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CNN Talkback Live

Reaction to the Attack on America

Aired September 14, 2001 - 15:19   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BOBBIE BATTISTA, HOST: This is actually the first time that Americans have been able to sit together and react to the events that happened on Tuesday. And we virtually have a mini-United Nations, if you will, down here. We have folks from Germany, Ireland, Mexico, South Africa and of course Americans who would like to react to everything that happened on Tuesday. So let me go straight to the audience and get some.

Tony, you're from New Jersey.

TONY: Yeah, I'm from Trenton, New Jersey. And I just want to start off by saying, you know, I'm outraged about who I've seen so far and what's been done at the World Trade Centers and also in Washington, D.C. and also in Pennsylvania, which doesn't get mentioned that much lately in the media.

My main reaction and my gut feeling from an emotional side is that the U.S., once they have all the facts that they're -- that they should be swift and unrelentless in their -- in getting to the bottom of this and taking care of this whole situation.

BATTISTA: We, also, happen to with us, in the audience, former U.N. Ambassador Andy Young, who's with a group here from South Africa. That was a nice coincidence.

Ambassador, welcome, your thoughts on what's happened this week.

ANDY YOUNG, FORMER U.N. AMBASSADOR: Well, it's horrible. And it's something that we've got to find a way to put an end to. But I think, having gone through this here in Atlanta five years ago, and still not having caught the terrorist who bombed Centennial Olympic Park right across the street, I think we have stopped terrorism in this country even though we didn't catch the terrorists.

And I think that that's one of the things that I wish we would focus on -- what are the causes of terrorism in the world? I think we looked at America. We looked at McVeigh and we began to see -- we began to define that sickness for the world and particularly for Americans. And we made that kind of behavior unacceptable for Americans. And I hope we can do that on a global basis.

Terrorism really did exactly the opposite of what they hoped to do. They hoped to demoralize America. We are more proud to be Americans than ever before. We looked at our values. We believe in our democracy. The free enterprise system has worked for us. We're strong in our religious faith, our commitment to education and the values of this society. And I think that we've got a battle of ideas, not just trying to get even with somebody.

BATTISTA: Thank you. And...

(APPLAUSE)

BATTISTA: ... over here to Tracy (ph).

TRACY: Hi, I just want to say that terrorism is something that many other parts of the world have been dealings with on a very regular basis and that we should consider that when we start expressing anger. And although it's an awful situation, I think that we really do need to look at intelligence element and maybe look at what we can be doing to get more information, and possibly go back to some things that we were involved in in the past, which is paying for information and having informants and really get at the network as opposed to the individuals.

And absolutely what Mr. Young says, it's really a global issue and we need to deal with it in exactly that fashion.

BATTISTA: We have a number of guests who are scattered amongst our bureaus here to take questions from any of the folks in the audience. But before we do that, I'd like to you meet two people. No, we don't -- all right, we don't have them yet. We will go to them in just a few moments. They -- their husbands were victims of the attack on the World Trade Center, and they will tell us the story of what has happened to them and what they hope has happened to them in a few moments.

A couple of e-mails that I'm getting, a kid in Virginia says, "in honor of our country and all the brave firefighters and police who have been such wonderful heroes, I have decided to send my tax refund to the American Red Cross. Julia in South Dakota says, "An early morning phone call from my young Marine son overseas, he told me, "We are ready to do what it takes. We will not let our nation down. God bless our United States of America.'"

Up to the audience.

(APPLAUSE)

BATTISTA: Jack.

JACK: As an American, I'm enraged and at the same time, I know we need to temper things with a little good judgment and patience. And we do need to use the intelligence that I believe Tanya (ph) mentioned earlier. But I think, at this point now, it's a little late. America's been stomped on and I think if we know within a shadow of a doubt who has done this, we do need to act swiftly. And we do need to move in with a military strike as soon as possible.

Afghanistan is suspected as harboring these people. If they've been asked to release him or divulge where he's at, I think we need to resolve to go ahead and do something because it shows weakness and not strength if we wait much longer.

BATTISTA: All right, Jack, thank you. Our guests in New York are ready now at this time. Amy Everling is with us along with Kristen Keene. Both of these women have husbands who were in the World Trade Center at the time of the attacks. We thank you very much, Amy and Kristen, for joining us.

Have you heard anything at all about the welfare of your husbands at this point?

KRISTEN KEENE, HUSBAND MISSING IN WTC: We know that they are most likely still alive. The two colleagues that they worked with made it out of the elevator before the building collapsed. So...

BATTISTA: Well, tell us where -- tell us what floor they worked on in the World Trade Center and what happened to them that they ended up in this elevator shaft?

