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CNN SATURDAY NIGHT

NYPD Foils Plot to Blow Up Subway Station; Tropical Storm Gaston Gathers Strength

Aired August 28, 2004 - 22:00   ET

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

CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: From the CNN Global Headquarters in Atlanta, this is CNN SATURDAY NIGHT.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's important to stress that to the best of our knowledge, they had no connection to an international terrorist organization. And they had no explosives in their possession.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: New York police say they foiled a plot to blow up a subway station. This, as delegates gather in the Big Apple for the GOP convention. Also, tropical storm Gaston is threatening and strengthening off of South Carolinas. Will it become a hurricane before landfall? Our Jacqui Jeras has the latest on the storm and where it could actually hit. And an American journalist comes home after his ordeal in Iraq. The emotional reunion as former hostage Micah Garen and his fiance come out in public for the first time since his release. These stories and a lot more next on CNN SATURDAY NIGHT.

And good evening. I'm Carol Lin. And welcome to CNN SATURDAY NIGHT. Coming up, the latest in the Scott Peterson trial. Our reporter in the courtroom, Gloria Gomez, talked to Amber Frey's current boyfriend for this take on Amber's testimony and Scott's story.

Also, the Olympic medal mess. Gymnast and silver medal winner Morgan Hamm joins me to talk about it and the controversy involving his twin brother, Paul Hamm.

And some international officials are calling on Paul to hand over his gold medal. And that brings us to our last call question tonight, should Paul Hamm give up his gold medal? Give us a call at 1-800-807- 2620. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) for his brother.

Also first to New York, a city already on high alert. Today, more nerves rattled after police say they've uncovered a bomb plot. Two men suspected of plotting to blow up a Manhattan subway station are held without bail.

CNN's Jeanne Meserve explains how they were caught and how close they came to carrying out their attack.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The alleged plot involved blowing up the Herald Square subway stop just blocks from Madison Square Garden, where the Republican National Convention will be held. Arraigned Saturday afternoon on charges of conspiring to maliciously damage and destroy the station, James el-Shafay, a 19-year old U.S. citizen and a 21-year old Pakistani, Shahawar Matin Siraj, who worked at an Islamic bookstore in Brooklyn, where he made the acquaintance of a police informant.

RAY KELLY, NEW YORK POLICE COMMISSIONER: To the best our knowledge, they have no connection to an international terrorist organization. And they had no explosives in their possession.

MESERVE: According to the police, the men had scouted three police stations and a prison on Staten Island, the Verrazano Bridge, and several subway stations, including the one at Herald Square, talking about placing explosives in conversations with the informant.

The men allegedly returned to the Herald Square station last Saturday. The U.S. Attorneys' office says the men were drawing diagrams to facilitate the later placement of a bomb. The police decided to take them into custody.

KELLY: Their motive was basically hatred for the system. They talked about the shops and the -- you know, the commercial shops at the subway station.

MESERVE: Kelly said they had also made anti-Semitic statements, but the Republican National Convention did not appear to figure in their planning.

The mother of el-Shafay wept during the men's court appearance. And the uncle of Siraj expressed disbelief.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Does he like America? I mean...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He liked America. Why not? Why he come here if he don't like America?

MESERVE (on camera): Commissioner Kelly refused to characterize the men as either big fish or small potatoes, but he said amateur or professional, their intent was to do damage and kill people.

Jeanne Meserve, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Well, President Bush is campaigning on the terror issue and telling people in Ohio that he's the candidate who will make America safe. Now he's on this bus tour through battleground states. Ohio has lost a lot of jobs in the last four years. So Mr. Bush also talked about how to create jobs and give some tax breaks to hard hit states.

But getting back to security, he's getting ready to make that case at the Republican Convention, which starts on Monday. New York City is like a fortress. Roads are closed. Checkpoints are up and police are out in force.

Now days ago, Homeland Security Tom Ridge assured New York that every possible security precaution has been taken.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM RIDGE, SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY: I can tell you that the security plans are strong and comprehensive and as well coordinated as any that we've had around any event. Federal, state and local officials are working hard. And they're working together around the clock to ensure that absolutely nothing is left to chance. We are prepared.

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LIN: But in some fundamental ways, New York City is not prepared. That is according to CNN's Mike Brooks. Mike is a long time veteran of law enforcement.

Mike, you spent more than two decades working on various cases with the Washington police department...

MIKE BROOKS, CNN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Right.

LIN: ...the FBI. In this particular situation in New York, you say that there are some loopholes in security. Where do you see them?

BROOKS: Well, I'm hearing from some New York City police department sources of mine that they say that number one, New York is the best department in the world to deal with anti and counterterrorism.

LIN: Right.

