Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Sunday

Aftermath of Hurricane Ivan; Bush, Kerry Woo Women Voters

Aired September 19, 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.


COLLINS SPENCER, CNN ANCHOR: It's 11:00 a.m. in Washington, 10:00 a.m. in Pensacola, Florida. I'm Collins Spencer at CNN global headquarters in Atlanta. Welcome to CNN LIVE SUNDAY. Ahead this hour, adding insult to injury. Hurricane Ivan victims in Florida have to line up for hours just to get some basic necessities, while in North Carolina, hundreds search for people missing in the flooding and mudslides caused by Ivan's tear through the southeast.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Going door to door, even in the rain.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SPENCER: The grassroots effort to get our the women's vote and why it could be the difference in this presidential election. But first, stories now in the news.

President Bush is in southeastern U.S. for the third time in recent weeks to survey storm-related damage. He landed in Pensacola, Florida about 30 minutes ago and will fly over the Gulf coast to south Alabama and northwest Florida, places devastated by hurricane Ivan last week. A report on how residents are coping coming up moments from now.

Families of two Americans and a British citizen kidnapped in Iraq last Thursday wait for word on the status of the three men. Arab language network al-Jazeera reports the jihad and unification group is threatening to behead the hostages. We'll hear from the wife of one of the Americans in about 10 minutes.

Iraq's interim prime minister says ongoing violence won't stop next January's planed election. Ayad Allawi is meeting with British Prime Minister Tony Blair in London. A live report on Allawi's visit in about 13 minutes.

Now we begin in Pensacola, Florida. President Bush is touring the region's damage from hurricane Ivan and meeting with victims. Ivan's fury was directed at the southwest Alabama, northwest Florida areas. Now that's where most of the severe damage took place. CNN's Chris Lawrence shows how residents in Pensacola are coping. Hi, Chris.

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Collins, the repair crews, the power crews, have now repaired more than 150 miles of transmissions lines which sounds like a lot but that still leaves a lot of people with the basic necessities because the devastation was so complete.

Take a look at this line right here. I mean you've got a city of some 56,000 people here in Pensacola and with so many people still without power and the basic necessities, they're all trying to be serviced by maybe two gas stations. It's leading to situations like this, where people are literally waiting all day to get a gallon of gas.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LAWRENCE (voice-over): With temperatures soaring near 90 degrees, hundreds of people are standing outside up to four hours just for a few gallons of gas. Most operators still don't have power to run the pumps, but one of the few gas stations that is open has frustrated some residents with its membership policy.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was told that because I was not a member of Sam's Club, I could not get gasoline. I ended up paying someone to get my gas.

LAWRENCE: In addition to fuel, hundreds of thousands of Florida residents still have no water or power. And as many line up for free supplies at Red Cross stations, there have been almost 100 complaints of price gouging.

CHARLIE CRIST, FLORIDA ATTORNEY GENERAL: Somebody was trying to get a price to clear the trees out of their yard for $1200 when it was actually worth $300.

LAWRENCE: Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist arrived in Pensacola promising to prosecute anyone who's caught price gouging. He's also urging the legislature to increase the punishment for looting after police arrested 15 people in one county since Wednesday's mandatory evacuations.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Somebody shouldn't take advantage of you when you're forced out of your house and home.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LAWRENCE: And now those -- a lot of those people are the exceptions rather than the rule. Most folks here have been very good about pitching into help their neighbors and that's exactly what's needed now, because FEMA is now comparing the total impact of all three hurricanes: Charley, Frances and Ivan, to what California experienced during the 1994 earthquake in Northridge. Collins.

SPENCER: Chris, a lot of people talk about what the residents are going through. What about the relief workers? Is there a lot of fatigue involved here? We're talking about three hurricanes over the last several weeks. What about the relief workers?

