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Osama bin Laden Informants Arrested in Pakistan; Arnold Schwarzenegger's Ex-Housekeeper Speaks; Massive Protests in Greece; Missouri River Floodwaters Rise; Battling The Floodwaters; Talk Back Question; Why Hackers Are On The Attack
Aired June 15, 2011 - 11:59 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Suzanne Malveaux. I'd like to get you up to speed.
Pakistan has arrested several people who gave the CIA information leading to the raid that killed Osama bin Laden. Those arrested include a person who rented a safe house to the CIA to watch bin Laden's compound.
Our Reza Sayah says the arrests fuel more questions about whether Pakistan is a true U.S. ally.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REZA SAYAH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: If indeed they were onboard and part of efforts to find bin laden, you would think they would applaud these men, commend them. The fact they are arresting them suggests they are not happy with them.
That certainly adds to the -- to the big questions, the most pressing question: Is Pakistan a U.S. friend? Are they onboard in the fight against militants, or are they playing a double game?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Tens of thousands of protesters surround the capital in Greece. And police let the tear gas canisters fly. The rage in the streets is being fueled by a government plan to cut spending and get the country's massive budget deficit under control.
A legal showdown now over Libya. A bipartisan group of lawmakers will file a lawsuit today over the U.S. participation in the military mission. House Speaker John Boehner warns that the president is in danger of violating the War Powers Act. Policy experts say Congress is trying to have a say in the Libyan mission.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MATTHEW WAXMAN, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, COLUMBIA LAW SCHOOL: What Congress is trying to do is use this war powers resolution argument as a bit of political stick to score some political points, to force the president to go up to Capitol Hill, spend political capital in defending the war, and try to get a stronger voice, congressional voice, in shaping Libya operations. (END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: In Arizona, a single campfire may have started the biggest wildfire in the state's history. That word coming from investigators today. They are talking with two people of interest.
The fire in eastern Arizona has driven thousands of people from their homes, and today evacuees from the town of Nutrioso are allowed back in. But right now the fire is only 20 percent contained.
Along the Missouri River, an around-the-clock battle to keep floodwaters out of homes and businesses. Omaha, Nebraska, is calling on volunteers to help fill at least a quarter of a million sandbags. Two levees along the Missouri/Iowa state line have breached, threatening the town of Hamburg, Iowa. If the temporary levee fails, Hamburg could get 10 feet of water.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's really scary. When we went to bed last night, there was just a small ribbon of water back against the levee. And they have lot lots of volunteers, farmers and local contractors, that have helped them out.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: A court upholds a gay judge's ruling against a ban on same-sex marriage in California. Questions had been raised about his impartiality. Judge Vaughn Walker had ruled the law was unconstitutional. And supporters of the gay marriage ban say they will appeal.
Arnold Schwarzenegger's former housekeeper breaks her science about their secret child. In an interview with "Hello!" magazine, Mildred Baena says as her son got older, he began to resemble the California governor. Maria Shriver eventually flat-out asked her if Schwarzenegger was the father. Baena says, "She cried with me. We held each other and I told her it wasn't Arnie's fault, that it takes two."
Back to our lead story on the CIA informants now arrested in Pakistan. These are the men who provided information to U.S. intelligence ahead of the deadly raid on Osama Bin Laden's compound.
Well, CNN national security analyst Peter Bergen, he's joining us live from Washington.
An Peter, first of all, because this is difficult to understand, why would Pakistan's top military spy agency, instead of cooperating with the United States, going after these people who allowed Bin Laden to live comfortably all these years in Pakistan, now be arresting those who assisted in the raid to bring him down?
PETER BERGEN, CNN NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Well, I mean, ISI, the Pakistani intelligence agency -- obviously, I don't speak for them -- but did a full experiment where American citizens were spying for Pakistan in the United States, on any issue, without declaring those folks to the American government. I mean, technically these people are spying.
So leaving aside the wrongs or the rights of them helping to find Osama bin Laden, from a strictly technical point of view, Pakistan, a sovereign government, has every right to arrest or detain or interrogate citizens that it feels are working for a foreign power. I mean, that's just the way of the world. Now --
MALVEAUX: Peter --
BERGEN: Go ahead.
MALVEAUX: -- what do you think this says about the U.S. and Pakistan relationship now?
BERGEN: Well, I don't think it has been worse. I think this is the worse point that it has been since, arguably, 1990, when the United States put sanctions on Pakistan because of its nuclear program, and it's bad. It's very bad.
