Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live At Daybreak
'Talk of CNN'
Aired February 04, 2003 - 05:16 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.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The shuttle tragedy is what a lot of people are talking about on radio stations across the country.
We want to check in with the Star 93.7 Morning Show of radio station WQSX in Boston.
Good morning to you.
RALPHIE: Carol, good morning.
It's Ralphie and Karen here.
How are you?
KAREN: Hi, Carol.
COSTELLO: I'm doing pretty good.
What are people saying in Boston about the shuttle disaster?
RALPHIE: Well, it's a local angle again because, as you know, Christy McAuliffe was from here and she grew up in Framingham, Mass., which is west of town, and then raised her family up in Concord, New Hampshire. And it's like the wound has been reopened.
KAREN: And, of course, you can imagine, Carol, that a lot of schools and universities are observing moments of silence in honor of the astronauts, as well.
COSTELLO: I know a lot of elementary school kids were keeping close track of this mission. Did that happen, too, in Boston?
RALPHIE: Yes. I actually have two kids in elementary school. I have a first grader and a third graver. And they came home yesterday from school and they said, you know, daddy, we talked about it a lot yesterday. And my, even my first grader said, he goes, "Daddy, they were explorers and they were heroes," and I, he looked up in the sky and goes, "They were pretty cool, dad."
COSTELLO: Oh, that gives me goose bumps.
Well, what did you say to your kids to comfort them? Because I know a lot of people must be grappling with that.
RALPHIE: Well, I was up in the morning Saturday morning, I was actually talking to Karen. And we first saw the report, well, they lost radio contact and we're like OK, they just lost radio contact. KAREN: Right.
RALPHIE: Then like 10 minutes later Karen says you'd better put the TV on because some bad things have happened. And my sons were up with me that morning and we just sat there and watched it together.
COSTELLO: You know, something else that's interesting about this, we all have such special feelings about astronauts and that they are heroes. Why do you suppose we have those feelings?
RALPHIE: Well, because, you know, it's something to look up to and they go places that we can only dream about. You look up in the sky and right now you have those three gentlemen that are up at the space station, it's like wait, there's somebody in the sky right now. It's kind of awe inspiring.
KAREN: And you know what, too, Carol, I think in light of what's happened in the world over the last year and a half or so, kids are very, very confused about all this today.
COSTELLO: Oh, I can only imagine.
Hey, thanks for joining us and giving us your insights.
We really appreciate it.
Our friends from Boston.
The shuttle tragedy puts a new spotlight on the space program's federal budget. Is it enough? We'll have that story next.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired February 4, 2003 - 05:16 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: The shuttle tragedy is what a lot of people are talking about on radio stations across the country.
We want to check in with the Star 93.7 Morning Show of radio station WQSX in Boston.
Good morning to you.
RALPHIE: Carol, good morning.
It's Ralphie and Karen here.
How are you?
KAREN: Hi, Carol.
COSTELLO: I'm doing pretty good.
What are people saying in Boston about the shuttle disaster?
RALPHIE: Well, it's a local angle again because, as you know, Christy McAuliffe was from here and she grew up in Framingham, Mass., which is west of town, and then raised her family up in Concord, New Hampshire. And it's like the wound has been reopened.
KAREN: And, of course, you can imagine, Carol, that a lot of schools and universities are observing moments of silence in honor of the astronauts, as well.
COSTELLO: I know a lot of elementary school kids were keeping close track of this mission. Did that happen, too, in Boston?
RALPHIE: Yes. I actually have two kids in elementary school. I have a first grader and a third graver. And they came home yesterday from school and they said, you know, daddy, we talked about it a lot yesterday. And my, even my first grader said, he goes, "Daddy, they were explorers and they were heroes," and I, he looked up in the sky and goes, "They were pretty cool, dad."
COSTELLO: Oh, that gives me goose bumps.
Well, what did you say to your kids to comfort them? Because I know a lot of people must be grappling with that.
RALPHIE: Well, I was up in the morning Saturday morning, I was actually talking to Karen. And we first saw the report, well, they lost radio contact and we're like OK, they just lost radio contact. KAREN: Right.
RALPHIE: Then like 10 minutes later Karen says you'd better put the TV on because some bad things have happened. And my sons were up with me that morning and we just sat there and watched it together.
COSTELLO: You know, something else that's interesting about this, we all have such special feelings about astronauts and that they are heroes. Why do you suppose we have those feelings?
RALPHIE: Well, because, you know, it's something to look up to and they go places that we can only dream about. You look up in the sky and right now you have those three gentlemen that are up at the space station, it's like wait, there's somebody in the sky right now. It's kind of awe inspiring.
KAREN: And you know what, too, Carol, I think in light of what's happened in the world over the last year and a half or so, kids are very, very confused about all this today.
COSTELLO: Oh, I can only imagine.
Hey, thanks for joining us and giving us your insights.
We really appreciate it.
Our friends from Boston.
The shuttle tragedy puts a new spotlight on the space program's federal budget. Is it enough? We'll have that story next.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