BROOKS: None better. None better in the world. But when it comes to dealing with disorder, civil disturbance, they leave a lot to be desired, especially traditionally, Carol, they've thrown numbers at demonstrators. You know, last time -- last week's demonstration was an anti-war demonstration. They predicted about 2500. They got 5000. It got a little bit out of hand.

Now if they get 200 anarchists, you know, tomorrow they're calling for a total of 250,000 demonstrators.

LIN: Right.

BROOKS: Whether they get that or not, that remains to be seen. The organizers always call for more than they usually get. But should they get 200 trained anarchists, they could be in trouble. They could get some officers hurt. And the reason is you've got basically eight task forces throughout the city, 400 officers that are their main officers dealing with civil disobedience.

But you've got all these officers who are regular beat cops, who are working the squads and the precincts, that have only received two days of training. And the officers are concerned also that they have not received the proper equipment.

You know, back in 1999 in Seattle when we had the anarchists there and they tore the city up, you saw the officers there. And also in Washington, D.C. during major demonstrations, they almost looked like turtle suits on and protecting their -- and the other things to protect their arms and their shins.

And New York City doesn't have any of that. All they have is their traditional helmets and riot sticks, and some shields as they call it and hats and bats. And if you get people out there with wrist rockets and throwing beebees at these officers during a demonstration tomorrow, what the anarchists do, and also throwing Molotov cocktails, some of these officers could get hurt. And that's what concerns some of them.

LIN: Do you think there was a gamble on the city's part to deploy its resources towards anti-terrorism? You know, you hear about these handheld devices to detect nerve gas and helmet cams, but you're talking basic meat and potatoes that has not been addressed?

BROOKS: Meat and potatoes. You know, you've got other things. You've got the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) they're going to use, a great tool for surveillance.

But keep in mind, you've also got the U.S. Open and also the New York Mets and the Yankees at Shay Stadium -- Yankee Stadium. Their resources are spread thin. But again, numbers. They've traditionally thrown numbers at them.

And the concern of the officers there are the regular street cops who are going to be out on the front line...

LIN: Right.

BROOKS: ...with these demonstrators should it get nasty.

LIN: Was it a mistake for NYPD to decline the help of the National Guard to deploy soldiers onto the streets?

BROOKS: No, I think you want to go ahead and keep with what you know. You get soldiers and put them on the streets, you know, what are their rules of engagements going to -- what are their rules of engagements going to be?

With the officers, at least they could have some control of them. But again, their concern is that officers are going to get hurt should it go to hell and a hand basket.

LIN: Right. Let me ask you this. This arrest, these two men in Brooklyn on this alleged terror plot to blow up the subway station underneath the Macy's department store, so far they don't have any explosives. They don't have any weapons. They have a lot of conversations, a couple of diagrams, and a police informant telling the cops you better go and get these guys. Is this really the case?

BROOKS: Well, I think so. As we just heard Commissioner Kelly say that there were -- they were planning to place a bomb at a later date. And they decided to go ahead and take these two down right now.

Now the thing that concerns me is, when I was in a joint terrorism task force for six years and a cop for 26, you always worry about people like this that have no connection whatsoever with any terrorist group, too lone operators. You look up and you think -- first thing that comes to mind is Timothy McVeigh.

These are the, you know, disenfranchised, hate of America, hated the system. That's what apparently was motivating these two people. And are there more out there? There's a possibility there could be, but the NYPD intelligence division and the FBI did a great job. They worked this case over a year. They decided to go ahead and take them down now.

And most -- probably in part why not go ahead and lock these two up right now, instead of having them run around during the convention, even though they say this was not convention stuff at all.

LIN: Unrelated.

BROOKS: Exactly.

LIN: Right. Interesting, we'll be following that case as well.

BROOKS: Absolutely.

LIN: Thanks very much, Mike.

BROOKS: Thanks, Carol.

LIN: I know you're standing by on this weekend in case anything should happen...

BROOKS: Absolutely.

LIN: ...during the Republican Convention.

All right, CNN of course is your campaign 2004 headquarters. Our special convention coverage kicks off tomorrow night at 8:00 Eastern. We are going to have an all new "CNN PRESENTS" on the mission of George W. Bush. At 9:00, we're going to have a special edition of "LARRY KING LIVE." And at 10:00 Eastern, watch our convention preview right here on CNN.

And another political thriller is going on, but this time in Washington. The FBI says they may have caught a spy for Israel working inside the Pentagon. None other than Israel's prime minister came out today and flatly denied that.

CNN's Kathleen Koch shows us the White House is trying to stay out of the fray.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Headed to a campaign swing through Ohio, President Bush did not respond to questions about reports of an espionage investigation at the Pentagon. His spokesman, Scott McClellan only saying, "Any time there is an allegation of this nature, it is a serious matter."