This is just one of a series of incidents on both sides of the equation which have really brought these relationships to kind of this point. I mean, the biggest, of course, incident before the arrests of bin Laden in Pakistan was the CIA contractor Raymond Davis, who shot two Pakistani men in Lahore in late January, which was a huge story in Pakistan.
It didn't get that much attention in the United States, partly because of the very dramatic events of the Arab Spring were happening simultaneously. But it was the story in Pakistan for weeks.
MALVEAUX: Well, Peter, clearly, the bin Laden raid, and more recent attacks by militants in Pakistan have been a big blow to Pakistan's military, which is highly regarded in Pakistan.
Is this a way for t hem to reassert their power, to save face in a way?
BERGEN: That might well be a motivation. As you say, Suzanne, they were humiliated by the unilateral American action to seize bin Laden, and the helicopters not being picked up on Pakistani radar. That was humiliating for the Pakistanis.
Then, shortly thereafter, there was what appears to have been an attack on a Pakistani naval station in Karachi, which seems to have been something of an inside job given the way the attack took place. Again, demonstrating that sensitive military installations in Pakistan might have been compromised by either the Taliban or related groups.
So it has been a very bad month for the military. In fact, General Kayani, the chief of army staff, you know, has -- I think it has been one of the worst times that he has had.
MALVEAUX: All right. And real quick here, Peter, is there anything that needs to be done now to kind of break this impasse, turn things around, anything the United States could do regarding Pakistan to change their behavior?
BERGEN: Yes. I mean, I think one thing the United States can do is sort of one thing the Pakistanis very much want, is fewer drone strikes. Last year, there were 118 drone strikes, a record.
Not all of these are really getting senior al Qaeda leaders by any stretch. I think a more calibrated drone program that wasn't so consistent would go some way to repairing the breach between these two countries.
MALVEAUX: All right. Peter Bergen, thank you so much, as always. We appreciate your expertise. Thank you.
Here's your chance to "Talk Back" on one of the big stories making big news today. Today's question: Do politicians need to show their patriotism to get elected?
Our Carol Costello, she's joining us from Washington with more on this question.
And Carol, we should let our viewers know we did not coordinate these outfits. Right?
(LAUGHTER)
MALVEAUX: The red, the blue, the white.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No, but we are true patriots despite it.
You know, love of country is no longer a given. You have to prove it. Prove you bleed not only red, but white and blue, too.
Jon Huntsman will officially declare he is running for president in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty, where, arguably, the most patriotic of all presidents announced his run, Ronald Reagan.
Sarah Palin? Who knows if she's running? But she proved her patriotism by visiting historic landmarks on her "One Nation" bus tour.
Congressman Allen West is not running for president, which is a good thing, because he has come under fire for planting an American flag under water on an artificial reef. Flag etiquette says flags are not supposed to touch anything beneath them, even water, apparently. West is a Tea Party America-loving veteran. His spokeswoman told Politico he went diving with veterans and displayed the American flag on an underwater wreck as a sign of respect for the flag and for these veterans who worked to overcome their disability.
The West critique came from a liberal blogger no doubt upset that during the 2008 campaign, candidate Obama was accused of not loving his country because he did not place his hand over his heart during the Star-Spangled Banner. Mr. Obama was so taken aback by the fuss, he even started wearing flag pins. Not to say that changed things. Accusations Mr. Obama was foreign grew louder until he finally produced his birth certificate. I bring this up because 2012 is bound to be the most patriotic-looking political year ever.
So, the "Talk Back" question today: Do politicians need to show their patriotism to get elected?
Facebook.com/CarolCNN. I'll read your comments later this hour -- Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: All right. Thank you, Carol.
COSTELLO: Sure.
MALVEAUX: Here's a look at what's ahead this hour "On the Rundown."
First, the mother of Arnold Schwarzenegger's secret child gives her first interview to a British magazine.
And a popular Internet radio site goes public. Will Pandora be a hit with investors? We're going to talk with the company's CEO.
Then, thousands of demonstrators fill the street of Athens, trying to stop the government's new austerity plan.
And the rising Missouri River threatens homes and farms in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska.
And in Florida, the prosecution rests in the Casey Anthony trial, but not before presenting a tattoo as evidence.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): "Bella Vita" means "beautiful life" in Italian. A "beautiful life" tattoo is what Casey asked for just 16 days after she says her daughter accidentally drowned.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: We'll ask a defenses attorney how he would defend Casey Anthony.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: Now it's time for you to "Choose the News." Here are your choices.
