Interestingly enough, Coretta Scott King will lie in state, so said by the governor, Sonny Perdue of Georgia, despite the fact when her husband died, he was not allowed to lie in state.

At the time, Lester Maddox the governor of the state of Georgia decided he would not. So it's a sign of the times. It's also a very important legacy story. And this is beginning now. It will continue for quite some time.

NGUYEN: It's going to be continuing actually pretty much all day long. This procession, of course, will lead to the Capitol rotunda whereas you mentioned, Rick, Coretta Scott King will lie in state. It's an honor that was not bestowed upon her husband, the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. But it is one that she is getting today in honor and in memory of her work.

We want to bring in someone now who knows a lot about the King family. Reverend Joseph Lowery, who made many strides in the civil rights movement joins us from Boston to talk about not only Coretta Scott King, but the legacy of the King family as a whole.

Reverend, as you watch these pictures of this funeral procession that's getting under way with a horse drawn carriage, what do you think of on this day as many look back in history and try to bring up those fond memories of Coretta Scott King?

VOICE OF REV. JOSEPH LOWERY, CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST: Well, it's a marvelous day. This is significant event. I think it indicates how effective the civil rights movement, which Martin Luther King, SCLC initiated, which Coretta extended by her beautiful life. I have a sermon called everything has changed and nothing has changed.

And I think this event underscores the poignancy and fact that in the claim that everything has changed when Martin died, you're right. Some of the flags in the state were lowered and Governor Lester Maddox rebuked those who lowered the flags.

He refused to close the offices in the Capitol, but demanded that everybody continue to work and completely ignore the fact that Martin Luther King Jr., had passed and people, thousands of people had come from all over the country, indeed all over the world to mourn him and to participate in the funeral. He wanted us to ignore that, wanted the citizens to ignore that, refused any discussion of lying in state but refused to shut down the offices in the Capitol. And that is the indication of how far we've come since 1968.

And the other side of the coin is that nothing has changed and in that same building where Coretta's body will lie, that members of the legislature are trying to turn back the clock to 1968 and to 1958 by passing legislation that makes it more difficult to cast a vote.

One of the issues that Martin Luther King fought for and died for was the Voting Rights Act of '65 which -- part of which expires in 2007. So everything has changed and nothing has changed but this is a beautiful event. It's a great tribute to Coretta and I give Governor Sonny Perdue credit for and the members of the legislature and his administration who made this possible.

NGUYEN: Well, today, obviously no one is ignoring the King legacy, not only here in Atlanta but what it's meant throughout the world. As we watch this funeral procession today, it's taking place through the streets of Atlanta.

And it will cross through Martin Luther King Drive which I think is going to be very poignant. Want to let you know that CNN is going to be covering it live. Reverend we're going to be speaking with you throughout the morning as well. But we have to take a short break right now. We'll come back with continuing coverage of the Coretta Scott King funeral procession.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: I want you to stop for a minute and take a look at these pictures. History is being made in Atlanta today. What you're looking at is the processional route for Coretta Scott King. There's a horse drawn carriage there where her casket is in the back of it and it is making its way through the streets of downtown Atlanta. And a wider shot, you can see that there are people who have come out braving the weather outside.

It's not a very nice day here in Atlanta. It's kind of gloomy, cold outside. But they are not only lining the streets, but they are walking along side this processional route as this casket is being taken to the Capitol rotunda in Georgia where Mrs. King will lie in state, the first time that this honor has been bestowed, not only to a female but to an African-American.

SANCHEZ: And how telling is this Betty? Consider this. She is going to be going on Martin Luther King Drive and she is also going to be going east on Joseph E. Lowery Boulevard. Speaking of Joseph E. Lowery, he is arguably the dean of the civil rights movement in the United States and he's good enough to spend some time with us this morning talking about this.

Explain to our viewers, if you would, the role that Mrs. King took in the civil rights movement, because certainly Martin Luther King got all the print. She was very much an equal partner in this movement, wasn't she?

