Dan Rather Reports

Episode Number: 214

Episode Title: Virginia Tech, Corey Booker

Description: Dan Rather hosts coverage of the Virginia Tech killings from Blacksburg, Virginia. Also, Corey Booker, Newark, New Jersey's 37-year-old Mayor and his mission to change the image of the city.

Transcript:

TONIGHT FOR THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS AND PARENTS AND TEACHERS AND THE CAMPUS OF VIRGINIA TECH UNIVERSITY. IT WAS A DAY OF GRIEVING. THAT'S BECOME A NIGHT OF REMEMBRANCE.

PLUS UNDERSTANDING THE MIND AND MOTIVATION OF A KILLER.

A SPECIAL LIVE PRESENTATION OF DAN RATHER REPORTS NEXT

GOOD EVENING FROM THE BEAUTIFUL BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS AND THE CAMPUS OF VIRGINIA TECH UNIVERSITY IN BLACKSBURG VIRGINIA. BEHIND ME THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS HAVE COME TONIGHT TO THE CENTRAL DRILL FIELD ON CAMPUS TO MOURN THE LOSS OF THEIR FRIENDS CLASSMATES, AND PROFESSORS. THIS CANDLE LIGHT VIGIL WAS ORGANIZED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE STUDENT BODY WHO TOGETHER WITH STUDENT LEADERS DECIDED THAT EVERYONE SHOULD COME TOGETHER TO REMEMBER, THEIR SLOGAN IS TOGETHER WE MOURN. THIS HAS OBVIOUSLY BEEN A HORRIFIC 2 DAYS FOR EVERYONE HERE. THE CAMPUS NORMALLY THIS TIME OF YEAR PREPARING FOR THE END OF THE TERM AND GRADUATION NEXT MONTH HAS BEEN TRANSFORMED BY TRAGEDY. AND TONIGHT THERE IS AN ERIE SILENCE HERE IN THE WIND AND COLD. WE WANT TO GIVE YOU A SENSE OF THE CAMPUS ON THIS INTROSPECTIVE EVENING OF HEARTBREAK, WITH A FEW MOMENTS OF SILENCE BUT WE DIDN'T COME HERE TO FOCUS JUST ON THE MOMENT. IN TALKING WITH STUDENTS AND PARENTS TODAY THE ONE THING THAT RESONATES IS WE CAN WE WILL RECOVER. RESILIENCE IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY IS DEEPLY IMBEDDED IN THE CHARACTER OF AMERICA. THESE STUDENTS THEIR TEACHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS AND THE COMMUNITY OF BLACKSBURG HAVE A HIGH SENSE OF THAT AND ARE DETERMINED TO HONOR IT. CAN THE SCHOOL ACTUALLY RECOVER AND CAN THIS GREAT UNIVERSITY AND RESEARCH CENTER BE FOREVER KNOWN FOR A DAY IN APRIL NO MATTER WHAT ANYBODY WANT IT TO BE. THERE ANSWER THE ANSWER OF STUDENTS TEACHERS ADMINISTRATORS AND THE COMMUNITY OF BLACKSBURG THERE ANSWER IS A RESOUNDING YES, WE WILL RECOVER AND NO WE WILL NOT ACCEPT BEING DEFINED BY OUR WORST DAY. YOU MOST LIKELY HEARD THE HEADLINES AND BEEN ABSORBED WITH ALL THE NEWS AND ALL THE FEW FACTS THAT ARE KNOWN ABOUT THIS TRAGEDY. WE CAME HERE TONIGHT TO GIVE YOU A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE A WIDE SHOT AS WE SAY IN TELEVISION. THAT WE HOPE WILL GIVE YOU A BETTER FEEL FOR WHAT THIS PLACE IS REALLY ABOUT. DEEP IN THE COOL BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS IN THE WESTERN PART OF VIRGINIA AND FAR OFF ANY BEATEN PATH. VIRGINIA TECH BECAME NATIONALLY FAMOUS IN RECENT YEARS PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF IT'S FOOTBALL TEAM, WHICH NEARLY WON THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP A FEW YEARS AGO. VIRGINIA TECH STUDENTS ARE KNOWN AS HOKIES WAS ORIGINALLY FOUNDED AS A LAND GRANT SCHOOL WITH A RICH MILITARY TRADITION. YOU HAD TO BE IN THE CADET CORPS UNTIL THE MID 1960'S. TODAY THE SCHOOL HAS GROWN BIG TIME, WITH 26,000 FULL TIME STUDENTS IT IS THE HEART AND THE SOUL OF BLACKSBURG. THE SCHOOL HAS A GROWING ACADEMIC REPUTATION IT'S KNOWN FOR IT'S OUTSTANDING ENGINEERING SCHOOL, AND IS ONE OF THE LEADING RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS IN THE COUNTRY, ESPECIALLY WELL KNOWN FOR IT'S LEADERSHIP IN DEVELOPING NEW TECHNOLOGY AND ADVANCEMENTS IN AGRICULTURE. VIRGINIA TECH IS ALSO KNOWN FOR IT'S SOCIAL SCENE AND HAS BECOME AN AFFORDABLE COLLEGE DESTINATION FOR THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA AND WASHINGTON DC. ADEL KAHN IS AN ACCOUNTING MAJOR AND PRESIDENT OF THE STUDENT BODY. THE MORE AND MORE YOU FIND OUT ABOUT THESE STUDENTS AND THEN WE, WE SEE THEIR FACES UH BEING REVEALED AND NAMES CONNECTING WITH FACES YOU HEAR MORE AND MORE PEOPLE YOUR CLOSEST FRIENDS WHO KNOW PEOPLE OR MAYBE A CLOSE FRIEND WHO DID LOSE THEIR LIFE OR WAS INJURED AND IT REALLY DOES HURT AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT MYSELF AND MOST HOKIE STUDENTS HERE REALLY DO FEEL PART OF A HOKIE FAMILY A HOKIE NATION AND, AND I FEEL LIKE MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS HAVE BEEN KILLED AND MOST PEOPLE DO HERE TOO WHAT ARE YOUR CONCERNS WITH QUOTE HAVING A TARNISHED IMAGE. MY CONCERNS ARE THAT STUDENTS MIGHT NOT WANNA GO HERE ANY MORE OR MIGHT NOT WANNA CHOOSE THIS AS AN OPTION BUT, WHAT I'M TELLING YOU IS THAT STUDENTS MIGHT BE MISSING OUT ON PROBABLY ONE OF THE GREATEST OPPORTUNITIES THEY POSSIBLY COULD HAVE VIRGINIA TECH IS THE, I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER PLACE TO BE IN COLLEGE IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PLACE STUDENTS HERE CARE STUDENTS HERE ARE OPEN AND WILL LISTEN TO CONCERNS AND ARE FRIENDLY TO ONE ANOTHER AND IT PEOPLE GET ALONG HERE THERE'S NO CRIME HERE THERE'S NO VIOLENCE HERE IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PLACE TO BE. I CAN'T I CAN'T DESCRIBE MY FEELING TOWARDS UNIVERSITY MY HEART IS WITH THIS UNIVERSITY THIS IS MY HOME.

