Legally Insane Killer Escapes; Bill Richardson on President Carter's Racism Charge
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: As we go on the air, a killer is on the loose. A manhunt is under way. We'll tell you how a trip to the county fair is involved in this. The president talks race, Tea Parties and opposition to health care. Congressional yeller, Joe Wilson, weighs in, too, saying he's misunderstood. Ranking Republicans out today also taking potshots at the president and slamming his health care and economic plans. A twist in an alleged terror plot on US soil. At the same time, a Taliban leader reportedly releases a new message. Also, a deadly subway shooting caught on tape. A police officer loses his life in the chaos. And parts of the country under water, and it's getting deeper. When will it let up? Here's a hint: no time soon. Hello, everyone. I'm Don Lemon in Atlanta. We begin with the developing - the story tonight of the Pacific Northwest where a massive manhunt is under way for an escaped mental patient with a history of deadly violence. Thirty one adult patients had gone to the Spokane County Fair on Thursday morning as part of their ongoing therapy, but only 30 came back. Missing is 47-year-old Phillip Paul, a paranoid schizophrenic. Twenty one years ago Paul was declared innocent by reason of insanity in the brutal murder of an elderly woman. He admitted killing the woman, saying he believed she was a witch. Annie Bishop of our affiliate KXLY says state officials are scrambling to figure out how this happened and especially anxious to find Phillip Paul.</s>ANNIE BISHOP, KXLY CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): More questions...</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Whose decision was it, specifically?</s>BISHOP: .... than answers during a news conference with the Department of Social and Health Services.</s>SUSAN DREYFUS, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES: I think the questions that are being raised are absolutely appropriate, and the governor and I - this morning when we spoke - some of the most serious questions I have about this are the policies and the procedures that led to the outing, the choice of the outing...</s>BISHOP: Forty-seven year old Phillip Paul, a criminally insane patient from eastern state Hospital, disappeared while on a field trip to the fair. Field trips are not uncommon. Secretary Susan Dreyfus says they're part of a patient's rehabilitation. But why was Paul, a schizophrenic who admitted to strangling an elderly woman, allowed to go?</s>DR. ROBERT HENRY, EASTERN STATE HOSPITAL: He was under the care of a physician. In fact, his physician was at the outing, and he was receiving treatment and it was felt that he was stable.</s>BISHOP: But it's clear he is not stable, especially when his medication wears off in a few days. And now police, the public and Eastern State Hospital hope Paul is found soon.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How concerned should we be and how concerned are you that he could become violent, given his past?</s>HENRY: I think that all - all caution should be used. If - if there's anyone in contact with this gentleman, I - I personally am concerned about him not being under the care of our hospital right now.</s>LEMON: All right. Annie Bishop joins us now from Spokane to fill you with the very latest on the search for Phillip Paul. We are hearing that authorities possibly may possibly know where he is. Is that true?</s>BISHOP: They - as of this moment, they do not where he is at. It has been 48 hours since Paul went missing. They are intensifying the search by the air and on the ground. Everyone in Washington is looking for Phillip Paul. We're told this morning that US Marshals are being brought in, including a Special Inmate Recovery unit from the Department of Corrections - Don.</s>LEMON: OK. This man apparently had a backpack, and is it true he had done this before, and if so, weren't the signs all there? I would imagine that officials are under an incredible amount of pressure now to answer questions about this.</s>BISHOP: Well - and certainly they are. As you heard in - in the package, they are definitely under a lot of scrutiny. The first question, how did this happen? How is it that a criminally insane killer with a history of escape was able to go on a - a field trip to the interstate fair? We do know he had a backpack with him. Investigators are working on a theory today that perhaps he planned this escape. They say he could have had a change of clothes, perhaps some supplies that would keep him under the radar for so long - Don.</s>LEMON: All right. Annie Bishop with the very latest in Spokane. KXLY is our affiliate there. We appreciate it. I want to talk now about health - health care, at least the uproar that seems to be overshadowing issues specific to the debate. We're talking about racism and how much, if at all, does racism factor into opposition over the president's plan. The president and the congressman accused of harboring a racist attitude towards him are both speaking out in an attempt to tamp down the firestorm.</s>JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: In recent weeks people have raised some pretty serious questions: the big rally in town; signs talking about Afro Socialism, swastikas with your name and your picture on them; you lie shouted at you during a nationally televised address; and Former President Carter says he sees racism in some of this. Do you?</s>BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You know, as I've said in the past, you know, are there people out there who don't like me because of race? I'm sure there are. That's not the overriding issue here. I think there are people who are anti-government. I think that there are - there's been a long-standing debate in this country that is usually that much more fierce during times of transition or when presidents are trying to bring about big changes. I mean the things that were said about FDR are pretty similar to the things that were said about me, that he was a communist, he was a socialist - things that were said about Ronald Reagan when he was trying to reverse some of the new deal programs. They were - were pretty vicious as well.</s>REP. JOE WILSON (R), SOUTH CAROLINA: I appreciate very much President Barack Obama has indicated this is not correct. And so - and I - I'm pleased, too, that even before other people could answer, Democrats legitimately hurt not - hurt their standing. But Senator Dick Durbin, Senator Jim Webb, Congressman Chet Edwards of Texas - a number of people have all indicated that this truly - we need to be discussing the issues and enter the level of name calling.