[Blitzer:] In the culture wars, the long anticipated movie adaptation of "The Da Vinci Code" opens tomorrow. And while millions of Americans are sure to line up, others are calling for a boycott of the film. CNN's Mary Snow is joining us now live from New York with details of the controversy Mary.
[Mary Snow, Cnn Correspondent:] Well, Wolf, from the Vatican to evangelical churches, there's a war of sorts against "The Da Vinci Code" and its depiction of Jesus. But among the movie's protestors, there is division over how to fight that war.
[Snow:] At the Cannes Film Festival, cast members celebrate "The Da Vinci Code" opening. But in Washington, D.C., religious groups called for a boycott of the film.
[Rev. Thomas Euteneuer, Human Life International:] We do not have to pay someone $9.50 to sit in a theater and slap us for two hours.
[Snow:] Some say boycotts like 1988's boycott of "The Last Temptation of Christ" can backfire and end up boosting sales.
[Amy Welborn, Catholic Author:] Boycotts are exactly what the movie producers want.
[Snow:] Others say those 1988 protests failed in another way.
[Craig Detweiler, Fuller Theological Seminary:] I think Christian groups ended up just looking like bad guys who just were afraid of things.
[Snow:] So with "The Da Vinci Code" comes a change of strategy. Prior to the film's release, there were church discussions about it, books, and web sites, and films like this one from the U.S. Conference of Bishops.
[Unidentified Male:] In the end, "The Da Vinci Code" is a work of fiction that too many have confused with fact.
[Snow:] "The Da Vinci Code's" plot resolves around accounts that Jesus married Mary Magdalene and had children. Opus Dei, the Catholic group portrayed in the movie as trying to keep that story secret, has opened its New York headquarters to the press.
[Terri Carron, Opus Dei Spokeswoman:] It is important not to be seen as secretive. We are part of the Catholic Church. We want people to know that.
[Snow:] In Colorado, evangelical group Focus on the Family made a preemptive strike, hosting programs to talk about the film.
[Bob Waliszewski, Focus On The Family:] The movie is out there, and we have to deal with it. We've been dealt a bunch of lemons.
[Snow:] The unprecedented response to the movie and book signals a turning point.
[Detweiler:] The church, which used to set the dogma that maybe pop culture or Hollywood responded to now finds itself having to respond to the agenda that pop culture is setting in the form of Dan Brown and "The Da Vinci Code".
[Snow:] And "Da Vinci Code" director, Ron Howard, who's come under fire, defended the movie at its opening in France, saying the film is supposed to be entertainment, not theology Wolf.
[Blitzer:] Thank you, Mary, for that report. Let's get some more on the controversy swirling around "The Da Vinci Code". For that, we're joined by Father David O'Connell. He's the president of the Catholic University of America here in the nation's capital. Father O'Connell, thanks very much for joining us. You went to a screening of "The Da Vinci Code" last night. You saw it. What did you think?
[Father David O'connell, President, Catholic University Of America:] To be honest with you, I thought it was boring, tedious, and really drawn out. I mean, I must have looked at my watch about 20 times during the course of the movie. A lot of people with all of the hype, you know, I expected to be offended by it. I wasn't offended. I was bored.
[Blitzer:] And this you had read the book. You had told me you actually found that to be a page turner.
[O'connell:] Yes, actually I did. I picked it up in an airport and read it a couple years ago on vacation when it first came out, again, knowing it was fiction, as the cover jacket of the book says. It's fiction. Everything is fiction in the book. But I read it. And it really didn't bother me. I can understand, though, some people seeing it, the tone and the texture of some of the dialogue might cause some offense or disturbances.
[Blitzer:] A lot of Catholics, the Archbishop Angelo Amato, the Vatican doctoral office representative, is quoted in the "Boston Globe" as saying, "'The Da Vinci Code'is full of calumnies, offenses and historical and theological errors regarding Jesus, the gospels and the church. I hope that you all will boycott the film." Strong words from him.
[O'connell:] Pretty strong words. And again, that's going to be a personal decision that people have to make. From my from my vantage point, you know, as you're going into a battle, you've got to know who the enemy is and you've got to develop a strategy to confront it. And in my position, working in a university, I felt that I really needed to be in touch with what the movie was about and presented. I think the movie, actually itself, the reason why it was so boring, it attempted to jam too much into too short a period of time, because the story itself is very, very complicated.