LAWRENCE: Yes, they've been working really hard to. We spoke with one Red Cross worker who says they've been stretched pretty thin in the state. They've been trying to spread their resources out as much as possible, but a lot of the staff is still dealing with the aftereffects of Charley and Frances. A lot of people tied up there, then they get Ivan here, only so many people you have to go around.

SPENCER: All right. Good to see you Chris. Chris Lawrence in Pensacola, Florida.

Emergency workers are still searching for missing victims of Ivan in the western mountains of North Carolina. Flooding there is called the worst natural disaster Macon County's ever seen. We get an update now from CNN's Sean Callebs in Franklin. Hi, Sean.

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi Collins. Indeed legions of members of search and rescue teams have been combing an area known as Peak's Creek (ph) here in Macon County for the past four hours. We got a chance to speak with the sheriff and the director of the county emergency services within the past hour. They say canine teams are now being used to go through the splintered remains of some 30 homes that were simply washed away last Thursday night. The canine teams are going to be combing the area, looking for possible survivors, also looking for the possibility of victims in this wreckage.

Now they say a decision will be made in the next day or so whether to use swift water rescue teams. Now these are crews who would go into the swollen creek (AUDIO GAP) the number of dead is four. There were a number of other people hurt, including one critically, but authorities remain concerned because there are some local residents up there still unaccounted for.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WARREN CABE, DIR., MACON COM, NC EMS: When you have four confirmed fatalities, there are four individuals still unaccounted for at this time, we are still working with all of our agencies to account for those personnel. There is that possibility but I can't give you a definite answer. There is still the possibility we could have another victim or victims in this instance.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CALLEBS: Remnants hurricane Ivan simply pounded this area of western North Carolina on Thursday night with as much as 12 inches of rain, washing out roads, downing power lines and just splintering homes up in this area on Peak's Creek. Now this disaster was fueled in part because this is not a flood plain. Residents had no warning this was coming, but just look at the damage.

Authorities say Peak's Creek is usually just a few inches deep and about six feet wide. But that evening, it was turned into a raging muddy mess. Authorities say the water reached 30 feet high. They were able to gauge it because the water line on the trees that remained standing in that area.

Now for Sheriff Robert Holland, a very difficult night professionally and personally.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHERIFF ROBERT HOLLAND, MACON COUNTY, NC: It wasn't until probably 6:30 in the morning before I could verify that the members of my family were OK and it was very hard and we just had to what you had to do because there was a lot of families involved and they spent the whole night trying to rescue people and doing what's necessary.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CALLEBS: Sheriff Holland and his wife's families both from that Peak's Creek area. The area has also been shut off. There are law enforcement officers at the beginning of the road. They're concerned about possibility of looting. The sheriff says that some people had been caught in that area picking up what he called souvenirs over the past 24 hours. There will be a news conference here at the county in just about four hours to bring us up to date. We know this building behind us is also going to be turned into a disaster assistance area in the next several hours or so.

Macon County was hit especially hard on Thursday night and even though power lines remain down, roads washed away, they say until the search and rescue efforts are exhausted in that area, they are going to do what they can for the rest of the county. Collins, back to you.

SPENCER: All right. A lot of cleaning up to do there Sean. Thanks Sean. Sean Callebs in Franklin, North Carolina.

It's estimated that 50 million women sat out the last presidential election. This year, several groups supporting John Kerry are pushing a nationwide effort to get out the vote, especially among women. That story from CNN's Alina Cho in Pennsylvania.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALINO CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The work can be tedious and thankless, going door to door, even in the rain, helping to get out the vote, especially among women, who make up more than half of the nation's voting block. Do you hear that 22 million single women did not vote in the last election.

SUNSHINE O'BRIEN, VOLUNTEER: That's alarming. That's incredibly alarming and I'm glad to get out at any point I can up until November 2nd to make sure that women get out and speak their mind and make sure that their voices are heard at the polls this year.

GLORIA FELDT, PRES., PLANNED PARENTHOOD: It matters. It matters who's making decisions for us.

