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American Morning
Interviews with Biloxi Mayor A.J. Holloway, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin
Aired September 15, 2004 - 07:30 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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR:. Good morning, everyone. It's 7:30 on the East Coast. Welcome back to this edition of AMERICAN MORNING. I'm Bill Hemmer live in Mobile, Alabama. We're watching the horizon for Hurricane Ivan. In just the past hour, we can tell the winds are now coming out of the East, and those outer clouds of those bans are now swirling around above us.
Ivan still a powerful category 4 hurricane, winds at 140 miles an hour with sustained gusts much higher than that, too.
Also, about 200 miles southeast of New Orleans is the center of that storm, expected to make land somewhere along the Gulf Coast between Grand Isle, Louisiana, in the west and Apalachicola, Florida, in the east, just south of Tallahassee. Long before the eye reaches the coast, the wind and the rain certainly will. In the coming hours we expect to anticipate just that here.
So, it promises to be a long day and an even longer night here in Mobile and all along the Gulf Coast. Much more coming up in a moment. We'll talk to the mayor of Biloxi, the mayor of New Orleans, how they're getting ready now at this hour.
Back to my colleague now, Heidi Collins, in New York City.
Heidi again -- good morning to you there.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, and good morning to you as well, Bill.
Also this half-hour, we're going to be talking with Andy Serwer. He's going to be showing us a whole new way to listen to tunes in your car. So stand by for that.
But right now, let's go ahead and check on the stories now in the news this morning.
Spanish police are detaining 10 suspected Islamic militants. The arrests were made in Barcelona during an overnight raid. Officials say the operation is still under way, but are not giving further details. At this point, there is no confirmation that the suspects have any link to the March 11 Madrid train bombings.
Israelis forces have launched an incursion in the West Bank now. At least 10 Palestinians were killed in two separate incidents this morning. And 11-year-old girl was among the casualties. The raids come as Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon vows to continue his plan for a pullout from Gaza, despite telephoned death threats. An investigation has been launched.
California's Arnold Schwarzenegger is the latest governor to get a letter rigged to catch fire. Schwarzenegger was one of 20 officials targeted so far. No one has been injured in any of those incidents, but, like the others, the newest letter has a return address from Nevada's maximum security prison.
Marion Barry makes another political comeback in Washington, D C. He won a Democratic primary fight Tuesday in one of the city's wards. That virtually guarantees he will be re-elected to the city council in November. Barry, a former four-time mayor of Washington, served jail time after being caught smoking crack in a police sting.
We turn things back over to Bill now in Mobile once again -- Bill.
HEMMER: All right, Heidi, thanks for that.
Already, Hurricane Ivan is responsible for killing at least 68 people; 68 people in places like Grenada, Jamaica, the Grand Caymans and Cuba. We're now getting ready here for Ivan in the U.S.
In Biloxi, Mississippi, west of our location, is the mayor, A.J. Holloway, with me now from the Treasure Bay, one of the city's floating casinos there.
And, Mayor, good morning to you.
MAYOR A.J. HOLLOWAY, BILOXI, MISSISSIPPI: Good morning, Bill.
HEMMER: What do you want the people of Biloxi to know at this point?
HOLLOWAY: Well, I want them to get out as much as possible, as quickly as they can, because we just don't know what's going to happen with this hurricane. I think we're well-prepared. We've been going over our plan for the last 24 hours. We'll just have to sit and wait now and see what happens.
HEMMER: In the past 12 years, Mayor, I understand $3 billion of development have gone on in your city right along the coastline.
HOLLOWAY: That's correct.
HEMMER: What is the potential now for the impact financially on places like Biloxi?
HOLLOWAY: Well, it would be catastrophic for the city of Biloxi and the state of Mississippi, because they pump out about $350,000 a day through the taxes in Mississippi, the city and the state. So, it would have a huge impact on particularly Biloxi and the Gulf Coast and then the state also. Thirty-five percent of our revenue is derived from the gaming industry now.
HEMMER: Mayor, you mentioned in your last answer there that you think you are getting ready and are prepared. How so? HOLLOWAY: Well, you know, we have a plan. We've worked our plan. We've been -- this is not our first rodeo, you know. We've been going through this for a long time. And so, we know what we have to do. We do it. And now, we just have to sit back and wait and see what happens. You know, we have extra (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...
HEMMER: All right, Mayor...
HOLLOWAY: ... and extra firemen.
HEMMER: I apologize for interrupting there. A bit of a delay there in the satellite. But thank you and good luck to you.
HOLLOWAY: Thank you.
HEMMER: A.J. Holloway is the mayor there in Biloxi, Mississippi. You've got it. Good luck today.
Watching the track of Ivan, also here in Mobile, is our meteorologist, Rob Marciano, with me as well.
Rob -- good morning.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Bill.
Some of the buoy reports just offshore, 30-foot swells in the center of Ivan. They remember in 1979 they remember Hurricane Frederick. That's the last time a major hurricane came up Mobile Bay. They certainly hope that doesn't happen again.
A quick view of the satellite imagery and we'll give you a look at the expanse of this storm. It is huge, again much like Frances was, only stronger, pretty much encompassing the entire eastern half of the Gulf of Mexico.
Oil rigs are out there, you bet. They've evacuated them all from the central to the eastern Gulf. They got all of those oil workers out of there. They don't want to be messing around with this thing.
There is the track. It is heading to the northwest at 12 miles per hour, still a category 4 storm. To the east of it is where you're seeing most of the action already, just on the west coast of Florida. The radars are picking up the action, and we're starting to see some squall lines just west of Tampa, and some of those squall lines are showing a little bit of a rotation, according to Chad Myers, back from our Viper Doppler radar out there, indicating that there could be tornadoes or water spouts just offshore.
