Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Saturday Morning News

Hostage Situation in Alabama; Ed Koch Dies at 88; What's Next For Hillary?; Family Rivalry Takes Center Stage at Super Bowl

Aired February 02, 2013 - 09:00   ET

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

RANDI KAYE, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning everyone. I'm Randi Kaye. It is 9:00 on the East Coast; 6:00 a.m. out West. Thanks so much for starting your day with us.

We start in Midland City, Alabama. That's where police have been waiting patiently for five days now, waiting for a suspected gunman to release a five-year-old boy that he's holding in an underground bunker.

Police say it is this man, 65-year-old Jimmy Lee Dykes. And we are just starting to hear why he may have killed a bus driver earlier this week but we still don't know why he grabbed the child from that bus.

Joining me now is Victor Blackwell. Victor, good morning again. So how are investigators actually communicating with this guy in the bunker?

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Randi.

This is really bizarre; however sophisticated setup. We have an animation based on what a neighbor tells us this bunker look like to show you what's happening. There is a PVC pipe that goes from the road that leads up to Jimmy Lee Dykes property and goes all the way to this bunker past the mobile home, past the red container, that stores, next to his home.

And through that, they are communicating. But I think it's just as important to mention what authorities do not want to communicate to Jimmy Lee Dykes. They have said to the media several times not to show live tactics, anything that they're doing as they approach the home. They have also not given us many details because they don't want to agitate Dykes.

Well, how would he get that information unless he either has communication inside that bunker with someone who could see it or Dykes has a television or radio inside the bunker with him at this time. Now, that has not been confirmed but there would be no other reason not to give details to us, because they didn't want to get them to Dykes, Randi.

KAYE: Yes, and do we know why Dykes shot that bus driver? I know the bus driver was protecting the children, but why did he do that? And why did he take this child?

BLACKWELL: Again, police have not given us a motive. But we've spoken with a man who has lived here his entire life, has been a friend of the bus driver, Charles Poland, for at least 20 years. And he says that this man, Jimmy Lee Dykes, was anti-government, anti-authority. And he saw that school bus coming on to his property as a form of the government. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REV. ROBERT SMITH, FRIEND OF CHARLES POLAND, JR.: I think he's anti- government, you know, mentality was that he just considered a school bus or anything from the government a threat. That was an infringement on his rights, his property. If a tire got over on that land, that was his.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: And he says, again, once that tire came on to his land, he saw that as a threat. Many of the neighbors here say that at times Jimmy Lee Dykes would walk his property line with a shotgun in one hand, a flashlight in the other and threaten anyone or anything, even the animals that crossed on to his property line. So, this is the type of person that has been described to us, Randi.

KAYE: All right. Victor, thank you very much. We'll check back with you later on this morning.

In Texas, we're hearing a Dallas area prosecutor who was gunned down in broad daylight outside of a courthouse feared for his life. That's according to a close friend of Mark Hasse. He was shot and killed Thursday while on his way to work but his friend says he didn't say why he felt threatened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COLLEEN DUNBAR, FRIEND, SLAIN DISTRICT ATTORNEY: He said, you know, Colleen, there are three exits to the courthouse. I go out a different exit every day now. And I have my gun drawn. And he said that when he came out, he would look both ways.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: Donors have raised nearly $65,000 to help capture Hasse's killer or killers.

In Illinois, a convicted murderer who was mistakenly released is back behind bars this morning. Police captured Stephen Robins last night about 60 miles from Chicago. On Tuesday, Robins was supposed to be transferred from Chicago back to the Indiana prison where he is serving a 60-year sentence. Investigators aren't saying what led them to Robins' hiding spot.

To sports now and New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez, facing new allegations that he has been using performance-enhancing drugs. Earlier this week, A-Rod was linked to a Miami area clinic that dispensed the banned substances. Now ESPN is reporting that A-Rod actually got personal attention from the head of the clinic and that he actually injected Rodriguez himself. A-Rod spokesperson says this is not true. These allegations, you may recall, date back to last year. Remember, Rodriguez admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs 10 years ago.

And speaking of doping, Commissioner Roger Goodell says he expects the league to begin testing for human growth hormone by next season. The league and the players' union agreed to testing two years ago. But details of the appeals process are still being worked out. Goodell said yesterday in his annual state of the NFL address in New Orleans that he thinks a deal is coming soon.