CHO: This grassroots effort is part of a nationwide push to register women voters. Volunteers are targeting swing states like Pennsylvania.

GLORIA STEINEM, ACTIVIST: The Philadelphia suburbs are key, key I'm sure you've all been reading this to this state and this state is key to the entire election.

CHO: You don't have to tell the candidates.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: A single mother is the toughest job in America.

CHO: President Bush has his W is for women campaign. Senator John Kerry has the endorsement of Planned Parenthood. The last CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll shows while men are more likely to vote for Mr. Bush, women are evenly split. Pete and Ellen Mahoney are long- time Democrats.

ELLEN MAHONEY, PENNSYLVANIA RESIDENT: Instead of staying at home and not voting, the complaint about whoever happens to win the election.

CHO: You're saying get out there.

MAHONEY: Get out there.

CHO: Make a difference.

MAHONEY: Yes, make a difference.

CHO: Volunteer Sunshine O'Brien agrees. I mean it could make a difference.

O'BRIEN: Absolutely it can make the difference. I hope it will make the difference and I believe that women voting will make the difference.

CHO: On election day, the only day that counts. Alina Cho, CNN, Abington, Pennsylvania.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SPENCER: Another campaign issue: same sex marriage and voters in another state have had their say on the issue. We'll have the story. Also ahead, is the continuing violence in Iraq pushing back the plan for that nation's first elections? An important development straight ahead.

And the United Nations plan to freeze Iran's nuclear program may be backfiring. Find out why and why it could be a big problem for the United States.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SPENCER: The deadline is closing in for three western hostages in Iraq as one family pleads for their safe return. Two Americans and a British citizen were kidnapped last week from their Baghdad residence. A militant group released this video of the men. Abductors threatened to kill them unless female Iraqis are released from two prisons.

The wife of the American hostage, Jack Hensley is calling for her husband's freedom.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PATTY HENSLEY, WIFE OF AMERICAN HOSTAGE: Please understand that these three men are very gentle, very kind men. They were very honored to be in Iraq and helping the Iraqi people. They wanted to provide a better world for everyone that was over there and they certainly don't deserve the fate that is hanging over their head. I know all three of them will gladly come home if they're released and please realize that they are loving family men who have people who want them back terribly and please let them go. They need to come home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SPENCER: Meanwhile, the Turkish embassy confirms today that 10 employees of an American Turkish company were also kidnapped in Iraq. Speaking of Iraq, insurgents there have launched a deadly attack. An Iraqi armed forces soldier was killed near Samarra Sunday. A homemade bomb went off in a car when a patrol approached it. Three Iraqis and three American soldiers were also wounded. Outside Fallujah, a U.S. air strike hit a fake checkpoint apparently used for kidnappings and executions. The combined press information center says the illegal checkpoint was armed with militants that may have ties to suspected terror mastermind, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. A Fallujah hospital official says that at least four men were killed in the strike.

Iraq's interim prime minister is vowing to stop the spread of violence before upcoming elections. Ayad Allawi has been meeting with Britain's prime minister. CNN's Paula Hancocks is in London with the details. Hi, Paula.

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi Collins. Well, Blair and Ayad Allawi this afternoon made a speech together and said that they have to win the conflict in Iraq. If they didn't, they would not be able to win the wider war on global terrorism. Tony Blair, the UK prime minister saying that he understood the situation in Iraq was a hugely divisive issue in the international community, but said it was very important for the international community to pull together now to stop asking questions about why they went to war and about whether it was justified but to try and focus on how to improve the security situation in Iraq. He also said that it was very important that the elections went ahead as planned in January. That's what Allawi was saying as well. But the most important thing is to sort of the security situation so that they can conquer global terrorism.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: This is the crucible in which the future of this global terrorism will be determined. And either it will succeed and this terrorism will grow or we will succeed -- the Iraqi people will succeed and this global terrorism will be delivered a huge defeat.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANCOCKS: Allawi, who was adamant that elections would go ahead at the end of January. There have been suggestions that in certain circles that the security situation will not be under control by that point and so elections would be tricky to carry out but Allawi has said that even if in certain cities, for example in Fallujah, people are not able to vote because of violence, he said that that still wouldn't stop him wanting the rest of Iraq to vote.