There you see the outer reaches of the rain shield just about to reach the Florida panhandle, Panama City, back through Destin Beach, and Pensacola and then eventually here in Mobile, Biloxi, Gulfport, and even New Orleans as the rain begins to move up.
Here's a look at the warnings. They're up from Grand Isle over towards Apalachicola, meaning hurricane conditions expected within a 24-hour period, and that's what we're bracing for here this morning and this afternoon.
Right now, we're seeing winds out of the east, northwest at about 17 miles an hour, and we expect that to only continue as we go on through time. Expected landfall, we're right in the gut of this thing, unless they shift it either east or west. We're going to see major hurricane conditions by 5:00 or 7:00 tomorrow morning.
To point out, Bill, the last time the U.S. saw two category 4 storms hit in the same year was back in 1915. We already had one in Charley moving through western Florida this year, and we certainly don't want another one. And if we do, it will almost be 100 years since that last happened.
Back to you.
HEMMER: Wow! So true. Rob, thanks for that. Rob Marciano here in Mobile with me.
In New Orleans now, they could get a direct hit from Ivan if that storm goes in a western projection. And that would, no doubt, be catastrophic for that town.
New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin is my guest now.
And, Mayor Nagin, good morning to you.
About this time yesterday, you put yourselves at a 22-percent chance of taking a direct hit. Twenty-four hours later, what's the percentage now, Mayor?
MAYOR RAY NAGIN, NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA: It's my understanding that percentage has not changed substantially. Either it's a point above where the number that you just said, or a point below. So, we are still implementing our disaster plans, getting prepared and trying to evacuate as many people as possible out of the city.
HEMMER: Your city is located below sea level. You use a massive pumping system on a daily basis to pump out hundreds of thousands of gallons of water every day. How will that pumping system hold up if a category 4 storm hits New Orleans, Mayor?
NAGIN: Well, the last time we had a major storm like this was back in 1965, and it was a category 3 storm. And it basically dumped enough rain where we had about seven feet of water. This is a category 4, so it's a lot stronger, and we're really concerned about it.
The great news for the city of New Orleans is that we have a very sophisticated pumping system. It has back-up systems, and it should pump throughout the duration. But the storm being so large, 200 miles in length, we won't be able to keep up, and there will be some water in the city if it hits us directly.
HEMMER: Mayor, there is a report that says your city brought in 10,000 body bags in the event that a direct hit hits New Orleans. Is that report accurate? NAGIN: I have not made that order nor have I heard that. Hopefully, we won't have to use that many body bags if they are in town.
HEMMER: Indeed, you're right about that. I mean, that is the understatement of the day. Ray Nagin is the mayor of New Orleans. And thank you for your time. We certainly wish you the best of luck today, and perhaps you'll skirt by a direct hit from Ivan, but we all wait to see that. Mayor, thanks and good luck today.
NAGIN: Thank you so much.
HEMMER: Much more to come here live in Mobile, Alabama in a moment.
Back to Heidi now again in New York City -- Heidi.
COLLINS: And good morning once again, Bill. We're going to turn things around just a little bit on AMERICAN MORNING, some lighter new for you. The latest court case on the docket, Simon versus Simon. "90-Second Pop" is coming up.
Plus, "The Future is Now" for Andy Serwer. Today is digital music for the car, and you don't need satellite radio or even a CD player. Andy will explain coming up next on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Andy Serwer is here now with today's report in his week-long series, "The Future is Now." It's about the cutting-edge technologies that could soon be a common part of our everyday lives. This morning: WiFi car audio.
ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: That's right, Heidi. Forget about CDs or even plugging in your MP3 player. Look, ma, no wires. And, Soledad, I know you're watching at home. I got something in here for you. Let's check it out.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SERWER (voice over): All those songs you download to your PC, they can now ride shotgun on your way to work.
(on camera): Let's get something here for Soledad, out on the dance floor, back in the day...
TOM O'MARA, OMNIFI: When there was big hair.
SERWER: Yes.
(voice over): And thanks to new technology, you don't have to actually bring your MP3 player with you.
O'MARA: Every time we put something new in the computer, it becomes available in your car. So you never have to touch it. Human nature is out. You can be lazy. SERWER: Tom O'Mara is talking about WiFi. His company's new $600 digital jukebox player can wirelessly sync up your hard drive to your car stereo. All you have to do is park your car within 300 feet of your house and tell the Omnifi music player when to zap the songs, up to 3,000 of them.
(on camera): And what do we got back here? This is an antenna so you can actually download songs from, say, the house on a WiFi system right to this antenna?
O'MARA: Exactly.
SERWER (voice over): To test out the system, Tom synced up a driving classic: Steppenwolf.
(on camera): Let's hear some of the tapes. "Born to be Wild."
O'MARA: No. 1.
SERWER: "Magic Carpet Ride."
O'MARA: No. 2.
SERWER: After that, they kind of fell off.
(voice over): Eight minutes later, the entire album was in Tom's car, a lot longer than just popping in a CD or plugging in your MP3 player, but on top of being wireless, Tom says the Omnifi player won't skip.
(on camera): All right. Let's go!
(END VIDEOTAPE)
I've got my shades there. Other hurdles: The high price tag in having to park right next to your home. But Apple and BMW have rolled out a $150 adapter for the iPod that plugs right into the glove compartment. And to use the iPod in other cars you have to sync up an adapter to a local radio station.
