9/5: CBS Evening News

FROM ABORTION RIGHTS TO PRESIDENTIAL PARDONS. BUT TAKING A PAGE FROM THE PLAYBOOK OF PAST NOMINEES, HE REFUSED TO SPECULATE ON HOW HE WOULD RULE IN FUTURE CASES. >> YOU CAN'T GIVE ME AN ANSWER ON WHETHER A PRESIDENT HAS TO RESPOND TO A SUBPOENA FROM A COURT OF LAW? >> MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT YOU'RE ASKING ME TO GIVE MY VIEW ON A POTENTIAL HYPOTHETICAL. >> PRESIDENT TRUMP CLAIMS HE HAS AN ABSOLUTE RIGHT TO PARDON HIMSELF. DOES HE? >> THE QUESTION OF SELF- PARDONS IS SOMETHING I HAVE NEVER ANALYZED. IT'S A QUESTION THAT I'VE NOT WRITTEN ABOUT. >> Reporter: BUT HE DID PRAISE THE SUPREME COURT'S RULING IN " U. S. v NIXON ," WHICH REQUIRED PRESIDENT NIXON TO COMPLY WITH A SUBPOENA FOR TAPES AND OTHER EVIDENCE DURING THE WATERGATE SCANDAL. >> THAT HOLDING IS ONE OF THE FOUR GREATEST MOMENTS IN SUPREME COURT HISTORIES. IT'S ONE OF THE GREATEST MOMENTS BECAUSE OF THE POLITICAL PRESSURES OF THE TIME. >> Reporter: AND HE TOLD DEMOCRAT DIANNE FEINSTEIN " ROE v WADE" IS AN IMPORTANT PRECEDENT OF THE COURT. >> AS BEST I CAN, I ALWAYS TRY, AND I DO HEAR, OF THE REAL- WORLD EFFECTS OF THAT DECISION, AS I TRY TO DO OF ALL THE DECISIONS OF MY COURT AND OF THE SUPREME COURT. >> Reporter: A FEDERAL APPEALS COURT JUDGE FOR THE PAST 12 YEARS, KAVANAUGH ALSO TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE CASES HE'S DECIDED TO SHOW HIS INDEPENDENCE, LIKE THOSE WHERE HE VOTED TO STRIKE DOWN POLICIES OF HIS FORMER BOSS, PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH, INCLUDING IN THE WAR ON TERROR. >> WHY DID I DO THAT? IT'S BECAUSE THE LAW COMPELLED IT. WE DON'T MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON WHO PEOPLE ARE OR THEIR POLICY PREFERENCES. WE BASE DECISIONS ON THE LAW. >> Reporter: NOW, SEVERAL DEMOCRATS ALSO COMPLAINED TODAY, LIKE THEY DID YESTERDAY, THAT THEY NEEDED MORE DOCUMENTS TO CONSIDER THIS NOMINATION, BUT REPUBLICANS SAID THAT WAS JUST POLITICS, THAT THEY HAD MORE DOCUMENTS ON KAVANAUGH THAN ANY NOMINEE IN HISTORY. THE QUESTIONING WILL CONTINUE ON TONIGHT, AND THEN AGAIN TOMORROW. JEFF? >> Glor: LOOK AT THAT. JAN IS RIGHT THERE AS THE HEARING CONTINUES BEHIND HER. JAN, THANK YOU. WHAT IS LEFT OF TROPICAL STORM GORDON COULD LEAVE DEEP FLOODWATERS FROM THE DEEP SOUTH TO THE MIDWEST. GORDON MADE LANDFALL OVERNIGHT NEAR THE ALABAMA- MISSISSIPPI BORDER. OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS, IT'S EXPECTED TO CONTINUE MOVING NORTH, DUMPING HEAVY RAIN. HERE'S DeMARCO MORGAN. >> Reporter: OVERNIGHT, TROPICAL STORM GORDON HIT THE GULF COAST, UNLEASHING