Kofi Annan, the U.N. secretary-general though did say last week that he didn't think it would be feasible that these elections would be credible if the security situation was as it is at the moment. But Allawi said that the elections would go ahead.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AYAD ALLAWI, IRAQI INTERIM PRIME MINISTER: We definitely are going to stick to the timetable of the elections in January next week. We are doing our best to ensure that we'll meet the time of the elections. We are adamant that democracy is going to prevail. It's going to win in Iraq.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANCOCKS: The two men also mentioned the three hostages that are being held in Iraq at the moment, although they didn't want to discuss it too far. They said they did want to show their concern that they didn't want to go into it too much in case they jeopardize any information that could come forward. Collins.

SPENCER: Thanks for that report, Paula. Paula Hancocks in London.

Iran is rejecting an international call to end its uranium enrichment program. The process can be used in making nuclear weapons. The demand comes from the United Nations watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency.

And change in China at the top. Former president Jiang Zemin is dropping his final hold on power, departing as China's military leader. The move consolidates power for party chief and president Hu Jintao. It's the first peaceful transition of power in Chinese communist history.

There are two named storms out in the Atlantic. Will either threaten the U.S. coast this week? The latest forecast is straight ahead.

And same sex marriage opponents win another big victory. We'll tell you all about it when CNN LIVE SUNDAY continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SPENCER: Here's a look at stories making news across America this morning. Louisiana voters overwhelmingly approved a state constitutional amendment banning same sex marriages. There was a low turnout for voters but nearly 80 percent of those who voted were in favor of the ban. Missouri voters approved a similar amendment in August.

Its television's big night. The stars walk down the carpet for the prime time Emmy awards in Hollywood. The "West Wing" faces the mob hit "The Sopranos" for best drama again. HBO, part of Time Warner, CNN's parent company, leads the networks with 124 nominations. An Alabama woman with plans to go to medical school is the new Miss America. Twenty-four year old Deidre Downs of Birmingham won the 2005 crown in Atlantic City last night. She defeated Miss Louisiana in a final head to head talent competition. Downs says she wants to re- establish the pageant as a major cultural event. Good news for Alabama since, in the wake of Ivan there.

Well, let's check on the weather and see what's going on across the country and hear about those two storms that are hovering about in the Atlantic. Let's check in with Sydney, Orelon Sydney there. Hi Orelon.

ORELON SYDNEY, METEOROLOGIST: How are you doing, Collins? Pretty good day for us I think because we have two storms that neither of them in the near term expected to affect the United States. Here is hurricane Karl. This one's not going to affect anybody. The forecast is for it to continue northward and probably start to get into cooler waters the next couple of days.

This is tropical storm Jeanne. It is not expected to affect the U.S. anytime soon and even if it does, right now the winds are only 45 miles an hour. It's moving to the north at five and it's more of a northward drift than anything else, 130 miles east southeast of San Salvador. Not much to drive it, so it's just going to meander around in the western Atlantic, even 8:00 Wednesday, may reach minimal hurricane force but again not expected to be a threat to any land areas at least until the middle of the week.

For the rest of the nation, we've got thunderstorms in the west and believe it or not, snow fall in the mountains. Some of these rains have been heavy. There are flash flood advisories in effect for parts of Arizona and New Mexico today. Rain tapering off tomorrow, but snow lingering back across Yellowstone, parts of the northern Rockies and then thunderstorms become more numerous across the plains as a cold front marches its way to the east. Mild temperatures expected in the east, but look at the central plains. Readings will be near 100 today in Dallas and Houston, cooling to the lower 90s tomorrow. Collins.