A DIVERSE STUDENT BODY IN BEING IN RURAL VIRGINIA IS UM HOMOGENEOUS. IT'S UH A FAIRLY DIVERSE STUDENT BODY UH DIVERSITY CAN ALWAYS BE IMPROVED UH BUT AS FAR AS DIVERSITY IN THE SENSE THAT STUDENTS ARE VERY OPEN TO TO HER STUDENTS THERE'S NO DISCRIMINATION HERE. I'M THE STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT AND I'M NOT A CAUCASIAN MALE. I'M, MY PARENTS WERE BORN IN ANOTHER COUNTRY AND I'M THE STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT ELECTED BY THE STUDENTS. WITHER OR NOT THE STUDENT IS OF THE MAJORITY HERE, STUDENTS SUPPORT ANY STUDENT THERE'S NO DISCRIMINATION HERE WE ONCE AGAIN WE CARE ABOUT EACH OTHER WE TRUST EACH OTHER .IF YOU'RE A HOKIE STUDENT THAT'S ALL WE SEE WE SEE A HOKIE WE SEE A FELLOW HOKIE. VIRGINIA TECH IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST PEACEFUL PLACES AND HAVING SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPEN HERE IS JUST NOT SOMETHING THAT I, I CAN'T CONNECT THE EVENT I DON'T CALL THIS WHAT THE PRESS HAS BEEN CALLING IT A VIRGINIA TECH MASSACRE. THIS IS A MASSACRE NOT SOMETHING THAT'S ASSOCIATED WITH THIS GREAT UNIVERSITY AND UM I REALLY DO APPRECIATE ALL THE SUPPORT THAT WE'VE BEEN GIVEN AND WERE DEFINITELY TAKING STEPS IN THAT HEALING PROCESS. DESPITE ADEL'S OPTIMISM. THE REALITY AROUND THE CAMPUS JUST NOW, ARE SCENES LIKE THIS. STUDENTS PICKING UP AND LEAVING FOR HOME, ALEXANDER SHROWS IS A FRESHMAN WHO LIVED IN A DORM ON CAMPUS. VERONICA SKINNER IS A SENIOR ENGLISH MAJOR MY FIRST REACTION WAS TO STAY WITH PEOPLE STAY WITH MY SCHOOL LIKE, HAVE PRIDE WITHIN YOUR SCHOOL AND HELP EVERYONE HERE AND UM. BUT WHEN I TALKED TO MY LITTLE BROTHERS AND SISTERS THERE JUST STILL REALLY CONFUSED AND WATCHING THE NEWS FOR THE PAST 24 HOURS JUST MAKES THEM SCARED SO I REALIZE I NEED TO BE THERE FOR THEM CAUSE THERE REALLY YOUNG. I THOUGHT ABOUT STAYING AND THEN THE MORE I THOUGHT ABOUT IT I JUST WANTED TO BE WITH MY FAMILY DURRING A TIME LIKE THIS AT A TIME LIKE THIS, THAT'S UNDERSTANDABLE OF COURSE. AND I MEANT TO SAY MY CONDOLENCES ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENED HERE. YOU KNOW IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT TIME. ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE QUESTIONS IN YOUR MIND. UM WHY DIDN'T WE GET NOTIFICATION EARLIER FROM THE 7:15 911 CALL. WHY WERE PEOPLE IN THEIR 9:05 CLASSES YESTERDAY MORNING, THAT'S WHAT I WANNA KNOW. HAS THE QUESTION ENTERED YOUR MIND OR NOT OF WHY HERE WHY VIRGINIA TECH WHY BLACKSBURG. YEAH. DEFINITELY

QUESTIONS A BOUND THERE'S A LOT THAT REMAINS SERIOUS ABOUT THIS WHOLE THING YOU MAY WANNA KEEP IN MIND THAT ON STORIES SUCH AS THIS ESPECIALLY FREQUENTLY THE FIRST THINGS YOU HEAR LATER TURN OUT TO BE WRONG. THIS IS A STILL DEVELOPING STORY AND SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THOSE STUDENTS JUST POSED ARE HANGING IN THE AIR AND MAY FOR QUITE A FEW DAYS WEEKS, WHO CAN SAY PERHAPS FOREVER. BUT TONIGHT QUESTIONING IS NOT REALLY IN THE SPIRIT OF THIS EVENING. THE SPIRIT OF THIS EVENING IS MOURNING TOGETHER, REFLECTING AND THINKING ABOUT THOSE WHO ARE GONE. WE HAVE MUCH MORE COMING UP SO STAY HERE WITH US.

AS WE MOVE ON WITH OUR LIVE BROADCAST TONIGHT, FROM THE CAMPUS OF VIRGINIA TECH UNIVERSITY IN BLACKSBURG VIRGINIA. A CANDLE LIGHT VIGIL. A GATHERING OF THE STUDENTS WHO REFLECT AND MOURN IS BUILDING AS THE MINUTES GO BY. THE SUN HAS SET HERE THE WIND IS UP A LITTLE AND IT'S GETTING CHILLIER BUT THE CROWD EACH ONE TO CARY A CANDLE IS BUILDING BY THE MOMENT. WE TALKED EARLIER ABOUT QUESTIONS UNANSWERED IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO ANSWER THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION ABOUT THIS TRAGEDY WHY, BUT RESEARCHERS DO HAVE A GROWING DATABASE TO LEARN FROM, ARE THERE OR ARE THERE NOT COMMON PERSONALITY TRAITS AMONG THE SCHOOL SHOOTERS. OR WARNING SIGNS AN INDIVIDUAL MIGHT BE ABOUT TO EXPLODE. WE SPOKE WITH ONE OF THIS COUNTRIES EXPERTS IN SCHOOL VIOLENCE DR CATHERINE NEWMAN IS A PROFESSOR OF SOCIOLOGY AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS AT PRINCETON UNIVERSITY SHE IS THE AUTHOR OF THE BOOK RAMPAGE, THE SOCIAL ROOTS OF SCHOOL SHOOTINGS.