First, there's a lot of shaking going on in part of Arkansas these days. Hundreds of earthquake jolts have hit the state in just the last few months, but some scientists say it's not Mother Nature that is actually causing them.
Second, hackers post on the Senate Web site, "We don't like the U.S. government very much." It is the same group that claims to have hit PBS. We're going to tell you who they are and why they are on the attack.
And, number three, third choice, Google unveils a new kind of stripped-down laptop. What can you do on it? Well, we're going to tell you about Chromebook.
So, you can vote for your favorite story by texting 22360. Text 1 for "Man-Made Quakes"; 2 for "Hackers on Attack"; and 3 for "Chromebook." The winning story is going to air at the end of the hour.
Well, in a bombshell interview, Arnold Schwarzenegger's former housekeeper reveals details about their secret son.
Our CNN's Randi Kaye, she joins us with some of those details.
Randi, a lot of people watching this, talking about this story. What does his mistress reveal today? She has come out public now with her story.
RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: She has, and this is the first time. She apparently wanted to set the record straight, Suzanne.
So she gave this interview to -- and speaking very candidly, I might add. But she spoke to "Hello!" magazine. And as I said, to set the record straight.
The Schwarzeneggers' former housekeeper did the interview, along with her 13-year-old son. His name is Joseph.
Now, according to the magazine, Mildred Baena said when Joseph learned Schwarzenegger was his dad a year ago, he reacted with just a single word, saying, "Cool." She also said it wasn't until Joseph started growing up that the resemblance tipped her off Schwarzenegger was his dad.
Baena told the magazine, "I knew Arnold was the father, and maybe as Joseph got older and began to look like him, he (meaning Arnold) wondered. But he never said anything to me."
Can you imagine?
MALVEAUX: Wow. That's amazing.
Does she give us any clue in terms of what Maria Shriver knew during this time?
KAYE: A little bit, yes. She says that Maria Shriver was starting to put two and two together because she heard whispers around the family home that Joseph was starting to resemble Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Baena told "Hello!" "She would say things like, 'I'm here if you need to talk.' I sensed something was up. I have so much love and respect for Maria. Finally, she asked point blank."
But most striking, Baena says, was Maria's reaction. She claims, Suzanne, that she and Maria Shriver cried together and held each other. She said, "She was so strong. She cried with me and told me to get off my knees. We held each other, and I told her it wasn't Arnie's fault, that it takes too."
And yes, she did use the word "Arnie."
MALVEAUX: Arnie.
And do we have any sense of whether Arnie had a relationship with his son at this time?
KAYE: Well, according to Baena, it sounds like Joseph, the boy, would like to develop a relationship with Arnold Schwarzenegger, not really clear if there's a relationship right now.
MALVEAUX: OK. It's a fascinating story there.
KAYE: And the lawyer as well for Mildred Baena also released a statement today, just a short time ago, and just saying that she did indeed give that interview to the magazine, and just confirming for us that it was to set the record straight. She was tired of people selling their lies to the media, or claiming to speak for her when they do not. And as for the interview, the lawyer said the questions were not pre-approved and there certainly weren't any limitations to the topics as well.
MALVEAUX: Just so much information that comes out of it. This is a story that keeps building and building and giving and giving.
KAYE: Yes. I think she would like to put it to rest now, but we'll see.
MALVEAUX: I don't think that's going to happen. Somehow, I just think the more she talks, the more questions are going to happen.
KAYE: I think you're probably right on that one.
MALVEAUX: OK. Thanks, Randi. Really appreciate it.
KAYE: Sure.
MALVEAUX: Well, if you didn't get a chance to attend the royal wedding, well, no worries. You can see Prince William and his new bride up close and personal in the United States. That's happening next month.
The newlyweds are coming to California on July 8th. They will be here for three days.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, as they're formally known, will attend a charity polo match in Santa Barbara where Prince William will ride. They're going to also meet young homeless people at an arts project. This is Kate's first trip to America.
(BUSINESS REPORT) MALVEAUX: Tear gas is hanging in the air in Athens. That is where protesters are surrounding the parliament. We're going to tell you why the economic crisis could affect you here at home. Michael Holmes joins us to go "Beyond the Headlines."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: We are watching massive protest erupt again in Greece. Demonstrators are swarming around the capital as the government tries to get control of the country's spiraling debt by making some pretty painful budget cuts.