KEENE: They worked on the 89th floor of Two World Trade Center, which was the first building that collapsed. They made it out in the elevator. I talked to my husband briefly before they were on their way out. The reason we know they're in the elevator is because Linda Rothman made it. And she got the firemen to come to the elevator and tried to get the other guys out.

There are about 15 more people in this elevator and even though they went through a free fall, there was a safety mechanism at the bottom that prevented them from crashing into the ground floor. However, you know, they're still in there because they couldn't get out. The firemen could not cut them out before the building collapsed.

So we know they're down there. We know it's the elevator bank on the left-hand side if you enter in from Liberty Street. We know it's the second elevator from the left-hand side. So we know which one it is. We know that they were in good health and it's just a matter getting them out.

If we could get the people there to start digging, I mean there's 15 families here that have family members in there that they'd probably like to know they're still alive, too.

(CROSSTALK)

BATTISTA: ... you knew her?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I do not. She's on the other one.

BATTISTA: I don't -- I don't -- I'm not sure they can hear us anymore in New York. Amy? Kristen, can you hear me?

KEENE: Yes, I hear you.

(CROSSTALK)

BATTISTA: OK, OK, we lost you there for a few minutes. OK, so let me try to understand this. Your husbands and a bunch of other people got in this elevator went through this free fall and the brake went into effect, which, you know, kept them from falling all the way. And they ended up between like the ground floor and the first floor?

AMY EVERLING, HUSBAND MISSING IN WTC: Correct.

KEENE: Yes, that's where they are.

BATTISTA: OK, so firefighters are now telling you there is a good chance that they could still be alive because there's enough air in there?

KEENE: Yes.

EVERLING: We're hoping, yes.

BATTISTA: How much air?

KEENE: We've been told 10 days worth of air.

EVERLING: Possibly, yes.

KEENE: Possibly, yes. But I talked to Lauren Smith, which is also one of the young ladies who got out of the elevator -- is their colleague. And she said that there is a crack in the door, small enough for them to fit through but air is coming in. It's just the water...

BATTISTA: So what kind of help are you guys getting from rescue workers in New York to try to get to them?

KEENE: I have had an angel on the ground. His name is -- he's Officer Louie Savelle (ph) and he's been giving me updates every now and then, when he can. The last word I heard last night is that they finally secured the building enough to get inside. They're able to enter from both sides of the building now. And some firefighters -- I don't know if this is true but they're hearing tapping. And they know that there are people down there. It's just a matter of getting enough people, of workers in there to get them out.

BATTISTA: So can they give you a rough estimate of when they think they might...

KEENE: No.

BATTISTA: ... be able to...

EVERLING: No, they haven't.

BATTISTA: ... get in there? Oh, I know that's so frustrating.

KEENE: And that's the frustrating part. And it's not just us. We're here for the other family members of those people that are in the elevator with them, you know. There's 15 people that are still alive here. And if they're looking to find some people still alive, this is where they can go. And that's what we're trying to let everyone know.

BATTISTA: Tell us, if you will, about your husbands.

EVERLING: They work for the brokerage firm Keith, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) & Woods. It was on the 89th floor. They were in the research department. They are -- the colleagues that they got out were also in the research department, the two women. The one woman is perfectly fine. She's home in Baltimore right now so she can verify facts in this situation. They had left before the building collapsed but you know they were encased in the elevator. So we're hoping that that was the safest place to be at the time.

KEENE: The other young lady, Lauren Smith, is in the hospital at...

EVERLING: Lenox Hill.

KEENE: ... Lenox Hill. She was just transferred there today -- yesterday. So they can verify the information with her as well.

BATTISTA: All right...

KEENE: They're good men, you know. And I'm sure everyone out there, you know, they're loved ones are just as wonderful. We just want them home.

BATTISTA: Well, our thoughts and our prayers are with you both and the best of luck. Amy and Kristen, thank you very much.

KEENE: Thank you.

EVERLING: Thank you so much for this time.

BATTISTA: We're hoping for you.

Let's go to Elizabeth Cohen here for a few moments. She's at the armory in New York where we're hearing a lot more stories like Amy and Kristen's.

Elizabeth, are you there?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right. Hi, Bobbie. I'm right here. And I'm here at the corner of 26th and Lexington where people have been standing in line to go inside, to register information about they're loved ones. The lines were around the block yesterday. People waited for an hour...

BATTISTA: All right, Elizabeth, hang on just one moment. I'm sorry. I don't mean to interrupt Elizabeth but Marine One is landing in New York now with the president on board.

(INTERRUPTED BY CNN COVERAGE OF A LIVE EVENT)

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