LOWERY: Yes, she was by his side at all times when she could be. She had four children. And but she certainly was with him in spirit and with him in body. She marched with him in places when she could do that. She supported the movement. She agreed with his position on issues. And following his death, she told me once in a conversation we had after she came back from Memphis.

She went to Memphis, even before I think Martin was buried and spoke to the sanitation workers and she came back and said she could feel the pulse and the heartbeat of those sanitation workers as they were urging her to be a part of the continuance of the ministry of Martin Luther King.

SANCHEZ: What were they like?

LOWERY: She did that. She carried her grief with dignity and she carried her growing influence with humility.

SANCHEZ: Reverend, I'm curious and I think a lot of folks are, as well. What were they like together, from you, someone who was there with them in the trenches?

LOWERY: They were not only preacher and preacher's wife, they were lovers. They loved each other and they were friends. They shared ideas. They talked about the same things. They liked to eat the same things and they had a good time together. I think just as I've often said that God brought Martin and Montgomery together where the movement started with the boycott.

And that God brought Martin and Coretta together for she was an ideal person in terms of personality and temperament and intelligence. And those are the things he told her that he looked for in a woman. He looked for character, excuse me, looked for beauty.

He looked for intelligence and he found all those things in Coretta. And it wasn't long after they met that he shot the question to her. And she responded. You don't know me yet, young man. He said, oh, yes, I can tell. God has given me a message. They were a beautiful couple and had a beautiful life together.

SANCHEZ: The obvious question that follows is, what did his assassination do to her? LOWERY: Well, you can just imagine. There's a picture of her sitting in Ebenezer church at the little brief service they had at Ebenezer before we processed over at Morehouse campus and she sits there with this black veil across the face and you can just see on her countenance, the burden of her grief, the deep sorrow that cannot be described by the limitation of words.

There is no vocabulary that can spit out the words that would adequately describe that grief. But as I said earlier, she carried that grief with dignity. And as she moved to not only honor him and make his memory secure and institutionalized in the Martin Luther King Center, but her own influence grew and she exercised that influence with humility as she carried her grief with dignity.

NGUYEN: Reverend, let me ask you this. When was the last time you spoke with Coretta Scott King and what was that conversation like?

LOWERY: Well, I can't remember the last time we spoke together. We communicated together as I visited her and my wife Evelyn a few weeks ago at her home following her illness. I will never forget that she -- there was a long corridor down the apartment to the living room.

The bedroom was at the beginning and she assisted on walking from the bedroom with a walking cane in spite of being mostly paralyzed on her -- on one side. She insisted on walking down that corridor with a smiling face to greet us in the living room. I started to meet her, to help her and she shook her head. She insisted on walking. She was a determined woman with a determined spirit.

And she reflected that, that was reflected in her commitment to fight war. She took up the battle where Martin - Martin talked about war and poverty and racism. And on all of those issues, she was determined and I saw the determination that day when she got to the living room she sat down in a chair, completely exhausted weakened by that effort down that corridor.

She as the paper said the other day from the clinic now where she was sinking fast and we communicated. We smiled. I talked to her. I had prayer with her. My wife hugged her. We hugged her but we left there feeling that a sad feeling that in spite of her beautiful smile, that she was a sick woman. But she had a determination and she carried that sickness with grace and dignity, a marvelous, unique woman.

NGUYEN: And I think that determination and strength will be part of her legacy. She definitely was a woman who carried a torch for a lot of people.

SANCHEZ: The casket, the cortege and as well as many of the dignitaries there will continue along several streets here until it finally gets to the Capitol where in honor and behalf of the citizens of the state of Georgia, the governor of Georgia, Sonny Perdue will receive the casket of Mrs. King.

And then some of the ceremonies will commence there as well. So it's a process that we're going to follow along with you. We'll be bringing you some commentary as well as we continue our special coverage on Coretta Scott King. We'll be right back.