Our Michael Holmes is here to go "Beyond the Headlines."
Michael, it's good to see you.
Tell us, first of all, why all the outrage from the folks who are there on the ground? And secondly, what is it going to mean for us? What are the ripple effects, if you will?
MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it is all about the economy. I mean, the budget cuts, what's happened there is their economy was struggling along, they got bailed out by the European Union. Everything is going to pot at the moment.
Austerity measures are being brought in by the bucket load, and people are complaining about that. The markets are showing signs of getting jittery over the whole thing of what's happening. The euro is slipping. The European Union has got no real plan on how to handle the Greek problem long term.
Of course, as you said, Greece is trying to get in line with the tough measures outlined by the IMF and the European Union to get their massive debt under control. You know, Standard & Poor's, the ratings agency, just downgraded the country to make it the least creditworthy nation out of its 131 countries it monitors.
It's junk status now in financial terms. No more loans until the parliament passes these austerity measures. The EU and IMF are demanding these measures, of course, and return for the release of another tranche of money to Greece to help bail them out. They borrowed money when times were good. Can't pay it back.
MALVEAUX: Right. And what is actually taking place on the streets of Athens now?
HOLMES: Thousands of people are still out there right now. Actually, I was looking at live pictures before I came up. They are throwing, believe it or not, yogurt at the police.
MALVEAUX: No way. Really, yogurt?
HOLMES: Yes, yogurt. Greek Yogurt. Also stones. It's a bit more serious than that. And there's tear gas coming back in return.
There is a couple of groups here. There is one group that calls themselves the Indignants, which is a grassroots movement. It takes its name from the Spanish campaign of (INAUDIBLE), who have been holding similar mobilizations against austerity measures. There's also a lot of anarchists there, too, that are making problems.
MALVEAUX: Well, what are they indignant about?
HOLMES: Well, in addition to the deep cuts that we talked about, the austerity measures, Greece is -- and because of that, Greece's unemployment rate is up to 16 percent. Their economy is shrinking by 3.5 percent.
And the reality is, look, if Greece goes down, if it defaults on its loans, which could happen, you are looking at Ireland and Portugal in similar situations. They could go down as well. It could impact the euro. Some have said there could be at least a partial breakup of the European Union over all of this.
The potential is there. It's not just a Greek problem. It's a European problem. In fact, it's a worldwide problem.
MALVEAUX: Absolutely.
HOLMES: Very serious.
MALVEAUX: And I know that the Obama administration says look to Europe first to try and solve that problem before the U.S. gets involved. But it could have an impact worldwide.
HOLMES: Yes, absolutely.
MALVEAUX: OK. Michael, thank you.
HOLMES: Good to see you.
MALVEAUX: Appreciate it.
Here's a quick rundown some of the stories that we're working on.
Next, the prosecution wraps up its case against Casey Anthony, charged with the murder of her 2-year-old daughter. We're going to have a live report.
Then, tension and frustration along the Missouri River, where thousands of homes and farms are now threatened.
And at 12:45 Eastern, keeping the water out. We're going to find out how the levees along the Missouri River are holding up.
And now, the prosecution rested its case today in the murder trial of Casey Anthony. Anthony is accused of killing her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee.
CNN National Correspondent Gary Tuchman has the highlights of the testimony from the last prosecution witnesses, including a tattoo artist.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TUCHMAN (voice-over): On July 2, 2008, two weeks and two days after Caylee Anthony disappeared, never to be seen live again, her mother Casey walked into this man's shop.
BOBBY WILLIAMS, TATTOO ARTIST: She came in to get tattooed.
TUCHMAN: It was this tattoo shop in Orlando. Bobby Williams, tattoo artist, is a crucial prosecution witness because of this testimony --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you ask her what she wanted done?
WILLIAMS: Yes, sir. "Bella Vita" in a feminine-type font.
TUCHMAN: "Bella Vita" means a "beautiful life" in Italian. A "beautiful life" tattoo is what Casey asked for just 16 days after she says her daughter accidentally drowned. She's pleaded not guilty to what the prosecution calls a cold, calculated murder.
Was she sad, solemn, or serious when she got the tattoo?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How would you describe her demeanor?
WILLIAMS: Normal.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What does that mean?
WILLIAMS: She didn't seem upset about anything, pretty happy for the most part.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did she immediately leave the store?