COLLINS: And whether or not you like Steppenwolf is completely irrelevant.
SERWER: It's up to you. Yes, it's up to you.
All right, tomorrow we'll take a look at new smart ID tags, Heidi, that will track everything from jeans to humans. That's in our Thursday segment of "The Future is Now."
COLLINS: All right. Andy, thanks so much for that.
SERWER: It's fun stuff.
COLLINS: Yes, it is very cool.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Wow! COLLINS: All right, Jack with the "Question of the Day," talking about President Bush now.
CBS news, Heidi, reporting that the president got special treatment during his National Guard service. But according to "The Washington Post" this morning, two of the experts who examined the memos being used as a basis for part of that report before the story aired said that CBS ignored significant red flags about whether the memos were real.
One of the experts, Marcel Matley (ph), said he was very clear with CBS that he could not authenticate the memos without seeing the originals.
And another document expert, Emily, says -- or Emily Will (ph) says that she warned CBS all of the questions I was asking them on Tuesday night were going to be asked by hundreds of other document experts on Thursday morning if they went ahead and ran that story.
And the question is this: Do you believe the CBS report about President Bush's National Guard service?
Sandi (AUDIO GAP) "with all this trash in 11th hour as it were. And, of course, CBS is going to be standing with their hands out waiting to run with it. Where were these garbage divers four years ago when Al Gore needed them?"
Mel in Cornwall-on-Hudson: "While I doubt the authenticity of the paper evidence submitted, having been in the regular Air Force during Bush's time in the Guard, I can tell you that it reflects true situations with the Guard force then: Slipshod, irresponsible, the home of the privileged and the protected."
Vicki in Wyoming, Michigan: "Yes, I believe the CBS report is true. Too many things have come up in the past about his record. If it was clean, none of this would be talked about."
Shaun in Roanoke, Virginia. "It's easy for one to believe the CBS reports. The Bush administration puts its minions out front to dispute the accuracy of the documents, but not what they said. This is typical Republican propaganda. Why not just come out and say the president received special treatment? Anyone who served in the regular Army during this timeframe knows the National Guard was a refuge for the politically-connected to avoid combat service in Vietnam."
And John on Ontario, Canada, writes: "CBS used forged documents, and that was proven days ago. Now, the charge has evolved into a claim that CBS lied. The Swift Boat Veterans showed their sources even when they weakened their claims. CBS News has totally stonewalled."
COLLINS: Yes, we just talked to Ron Brownstein a little bit earlier, the political analyst of ours, who said this may not be the end for President Bush, even if the documents are proved to be fake. There are still questions he thinks about whether or not, you know, he had privileges for him.
CAFFERTY: Yes.
COLLINS: So, we'll have to find out more about that, obviously.
(CROSSTALK)
CAFFERTY: Oh, yes. The story isn't going to go away anytime soon.
COLLINS: Yes, probably not. All right, Jack, thank you.
Still to come this morning, we're keeping an eye on Ivan, of course. We'll go back to Bill in Alabama.
Also ahead, some "90-Second Pop." She's been on the small screen with her hubby, but now pop star Jessica Simpson is ready to slip on her Daisy Dukes and head to the big screen. That's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: You've got to love them (UNINTELLIGIBLE), right? "90- Second Pop" now for a Wednesday. The gang is all here once again. Andy Borowitz, ambassador of comedy. That may be my favorite one right there.
ANDY BOROWITZ, BOROWITZREPORT.COM: Excellent.
COLLINS: BorowitzReport.com. Sarah Bernard, contributing editor for "New York" magazine. And B.J. Sigesmund, staff editor for "US Weekly."
Hey, guys. Thanks so much for being here.
COLLINS: Andy, let's start with you, because I think you are the Jessica Simpson sort of expert, if you will.
BOROWITZ: I am.
COLLINS: She fought...
BOROWITZ: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) bureau.
COLLINS: Yes, yes. She fought very hard for this role of Daisy Duke coming up here on a movie called "Dukes of Hazzard," obviously.
BOROWITZ: Of course.
COLLINS: In fact, the competitors were people like Britney Spears, Mandy Moore, Christina Aguilera. Do you think the role was cast...
BOROWITZ: And they're all (UNINTELLIGIBLE), I think.
COLLINS: Oh, really? BOROWITZ: In the mix somewhere.
COLLINS: Acting experience.
BOROWITZ: Yes.
COLLINS: What do you think about the cast? I mean, did they do this correctly?
BOROWITZ: Yes, I think it's all right. You know, the role of Daisy Duke is not exactly Lady Macbeth. I mean, I think that all she has to do is say her lines and jump in the car. So, as long as they don't ask her to do both at the same time. I think...
COLLINS: And she has to do like this or something, doesn't she, with her hair?
BOROWITZ: Yes, she'll have to do that.
SARAH BERNARD, "NEW YORK" MAGAZINE: Do you think she can handle it?
BOROWITZ: Yes, she can handle it.
BERNARD: She can separate the two?
BOROWITZ: Yes, she is up to it. But, I mean, I guess it's quite a coup, because every starlet in Hollywood wanted this part.
BERNARD: But, you know, when she did her variety show a couple months ago, I have to say -- you're going to disagree -- but I was impressed with her.
BOROWITZ: But no, she was cute.
COLLINS: Oh, OK.
BERNARD: She had pretty good comic timing. She has a real presence. And I think that she could actually make this work and not be like her crossroads, that really bad movie that Britney did, right?
BOROWITZ: Right.