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NGUYEN: A historic moment in the nation's history, Atlanta's history. especially for those who have watched the civil rights movement progress. One of the pioneers of that movement, Coretta Scott King is being carried right now by horse drawn carriage through the streets of Atlanta where her body will lie in state at the Capitol rotunda, an honor that is the first of its kind to an African-American and to a female. Today is really truly a day to remember.

We want to go now live to the streets of Atlanta and CNN's Drew Griffin. Drew, as we watch people line the streets, some may say, you know, I figure there had would be more people there. But you've got to consider the conditions outside, not the best of days.

GRIFFIN: It is a very cold day. It was a rainy night, but people were lined up at 5:00 a.m., not many, as you say. But now we're beginning to see Betty, they are in the hundreds going down Mitchell Street here. This is really a day for the people of the state of Georgia to pay their respects to Coretta Scott King, whose body is now being brought to the Capitol here. There are other ceremonies taking place.

There will be a viewing on Monday at Ebenezer Baptist Church, another viewing on Tuesday before her funeral. So there will be three days that the public can pay their respects with this being the first. And the one that we have been seeing all morning long marks a historic moment when an African-American and a woman, the first of each, to be laid to rest or not laid to rest, but lie in state here under the state Capitol dome.

It's just right on these steps where the governor will meet the carriage with the Georgia honor guard and that honor guard will carry the body of Coretta Scott King inside. A brief ceremony, Betty, then a viewing by the Georgia state legislature and some other politicians and then at 12:30 until 8:00 tonight, every person in this line and all those who will certainly be coming throughout the day will be able to pass by the casket and pay their respects to Coretta Scott King. Betty.

NGUYEN: Drew, what I think is very striking, when you see a wider shot right now. Not only have people come out to see this, to be a part of it, but people are walking along side the route. We just saw pictures moments ago of people walking along side the route and making sure that they are not only a part of this history but they're experiencing it to its fullest.

GRIFFIN: And how many of those people marched with her in life on the many marches that she and her husband took part in and after his death? How many marched with Coretta Scott King down these streets and other streets all across the country and all across the world? So I think that is a fitting moment as well. I think we'll be seeing a steady stream of people that pay respects, not just today, but over the course of the next four days as we remember Coretta Scott King.

SANCHEZ: And a lot of memories there are for so many people who changed so many things in this country as a result of her willpower, her husband's willpower and the others who were a part of the civil rights movement in the United States, against all odds we should add. We're going to be right back as we continue to follow this legacy, this story on the streets of Atlanta. This is CNN special coverage.

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NGUYEN: Take a moment, if you will, to witness history. Here on the streets of Atlanta you're looking at live pictures of a procession that's taking place to honor Coretta Scott King. That horse-drawn carriage there is carrying the body of Mrs. King all the way to the state Capitol where it will lie in state throughout this afternoon and into the evening in honor and a memory of Mrs. King and the legacy of the King family.

SANCHEZ: Let's talk now to a man who certainly understands the breadth and depth of the civil rights movement as well as Martin Luther King and Coretta Scott King. Let me ask you this question directly. Do you believe Coretta Scott King goes to her grave believing that her husband was not just assassinated by James Earl Ray, but rather by some form of conspiracy against him?

LOWERY: Well, I think the entire family is convinced as most of us are, that there's no way in the world that a little petty crook like James Earl Ray could have masterminded the assassination of Martin Luther King. We know that he had identification.

He had an ID that came out of the most sophisticated computers that were far ahead of technology as available to the public at that time. So he had people in high places providing him material. He was a patsy. We don't believe he pulled the trigger. We do believe he was involved, at least I believe he was involved. I think there were many other people.

SANCHEZ: You believe that he was taking orders ...

LOWERY: I'm sorry.

SANCHEZ: It sounds like you're saying you believe he was taking orders, a mandate in some form or another. Let's do this, Reverend. If you could stay with us for quite some time here because we're going to continue to follow this cortege and procession and we're going to be right back in just a little bit, with CNN's special coverage on the life of Coretta Scott King.

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