WILLIAMS: No, sir. We ended up ordering a pizza, and she actually had a couple of slices.
TUCHMAN: The prosecution is hoping to paint a picture of a callous young woman using examples like the tattoo and this picture showing Casey in a hot body contest just four days after Caylee disappeared.
So, how does the defense plan to explain away the "beautiful life" tattoo? By trying to convince the jury that it was done to honor her dead daughter.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is it customary in your business that people get tattoos to remember their loved ones that have passed?
WILLIAMS: They do, yes.
TUCHMAN: The potential problem with that defense, though, is the tattoo artist testified that later, Casey Anthony said she wanted another tattoo and made an appointment to do so, saying this time said she would bring Caylee with her.
CINDY ANTHONY, CASEY ANTHONY'S MOTHER: Cynthia Anthony - TUCHMAN: Meanwhile, Casey's mother took the stand for a second time and testified she had not seen Caylee's Winnie the Pooh blanket for weeks before her disappearance. The blanket was found with Caylee's body.
Casey Anthony looked at her mother vacantly during the testimony. And when Cindy Anthony walked off the stand, it appeared she mouthed the words "I love you" to her daughter, who looked away.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
MALVEAUX: Gary Tuchman joins us live from Orlando. Gary, excellent reporting. I understand you actually spoke with George and Cindy Anthony, Casey's parents in the elevator. What did they tell you? What was their demeanor?
TUCHMAN: It was just a few minutes I talked with them, and it was after an important development in the case. Just about an hour ago, the judge denied a motion from the defense for a motion of acquittal. That's a routine thing that defense attorneys do when the prosecution's done with its case. They say there's not enough evidence, we shouldn't even have to continue the trial. And the judge emphatically denied that and said tomorrow, the defense will begin to call its witnesses. So, that was a big defeat for Casey Anthony.
And I saw her parents, George and Cindy near the elevator coming down. The trial's on the twenty-third floor. And first of all, I said I am sorry for what you are going through. This must be a horrible situation. And they said thank you.
And then when they were in the elevator, they held each other and cried in each other's arms for the entire 23 floors. Cindy's head was on George's chest. It was very sad, but it was very important to see that because George has been accused by his daughter of molesting her. And she said because she was repeatedly molested by her father, she kept family secrets secret. And therefore, when her daughter - she says accidentally drowned, and there's no evidence of that whatsoever, she never told anybody because of the tumult she experienced earlier in her life when she was the victim of incest.
Now, why that was important to see that is because if you believe that Cindy believes that George possibly had sexual relations with their daughter, she would not be hugging him, crying with him and looking for his support. They love each other very much. I could tell that on the elevator.
MALVEAUX: And Gary, also, Cindy has taken the stand a couple of time, even just as recently as yesterday. This must be taking its toll on her as well.
TUCHMAN: No, it's really hard for her in a number of ways. One way we discovered today, the prosecution said during this motion for acquittal, the prosecution said we believe that one of the motives for Casey killing her daughter is the rivalry that she had with her mother, that she felt like her mother was telling her she was not a good mother, and we think that's one of the motives for this murder. So, it's so sad all the way around for George and Cindy Anthony. These parents watching their daughter fight for his life. Knowing their granddaughter is dead, knowing that he's been said -- I mean, that's what the most important, most unbelievable thing of this trial so far, Suzanne, is that in the opening statements, the defense said that this man molested Casey Anthony, and that's one of the reasons this murder happened.
There is absolutely zero evidence, Suzanne, so far that he did this. Absolutely none. And that's why a lot of people think Casey Anthony will have to take the stand. And I'll tell you, if she takes the stand, it will be a television spectacle.
MALVEAUX: Wow. We'll all be watching for that to see if that actually happens. Gary, thank you for pulling the curtain back there for us and giving us the back story behind-the-scenes look at what is taking place in the very dramatic trial. Thank you very much, Gary.
The defense begins making its case tomorrow in Casey Anthony's capital murder trial. We will talk to defense attorney Richard Herman about what her lawyers need to do.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: The judge in the Casey Anthony murder trial today rejected a defense motion for acquittal. The motion came after the prosecution rested. The defense begins its case tomorrow.
Joining us from Austin, Texas with some analysis of the case and what is ahead is criminal defense attorney Richard Herman. Richard, thanks for joining us. Simple question: has the prosecution made its case that Casey Anthony killed her two-year-old daughter?