B.J. SIGESMUND, "US WEEKLY": I would say this proves once and for all, in case you were wondering, that reality television is the entertainment story of the decade. Less than two years ago, Jessica Simpson got married, and colleagues in the entertainment journalism were like, who is she again? And then she did "Newlyweds," which sent her into the stratosphere. And now...
COLLINS: And there was no acting there, right?
SIGESMUND: Yes.
COLLINS: That was purely real-life stuff.
SIGESMUND: Well, yes.
BERNARD: I don't know about that.
SIGESMUND: But now she's so famous that she has gotten cast in this movie...
COLLINS: Right.
SIGESMUND: ... and beat out all of the starlets. And remember that Luke Duke in the movie is going to be played like Johnny Knoxville, another guy with no acting experience.
BOROWITZ: Right.
SIGESMUND: So, it's really all about being a celebrity these days and not an actor.
COLLINS: All right. OK. Luke Duke, I had forgotten that catchy name.
(CROSSTALK)
BOROWITZ: Who is playing Bo?
BERNARD: Who is playing Boss Hogg?
COLLINS: Boss Hogg, there's the cast, right.
(CROSSTALK)
COLLINS: All right, Sarah, let's talk a little bit about Simon Cowell now. He, of course, is the creator of "American Idol."
BERNARD: That's right.
COLLINS: Actually, that's the other Simon.
BERNARD: There's two Simons!
COLLINS: Yes, I know. It's very confusing.
BERNARD: I know.
COLLINS: Now suing Simon Cowell, saying that he ripped off his idea for "The X-Factor "
BERNARD: That's right, it's the battle of the Simons.
COLLINS: Yes.
BERNARD: Well, our Simon Cowell, the Simon we know from "American Idol," has a new show that just started last week. This is actually airing only in England. So, that's why we haven't seen it yet. It's called "The X-Factor," and it's very similar to "American Idol" as a talent show. But it actually has older contestants and also groups. So, that's the difference.
What happens is Sharon Osbourne is a judge as well, and you kind of in the end mentor your favorite contestant. So, it's got a slight tweak from "American Idol "
COLLINS: Is it enough of a tweak, though, or is it a rip-off?
BERNARD: That's the thing. So, Simon Fuller, who is actually a music manager -- he was the guy behind the Spice Girls and a bunch of other acts like that -- is claiming that Simon Cowell is ripping him off. Now, doesn't he know how TV works?
BOROWITZ: My head is officially hurting. I just want to say that.
BERNARD: All of the Simon news?
BOROWITZ: Yes.
BERNARD: But, I mean...
BOROWITZ: Yes, I can't really digest it.
COLLINS: I was (UNINTELLIGIBLE) the mention of the Spice Girls.
BERNARD: Yes, right. Copying other TV shows, I mean, that's how it works, except for it's usually American shows copying British shows.
SIGESMUND: It wasn't a problem when they created "American Idol," which is a rip-off of "Pop Idol"...
COLLINS: Exactly.
SIGESMUND: ... because Simon Fuller had a piece of the pie.
BERNARD: Right.
SIGESMUND: And now that Simon Cowell is creating his own show, Simon Fuller is saying, no way, how did this happen?
BOROWITZ: I think there should a reality show where the viewers get to vote on what other show it's been ripped off of. I think that would be...
BERNARD: That may be an idea.
SIGESMUND: The one thing, though, for viewers is that this will affect viewers in that Simon Cowell may no longer be a host on -- or a judge on "American Idol's" fourth season. And that...
COLLINS: We'll have to wait for that.
BERNARD: Oh, no, he signed a contract.
SIGESMUND: He has a contract, but maybe they'll take him out of it now that they're so angry with him.
COLLINS: Speculation. All right, Andy, we are talking about reality TV here. Now, there is another reality TV show coming up, "Making the Band." We've seen this before where the guys were going at it. The name of the band that won, O-Town.
BOROWITZ: Right.
COLLINS: Not very successful. But now it's to be just girls. Do you think they'll have a better shot at this?
SIGESMUND: I think actually this is going to be maybe the third time will be the charm for this show, "Making the Band." The first year it was on in 2000. They chronicled the star-making process behind O-Town. They put out two albums, and then faded away.
And then P. Diddy got involved for the second season in which he created a group from scratch. It was called Da Band. Only they...
BERNARD: Da Band.
SIGESMUND: Da Band. But they couldn't even sell a million copies.
COLLINS: OK.
SIGESMUND: And P. Diddy put them to rest last year. Now, he's going to come back and give it one more try and create a girl band all from scratch. And I...
BOROWITZ: Da girl band?
SIGESMUND: Da girl band.
COLLINS: Da girl band.
SIGESMUND: I think this has the best potential of all, because pop stars right now, there are a lot of female, very fashionable pop stars out there: Christina, Beyonce, Averill, Hilary. And P. Diddy has a real eye for that kind of thing.
BERNARD: Well, you know, he did that once with the band called Dream, which was three girls.
BOROWITZ: Right.
BERNARD: And that -- I don't know. That didn't work out too well.
BOROWITZ: I think P. Diddy should maybe do, like, a nationwide search actually for O-Town to find out where they are right now, because...
COLLINS: All right, guys.
BERNARD: We can't find them. BOROWITZ: No.
COLLINS: All right, and there could be cat fights, too. You never know. All right, B.J. and Sarah and Andy, thanks so much this morning.
Bill -- back to you now in Mobile.
HEMMER: All right, Heidi, waiting for Ivan now, a monster lurking off the Gulf Coast. That name is Ivan, and a four-letter word for this part of the country. The latest on the path at the top of the hour here on AMERICAN MORNING. Back in a moment live in Alabama.
