>> hot weather and drought are two different things when we have to deal with those separately. good to see you. >> we are done with this part of things. the best part of things is about to kick off your national conversation with my good friend, rick sanchez, starts right now. protests in iran and the ala alarm is sounded on twitter. described as increasing by the minute. th then, police arresting random people but more join in. hundreds in front of university. it gets serious. police shooting tear gas. it doesn't stop the protesters who are defining the crackdown and dominating our national conversation for nurse, july 9th, 2009. hello, again, everybody. i'm rick sanchez with this, the

next generation of news. this is a conversation. it is not a speech. as ali velshi would tell you, it's your turn to get involved. this is going to sound all too familiar as i get this show started, right? stay with me here. it's new, today and important. iran is boiling over with anger once again. people in tehran are filling the streets. we have been carefully monitoring all of these pictures that have been coming in throughout the day. note that fire in the background. we got word of that about noontime here. you know what you are looking at? these are the faces of courage, because these people were told if you protest, you are going to be arrested and we have seen reports of people ha have not only been beaten but also killed and many that have been tortured in jail. yet, with all that in the background, as far as we can tell, 2,000 to 3,000 iranians

have taken to the streets and shouting death to the dictator. we understand there have been tear gas, riot police have been swinging batons. they have been trying to break up the crowds, crowds that were told specifically, don't gather, don't protest. the city has been protest free for two weeks. that's no more. ten years ago today, 25,000 people took to the streets in what began as a bloody student uprising. that's what's being commemorated today. but, of course, it is more important now, because it comes on the heels of this bogus election as most would refer to it there in iran. first, i want you to look at what we've been looking at here on the satellites all day long. the very latest pictures, 30, 40 seconds. take a look at it. i'll come back on the other side.

>> a lot of these pictures were taken from venues where police could not tell they were being taken. security forces have made it clear that anybody seen taking video or even protesting will be arrested and yet that's what makes this story so important on this day. >> it makes it so important and really so challenging in many, many ways. we are looking at these images. we are not getting much news out of iran. as you know, thatere is a

crackdown on the media. we are depending on these pictures. first of all, these people did not have any permits to demonstrate. they demonstrated anyway. the brutality you are seeing is unbelievable. it shows iran in chaos right now. >> we should probably mention you said we can't get pictures. why we can't get pictures is because some 30 western journalists have been apprehended who have tried to cover this. you can't keep a crew there. so we are using social media. >> we are using social media. those keeping crews there, we monitored some stations that have crews there, they basically reporting happy news, good news as far as the government is concerned. you are not seeing those images anywhere but on social media. >> let's share with our viewers what we do have. let's start, if we can, claude, go to the video where you see the fire in the background i think we saw that one just a

little while ago. let's use that picture to show what things like like. there it is. i was going to tehran. what's the one tweet platform that we have been using since we have been on this? i think it was tehran news or tehran elections. >> iran elections. >> i was monitoring that one. they said, there is a fire. we didn't want to go with it until we actually saw the pictures. lo and behold, here is the picture. where is this? >> this is at tehran at the square. this is basically where the demonstrations are taking place. when you look at the pictures and you listen to the screams in the background, you have to think, this is unbelievable. these people have no permit to demonstrate, let alone set fire in the middle of the street. the way they were taught -- >> that's brazen. >> think about it, rick, we have been reporting the story for a few weeks.

what the iranian government is doing, they are taking video like this, pictures like the pictures we are looking at, they are posting them on the local government station. >> let me stop you for a minute. this is someone who took the picture while sneaking a shot out of a bus they were traveling on. look at the corners. every single street corner in tehran is filled with these thugs, these security forces who were making sure that no one takes to the street and does what we as americans would consider a right, if not privilege, the right to protest our government. >> with all those controls, people manage to demonstrate. they manage to create havoc for these security forces. that's what makes the story so much more important, so much more that everyone needs to -- look at all these pictures. you have security. you have uniformed security. you have nonuniformed security. all the pictures we have are