SPENCER: Thanks Orelon. Well, RELIABLE SOURCES is just six minutes away. Howard Kurtz, what's on today's program?

HOWARD KURTZ, HOST, RELIABLE SOURCES: Thanks, Collins. Coming up, searching for the truth at CBS, an apparent black eye for Dan Rather and his network over those questionable documents about George Bush's National Guard service. Is the controversy overshadowing the real story of the president's Guard service or is this a colossal media blunder by a network with a partisan purpose?

And with even the president now criticizing the "60 Minutes" story, why is CBS still clinging to it? That plus Kitty Kelly takes on the Bush family and the press, all next on RELIABLE SOURCES.

SPENCER: All right. Thanks, Howard.

Well imagine a whole weekend of food, wine and jazz for a weekend package price starting at $165 and you can show up in shorts and jeans. What's not to love about the annual Monterey jazz festival, entering its final day by the sea in California. For those of you who can't be there, here's a taste of what you are missing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TIM JACKSON, GEN. MGR, MONTEREY JAZZ FESTIVAL: We have an historical legacy. We've been here almost 50 years now, 47th year. We're one of the oldest jazz festivals in the world and we've really stayed true to our artistic vision. We're still presenting great jazz.

There's about 100 vendors all told between the food and merchandise and it's split about 50/50. So you got about 50 different food purveyors here and anything you can think of they've got.

They're going to have fun. They're going to give the festive part of festival, yet you're still going to be challenged musically by some fresh and exciting new sounds.

They come back year after year and they let you know what they like and they let you know what they don't like.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SPENCER: Nothing like good wine, good jazz and good food. Well, a check of the headlines after this break.

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


Aired September 19, 2004 - 11:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
COLLINS SPENCER, CNN ANCHOR: It's 11:00 a.m. in Washington, 10:00 a.m. in Pensacola, Florida. I'm Collins Spencer at CNN global headquarters in Atlanta. Welcome to CNN LIVE SUNDAY. Ahead this hour, adding insult to injury. Hurricane Ivan victims in Florida have to line up for hours just to get some basic necessities, while in North Carolina, hundreds search for people missing in the flooding and mudslides caused by Ivan's tear through the southeast.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Going door to door, even in the rain.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SPENCER: The grassroots effort to get our the women's vote and why it could be the difference in this presidential election. But first, stories now in the news.

President Bush is in southeastern U.S. for the third time in recent weeks to survey storm-related damage. He landed in Pensacola, Florida about 30 minutes ago and will fly over the Gulf coast to south Alabama and northwest Florida, places devastated by hurricane Ivan last week. A report on how residents are coping coming up moments from now.

Families of two Americans and a British citizen kidnapped in Iraq last Thursday wait for word on the status of the three men. Arab language network al-Jazeera reports the jihad and unification group is threatening to behead the hostages. We'll hear from the wife of one of the Americans in about 10 minutes.

Iraq's interim prime minister says ongoing violence won't stop next January's planed election. Ayad Allawi is meeting with British Prime Minister Tony Blair in London. A live report on Allawi's visit in about 13 minutes.

Now we begin in Pensacola, Florida. President Bush is touring the region's damage from hurricane Ivan and meeting with victims. Ivan's fury was directed at the southwest Alabama, northwest Florida areas. Now that's where most of the severe damage took place. CNN's Chris Lawrence shows how residents in Pensacola are coping. Hi, Chris.

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Collins, the repair crews, the power crews, have now repaired more than 150 miles of transmissions lines which sounds like a lot but that still leaves a lot of people with the basic necessities because the devastation was so complete.