Senior U.S. officials say an FBI investigation lasting many months has found evidence an employee working in the Pentagon may have passed classified information to Israel. While one official contends he may have been in a position to influence Bush administration policy towards Iran and Iraq. Another claims the analyst in an undersecretary's office is, quote, "not in a level to influence policy." The Pentagon in a statement said, "DoD has been cooperating with the Department of Justice on this matter for an extended period of time. It is the DoD's understanding that the investigation within the DoD is limited in its scope."

Israel is refuting the charges, citing the case of American Naval intelligence analyst Jonathan Pollard, convicted of giving classified documents to Israel in the mid 1980s and sentenced to life in prison.

YUVAL STEINITZ, ISRAEL KNESSET MEMBER: Since the Pollard case 20 years ago, there was clear and final decision not to spy against the United States government or in the United States. And therefore I am 100 percent confident that there is no Israeli involvement in this case.

KOCH: Officials said the analyst allegedly passed classified documents to Israel through a pro-Israeli lobbying group, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee or AIPAC. AIPAC calls allegations of criminal conduct by its employees "false and baseless" saying, it's "comprised of proud and loyal U.S. citizens committing to promoting American interests." It says "it is cooperating fully with...authorities."

Israel has longstanding concerns about Iran developing a nuclear weapons capability. So one analyst says Israel would benefit from inside information on U.S. policy deliberations on that and other issues in the region.

ROB SOBHANI, GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY: It then probably gives ammunition to Israeli policymakers to think through that American thinking, and then come up with some answers or counterarguments as to what are some of the holes or loopholes within that U.S. argument.

KOCH (on camera): Government officials say not only has no decision been made to prosecute, but it's possible no charges will be filed. And if they are, they may not necessarily be espionage charges.

Kathleen Koch, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

LIN: All right, let's take a look at what's going on in that investigation in Russia. Investigators there are finding traces of explosives on both planes that crashed within minutes of each other.

Paula Hancocks filed from Moscow. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The investigation is very much focusing on a terrorist link now when it comes to the two planes that crashed on Tuesday evening in Russia, killing at least 89 people.

The federal security services have confirmed that Saturday that traces of explosives have been found at the second plane crash site, as well as the first, which they announced on Friday. They say that the explosive is hexogen, otherwise known as RDX. Now this is an explosive that has been used in the past five years or so on Russian soil, most notably back in 1999 when there were some bombings of apartment buildings in Moscow and in other cities, which claimed around 300 lives. And at the time, they were blamed on Chechen separatists.

Now investigators are saying they're very interested to find out the background of two women, one of each on each plane, saying that they had surnames which sounded -- which were Chechen. The Russian media was speculating that these two women, who they believed to be of Chechen descent, could have boarded these two planes, carrying explosives and then detonating the explosives while the planes were in the air.

It's thought that the flight data recorders will not be able to get very reliable information. Officials have said that they either weren't working or they could have been switched off just before the airliners fell to earth.

Paula Hancocks, CNN, Moscow.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Moving onto Iraq right now, after weeks of raging battles, the peace is still holding in Najaf. Gunfire is replaced by shovels as residents start to clean up, but American troops remain in the city.

Now elsewhere, the war is going on and raging on. Mortar attacks killed two Iraqis in eastern Baghdad and another in north -- north of Tikrit. There were more U.S. air strikes in the Sunni stronghold of Fallujah. Five people were killed in Bacuba.

And there's no end in sight to the hostage crisis. Now two French journalists are kidnapped. Al Jazeera television says the kidnappers are giving France 48 hours to reverse a law that bans Muslim students from wearing head scarves in that country.

And yet another journalist who was held hostage is safe and home with his family tonight. Micah Garen was filming a documentary in Iraq when he was captured. And here he is now outside his New York apartment today with his fiance and his family.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARIE-HELENE CARLETON: I'm so happy that Micah's back home. The outpouring of love and support for Micah and Amir and our families is what sustained us through those very difficult days.

MICAH GAREN: I am very happy to be back and reunited with both my family and my fiancee. And I really want to thank everyone who helped secure my release and bring me back home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Now he's staying pretty private about whether he's going to go back to Iraq to keep working on his documentary about looted Iraqi archaeological treasures.

All right, still ahead on CNN SATURDAY NIGHT, the Peterson trial is on our rap sheet. Jurors hear secret recordings that reveal more lies with Scott Peterson. And do investigators actually think there's more than one person involved in Laci's murder?

Also ahead, a medal mess is our hot topic. Another twist for top American gymnast Paul Hamm. Now he's being asked to give up the gold. Paul's twin brother Morgan Hamm, who competed with him in Athens, is going to join me live.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: On the rap sheet tonight, was there more than one person involved in Laci Peterson's disappearance? Now it's just a theory, but it was raised in court this week. The jury also heard more about those calls between Scott Peterson and his former mistress Amber Frey.

