Death Toll at 29 in Jamaica Violence; Mexican Gov. Candidate Arrested; President Obama to Host Israeli Prime Minister
BLITZER: We'll get back to the top kill operation underway in the Gulf of Mexico right now in just a few moments, but let's check in with Lisa Sylvester. She's monitoring some of the other top stories in the SITUATION ROOM. What else is going on, Lisa?</s>LISA SYLVESTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Wolf. The official death toll is 29 in the wake of an all out police assault on alleged drug lord in Jamaica. This is the country's prime minister denied media reports that he was known criminal affiliate of the suspect, Christopher Dudus Coke. The allegations come after a failed government attempt to capture coke to extradite him to the United States. The campaign of a Mexican gubernatorial candidate is fiercely denying accusations that he is providing protection to two drug cartels. Gregorio Sanchez was detained by authorities yesterday. Sanchez has taken a leave of absence as mayor of the popular Cancun Resort City while running for governor. His campaign calls the allegations political. And despite what has been a tense relationship between Israel and the United States, the White House says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet with President Obama in Washington on Tuesday. The invitation was extended by the president's chief of staff Rahm Emanuel during a private trip to Israel. A White House spokesman says the president looks forward to a visit from Palestinian authority President Mahmoud Abbas in the near future. And the legendary radio and television personality, Art Linkletter has died. The Emmy and Granny winner was known for his popular TV shows "House Party "and "People are Funny" and his best selling book "Kids Say the Darndest things" continues to be a best- seller. Linkletter lost a daughter to suicide in 1969 and a son to a car accident in 1979. He talked about death with CNN's Larry King back in 2005.</s>LARRY KING, CNN ANCHOR: Billy Graham on this program recently said, if he died right then and there, he would be very happy. He knew what would be ahead. It would be paradise. He's going to heaven. What do you believe?</s>ART LINKLETTER, RADIO AND TELEVISION PERSONALITY: You know, it would depend on what's going on. I like a lot of activity. Heaven sounds too placid to me. Now, there's a lot to do in hell.</s>KING: Do you want to go there?</s>LINKLETTER: I don't know.</s>KING: What I mean, if you died right now, he said he would be happy. Have you led a happy life?</s>LINKLETTER: I've led a happy life, yes. I've worked hard to be successful in happiness. You know, I've been a good husband, I've been a hard worker, and I'm not ashamed of anything I've done.</s>SYLVESTER: Art Linkletter dead at the age of 97. What a life -- Wolf.</s>BLITZER: Very long life. He entertained a lot of people during the course of those decades. All right. Lisa, thanks very much. We're monitoring that desperate attempt underway right now to cap the massive oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico. We'll have the latest on the top kill operation that's underway right now. And could an alleged job offer to a Pennsylvania Senate candidate mean new legal turmoil for the White House? We'll talk about that and more in our strategy session.