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CNN Live Today
Hurricane Frances' Progress; Day Four of Republican National Convention; School Hostage Crisis
Aired September 02, 2004 - 11:00 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: We are looking at 11:00 a.m. straight up on the East Coast, 8:00 a.m. for those of you on the West Coast. From CNN Center here in Atlanta, good morning once again. I'm Daryn Kagan.
The satellite pictures tell the story. You are looking at a runaway dynamo, a Category 4 storm. The only prudent thing to do, move out of the way as quickly as possible.
People in the Bahamas are getting the worst of Hurricane Frances right now. Next stop looks to be hurricane-weary Florida. Hurricane warnings have now been posted along Florida's east coast, which means hurricane conditions are expected in the warning area within 24 hours.
Emergency officials have urged thousands of Florida residents to evacuate now while they still can. Even a few hours' delay could be disastrous. A word to the wise, the Kennedy Space Center and U.S. military bases started battening down the hatches yesterday.
Let's get the latest on the storm's progress. Orelon Sidney working on that for us -- Orelon.
ORELON SIDNEY, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Thanks a lot.
Here are the official warnings now. The National Hurricane Center has issued a hurricane warning for the east coast of Florida, from Florida City northward to Flagler Beach. That includes inland Lake Okeechobee. A tropical storm warning and a hurricane watch are in effect for the middle and upper Florida Keys, from south of Florida City to the Seven Mile Bridge, including Florida Bay.
A hurricane warning remains in effect for all of the Bahamas. The hurricane warning for the Turks and Caicos Islands, though, have been discontinued.
This is what we're looking at, a clear shot for much of the eastern United States. There's really nothing standing in the way of this storm as it moves to the west-northwest, and holding at 13 miles an hour at the last report.
You can see the Turks and Caicos Islands right about here. The brunt of the storm has passed that area, but it continues to move now through the central and we think the northern Bahamas as we go through the rest of the day today.
This is what it looks like as far as the warnings are concerned. Remember that the Bahamas continue under a hurricane warning, meaning hurricane conditions expected within 24 hours, if not imminent. And here's the same thing stretching across much of the eastern coast of Florida.
The hurricane watch extends down south to the Keys. That means hurricane conditions are possible within 36 hours. So if you're anywhere from near Homestead, northward through West Palm Beach, north of to Daytona Beach, you are under the hurricane warning and you need to rush your preparations to completion.
This is what we think the track may do as we go on through the next few hours, staying at a very strong Category 4 storm as it approaches from the southeast: 145 mile-an-hour winds. We're expecting them to die off to about 80 miles an hour and gust before the storm heads, perhaps, off to the Gulf of Mexico.
Another trend might take it northward on along the Eastern Seaboard. That remains to be seen. But wherever it goes, it's going to be an absolutely devastating storm, especially at landfall if it maintains its current strength. There's possibility of some fluctuations in strength as it approaches the coast, but we still expect the landfall of a major hurricane within the next 36 to 48 hours -- Daryn.
KAGAN: All right. And let's see where Frances is right now. Orelon, thank you for that.
SIDNEY: You're welcome.
KAGAN: Frances over the Bahamas. Let's go to our Karl Penhaul. He is there in Freeport, Bahamas -- Karl.
KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Daryn.
The winds here beginning to pick up. We're just now seeing the first few spots of rain. First thing this morning, very calm, the sea was very still. But over the last few moments, we have noticed a start and a surge in the sea swell, and that's to say the wind is picking up here.
Now, according to meteorologists on the island, they say by the end of the afternoon we should be feeling the brunt of tropical storm- force winds, and then the hurricane-force winds here on Grand Bahama will begin to be felt overnight and in the early hours of Friday morning, picking up throughout the day. But, of course, as we do know, in the Turks and Caicos, those islands have been pounded by Hurricane Frances during the night, and the southern area of the Bahamas, an island chain of more than 700 islands, is also currently feeling the hurricane effects of Frances right now.
Now, preparations here on Grand Bahama very obviously under way. People battening down the hatches with plywood boards. More than 8,000 plywood boards sold from one hardware store alone in just the last day, according to that store owner.
Now, what are the fate of U.S. tourists who are here on the island ready for the Labor Day weekend? Well, most of those have been moved back from oceanside hotels, and those who have chosen to remain on the island are now holed up in a hotel on the interior of the island. But many of the tourists have flown off the island or left on cruiser ships. We understand from the airport authority one of the last planes to leave the island could be taking off around 2:00 this afternoon -- Daryn.
KAGAN: All right. Karl Penhaul, you stay safe and try to stay dry, although that will not be easy with what is coming your way. We will check back with you.
Meanwhile, let's head back to the states, where major highways along Florida's east coast may soon become one-way escape routes to handle the massive evacuation. A lot of properties are now sporting plywood or other protective materials in hopes of riding out the storm.