</s>LEMON: All right. The president and Joe Wilson. Meantime, some high-ranking Republicans adding their two cents today at a summit of Conservative voters saying it's about values. Paul Steinhauser, our Deputy Political Director, was there. But first we want to go to the White House where our Dan Lothian - he's our White House Correspondent - standing by with reactions to President Obama's remarks and Joe Wilson's comments. Clearly, though, Dan, the president wants to move on and he wants to talk about the issues.</s>DAN LOTHIAN, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: He does. I mean, as you heard, the president did admit that for some people race does remain a factor, but he wants to keep race out of the debate, instead focusing on getting health care reform, and he's really ramped things up. We saw him Thursday at a rally at the University of Maryland speaking to a mostly younger audience and a very loud audience, the president sounding very much in campaign mode trying to get them fired up and show them how health care reform can not only help them, but also their family members. I mean, this is what the administration really wants to put the spotlight on. They do believe that there's still a lot of people out there, whether it be a younger audience, whether it be women, who still have a lot of concerns about what this health care reform will mean to them, and they believe that the president - by getting out there - can help clear things up, Don.</s>LEMON: I want to bring in Paul Steinhauser now because, Paul, you know, you heard from Joe Wilson, you heard from the president, but those two are not the only ones out talking today. A summit of value voters out and some high-ranking Republicans speaking. Let's listen now first to John Boehner.</s>REP. JOHN BOEHNER (R), MINORITY LEADER: And now the administration, Speaker Pelosi and others are wondering why Americans are showing up at Tea Parties, why so many Americans are showing up at our town hall meetings. Well, I can tell you why. We're in the midst of a political rebellion in America.</s>MITT ROMNEY (R), FORMER MASSACHUSSETS GOVERNOR: Thanks to millions of Americans who stepped up in town halls and Tea Parties across this country, he is not going to get his way. The democrats call those folks a mob, crazies, trash - even worse. I call them patriots. Thanks for their voice.</s>LEMON: OK. So, Paul, Mitt Romney there as well as John Boehner trying to get at least from their side the train back on the tracks and to get this talk away from racism and away from the issues that seem to be distracting the American people and this debate about health care.</s>PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Exactly. This is - this conference is going on for four years - this value voters summit. It's a - a gathering of Social Conservatives, Don, from across the country here in Washington, and organizers told me that they - they see the crowds are larger this and more passionate this year than last year when we're right in the middle of a presidential campaign. And I - I guess you could say that the right has kind of woken up over the last couple months - Don.</s>LEMON: And Paul, when you see - you - you heard from the people on the stage, but the people who were there in the crowd, what are they saying and what are their opinions about what's going on, not only about health care, but also about the bailouts and the president's economic policies?</s>STEINHAUSER: They're very upset with what they see, and it was a similar message that we saw last week on that taxpayer march on Washington. They - they feel like the federal government is becoming too intrusive in their lives and that the federal budget deficit is spiraling out of control. And, as you mentioned, health care as well, they see that as another - what the president and the Democrats are proposing is another way of government taking over our daily lives and they don't like that. We heard it from the rank and file at the taxpayer march last week and we heard it from Social Conservatives this week as well, Don.</s>LEMON: And Dan, the president also speaking out on "STATE OF THE UNION" tomorrow with John King. You can see the entire interview, by the way. But also talking about - some people are saying maybe he's biting off more than he can chew. Health care is clearly important but also the economy as well, and there are some concerns from the American public about that. He is well aware of that.</s>LOTHIAN: Oh, obviously he's very well aware of that, and from the beginning, from the onset when he was taking on the economy, taking on education, immigration - all these other issues, he's often been criticized for juggling too much. And what the president will say time and time again and others in this administration is that the president did not ask for any of these things, and they're all critically important so he needs to address them now. But you're right. I mean, it's pretty heavy lifting for this president because it's not like one issue is smaller than the next. I mean, they're all really big issues. The economy - although they'll point that because of what they've been able to do through their stimulus plan and some other tools, as well as some of their financial experts who have been helping them to guide this along, they've been able to pull the economy back from the brink of disaster or from a second depression. So they do see progress there, believe that's coming along, still a long way to go, but clearly this president has that - that difficult task of - of balancing all of these issues and trying to get health care reform done.</s>LEMON: And Dan and Paul, the big question is can he get it all done and can he win over some of those value voters to support his economic policies and health care policy or at least the reform as well. Thanks to both of you. We appreciate it.</s>LOTHIAN: OK.</s>LEMON: And we have a reminder for you. You can see John King's entire interview with President Barack Obama tomorrow on "STATE OF THE UNION". That's 9:00 A.M. Eastern, only here on CNN. And later this hour, New Mexico's governor Bill Richardson speaks out about President Obama, Joe Wilson and the allegations on racism. Specifically, he talks about President Carter's remarks. You'll hear that in just a bit. More questions about a 24-year-old Afghan national being questioned in Colorado. Does he have ties to a terrorist group? Also, Taliban leader Mullah Omar purportedly releases a new message to the United States. CNN's Senior International Correspondent Nic Robertson joins us to break it all down for you. And check this out - a bank robber gets more than he bargained for when he tried to hold up a Wisconsin bank. Also join us on Twitter, follows us - Facebook, MySpace, iReport.com. Tell us what you're thinking. We'll get your comments on.