taken from rooftops and balconies. >> see that one man taken away in the middle below the white car. >> that's right. arrests were made. the basij don't know they are being filmed. so the reaction is going to be immentio immense. in 1999 when they had the first uprising, there is one picture of a man holding a bloody shirt of his friend. because his picture made it to western media, he became the symbol of that uprising. he was jailed, tortured and beaten. when he was released for medical reasons, he escaped. he is here now in the u.s. this is what these people face. this is not a joke. this is not something simple. then, again, when we talk to people in iran, people who are either involved. >> there come the forces down the street. you see them. that's where they start coming in. they heard there was a small gathering that turned into perhaps a protest. possibly something unplanned. now, they run in to try and put

it down as fast as they can so they don't have on their hands last time. >> they did. what's happening today is that you have social media? when people take a picture like this, they can upload it on the social intness net. we discuss it and talk about it. this story is not going to go away like it did in 1999. people know we are monitoring. they know the world is watching them. they are counting on it. every time we talk to them via twitter or facebook, any way we have to communicate, they say the genie is out of the bottle and there is no way it is going to go back in. >> as journalists at cnn, it is our responsible to share their story with the rest of the world. >> how can you ignore these images that ordinary citizens are taking because professional media can't be in iran to report the story? >> in many ways, what they are

doing now is perhaps even more brazen and more significant than what we reported several weeks ago after the election. >> absolutely. you reported earlier when you said death to the dictator, they are talking about the president of iran. they are talking about the spiritual leader of rain. for them to call -- >> you mean going out and saying -- essentially, they are saying death to khamenei. what would be comparative? >> ayatollah ali cama knee is the spiritual led der of iran. he is really the head of the state. he is the head of the army. he runs the country. he rules the country e . he is the one after friday prayer says, do not demonstrate. do not demonstrate or else. look at this.

weeks after his threat, basically, what they are doing, they are challenging the authority of president ahmadinejad and ayatollah ali khamenei. there is no point of return. they want to keep moving forward. >> what's unique about you, and i try to do it as well from my own vantage point back there in my offices but i know that you are very close to this. you talk to people all day long. so you are not just sharing with us what you are hearing. you are actually sharing with us qu conversations that you have had with sources there in tehran. i want to let you know how much i appreciate that. how much our viewers should appreciate that as well. >> listen, we are going to stay on top of this story. we will probably get you back as we go through the hour. we are going to get reza to take us through some of histories

about whaegs going t's going on. here is what else we will be doing on this story. there is a reason, as aforementioned. think of western journalists being accused of spying. we have got that story nailed down. we are going to be picking that up with reza as well. there is a 911 recording of the night that steve mcnair died and dash cam video of his mistresses dui. i figured you may want to see this, both of them, and you quill. active crystals dissolve quickly on your tongue. with an extra pain relieving booster, it's ready to go to work faster than caplets or tablets. it's a whole new way from bayer to dissolve pain...

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by the way, at cnn.com/ricksanchez, i have put some pictures and scenes we have been getting out of iran. if you want to look at some of those for yourself, you can go to my blog and see them. one other thing i mentioned a little while ago, i think you will recall it. my conversation i was having moments ago with octavia. much of the information was learned this morning from twitter. let's go to the twitter board if we can, robert, johnnie. take a look at this. right at the very top, you see this one here. clashes in front of tehran university. this is coming in on twitter. many from people is there in tehran. people are joining the dem on strange from iman hussein square. this is one that got our

attention when we first heard it. police used tear gas against people trying to push them back at vanak square. they is revolutionizing the way we gather news. police using tear gas against people there. by the way, look at this here. we have being told there are protests all over the united states from 18 different cities from many persian americans who are also going to be letting their opinions be known as well. we are all over the story. we expect even more pictures. i was told a little while ago we might be getting more video from tehran in a little bit. we ask you to stay with us throughout the hour and with cnn's coverage throughout the evening as well. as the new pictures and new information comes in and we verify it, we'll be sharing it with you. in fact, here is one of those latest pictures. this is the one that el roo

really got my attention. everyone taking pictures is doing it from a place or a venue where they are kind of hidden, where police can't see them. obviously, police wouldn't want to be photographed. that's the one that was taken from the bus. you can see the officers and the security forces on every corner. amazing story. >> all right, now, take a look the this dash cam video. this is steve mcnair's mistress during a dui arrest. mcnair was given a break here. one can't help but think if he had been busted on that night, ironically enough, it may have actually saved his life. >> also, we have the 911 tape from the guy who actually called police to describe the gruesome scene that he was seeing with steve mcnair's body and his mistress as well. stay with us. both of those coming up next.