Take a look at this line right here. I mean you've got a city of some 56,000 people here in Pensacola and with so many people still without power and the basic necessities, they're all trying to be serviced by maybe two gas stations. It's leading to situations like this, where people are literally waiting all day to get a gallon of gas.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LAWRENCE (voice-over): With temperatures soaring near 90 degrees, hundreds of people are standing outside up to four hours just for a few gallons of gas. Most operators still don't have power to run the pumps, but one of the few gas stations that is open has frustrated some residents with its membership policy.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was told that because I was not a member of Sam's Club, I could not get gasoline. I ended up paying someone to get my gas.

LAWRENCE: In addition to fuel, hundreds of thousands of Florida residents still have no water or power. And as many line up for free supplies at Red Cross stations, there have been almost 100 complaints of price gouging.

CHARLIE CRIST, FLORIDA ATTORNEY GENERAL: Somebody was trying to get a price to clear the trees out of their yard for $1200 when it was actually worth $300.

LAWRENCE: Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist arrived in Pensacola promising to prosecute anyone who's caught price gouging. He's also urging the legislature to increase the punishment for looting after police arrested 15 people in one county since Wednesday's mandatory evacuations.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Somebody shouldn't take advantage of you when you're forced out of your house and home.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LAWRENCE: And now those -- a lot of those people are the exceptions rather than the rule. Most folks here have been very good about pitching into help their neighbors and that's exactly what's needed now, because FEMA is now comparing the total impact of all three hurricanes: Charley, Frances and Ivan, to what California experienced during the 1994 earthquake in Northridge. Collins.

SPENCER: Chris, a lot of people talk about what the residents are going through. What about the relief workers? Is there a lot of fatigue involved here? We're talking about three hurricanes over the last several weeks. What about the relief workers?

LAWRENCE: Yes, they've been working really hard to. We spoke with one Red Cross worker who says they've been stretched pretty thin in the state. They've been trying to spread their resources out as much as possible, but a lot of the staff is still dealing with the aftereffects of Charley and Frances. A lot of people tied up there, then they get Ivan here, only so many people you have to go around.

SPENCER: All right. Good to see you Chris. Chris Lawrence in Pensacola, Florida.

Emergency workers are still searching for missing victims of Ivan in the western mountains of North Carolina. Flooding there is called the worst natural disaster Macon County's ever seen. We get an update now from CNN's Sean Callebs in Franklin. Hi, Sean.

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi Collins. Indeed legions of members of search and rescue teams have been combing an area known as Peak's Creek (ph) here in Macon County for the past four hours. We got a chance to speak with the sheriff and the director of the county emergency services within the past hour. They say canine teams are now being used to go through the splintered remains of some 30 homes that were simply washed away last Thursday night. The canine teams are going to be combing the area, looking for possible survivors, also looking for the possibility of victims in this wreckage.

Now they say a decision will be made in the next day or so whether to use swift water rescue teams. Now these are crews who would go into the swollen creek (AUDIO GAP) the number of dead is four. There were a number of other people hurt, including one critically, but authorities remain concerned because there are some local residents up there still unaccounted for.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WARREN CABE, DIR., MACON COM, NC EMS: When you have four confirmed fatalities, there are four individuals still unaccounted for at this time, we are still working with all of our agencies to account for those personnel. There is that possibility but I can't give you a definite answer. There is still the possibility we could have another victim or victims in this instance.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CALLEBS: Remnants hurricane Ivan simply pounded this area of western North Carolina on Thursday night with as much as 12 inches of rain, washing out roads, downing power lines and just splintering homes up in this area on Peak's Creek. Now this disaster was fueled in part because this is not a flood plain. Residents had no warning this was coming, but just look at the damage.

Authorities say Peak's Creek is usually just a few inches deep and about six feet wide. But that evening, it was turned into a raging muddy mess. Authorities say the water reached 30 feet high. They were able to gauge it because the water line on the trees that remained standing in that area.

