Terrorism Ruled Out in Connecticut Factory Blast; Obama Seeks Republican Input for Health Care Reform; Eight Months Since Michael Jackson Death
LEMON: Breaking news. And topping the news right now, at least five people were killed today when a gas line blew up at a power plant under construction in central Connecticut. The blast at the Kleen Energy plant in Middletown rocked the countryside for miles. It's not clear how many construction workers were on the site at the time. The mayor says 12 people were injured. The explosion was so powerful it could be heard and felt 20 miles away. Residents say it felt like an earthquake.</s>ELIZABETH WERKHEISER, WITNESS: All of a sudden there was a big explosion and the flames were higher than the stack, itself. I never want to see anything like that in my life.</s>LYNNE TOWNSEND, WITNESS: It felt like an earthquake but it was more of an explosion because we were able to see it, visually see the fire and the flames coming out of -- between the two towers.</s>BERNADETTE NILAND, WITNESS: The flames were shooting up and it just rocked the whole place. Windows were blown out.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The explosion came and we had pictures on the wall, that they were knocked on the ground and knickknacks and stuff fell on the floor. I thought my house exploded.</s>LEMON: Our Susan Candiotti is live from Middletown now. So, Susan, we heard from the mayor when he said five people and we also heard that dogs were searching for possible other people there. Do we know if they have everyone?</s>SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We don't know anything more than we did at the press conference. There are so many questions we have, and that's one of them. One of the main difficulties here, according to investigators, is that they don't know exactly how many people were working that day because there are so many different contractors in part who have to know how many of their workers were at the site. And currently, they're trying to track everybody down and try to determine that. The other part of this, Don, is that the mayor also indicated that when they are purging the line as part of the test, ongoing tests they had before the whole plant goes online later in the summer time, is that they usually evacuate people who are in the plant, near the plant. That's also adding to the difficulty to determine how many people were inside and how many people were outside. They're not through looking, as you indicated. They plan to be here throughout the night and into tomorrow to determine whether there are other survivors or other fatalities -- Don?</s>LEMON: They said they were cleaning gas lines at the time. I guess we can rule out any foul play at this point, Susan, of terrorism or anything of the such?</s>CANDIOTTI: That's what investigators have said. They definitely have ruled out any kind of terrorism. But it remains to be seen, what did go on, because investigators say they have a terrific safety record at that particular location and construction site, and they've been working on this plant, I'm told, for at least three years.</s>LEMON: OK. And keeping families informed through the media or are they doing flyers, door to door? What are they doing?</s>CANDIOTTI: Well, they announced at the news conference that there is a number where people can call to find out more information about their loved ones. And also, at the city hall, the Red Cross is manning that. Take care of any relatives, friends, co-workers who have any questions and that includes grief counselors -- Don?</s>LEMON: Our Susan Candiotti at the scene of our breaking news story in Connecticut today. Thank you very much for that, Susan. Also topping our news at this hour, another developing story. President Barack Obama says he will turn to the Republicans to help make his health care reform plan a reality. A White House official tells CNN the health care talks are on for later this month. That will involve the bipartisan bicameral congressional leadership. Here's what President Obama said on CBS just moments ago.</s>BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: What I want to do is to look at the Republican ideas that are out there. and I want to be very specific. How do you guys want to lower costs? How do you guys intend to reform the insurance markets so people with preexisting conditions, for example, can get health care? How do you want to make sure that the 30 million people who don't have health insurance can get it? What are your ideas specifically? And if we can go step by step through a series of these issues and arrive at some agreements, then procedurally there's no reason why we can't do it a lot faster than the process took last year.</s>LEMON: Our Senior White House Correspondent Ed Henry joins us now by phone. Ed, after the election of Scott Brown in Massachusetts, many said that the health care reform bill or at least possible legislation was over, and many might view this as a fait accompli by the president. What does it mean?</s>ED HENRY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: You're right, Don. I mean, certainly, it does appear health care is on life support, if you will, but the president, in sort of a dramatic development, is trying to breathe new life into it. I think if you think back to the Scott Brown election, the other thing some analysts were saying as well, especially a line being pushed by the White House, is now the Republicans have 41 votes in the Senate. They can either block things or try to help pass things. The White House has been trying to push the line that the Republicans need to be held accountable and they have to show that they are really willing to work with the president in a bipartisan way, meet him halfway, if you will. So I read this, in part, as the president sort of trying to call the Republican bluff and say, OK, you say you want to work with me. I'm going to call you to the White House. And what I'm told by a White House official is specifically this will happen on February 25th. It's going to be a half day of negotiations. As you mentioned, both parties as well as both the House and the Senate. Also worth noting, these same leaders are getting together at the White House this Tuesday, in a couple days. They're supposed to talk about not just health care you about jobs bill and other, broader discussions. I think that's now going to set the table for what we see later this month. But the bottom line, as you noted, health care is still in deep trouble. This doesn't mean that it's going to pass. And I think that the president can call all the meetings he wants, but until he gets specific, until he tells these leaders what does he want and what is he going to do to get it done, this is still just going to be an important development but it doesn't mean the job is going to get done until he really sort of pushes along exactly what he wants. He still has not gotten very specific on it.