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Aired September 15, 2004 - 07:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR:. Good morning, everyone. It's 7:30 on the East Coast. Welcome back to this edition of AMERICAN MORNING. I'm Bill Hemmer live in Mobile, Alabama. We're watching the horizon for Hurricane Ivan. In just the past hour, we can tell the winds are now coming out of the East, and those outer clouds of those bans are now swirling around above us.
Ivan still a powerful category 4 hurricane, winds at 140 miles an hour with sustained gusts much higher than that, too.
Also, about 200 miles southeast of New Orleans is the center of that storm, expected to make land somewhere along the Gulf Coast between Grand Isle, Louisiana, in the west and Apalachicola, Florida, in the east, just south of Tallahassee. Long before the eye reaches the coast, the wind and the rain certainly will. In the coming hours we expect to anticipate just that here.
So, it promises to be a long day and an even longer night here in Mobile and all along the Gulf Coast. Much more coming up in a moment. We'll talk to the mayor of Biloxi, the mayor of New Orleans, how they're getting ready now at this hour.
Back to my colleague now, Heidi Collins, in New York City.
Heidi again -- good morning to you there.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, and good morning to you as well, Bill.
Also this half-hour, we're going to be talking with Andy Serwer. He's going to be showing us a whole new way to listen to tunes in your car. So stand by for that.
But right now, let's go ahead and check on the stories now in the news this morning.
Spanish police are detaining 10 suspected Islamic militants. The arrests were made in Barcelona during an overnight raid. Officials say the operation is still under way, but are not giving further details. At this point, there is no confirmation that the suspects have any link to the March 11 Madrid train bombings.
Israelis forces have launched an incursion in the West Bank now. At least 10 Palestinians were killed in two separate incidents this morning. And 11-year-old girl was among the casualties. The raids come as Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon vows to continue his plan for a pullout from Gaza, despite telephoned death threats. An investigation has been launched.
California's Arnold Schwarzenegger is the latest governor to get a letter rigged to catch fire. Schwarzenegger was one of 20 officials targeted so far. No one has been injured in any of those incidents, but, like the others, the newest letter has a return address from Nevada's maximum security prison.
Marion Barry makes another political comeback in Washington, D C. He won a Democratic primary fight Tuesday in one of the city's wards. That virtually guarantees he will be re-elected to the city council in November. Barry, a former four-time mayor of Washington, served jail time after being caught smoking crack in a police sting.
We turn things back over to Bill now in Mobile once again -- Bill.
HEMMER: All right, Heidi, thanks for that.
Already, Hurricane Ivan is responsible for killing at least 68 people; 68 people in places like Grenada, Jamaica, the Grand Caymans and Cuba. We're now getting ready here for Ivan in the U.S.
In Biloxi, Mississippi, west of our location, is the mayor, A.J. Holloway, with me now from the Treasure Bay, one of the city's floating casinos there.
And, Mayor, good morning to you.
MAYOR A.J. HOLLOWAY, BILOXI, MISSISSIPPI: Good morning, Bill.
HEMMER: What do you want the people of Biloxi to know at this point?
HOLLOWAY: Well, I want them to get out as much as possible, as quickly as they can, because we just don't know what's going to happen with this hurricane. I think we're well-prepared. We've been going over our plan for the last 24 hours. We'll just have to sit and wait now and see what happens.
HEMMER: In the past 12 years, Mayor, I understand $3 billion of development have gone on in your city right along the coastline.
HOLLOWAY: That's correct.
HEMMER: What is the potential now for the impact financially on places like Biloxi?
HOLLOWAY: Well, it would be catastrophic for the city of Biloxi and the state of Mississippi, because they pump out about $350,000 a day through the taxes in Mississippi, the city and the state. So, it would have a huge impact on particularly Biloxi and the Gulf Coast and then the state also. Thirty-five percent of our revenue is derived from the gaming industry now.
HEMMER: Mayor, you mentioned in your last answer there that you think you are getting ready and are prepared. How so? HOLLOWAY: Well, you know, we have a plan. We've worked our plan. We've been -- this is not our first rodeo, you know. We've been going through this for a long time. And so, we know what we have to do. We do it. And now, we just have to sit back and wait and see what happens. You know, we have extra (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...
HEMMER: All right, Mayor...
HOLLOWAY: ... and extra firemen.
HEMMER: I apologize for interrupting there. A bit of a delay there in the satellite. But thank you and good luck to you.
HOLLOWAY: Thank you.
HEMMER: A.J. Holloway is the mayor there in Biloxi, Mississippi. You've got it. Good luck today.
Watching the track of Ivan, also here in Mobile, is our meteorologist, Rob Marciano, with me as well.
Rob -- good morning.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Bill.
Some of the buoy reports just offshore, 30-foot swells in the center of Ivan. They remember in 1979 they remember Hurricane Frederick. That's the last time a major hurricane came up Mobile Bay. They certainly hope that doesn't happen again.
A quick view of the satellite imagery and we'll give you a look at the expanse of this storm. It is huge, again much like Frances was, only stronger, pretty much encompassing the entire eastern half of the Gulf of Mexico.
Oil rigs are out there, you bet. They've evacuated them all from the central to the eastern Gulf. They got all of those oil workers out of there. They don't want to be messing around with this thing.
There is the track. It is heading to the northwest at 12 miles per hour, still a category 4 storm. To the east of it is where you're seeing most of the action already, just on the west coast of Florida. The radars are picking up the action, and we're starting to see some squall lines just west of Tampa, and some of those squall lines are showing a little bit of a rotation, according to Chad Myers, back from our Viper Doppler radar out there, indicating that there could be tornadoes or water spouts just offshore.