HEAVY RAIN AND POWERFUL WINDS OF 70 MILES AN HOUR ON THREE STATES, SPAWNING TORNADOES AND KICKING UP HEAVY SURF IN ITS WAKE. PARTS OF THE FLORIDA PANHANDLE RECEIVED MORE THAN TEN INCHES OF RAIN IN 24 HOURS. >> WE BETTER GET AROUND THIS QUICKLY. >> Reporter: IN PENSACOLA, A TEN- MONTH- OLD BABY WAS KILLED WHEN A LARGE LIMB FROM AN OAK TREE FELL ON THIS MOBILE HOME. MISSISSIPPI IS EXPERIENCING RAIN AND TRAFFIC JAMS, BUT OTHERWISE DODGED A BULLET. GOVERNOR PHIL

>> THERE ARE NO INJURIES, NO LOSS OF LIFE. >> Reporter: SOME EVEN CROSSED THE BORDER TO ORANGE BEACH, ALABAMA, WHERE THIS CHURCH STEEPLE TOPPLED, NEARLY AVERTING DISASTER. PASTOR >> IT'S AMAZING. IT CAME STRAIGHT DOWN THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING AND LANDED UPRIGHT. >> Reporter: FLOODING REMAINS. THE BIGGEST THREAT FOR MILLIONS OF AMERICANS AS THE STORM MOVES TOWARDS AN ALREADY- WATERLOGGED MIDWEST. PLACES LIKE LA VALLE, WISCONSIN HAVE ALREADY SEEN MORE THAN A FOOT OF RAIN. >> IT'S LOST A LOT OF THINGS. >> Reporter: SAUK COUNTY RESIDENTS LIKE ELEANOR EKERN ARE SALVAGING WHAT THEY CAN. >> IT WILL TAKE TIME TO GET BACK TOGETHER, BACK EVERYTHING. SO, YEAH, WHAT CAN YOU DO? >> Reporter: NOW, THESE SANDBAGS HAVE BEEN PLACED HERE TO KEEP THE WATER OUT OF LAKE MONONA FROM SPILLING OVER INTO THE CITY OF MADISON. JEFF, THE ESTIMATED AMOUNT OF DAMAGE NOW STANDS AT $ 70 MILLION HERE IN WISCONSIN, AND THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE PRIVATE PROPERTY. >> Glor: ALL RIGHT, DeMARCO MORGAN, THANK YOU. A BRUTAL ATTACK IN AFGHANISTAN TODAY KILLED 20 AND SHED NEW LIGHT ON THE DIFFICULTIES FACED BY THE U. S. MILITARY IN ITS 17- YEAR WAR. MORE THAN 2, 300 AMERICANS HAVE BEEN KILLED. IN JUST THE PAST SIX WEEKS, TWO HAVE BEEN KILLED BY AFGHANS THEY WERE WORKING WITH, INCLUDING ARMY COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR TIMOTHY BOLYARD, WHOSE REMAINS WERE FLOWN HOME TODAY. CHARLIE D'AGATA, WHO HAS MADE NEARLY TWO DOZEN TRIPS TO AFGHANISTAN, IS BACK IN KABUL AHEAD OF THE 9 / 11 ANNIVERSARY. (\ CRYING \) >> Reporter: " MY BROTHER, MY BROTHER !" IS ALL HE CAN SCREAM OUT. THE ANGUISH OF LOSING A FAMILY MEMBER IS A DAILY REALITY IN THIS CITY STRANGLED BY VIOLENCE. (\ SIRENS \) IT'S THE FIFTH MAJOR ATTACK IN THE LAST FOUR WEEKS, KILLING DOZENS OF PEOPLE, BUT TODAY'S ATTACK WAS PARTICULARLY SAVAGE. THE FIRST SUICIDE BOMBER ENTERED THIS SPORTS CLUB LATE THIS AFTERNOON, BLOWING HIMSELF UP. RESCUERS AND JOURNALISTS RUSHED TO THE SCENE, UNAWARE ANOTHER SUICIDE BOMBER WAS HIDDEN AMONG THEM. THAT SECOND EXPLOSION SENT THE DEATH TOLL