Reporter Gloria Gomez of KOVR-TV has been following this case from day one. Good to have you back, Gloria.

GLORIA GOMEZ, KOVR: Hi, Carol.

LIN: How did Mark Geragos, the defense attorney, handle his cross examination of Amber Frey?

GOMEZ: It was very flat. In fact, it was anti-climactic. We all expected him to really go for the jugular...

LIN: Yes.

GOMEZ: ...and really attack her on the stand. He didn't. I think he was hearing all the pundits talk about how it probably wouldn't be a good idea to do that, because she was really a sympathetic witness, very credible witness on the stand. We have to credit a lot of that to Gloria Allred, who clearly had her client prepared for the cross examination.

LIN: Now there were a couple of times that the jurors actually busted out laughing, listening to some of those tapes between Amber grilling Scott Peterson about the disappearance of his wife?

GOMEZ: Yes, there was a lot of reaction. Obviously, the most visible reaction was a call on January 6. And this is when Amber Frey is confronting Scott Peterson about all of his lies. And they really go at it. I mean, she's really grilling him. And the jury looked really upset. There were some jurors that clearly looked visibly upset. One woman with red hair had her arms crossed, looking at Scott, almost like I can't believe I'm hearing this kind of tone. And clearly, it was bothersome to a lot of jurors.

LIN: Yes, and clearly, the prosecution going after Scott Peterson's credibility. You actually spoke with Amber Frey's current boyfriend and the father of her second child. This is the sound that we have from your interview with him.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVE MARKOVITCH, AMBER'S CURRENT BOYFRIEND: Based on what I've seen on the testimony on the witness stand and everything that Scott definitely puts the fun in dysfunction. So womanizing and cheating on his wife, which were you know, documented and not disputed are just terrible ethical things. In that sense, was Amber a victim criminally? No. But ethically and morally, yes.

So people can say, oh she's not a victim, but she really is in the sense that she was deceived.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: What did you get out of that interview, do you think?

GOMEZ: Well, Dave Markovitch has been dating Amber Frey now for a year and a half. And he's a very sharp, articulate man. He's got his own business in Fresno. He's a chiropractor. That's how he met Amber Frey.

He seemed to be very, very clear on everything he was saying. I asked him are they in love? And he says yes, we are in love. I said well any marriage plans? And he says well, he goes I know there's pressure on both sides, meaning both families, to get married. He says, but we're going to decide that during our timetable, not on theirs. And so clearly, he sounds like, you know, a very mature man who wants to takes everything step by step.

LIN: Right, right. But did he ever say that Amber told him that her impression was that Scott Peterson was in love with her? He never said those words to her, but that he was in love with her or fascinated with her enough, possibly, as a motive to kill his wife?

GOMEZ: You know, when we talked about that, he didn't say that any case specific information. He basically talked about how he basically -- he, meaning Scott Peterson, crushed Amber's heart, and how he was there to really to pick up the pieces, and once again, rehabilitate her, and be there for her during this very troubling time.

Because obviously, this is from -- from the moment she found out he was married, she was crushed. And so she turned to Markovitch almost two months after Laci Peterson disappeared. And since then, he's been helping her cope with all of this depression that she went through.

LIN: Remarkable. All right, what do you expecting next week?

GOMEZ: Well, next week, we're going to hear the dog tracking evidence. And that should be pretty powerful evidence. In fact, one of those dogs, scent dogs, traced Laci's scent all the way to the boat ramp in Berkeley.

And I'll tell you what, Carol, when that evidence got in during one of these hearings, I could tell you that was the only time I saw Scott Peterson concerned. He actually had his hand like this, really paying attention, not liking the fact that this evidence got in.

LIN: Interesting. Could be a turning point for the defense and the prosecution?

GOMEZ: Well, dogs, like a lot of the legal experts say, dogs don't lie. So it'll be interesting to see how those jurors react to it.

LIN: All right. Thanks very much, Gloria. We'll see you next week.

Ahead on CNN SATURDAY NIGHT, a no win situation. Paul Hamm got the Olympic gold, but now an international gymnastics group is asking him to give it back. I'm going to talk to his twin brother Morgan Hamm, who also competed in Athens. And he's going to join me live.

And later, running on a legacy. Is John Kerry following in the footsteps of the other JFK? We're going to take a closer look in our spotlight.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Time for a check of the headlines. New York bust. Two men are charged with plotting to blow up a New York subway station. Police say the men also scouted out other locations in the city. One man is a Pakistani national. The other, a U.S. citizen.

Talks falter, rebels walked out of peace negotiations with the Sudan government. The rebels say they're protesting against continued attacks by government supported militia.