RICHARD HERMAN, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Suzanne, I don't believe they have. This is a first-degree intentional killing that they have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt. We don't know if the duct tape was put on and that was used to kill her before she was dead or it was put on after. We don't know if chloroform was used to put her to death or it just released in the car through cleaning solvents and other things. We just don't know these things. We don't know the time, the date, the place.
We know from the evidence that Casey was a great mother. We don't know anything bad about her being a bad mother. So, when you get up in the summation and tell the jury, if you don't know these answers, if you're paused to hesitate this much, that's reasonable doubt and you must not convict. I don't believe the state has proven their case.
MALVEAUX: Well, Richard, what about all of these stories that have been told that just don't seem to pan out, that she has been lying? Does that count for anything here?
HERMAN: Yes, that counts because that count s that she's a liar. It doesn't count that she's a murderer. However, Suzanne, you are very right. A lot of jurors will be so inflamed by the fact of her serial, compulsive lying that they're just going to hold that against her and might just leap to the verdict of guilty because of the conduct. Or going out dancing and hot body contests when her daughter's either dead or missing.
This conduct by her is so repulsive that many of the jurors, I believe, at this point have already made up their mind to convict her.
MALVEAUX: But you say they don't have the evidence to do that, is that right?
HERMAN: Yes, I don't believe they have sufficient evidence. However, look, this is a middle district of Florida jury. Orlando, Florida. There's a young girl that is dead. It's a horrible case. It was really inflammatory the way they put the face with her mother smiling and turned it into a skeleton. They put on this junk science with this Dr. Vass, who I believe was so inept that that will cause reversible error just on his smelling, breathing machine that was never peer reviewed and nobody knows anything about that. I think that's going to be reversed.
But I do believe that many of the jurors, Suzanne, are just going to -- they have had enough of this Casey. They don't like the way she's treated her parents. They don't like the opening by Baez, which was horrible, because now he is not going to be able to prove those insane statements in his opening, and many jurors are going to take their vengeance out on Casey because of that.
MALVEAUX: So, Richard, real quick here: Should the defense put Casey on the stand?
HERMAN: Suzanne, I've been saying this for so long now. They cannot put her on the stand. There is nothing to gain by it. If they put her on the stand, the cross-examination will begin with five hundred lies that she's told to every one, including her parents. And then they will go to the jury in summation and say this is a liar. She's lied to everyone and she's lying to you. You can't believe her. Vote guilty.
MALVEAUX: All right. Richard Herman, thank you very much. We will all be watching very closely to see how the defense presents its own side. Thank you very much, Richard.
HERMAN: They will go after the forensics. They're going after the forensics, Suzanne. That's what they are going to do.
MALVEAUX: Okay.
Much of America's heartland is now underwater. Flooding along the Missouri River could last now for months. We're going to go live to Omaha, Nebraska, where the water now is rising fast.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
MALVEAUX: It's a battle that could last a couple months now. The Missouri River's floodwaters threatened thousands of homes and businesses from Montana to Missouri. Our CNN's Casey Wian is live from Omaha, Nebraska.
Casey, if you will, just set the scene for us. How fast is this water rising? What kind of situation are these folks in now?
CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Suzanne, the water has pretty much crested. It has not been rising too fast during the day. But that doesn't mean that there is not an incredible volume of water coming through here.
You can see the water level over here, the sculptures behind me, and several feet, obviously, of height that this river is above its normal height. And it's also spread out around its banks.
This is what 1.25 million gallons of water per second looks like. You can see how fast this water is moving south. This water being released from reservoirs through dams north of here because there is so much water throughout the whole Missouri River Valley.
Now one of the big issues here is sandbagging. Local officials have been asking volunteers to come out there, been filling hundreds of thousands of sandbags to sort of protect the low-lying areas here in Omaha. One of the big concerns. Of course this weekend, the College World Series is scheduled to be played here at a ballpark just a little ways from where I am standing and officials are quite concerned about fan's ability to get to the stadium. Let's listen to what one had to say.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEVE OLTMANS, OMAHA CHIEF OF STAFF: The roads here -- I-80 is open, of course. There are some other roads that are closed. But I-80 is east/west. It shouldn't be a problem getting here. We've -- all of our hotels in the downtown area have a preparation plan, an emergency preparation. We're checking with them today. We'll continue to do that daily. They'll have excess sandbags if they need them. Again, hopefully they won't need them. So we're -- we're very conscientious about what could happen. We're planning for the worst, obviously praying for the best.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WIAN: Now, right now everyone seems to think that the -- that they're going to avoid significant damage here in Omaha. But the real wild card here, Suzanne, is the weather. There are scattered thundershowers forecast over the next two days. If any of those are very, very heavy thunderstorms, more -- heaver than is expected, that could present some real problems for downtown Omaha. So they're watching the weather real closely. Still planning on the College World Series, though, this weekend, Suzanne.