Home owners are advised to unplug all appliances and cut off the utilities before they leave. And they should take a copy of their home owner's insurance with them just in case.
Take a look at the graphic of the storm, the storm cloud superimposed over Texas. It gives you an idea of just how large Frances has grown.
If you include the outer bands, it is nearly now the size of the state of Texas. And it's a powerful Category 4 to boot. Hurricane experts say that it's two to three times the size of Charley three weeks ago, which would make the damage zone even much wider than what we saw in the Punta Gorda area.
Stay with CNN for continuous hurricane coverage. Just 10 minutes from now, we'll go live to the hurricane center with the latest numbers on Frances.
Also, we'll take a closer look at the artful science of tracking hurricanes and how accurate the experts are. And if you're in the path of a storm like this, what you need to do in order to prepare.
We move on to a different type of storm, the storm of politics. Republicans getting ready for the culmination of their convention. President Bush getting ready to accept his party's nomination for a second term.
You're looking at live pictures from Madison Square Garden. The stage being set for the president's speech tonight.
Vice President Dick Cheney and Georgia Senator Zell Miller fired up the crowd last night, both blasting John Kerry, calling him too indecisive to be president. Miller himself is a Democrat. He called Kerry weak and wobbly on national security.
Meanwhile, President Bush was visiting with New York City firefighters last night after he arrived in town. In his speech tonight, Mr. Bush is expected to contrast his record with John Kerry's and outline his plans for a second term. For more on what we can expect on this final night of the Republican convention, let's bring back our national correspondent, Bob Franken, our man at Madison Square Garden.
Bob, good morning.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
So what do they do when the president of the United States is going to deliver one of the most important political speeches he's done in certainly a long time? What did they do last night? They tore up the floor. They created a theater in the round.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FRANKEN (voice-over): He'll speak from a special stage at the convention. But first...
AUDIENCE: Four more years! Four more years!
FRANKEN: ... President Bush was setting the stage for his speech with September 11th imagery by going to Queens for an endorsement by firefighters. His ticket mate was at his podium inside the convention hall. The president's warm-up act scorching the opponent who wasn't there.
RICHARD CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Senator Kerry says he sees two Americas. It makes the whole thing mutual. America...
(APPLAUSE)
CHENEY: ... America sees two John Kerrys.
FRANKEN: The crowd loved it, but not quite everyone. Officials had to remove a protester, just one of the incidents where demonstrators had faked out all the security. But the Republicans were more than glad to let one outsider in, Democrat Zell Miller, a keynote speaker for Bill Clinton 12 years ago, a keynoter for George Bush this time around.
SEN. ZELL MILLER (D), GEORGIA: Our nation is being torn apart and made weaker because of a Democrat's manic obsession to bring down our commander in chief.
(APPLAUSE)
MILLER: What has happened to the party I've spent my life working in?
FRANKEN: Tonight, this party's big finish with President Bush. But he'll quickly leave the roar of Madison Square Garden behind.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FRANKEN: This may be the city that never sleeps, but the president is not sleeping here. He's going to Pennsylvania tonight to spend the night there. It is, after all, a battleground state. New York is very heavily democratic -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Yes, there's no stopping between now and November 2. Bob Franken in Mew York City. Thank you for that.
Our live convention coverage begins with Anderson Cooper at 7:00 p.m. Eastern. That is followed by "America Votes 2004," special at 8:00.
Larry will be along at 9:00. And we'll have live coverage of President Bush's acceptance speech at 10:00 Eastern. And a special edition of "NEWSNIGHT" with Aaron Brown at 11:00. And Larry King returns at midnight Eastern.
Then there is this other big story we are tracking today. It is the school hostage crisis in southern Russia. There have been a couple of dramatic developments in recent hours. For the latest, let's bring in our Ryan Chilcote, joining us by videophone -- Ryan.
RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, we're now in the 35th hour of this hostage crisis in the town of Beslan in southern Russia. The most recent development, that 26 women and children have been released by the hostage-takers. That is coming to us from a spokesman from the regional (UNINTELLIGIBLE) that the children -- women and children who are in need of medical assistance are getting that now, and those who can talk to investigators are doing that.
They said investigators are very interested in getting a better picture of the situation in the school's gymnasium. That's where Russian officials say at least 350 people are being held, many of them children.
Of course, this was a school. Yesterday was the first day of school here in Russia. This school was seized. Many of these children, of course, between the ages of seven and 17. This school goes to the 11th grade.
Now, it is worth mentioning that none of the people inside the building have gotten any water or food since they've been in there in the last 35 hours. Russian negotiators had been trying to get permission from the hostage-takers to get some water and food in. But so far, they have been unsuccessful.