SOARING. THE PENTAGON WATCHDOG SAYS A RESURGENT TALIBAN HAS LEFT ONLY 56 % OF THE COUNTRY UNDER GOVERNMENT CONTROL. THE ATTACK HERE IN KABUL WAS A REMINDER THAT NOWHERE IS SAFE. DESPITE BLAST BARRIERS LIKE THESE EVERYWHERE, RESTAURANTS, SPORTS CENTERS, EVEN HOSPITALS HAVE BEEN HIT. THIS, AFTER 17 YEARS OF U. S. EFFORTS TO ESTABLISH SECURITY. IT WAS A DUTY U. S. ARMY COMMAND SERGEANT MAJOR TIMOTHY BOLYARD GAVE HIS LIFE FOR ON MONDAY. THE 42- YEAR- OLD WAS ON HIS SEVENTH OVERSEAS DEPLOYMENT, HAVING EARNED THE BRONZE STAR SIX TIMES OVER, TWICE WITH VALOR. BUT HE WAS SHOT DEAD IN AN INSIDER ATTACK, KILLED BY ONE OF THE AFGHAN SECURITY MEMBERS HE CAME HERE TO TRAIN. IT FOLLOWED ANOTHER INSIDER ATTACK THAT CLAIMED THE LIFE OF 20- YEAR- OLD ARMY CORPORAL JOSEPH MACIEL IN JULY. AND IT'S THE SIXTH U. S. COMBAT DEATH IN AFGHANISTAN THIS YEAR. AND YET, INCOMING U. S. COMMANDER ARMY GENERAL SCOTT MILLER THIS WEEK, REAFFIRMED AMERICA'S COMMITMENT TO THE COUNTRY AND ITS PEOPLE. >> THE WORLD RECOGNIZES THAT AFGHANISTAN CANNOT BE A SAFE HAVEN FOR TERRORISM. THE WORLD RECOGNIZES WE CANNOT FAIL. >> Glor: ALL RIGHT, AGAIN, CHARLIE IS IN KABUL TONIGHT. CHARLIE, WHAT IS CURRENT U. S. MILITARY STRATEGY TO DEAL WITH AMERICA'S LONGEST WAR, AND POTENTIALLY RESOLVE IT? >> Reporter: WELL, JEFF, THE OFFICIAL U. S. STRATEGY IS TRAIN, ADVISE, AND ASSIST. WE HEAR IT ALL THE TIME THERE. THEY ARE THERE TO MENTOR AFGHAN FORCES, SO THEY CAN DO THE WORK ON THEIR OWN. BUT THAT SOMETIMES MEANS THEY'RE WORKING IN CLOSE QUARTERS WITH AFGHAN TROOPS, AND THAT'S WHY WE'VE SEEN THESE INSIDER ATTACKS. >> Glor: AND, CHARLIE, YOU'RE GOING TO BE THERE FOR THE NEXT WEEK. WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST QUESTIONS YOU HAVE THIS WEEK FOR THE MILITARY AND AFGHANIS? >> Reporter: WELL, YOU KNOW, AS WE ENTER THIS ANNIVERSARY, THERE'S BEEN A NEW CHANGE OF ADMINISTRATION HERE FROM THE UNITED STATES MILITARY, AND THE QUESTION IS, IS THERE GOING TO BE A CHANGE IN THE STRATEGY? IS THERE GOING TO TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE WORK THAT THE AFGHAN FORCES ARE DOING? AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE TO SECURE THIS CITY? >> Glor: REMAINS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. CHARLIE D'AGATA THERE FOR US AGAIN THROUGHOUT THE WEEK. CHARLIE, THANKS. COMING UP NEXT HERE ON THE " CBS EVENING NEWS ," WHY FIRST RESPONDERS WERE SO WORRIED ABOUT THE PASSENGERS ON THIS JUMBO JET. >> Glor: FIRST RESPONDERS TOOK NO CHANCES THIS MORNING WHEN A PASSENGER JET FROM DUBAI LANDED IN NEW YORK WITH NUMEROUS SICK PASSENGERS ON