</s>LEMON: Very interesting. You said calling their bluff. We shall see. We've seen the back and forth, Ed. We've seen him saying we have to watch our tone and work together. And now it appears he is trying to do it, at least for now. So we shall see. Our Senior White House Correspondent Ed Henry. Ed, if you get any more information please let us know. Thank you.</s>HENRY: No doubt. Thanks, Don.</s>LEMON: We want to check more of our top stories. Federal investigators say they're going to rely on video, photos and witness testimony to determine what led to a fiery mid-air collision near Boulder, Colorado. IReporter Zach Mitchell heard the crash and grabbed these images with his cell phone. The two small planes fell to the ground, killing all three people onboard. One of the planes was towing a glider that managed to cut loose right before the crash. It landed safely and the three people onboard were unharmed. More top stories right now. The Haitian lawyer for ten detained American missionaries tells CNN he has resigned. The Americans face kidnapping charges for attempting to take 33 Haitian children across the border into the Dominican Republic without the proper documentation. The attorney, Edwin Po (ph), tried unsuccessfully to get the Americans released. They are scheduled to return to court on Monday or Tuesday. NASA will try again tomorrow morning to launch the space shuttle "Endeavour." CNN will bring it to you live, of course. Low clouds at the Kennedy Space Center forced NASA to scrub this morning's planned liftoff. "Endeavour" and its six astronauts are carrying a new room and observation deck to the international space station. This time tomorrow, Michael Jackson's personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, is expected to be formally charged with involuntary manslaughter. There is a bit of a question, however, as to how Dr. Murray will end up in custody. According to the "New York Times," leaked documents suggest police want to arrest Murray while his attorney wants him to be allowed to surrender on his own. You know it's hard to believe it has been almost eight months since Michael Jackson's death. So much has happened. CNN's Ted Rowlands takes a look back.</s>TED ROWLANDS, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): June 23rd, Michael Jackson is rehearsing for his upcoming "This is It" concert series.</s>ROWLANDS: Two days later, at 12:21 in the afternoon, a 911 call is made from Jackson's rented Los Angeles home.</s>DISPATCHER: He's unconscious. He's not breathing?</s>CALLER: Yes. He's not breathing sir.</s>WOLF BLITZER, CNN HOST, "THE SITUTATION ROOM": Let's get back to breaking news. We're following Michael Jackson. The king of pop has been rushed to a local hospital.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Michael Jackson was the patient on this 911 call that they picked him up and they took him to the UCLA Medical Center.</s>JERMAINE JACKSON, MICHAEL JACKSON'S BROTHER: My brother, the legendary king of pop, Michael Jackson, passed away on Thursday, June 25th, 2009, at 2:26 p.m.</s>WOLF: Look at these crowds developing outside UCLA Medical Center right now as word begins to spread that Michael Jackson is dead.</s>ANDERSON COOPER, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Michael's body already in the medical examiner's office. There is the body right there, choppered, no freeway procession, no traffic jams, just a short flight across town. Now, in addition to the investigation the outpouring. As you look, there are the crowds gathering tonight in many places, outside the hospital in Los Angeles, at his home, and at the Apollo Theater here in Harlem in New York.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is something that millions of people will never forget. It's devastating.</s>ROWLANDS: The death investigation quickly centered on Dr. Conrad Murray Jackson's personal physician who was with Jackson when he died. Listen closely for his voice in the background of the 911 call.</s>CALLER: Doctor, did you see what happened sir?</s>CALLER: Sir, if you can please...</s>DISPATCHER: We're on our way.</s>ROWLANDS: That night police impounded Murray's car and, over the next few days, investigators removed what we learned is medical evidence from Jackson's home.</s>LEMON: I said you had some concerns about the physicians and the people around him during the last moments of his life?</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I have. I have a lot of concerns.</s>ROWLANDS: Dr. Murray retained a lawyer and met with investigators.</s>ED CHERNOFF, DR. CONRAD MURRAY'S ATTORNEY: I can say this. There's nothing in his history, nothing that Dr. Murray knew, that would lead him to believe that he would go into sudden cardiac arrest or respiratory failure.</s>ROWLANDS: A source with knowledge of the investigation into Michael Jackson's death tells CNN that Dr. Conrad Murray gave Jackson the powerful drug Propofol within 24 hours of his death. Propofol is a heavy sedative typically used during surgery. Others who treated Jackson would come out and say that the singer asked them over the years for the drug to use as a sleep aid.</s>DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: I've never heard about this medication being given outside a hospital.</s>SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: That hearse which has the casket, the body of Michael Jackson covered in really beautiful flowers is making its way to the Staples Center.</s>ROWLANDS: On July 7th, more than 30 million people around the world watched a public tribute with Jackson's casket on the same stage he rehearsed on the day before he died.</s>PARIS-MICHAEL JACKSON, DAUGHTER OF MICHAEL JACKSON: Daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine. And I just wanted to say I love him so much.</s>ROWLANDS: On July 22nd, a search warrant is served on Dr. Conrad Murray's Houston clinic. Others would follow in Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Murray, according to a neighbor, was in the house while agents searched the home. On August 18th, Murray releases this video statement on YouTube.</s>DR. CONRAD MURRAY, PHYSICIAN TO MICHAEL JACKSON: I have done all I could do. I told the truth. And I have faith the truth will prevail.</s>ROWLANDS: On August 28th, Jackson's death is ruled a homicide.</s>UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: They found that he died from acute Propofol intoxication.</s>COOPER: There, the hearse carrying the body of Michael Jackson.</s>ROWLANDS: On September 3rd, Michael Jackson was laid to rest. Ted Rowlands, CNN, Los Angeles.</s>LEMON: Iran's president not mincing words about his country's nuclear ambitions. The defiant step he says Iran is taking, making western countries, including the U.S., hot under the collar.