Now, a little bit about the scene here. Even though we are 35 hours into this crisis, this (UNINTELLIGIBLE) waiting for information that most of them have been here all throughout the night. They themselves are not eating or drinking. And a lot of the people I was talking to say they're not going to eat and drink until (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
But they've been here, it started raining. And everybody is waiting very anxiously to hear more and more information about their loved ones (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
KAGAN: Ryan Chilcote from Beslan, Russia, with the latest on the school hostage situation.
There is more Republican National Convention coverage ahead. They are wearing their cause on their sleeves, and everywhere else, apparently. A look at how some protesters are literally teed off. That's coming up.
Also, we are continuing to track the path of this massive storm, Hurricane Frances, strong, taking aim at Florida. We'll go live to the National Hurricane Center. That's coming up next.
And for Kobe Bryant, it is case dismissed. But it isn't game over. A look at what may be ahead when CNN LIVE TODAY returns.
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(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: Want to get back now to Hurricane Frances. It's already disrupting thousands of lives. Hurricane experts saying this storm is so large the exact point of landfall is not as important as the actual warning zone.
Ed Rappaport, deputy director of the National Hurricane Center, joins us this morning.
Ed, good to have you here with us.
ED RAPPAPORT, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER: Thank you. And I appreciate your making that comment. Yes, this is a large storm, and the precise landfall point is much less consequential than usual.
KAGAN: We showed -- we put the size of the storm over the map of Texas and showed that it's just about as big as the state of Texas.
RAPPAPORT: Well, that's probably true in terms of its cloud size. Now, the business end, the strong winds and the rain, are somewhat more confined, but we're still talking about an area of hurricane-force winds that's about 100 miles wide. So we could have a damage swathe on that order as it crosses into Florida.
KAGAN: All right. Give us the latest on where you do think, though, it is going to make landfall.
RAPPAPORT: OK. Well, right now, the center of the hurricane is in the southeastern Bahamas. It is moving towards the west-northwest. And we expect that general motion to continue.
And it's a large storm. So because of that, and because of the uncertainty in where exactly the center will come ashore, we have a hurricane warning now from Flagler Beach, Florida, all the way down the East Coast to the Florida Keys, where we have a tropical storm watch -- or tropical storm warning and a hurricane watch. So there's a large area at risk because of the size of the storm and the remaining uncertainty in its track.
KAGAN: Difficult lessons, but do you think a lot of Floridians learned lessons from Hurricane Charley?
RAPPAPORT: I'm sure they have. And we in southeast Florida, of course, have Hurricane Andrew.
One thing to keep in mind is that a Category 4 landfall in any particular location is probably a once in a generation or once in a lifetime event. So people should be preparing now as if this will be the strongest hurricane they ever see.
KAGAN: And how many years, Ed, have you been in the hurricane weather business?
RAPPAPORT: I've been here for 17 years.
KAGAN: And in the 17 years, have you ever seen two storms so strong come so quickly and slam into Florida?
RAPPAPORT: No. Each storm and season brings new challenges. And we -- we're just now getting towards the peak of this hurricane season.
We have other systems we're watching. But the focus now is on Frances, particularly for the Florida peninsula and the Florida Keys.
KAGAN: All right. Well, we know it's going to be a long 36 to 48 hours for you. Thanks for the hard work and thanks for making time for our CNN viewers.
RAPPAPORT: Thank you.
KAGAN: Ed Rappaport with the National Hurricane Center.
Well, no one knows exactly if or where Hurricane Frances will strike along the Florida coast. Our meteorologist, Jacqui Jeras, explaining why everyone in the general path of a Category 4 storm needs to be prepared.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST (voice-over): Exactly where and when will the hurricane hit? That's the multimillion dollar question.
Even with all of the technology and the best computer models, meteorologists still can't pinpoint landfall until the storm is just a few miles offshore. And although they do have a very good idea of the area a storm will affect as early as five days out, the long-range prediction of where it makes landfall spans several hundred miles.
The farther away from shore the storm is, the less confidence there is in the precise path. Over the past decade, forecasters have been accurate within 87 miles the day before a storm. But the error for a storm five days out jumps to 300 miles on either side of the actual point of landfall. That's why it's important to focus on the forecast cone or highlighted area of concern on a map rather than on the line you see here in the middle. The middle line is just a compromise between all of the computer model forecasts.
Hurricane Charley, which made landfall as a Category 4 storm near Fort Myers, Florida, this year, is a perfect example. The extended forecast had Tampa right in the middle of the cone of uncertainty. This left some residents in Punta Gorda, 80 miles to the south, with a false sense of security, even though they were under a hurricane warning 24 hours before the storm hit.
Jacqui Jeras, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: We are going to get to our legal news after the break. Case dismissed for Kobe Bryant. The criminal case against him is dropped. Does that mean, though, he is out of the legal woods? Jeffrey Toobin joins me next to talk about that.