BOARD. DON DAHLER WITH WHAT HAPPENED NEXT. >> Reporter: WHEN EMIRATES AIRLINES FLIGHT 203 LANDED AT J. F. K ., DOZENS OF AMBULANCES AND OTHER EMERGENCY VEHICLES WERE WAITING. >> Reporter: THE PILOTS WERE ORDERED NOT TO GO TO THE GATE BY THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL, AFTER DOZENS OF PASSENGERS HAD REPORTED FEELING ILL WITH FLU- LIKE SYMPTOMS IN FLIGHT. THE AIRBUS A- 380, WITH OVER 500 PASSENGERS ON BOARD, WAS ISOLATED FROM THE TERMINAL. MANY ON BOARD WONDERED WHAT WAS GOING ON AND POSTED PICTURES AND VIDEOS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, INCLUDING THE RAPPER VANILLA ICE, WHO SPOKE TO THE BLAST. >> THEY CAME IN WITH PARAMEDICS AND EVERYTHING. THEY CHECKED OUR TEMPERATURE. THEY MADE US FILL OUT A HEALTH REPORT. AND I'M JUST LIKE, " WOW, WHAT IS GOING ON ?" >> Reporter: MEDICAL STAFF CHECKED EVERY PASSENGER AND CREW MEMBER BEFORE LETTING THEM OFF THE PLANE. OF THE 100 ORIGINALLY COMPLAINING OF SYMPTOMS, TEN WERE SENT TO A HOSPITAL-- SEVEN OF THEM CREW MEMBERS-- AND NINE REFUSED MEDICAL CARE. THE REST WENT ON THEIR WAY. >> IT WAS JUST GROSS. >> Reporter: ERIN SYKES HAD NOTICED MANY PASSENGERS WERE ILL BEFORE TAKEOFF. >> PEOPLE WERE COUGHING. THE FIRST THING I DID WHEN I GOT ON THE PLANE WAS ACTUALLY ASK THE STEWARDESS FOR A MASK. SHE SAID THAT THERE WERE NONE ON BOARD, BUT IT WAS THAT OBVIOUS AND AUDIBLE THAT PEOPLE WERE REALLY SICK. >> Reporter: ONE POSSIBILITY IS THAT SOME PASSENGERS GOT ON BOARD ALREADY INFECTED BY THE FLU VIRUS. JEFF, SOME OF THEM HAD BEEN VISITING MECCA, WHERE THERE'S CURRENTLY A FLU OUTBREAK. >> Glor: DON DAHLER, THANK YOU. STILL AHEAD HERE, AN UPDATE ON A MAJOR HURRICANE THAT COULD HIT THE U. S. >> Glor: FLORENCE IS NOW THE FIRST MAJOR HURRICANE IN THE ATLANTIC THIS YEAR. TONIGHT IT'S ABOUT 200 MILES OFF SOUTH FLORIDA, A CATEGORY 4, WITH 130- MILE- AN- HOUR WINDS. ONCE IT PASSES BERMUDA, IT COULD HIT THE EAST COAST NEXT WEEK OR IT COULD BLOW OUT TO SEA. THERE IS A MYSTERY IN SPACE. LAST WEEK, A TINY HOLE IN A SOYUZ CAPSULE DOCKED AT THE SPACE STATION CAUSED AIR TO LEAK OUT. IT HAS BEEN PATCHED NOW. IT APPEARS MANMADE, PROBABLY FROM A DRILL. INVESTIGATORS WANT TO FIND OUT IF IT HAPPENED ON THE GROUND OR IN ORBIT, AND WAS IT SABOTAGE? THE MERRIAM- WEBSTER DICTIONARY JUST PUT OUT A LIST OF 840 NEW WORDS. INSTAGRAMMABLE IS NOW OFFICIALLY AN ADJECTIVE FOR SOMETHING THAT'S WORTHY OF POSTING ON INSTAGRAM. BOUGIE DESCRIBES SOMETHING THAT IS MATERIALISTIC AND PRETENTIOUS. A RANDO IS SOMEONE WHO SHOWS UP OUT OF NOWHERE. " TL; DR" IS SHORTHAND FOR: TOO LONG; DIDN'T READ. AND THE