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CNN Live Today
Supporting the Troops
Aired April 10, 2003 - 11:48 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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Supporters of U.S. troops in Iraq are planning a rally at Ground Zero in New York City. It gets underway in less than an hour from right now. That's where we find our Maria Hinojosa. She is joining us now with the latest.
Maria, hello from Kuwait City.
MARIA HINOJOSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Daryn. Well, I have to tell you, I have not seen this number of smiling faces ever around the area of Ground Zero. But that's what you're seeing here today. You're seeing a lot of people who are very much saying they are not so much in celebration, but feeling vindicated by the victory that was celebrated yesterday in Baghdad. They say that this is a proof to them, even though it has never been proved effectively, that Saddam Hussein or Iraq had anything to do with September 11th. These people here feel that this is a victory for them in the road against terrorism.
Now, you're seeing a lot of hard hats around here. This rally of support of the troops was called by the buildings and construction trade workers unions.
Now you're probably going to see some September 11th families here, but not all of them. Just like the rest of the country, there are also divisions among those who lost loved ones here at Ground Zero. Some of them saying that this is a sacred place that shouldn't be used for political purposes. Some of those are people who oppose the war from the September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows.
But to get a sense from some of the people who feel it's important to be here today, Mike Collarone is with me today.
And, Mike, you came here, you were here, helping on the cleanup after September 11th. Why is it important for you to be here today, and why -- I've been seeing you smile. What are the smiles about?
MIKE COLLARONE, GROUND ZERO WORKER: Well, the smile is that, first of all, we -- we're in Iraq, we liberated the people. This is sort of like a sense of closing for the people that were lost here and, you know, we're here together, to show our support for all the girls and boys of all race, colors and creed who fought the war for us. I'm just here to show support. I hope this is a closure for all the families and victims of 9/11, so that's why I'm here.
HINOJOSA: You and I spoke about this before. How does Iraq and the celebrations of what's happening in Iraq have -- what do you think it has to do with Ground Zero? Why are so many of the people here? COLLARONE: A lot of people deep down inside really feel that Iraq supported terrorists, and this was a terrorist act that was done to us here at 9/11, and we felt that Saddam was at the root of the evil, along with Bin Laden, and we had to take him out, along with Bin Laden. And we just feel like he's one of the players involved with terrorists, so.
HINOJOSA: Thank you very much, Mike. So, a real sense of celebration here. They have prepared for about 50,000 people. Right now, maybe several hundred. But the rally starts at noon. And as I said, they're preparing for 50,000 people here, which would make it the largest pro-troops, pro-war rally, at least so far in terms of this war -- Daryn.
KAGAN: All right, and you'll be covering it for us, Maria Hinojosa, in New York City, thank you so much.
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 April 10, 2003 - 11:48 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Supporters of U.S. troops in Iraq are planning a rally at Ground Zero in New York City. It gets underway in less than an hour from right now. That's where we find our Maria Hinojosa. She is joining us now with the latest.
Maria, hello from Kuwait City.
MARIA HINOJOSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Daryn. Well, I have to tell you, I have not seen this number of smiling faces ever around the area of Ground Zero. But that's what you're seeing here today. You're seeing a lot of people who are very much saying they are not so much in celebration, but feeling vindicated by the victory that was celebrated yesterday in Baghdad. They say that this is a proof to them, even though it has never been proved effectively, that Saddam Hussein or Iraq had anything to do with September 11th. These people here feel that this is a victory for them in the road against terrorism.
Now, you're seeing a lot of hard hats around here. This rally of support of the troops was called by the buildings and construction trade workers unions.
Now you're probably going to see some September 11th families here, but not all of them. Just like the rest of the country, there are also divisions among those who lost loved ones here at Ground Zero. Some of them saying that this is a sacred place that shouldn't be used for political purposes. Some of those are people who oppose the war from the September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows.
But to get a sense from some of the people who feel it's important to be here today, Mike Collarone is with me today.
And, Mike, you came here, you were here, helping on the cleanup after September 11th. Why is it important for you to be here today, and why -- I've been seeing you smile. What are the smiles about?
MIKE COLLARONE, GROUND ZERO WORKER: Well, the smile is that, first of all, we -- we're in Iraq, we liberated the people. This is sort of like a sense of closing for the people that were lost here and, you know, we're here together, to show our support for all the girls and boys of all race, colors and creed who fought the war for us. I'm just here to show support. I hope this is a closure for all the families and victims of 9/11, so that's why I'm here.
HINOJOSA: You and I spoke about this before. How does Iraq and the celebrations of what's happening in Iraq have -- what do you think it has to do with Ground Zero? Why are so many of the people here? COLLARONE: A lot of people deep down inside really feel that Iraq supported terrorists, and this was a terrorist act that was done to us here at 9/11, and we felt that Saddam was at the root of the evil, along with Bin Laden, and we had to take him out, along with Bin Laden. And we just feel like he's one of the players involved with terrorists, so.
HINOJOSA: Thank you very much, Mike. So, a real sense of celebration here. They have prepared for about 50,000 people. Right now, maybe several hundred. But the rally starts at noon. And as I said, they're preparing for 50,000 people here, which would make it the largest pro-troops, pro-war rally, at least so far in terms of this war -- Daryn.
KAGAN: All right, and you'll be covering it for us, Maria Hinojosa, in New York City, thank you so much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