And later, music, entertainment and politics. Rock the Vote is once again trying to make a difference in this year's election. We'll take a look coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: All criminal charges against Kobe Bryant have been dropped. The Lakers star is not completely out of legal trouble, however. Prosecutors, though, say they had to drop the case when the alleged victim refused to continue.
Bryant did have to issue a statement as a condition for the case not being revisited. It says, "Although I truly believe this encounter between us was consensual, I recognize now that she" -- meaning the accuser -- "did not, and does not view this incident the same way that I did. After months of reviewing discovery, listening to her attorney, and even hearing her testifying in person, I now understand that she sincerely feels and that she did not consent to the encounter."
It is a fascinating twist in a case that will fuel legal debate for a long time. Let's bring in senior legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin for his take on this case.
Jeff, good morning.
JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SR. LEGAL ANALYST: Hey, D.K.
KAGAN: Wow.
TOOBIN: Wow is right.
KAGAN: I mean, first of all, dropping the charges, why now? Why wasn't this the dropped two or three weeks ago? TOOBIN: Well, I think her -- the accuser's attorneys had been putting a lot of pressure on the government to try and get rid of this case because they recognized, as I think most people did, that this was a hopeless case in a criminal court. And her lawyers felt that she was in a better negotiating position with a dismissed criminal case rather than an acquittal in a criminal case.
And that was the judgment they made. I don't think they're in great shape either way, but I think they're right, they're better off this way.
KAGAN: Really? You think she might walk away without a dime?
TOOBIN: I don't think she'll walk away without a dime, but remember, all the problems in the criminal case just transfer over to the civil case, her credibility, you know, who she was having sex with when. All those issues come back.
True, she has a lesser burden of proof. Proof beyond a reasonable doubt is much harder to meet then a preponderance of the evidence. But all those problems are there.
I think what her civil lawyers are counting on, and yesterday's statement by Kobe Bryant indicates, that this is virtually in the works, some sort of settlement. Kobe Bryant just signed a $120 million contract. He has a few extra million dollars to make this case go away, and I think that's what's going to happen.
KAGAN: Let's look at this statement one more time. I mean, my jaw dropped when I read this.
Kobe Bryant says, "I truly believe this encounter between us was consensual. I recognize now that she did not." Have you have heard of a defendant coming out making a statement like that, Jeff?
TOOBIN: No, but if you read a statement like that, that was an entirely lawyer-driven statement. It was meant to be conciliatory. And, you know, it contained a statement saying that it couldn't be used against him in the civil case.
This was a negotiated statement. And frankly, it also had the ring of truth about it.
KAGAN: No, it did.
TOOBIN: That, you know, they simply misunderstood what went on in that room. Two different people had a different understanding.
That is unfortunate. It's certainly bad behavior on the part of Kobe Bryant. But it certainly suggests that this case never belonged in criminal court.
KAGAN: Right.
TOOBIN: And I think the real losers here are the Eagle County district attorney's office who, you know, who brought this case too quickly, who investigated it inadequately, and really should never have brought it.
KAGAN: Well, and meanwhile, so many lives hurt in this. You know, Kobe Bryant, millions of dollars in legal fees, this woman, whose reputation, who had death threats, who has had just an incredibly difficult year. And then you could do a whole segment on this, how this court handled this case and what it did and message it sends to women who might feel that they might need to bring rape charges in the future, a sense of insecurity that your privacy will be respected.
TOOBIN: Absolutely, Daryn. And I'd really like to address that last point, because I think there's been some misinformation out there, that the judge somehow declared open season on this woman's sexual history.
He didn't. What he did was, he ruled that any sexual activity that this woman had between 72 hours before her medical exam, that could be explored. And that decision was right, because Kobe Bryant had a right to explore, you know, whether the injuries, the evidence in the case was caused by him or someone else. That was not open season on her sexual history.
KAGAN: Well, Jeff, that decision might not have been open season, but when you have not one, but three leaks, three mistakes of this woman's privacy leaked to the media, that is unforgivable, I think.
TOOBIN: That -- it was a mistake, it was unforgivable. Also, Daryn, it's worth remembering that her name never got into wide circulation. Her -- you know, the news media here I think behaved very responsibly.
I know we're everybody's favorite whipping boy, but I think we did not disclose her name. And yes, that was a mistake, but not a lot of people know her name.
Frankly, I think the reason this case fell apart was not because of mistakes by the judge. It was because the merits of the case simply weren't there. Kobe Bryant was not guilty, and that's why the case fell apart.
KAGAN: All right. Jeff Toobin, talking us through it from the beginning to the end. And there's a lot of other legal cases out there. So we'll be seeing you again real soon.
TOOBIN: I hope so, Daryn.
KAGAN: Thank you so much, Jeff.
TOOBIN: All right.
KAGAN: We are going back to Hurricane Frances. The National Hurricane Center telling folks along the Florida coast, prepare as if this will be the worst storm you will see in your lifetime. Up next, we continue to track the path of Hurricane Frances.
