Rev. Jesse Jackson Apologizes for Comments About Barack Obama
LEMON: All right. We have some breaking news that's just into the CNN NEWSROOM. And we know that this has been a very contentious election year and season. This is coming to us from the Reverend Jesse Jackson in Chicago. And it concerns Barack Obama, of course, the Democratic presidential nominee there. OK. So here's the context that we are told from the Reverend Jesse Jackson. The Reverend Jesse Jackson said he was doing an interview and an open mike, a mike that he did not know was open, caused some disparaging comments that he feels was made about Barack Obama and he wanted to make those comments in private. He would not have made them in an open forum. So here, the Reverend Jesse Jackson said he was in a conversation about Barack Obama and giving moral lectures to the church and to black people. And he feels that Barack Obama has not done that on a broad basis. So he was criticizing Barack Obama in this, but in a private a moment that he would rather have with Barack Obama privately. Just in to us from the Reverend Jesse Jackson in Chicago. And I'll read as much of it as I can. Of course, we'll be following this on "THE SITUATION ROOM". So bear with me. It says: "For any harm or hurt that this hot mike private conversation may have caused, I apologize. My support for Senator Obama's campaign is wide, deep and unequivocal. I cherish this redemptive and historical comment -- moment," I should say. "My appeal was for the moral content of his message to not only deal with the personal and moral responsibility of black males, but to deal with the collective moral responsibility of government and public policy, which would be a corrective action for the lack of good choices that often led to their irresponsibility. That was the context of my private conversation and it does not reflect any disparagement on my part for this historic event in which we are involved and my pride for Senator Barack Obama." And he goes on to talk about, "It is absolutely there." No comment from the Barack Obama camp. We've just reached out to them. Again, we'll be following this on "THE SITUATION ROOM". But apparently some comments that may seem crude and hurtful made about Barack Obama. The Reverend Jesse Jackson there. We're going to move on now. Again, we'll be following this for you in "THE SITUATION ROOM" -- Kyra.</s>PHILLIPS: Another story developing right now. We brought this to you about an hour ago. We were able to confirm that apparently some newly discovered DNA evidence in the JonBenet Ramsey case has surfaced. And apparently this DNA evidence does not match any of the Ramsey family members, including John Ramsey, Patsy Ramsey or any other immediate family members. You'll remember, JonBenet's body was found in their family home in Boulder, Colorado back on December 26th, the day after Christmas, in 1996. Since then, the family has been under fire and grilled for being possibly attached to the murder of their daughter. Lin Wood represents the Ramsey family. We've got him on the phone now. Lin, have you been able to confirm this information or not?</s>LIN WOOD, JOHN RAMSEY'S ATTORNEY: I have been able to confirm it, Kyra. I received a phone call this morning from John Ramsey informing me that he had received a letter from the district attorney, Mary Lacy, officially clearing him and Patsy Ramsey and their son Burke of any criminal involvement with respect to the murder of JonBenet. I received a telephone call later in the day from Mary Lacy, the district attorney. She confirmed that, in fact, the letter had been delivered to John. I have received a copy of it. And, in fact, it is an official clearance of the Ramsey family and an apology from the district attorney's office for the fact that they have suffered so many years of being falsely accused.</s>PHILLIPS: Twelve years, Lin. Twelve years.</s>WOOD: Twelve years for John and 12 years for Burke. But, sadly, 10 years for Patsy. That's one of the sad notes of today's news...</s>PHILLIPS: Because of passing away of cancer. Yes.</s>WOOD: ...because she's not here with us to celebrate the vindication of her family.</s>PHILLIPS: Well, what exactly happened here? They did a new type of DNA testing, I understand, from a different part of JonBenet's clothing, is that right?</s>WOOD: That is right. They have DNA evidence that was found in the crotch of her underwear, two spots of blood, that has been known for years to contain DNA evidence, not Ramsey. And they recently had her long johns tested in what I think would be fair to describe as state-of-the-art DNA testing, known as touch DNA testing. It's been utilized in the United Kingdom for the last few years. It's being utilized more and more now in the United States. Where they go in literally -- here, they took the long johns that she was wearing and they had them tested. They did find DNA on the long johns. And the DNA on the long johns from touch matched the DNA found in her underwear mixed in the blood, which was saliva. So you have irrefutable evidence that the DNA found on multiple sites on this child's body was, in fact, the DNA of the killer.</s>PHILLIPS: OK. So then that leads me to the next question, who is the killer? I mean does this DNA still not match to anybody else in the law enforcement database -- DNA database?</s>WOOD: Right. The DNA is in the FBI CODIS database, which is obviously checked on a regular basis when new DNA evidence is submitted. There's a backlog of DNA in the hundred of thousands, in of terms of numbers, in the country. So one day there will be a hit and the DNA will match and we'll know who the killer was. There was another case in Boulder, Colorado, a young student, Suzanne Chase, who was murdered within the year after JonBenet was murdered. It was only last year, 10 years after her murder, that a random hit on DNA discovered the identity of her killer -- an individual who had never been investigated, never been suspected, but, in fact, was guilty of the crime. That's what will happen one day with the JonBenet Ramsey case. What's happened today, though, is irrefutable evidence -- DNA evidence -- has now resulted in John and Patsy and their son Burke being officially cleared with respect to this case. This family suffered too many years, too many heartaches, in terms of being falsely accused of the murder of their child.</s>PHILLIPS: John Ramsey's attorney, Lin Wood. Appreciate you confirming that for us. If you're just tuning in, newly discovered DNA evidence showing that the murder of JonBenet Ramsey is in no way, shape or form, DNA- wise, tied to her father, John; mother, Patsy; or any other immediate family member -- Don.</s>LEMON: All right, Kyra. And more breaking news into the CNN NEWSROOM. And this involves Senator Ted Kennedy. As we know, he has been recovering from surgery for a brain tumor. This video in -- live pictures of the Capitol now. But we also have video of him arriving at the Senate. What he's doing there, there is a big vote expected on Medicare. Exactly what it is, doctors and patients and insurers are waiting to see how they're going to try to reverse the cuts to what doctors are reimbursed for their Medicare patients. Democrats are trying to win over, of course, a few GOP colleagues on this. And a senior Democrat told CNN that they could get some help this time around from Senator Ted Kennedy. And, again, Senator Ted Kennedy did show up arriving on foot today, the first time he has appeared in the Senate since he was out because of brain surgery. "THE SITUATION ROOM" starts right now. Kyra, that will do it for us on a very busy news day. Why don't you do the toss, my friend?</s>PHILLIPS: Sure. We'll be back tomorrow.