And protesters one, Powell zero. Demonstrators in Athens are claiming victory after Secretary of State Colin Powell canceled his trip to the Olympic closing ceremonies. The State Department denies he's canceled because of protesters.

Tonight's hot topic, the controversy over Paul Hamm's gold medal has turned into a dispute of Olympic proportions. The International Gymnastics Federation is asking Hamm to give it back. The U.S. Olympic Committee says no. No way. And "The New York Times" came out today and suggested that Hamm and his South Korean competitor each receive a gold medal.

Well meet Paul's twin brother Morgan, who's also a member of the U.S. men's gymnastics team and a silver medalist to talk about his brother's situation and what is to come next. Good to have you, Morgan and congratulations on your medal.

MORGAN HAMM, OLYMPIC GYMNAST: Thank you very much.

LIN: So we understand that your family is under a tremendous amount of pressure. This is a really tough time for all of you. How is Paul handling the situation?

HAMM: He's handling it great. I mean, from all the pressure he's been under, he's really kept his head together and handled the situation very well. And I'm very proud of him.

LIN: What do you think? You were there in Athens with him, competing with him.

HAMM: Yes, it was very tough. I mean, all the controversy and everything came out when we still had to do gymnastics. So I had to tell him, you know, to keep his head in the game and do his job. And he did that. He went out there and got his silver on high bar. And it was great.

LIN: So what's he going to do? What does he want to do? Is he going to give the medal back? Is he going to -- what is he going to do?

HAMM: He is going to keep the medal that he rightly won at that competition. You know, he played by the rules. And he won that medal. And I'm very proud of him.

LIN: And he offered to share the medal with the South Korean athlete?

HAMM: He actually never offered to share it. What he did say was that if the FIG ruled that he should give back the medal or share it, he would do that. And he has stuck by his word and done a great job.

LIN: Has anybody talked directly to Paul Hamm, either U.S.A. Gymnastics or the International Olympic Committee? Anybody directly to him about this?

HAMM: He has actually talked with the USOC and Congressman Sensenbrenner. And they have been so supportive of him and helped him through the situation. I would love to thank them for all they've done for him.

LIN: So where does it stand now? Paul's just going to move on and hang on to his gold medal and move on with his career?

HAMM: Yes. The situation is basically done. And the decision has been made. And he's going to keep his gold medal. And it's going to be a great time here for us. We're going to be going on tour pretty soon. And it's going to be a lot of fun.

LIN: Now there are actually two post Olympic tours with members of the U.S. Gymnastics team. And you guys are on the rock and roll tour, which is actually a competing tour. And your father, Sandy, actually said that reason is one of the reasons why the head of U.S.A. Gymnastics didn't speak up to begin with in Athens on behalf of Paul Hamm, because you guys chose to go on a different tour than the rest of the team?

HAMM: Right. We're not sure exactly the reasons why U.S.A. Gymnastics didn't quite support Paul at the very beginning. But yes, there are two competing tours. And I'm very excited about going on the 2004 rock and roll tour. It's going to be a great time. We're going to have a lot of fun, do floor teams, and just play up to the crowd.

And also, Jojo is going to be doing a mini concert there. So we're very excited about that as well.

LIN: Now how do you guys, especially your brother Paul, how does he stand there before the crowds knowing that this controversy in many peoples' minds is unresolved?

HAMM: Well, I think -- I mean we came back a couple days ago. And everyone has been so supportive and happy for us. They come up to us in the airport and say, "Congratulations, you guys did so well. You made America proud." So I really think that, you know, the whole country is behind us and happy with our success.

LIN: Do you think the rules need to be changed, Morgan?

HAMM: I think that -- I don't think they need to be changed. I think they need to be followed more carefully in these types of situations. Whereas when you say there's no review of a tape after the fact of a competition, that you should not go back and not do that. And you should never go back and review the tape because that just opens up a can of worms. And you can find extra deductions that you didn't even see before.

LIN: What's confusing to a lot of people is this starting score that the South Koreans started with. That's where the mistake began, that he -- explain that to me. What -- how does that work? Where does that starting score come from?

HAMM: Well, in gymnastics, there is degree of difficulty, where you do certain skills that give you tens of a point -- or a couple tenths here and there. And that all adds up to hopefully a 10 point start value. And in the case of the Korean, one-tenth was missed on a scale he did. And they actually started him at a 9.9, when it should have been 10.0. So he lost it on a tenth there.

But if you actually review the routine, you see that he held four positions on parallel bars, which is a mandatory two-tenths deduction. So that would have actually lowered his score one-tenth. And if you put all that together, would have put him in fourth place.

So that is the reason that you don't have video replay in gymnastics.

LIN: Yes. Do you think this is going to haunt Paul and your family? Or do you think in the long run, that people are going to remember him as the great American who won the all around, a never been done before accomplishment?