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Aired September 2, 2004 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We are looking at 11:00 a.m. straight up on the East Coast, 8:00 a.m. for those of you on the West Coast. From CNN Center here in Atlanta, good morning once again. I'm Daryn Kagan.
The satellite pictures tell the story. You are looking at a runaway dynamo, a Category 4 storm. The only prudent thing to do, move out of the way as quickly as possible.
People in the Bahamas are getting the worst of Hurricane Frances right now. Next stop looks to be hurricane-weary Florida. Hurricane warnings have now been posted along Florida's east coast, which means hurricane conditions are expected in the warning area within 24 hours.
Emergency officials have urged thousands of Florida residents to evacuate now while they still can. Even a few hours' delay could be disastrous. A word to the wise, the Kennedy Space Center and U.S. military bases started battening down the hatches yesterday.
Let's get the latest on the storm's progress. Orelon Sidney working on that for us -- Orelon.
ORELON SIDNEY, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Thanks a lot.
Here are the official warnings now. The National Hurricane Center has issued a hurricane warning for the east coast of Florida, from Florida City northward to Flagler Beach. That includes inland Lake Okeechobee. A tropical storm warning and a hurricane watch are in effect for the middle and upper Florida Keys, from south of Florida City to the Seven Mile Bridge, including Florida Bay.
A hurricane warning remains in effect for all of the Bahamas. The hurricane warning for the Turks and Caicos Islands, though, have been discontinued.
This is what we're looking at, a clear shot for much of the eastern United States. There's really nothing standing in the way of this storm as it moves to the west-northwest, and holding at 13 miles an hour at the last report.
You can see the Turks and Caicos Islands right about here. The brunt of the storm has passed that area, but it continues to move now through the central and we think the northern Bahamas as we go through the rest of the day today.
This is what it looks like as far as the warnings are concerned. Remember that the Bahamas continue under a hurricane warning, meaning hurricane conditions expected within 24 hours, if not imminent. And here's the same thing stretching across much of the eastern coast of Florida.
The hurricane watch extends down south to the Keys. That means hurricane conditions are possible within 36 hours. So if you're anywhere from near Homestead, northward through West Palm Beach, north of to Daytona Beach, you are under the hurricane warning and you need to rush your preparations to completion.
This is what we think the track may do as we go on through the next few hours, staying at a very strong Category 4 storm as it approaches from the southeast: 145 mile-an-hour winds. We're expecting them to die off to about 80 miles an hour and gust before the storm heads, perhaps, off to the Gulf of Mexico.
Another trend might take it northward on along the Eastern Seaboard. That remains to be seen. But wherever it goes, it's going to be an absolutely devastating storm, especially at landfall if it maintains its current strength. There's possibility of some fluctuations in strength as it approaches the coast, but we still expect the landfall of a major hurricane within the next 36 to 48 hours -- Daryn.
KAGAN: All right. And let's see where Frances is right now. Orelon, thank you for that.
SIDNEY: You're welcome.
KAGAN: Frances over the Bahamas. Let's go to our Karl Penhaul. He is there in Freeport, Bahamas -- Karl.
KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Daryn.
The winds here beginning to pick up. We're just now seeing the first few spots of rain. First thing this morning, very calm, the sea was very still. But over the last few moments, we have noticed a start and a surge in the sea swell, and that's to say the wind is picking up here.
Now, according to meteorologists on the island, they say by the end of the afternoon we should be feeling the brunt of tropical storm- force winds, and then the hurricane-force winds here on Grand Bahama will begin to be felt overnight and in the early hours of Friday morning, picking up throughout the day. But, of course, as we do know, in the Turks and Caicos, those islands have been pounded by Hurricane Frances during the night, and the southern area of the Bahamas, an island chain of more than 700 islands, is also currently feeling the hurricane effects of Frances right now.
Now, preparations here on Grand Bahama very obviously under way. People battening down the hatches with plywood boards. More than 8,000 plywood boards sold from one hardware store alone in just the last day, according to that store owner.
Now, what are the fate of U.S. tourists who are here on the island ready for the Labor Day weekend? Well, most of those have been moved back from oceanside hotels, and those who have chosen to remain on the island are now holed up in a hotel on the interior of the island. But many of the tourists have flown off the island or left on cruiser ships. We understand from the airport authority one of the last planes to leave the island could be taking off around 2:00 this afternoon -- Daryn.
KAGAN: All right. Karl Penhaul, you stay safe and try to stay dry, although that will not be easy with what is coming your way. We will check back with you.
Meanwhile, let's head back to the states, where major highways along Florida's east coast may soon become one-way escape routes to handle the massive evacuation. A lot of properties are now sporting plywood or other protective materials in hopes of riding out the storm.
Home owners are advised to unplug all appliances and cut off the utilities before they leave. And they should take a copy of their home owner's insurance with them just in case.