THIS SCHOOL IS ONE OF THE SAFEST PLACES THAT KIDS CAN BE AND THAT'S EVEN MORE TRUE OF UNIVERSITY CAMPUSES. UM OF COURSE WHEN A TERRIBLE EVENT LIKE THIS HAPPENS NO BODY FEELS THAT WAY BUT THAT'S THE ACTUAL TRUTH OF THE MATTER YOUR MORE LIKELY TO GET HIT BY A CAR THEN TO GET HIT BY A BULLET IN A SCHOOL. BUT I'M AFRAID THERE SO SHOCKING AND EVEN MORE THEN THAT THERE SO RANDOM THERE SO UNPREDICTABLE AND THAT'S WHAT SHAKES EVERYONE UP. IF YOU HAVE UM AN INCIDENT IN WHICH 2 KNOWN ANTAGONISTS A HUSBAND AND WIFE, A BOYFRIEND AND GIRLFRIEND, 12 DRUG DEALERS. WHO ARTE MAD AT EACH OTHER AND START SHOOTING WELL WE ALL KNOW THAT HAPPENS AND THAT WE DON'T LIKE IT IT'S SEMI PREDICTABLE. BUT A RANDOM SHOOTING OF THIS KIND SHATTERS EVERYONE'S SINCE OF WHAT'S NORMAL AND WHAT'S LIKELY. AND THAT'S WHY WE REMEMBER IT SO VIVIDLY. THE MOST SIMILAR CASE THAT CAME TO MY MIND WHEN I FIRST HEARD ABOUT THIS WAS A SHOOTING THAT HAPPENED 40 YEARS AGO, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS UH THE SNIPER MOUNTED THE BELL TOWER AND WAS SHOOTING PEOPLE FROM THE BELL TOWER. IT WAS IN THAT SENSE VERY RANDOM HE HAD NO IDEA WHO HE KILLED THIS SOUNDS LIKE SOME COMBINATION IT SOUNDS LIKE THE SHOOTING IN THE DORMITORY WAS PROBABLY SOMEONE THIS PERSON DID KNOW. HAD SOME RELATIONSHIP WITH, I DON'T KNOW OF WHAT KIND MY GUESS IS THE OTHER STUDENTS WHO WERE KILLED ON MASS HE PROBABLY HAD NO IDEA WHO THEY WERE. I BELIEVE WERE GOING TO DISCOVER THAT OTHER PEOPLE WERE AWARE THAT THIS PERSON HAD SOMETHING EVIL IN MIND. HOW CLOSE THEY WERE TO THIS SCHOOL I DON'T KNOW BUT IT WOULD BE A VERY UNUSUAL SCHOOL SHOOTING TO BE TOTALLY SPONTANEOUS AND COMPLETELY PRIVATE IN THE MIND OF THAT SHOOTER BECAUSE ALL THE OTHER ONES THAT WE'VE STUDIED THEY LET OFF SIGNALS THAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO SOMETHING HORRIBLE AND THE QUESTION IS WHAT PERMITS PEOPLE TO COME FORWARD WHO HEAR THAT INFORMATION. AND THAT IS PROBABLY OUR BEST BET. AND THAT'S NOT VERY REASSURING EVERYONE WOULD LIKE TO HEAR THAT WE CAN IDENTIFY THIS PERSON THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE NOBODY WHO DOESN'T BELONG IN THESE BUILDINGS EVER GETS IN, I ACTUALLY THINK THAT'S MORE DIFFICULT ON A COLLEGE CAMPUS THEN UM IN A HIGH SCHOOL. HIGH SCHOOLS TEND TO HAVE ONE ENTRANCE AND ONE EXIT. YOU CAN SET UP METAL DETECTORS AND THAT WILL MAKE A VERY BIG DIFFERENCE BUT UNIVERSITIES LIKE THIS ONE HAVE HUNDREDS OF BUILDINGS WITH HUNDREDS OF ENTRANCES. AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE PASSING IN AND OUT OF THEM EVERY DAY. IT'S MORE DIFFICULT I THINK TO PROTECT PEOPLE ON A UNIVERSITY CAMPUS FROM A PURER SECURITY POINT OF VIEW THIS IS THE MOST DIFFICULT THING FOR US TO ACCEPT THERE ARE NO COMMON FACTORS THAT LINK SHOOTERS WE HAVE SHOOTERS FROM STABLE FAMILIES, SHOOTERS FROM DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILIES. SHOOTERS WHO WERE GOOD STUDENTS AND SHOOTERS WHO WERE TERRIBLE STUDENTS. THERE IS NO WAY TO PREDICT WHAT KIND OF PERSON COULD BECOME A SHOOTER. SO OUR BEST BET INSTEAD IS TO INTERDICT INFORMATION FROM REAL SHOOTERS WHO DO TEND TO LET OFF SIGNALS THAT THERE GOING TO DO SOMETHING TERRIBLE, AND THE REASON THEY LET OUT THE SIGNALS IS THERE TRYING TO CHANGE THERE PUBLIC REPUTATION. THEY ARENT EXPLODING IN RAGE THERE PLANNING IN A WAY WHICH TO CHANGE THE MINDS OF PEOPLE WHO'VE REJECTED THEM INTO AN IMAGE THAT IS MORE SATISFYING. SO IT'S MUCH BETTER TO BE FROM THEIR POINT OF VIEW TO BE THOUGH OF AS A DANGEROUS NOTORIOUS ALLURING, MASCULINE CHARACTER THEN TO BE THOUGH OF AS A SOCIAL LOSER. HOW ARE YOU GOING TO SHIFT THE PERCEPTIONS PEOPLE AROUND YOU HAVE INTO SOMETHING MORE DANGEROUS AND ALLURING WELL YOU DON'T DO IT BY EXPLODING SPONTANEOUSLY, THAT'S TOO FAST. YOU DO IT BY WARNING PEOPLE TRYING TO PEAK THERE ATTENTIONS SAYING THINGS THAT WILL GET THEM TO PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOUR DOING AND THEN EXPLODING. AND THE SAD THING IS THE SHOOTERS THAT I'VE STUDIED ARE GENERALLY QUITE AMBIVALENT ABOUT WHAT THEY WERE GOING TO DO. THEY WEREN'T COMMITTED TO THIS PATH OF ACTION. BUT THERE ATTEMPTS TO CHANGE THE PUBLIC PERCEPTION OR THEIR PEER GROUPS PERCEPTION DIDN'T WORK UNTIL THEY STARTED ABOUT SHOOTING PEOPLE THEN THEY START GETTING THE ATTENTION THERE LOOKING FOR IN SCHOOL SHOOTINGS WE FIND FIRST OF ALL IT'S A SOCIALLY MARGINAL PERSON, SOMEONE WHO HAS HAD A GREAT DEAL OF DIFFICULTY INCORPORATING INTO SOCIAL GROUPS. BUT ISN'T A LONER, THIS ISN'T SOMEONE WHO WITHDRAWS FROM SOCIETY AND THEN EXPLODES INTO SOME KIND OF UNANTICIPATED RAGE THIS IS SOMEONE WHO KEEPS TRYING TO JOIN AND KEEPS GETTING REBUFFED SO THERE DAILY EXPERIENCE IS ONE OF REJECTION TIME AFTER TIME BECAUSE THIS COMES TO US AS A SPONTANEOUS ERUPTION WE THINK THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT CAUSES YOU KNOW THAT HAPPENS WHEN SOMEBODY JUST SNAPS. BUT THE EVIDENCE THAT WE'VE REVIEWED SO FAR DOESN'T SHOW THAT WHAT IT SHOWS INSTEAD IS A FAIRLY CAREFULLY PLOTTED CATASTROPHE. UM SOMETIMES PLOTTED MONTHS IN ADVANCE. UM BECAUSE AGAIN THE SHOOTER IS A PROBLEM SOLVER WHAT PROBLEM IS THE SHOOTER TRYING TO SOLVE. HE'S TRYING TO CHANGE THE WAY PEOPLE THINK ABOUT HIM. AND THAT'S WHY HE'S LETTING OFF HINTS IN ADVICE AND THAT'S WHY HE'S PLANNING WELL IN ADVANCE AND WHY HE'S LETTING OFF IN CLUES ABOUT WHAT HE'S GOING TO DO. IT'S NOT SPONTANEOUS IT'S PLANNED AND THAT SHOULD MAKE IT IN THEORY EASIER FOR US TO TRIP THAT INFORMATION UP SOMEWHERE. BECAUSE IT A REAL EXPLOSION THAT HAPPENS UTTERLY WITHOUT WARNING IS MUCH HARDER TO PROTECT ANYONE AGAINST. BUT AN EVENT THAT'S PLANNED FOR THAT LONG IN ADVANCE IS SOMETHING WE HAVE AT LEAST THE POSSIBILITY OF INTRODUCING. AS MANY TIMES AS I'VE HEARD IT HAPPEN OR STUDIED IT THERE'S STILL AN ELEMENT OF SHOCK AND DISBELIEF FOR ANYONE WHO HEARS IT. SECONDARILY AS A UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR MYSELF OF COURSE WE ALL LOOK AROUND THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH WE WORK AND THE STUDENTS WE WORK WITH AND WE WORRY ABOUT THEIR SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF THE PLACE THAT WHERE WE, THAT WE CALL HOME. SO IT'S VERY UNSETTLING FOR EVERYONE AND I'M SURE MOST AMERICANS ARE GOING TO FEEL THAT THEIR CHILDREN ARE AT RISK TOMORROW MORNING. IT WONT REALLY BE TRUE IN A STATISTICAL SENSE BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER VERY MUCH THERE STILL OUR CHILDREN AND WE SEND THEM OFF INTO THE WORLD AND WE EXPECT THERE GONNA COME HOME AT THE END OF THE DAY. AND HAVING INTERVIEWED FAMILIES WHERE THEY DIDN'T COME HOME. IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT THING TO WIPE OUT OF YOUR MIND. AND I NEVER DO I ALWAYS THINK OF THEM WHEN I THINK ABOUT THESE INSTANCES. I'M AFRAID THAT HEALING TAKES A VERY LONG TIME AND IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT I STUDIED WHICH HAD SUFFERED THEIR SHOOTINGS 3 YEARS BEFORE I GOT THERE. I DON'T THINK IN WHICH THOSE COMMUNITIES HAD HEALED BY THEN, IT DOESN'T GO AWAY AND FOR SOME PEOPLE IT NEVER GOES AWAY. AND I THINK WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT THAT COMMUNITY NEEDS TO BE LEFT ALONE FOR A WHILE AND IT'S PRIVACY RESPECTED. I THINK WE SHOULD UNDERSTAND WHEN PARENTS WANT THEIR KIDS TO COME HOME BUT THE KIDS DON'T WANT TO BECAUSE THERE IS SOMETHING CATHARTIC ABOUT BEING WITH PEOPLE WHO SUFFERED A SIMILAR SHOCK. AND UH AN ALMOST NATURAL DESIRE TO REMAIN A MONTH THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN THROUGH THIS HORRIBLE INCIDENT. RATHER THEN SCATTERING. WHEN PEOPLE GET OFF BY THEMSELVES THEY OFTEN FEEL MORE UNHINGED THEN IF THERE TOGETHER WITH OTHERS WHO'VE BEEN THROUGH A TERRIBLE SHOCK. I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO RECOGNIZE UNLIKE A HIGH SCHOOL SHOOTING, WHERE EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY LIVES NEAR THE SCHOOL. THE STUDENTS WHO DIED AT VIRGINIA TECH PROBABLY COME FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. AND THE PEOPLE WHO WILL GREVE FOR THEM ARE NOT RIGHT IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD THERE GOING TO BE ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES AND IN OTHER COUNTRIES AS WELL I'M SURE THAT MAKES THIS PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT IT, I THINK IN SOME WAYS IT'S EASIER IF ONE CAN USE THAT WORD WHEN IT HAPPENS IN A COMMUNITY THAT'S VERY TIGHT AND RESIDENTIALLY BOUNDED. THIS COMMUNITY'S WORLD WIDE AND THAT'S GOING TO BE VERY HARD PEOPLE NEED ONE ANOTHER AND THERE WONT BE ANYBODY NEXT DOOR WHO WENT THROUGH THIS FOR MOST OF THE FAMILIES WHO EXPERIENCED THIS TRAGEDY AUTHOR AND PROFESSOR CATHERINE NEWMAN OF PRINCETON UNIVERSITY. THE LIVE PICTURE YOU JUST SAW WAS THE CANDLE LIGHT SERVICE ACTUALLY BEGINNING HERE ON THE DRILL FIELD VIRGINIA TECH UNIVERSITY. THERE ARE GOING TO BE A FEW SPEAKERS, PERHAPS A SONG OR 2. AND A LOT OF SILENCE AS THIS SEA OF CANDLES GROWS BY THE MINUTE. THIS DRILL FIELD THIS ENORMOUS DRILL FIELD SPEAKS TO VIRGINIA TECH UNIVERSITIES MILITARY BACKGROUND. SCHOOL WAS FOUNDED IN 1842 UNTIL THE MID 1960'S MEMBERSHIP IN THE CADET CORPS IS THE THE MILITARY CADET CORPS. WAS MANDATORY, AND WHILE IT'S NO LONGER MANDATORY IT'S STILL VERY MUCH AT HEART OF THE UNIVERSITY AND IT'S CORE AND SCATTERED IN THIS CROWD ARE MEMBERS OF THE CADET CORPS.