Now for Sheriff Robert Holland, a very difficult night professionally and personally.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SHERIFF ROBERT HOLLAND, MACON COUNTY, NC: It wasn't until probably 6:30 in the morning before I could verify that the members of my family were OK and it was very hard and we just had to what you had to do because there was a lot of families involved and they spent the whole night trying to rescue people and doing what's necessary.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CALLEBS: Sheriff Holland and his wife's families both from that Peak's Creek area. The area has also been shut off. There are law enforcement officers at the beginning of the road. They're concerned about possibility of looting. The sheriff says that some people had been caught in that area picking up what he called souvenirs over the past 24 hours. There will be a news conference here at the county in just about four hours to bring us up to date. We know this building behind us is also going to be turned into a disaster assistance area in the next several hours or so.

Macon County was hit especially hard on Thursday night and even though power lines remain down, roads washed away, they say until the search and rescue efforts are exhausted in that area, they are going to do what they can for the rest of the county. Collins, back to you.

SPENCER: All right. A lot of cleaning up to do there Sean. Thanks Sean. Sean Callebs in Franklin, North Carolina.

It's estimated that 50 million women sat out the last presidential election. This year, several groups supporting John Kerry are pushing a nationwide effort to get out the vote, especially among women. That story from CNN's Alina Cho in Pennsylvania.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALINO CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The work can be tedious and thankless, going door to door, even in the rain, helping to get out the vote, especially among women, who make up more than half of the nation's voting block. Do you hear that 22 million single women did not vote in the last election.

SUNSHINE O'BRIEN, VOLUNTEER: That's alarming. That's incredibly alarming and I'm glad to get out at any point I can up until November 2nd to make sure that women get out and speak their mind and make sure that their voices are heard at the polls this year.

GLORIA FELDT, PRES., PLANNED PARENTHOOD: It matters. It matters who's making decisions for us.

CHO: This grassroots effort is part of a nationwide push to register women voters. Volunteers are targeting swing states like Pennsylvania.

GLORIA STEINEM, ACTIVIST: The Philadelphia suburbs are key, key I'm sure you've all been reading this to this state and this state is key to the entire election.

CHO: You don't have to tell the candidates.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: A single mother is the toughest job in America.

CHO: President Bush has his W is for women campaign. Senator John Kerry has the endorsement of Planned Parenthood. The last CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll shows while men are more likely to vote for Mr. Bush, women are evenly split. Pete and Ellen Mahoney are long- time Democrats.

ELLEN MAHONEY, PENNSYLVANIA RESIDENT: Instead of staying at home and not voting, the complaint about whoever happens to win the election.

CHO: You're saying get out there.

MAHONEY: Get out there.

CHO: Make a difference.

MAHONEY: Yes, make a difference.

CHO: Volunteer Sunshine O'Brien agrees. I mean it could make a difference.

O'BRIEN: Absolutely it can make the difference. I hope it will make the difference and I believe that women voting will make the difference.

CHO: On election day, the only day that counts. Alina Cho, CNN, Abington, Pennsylvania.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SPENCER: Another campaign issue: same sex marriage and voters in another state have had their say on the issue. We'll have the story. Also ahead, is the continuing violence in Iraq pushing back the plan for that nation's first elections? An important development straight ahead.

And the United Nations plan to freeze Iran's nuclear program may be backfiring. Find out why and why it could be a big problem for the United States.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SPENCER: The deadline is closing in for three western hostages in Iraq as one family pleads for their safe return. Two Americans and a British citizen were kidnapped last week from their Baghdad residence. A militant group released this video of the men. Abductors threatened to kill them unless female Iraqis are released from two prisons.