HAMM: I think people will remember, you know, how amazing he was with that competition. And the comeback that he had, it was remarkable going from 12th place to first place in two rotations and to win by such a small margin, sticking his dismount at the end.

And you know, it's such a great memory. And I think that's what people will really remember at the end of it, not all of this controversy and everything else.

LIN: He's going to be on Letterman Wednesday, is that right?

HAMM: He actually was already on Letterman. And it was a great show. Dave was very funny...

LIN: And plays Wednesday. We haven't seen it yet. Did it already play?

HAMM: Yes, it already played.

LIN: All right, that was the information I had. And how did it go?

HAMM: It was very good. I watched it on TV. I mean, Letterman just was very funny.

LIN: All right. So what's next for you guys, then?

HAMM: Well, right now, we're preparing and rehearsing for the tour. It's just going to be a lot of fun for us. And we hope people come out and see it, because it's going to be a great show.

LIN: Awesome. The Hamm brothers, back again. All right, thanks so much, Morgan.

HAMM: Thank you very much.

LIN: Our best to the family and congratulations.

HAMM: Thank you.

LIN: In the meantime, the U.S. women's basketball team goes three for three. The women's team took the gold for the third straight Olympics after pummeling Australia 74 to 63. Now they haven't lost an Olympic basketball game since 1992.

It's a much different story for the U.S. men's basketball team. The team loaded with NBA players took the bronze today in a win over Lithuania.

In track and field, the U.S. men's team retained its golds in the 4 by 400 meters relay. But in a major upset, Britain took the gold in the 4 by 100 meters relay, beating the U.S. by a hundredth of a second. And ahead on CNN SATURDAY NIGHT, two JFKs, one road to the White House. Do these politicians share more than their initials? We're going to take a closer look at John Kennedy and John Kerry in our spotlight.

Also ahead...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Come here, son.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Coming.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Here, I want you to meet somebody. Who's that? Here, take your prisoner.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: You may remember this famous bounty hunter, Dwayne Dog Chapman. Well now, he's got his own reality show. And you may find it hard to believe it's real. Dwayne Chapman and his wife Beth, it's a family affair, they're going to join us live. So stay right there.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: In our spotlight tonight, we compare longing with legend. John F. Kennedy and John Kerry.

Well, they have the same initials. They're from the same state. And they both served valiantly in the Navy during wartime. Our Paula Zahn shows us how the influence of JFK is undeniable on the candidate who is running today.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA ZAHN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On an August day in 1962, President John Fitzgerald Kennedy is sailing off Newport, Rhode Island. One of his passengers is 18-year old John Forbes Kerry. It is the summer before Kerry starts at Yale. And he is dating Janet Auchinkloss, Jackie Kennedy's half sister. Auchinkloss invited Kerry to Hammersmith Farm, where Jackie had married Kennedy nine years before.

The politically active Kerry idolizes Kennedy. They chat. They board the 60 foot manitu (ph) for a cruise around Narragansett Bay. A few weeks later, Kerry is invited back, this time to watch an America's Cup race. Again, President Kennedy is there. And again, they have a private conversation.

"Thank you for very unforgettable and exciting time," Kerry would later write the president. "I am to say the least an ardent Kennedy supporter."

Indeed he was, like so many young Catholic men from Massachusetts. Kerry's first known political speech, in a prep school debate, was in support of Kennedy's 1960 presidential run. Kerry volunteered for Ted Kennedy's first Senate campaign in '62. And when the president campaigned for Democrats in Connecticut that fall, Kerry was in the crowd, a crowd peppered with disruptive hecklers.

JOHN F. KENNEDY, FMR. PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: But they will learn as this country has learned that the Democratic party is best for them, as it is for the country.

ZAHN: Kerry, in this October 1962 letter, apologizing for the "deplorable behavior of some of my fellow undergraduates here at Yale." The young Kerry added, "It is possible that you personally were not bothered by what happened here, but the insult was made and there is no one here who is not conscious of it."

A year later, President Kennedy was dead.

LOUIS DINATALE, UNIV. OF MASSACHUSETTS: Kennedy's shadow in Massachusetts has been big. And it's been big for 30 or 40 years.

ZAHN: Political science professor Lou Dinatale describes Kennedy as the romantic icon of the Democratic party.

DINATALE: Celebrity, good looks, coat over the shoulder, loosened tie around the neck. You know, that is the standard for Democrats. And it's also a standard because it was unfulfilled.

ZAHN: After the late president's brother Bobby also fell to an assassin, Ted Kennedy became the standard bearer of the family mystique and eventually Kerry's mentor.

The senator (UNINTELLIGIBLE) first an unsuccessful run for Congress in 1972. The two men have stood side by side for two decades in the Senate. And this year, Kennedy played kingmaker in Kerry's candidacy.