There you see the outer reaches of the rain shield just about to reach the Florida panhandle, Panama City, back through Destin Beach, and Pensacola and then eventually here in Mobile, Biloxi, Gulfport, and even New Orleans as the rain begins to move up.
Here's a look at the warnings. They're up from Grand Isle over towards Apalachicola, meaning hurricane conditions expected within a 24-hour period, and that's what we're bracing for here this morning and this afternoon.
Right now, we're seeing winds out of the east, northwest at about 17 miles an hour, and we expect that to only continue as we go on through time. Expected landfall, we're right in the gut of this thing, unless they shift it either east or west. We're going to see major hurricane conditions by 5:00 or 7:00 tomorrow morning.
To point out, Bill, the last time the U.S. saw two category 4 storms hit in the same year was back in 1915. We already had one in Charley moving through western Florida this year, and we certainly don't want another one. And if we do, it will almost be 100 years since that last happened.
Back to you.
HEMMER: Wow! So true. Rob, thanks for that. Rob Marciano here in Mobile with me.
In New Orleans now, they could get a direct hit from Ivan if that storm goes in a western projection. And that would, no doubt, be catastrophic for that town.
New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin is my guest now.
And, Mayor Nagin, good morning to you.
About this time yesterday, you put yourselves at a 22-percent chance of taking a direct hit. Twenty-four hours later, what's the percentage now, Mayor?
MAYOR RAY NAGIN, NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA: It's my understanding that percentage has not changed substantially. Either it's a point above where the number that you just said, or a point below. So, we are still implementing our disaster plans, getting prepared and trying to evacuate as many people as possible out of the city.
HEMMER: Your city is located below sea level. You use a massive pumping system on a daily basis to pump out hundreds of thousands of gallons of water every day. How will that pumping system hold up if a category 4 storm hits New Orleans, Mayor?
NAGIN: Well, the last time we had a major storm like this was back in 1965, and it was a category 3 storm. And it basically dumped enough rain where we had about seven feet of water. This is a category 4, so it's a lot stronger, and we're really concerned about it.
The great news for the city of New Orleans is that we have a very sophisticated pumping system. It has back-up systems, and it should pump throughout the duration. But the storm being so large, 200 miles in length, we won't be able to keep up, and there will be some water in the city if it hits us directly.
HEMMER: Mayor, there is a report that says your city brought in 10,000 body bags in the event that a direct hit hits New Orleans. Is that report accurate? NAGIN: I have not made that order nor have I heard that. Hopefully, we won't have to use that many body bags if they are in town.
HEMMER: Indeed, you're right about that. I mean, that is the understatement of the day. Ray Nagin is the mayor of New Orleans. And thank you for your time. We certainly wish you the best of luck today, and perhaps you'll skirt by a direct hit from Ivan, but we all wait to see that. Mayor, thanks and good luck today.
NAGIN: Thank you so much.
HEMMER: Much more to come here live in Mobile, Alabama in a moment.
Back to Heidi now again in New York City -- Heidi.
COLLINS: And good morning once again, Bill. We're going to turn things around just a little bit on AMERICAN MORNING, some lighter new for you. The latest court case on the docket, Simon versus Simon. "90-Second Pop" is coming up.
Plus, "The Future is Now" for Andy Serwer. Today is digital music for the car, and you don't need satellite radio or even a CD player. Andy will explain coming up next on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Andy Serwer is here now with today's report in his week-long series, "The Future is Now." It's about the cutting-edge technologies that could soon be a common part of our everyday lives. This morning: WiFi car audio.
ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: That's right, Heidi. Forget about CDs or even plugging in your MP3 player. Look, ma, no wires. And, Soledad, I know you're watching at home. I got something in here for you. Let's check it out.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SERWER (voice over): All those songs you download to your PC, they can now ride shotgun on your way to work.
(on camera): Let's get something here for Soledad, out on the dance floor, back in the day...
TOM O'MARA, OMNIFI: When there was big hair.
SERWER: Yes.
(voice over): And thanks to new technology, you don't have to actually bring your MP3 player with you.
O'MARA: Every time we put something new in the computer, it becomes available in your car. So you never have to touch it. Human nature is out. You can be lazy. SERWER: Tom O'Mara is talking about WiFi. His company's new $600 digital jukebox player can wirelessly sync up your hard drive to your car stereo. All you have to do is park your car within 300 feet of your house and tell the Omnifi music player when to zap the songs, up to 3,000 of them.
(on camera): And what do we got back here? This is an antenna so you can actually download songs from, say, the house on a WiFi system right to this antenna?
O'MARA: Exactly.
SERWER (voice over): To test out the system, Tom synced up a driving classic: Steppenwolf.
(on camera): Let's hear some of the tapes. "Born to be Wild."
O'MARA: No. 1.
SERWER: "Magic Carpet Ride."
O'MARA: No. 2.
SERWER: After that, they kind of fell off.
(voice over): Eight minutes later, the entire album was in Tom's car, a lot longer than just popping in a CD or plugging in your MP3 player, but on top of being wireless, Tom says the Omnifi player won't skip.
(on camera): All right. Let's go!
(END VIDEOTAPE)
I've got my shades there. Other hurdles: The high price tag in having to park right next to your home. But Apple and BMW have rolled out a $150 adapter for the iPod that plugs right into the glove compartment. And to use the iPod in other cars you have to sync up an adapter to a local radio station.