[Blitzer:] So it's a good book to read, but not necessarily a good film to see. That's your bottom line.
[O'connell:] Yes. I mean, I enjoyed the book. But I know there are others who didn't enjoy the book at all. You know, the premise of the whole thing is kind of humorous to me, you know. The church can't keep a secret for two minutes, let alone for 2,000 years.
[Blitzer:] So this notion of Jesus and Mary Magdalene that had this secret relationship, you just, you know, think that's total fiction?
[O'connell:] It has no basis in fact. It's not in the gospel. Certainly, if it happened, it would be somewhere in the pages of the scriptures. And there's no evidence for it whatsoever or even in the early history of the church. So I think it's nonsense.
[Blitzer:] Ron Howard, "The Da Vinci Code" director, said, "It's not theology. It's not history. To start off with a disclaimer, spy thrillers don't start off with a disclaimer." He was explaining why the beginning of the movie there was no disclaimer. You've seen it. Was there any disclaimer or anything?
[O'connell:] No, I didn't notice a disclaimer. You know, he said, you know, it's not it's not theology. It's entertainment. Well, not only is it not theology, I don't think it's great entertainment.
[Blitzer:] Yes, and you've gone to a lot of movies, obviously. When students at Catholic university come to you and say, "Father, should we go see the movie," what do you say?
[O'connell:] I would say to the, you know, that's up to you, you know. I don't think it's going to shake people's faith. I think the only people who are going to take this and use it for any bad or negative reason are people who are suspicious of the church, people who are angry with the church, who don't like the church. They're going to say, "See, there it is. There's the truth." But it's fiction.
[Blitzer:] What about the rest of the audience that was there at the screening last night? You went with a lot of people, I assume.
[O'connell:] Yes.
[Blitzer:] And what was the general reaction, not from we know what your reaction was, but from your colleagues and your friends who were there?
[O'connell:] I'll tell you, I looked around a couple times, saw a lot of yawning going on.
[Blitzer:] Really?
[O'connell:] Yes, I did. And there was no buzz after the movie as people were walking out. You know, usually you hear people saying, "I liked that. Wasn't that" none of that at all.
[Blitzer:] You obviously saw "The Passion of the Christ"? Compare this with that.
[O'connell:] Well, of course, "The Passion of the Christ" is based on fact. Gospel fact, gospel truth. And this movie is based on fiction, something that's not true. And even the author says that in the jacket of the book.
[Blitzer:] Is the movie itself forget about the book for a moment the movie itself anti-Catholic?
[O'connell:] Again, I would say there are elements of it, there are ways that things are said that could be offensive to people. But you know, if a person is really convinced in his or her own faith, I don't think it's going to upset them as much. But some of the things that are said, some of the things that are done could cause some people offense. I can see it. They're going people are going to have to make a careful decision whether or not they want to go see it, as they had to for "The Passion of the Christ".
[Blitzer:] Were you offended?
[O'connell:] No, I wasn't offended at all. I wasn't offended by the book either.
[Blitzer:] You were just bored by the movie?
[O'connell:] Just bored by the movie. I wanted to get home.
[Blitzer:] Father David O'Connell, the president of the Catholic University, thanks very much for coming in.
[O'connell:] Thank you.
[Blitzer:] Churches, priests, and religious organizations are going online to challenge some of the assertions in "The Da Vinci Code". Our Internet reporter, Abbi Tatton, is joining us with more on the controversy Abbi.
[Abbi Tatton, Cnn Correspondent:] Wolf, there are now dozens of these sites. Jesus Decoded is one of them, this one launched in March by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, challenging what it calls a riot of laughable errors in the book and in the movie. It has a section on what to say to a "Da Vinci Code" believer. A Spanish language version has just launched in the last hour, and there's a TV documentary to accompany it, which is going to be airing this weekend. There are many of these sites out there. From an Opus Dei priest blogging from Rome to this site here, which offers you anti-Da Vinci books that can be ordered in bulk to be handed out at the movie theater. Sony Pictures anticipated this level of discussion. They have launched their own site, the Da Vinci Dialogue, which allows critics and supporters to go online and discuss the movie. Dan Brown at his web site points out this is a work of fiction. Also points out on the front page of his site that the movie release is now just six hours away Wolf.