Now to security concerns of Twitter. The social media sites says around 250,000 accounts were compromised by hackers. They gained access to user names and e-mail addresses. Twitter security chief says they stopped one attack as it was happening. They believe the breach may be linked to similar ones by suspected Chinese hackers on "The New York Times" and the "Wall Street Journal".

This morning, we're remembering the man known as Mr. New York, former New York City mayor Ed Koch died yesterday of congestive heart failure. He was 88. Mayor Michael Bloomberg is one of many New Yorkers now paying tribute.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, NEW YORK: When we were down, Ed Koch picked us up. When we were worried, he gave us confidence. When someone need a good kick in the rear, he gave it to them. And if you remember, he enjoyed it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: Koch was a Bronx native. He served three terms as mayor starting in 1978. He is credited with saving the big Apple from fiscal ruin but his tenure also was marred by racial tension and corruption claims.

After leaving city hall, Koch became a TV judge on "The People's Court" and hosted a radio show. His funeral will Monday at a synagogue near Central Park.

It's been 30 years since Congress pass any sort of comprehensive immigration reform, but that maybe about to change. Eight senators, four from each party, introduced a bipartisan blueprint for a complete overhaul. But President Obama warns a first step alone won't be good enough and that now is the time to act. CNN's Athena Jones has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm here because most Americans agree that it's time to fix the system that's been broken for way to long.

ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This new attempt to overhaul America's immigration system comes from both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue and from both parties.

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), ARIZONA: We cannot continue as a nation with 11 million people residing in the shadows.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We believe we have a window of opportunity to act.

JONES: With a bipartisan group of senators outlining a plan to strengthen border security, improve enforcement of existing laws and provide a way for undocumented immigrants already here to become citizens. That plan is in line with guidelines the president announced a day later.

OBAMA: If Congress is unable to move forward in a timely fashion, I will send up a bill based on my proposal and insist that they vote on it right away.

JONES: But Congress hasn't passed a comprehensive immigration bill in nearly 30 years, despite several attempts.

GEORGE W. BUSH, FMR. U.S. PRESIDENT: We will fix the problems created by illegal immigration.

JONES: Including one championed by President George W. Bush.

ALAN GOMEZ, "USA TODAY": This is something that has so many moving parts, so many potentials to fall apart. We've seen for 25 years this hasn't been able to go through. So the odds are not in its favor for this thing getting through.

JONES: The biggest sticking point this time? Giving undocumented immigrants legal status. Opponents call it amnesty.

STEVEN CAMAROTA, CENTER FOR IMMIGRATION STUDIES: Legalization also has the problem of encouraging more illegal immigration. We've tried this before. In 1986 we granted amnesty to three million people and now we have 11, 12 million illegal immigrants here.

JONES: The Senate proposal would require enforcement measures to be complete before any immigrant on probationary status could earn a green card.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

JONES: The Senate group plans to provide a bill to the Senate judiciary committee in March with the hopes of getting the measure passed over the summer. Randi.

KAYE: Athena Jones, thank you very much.

It has been less than 24 hours since Hillary Clinton left the State Department and already there is a ton of speculation about where her next job might take her. Maybe the White House.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: The suicide bomber who attacked the U.S. embassy in Turkey's capital was known to the U.S. and other intelligence agencies. That's what a law enforcement source is telling CNN. Turkish police say the bomber was this man, a member of a radical leftist group in Turkey. A security guard was killed when the bomber blew himself up outside the U.S. embassy in Ankara yesterday. A Turkish journalist was injured. U.S. relations in the Middle East are topping John Kerry's agenda as America's new top diplomat. He was sworn in yesterday as the 68th secretary of state, succeeding Hillary Clinton. The former senator plans to head to Israel and Egypt, possibly as soon as this month on his first official overseas trip.

Speculation has been swirling for, well, for years, about whether or not Hillary Clinton will make another run for president in 2016. She officially stepped down yesterday as secretary of state. Here she is at the big sendoff for her. And now the Washington rumor mill is churning more furiously than ever.

Here is CNN political editor Paul Steinhauser.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN POLITICAL EDITOR: Hey, good morning, Randi.

It's the biggest question in presidential politics. Will she run? The "she," of course, is now former secretary of state Hillary Clinton. When asked at a global town hall a few days ago if she was thinking of making another bid for the White House, this was her answer.

HILLARY CLINTON, FMR. U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE: I am not thinking about anything like that right now.

STEINHAUSER: And here is what she said the same day in an interview with CNN.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Have you decided you absolutely will not run?