COLLINS: And whether or not you like Steppenwolf is completely irrelevant.
SERWER: It's up to you. Yes, it's up to you.
All right, tomorrow we'll take a look at new smart ID tags, Heidi, that will track everything from jeans to humans. That's in our Thursday segment of "The Future is Now."
COLLINS: All right. Andy, thanks so much for that.
SERWER: It's fun stuff.
COLLINS: Yes, it is very cool.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Wow! COLLINS: All right, Jack with the "Question of the Day," talking about President Bush now.
CBS news, Heidi, reporting that the president got special treatment during his National Guard service. But according to "The Washington Post" this morning, two of the experts who examined the memos being used as a basis for part of that report before the story aired said that CBS ignored significant red flags about whether the memos were real.
One of the experts, Marcel Matley (ph), said he was very clear with CBS that he could not authenticate the memos without seeing the originals.
And another document expert, Emily, says -- or Emily Will (ph) says that she warned CBS all of the questions I was asking them on Tuesday night were going to be asked by hundreds of other document experts on Thursday morning if they went ahead and ran that story.
And the question is this: Do you believe the CBS report about President Bush's National Guard service?
Sandi (AUDIO GAP) "with all this trash in 11th hour as it were. And, of course, CBS is going to be standing with their hands out waiting to run with it. Where were these garbage divers four years ago when Al Gore needed them?"
Mel in Cornwall-on-Hudson: "While I doubt the authenticity of the paper evidence submitted, having been in the regular Air Force during Bush's time in the Guard, I can tell you that it reflects true situations with the Guard force then: Slipshod, irresponsible, the home of the privileged and the protected."
Vicki in Wyoming, Michigan: "Yes, I believe the CBS report is true. Too many things have come up in the past about his record. If it was clean, none of this would be talked about."
Shaun in Roanoke, Virginia. "It's easy for one to believe the CBS reports. The Bush administration puts its minions out front to dispute the accuracy of the documents, but not what they said. This is typical Republican propaganda. Why not just come out and say the president received special treatment? Anyone who served in the regular Army during this timeframe knows the National Guard was a refuge for the politically-connected to avoid combat service in Vietnam."
And John on Ontario, Canada, writes: "CBS used forged documents, and that was proven days ago. Now, the charge has evolved into a claim that CBS lied. The Swift Boat Veterans showed their sources even when they weakened their claims. CBS News has totally stonewalled."
COLLINS: Yes, we just talked to Ron Brownstein a little bit earlier, the political analyst of ours, who said this may not be the end for President Bush, even if the documents are proved to be fake. There are still questions he thinks about whether or not, you know, he had privileges for him.
CAFFERTY: Yes.
COLLINS: So, we'll have to find out more about that, obviously.
(CROSSTALK)
CAFFERTY: Oh, yes. The story isn't going to go away anytime soon.
COLLINS: Yes, probably not. All right, Jack, thank you.
Still to come this morning, we're keeping an eye on Ivan, of course. We'll go back to Bill in Alabama.
Also ahead, some "90-Second Pop." She's been on the small screen with her hubby, but now pop star Jessica Simpson is ready to slip on her Daisy Dukes and head to the big screen. That's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: You've got to love them (UNINTELLIGIBLE), right? "90- Second Pop" now for a Wednesday. The gang is all here once again. Andy Borowitz, ambassador of comedy. That may be my favorite one right there.
ANDY BOROWITZ, BOROWITZREPORT.COM: Excellent.
COLLINS: BorowitzReport.com. Sarah Bernard, contributing editor for "New York" magazine. And B.J. Sigesmund, staff editor for "US Weekly."
Hey, guys. Thanks so much for being here.
COLLINS: Andy, let's start with you, because I think you are the Jessica Simpson sort of expert, if you will.
BOROWITZ: I am.
COLLINS: She fought...
BOROWITZ: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) bureau.
COLLINS: Yes, yes. She fought very hard for this role of Daisy Duke coming up here on a movie called "Dukes of Hazzard," obviously.
BOROWITZ: Of course.
COLLINS: In fact, the competitors were people like Britney Spears, Mandy Moore, Christina Aguilera. Do you think the role was cast...
BOROWITZ: And they're all (UNINTELLIGIBLE), I think.
COLLINS: Oh, really? BOROWITZ: In the mix somewhere.
COLLINS: Acting experience.
BOROWITZ: Yes.
COLLINS: What do you think about the cast? I mean, did they do this correctly?
BOROWITZ: Yes, I think it's all right. You know, the role of Daisy Duke is not exactly Lady Macbeth. I mean, I think that all she has to do is say her lines and jump in the car. So, as long as they don't ask her to do both at the same time. I think...
COLLINS: And she has to do like this or something, doesn't she, with her hair?
BOROWITZ: Yes, she'll have to do that.
SARAH BERNARD, "NEW YORK" MAGAZINE: Do you think she can handle it?
BOROWITZ: Yes, she can handle it.
BERNARD: She can separate the two?
BOROWITZ: Yes, she is up to it. But, I mean, I guess it's quite a coup, because every starlet in Hollywood wanted this part.
BERNARD: But, you know, when she did her variety show a couple months ago, I have to say -- you're going to disagree -- but I was impressed with her.
BOROWITZ: But no, she was cute.
COLLINS: Oh, OK.
BERNARD: She had pretty good comic timing. She has a real presence. And I think that she could actually make this work and not be like her crossroads, that really bad movie that Britney did, right?
BOROWITZ: Right.
