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CNN Live Today

USS Abraham Lincoln Closes in on Shore

Aired May 02, 2003 - 11:03   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.


FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Leon, if you don't mind, can I talk to one of these sailors and just ask for their reaction to what they're seeing here? You're getting ready to come home, and you can see Air Force One right off to the side.
Just tell me what it feels like?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's pretty exciting, I guess. I'm glad to be home.

BUCKLEY: Who are you going to be seeing when you get home?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm going to go to Shelby, North Carolina and see my family.

BUCKLEY: So they won't be here on shore to see you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, not here.

BUCKLEY: Well, they're probably watching TV right now and probably surprised to see you on TV. Do you want to say anything to them?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey.

BUCKLEY: Typical North Carolina greeting, hey. All right, buddy.

There you go. Just wanted to introduce you to one of the sailors.

LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Frank, while you've got these guys, I want to ask you if any of them will tell you which would be the biggest thrill for them, having seen and met the president or being united with their families.

BUCKLEY: Oh, boy. You're going to put them on the spot. Let's give it a shot here. Let me ask you a question. Leon wants to know, what was the bigger thrill for you, coming home to see your family or seeing the president yesterday?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Coming home to see my family.

BUCKLEY: Tell me who you're going to be seeing, and will they be here on shore?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They won't be on shore. But I'm coming home to see my mom, my dad, my little brother, grandparents.

BUCKLEY: Where are they all?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're in Louisiana.

BUCKLEY: What's your name?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Shane Dougherty (ph).

BUCKLEY: And, Shane, tell me what it was like seeing the president?

There goes Air Force One.

What was it like for you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was a nice experience, something I won't forget. I'll remember it for awhile.

BUCKLEY: Yes. When you get home, what is it that you want to do with your family? What are the first things? How difficult was this, being away for so long?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was pretty different for me, because I haven't really even been out of the state of Louisiana until I joined the Navy, so it was a different experience all around.

BUCKLEY: And what do you want to say to your folks? They're probably watching now, your people back in Louisiana.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'll be home soon, and I love them.

BUCKLEY: All right. Thanks. Appreciate it. Let's talk to another guy. Who haven't we hit up here?

HARRIS: Let's see if you can get someone else out there as we see Air Force one headed to Santa Clara, California.

BUCKLEY: We're seeing air force one take off there. What was the bigger thrill for you, seeing the president onboard or coming home to see your family now?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Probably both. My parents are waiting for me on the pier. So it will be cool to see them.

BUCKLEY: What's the first thing you want to do when you see them?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Probably give my mom a hug.

BUCKLEY: All right. Well, congratulations. Thanks for your service. We appreciate your time.

Leon, lot of happy folks here. They're getting close.

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 May 2, 2003 - 11:03   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Leon, if you don't mind, can I talk to one of these sailors and just ask for their reaction to what they're seeing here? You're getting ready to come home, and you can see Air Force One right off to the side.
Just tell me what it feels like?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's pretty exciting, I guess. I'm glad to be home.

BUCKLEY: Who are you going to be seeing when you get home?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm going to go to Shelby, North Carolina and see my family.

BUCKLEY: So they won't be here on shore to see you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, not here.

BUCKLEY: Well, they're probably watching TV right now and probably surprised to see you on TV. Do you want to say anything to them?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hey.

BUCKLEY: Typical North Carolina greeting, hey. All right, buddy.

There you go. Just wanted to introduce you to one of the sailors.

LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Frank, while you've got these guys, I want to ask you if any of them will tell you which would be the biggest thrill for them, having seen and met the president or being united with their families.

BUCKLEY: Oh, boy. You're going to put them on the spot. Let's give it a shot here. Let me ask you a question. Leon wants to know, what was the bigger thrill for you, coming home to see your family or seeing the president yesterday?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Coming home to see my family.

BUCKLEY: Tell me who you're going to be seeing, and will they be here on shore?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They won't be on shore. But I'm coming home to see my mom, my dad, my little brother, grandparents.

BUCKLEY: Where are they all?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're in Louisiana.

BUCKLEY: What's your name?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Shane Dougherty (ph).

BUCKLEY: And, Shane, tell me what it was like seeing the president?

There goes Air Force One.

What was it like for you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was a nice experience, something I won't forget. I'll remember it for awhile.

BUCKLEY: Yes. When you get home, what is it that you want to do with your family? What are the first things? How difficult was this, being away for so long?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was pretty different for me, because I haven't really even been out of the state of Louisiana until I joined the Navy, so it was a different experience all around.

BUCKLEY: And what do you want to say to your folks? They're probably watching now, your people back in Louisiana.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'll be home soon, and I love them.

BUCKLEY: All right. Thanks. Appreciate it. Let's talk to another guy. Who haven't we hit up here?

HARRIS: Let's see if you can get someone else out there as we see Air Force one headed to Santa Clara, California.

BUCKLEY: We're seeing air force one take off there. What was the bigger thrill for you, seeing the president onboard or coming home to see your family now?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Probably both. My parents are waiting for me on the pier. So it will be cool to see them.

BUCKLEY: What's the first thing you want to do when you see them?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Probably give my mom a hug.

BUCKLEY: All right. Well, congratulations. Thanks for your service. We appreciate your time.

Leon, lot of happy folks here. They're getting close.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com