CLINTON: Well, I have absolutely no plans to run.

STEINHAUSER: No plans. But she isn't closing the door. Clinton's returning to private life with some poll numbers any politician would love. Nearly seven in 10 in a recent NBC-"Wall Street Journal" poll said they approve of the job she was doing as America's top diplomat. And two-thirds in a recent ABC-"Washington Post" survey said they had a favorable impression of her.

But two things, there was a partisan divide in both polls with only a minority of Republicans giving her a thumbs up. And if she becomes a politician again, we could see those sky-high numbers come down a bit. Clinton shouldn't be in any rush to make up her mind, says democratic strategist and CNN contributor Paul Begala who is a top political adviser to President Bill Clinton.

PAUL BEGALA, CNN POLITICAL CONTRIBUTOR: She is not going to commit to running when in her heart she has not decided to. She has got the time, she has the support. There's no need to rush into 2016.

STEINHAUSER: If she does run, our own CNN-ORC poll indicates the obvious, she would be the front-runner for the democratic presidential nomination. But we're getting ahead of ourselves. Let's let Clinton enjoy some down time, at least for a month or two. Randi? (END VIDEOTAPE)

KAYE: For a month or two, absolutely.

CNN political editor Paul Steinhauser. Thank you.

The ultimate sibling rivalry takes place tomorrow as the Harbaugh Brothers both hope to coach their team to a Super Bowl victory. Next, we'll hear from another pair of competitive siblings in the world of hockey for insight on family sport rivalry.

But first, a little Super Bowl trivia for you this weekend. Which city hosted the first Super Bowl? Was it Detroit, Miami, Dallas or Los Angeles? The answer after the break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: So, before the break, we asked you a little Super Bowl trivia. Which city hosted the first Super Bowl? Was it Detroit, Miami, Dallas or Los Angeles? The answer is Los Angeles. The game was held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in 1967. Green Bay beat Kansas City at 35-10. Thanks for playing along on that one.

Well, no matter who wins the Super Bowl this weekend, history will be made when two ultra competitive brothers faceoff for the biggest contest in the NFL. John Harbaugh, head coach of the Baltimore Ravens, challenges his younger brother, Jim, head coach of the San Francisco 49'ers.

Now on the subject of family rivalry, I spoke with another pair of competitive brothers in the NHL, Eric and Jordan Staal. I asked about the challenges and whether Jordan turned down a huge offer from the Pittsburgh Penguins to play on the same team as his brother.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JORDAN STAAL, CAROLINA HURRICANES: That was definitely a big part of it. I wasn't feeling too comfortable signing a full extension with the Penguins and, obviously, if I had signed that, the opportunity to play with Eric would kind of dwindle away. So I kind of held off on that and, you know, next thing I know, I'm moving on to Raleigh and I was able to come down here and kind of get the same contract, which was nice and be able to play alongside my brother.

KAYE: And Eric, how do you feel about that?

ERIC STAAL, CAROLINA HURRICANES: Yes, pretty unique how it all worked out. Obviously, not easy decisions for Jordan in the midst him getting married all at the same time. There was a lot of things going on. And he - you know, he had to make a decision. And for me, obviously, for us being brothers, I wanted to play together, I wanted to play, you know, the game we love together on the same team. And then you know, everything that happened after, him getting traded to our team and everything kind of worked out. It's been exciting to have him here. You know, get the season started together. KAYE: So, Jordan, when you both were playing on different teams, I mean, did you feel, was there a rivalry, I mean, even if you weren't playing against each other? Was there a sense of competition?

JORDAN STAAL: Absolutely. I mean, when you're playing your brother, no one wants to lose, whether it's brother or sister growing up, for us growing up, everything was competitive and, you know, even all the way up to the NHL, it was really competitive, every game we were on each other and no one wanted to lose. It made it a lot of fun and really, actually elevated both our games.

KAYE: And of course, you have two other brothers, Jared and Mark who are also in the NHL. Eric, I mean, do you talk about anything else at the family gatherings or holidays? I mean do you think there's more pressure because all of you are in the same business?

ERIC STAAL: Yes, hockey does get talked about a lot. You know, my dad is involved and - well, both my parents. Dad likes to talk hockey. And we do try and sway the conversation when we get together to other areas. It usually ends up back to hockey. Because, you know, it's what we all do. It's what we all love. And, you know, it's some interesting conversation but it's a lot of fun. And pretty unique that we're all in the same industry together and a lot of stories, that's for sure.