Take a look at the graphic of the storm, the storm cloud superimposed over Texas. It gives you an idea of just how large Frances has grown.
If you include the outer bands, it is nearly now the size of the state of Texas. And it's a powerful Category 4 to boot. Hurricane experts say that it's two to three times the size of Charley three weeks ago, which would make the damage zone even much wider than what we saw in the Punta Gorda area.
Stay with CNN for continuous hurricane coverage. Just 10 minutes from now, we'll go live to the hurricane center with the latest numbers on Frances.
Also, we'll take a closer look at the artful science of tracking hurricanes and how accurate the experts are. And if you're in the path of a storm like this, what you need to do in order to prepare.
We move on to a different type of storm, the storm of politics. Republicans getting ready for the culmination of their convention. President Bush getting ready to accept his party's nomination for a second term.
You're looking at live pictures from Madison Square Garden. The stage being set for the president's speech tonight.
Vice President Dick Cheney and Georgia Senator Zell Miller fired up the crowd last night, both blasting John Kerry, calling him too indecisive to be president. Miller himself is a Democrat. He called Kerry weak and wobbly on national security.
Meanwhile, President Bush was visiting with New York City firefighters last night after he arrived in town. In his speech tonight, Mr. Bush is expected to contrast his record with John Kerry's and outline his plans for a second term. For more on what we can expect on this final night of the Republican convention, let's bring back our national correspondent, Bob Franken, our man at Madison Square Garden.
Bob, good morning.
BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
So what do they do when the president of the United States is going to deliver one of the most important political speeches he's done in certainly a long time? What did they do last night? They tore up the floor. They created a theater in the round.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FRANKEN (voice-over): He'll speak from a special stage at the convention. But first...
AUDIENCE: Four more years! Four more years!
FRANKEN: ... President Bush was setting the stage for his speech with September 11th imagery by going to Queens for an endorsement by firefighters. His ticket mate was at his podium inside the convention hall. The president's warm-up act scorching the opponent who wasn't there.
RICHARD CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Senator Kerry says he sees two Americas. It makes the whole thing mutual. America...
(APPLAUSE)
CHENEY: ... America sees two John Kerrys.
FRANKEN: The crowd loved it, but not quite everyone. Officials had to remove a protester, just one of the incidents where demonstrators had faked out all the security. But the Republicans were more than glad to let one outsider in, Democrat Zell Miller, a keynote speaker for Bill Clinton 12 years ago, a keynoter for George Bush this time around.
SEN. ZELL MILLER (D), GEORGIA: Our nation is being torn apart and made weaker because of a Democrat's manic obsession to bring down our commander in chief.
(APPLAUSE)
MILLER: What has happened to the party I've spent my life working in?
FRANKEN: Tonight, this party's big finish with President Bush. But he'll quickly leave the roar of Madison Square Garden behind.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FRANKEN: This may be the city that never sleeps, but the president is not sleeping here. He's going to Pennsylvania tonight to spend the night there. It is, after all, a battleground state. New York is very heavily democratic -- Daryn.
KAGAN: Yes, there's no stopping between now and November 2. Bob Franken in Mew York City. Thank you for that.
Our live convention coverage begins with Anderson Cooper at 7:00 p.m. Eastern. That is followed by "America Votes 2004," special at 8:00.
Larry will be along at 9:00. And we'll have live coverage of President Bush's acceptance speech at 10:00 Eastern. And a special edition of "NEWSNIGHT" with Aaron Brown at 11:00. And Larry King returns at midnight Eastern.
Then there is this other big story we are tracking today. It is the school hostage crisis in southern Russia. There have been a couple of dramatic developments in recent hours. For the latest, let's bring in our Ryan Chilcote, joining us by videophone -- Ryan.
RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, we're now in the 35th hour of this hostage crisis in the town of Beslan in southern Russia. The most recent development, that 26 women and children have been released by the hostage-takers. That is coming to us from a spokesman from the regional (UNINTELLIGIBLE) that the children -- women and children who are in need of medical assistance are getting that now, and those who can talk to investigators are doing that.
They said investigators are very interested in getting a better picture of the situation in the school's gymnasium. That's where Russian officials say at least 350 people are being held, many of them children.
Of course, this was a school. Yesterday was the first day of school here in Russia. This school was seized. Many of these children, of course, between the ages of seven and 17. This school goes to the 11th grade.
Now, it is worth mentioning that none of the people inside the building have gotten any water or food since they've been in there in the last 35 hours. Russian negotiators had been trying to get permission from the hostage-takers to get some water and food in. But so far, they have been unsuccessful.
Now, a little bit about the scene here. Even though we are 35 hours into this crisis, this (UNINTELLIGIBLE) waiting for information that most of them have been here all throughout the night. They themselves are not eating or drinking. And a lot of the people I was talking to say they're not going to eat and drink until (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
But they've been here, it started raining. And everybody is waiting very anxiously to hear more and more information about their loved ones (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
KAGAN: Ryan Chilcote from Beslan, Russia, with the latest on the school hostage situation.