[Blitzer:] Abbi, thanks very much. Let me ask Father O'Connell one more question while I have him here. Based on what we just heard from Abbi, in the end might this film turn out to be good for the Catholic Church because of the discussion, the debate, the controversy, if you will, that has ensued?
[O'connell:] Well, you know, for those of us who are convinced in faith I don't think it's going to have any impact. But you know, for those who are a little bit shaky or a little bit doubtful, I think one of the impacts of the movie might be they might say, "Geez, I want to know about that. I'm going to read more about that. I'm going to turn to the gospel; I'm going to turn to the scripture; I'm going to turn to the teachings of the church and find out a little bit more."
[Blitzer:] Father O'Connell, thanks very, very much.
[O'connell:] Thank you.
[Blitzer:] Moving on to the immigration debate. It's proving especially tricky for Arnold Schwarzenegger. CNN's Chris Lawrence is joining us live from Los Angeles with a closer look now at how the governor is walking a fine line Chris.
[Chris Lawrence, Cnn Correspondent:] Well, Wolf, California has a Republican governor in a state dominated by Democrats. And he's been showing an independent streak when it comes to immigration.
[Lawrence:] Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is refusing to fall in line with some parts of President Bush's plan to protect the border.
[Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger , California:] I think that what we should do is press the federal government.
[Lawrence:] Even a 40-minute phone call from the secretary of homeland security didn't completely change his view that federal agents should secure the border.
[Schwarzenegger:] It's their responsibility, not the state's responsibility.
[Lawrence:] Schwarzenegger opposes putting California's National Guardsmen on the border in two-week rotations.
[Schwarzenegger:] They're already, you know, overloaded. And they should go back to their families. And also should make money again and go back to their normal careers.
[Lawrence:] The governor has to appeal to a conservative base without alienating immigrant supporters.
[Allan Hoffenblum, Republican Strategist:] Here in California, the Latino community has enormous political power.
[Lawrence:] Republican political strategist Allan Hoffenblum says you cannot get elected statewide in California with anything less than a third of the Latino vote.
[Hoffenblum:] Because Republicans are perceived to be anti- Mexican, anti-immigrant, the Latinos ceased to vote for them. The one to turn it around was Arnold Schwarzenegger, who got 35 percent of the Latino vote.
[Lawrence:] He's faced a lot of challenges since that election three years ago. Voters roundly rejected many of his important proposals. Schwarzenegger sank in the polls.
[Unidentified Male:] May 12, Steve Wassley begins running negative ads.
[Lawrence:] Now, the governor's Democratic challengers are attacking each other. And on Wednesday, the state of California's credit rating rose for the first time in nearly two years. In other words, with less than six months to go before the next election, Schwarzenegger may be on his way back Wolf.
[Blitzer:] Chris, thanks for that. Chris Lawrence, part of the best political team on television, CNN, America's campaign headquarters. Let's check in with Lou. He's getting ready for his program that begins right at the top of the hour. How are you doing, Lou?
[Lou Dobbs, Cnn Anchor:] Doing well, Wolf. Thank you very much. Coming up at 6 Eastern here on CNN, we'll have complete coverage of the president's visit to our southern border with Mexico, trying to sell his so-called comprehensive immigration reform plan. Tonight, we'll tell you why two parts of the president's plan could fail: his plan to send 6,000 National Guardsmen to the border and his huge interest in technology that hasn't worked on our border for years. And among my guests tonight, one of the leading congressional critics of the president's so-called immigration reform, Congressman Dana Rohrabacher. And with the invasion of illegal aliens comes deadly disease. We'll be talking about the impact of illegal immigration on our hospital and health care system. It's a subject not often talked about but definitely bears closer examination. And tonight, I'll be talking with a man who's invented a cheap and effective way to help save our troops' lives in Iraq and Afghanistan. We hope you'll be with us for that and a great deal more. Wolf, back to you.
[Blitzer:] Thanks very much, Lou, for that. Up ahead, it's no ordinary jumbo jet. It's the world's largest. And CNN's Richard Quest is there as it lands in London. Plus, your answers to our question of the hour: should the Enron jury send Ken Lay and Jeff Skilling to prison? Jack Cafferty standing by with your e-mail.