THEY TOO HOLDING CANDLES

MORE OF DAN RATHER REPORTS AFTER THIS SHORT BREAK.

BACK NOW LIVE FROM BLACKSBURG VIRGINIA, ON THE CAMPUS OF VIRGINIA TECH UNIVERSITY IN THE GLOOMING THE GRIEVING. LONG MOMENTS OF SILENCE. AS THESE STUDENTS WITH THEIR CANDLES HELD HIGH, REFLECT AND REMEMBER JUST OFF TO MY LEFT MEMBERS OF THE STUDENT CADET CORPS. STANDING IN THE MONUMENT AWARD DEN. AND NOW TAPS FOR THE DAY OF THE LAST FEW DAYS. (TRUMPET PLAYING) TAPS ON THE DRILL FIELD OF VIRGINIA TECH UNIVERSITY ONCE REMINDED THAT ONE STORY ABOUT THE ORIGINATION OF TAPS IS A IT BEGAN IN THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR MID 19TH CENTURY. THE WILDERNESS ROAD OF THE CIVIL WAR REPORTEDLY RAN THROUGH THIS VERY PART OF VIRGINIA. SOME OF THE WORST PARTS OF THE WAR WERE NOT FOUGHT HERE. THE SO CALLED WILDERNESS TRAIL RAN THROUGH THESE PARTS.