i told you i would be checking all the tweets. let me share some of those with you real quick as we move on. take it from the top. once again, these are iranians in iran talking who showed the regime that the persian lion has awakened and it has no fear of

the coward basij. number two, iran 1979. oenlt way we can win in this new revolution is by attacking back chl . it needs to get bloody. then, this one, iran governor have people filming protests anyway. we need to get images out to the world. that goes along with what we were talking about moments ago about how important it is for us to cover this story if people are brave enough to risk their own lives, the least we can do is in ra country that has so muh to do. new video and new sound in the unbelievable story that you saw right here breaking yesterday toward the end of you're newscast. as we learned it is an incredible murder/suicide of steve mcnair and his mistress. this is the dash cam video that shows mcnair's 20-year-old

mistress, sahel kazemi. in this video, you see her the night she is being pulled over and arrested for the dui. now, we are hearing she bought the gun used in the killings right after she was bailed out of jail. she used that gun to shoot him twice in the head and twice in the chest while he was napping on the couch. something else i want to show you now. here is the 911 tape released today from the man who called police to report this scene. listen to how disoriented and shocked he seems to sound. >> i hate to be the one to make this call. it is so messed up. >> okay. tell me what happened. >> i have no idea, sir. >> but i mean how did you -- >> i received a phone call.

there were some injured parties inside this apartment. >> was it male or female? >> two, there are two people. >> two people? >> yeah. >> they both appear to be deceased? >> i think so, sir. >> male, female, both? >> yes. i don't know how long they have been there. >> hold on. you say they are mail ale and fe or both. what are their genders? >> another public memorial is going to be held for mcnair saturday preceding his funeral in his home state of mississippi. mcnair was 36 years old and then there is this.

i just becoame aware of this before coming on the air when vince, one of my producers told me this information. it's incredible. listen to this. mcnair had just taped a public service announcement. that was going to be airing in tennessee. the subject, suicide prevention. the tennessee department of mental health and developmental disabilities says it is not going to air the commercial, saying it would be in apr inappropriate, that it wouldn't serve. some would wonder if it actually might have more of an effect to actually air it now. what do you think? we'll be right back.

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good choice. only meineke lets you choose the brake service that's right for you. and save 50% on pads and shoes. meineke. well coom back. i'm rick sanchez. we told you we are going to be monitoring all the pictures and information coming out of tehran. we have more pictures to share with you. there, you hear more video. yep. this is different than all the video you have seen thus far on this show today. i think let's do this. let's listen to it. i'll come back on the other side.

i think the words act of defines best describe what you are looking at there. it is important to point out what it is that they are chanting. we are going to be sharing some of those translations with you coming up in just a little bit,

because it speaks volumes as to who these people are and what they are trying to achieve and where this situation is moving in iran. in the meantime, another part of the world where i promised you i would keep on top of. we're going to do that right now. it's as if you were to invite to your place a criminal who raped your family and wanted you to accept conditions for that violation. he raped your family. tough words, right? those are the words of a deposed honduran president, manuel zelaya. here is a look the what happened when the coup took place that removed zelaya from power.

reporters explaining what they are seeing. somebody was just shot, possibly killed. another one describing an ambulance that was taking some of the people away who had been in these situations, in this coup that had taken place in honduras. this is what this had progressed into. zelaya, the guy who was kicked out, he is saying he is not negotiating to get his job back, rather, he says he wants micheletti's excuses and requirements for his departure in the next 24 hours. this is what this man is saying prior to sitting down with the man who replaced him as called for by oscar arias, who, as you know, is the president of costa rica and secretary of state, hillary clinton. this guy has a real soft touch. come on. not the most diplomatic comment

for him to be making before going to a conference that will determine whether he will be put back in power. there he is right there and not one you would think would help him get his job back nor will this likely make president obama nor second of hillary clinton who has supported this guy look good. we are going to see what happens. i told you i will continue to follow this story. it is important. diplomacy at a premium in iran where they have a bumper crop of detained journalists, which is interestingly enough the reason we are not able to show you our own pictures today, coming out of tehran and other cities where they are having protests. we will share that story with you. our own reporter, our own correspondent, who has reisn'tly come back from tehran, is going to share with us why this is happening. here he is.