There is more Republican National Convention coverage ahead. They are wearing their cause on their sleeves, and everywhere else, apparently. A look at how some protesters are literally teed off. That's coming up.
Also, we are continuing to track the path of this massive storm, Hurricane Frances, strong, taking aim at Florida. We'll go live to the National Hurricane Center. That's coming up next.
And for Kobe Bryant, it is case dismissed. But it isn't game over. A look at what may be ahead when CNN LIVE TODAY returns.
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KAGAN: Want to get back now to Hurricane Frances. It's already disrupting thousands of lives. Hurricane experts saying this storm is so large the exact point of landfall is not as important as the actual warning zone.
Ed Rappaport, deputy director of the National Hurricane Center, joins us this morning.
Ed, good to have you here with us.
ED RAPPAPORT, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER: Thank you. And I appreciate your making that comment. Yes, this is a large storm, and the precise landfall point is much less consequential than usual.
KAGAN: We showed -- we put the size of the storm over the map of Texas and showed that it's just about as big as the state of Texas.
RAPPAPORT: Well, that's probably true in terms of its cloud size. Now, the business end, the strong winds and the rain, are somewhat more confined, but we're still talking about an area of hurricane-force winds that's about 100 miles wide. So we could have a damage swathe on that order as it crosses into Florida.
KAGAN: All right. Give us the latest on where you do think, though, it is going to make landfall.
RAPPAPORT: OK. Well, right now, the center of the hurricane is in the southeastern Bahamas. It is moving towards the west-northwest. And we expect that general motion to continue.
And it's a large storm. So because of that, and because of the uncertainty in where exactly the center will come ashore, we have a hurricane warning now from Flagler Beach, Florida, all the way down the East Coast to the Florida Keys, where we have a tropical storm watch -- or tropical storm warning and a hurricane watch. So there's a large area at risk because of the size of the storm and the remaining uncertainty in its track.
KAGAN: Difficult lessons, but do you think a lot of Floridians learned lessons from Hurricane Charley?
RAPPAPORT: I'm sure they have. And we in southeast Florida, of course, have Hurricane Andrew.
One thing to keep in mind is that a Category 4 landfall in any particular location is probably a once in a generation or once in a lifetime event. So people should be preparing now as if this will be the strongest hurricane they ever see.
KAGAN: And how many years, Ed, have you been in the hurricane weather business?
RAPPAPORT: I've been here for 17 years.
KAGAN: And in the 17 years, have you ever seen two storms so strong come so quickly and slam into Florida?
RAPPAPORT: No. Each storm and season brings new challenges. And we -- we're just now getting towards the peak of this hurricane season.
We have other systems we're watching. But the focus now is on Frances, particularly for the Florida peninsula and the Florida Keys.
KAGAN: All right. Well, we know it's going to be a long 36 to 48 hours for you. Thanks for the hard work and thanks for making time for our CNN viewers.
RAPPAPORT: Thank you.
KAGAN: Ed Rappaport with the National Hurricane Center.
Well, no one knows exactly if or where Hurricane Frances will strike along the Florida coast. Our meteorologist, Jacqui Jeras, explaining why everyone in the general path of a Category 4 storm needs to be prepared.
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JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST (voice-over): Exactly where and when will the hurricane hit? That's the multimillion dollar question.
Even with all of the technology and the best computer models, meteorologists still can't pinpoint landfall until the storm is just a few miles offshore. And although they do have a very good idea of the area a storm will affect as early as five days out, the long-range prediction of where it makes landfall spans several hundred miles.
The farther away from shore the storm is, the less confidence there is in the precise path. Over the past decade, forecasters have been accurate within 87 miles the day before a storm. But the error for a storm five days out jumps to 300 miles on either side of the actual point of landfall. That's why it's important to focus on the forecast cone or highlighted area of concern on a map rather than on the line you see here in the middle. The middle line is just a compromise between all of the computer model forecasts.
Hurricane Charley, which made landfall as a Category 4 storm near Fort Myers, Florida, this year, is a perfect example. The extended forecast had Tampa right in the middle of the cone of uncertainty. This left some residents in Punta Gorda, 80 miles to the south, with a false sense of security, even though they were under a hurricane warning 24 hours before the storm hit.
Jacqui Jeras, CNN, Atlanta.
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KAGAN: We are going to get to our legal news after the break. Case dismissed for Kobe Bryant. The criminal case against him is dropped. Does that mean, though, he is out of the legal woods? Jeffrey Toobin joins me next to talk about that.
And later, music, entertainment and politics. Rock the Vote is once again trying to make a difference in this year's election. We'll take a look coming up.
