From: [joe sylvester] at [ti.com] (Joe Sylvester) Newsgroups: talk.politics.guns Subject: Re: CNN Interview Date: 24 May 1995 23:08:10 GMT In article <3pvgi5$[e--g] at [clarknet.clark.net]>, [c s s] at [clark.net] says... >Did anyone catch the CNN coverage of the demolition yesterday? Transcipt follows, courtesy of [n--bo--y] at [tower.techwood.org] (Name Withheld) posting to list <[n--b--n] at [Mainstream.com]> ------------------------------------------------------------------------- CNN SHOW: NEWS 8:29 am ET May 23, 1995 HEADLINE: Victims' Mother Asks Why No ATF Were Killed in Bombing GUESTS: ANDREA ARCENEAUX, Anchor; EDYE SMITH, Victims' Mother (LIVE);KATHY GRAHAM-WILBURN, Victims' Grandmother (LIVE);GLEN WILBURN, Victims' Grandfather (LIVE) BYLINE: GARY TUCHMAN; ANDREA ARCENEAUX BODY: BOB CAIN, Anchor: The visible monument to the terror of April 19th disappeared from the Oklahoma City skyline today about half an hour ago. ANDREA ARCENEAUX, Anchor: Watching among spectators were some of the victims' family members. CNN's Gary Tuchman joins us now from Oklahoma City with an update as well as some interviews we understand, Gary, with some of the victims'family members. GARY TUCHMAN, Correspondent: That's right, Andrea and Bob. You know, for 34 days we've been standing in front of the federal building here in Oklahoma City,and now, for the first time, we can't be doing that. The federal building is gone, imploded. And you talk with people here at the scene, people who are family members- members of the victims, people who were trapped inside the building when this happened, people who have just come out to watch. And although this wasn't a surprising thing, everyone knew it was going to be imploded today. There was a lot of shock, because the fact was it was very loud, it was very smoky and eerily reminiscent of what happened here April 19th, 34 days ago, whenthe building exploded, when 4,800 pounds of TNT blew up in front of the building. With us right now is Edye Smith. Edye was the mother of three- year-old Chase and two-year-old Coulton, two little boys who perished when this building exploded. And standing next to Edye are Chase and Coulton's grandparents. Thank you, all three of you, for joining us. Edye, when you watched that building go down, as I was just saying, it was no surprise, but it was so loud - wasn't it? - and so reminiscent of what happened last month. EDYE SMITH, Victims' Mother: It- it sure was. Of course, last time, whenever the bomb went off, we didn't know then at that point that it was this building. So this to me, watching it go down, I can just- it's like reliving that day, you know. But the building's not there anymore. GARY TUCHMAN: I mean, the instant it went down, I was watching your face, I was watching faces of other family members standing there, and it was almost a look of disbelief, even though you knew it was going to go down. EDYE SMITH: Oh, it was. I mean, who's ever seen anything like that before. We've- I'm here not only as a tribute to my kids but just- I'm curious, like everybody else. I wanted to see what it was going to be like and it- it was certainly a sight. GARY TUCHMAN: You're two little boys, such beautiful children. It's very hard for anyone to figure out how someone likes- like you copes with the situation. How do you manage to cope? EDYE SMITH: I've- my strength comes directly from God. I am- I've been raised in a Christian home, very fortunate. He keeps me going every day. I don't see how anybody could go through anything like this without Him. I just can't even imagine. GARY TUCHMAN: Do you talk to Chase and Coulton? EDYE SMITH: Oh, I sure do. GARY TUCHMAN: What do you say to them? EDYE SMITH: I just- I tell them I miss them, and I just pretend sometimes - I probably look like an idiot - I pretend like they're right there with me, you know, at home, and I'll talk to them. GARY TUCHMAN: Edye, I can assure of you that no- assure you no one would think you're an idiot for doing that.- EDYE SMITH: -I receive letters and cards from people all over the place saying 'talk to them.' You know, 'Talk to them - tell God to say 'hi' to them,' you know. My kids will always be alive in my heart, you know. And, you know, they might have died in that building, but they're not dead to me, they're not. GARY TUCHMAN: Grandparent Glen and Kathy Wilburn. Kathy, I looked- when I looked at your face it was just an incredible sight when you saw that building go down. It was like you had never imagined something like that would happen. How did you feel? KATHY GRAHAM-WILBURN, Victims' Grandmother: Well, it startled me. I was expecting to hear sirens and to be warned, and I didn't hear 'em. And when- when it happened, it was just like being back in my office again. And it did- GARY TUCHMAN: -Where was your office? KATHY GRAHAM-WILBURN: Four blocks down. Edye and I work at IRS and- GARY TUCHMAN: -Oh, so you work together, you and- KATHY GRAHAM-WILBURN: -Yeah. And we ran down the street together and found the-the building devastated, and it- it was startling. It broke my heart. It was sad. It- it dawned on me just a few days ago that while I was sitting there on the phone placing an order that when I heard that noise that our babies were just being blown to bits. It was- instant replay. It was sad. GARY TUCHMAN: There actually was a warning system put in place here - police sirens going up. But they were very faint, two blocks away. It was hard to hear- KATHY GRAHAM-WILBURN: -I see.- GARY TUCHMAN: -those police sirens here. So that's what increased the shock value that we actually- KATHY GRAHAM-WILBURN: -Yeah.- GARY TUCHMAN: -didn't know right away that was going down. Glen, how are you managing? How's the family holding up? GLEN WILBURN, Victims' Grandfather: Pretty good, pretty good. We- we're close, and we- we talk about it. We talk about our feelings, and we discuss- what's consumed our [unintelligible]. Our [unintelligible] took 180 degree turn that day, and it probably will never be the same again. GARY TUCHMAN: Edye, at this point you're very busy. You've been talking to people like us, you've been talking to police officials, you've been with your family. But in the next couple of months when things start to get quieter here in Oklahoma City, do you think it will begin getting tougher for you? EDYE SMITH: Yeah, but I don't think things are going to start getting very quiet, you know? There's a- there are a lot of questions that have been left unanswered, a lot of questions we don't have answers for, we're being told to keep our mouths shut, not talk about it, don't ask those questions, and I think things are going to get a lot busier. GARY TUCHMAN: What kind of questions have people been telling you to keep your mouth shut about? EDYE SMITH: Well, we've- just from the very beginning, we, along with hundreds and thousands of other people, want to know just- and we just innocently ask questions, you know - where was ATF? All 15 or 17 of their employees survived, and they live- they're on the ninth floor. They were the target of this explosion, and where were they? Did they have a warning sign? I mean, did they think it might be a bad day to go in the office. They had an option to not go to work that day, and my kids didn't get that option, nobody else in the building got that option. And we're just asking questions, we're not making accusations. We just want to know, and they're telling us 'Keep your mouth shut, don't talk about it.' GARY TUCHMAN: Well, Edye Smith and the Wilburns, thanks for joining us. Obviously, there are still a lot of questions that have to be answered about this investigation, and I'm sure you'll be seeking the answers to those questions. Very important thing to point out. There is still work to be done at the site. There are the bodies of two victims still inside the building, and it's believedthe body of a third man is also there. They will immediately start looking for those victims. This is Gary Tuchman, CNN live, in Oklahoma City. BOB CAIN: Thank you, Gary. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Opinions expressed above are NOT Those of Texas Instruments They are mine alone Joe Sylvester Member Group Technical Staff Defense Systems and Electronics Group Texas Instruments, Plano Texas DON'T TREAD ON ME