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man, we are getting so much reaction to the story we are following for you today like this. take a look at this on the twitter board if we can as we look at some of those pictures. i don't know how you want to do this. you can transpose it or go to the twitter board. can you do that, robert? shoot it, baby. you can do it. i know you can. look at this one here. i continue to hope the new revolutions in iran continue to know the world supports them and never give up. that's great. that's a people here telling a people there we are behind you. so many like these that i have been looking at this whole time. speaking of iran, iran's capital, tehran, melting down

again, thousands of people hitting the streets today marching, calling death to the dictator, standing up to the military police. the only pictures we are seeing are these. this is one of the first ones we got in earlier in the day. since then, we have six or seven more shot with cell phone cameras sent out by the internet, by people hell bent on letting the world see what's actually going on in their country, international journalism, almost zero. why? those reporters who are working do so in the shadow of their government. the other ones who were working have been arrested or simply kicked out of the country. in fact, cnn has just spoken moments ago to a greek british reporter who was just released after three weeks being locked up in tehran. let's bring reza sayah into this now. he was the man who was covering this story for us for the

longest time. >> he was there, a freelance journalist, a young man covering the elections and it's aftermath. i haven't spoken to him. it is very likely he covered some of the protests an the dem on strag demonstrations they considered illegal. if you go, you are breaking the law they told him. it is very likely that he, along with many others, went through -- >> you want to do this with me? let us bring him in. this is president of the national iranian-american council. he is good enough to join us. do this with me. how important is it for americans to see and we'll start with this. how important and why is it important for americans to see this story's coverage on the air?

not so much in fact americans but the entire world. your words. >> people on the ground in iran have said, if the world forgets and brings too much attention just to michael jackson and to other stories, then it will be much easier for the hard line elements in iran to continue and even increase the brutality of the crackdown. if the eyes of the world are there, through facebook, through text messages and youtube, it will be more difficult for the government, for the hard line elements of the government in iran to continue this. the fact that the demonstrations have continued is an indication that this is not dying down. this issue is not over with. >> reza, go ahead. >> it seems the opposition is determined and the government seems determined as well. it seems to me over the past couple of weeks, thief become really adept at new media, blocking internet activity. talk about that a little bit. >> without a doubt.

blocking the media, making sure that you inhibit the other side's ability to communicate with each other. on that point, it is important to remember one very important thing. we have seen how the government has tried to make sure people cannot access the internet. they have used extensive filters and reduced the band witt to make sure these images don't come out. we have to remind ourselves that partly due to u.s. sanctions, their help has been maze easier. microsoft shut down its users in iran only weeks before the election. >> you are saying we should open everything up so they can use these. let me back that question up with -- >> at a minimum, communication and information should not be sanctioned. that is only helping the hard line elements in the government. as americans, we look at this and wonder and tend to like a

quick solution whether this is going to mean like, okay, it looks like the regime is going to be taken down. is that what this means? >> i think you said something very important, as americans we expect things to happen fast. in iran, people don't expect thoin things to happen fast. things will take time. in their minds, this is going to be a long struggle. it is not going to be a couple weeks are a couple months. >> one final question. keep it as short as you can. should the president of the united states or the u.s. government get in there and somehow force this or should they back off and let the iranian people do what they are doing? >> i think the position the president has taken is the correct one. there is very little the united states can do to help in any particular action. the u.s. can do a lot of damage if it does the wrong thing. it is absolutely right to not take sides but do condemn these

brutal human rights violations as strongly as possible. >> it's getting dark there, right? >> it is. that's why we are seeing some videos. the dem on stronstrations have . some courageous people, by the way. they are risking a lot going out there with cameras. >> we expect we might get more. my thanks to you as usual. >> the very latest on not just iran but some of the feedback that's coming in. steve mcnair was asked to tape a message to people about suicide prevention. we are told they are not going to air that. i suggested maybe it would be more impact full if they did and i asked you what you thought. you wouldn't believe the response we've gotten on this. it was just a question. we'll have it for you when we