WERE GONNA COME BACK TO THE SUBJECT OF THIS TRAGEDY AT VIRGINIA TECH UNIVERSITY A LITTLE LATER IN THE PROGRAM. BUT WE ALSO WANT TO SPEND SOME TIME TALKING ABOUT RACE TONIGHT, THE EARLY CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER GOVENY B DUBOIS DECLARED THE PROBLEM WITH THE 20TH CENTURY IS THE PROBLEM OF THE COLOR LINE. FROM OUR VANTAGE POINT NOW FROM THE 21ST CENTURY. DUBOIS'S STATEMENT BRINGS WITH THE TRUTH OF PROPHETIC FULFILLED. AND THOUGH MORE THEN 100 YEARS HAVE PASSED SINCE THOSE WORDS WERE SPOKEN WE ARE STILL REMINDED REGULARLY OF THE MANY WAYS IN WHICH ISSUES OF RACE REVERBERATE THOUGH OUR SOCIETY. RECENT DAYS HAVE SEEN THE FURY OVER RADIO DJ DON IMUS REMARKS ABOUT THE RUTGERS WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM. WE REMAIN A NATION DEEPLY CONCERNED WITH THE SUBJECT OF RACE WITH ITS POTENTIAL TO IMPACT SO MANY OTHER ISSUES. SO HOW ARE WE DEALING TODAY WITH THE ENDURING PROBLEM OF THE COLOR LINE, AT A TIME WHEN RACE HAS RE IMMERGED AS A CENTRAL TOPIC IN THE AMERICAN CONVERSATION. WE THOUGHT WE'D TAKE A LOOK AT HOW SOME WERE TRYING TO FIND SOME NEW SOLUTIONS TO A PROBLEM AS OLD AS THE COUNTRY ITSELF IF THERE'S ANY CITY IN AMERICA THAT UNDERSTANDS THE PROBLEMS OF RACE IT'S NEWARK NEW JERSEY. JUST ACROSS THE HUDSON RIVER FROM NEW YORK CITY, NEWARK IS OVER 300 YEARS OLD THE THIRD OLDEST COMMUNITY IN AMERICA BUT A CITY THAT HAS YET TO RECOVER FROM THE PAIN OF RACIAL UNREST THAT HAPPENED 40 YEARS AGO. FOR ONE HOT WEEK IN JULY, 1967 THIS CITY BURNED AND MANY SAY IT HAS NEVER RECOVERED. AFTER THE RIOTS WHITES GAVE UP ON NEWARK MOVED AWAY. THE CITY BECAME THE SYMBOL OF URBAN DECAY IN AMERICA. BUT TODAY THERE IS A YOUNG MAYOR WHO DESPERATELY WANTS TO CHANGE THE IMAGE OF NEWARK. HE IS 37YEAROLD CORY BOOKER. SINCE HE WAS ELECTED MAYOR OF NEWARK A YEAR AGO...CRIME HAS GONE DOWN EDUCATION IS IMPROVING AND PARTS OF THE OLD DOWNTOWN ARE BEING REVITALIZED. THINGS ARE FINALLY LOOKING UP EVEN THE LOCAL COLLEGE BASKETBALL TEAM MADE IT TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME THE SUCCESS OF RUTGERS WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PROGRAM HAS BECOME AN INSPIRATION TO THE CITY, WHICH MADE A RACIST COMMENT ON THE RADIO ALL THE MORE PAINFUL. WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY WHERE THE DREAMS OF OUR ANCESTORS HAVE MANIFESTED A BRIGHTER DAY THAN THIS. WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY THAT ALL MAN AND WOMEN ARE CREATED EQUAL. WE LIVE IN A SOCIETY WHERE YOU ARE NOT JUDGED BY THE COLOR OF YOUR SKIN. THE BEAUTY OF YOUR HAIR BY THE HUE OF YOUR BEING. WE ARE JUDGED IN A SOCIETY WHERE THE CONTENT OF YOUR CHARACTER IS IMPORTANT. I GREW UP IN AN ALL WHITE NEIGHBORHOOD AND I I JOKE WITH SOME OF MY BLACK FRIENDS WHO GREW UP IN AN ALL BLACK ENVIRONMENT. I SAY YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO FEEL BLACK WHEN YOU'RE (CHUCKLES) GROWING UP IN A COMMUNITY WHERE PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS ASKING YOU CAN I TOUCH YOUR HAIR. CAUSE I'VE NEVER SEEN I NEVER GOT A CHANCE TO TOUCH HAIR LIKE THAT. YOU WERE SORT OF THE THE THE EXPERIENCE OF A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH BLACK PEOPLE. OR IF YOU'RE READING KIDS ARE READING FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THEIR TEXT BOOKS, THE COUNTRY OF NIGER AND THEY SAY NIGGER. AND EVERYBODY CRACKS UP IN THE CLASSROOM AND STARES AT YOU. AND AND THESE THESE SUBTLE HUMILIATIONS THAT YOU GET GROWING UP, THAT BUILD UP OVER TIME. AND SO THIS IS A NUANCE THAT'S OFTEN LOST IN CONVERSATIONS ABOUT RACE AND WHERE WE ARE AS A COUNTRY. LONG BEFORE IT BECAME A SYMBOL OF URBAN BLIGHT, THE NEWARK THAT CORY BOOKER NOW LEADS WAS ONCE ONE OF AMERICAS MOST VITAL CITIES OUR ENTIRE HISTORY, IS THIS REALLY GLORIOUS HISTORY OF SUCCESS. AND SO HERE'S A CITY THAT'S THE THIRD OLDEST CITY IN AMERICA IN TERMS OF WHEN IT WAS FOUNDED. THAT LED THIS NATION IN EVERY STEP OF IT'S EVOLUTION. FROM DEFENDING WASHINGTON'S ARMY WHEN THEY WERE FLEEING THE BRITISH, FROM FROM NEW YORK. AND IT WAS NEWARK 'MINUTEMEN' THAT WERE IN THE PIVOTAL BATTLE RIGHT HERE IN NEW JERSEY THAT TURNED THE COURSE OF THE WAR. TO THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION. THOMAS EDISON HAD HIS MAJOR INVENTING PERIOD RIGHT HERE IN NEWARK. BUT THEN WHAT HAPPENED TO AMERICA WAS, THE URBAN DECLINE AND DECAY, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, FAMILIES THAT CAME TO GET JOBS IN THESE MANUFACTURING PLANTS IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND RAISE FAMILIES, SUDDENLY, WE SHIFTED IN OUR GLOBAL ECONOMY, FRANKLY. BUT IN THE AMERICAN ECONOMY THOSE OPPORTUNITIES CLOSED. SO TO ME, PEOPLE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. KING, WHEN HE WROTE THE LETTERS FROM THE BIRMINGHAM JAIL, SAID IT IN A MUCH BEAUTIFUL WAY MORE BEAUTIFUL WAY, WHEN HE SAID 'WE'RE ALL CAUGHT IN AN INESCAPABLE NETWORK OF MUTUALITY. TIED IN THE COMMON GARMENT OF DESTINY.' SO WHAT HAPPENS IN NEWARK IS DIRECTLY IMPORTANT TO WHAT HAPPENS IN SUBURBAN NEW JERSEY OR WHAT HAPPENS IN IN IN UTAH, OR WHAT HAPPENS IN CALIFORNIA. WELL I KEEP THAT IN MIND BUT I JUST SEE ON YOUR DESK OVER HERE, AND EXCUSE ME. NO PROBLEM. BUT I SEE ON THIS DESK OVER HERE, LIFE MAGAZINE FROM JULY 28TH, 1967. YES. SHOOTING WAR IN THE STREETS. NEWARK. THE PREDICTABLE INSURRECTION, AND A TRAGEDY PICTURE ON THE FRONT. WOUNDED BY GUNSHOT. JOE BASS, JR. TWELVE LIES IN A NEWARK STREET IN HIS OWN BLOOD. YES. NOW HOW DID NEWARK GET FROM BEING, QUOTE, THE MOST LIVABLE CITY IN AMERICA. TO THE CENTER OF, WHAT CAN ONLY BE DESCRIBED AS A RACE RIOT IN 1967. RIGHT, RIGHT. WELL, THIS IS THE STORY OF AMERICA THAT THAT THE SOCIAL DISLOCATIONS THAT HAPPENED IN THE LATE 50S AND 60S. AND THE THE RIOTS ACTUALLY WERE JUST THE SORT OF THE BURSTING FORTH, THE MANIFESTATION OF A LOT OF THE THE THE PROBLEMS THAT WERE GOING ON AT THE TIME. THEY BEGAN TO WAREHOUSE POOR PEOPLE IN THESE MONUMENTS TO TO MYOPIC THINKING, IN MY OPINION. THAT CREATED HAVENS FOR VIOLENCE AND CRIME. THAT IMAGE HAS DOGGED NEWARK'S FOR DECADES. BUT BOOKER, WHO GREW UP IN AN ALL WHITE SUBURB. WANTED TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE LIVES AND THE PROBLEMS FACING AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THIS CITY. SO FOR 4 YEARS BOOKER LIVED IN THIS HOUSING PROJECT IN THE HEART OF NEWARK WHERE HE SAW FIRST HAND HOW FAR THE CITY HAD FALLEN. I HAD A YOUNG BOY DIE IN MY ARMS, SHOT TO DEATH. I WAS WALKING DOWN THE STREET AND GUNSHOTS RANG OUT, AND CHILDREN RAN DOWN THE STREET. AND I RAN TO THE KIDS, JUST IN TIME TO CATCH A BOY FALLING OF A OFF A STEPS. AND HELD THIS CHILD, DESPERATELY TRYING TO STOP THE BLOOD FLOWING FROM HIS CHEST. WITH YOUR TRACK RECORD, WITH YOUR RE SUME , STANFORD, YALE, RHODES SCHOLAR, YOU COULD DO JUST ABOUT ANYTHING IN LIFE THAT YOU SET OUT TO DO. WHY NEWARK? YOU KNOW I LOVE THIS COMMUNITY, AND I FEEL LIKE I'M A PART OF IT. AND IT RESONATES WITH MY SPIRIT. SO I I I FEEL BLESSED TO BE A PART OF THIS STORY AND THE GREAT PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE. WHY SHOULD ANYBODY CARE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IN NEWARK. SOME MAY SAY OKAY, I HEAR THE MAYOR. I UNDERSTAND WHY HE CARES. BUT IF I'M IN DETROIT OR DES MOINES, OR DALLAS, WHY SHOULD I CARE WHAT HAPPENS TO NEWARK. WELL, YOU KNOW, WE ALL ARE INTIMATELY CONNECTED IN WAYS THAT WE'RE BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND. OUR DESTINIES ARE INTERTWINED IN SUCH SOPHISTICATED AND BEAUTIFUL WAYS. AND WE'RE STARTING TO SEE THAT IN A GLOBAL SENSE. THAT WHAT HAPPENS IN MARKETS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA, HAVE AN IMPACT ON WHAT HAPPENS IN INNER CITIES IN NEWARK, DETROIT, WHATEVER. AND SO NOW WE'VE GOT TO REINVENT THAT PARADIGM. AND HERE IN NEWARK, WE THINK WE COULD BE ON THE FOREFRONT OF THAT REINVENTION. SO I HAVE I HAVE AN OBLIGATION AS AN AMERICAN IN IN THE 21ST CENTURY TO INNOVATE. TO UNDERSTAND THAT I STAND ON THE SHOULDERS, BUT I MUST CONTINUE TO REACH UP AND REACH FORWARD. AND AND THAT'S WHAT I BELIEVE MY GENERATION HAS TO OFFER. BOOKER STARTED WITH EDUCATION ENCOURAGING A PUBLIC PRIVATE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM AND REFORMS INCLUDING CHARTER SCHOOLS. WITH ABOUT 25 PERCENT OF NEWARK'S' FAMILIES LIVING IN POVERTY, ECONOMICS IS A HIGH PRIORITY AS WELL. BUT FOR THE MOMENT, ALL THE ISSUES OF RUNNING A MAJOR CITY HAVE TAKEN A BACK SEAT BIGOTRY. THE INJURY THAT WAS DONE IN T HOSE WORDS IS A REFLECTION OF A DEEPER UNDERCURRENT OF RACISM AND BIGOTRY THAT EXISTS