SEN. TED KENNEDY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: Let's give him a great Waterloo reception.

ZAHN: Kerry seems to be tapping into that JFK playbook, sometimes literally following his footsteps, like this stop in the same West Virginia diner Kennedy visited 44 years ago.

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, we're going to get the work done.

ZAHN: Kennedy had PT-109, the small boat he commanded in the Pacific during World War II, swimming for hours and saving a man after being rammed by enemy warship. Kerry has PCF-94, the swift boat he commanded in Vietnam, saving a man and winning five medals in combat. Each a decorated veteran when he ran for president. Each saying he would America safer than the Republican incumbent, whether against the Communists or the terrorists.

DINATALE: The campaign actually is evolving precisely the way the 1960 campaign evolved, which is to say Kerry using his war record is finding himself -- is fighting the fight in the middle of the political spectrum. And he's going to be in a squeaker of an election, just like Kennedy was in '60.

ZAHN: Many Democratic presidential candidates before Kerry have tried to capture the magic of JFK's New Frontier. Whether through personal or political inadequacy, most of those efforts have fallen short, except the man who as a 16-year old, had this White House handshake.

For John F. Kerry, the Kennedy era was a sort of golden age. And he hopes that the imagery and the success will work for him this year.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On the ground! On the ground!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're under arrest. Got it?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A bounty hunter is not a sworn in law official. Because I am on that totem pole.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Freeze. Augustine, don't move.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm a law man on an issue from God, against felons.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm a tough guy and you're not.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Since the day you got out of jail, you ain't checked in. Liar!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People ask me, Dog, do you carry a gun? I say yes, her name's Beth, my woman. When people say oh you're a bounty hunter, Dog. I say no, I'm the bounty hunter.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: One moment, he's chasing violent fugitives, the next, he's reading bedtime stories to his kids. His name is Dwayne Chapman, but as he just pointed out, he's known as Dog. And he and his wife Beth Smith have a new reality TV show, "Dog, the Bounty Hunter." And look both of them are joining us from New York.

Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Chapman.

D. CHAPMAN: Hi, Carol. How are you? Aloha.

BETH SMITH, DWAYNE DOG CHAPMAN'S WIFE: Aloha.

LIN: I loved watching the clips of your show.

SMITH: Thank you. LIN: Let's do a little history, Dog. And I frankly don't think I've ever had a guest named Dog, but Dog, low so many years ago, you get out prison. You go before a judge and he offers you a job, what a couple hundred bucks to track down a bail jumper?

D. CHAPMAN: Correct. A fugitive, yes.

LIN: And why in the world did this judge look you in the eye and think that you were the man for the job?

D. CHAPMAN: Well, he read my prison record. And while I was in prison in Texas for 18 months, a guy tried to run from the prison. And the guard was going to shoot him. So I jumped in front of the guy, so the guard wouldn't shoot him and then proceeded to tackle him.

As the lieutenant walked up to us, he threw down a set of handcuffs and said hook him up, bounty hunter. And the bounty hunter was born that day.

LIN: This is like out of a TV series.

So Beth...

SMITH: Yes?

LIN: ...you work with this man. Is this an equal partnership?

SMITH: Oh, no. It's all me.

LIN: Oh.

SMITH: No, we -- it's a very -- he does the heavy work. I do the paperwork.

LIN: And a lot of the housework. This is a scene from your home in Hawaii. You guys have some kids together and some adorable ones.

D. CHAPMAN: Thank you.

SMITH: Thank you.

LIN: What is family life like for guys?

SMITH: Well, it's a little bit of chaos, you know. There's just a -- it's a very busy household. And we work 24 hours a day, seven days a week. So we adjust. But the children, you know, hear a lot of things. You know, my three-year old answers the phone, "Bail Bonds." You know, they whenever we're going out to catch someone, they want to go. You know, they think we're going to Wal-Mart or something.

So you know, it's -- it gets pretty hectic in there. But we like to spend that time with our children. So it's great that a lot of the stuff that we do, we can do from home or do from the car, or do from the beach because we have that flexibility to just be on the lines and to be able to handle it from the phone. LIN: Right. Beth, are you guys ever worried as parents that by creating this reality TV show, and letting your family in, that it jeopardizes your kids? I mean, they're going to be some bad guys or girls out there wanting to retaliate?

SMITH: Well, I think if they watch the show, I think they would think twice.

LIN: Dog?

SMITH: I just don't see that happening. You know, we've done this for a very long time. You know, my father's a bondsman. Our kids are bondsmen. You know, I think they get, you know, more angry with the judge, the prosecutor. There's other people to be -- that before us.

LIN: All right, Dog, was is the best chase you ever had?