MALVEAUX: All right, Casey, thank you very much.
Well, the levees are the key to saving front towns up and down the Missouri River. Our own Jacqui Jeras joins us.
And, Jacqui, you had warned us yesterday that they had like 48 hours to make sure --
JACQUI JERAS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Right.
MALVEAUX: To be on watch because it could mean flooding for major areas. Are the levees holding up? Do we know?
JERAS: Well, we told you yesterday about that levee that was breached in Hamburg, Iowa, and they were rushing to try and shore up a secondary levee outside of town. Here you can see, there is the Missouri River. Here's the town of Hamburg. There's about a 300 foot hole here where a levee was breached. And so they tried to add an extra 3 feet on top of a manmade levee outside of Hamburg and they think they're going to be able to do it. They've got to get it done by this evening. Their goal is to get it done by 2:00 today.
Now, that water is getting closer and we've got reports now along I-29 here that at least one lane northbound has been closed off and they expect a complete 20-mile stretch in this area to be closed by tomorrow. So that water is rising very, very quickly. And it's going to continue to be tested. This isn't just a one-day thing, Suzanne. This record flow is expected to stay throughout probably the month of August.
Now, one other area that we're watching, up near where Casey Wian is, is Eppley Airfield here in Omaha. We've got reports of a sand boil in this area. And let me tell you what a sand boil is and why it could threaten the airport.
Here you can see an animation. This is a levee. And what happens, is that water gets underneath the levee and gets into the dry side of the levee and it starts to boil up. And so eventually what that can do is make this whole thing basically kind of crumble underneath with that soil and cause that levee to fail. So that's the concern there.
But 150,000 cubic feet per second. That's the equivalent of 1.1 million gallons a second that's being released through this Gavins Point Dam up in South Dakota.
MALVEAUX: Unbelievable. Jacqui, thank you so much. We'll be watching that very closely. Thank you, Jacqui.
Well, you are sounding off on today's "Talk Back" question. We asked, do politicians need to show their patriotism to get elected? Gimmar says, "patriotism is a lot like the love you have for your parents or they for you. Sure they embarrass you and you them at times, but you can't help loving them." Carol Costello is up next with more of your responses.
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MALVEAUX: Now your responses to today's "Talk Back" question. Carol Costello is back with a look at what you are saying.
Hey, Carol.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Suzanne. The question today, do politicians need to show their patriotism to get elected?
This from Stephanie. "It's hard to believe that we went from a country giving our young men all of our luxuries to the World War II effort, to a country which barely recognizes the word patriot. I think the more you love your country, the more you would want to save it and return it to its former glory. So, politicians, show the love."
This from Christopher. "If politicians are going to show their patriotism, they should have to do more than visit the locations of a seventh grade field trip. Real patriotism is shown through selfless service and defense of our voiceless citizens. Something we haven't seen from politicians in years."
This from Ray. "Patriotism, yes. But to quote Sinclair Lewis from the novel "It Can't Happen Here," 'when fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying the cross'."
And this from David. "I don't need to see historical sites or flag pins. I see patriotism every time I'm at an airport terminal, train or bus depot, in the faces of those young men and women in uniform that have joined our all volunteer armed services."
Please, keep the conversation going. Facebook.com/carolcnn. And, as always, thank you for your comments.
MALVEAUX: And thank you, Carol.
Carol, you know, Father's Day is coming up this Sunday. There's a cool gift idea out there for the father who loves history. We all remember this famous photo of Abraham Lincoln sporting his full beard. But dad can own a piece of it now. The Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation --
COSTELLO: The beard?
MALVEAUX: Yes, in Springfield, Illinois, has a campaign called Adopt A Whisker. For $15 you can get your father's name listed on Honest Abe's iconic beard. The money goes to fund the --
COSTELLO: I thought you were going to say you could actually get a hair off of Abraham Lincoln's beard, which at $15, that would have been cheap.