IN OUR SOCIETY. WE'VE HEARD THESE THINGS FOR A LONG TIME. AND I DON'T WANNA GO THROUGH ALL THE ANNOUNCERS FROM, YOU KNOW, JIMMY 'THE GREEK.' THE GREAT HOWARD COSELL. BUT THIS WAS A MUCH MORE HEINOUS VERSION IN MY OPINION, THAN EVEN THOSE COMMENTS. THEY FOUGHT AND THEY STRUGGLED AND THEY GOT TO COLLEGE. THEY WORKED HARD IN THE CLASSROOM AND THEY WORKED HARD ON THE COURT. AND AT A TIME WHEN EVERYBODY DOUBTED WHO THEY ARE. THEY DOUBTED WHERE THEY CAME FROM. THEY QUESTIONED THEIR VERY EXISTENCE THEY MADE IT ALL THE WAY TO THE FINAL FOUR, AND THE FINAL GAME. AND AT THAT POINT AT THE HEIGHT AT THE PINNACLE AT THE ZENITH OF THEY'RE ACHIEVEMENT, THEY WERE TAKEN DOWN, THEY WERE SHOT AT THEY WERE STONED BY THE IGNORANCE OF A MAN ON THE RADIO. SO HERE IS A PERSON THAT IS ELEVATED TO AN INCREDIBLY HIGH LEVEL. AND MAKES AN INCREDIBLE PROFIT OFF OF HIS POSITION. WHERE PEOPLE CLAMOR, POLITICIANS LIKE MYSELF, WOULD CLAMOR TO GO ONTO THOSE SHOWS, BECAUSE THEY KNOW THE THE AUDIENCES THAT LISTEN ARE OPEN ARE INFLUENCED BY THE WORDS OF DON IMUS, OR OTHER OF THESE LEADERS. SO JUST THAT'S WHERE YOU HAVE TO START FROM UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE IS A PROFIT. AND I GET VERY FRUSTRATED WHEN I SEE PEOPLE PROFITING OFF OF OTHER PEOPLE'S PAINS. OR REAPING REWARDS OFF OF SORT OF THE 'SHOCK JOCK' THING. BUT I JUST WANNA DRILL DOWN TO THE TO THE MORE HUMAN ELEMENT FOR ME. I THINK ABOUT THE GIRLS THAT THEY TALKED ABOUT. BUT NOT JUST THE GIRLS ON THE BASKETBALL COURT. OR THE WOMEN ON THE BASKETBALL COURT. BUT LITTLE GIRLS ALL OVER AMERICA. I KNEW THE LENGTHS THAT MY PARENTS WENT TO, RIGHTFULLY, TO TRY TO SHIELD ME FROM EVEN THE UNINTENTIONAL CONDEMNATION. OF EVEN THE PEOPLE THAT I LOVED AND CARE ABOUT TO THIS DAY. AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES IS IS THE 'BEAUTY MYTH' IN AMERICA. THAT BECAUSE OF THE KINK OF YOUR HAIR, OR THE CURVES OF YOUR HIP, OR THE THICKNESS OF YOUR LIPS THAT YOU ARE, SOMEHOW, NOT BEAUTIFUL. SO HERE'S DON IMUS NOW, AT A TIME WHEN THESE YOUNG WOMEN HAVE MADE IT TO THE PINNACLE OF THEIR CAREERS. AND THEY DIDN'T GET THERE BY ACCIDENT. THEIR PARENTS HAD TO RAISE THEM IN A WORLD THAT OFTEN DEVALUED THEIR PHYSICAL FEATURES. THAT DEVALUED THEIR WORTH. AND HAD TO RAISE 'EM TO HAVE A CONFIDENCE TO STAND UP. TO BE WHO THEY ARE. AND THEY HAVE A POWERFUL, INFLUENTIAL PERSON SENDING THESE MESSAGES, NOT ONLY TO THEM, BUT TO OTHER LITTLE GIRLS WHO LOOK AT THEM AS IDOLS AND HEROES. WHO WHO IN THEM, THE POSSIBILITY THAT THEY, TOO, CAN MAKE IT. TO SEND THIS MESSAGE, A POWERFUL WHITE MAN PREACHING SORT OF THIS, WHITE SUPREMACIST IDEOLOGY THAT YOU ARE NOT AS BEAUTIFUL AS I AM. THAT YOU ARE NOT AS GOOD AS AS AS I AM, BECAUSE OF THE COLOR OF YOUR SKIN. I DON'T KNOW IMUS, I'VE NEVER MET 'EM. BUT I'M NOT SURE IF HE HAS THE SOPHISTICATION TO UNDERSTAND HOW HURTFUL HIS COMMENTS WERE. NOT JUST TO THE TARGETS OF HIS INSULT, BUT TO A NATION THAT IS STRUGGLING CORY BOOKER HAS BEEN IN OFFICE LESS THAN A YEAR AND WHILE HIS CAMPAIGN PLEDGE TO LOWER OVERALL CRIME IS WORKING DOWN 40 PERCENT FROM LAST YEAR BUT THE MURDER RATE IS STILL CLIMBING. WHAT DO PEOPLE IN NEWARK, ON THE STREETS, AROUND THE WATER COOLERS, OVER THE LUNCH TABLE, WHAT DO THEY CARE ABOUT? WHAT DO THEY REALLY CARE ABOUT. IS THE WAR #1? NO. NEWARKERS CARE ABOUT THE BASIC THINGS THAT AMERICANS CARE ABOUT, THAT CONCERN THEIR LIVES. THE #1 CONCERN OF ALL MY CITIZENS, WHEN WE POLLED FOR THIS OFFICE I HOLD, WAS SAFETY. SOON AFTER THAT WAS EDUCATION. AND THEN SOON AFTER THAT WAS A GLOB OF ISSUES AROUND ECONOMIC I CALL IT ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT, HOUSING, A A JOBS. BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES. SO NOWHERE FELL ON THAT LIST OR WAY, WAY DOWN IN THE ONE PERCENTAGE, WAS A FEAR OF O F TERRORISM. NOW SHOULD WE IGNORE IGNORE AT THEIR OWN PERIL. SHOULD WE NOT BE INVESTING RE RESOURCES IN IT. ABSOLUTELY. BUT I HAVE A PROBLEM, A A REAL PROBLEM PERSONALLY WITH THE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS INVESTMENT I SEE GOING IN TO IRAQ RIGHT NOW. AND I CAN'T GET $100,000 (CHUCKLES) TO TO TO OUTFIT MY POLICE PRECINCT IN A MODERN WAY. I WAS ON THE PHONE, FRIDAY NIGHT IN THIS OFFICE TILL MIDNIGHT WORKING ON A GRANT APPLICATION TO A PRIVATE GROUP FOR A DRUG TREATMENT CENTER HERE IN NEWARK. AND AND WE DON'T HAVE THE FEDERAL DOLLARS FOR THAT. OR EVEN SOMETHING SIMPLE, THAT WE DON'T HAVE AND THIS IS SOMETHING MAYOR BLOOMBERG IS WORKING ON WITH A NUMBER OF OF OTHER MAYORS. THAT WE CAN'T GET TRACE DATA FOR ILLEGAL GUNS THAT COME INTO OUR CITIES, UP THE NEW JERSEY TURNPIKE. ONE PERCENT OF THE GUN RETAILERS IN THIS NATION, ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ABOUT 60, 70 PERCENT OF THE GUNS, ILLEGAL GUNS IN MY COMMUNITY. AND WE CAN'T EVEN GET THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO SHARE TRACE DATA WITH US SO WE CAN DEAL WITH THESE ISSUES. IT'S THE ABSURDITY OF THESE THINGS FRUSTRATES ME. ESPECIALLY CAUSE I KNOW IN MY HEART THAT WE HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DEAL WITH IT. THERE'S NO PROBLEM IN AMERICA THAT'S BIGGER THAN OUR PEOPLE ARE. THAT'S BIGGER THAN OUR CAPACITY TO DEAL WITH. LET'S TALK ABOUT CURRENT POLITICS. YOU HAVE A CANDIDATE IN THE PRESIDENTIAL SWEEPSTAKES. I'M I'M STRONGLY LEANING AWAY AND AND PROBABLY WILL MAKE A DECISION IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS. WITH BARACK OBAMA. IT'S SOMEBODY I I'M CERTAINLY AM STILL TALKING AMONGST MY TEAM. WHEN YOU POSITION LIKE THIS, YOU DON'T MAKE FOR YOURSELF. AND YOU KNOW A LOT OF POLITICAL LEADERS HERE IN NEWARK ARE ARE LOOKING TO ME. AND THE REASON WHY THOUGH I'M LEANING TO BARACK OBAMA. I THINK THAT HILLARY CLINTON, ON A POLICY LEVEL I I HAVE RESONATE WITH HER ON A LOT OF ISSUES. BUT I HAVE TO SAY, THAT I THINK THIS NATION IS AT A PIVOTAL CROSSROADS. THAT THE POLICIES FOR THIS NATION HAVE TRIED, I THINK UNSUCCESSFULLY. BUT THEY'VE DONE THEIR DAMAGE. AND THEY'RE DIVIDING US ONE FROM ANOTHER. . THIS IS A TIME IN AMERICA WHERE WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER IN WAYS THAT WE HAVEN'T DONE BEFORE. AND SO I'M LOOKING FOR A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE THAT CAN INSPIRE THAT IN MY HEART. AND I THINK THEY CAN INSPIRE THAT IN THE NATION, AS A WHOLE. AND THAT'S WHY I'M I'M LEANING THE THE WAY I AM. IS THE FACT THAT HE'S OF AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE A BIG PART OF THAT EQUATION? I I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A BIG PART OF THAT EQUATION. BUT I DO THINK THAT THE MANY THINGS THAT MAKE US WHO WE ARE KENNEDY WAS WHO HE WAS FOR A LOT OF REASONS. BUT ONE OF THEM WAS THAT HE WAS A CATHOLIC. AND THE CHALLENGE THAT HE FACED IN A DAY IN A DAY, FRANKLY, THAT YOU KNOW PEOPLE DON'T REMEMBER THIS, BUT TO TO BE CATHOLIC IN AMERICA, THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCRIMINATION. ANTI CATHOLIC DISCRIMINATION. I THINK THAT GAVE HIM A DEEPER COMPASSION. I THINK IT HELPED 'EM TO SEE AND UNDERSTAND ISSUES OF THOSE WHO WERE IN STRUGGLE IN IN IN INTIMATE WAYS. I THINK WE NEED THAT IN A LEADER. SO IT'S NOT SIMPLY HIM BEING BLACK. I DON'T THINK I EVEN LOOK AT HIM AS A BLACK LEADER IN IN THE WAYS THAT MANY OFTEN PEOPLE USE THAT TERM TO LIMIT SOMEBODY. I SEE 'EM AS A PROPHETIC VOICE. AND WHETHER HE MANIFESTS THAT AS THAT AS PRESIDENT OR NOT, HE'S ONE OF THE MORE INSPIRATIONAL THINGS THAT'S HAPPENED TO OUR NATION. I HAVE A A FAITH IN MY NATION THAT RUNS SO DEEP, THAT IT CANNOT BE EVEN SHAKEN. THIS COUNTRY IS NOT LIKE ANY OTHER NATION. WE WEREN'T A THEOCRACY, FOUNDED ON A COMMON FAITH. WE WEREN'T A MONARCHY FOLLOWED BY A LINEAGE AND BLOOD. WE WERE A GREAT EXPERIMENT. AND THIS NATION WAS FOUNDED ON A SET OF IDEALS THAT THAT WERE PERFECT THOUGH WE HAD A SAVAGELY IMPERFECT REALITY. BUT THIS STORY OF AMERICA IS A CONSTANT EVOLUTION IN IN AN INSPIRATIONAL SENSE, TO MANIFEST THOSE IDEALS. AND I BELIEVE IN IN THE HUNGER OF THE OVERALL MAJORITY OF THIS COUNTRY, IS FOR US TO BE WHAT WE ARE. TO TO MANIFEST THE GLORY OF THIS NATION. SO I PEOPLE I HEAR IT ALL THE TIME IS THE COUNTRY READY FOR A BLACK PRESIDENT, OR A WOMAN PRESIDENT. YES, THE COUNTRY IS READY FOR A GREAT PRESIDENT. IF THEY HAPPENED TO BE FEMALE OR OR BLACK, SO BE IT. AND I THINK THAT MY FAITH IN THIS NATION, AS AS DIFFICULT AS IT'S BEEN, IT'S ALWAYS PROVEN OUT. NEWARK MAYOR CORY BOOKER. WERE BACK LIVE NOW ON THE CAMPUS OF THE VIRGINIA TECH UNIVERSITY WHERE THE CANDLE LIGHT VIGIL IS CONTINUING EARLIER IT WAS IN THE TWILIGHT IN THE ROAMING NOW NIGHT HAS FALLEN.