D. CHAPMAN: Well, the best chase I ever had was Ander Stuart Luster. And...

LIN: Max Factor heir?

D. CHAPMAN: The Max Factor heir, which...

LIN: Charged with rape.

D. CHAPMAN: ...was 160...

SMITH: 166 days.

D. CHAPMAN: ...166 days.

LIN: How did you track this guy down?

D. CHAPMAN: Well, you know, we just got on him and stayed him constantly, 24 hours a day or 12 to 13 hours a day. And our confession, you know, the bible says that the hardest member of the body to rule is the tongue. So constantly I said when we catch him, we're going to catch him, you know, watch us catch him. And by that positive confession and believing it, we caught him.

LIN: Now you found him, what, in Mexico?

D. CHAPMAN: Yes, in -- Puerta Vallarta, Mexico.

LIN: And why was this the best chase? I mean, what happened for you that made it so great?

SMITH: A lot of money.

D. CHAPMAN: Well, you know, it was just -- it was -- the title was on the line, the bounty hunter title. You know, a lot of guys -- all the bounty hunters in America were looking for him. And I knew -- I had proclaimed to be the best bounty hunter in the world, just by my numbers, over 6,000 captures. So then they said well, if you are the best, can you catch this guy? So I knew right there, you know, in our world, the bounty hunter world, that guy possessed the title. And once I captured him, then America knew that Dog Chapman was the number and greatest bounty hunter.

LIN: You are on the map with your own TV show. The Chapmans are going to out-do the Osbournes.

SMITH: Absolutely.

LIN: And I know Ozzy Osbourne did your theme song.

SMITH: Yes.

D. CHAPMAN: Yes.

LIN: Looking forward to the series. Thank you very much, Dog. Beth, good luck to you.

SMITH: Thank you so much.

D. CHAPMAN: Thank you very much.

SMITH: Aloha.

LIN: Aloha.

Well, here's a question for you. Does increased success mean more stress? Just ask the Chapmans. And is a simpler life a better life? Up next, meet a couple that's downsized, trading in their fortune for a small farm.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: You know the saying, money can't buy happiness? Well, that appears to be the case for more and more Americans.

CNN's Brian Todd actually met one power couple who happily traded the high life for the simple life.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Sue and Dan Gragan had the life so many of us are after. They like this one better.

SUE GRAGAN, FARMER: Taste this. The dark or the red one.

TODD: Their main worries now, picking the raspberries, peaches, nectarines, getting them to market on time.

S. GRAGAN: We've got to get the stuff done in the season. You can't take a day off.

TODD: But to them, it's nothing like the stress they used to feel. DAN GRAGAN, FARMER: Always worrying about your job, stability, you know. I even got laid off.

TODD: The poster children from modern success, into their late '40s and early '50s. Sue, a lobbyist, Dan an engineer. Dual incomes, well into the six figures, living in the stratospheric real estate market of suburban Washington.

D. GRAGAN: The commute to the city was just outrageous.

TODD: When the Gragans finally moved to rural southern Maryland, then full-time into farming, they acted on an impulse that a growing number of Americans seem to feel.

GREGG EASTERBROOK, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION: In our society, where 150 to 200 million people are now materially secure, I think every year, more and more people ask themselves the question, is that all there is?

TODD: Several recent studies say our pursuit of wealth, bringing more success and comfort to so many, has also brought an overwhelming sense of stress and unhappiness.

A new poll by the Center for a New American Dream says more than half of those surveyed would be willing to give up one day's pay per week for one day off, and to spend more time with family and friends and...

BETSY TAYLOR, CENTER FOR NEW AMERICAN DREAM: Half of Americans say they've actually made choices in their own lives to take less money to have downshifting in order to get more time in their life.

TODD: Experts admit scaling back isn't easy. They say taking small steps and listing priorities is a good start. Sue and Dan Gragan say the tough transition is worth it.

D. GRAGAN: Like I say, it's different -- completely different way of life, but much better than sitting in an office, living in the middle of a farm that's -- what's not to like?

TODD: Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Very nice.

We wrap up our program with "Last Call." Tonight, we asked you, should Paul Hamm give back his gold medal? And here is how some of you responded.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Absolutely not. He earned it, and you cannot change your mind after the fact.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I believe Paul Hamm should give up his medal, because he did not earn the medal, and part of the Olympic spirit is to get a medal which you earned.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Absolutely not. He won that gold medal fair and square.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think he should share it. I don't think he should give it up. He didn't make the error.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think the right thing to do and the only real, true thing to do is for Paul Hamm to give up his gold medal and to accept the silver. I feel this should be a progressive move for the United States and for Paul.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, he should not. He got the award legitimately, and it's not his fault that the judges screwed up.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The mistake was made by the judges, not by him. Why should he return the medal that he earned?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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