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usually, we get people going one way or another on a lot of issues. it's interesting, when i ask that question that maybe steve mcnair's message should be aired about suicide prevention, just about every single one of you seems to be agreeing that it should. take a look at this. look at what we have been reading on twitter. go to it. from the top with jack, yes, they should definitely play steve mcnair's tsa on suicide. can you imagine anything more powerful of a message than that? >> ed says, i think it would be beneficial after the latest events for them to show the psa!

maybe it will hit home and make people think. >> if mcnair's family says it is okay with the psa, they should use it. it would have more of an effect now rather than earlier. it is sad a death has to bring such a powerful message home. another one, air the tape. mcnair already donated his time. give it to the media and let them decide whether it would do any good. >> if mcnair stood for suicide prevention, then they should be able to present the advertisement. another one. the psa would be better to show how the world breaths when they died and to see that suicide and homicide is not the answer. air the psa. another one after that. a psa would do someone else some good. again, the showing of the suicide tapes should be left up to mcnair's family. unbelievable. one fine one. you guys are fantastic keeping the focus on the iranian struggle for true freedom. thank you. i want to show you some video. this is the home michael jackson

rented in las vegas a few years ago. insiders say it was barren and creepy inside. his sister, janet, was shocked when she visited. also, an investigation into the possibility that the jackson family, brothers, sisters, mom, were planning an intervention to stop michael from abusing prescription drugs and others. new information on the way. stay with us.

we have exclusive new details on an intervention the jackson family tried to have with michael jackson that they were prepared to essentially confront him. what did they plan to do? who was involved? why didn't it work? drew griffin from cnn's special investigation unit has been working on this story for you. >> it was 2007. that was two years after michael jackson's trial for child molestation in california. a jury acquitted him e was scarred. he all by does appeared, first going to bahrain and then briefly to ireland. we were told he was happier but his career was going nowhere. this was a period when he rarely saw his family. sources tell us michael jackson became fix sated with mu ics superstar, celine dion and that permanent show she was starring in in las vegas. he thought that kind of show might be his path back to

showbiz. so he moved to va gag. in early 2007, he was believed to be living in this large, rented home. two sources close to the family say janet jackson who had seen little of her brother in recent years visited him there and was shocked. we were told the house was nearly barren of furniture and creepy looking according to one source. it was the site of an extremely thin disheveled michael jackson that brightened janet. that brings us up to the nba all-star game weekend in february in las vegas. janet jackson there with two of her brothers. she asked those wroebrothers to back with her trying to convince michael to get help. reportedly, he ordered his new security guards not to let him in. we have learned that michael jackson at that time was refusing to take calls from his own mother, katherine jackson, who had been repeatedly pleading with her son to get help. all through this time, the family had been concerned.

according to both our sources, michael jackson would simply refuse to see anybody who tried to stop him from using drugs. one source saying that if you tried to deal with him, he would shut you out. you just wouldn't hear from him for long periods of time. another source was telling us that the family was concern for a long time but it was janet now who tried to force the issue two years ago. we must tell you that back in 2007, "people" magazine did report about an alleged jackson family intervention. the jackson family denied it, releasing this statement which said, in part, we categorically deny ever planning, participating or having knowledge in any kind of intervention whatsoever. that statement was signed by members of the jackson family but not signed by janet jackson. >> if michael jackson actually died from prescription drug abuse, he is not alone, not even close to being alone.

according to one report that we read this morning back in my staff room, as many people die of this same thing, prescription drug abuse as people who die on our nation's highways every year. think about that. so this is a very important story on the heels of his death. how do you reach out to that friend or that family member who may be going through something like this, some issue with drug abuse? how do you intervene? due to time constraints today with the developments in iran, we are going to hold that conversation until tomorrow? we are going to have it. it is promised. guaranteed. join us for that. this is a difficult subject matter, by the way, not for the paint of heart to actually watch family confronting one of their loved once and saying, you got a problem, buster. it's crazy but potentially life saving. tomorrow, we are going to delve into this seriously. i had felt fine. but turns out... my cholesterol and other risk factors...