IN JUST A FEW MOMENTS I'LL BE BACK WITH 2 STUDENTS WHO KNEW THE ALLEGED SHOOTER HERE AT VIRGINIA TECH SO STAY WITH US.

IN THIS LIVE PICTURE FROM VIRGINIA TECH UNIVERSITY YOU SEE THAT ON THE GREAT DRILL FIELD OF THE SCHOOL, THAT THE CANDLES AND THE PEOPLE CARRYING THE CANDLES HAVE SPREAD OUT SOME, THIS WIDE SHOT GIVES YOU A BETTER IDEA OF HOW VAST THE DRILL FIELD IS. WE HAVE NO ESTIMATE ON THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE CAME TONIGHT BUT THERE ENOUGH TO PRACTICALLY FILL THIS WHOLE DRILL FIELD. THE SCHOOL HAS ABOUT 26 THOUSAND UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS. A FEW MORE THOUSAND POST GRADUATE STUDENTS. THIS HAS BEEN. YOU KNOW AS WE LIKE TO SAY ONE OF THE THINGS TELEVISION DOES BEST IS TAKE YOU THERE. WHAT WE'VE TRIED TO DO TONIGHT IS BRING YOU HERE TO THIS CANDLE LIGHT CEREMONY, BUT AS GREAT AS TELEVISION IS AT BRINGING YOU TO A PLACE AND PUTTING YOU ON SCENE. IT'S STILL DIFFERENT WHEN YOUR HERE AND BREATHE THE AIR AND FEEL THE WIND. YES FEEL THE CHILL, HEAR THE LONG SILENCE, AND WATCH THOSE CANDLES. I'M JOINED HERE NOW BY 2 SENIORS AT VIRGINIA TECH UNIVERSITY. BRENT BIONDO, AND LINDSAY MADISON. BOTH ARE SENIORS, AND BOTH HAD CLASSES WITH THE ALLEGED SHOOTER. A STUDENT AT THE LAW ENFORCEMENT PEOPLE ARE ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED UM WAS THE KILLER. THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME TO BE WITH US. YOUR WELCOME FIRST OF ALL UH LINDSAY WHY DID YOU COME TONIGHT? TO THE VIGIL? I FELT THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO BE WITH THE STUDENT BODY, TO MOURN WITH EVERYONE, AND BE CONNECTED TO EVERYONE WHO EXPERIENCED THE SAME THING BRENT CONNECTEDNESS IS A WORK I'VE HEARD SO MUCH ON CAMPUS TODAY. I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE LOOKING IN MAY HAVE HEARD OF VIRGINIA TECH BECAUSE OF THE FOOTBALL PARLAYS OF THE FOOTBALL TEAMS UM, THIS IS A GREAT UNIVERSITY, IT'S NOT JUST HARVARD OR STANFORD, IT'S NOT YALE OR CALTECH. UH AS GREAT AS THEY ARE PERHAPS BETTER KNOWN BUT WHAT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THIS SCHOOL IS THAT 1, IT HAS A WORLD CLASS ENGINEERING SCHOOL WORLD CLASS SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY. AND HAS DEVELOPED INTO RECENT YEARS INTO A NATIONAL TREASURE. AND A SCHOOL WITH IT'S NOT TOO STRONG TO SAY WORLDWIDE INFLUENCE FOR GOOD. BUT THE CHARACTER OF THE SCHOOL IS SO CLOSELY KNIT I PICKED UP THE WORD CONNECTED THERE ARE FEW PLACES IN THE COUNTRY THAT I'VE BEEN FEW UNIVERSITIES THAT HAVE THIS SENSE OF TOGETHERNESS SENSE OF COMMUNITY THAT YOU HAVE HERE, TELL ME SOMETHING ABOUT THAT BRETT WELL UNITY IS, IS EVERYTHING WE STRIVE FOR HERE I MEAN AND RESPECT UH THAT'S WHY I CAME HERE IS, YOU. YOU GO OUT INTO ONTO THE DRILL FIELD BETWEEN CLASSES AND THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE A LOT OF PEOPLE EVERYWHERE YOU GO, AND YOU THERE'S NO CHANCE FOR YOU TO KNOW HALF A QUARTER OF THEM BUT YOUR ALL, YOUR ALL HOKIES. YOUR ALL GONNA CHEER FOR THE FOOTBALL AND THE BASKETBALL TEAMS BECAUSE IT'S THAT'S WHAT YOU DO I MEAN. IT'S ALL ABOUT THAT. WELL IT HAS A VERY STRONG SENSE OF COMMUNITY SPIRIT AND I WANTED TO ASK YOU SINCE BOTH OF YOU HAD CLASSES IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THE 2 OF YOU HAD A PLAY WRITING CLASS WITH CHO LAST SEMESTER AND THAT LINDSAY YOU HAD A BIBLE AS LITERATURE CLASS UH WITH CHO THIS SEMESTER. THAT'S RIGHT. WHAT YOU KNOW IN CLASS DID YOU DID HE SEEM OR EVER EXPRESS TO YOU THAT HE SHARED THIS SENSE OF COMMUNITY WITH THE SCHOOL NOT AT ALL. NOT AT ALL, TELL ME ABOUT THAT. HE UH WELL IN THE PLAY WRITING CLASS WE WERE ALL REQUIRED TO WRITE 2 PLAYS 2 PLAYS THROUGHOUT THE SEMESTER AND THEN SHARE THEM WITH THE CLASS IN RESPONSE TO THEIR RESPONSES. HE NEVER RESPONDED TO ANYONE'S PLAYS AND HE NEVER RESPONDED TO ANYONE'S CRITICISM'S OR LIKINGS OF HIS PLAYS. UM HE WAS VERY QUIET, HE USUALLY CAME TO CLASS BUT HE NEVER SPOKE HE NEVER SHOWED EMOTION. HE NEVER REALLY LOOKED AT ANYBODY, HE JUST SAT THERE. FOR THOSE WHO MAY BE JUST JOINING US WERE TALKING ABOUT THE YOUNG MAN THE STUDENT HERE A STUDENT OF KOREAN HERITAGE KOREAN BIRTH, WHO WAS AN IMMIGRANT BUT WAS A LEGAL IMMIGRANT INTO THE COUNTRY AND WAS A STUDENT HERE AT VIRGINIA TECH WELL BRENT DID YOU HAVE MUCH UH INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM. UH LIKE LINDSAY SAID HE DIDN'T, HE DIDN'T TALK IN FACT WHEN YOU TALKED TO HIM HE DIDN'T LOOK AT YOU, UM YOUR TALKING ABOUT A SENSE OF UNITY AND, AND SUPPORTING THE SCHOOL HE ALWAYS WORE VIRGINIA TECH CAP, BASEBALL HAT. UH HE WORE A VIRGINIA TECH UH VIRGINIA TECH SWEATERS. BUT HE WAS, HE WAS SCARY MY FRIENDS AND I WHEN WE GET OUT OF CLASS I SKIPPED CLASS WHEN WE HAD TO TALK TO HIM. UM CAUSE HE WAS AN INTIMIDATING GUY AND UH AND I WOULD SAY THIS IS AWFUL BUT I WOULD SAY TO MY FRIENDS THAT IF ANYONE WAS GOING TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS AND THIS WAS A SEMESTER AGO I SAID THIS. IF ANYONE WAS GOING TO GO ON A KILLING SPREE IT WOULD BE HIM. YOU SAID THAT LAST SEMESTER? YEAH UM, I KNOW A LOT OF FRIENDS ENGLISH MAJORS WHO HAVE HAD CLASSES WITH HIM AND THEY SHARED THE SENTIMENT AND IT WAS. YESTERDAY BEFORE THE NAME HAD EVEN BEEN RELEASED I WAS TELLING MY FRIENDS AND LINDSAY TOLD MY ROOMMATE WAS TELLING, TELLING HER FRIENDS JUST BASED ON THE DESCRIPTION THAT IT, IT WAS PROBABLY CHO. AND WHEN I GOT CALLS FROM MY FRIENDS WHO WOKE ME UP THIS MORNING SAYING YOU WERE RIGHT I DON'T, JUST TO COME THAT CLOSE WITH SOMEBODY AND NEVER ACTUALLY BELIEVE HE WOULD DO IT. IS UM, IT'S A SURREAL THOUGHT UH LET ME PAUSE AND SAY THAT YOU HAVE MY SYMPATHIES AND CONDOLENCES AS DOES EVERYONE HERE. EVEN REMOTELY ASSOCIATED