B.J. SIGESMUND, "US WEEKLY": I would say this proves once and for all, in case you were wondering, that reality television is the entertainment story of the decade. Less than two years ago, Jessica Simpson got married, and colleagues in the entertainment journalism were like, who is she again? And then she did "Newlyweds," which sent her into the stratosphere. And now...
COLLINS: And there was no acting there, right?
SIGESMUND: Yes.
COLLINS: That was purely real-life stuff.
SIGESMUND: Well, yes.
BERNARD: I don't know about that.
SIGESMUND: But now she's so famous that she has gotten cast in this movie...
COLLINS: Right.
SIGESMUND: ... and beat out all of the starlets. And remember that Luke Duke in the movie is going to be played like Johnny Knoxville, another guy with no acting experience.
BOROWITZ: Right.
SIGESMUND: So, it's really all about being a celebrity these days and not an actor.
COLLINS: All right. OK. Luke Duke, I had forgotten that catchy name.
(CROSSTALK)
BOROWITZ: Who is playing Bo?
BERNARD: Who is playing Boss Hogg?
COLLINS: Boss Hogg, there's the cast, right.
(CROSSTALK)
COLLINS: All right, Sarah, let's talk a little bit about Simon Cowell now. He, of course, is the creator of "American Idol."
BERNARD: That's right.
COLLINS: Actually, that's the other Simon.
BERNARD: There's two Simons!
COLLINS: Yes, I know. It's very confusing.
BERNARD: I know.
COLLINS: Now suing Simon Cowell, saying that he ripped off his idea for "The X-Factor "
BERNARD: That's right, it's the battle of the Simons.
COLLINS: Yes.
BERNARD: Well, our Simon Cowell, the Simon we know from "American Idol," has a new show that just started last week. This is actually airing only in England. So, that's why we haven't seen it yet. It's called "The X-Factor," and it's very similar to "American Idol" as a talent show. But it actually has older contestants and also groups. So, that's the difference.
What happens is Sharon Osbourne is a judge as well, and you kind of in the end mentor your favorite contestant. So, it's got a slight tweak from "American Idol "
COLLINS: Is it enough of a tweak, though, or is it a rip-off?
BERNARD: That's the thing. So, Simon Fuller, who is actually a music manager -- he was the guy behind the Spice Girls and a bunch of other acts like that -- is claiming that Simon Cowell is ripping him off. Now, doesn't he know how TV works?
BOROWITZ: My head is officially hurting. I just want to say that.
BERNARD: All of the Simon news?
BOROWITZ: Yes.
BERNARD: But, I mean...
BOROWITZ: Yes, I can't really digest it.
COLLINS: I was (UNINTELLIGIBLE) the mention of the Spice Girls.
BERNARD: Yes, right. Copying other TV shows, I mean, that's how it works, except for it's usually American shows copying British shows.
SIGESMUND: It wasn't a problem when they created "American Idol," which is a rip-off of "Pop Idol"...
COLLINS: Exactly.
SIGESMUND: ... because Simon Fuller had a piece of the pie.
BERNARD: Right.
SIGESMUND: And now that Simon Cowell is creating his own show, Simon Fuller is saying, no way, how did this happen?
BOROWITZ: I think there should a reality show where the viewers get to vote on what other show it's been ripped off of. I think that would be...
BERNARD: That may be an idea.
SIGESMUND: The one thing, though, for viewers is that this will affect viewers in that Simon Cowell may no longer be a host on -- or a judge on "American Idol's" fourth season. And that...
COLLINS: We'll have to wait for that.
BERNARD: Oh, no, he signed a contract.
SIGESMUND: He has a contract, but maybe they'll take him out of it now that they're so angry with him.
COLLINS: Speculation. All right, Andy, we are talking about reality TV here. Now, there is another reality TV show coming up, "Making the Band." We've seen this before where the guys were going at it. The name of the band that won, O-Town.
BOROWITZ: Right.
COLLINS: Not very successful. But now it's to be just girls. Do you think they'll have a better shot at this?
SIGESMUND: I think actually this is going to be maybe the third time will be the charm for this show, "Making the Band." The first year it was on in 2000. They chronicled the star-making process behind O-Town. They put out two albums, and then faded away.
And then P. Diddy got involved for the second season in which he created a group from scratch. It was called Da Band. Only they...
BERNARD: Da Band.
SIGESMUND: Da Band. But they couldn't even sell a million copies.
COLLINS: OK.
SIGESMUND: And P. Diddy put them to rest last year. Now, he's going to come back and give it one more try and create a girl band all from scratch. And I...
BOROWITZ: Da girl band?
SIGESMUND: Da girl band.
COLLINS: Da girl band.
SIGESMUND: I think this has the best potential of all, because pop stars right now, there are a lot of female, very fashionable pop stars out there: Christina, Beyonce, Averill, Hilary. And P. Diddy has a real eye for that kind of thing.
BERNARD: Well, you know, he did that once with the band called Dream, which was three girls.
BOROWITZ: Right.
BERNARD: And that -- I don't know. That didn't work out too well.
BOROWITZ: I think P. Diddy should maybe do, like, a nationwide search actually for O-Town to find out where they are right now, because...
COLLINS: All right, guys.
BERNARD: We can't find them. BOROWITZ: No.
COLLINS: All right, and there could be cat fights, too. You never know. All right, B.J. and Sarah and Andy, thanks so much this morning.
Bill -- back to you now in Mobile.
HEMMER: All right, Heidi, waiting for Ivan now, a monster lurking off the Gulf Coast. That name is Ivan, and a four-letter word for this part of the country. The latest on the path at the top of the hour here on AMERICAN MORNING. Back in a moment live in Alabama.
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