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i've been telling you that we're monitoring the situation in iran. there's new pictures now. remember we mentioned there's some chance that had been deliv -- chants that rb delivered in some of these protests? listen to this one. >> all right. that's the one i wanted you to hear right there. i don't speak farsi. i can tell you, we've checked with some of the folks who have been monitoring this throughout

the day they're actually chanting there, death to the dictator, death to the dictator. referring to ayatollah. we're going to be all over that as well. the latest piece of video that we're sharing with you there out of iran. meanwhile, this. an alleged $25,000 severance. that's what a man says senator john ensign paid his wife to leave her job. that woman on the right. right there. was also ensign's mistress. what a mess. her job was with ensign's campaign committee. there's more. will this result in an investigation? will this result in his possibly having to step down? that's what many pundits and other insiders are wondering. so are we. some lunch.

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i think i'll go with the basic package. good choice. only meineke lets you choose the brake service that's right for you. and save 50% on pads and shoes. meineke. another lawmaker, another affair, another embarrassing comment or letter that americans have to stomach somehow. the lawmaker in this case is

republican senator john ensign of nevada who allegedly shared this letter with his mistress which was released by her husband. it reads, i used you for my own pleasure, plain and simple. it was wrong. it was sin. the las vegas sun adds that mistress cynthia hampton, while working for ensign, saw her salary double during her affair and allegedly got a severance of $25,000. if that alleged severance is true, that could be a possible felony violation of campaign finance laws. glen thrush is senior correspondent for politico. good afternoon, glenn. >> good afternoon. >> what's the significance of the alleged $25,000 severance to cindy hampton, not to mention the fact he may have doubled her pay while they were having an affair? >> well, a watchdog group that has already filed a bunch of

ethic complaints against ensign, claims, and i'm not an expert on the law, but that $25,000 threshold is a threshold of criminality. they requested the department of justice get involved and do an investigation. the executive director of that organization doesn't think it's too likely. the justice department hates, hates to get involved in these political cases. but it just makes you start to realize the severity of what ensign is accused of and its possible implications on his future. >> can you explain what kind of law that is? a lot of people would be wondering, look, if he wants to pay her from the money he makes, his own money or money in his own collection i guess that would be fine. does it matter where the money comes from is i think what i'm getting to here? >> that's the big deal here. krou can't use your campaign finance account as a slush fund to use whoever you choose. you are allowed to make $5,000 payments out of your own possibility. anything above that is called a contribution in kind. not the get too technical.

if you exceed that and knowingly violate those rules, that then becomes a felony. kr you cannot use your campaign account as a piggy bank. i should note just before we went on the air, politico and i think some other outlets got a letter from ensign's lawyer saying that ensign, in fact, paid $96,000 out of his own personal account, not campaign money, to cynthia, doug hampton and their two kids as some sort of a restitution. so, you know, this story just keeps getting deeper and deeper and deeper and more and more trouble for ensign. >> isn't there something about her -- i'm sorry. about the senator possibly or his office getting a job for her son or son-in-law or somebody in the family as well? something that would look, at least at the very at least, not even involving criminality, like a little bit of nepotism in this case? >> there's a political consulting firm with links to some officials in the national

republican senatorial committee. which until last year ensign was running. that's the committee to get republican senators elected. >> right. >> a consulting firm that doug hampton was given a contract with. and one of the hampton kids was also given a contract with. so there's a whole -- there's a whole web of sort of entanglements. the issue here, and why this is such a serious matter now in the capit capitol, this has also ensnared senator tom coburn. a really close friend of senator ensign. >> how is that? >> doug hampton claims that tom coburn essentially acted as a go-between to sort of arrange a restitution deal. that hampton claims would have involved paying off this huge mortgage that the hamptons had incured. >> you mean like a -- don't say anything about this and we'll take care of you? >> our source made it very clear, a source with knowledge of this meeting that apparently took place at the fellowship house between doug hampton and