WITH THE COMMUNITY, AND I KNOW HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO TALK ABOUT THIS BUT, THIS MAY BE IMPORTANT IN GETTING AT LEAST SOME PERIPHERAL UNDERSTANDING ON HOW THIS COULD HAPPEN UM YOU SAID THAT UH YOU FEARED HIM., UH I DIDN'T FEAR HIM IN TERMS OF THINKING HE WAS GONNA THROW A PUNCH AT ME I DIDN'T FEAR HIM IN TERMS OF HIM SAYING ANYTHING BAD ABOUT ME RUINING MY REPUTATION I FEARED SOMETHING ON A LARGE SCALE LIKE THIS. BUT IT WAS A FEAR THAT YOU QUICKLY DISMISS BECAUSE. BUT I'M VERY INTERESTED IN, IN LINDSAY THAT YOU HAD THIS SAME FEELING ABOUT HIM. DID YOU GET IT FROM YOUR FRIEND BRENT OR WAS THIS SOMETHING YOU PICKED UP. IT WAS THERE'S JUST READING THINGS THAT HE WROTE. UM MY ROOMMATE WAS TALKING TO ME AND SAID THERE'S A THIN LINE BETWEEN CREATIVITY AND ILLNESS AND HE WALKED THAT LINE VERY VERY WELL. AND IT WAS I DON'T, IT WAS JUST I MEAN HE CLEARLY HAD AN ISSUE WITH SOMETHING AND NOT JUST BY HIS WRITINGS BUT BY THE WAY HE ACTED IN CLASS EVEN THE OTHER CLASS I HAD WITH HIM. HE NEVER SPOKE TO ANYONE WHEN I SAW HIM WALKING ACROSS THE DRILL FIELD HE ALWAYS HAD THE SAME LOOK ON HIS FACE. I NEVER SAW HIM CHANGE EXPRESSION. YOU HAD THIS CLASS WITH HIM IN ADDITION WITH THE PLAY WRITING CLASS THAT YOU AND BRENT HAD BEEN IN TOGETHER LAST YEAR AND YOU HAD THIS, THE BIBLE AS LITERATURE CLASS. HOW BIG A CLASS WAS IT? UM I GUESS IT'S ABOUT 20 TO 30 PEOPLE. WELL FOR A UNIVERSITY OF THIS SIZE IT'S CONSIDERED A SMALL CLASS SO YOU WERE AWARE OF HIM IT WASN'T A HUGE CLASS OF 3 OR 4 HUNDRED UM I WANT TO ASK THIS QUESTION DELICATELY BUT ALSO DIRECTLY, THE FACT THAT HE WAS A KOREAN DID THAT EFFECT YOUR THINKING ABOUT HIM. NO I MEAN WE GO TO CLASS WITH ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT NATIONALITIES IT'S KIND OF YOU BECOME COLOR BLIND AFTER A WHILE SO I WOULD FIND IT DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE THAT, THAT HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH WAS THIS YOUR OBSERVING HIM AND WHAT INTERACTION YOU HAD WITH HIM LEAD YOU TO THINK WHAT THAT HE WAS A DANGEROUS OR CAPABLE OF DOING SOMETHING. IT'S LIKE BRENT SAID IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT YOU THINK OF AND THEN DISMISS BECAUSE YOU THINK IT'S IMPOSSIBLE THAT ANYTHING LIKE THAT WOULD HAPPEN. BUT WHEN YOU FOUND OUT YESTERDAY MORNING THAT SOMETHING TERRIBLE SOMETHING TRULY TERRIBLE HAD HAPPENED. AMONG YOUR FIRST THOUGHTS WAS YOU THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE, HE MIGHT BE THE PERPETRATOR. YES DID THE SAME THING OCCUR TO YOU ALMOST IMMEDIATELY YEAH. IT'S JUST SCARY. SCARY THOUGHT THAT YOUR MIND COULD JUMP TO A PERSON THAT QUICK DID ANY OF YOUR PROFESSORS INSTRUCTORS TEACHERS, EVER TALK TO YOU ABOUT THIS ABOUT HIM IN PARTICULAR. YES NO I MEAN PEOPLE WALKED ON EGGSHELLS AROUND HIM BUT IT WAS NEVER BROUGHT OUT TO PUBLIC TO THE CLASSROOM ITSELF WELL SINCE YOU WENT TO CLASS WITH HIM 2 SEMESTERS. UH DID HE HAVE A GIRLFRIEND IN THE CLASS. DID YOU EVER SEE HIM I NEVER SAW HIM SPEAK TO ANYBODY. YOU NEVER SAW HIM SPEAK TO ANYBODY TO ANYBODY EVEN WHEN SPOKEN TO HE WOULD JUST SHAKE HIS HEAD UP OR DOWN YES OR NO. BRENT DID YOU SPEAK TO HIM KNOW ANYBODY WHO DID SPEAK TO HIM UM. AFTER CLASS IN PLAY WRITING I WOULD TRY TO GIVE HIM COMMENTS UM I MEAN, TO BOLSTER HIS SPIRITS IN CASE HE WAS TAKING CRITICISM HARSHLY AND HE JUST NEVER LOOKED AT ME. UH HE WAS ACTUALLY NOTORIOUS WITH ANOTHER COUPLE OF MY FRIENDS FOR UM, WHEN HE HAD TO WRITE YOUR NAME DOWN ON THE ROSTER FOR UM FOR TO SHOW THAT YOU SHOWED UP FOR CLASS HE'D WRITE A QUESTION MARK. WELL I WANNA THANK YOU BOTH FOR COMING IN AND SHARING YOUR EXPERIENCES WITH THE ALLEGED MURDERER OF UH 32 PEOPLE HERE ON YOUR CAMPUS. THANK YOU FOR COMING. THANK YOU I'LL BE BACK WITH SOME FINAL THOUGHTS AFTER THESE MESSAGES. THE CANDLE LIGHT VIGIL HERE AT VIRGINIA TECH UNIVERSITY, GOES ON. AND LONG MOMENTS OF REFLECTED SILENCE. THERE MAY BE NO HARDER THING FOR US TO ACCEPT IN THIS AGE OF SUPPOSED REASON, THEN THE SORT OF SENSELESS TRAGEDY THAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY HERE IN BLACKSBURG VIRGINIA. SO WE SEARCH IN OUR HUMAN WAY FOR REASONS AND INEVITABLY EACH OF US WHO DOES SO WILL VIEW THIS MASSACRE THROUGH OUR OWN PRIVATE AND SOMETIMES IDEOLOGICAL FILTER. THOSE WHO ADVOCATE GUN CONTROL WILL SEE YESTERDAYS MASS SHOOTING AS MAKING A NEAR PERFECT CASE FOR THEIR CAUSE. THOSE WHO SEEK TIGHTER CONTROLS AND RESTRICTIONS ON IMMIGRATION MIGHT LOOK AT THE FACT THAT THE SHOOTER WAS AN IMMIGRANT A LEGAL ONE AND SEE WHAT HAPPENED AS BOLSTERING THEIR CAUSE. AND THOSE WHO SEEK GREATER SECURITY HAS THE ANSWER TO OUR SOCIETY'S PROBLEMS THEY WILL SITE THIS HORRIFIC CRIME AS THEY CALL FOR MORE LOCKS MORE ID'S MORE SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS. BUT AS MUCH AS WE TRY TO UNDERSTAND THESE MOMENTS OF UNSPEAKABLE VIOLENCE WITH WHICH WE ARE PERIODICALLY CONFRONTED WE ARE FACED WITH CERTAIN BASIC TRUTHS THE VAST MAJORITY OF GUN OWNERS DO NOT USE THE GUNS TO KILL OTHERS. THE VAST MAJORITY OF IMMIGRANTS ARE PEACEFUL AND LAW ABIDING. AND THE BENEFITS OF AN OPEN SOCIETY ON MOST DAYS OUT WEIGHT THE BENEFITS OF A COUNTRY UNDER LOCK KEY AND BIG BROTHER'S WATCHFUL EYE. AS HARD AS IT MAY BE TO ACCEPT THE ONLY BIG STORY HERE TODAY MAY WELL BE THE TERRIBLE THING ITSELF WITH NO EASILY DIGESTIBLE LESSONS. AND PERHAPS THE BIGGEST STORY OF ALL RESIDES IN THE INDIVIDUAL STORIES OF THE 33 LIVES LOST. THE DREAMS UNFULFILLED THE WORK LEFT UNDONE, AND THE END THAT CAME ALL TOO SUDDENLY WITHOUT ANY SATISFYING EXPLANATION TO BE FOUND. FROM VIRGINIA TECH UNIVERSITY BLACKSBURG VIRGINIA. FOR HDNET DAN RATHER REPORTING. I'LL BE BACK SHORTLY WITH HDNET'S WORLD REPORT.