MALVEAUX: It's the next best thing. The next best thing, Carol, because the money goes to fund the foundation's educational program. So I -- I've got a whisker for CNN. There are about 28,000 whiskers. We're in section number eight. You can get the Certificate of Whisker Adoption and a card of the photo.
Lincoln didn't have this -- now, Carol, Lincoln didn't actually have this beard for most of his life. I want you to check this picture out. He was clean shaven during the presidential campaign. And the story goes, it turns out an 11-year-old girl wrote him a letter after seeing him beardless on the campaign trail, and this is the actual letter, and she says -- she said, "if you would let your whiskers grow, you would look a great deal better, for your face is so thin. All the ladies like whiskers and they would tease their husbands to vote for you and then you would be president." And, Carol, guess what, he wrote back to the girl just four days later thanking her and then soon he was seen sprouting those whiskers.
COSTELLO: Smart girl.
MALVEAUX: So, if you want to adopt a whisker, you go to www.adoptawhisker.org. Kind of a cool idea, don't you think. You get to learn about Lincoln and --
COSTELLO: Yes, can I have that -- can I have that certificate you got for my dad?
MALVEAUX: Yes, you can. I have that certificate.
COSTELLO: I forgot it was Father's Day, but now I remember, so I'm glad that I sat here and listened to the story. It helps.
MALVEAUX: Yes, it's a nice little story.
COSTELLO: I do wish it was the real hair, though. That would have been cool.
MALVEAUX: Yes, I'm not sure they really have the real hair, but, you know, it's a picture. You get a little section. You're in that little section of the beard. 28,000 whiskers. That's pretty cool.
COSTELLO: OK, that's cool. Whatever.
MALVEAUX: All right, Carol, I'll see you tomorrow.
COSTELLO: Sure.
MALVEAUX: You told us what you wanted to see. Your "Choose The News" story moments away.
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MALVEAUX: And now you "Choose The News" winning story. Hackers on the attack. The senate.gov website is just the latest high profile target to be hit in the United States. Our CNN's Brian Todd found out what experts think one group's motive is.
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BRIAN TODD, ABC CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A team of hackers announces, we don't like the U.S. government very much, and says, just for kicks, it's hacked into the Senate's website. Lulz Security, known as LulzSec, takes a public jab, saying in a release, "is this an account of war, gentleman?" A reference to the Pentagon saying it now considers cyber attacks an act of war. LulzSec posts what it says is internal data from senate.gov.
TODD (on camera): What is this and how sensitive is it? ANUP GHOSH, FOUNDER AND CEO, INVINCEA: Yes, what we're seeing here, Brian, is LulzSec is showing proof that they are on the Senate web surfer, able to run system commands. Essentially they own this server.
TODD (voice-over): Anup Ghosh is founder of Invincea, a cyber security company that works with government agencies and private industry. The Senate sergeant at arms says the intrusion does not compromise the security of the Senate's network, but Ghosh says if LulzSec's hackers wanted to, they could have taken the Senate's website off its server, could have replaced content on any Senate site.
TODD (on camera): Experts say LulzSec's done that before. The group didn't like a PBS documentary about WikiLeaks, so it hacked into PBS's website, posted a fake story about Topac Shakur and Biggie Smalls being alive and well in New Zealand. Both rappers were killed in the late '90s.
TODD (voice-over): The name Lulz, in LulzSec, experts say, is hack speak for laughs. But no one knows the real names of the people in LulzSec or how many of them there are. Kevin Mitnick was once the world's most wanted hacker. He served five years in prison for hacking into phone company sites and firms now consult him on cyber security. He says he corresponded with LulzSec hackers when they first started.
KEVIN MITNICK, AUTHOR, "GHOST IN THE WIRES": They enjoy the game of breaking into the system. And I think they're really enjoying their media attention because they have a lot of followers. I think over 125,000 of them now. They've actually dedicated a website to their attacks.
TODD: We used Twitter to try to reach LulzSec, tried calling a couple of phone leads. Never got them.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: NO one's available right now as we are busy raping your Internet.
TODD: Ghosh says, despite the dark humor, LulzSec's hacking spree has a broader message.
GHOSH: That our networks are open. They have unfettered access through the weak security mechanisms that are deployed in today's networks to get on anyone's network to show them and shame them and humiliate them.
TODD: Ghosh and other experts say that's also a positive side to what LulzSec's doing. They're putting CEOs and government web masters on notice that their networks are venerable, as opposed to nation states and cyber criminals who don't announce it when they hack.
Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