GREATEST OF GOAT. GOOD, RIGHT? UP NEXT, LIFE LESSONS FROM WALLY. >> JUDGING THOSE DOES NOT DEFINE WHO THEY ARE... >> IT DEFINES WHO YOU ARE. >> Glor: FINALLY TONIGHT, HE'S SEEN IT ALL, DONE IT ALL. NOW HE'S SHARING HIS WISDOM WITH A NEW GENERATION. CARTER EVANS INTRODUCES US TO WALLY. >> OH! >> Reporter: THE FIRST LESSON OF THE DAY FOR STUDENTS AT MARINA VILLAGE MIDDLE SCHOOL HAPPENS WELL BEFORE CLASS. >> GIVE ME A SMILE. >> Reporter: EVERY MORNING, 94- YEAR- OLD WALLY RICHARDSON GREETS PARENTS WITH A WAVE... (\ HONK \) >> GOOD MORNING! YAY! >> Reporter: ... AND THEIR KIDS WITH WHAT HE CALLS " WALLY- ISMS ." >> OKAY, BE KIND WHENEVER POSSIBLE. >> IT'S ALWAYS POSSIBLE. >> Reporter: YOU GIVE THESE KIDS A FIST BUMP EVERY DAY? >> YEAH, I CALL IT A KA- NUCKLE. SOME OF THEM DO IT LIKE THIS. POO! >> Reporter: AFTER THE KA- NUCKLES, THE 80- YEAR AGE DIFFERENCE SEEMS TO DISAPPEAR. >> JUDGING OTHERS DOES NOT DEFINE WHO THEY ARE. >> IT DEFINES WHO YOU ARE. >> A SHIP IN THE HARBOR IS SAFE, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT SHIPS WERE BUILT FOR, RIGHT? >> Reporter: WHAT'S THE POINT OF GETTING THEM TO PARTICIPATE? >> OH, I WANT THEM TO RETAIN SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN TAKE ON IN LIFE LATER ON. >> Reporter: BUT HIS OWN LIFE EXPERIENCES MAKE HIM AN EXPERT ON WHAT KIDS WON'T FIND IN A TEXTBOOK. HE JOINED THE NAVY IN WORLD WAR II, WAS A FIGHTER PILOT IN THE KOREAN WAR, THEN FLEW FOR UNITED AIRLINES. BUT THIS IS WALLY'S WORK NOW. >> HE'S LIKE ONE OF THE NICEST ADULTS THAT I'VE EVER MET. (\ LAUGHS \) >> Reporter: IT ALL STARTED 15 YEARS AGO WHEN WALLY WAS ON HIS DAILY WALK. HE LIKES TO TEACH LIFE LESSONS TO KIDS THIS AGE BEFORE THEY BECOME " TOO COOL" TO LISTEN. >> ALL IT TAKES IS ONE SIGNIFICANT ADULT IN SOMEONE'S LIFE, AND YOU CAN IMPACT THEM FOREVER. AND WALLY IS THAT PERSON FOR A LOT OF KIDS. >> BE KIND WHENEVER POSSIBLE. >> IT'S ALWAYS POSSIBLE. >> IF THEY CAN BE KIND AND LOVING TO OTHER PEOPLE THROUGHOUT LIFE, THEY WON'T HAVE ANY TROUBLE GETTING BY. >> Reporter: IT'S A LABOR OF LOVE. >> NEVER LOOK DOWN ON ANYONE. >> UNLESS YOU ARE HELPING THEM BACK UP. >> Reporter: AND AS WALLY WOULD SAY, " KNOWING WHAT'S RIGHT DOESN'T MEAN MUCH, UNLESS YOU DO WHAT'S RIGHT ." >> THANK YOU. >> BYE, WALLY. >> Reporter: CARTER EVANS, CBS NEWS, EL DORADO HILLS, CALIFORNIA. >> HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY! >> Glor: ONE SIGNIFICANT ADULT IN A SOMEONE'S LIFE AND YOU CAN IMPACT A KID FOR FOREVER. THAT IS THE " CBS EVENING NEWS" FOR TONIGHT. I'M JEFF GLOR, GOOD NIGHT. SEE YOU TOMORROW. GO, WALLY.