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KAGAN: All criminal charges against Kobe Bryant have been dropped. The Lakers star is not completely out of legal trouble, however. Prosecutors, though, say they had to drop the case when the alleged victim refused to continue.
Bryant did have to issue a statement as a condition for the case not being revisited. It says, "Although I truly believe this encounter between us was consensual, I recognize now that she" -- meaning the accuser -- "did not, and does not view this incident the same way that I did. After months of reviewing discovery, listening to her attorney, and even hearing her testifying in person, I now understand that she sincerely feels and that she did not consent to the encounter."
It is a fascinating twist in a case that will fuel legal debate for a long time. Let's bring in senior legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin for his take on this case.
Jeff, good morning.
JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SR. LEGAL ANALYST: Hey, D.K.
KAGAN: Wow.
TOOBIN: Wow is right.
KAGAN: I mean, first of all, dropping the charges, why now? Why wasn't this the dropped two or three weeks ago? TOOBIN: Well, I think her -- the accuser's attorneys had been putting a lot of pressure on the government to try and get rid of this case because they recognized, as I think most people did, that this was a hopeless case in a criminal court. And her lawyers felt that she was in a better negotiating position with a dismissed criminal case rather than an acquittal in a criminal case.
And that was the judgment they made. I don't think they're in great shape either way, but I think they're right, they're better off this way.
KAGAN: Really? You think she might walk away without a dime?
TOOBIN: I don't think she'll walk away without a dime, but remember, all the problems in the criminal case just transfer over to the civil case, her credibility, you know, who she was having sex with when. All those issues come back.
True, she has a lesser burden of proof. Proof beyond a reasonable doubt is much harder to meet then a preponderance of the evidence. But all those problems are there.
I think what her civil lawyers are counting on, and yesterday's statement by Kobe Bryant indicates, that this is virtually in the works, some sort of settlement. Kobe Bryant just signed a $120 million contract. He has a few extra million dollars to make this case go away, and I think that's what's going to happen.
KAGAN: Let's look at this statement one more time. I mean, my jaw dropped when I read this.
Kobe Bryant says, "I truly believe this encounter between us was consensual. I recognize now that she did not." Have you have heard of a defendant coming out making a statement like that, Jeff?
TOOBIN: No, but if you read a statement like that, that was an entirely lawyer-driven statement. It was meant to be conciliatory. And, you know, it contained a statement saying that it couldn't be used against him in the civil case.
This was a negotiated statement. And frankly, it also had the ring of truth about it.
KAGAN: No, it did.
TOOBIN: That, you know, they simply misunderstood what went on in that room. Two different people had a different understanding.
That is unfortunate. It's certainly bad behavior on the part of Kobe Bryant. But it certainly suggests that this case never belonged in criminal court.
KAGAN: Right.
TOOBIN: And I think the real losers here are the Eagle County district attorney's office who, you know, who brought this case too quickly, who investigated it inadequately, and really should never have brought it.
KAGAN: Well, and meanwhile, so many lives hurt in this. You know, Kobe Bryant, millions of dollars in legal fees, this woman, whose reputation, who had death threats, who has had just an incredibly difficult year. And then you could do a whole segment on this, how this court handled this case and what it did and message it sends to women who might feel that they might need to bring rape charges in the future, a sense of insecurity that your privacy will be respected.
TOOBIN: Absolutely, Daryn. And I'd really like to address that last point, because I think there's been some misinformation out there, that the judge somehow declared open season on this woman's sexual history.
He didn't. What he did was, he ruled that any sexual activity that this woman had between 72 hours before her medical exam, that could be explored. And that decision was right, because Kobe Bryant had a right to explore, you know, whether the injuries, the evidence in the case was caused by him or someone else. That was not open season on her sexual history.
KAGAN: Well, Jeff, that decision might not have been open season, but when you have not one, but three leaks, three mistakes of this woman's privacy leaked to the media, that is unforgivable, I think.
TOOBIN: That -- it was a mistake, it was unforgivable. Also, Daryn, it's worth remembering that her name never got into wide circulation. Her -- you know, the news media here I think behaved very responsibly.
I know we're everybody's favorite whipping boy, but I think we did not disclose her name. And yes, that was a mistake, but not a lot of people know her name.
Frankly, I think the reason this case fell apart was not because of mistakes by the judge. It was because the merits of the case simply weren't there. Kobe Bryant was not guilty, and that's why the case fell apart.
KAGAN: All right. Jeff Toobin, talking us through it from the beginning to the end. And there's a lot of other legal cases out there. So we'll be seeing you again real soon.
TOOBIN: I hope so, Daryn.
KAGAN: Thank you so much, Jeff.
TOOBIN: All right.
KAGAN: We are going back to Hurricane Frances. The National Hurricane Center telling folks along the Florida coast, prepare as if this will be the worst storm you will see in your lifetime. Up next, we continue to track the path of Hurricane Frances.
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