KAYE: Yes, I want to ask you both, as we look ahead to the Super Bowl, do you have any advice for the Harbaugh brothers, coaching at the Super Bowl and even for their parents perhaps, Jordan?

JORDAN STAAL: That's tough. You know, all the way to the finals as well. You know, me and Eric met in a conference final and I don't think my parents could really even watch. It would be tough to see that all the way into the Super Bowl. But you know, two great coaches, obviously. They did a great job just to get there and just enjoy it, obviously. It's always fun to play against your brother, but to be at that level and to be in that game, it will be a pretty special moment for that family.

KAYE: What do you think, Eric, do you it's more pressure on the parents than the two coaches?

ERIC STAAL: Well, I think the coaches will be wrapped up in their game plans and their strategy and everything else that goes with it. So the parents, yes, I think it's definitely tougher on them, you know. You kind of - you're in a win or lose situation. But regardless, they're watching the Super Bowl with two of their children playing in it. that's pretty special and pretty phenomenal. Like Jordan said, the two of us playing against each other in the conference final was difficult. We cut off communications before the series started but went right back after it was over. And I'm sure that's the same for their family.

KAYE: All right. Guys, it was great to see you. Great to chat with you. Thanks again for sharing your story.

ERIC STAAL: Thanks for having us.

JORDAN STAAL: Thank you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAYE: And a Super Bowl programming note, CNN is live in New Orleans with our take on the biggest sporting event in the country. Kickoff in New Orleans, a CNN bleacher report special. That is today at 4:00 pm Eastern time.

A man who spent four years photographing the Beatles forgot about hundreds of photos that he had until recently. And now we're getting a look at the band like we've never seen them before.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: Checking stories making headlines, a suspected gunman is hold in holding a 5-year-old boy in an underground bunker in midland city, Alabama. This is day five in that bunker. The man is 65-year-old Jimmy Lee Dykes. His reason for taking the boy is still unclear. The police have been communicating with the suspect through a pipe that goes down into the bunker.

Earlier, we showed you the wrong picture of Dallas area prosecutor Mark Hasse. Now this is the right picture. He was gunned down Thursday in broad day light outside a court house on his way to work. A close friend says Hasse feared for his life though he didn't say why he felt threatened. Donors have raise almost $65,000 to help capture the killer or killers.

The stock market crossed a major milestone, closing above 14,000 for the first time since 2007. That winning streak extended across Wall Street, in fact. The S&P as well as the NASDAQ also ending the week in the green.

A huge stash, hundreds of never-before-seen pictures of the Beatles has been discovered. Take a look. Here is The Fab Four, meeting with their guru. And the others are behind-the-scenes pictures from when the band was shooting the film "Help" in the Bahamas. The photographer recently found his negatives for the pictures and decided to publish them.

With the Boy Scouts considering lifting its ban on gay scout leaders, people on both sides of the debate are speaking up. One parent says a changing the policy will be suicide for the Boy Scouts and could have serious legal consequences and we'll talk to that parent and hear from a straight Eagle Scout who says he thinks lifting the ban on gays is a good idea. That is all coming your way, next hour.

And now to some late-night laughs, you've got to be able to laugh at yourself, right? All right. We're going to give it a try here. CNN recently named a new president, you may have heard, former NBC chairman Jeff Zucker. In the past few weeks he has shaken things up just a little bit. David Letterman weighed in this week with a few of his suggestions.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID LETTERMAN, HOST "LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN": Changes now at CNN.

Number 10, "The Situation Room" now hosted by The Situation. There you go.

Number nine, Sanjay Gupta's hilarious new sitcom "Two Broke Guptas."

Number eight, changing pronunciation from CNN to CNNNN.

Number seven, switching the part in David Gergen's combover. I don't know.

Number six, Wolf Blitzer shirtless.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now you're talking.

LETTERMAN: Number five, knocking a buck off the super mega dog.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're killing him. You're killing him.

LETTERMAN: Number five, no longer fact-checking stories.

Number four, new President Jeff Zucker is zucking everything up.

Number three, lifting ban on anchors using steroids.

Number two, Piers Morgan deported.

Number one, change at CNN, more coverage of goats.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: ... (INAUDIBLE) county fair, ABC 7. Could you not eat my pants?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: I'll see you back here at the top of the hour. "YOUR BOTTOM LINE" starts right now.