Vanderbilt Television News Archive

(Studio: Anderson Cooper) The appeal from blind Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng, who is asking Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to take him to the US on her plane out of China, introduced; Chen's message to Congress about his family's safety translated; details given about how China censored the CNN story on Chen last night and about the deal for Chen to leave the US embassy in Beijing and how he felt he was pressured to leave. [State Department spokesman Mark TONER†- says we are unsure what Chen's goals are.]

(Studio: Anderson Cooper; Beijing: Stan Grant) What Chen said today about his message that he wants to get out of China because he fears for his life and his family, how Chen's health is not good and he needs medical treatment with a "strong presence" at the hospital, how the US is negotiating on Chen's behalf discussed.

(Studio: Anderson Cooper) Live discussion held with CNN's David Gergen and "New York Times" columnist Nicholas Kristof about US-China relations and Chen's future. [GERGEN - says this is about the life of a Chinese hero who is blind and it is in our national honor to act; suggests the fallout could be significant.] [KRISTOF - says President Obama's administration will be humiliated if Chen disappears; state Chen will not be allowed to leave with Clinton, but China may want this headache out of the country.] [Mitt ROMNEY - speaks out on the Chen story: a dark day for freedom.]