The wife of the American hostage, Jack Hensley is calling for her husband's freedom.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PATTY HENSLEY, WIFE OF AMERICAN HOSTAGE: Please understand that these three men are very gentle, very kind men. They were very honored to be in Iraq and helping the Iraqi people. They wanted to provide a better world for everyone that was over there and they certainly don't deserve the fate that is hanging over their head. I know all three of them will gladly come home if they're released and please realize that they are loving family men who have people who want them back terribly and please let them go. They need to come home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SPENCER: Meanwhile, the Turkish embassy confirms today that 10 employees of an American Turkish company were also kidnapped in Iraq. Speaking of Iraq, insurgents there have launched a deadly attack. An Iraqi armed forces soldier was killed near Samarra Sunday. A homemade bomb went off in a car when a patrol approached it. Three Iraqis and three American soldiers were also wounded. Outside Fallujah, a U.S. air strike hit a fake checkpoint apparently used for kidnappings and executions. The combined press information center says the illegal checkpoint was armed with militants that may have ties to suspected terror mastermind, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. A Fallujah hospital official says that at least four men were killed in the strike.

Iraq's interim prime minister is vowing to stop the spread of violence before upcoming elections. Ayad Allawi has been meeting with Britain's prime minister. CNN's Paula Hancocks is in London with the details. Hi, Paula.

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi Collins. Well, Blair and Ayad Allawi this afternoon made a speech together and said that they have to win the conflict in Iraq. If they didn't, they would not be able to win the wider war on global terrorism. Tony Blair, the UK prime minister saying that he understood the situation in Iraq was a hugely divisive issue in the international community, but said it was very important for the international community to pull together now to stop asking questions about why they went to war and about whether it was justified but to try and focus on how to improve the security situation in Iraq. He also said that it was very important that the elections went ahead as planned in January. That's what Allawi was saying as well. But the most important thing is to sort of the security situation so that they can conquer global terrorism.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: This is the crucible in which the future of this global terrorism will be determined. And either it will succeed and this terrorism will grow or we will succeed -- the Iraqi people will succeed and this global terrorism will be delivered a huge defeat.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANCOCKS: Allawi, who was adamant that elections would go ahead at the end of January. There have been suggestions that in certain circles that the security situation will not be under control by that point and so elections would be tricky to carry out but Allawi has said that even if in certain cities, for example in Fallujah, people are not able to vote because of violence, he said that that still wouldn't stop him wanting the rest of Iraq to vote.

Kofi Annan, the U.N. secretary-general though did say last week that he didn't think it would be feasible that these elections would be credible if the security situation was as it is at the moment. But Allawi said that the elections would go ahead.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

AYAD ALLAWI, IRAQI INTERIM PRIME MINISTER: We definitely are going to stick to the timetable of the elections in January next week. We are doing our best to ensure that we'll meet the time of the elections. We are adamant that democracy is going to prevail. It's going to win in Iraq.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HANCOCKS: The two men also mentioned the three hostages that are being held in Iraq at the moment, although they didn't want to discuss it too far. They said they did want to show their concern that they didn't want to go into it too much in case they jeopardize any information that could come forward. Collins.

SPENCER: Thanks for that report, Paula. Paula Hancocks in London.

Iran is rejecting an international call to end its uranium enrichment program. The process can be used in making nuclear weapons. The demand comes from the United Nations watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency.

And change in China at the top. Former president Jiang Zemin is dropping his final hold on power, departing as China's military leader. The move consolidates power for party chief and president Hu Jintao. It's the first peaceful transition of power in Chinese communist history.

There are two named storms out in the Atlantic. Will either threaten the U.S. coast this week? The latest forecast is straight ahead.

And same sex marriage opponents win another big victory. We'll tell you all about it when CNN LIVE SUNDAY continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SPENCER: Here's a look at stories making news across America this morning. Louisiana voters overwhelmingly approved a state constitutional amendment banning same sex marriages. There was a low turnout for voters but nearly 80 percent of those who voted were in favor of the ban. Missouri voters approved a similar amendment in August.

Its television's big night. The stars walk down the carpet for the prime time Emmy awards in Hollywood. The "West Wing" faces the mob hit "The Sopranos" for best drama again. HBO, part of Time Warner, CNN's parent company, leads the networks with 124 nominations. An Alabama woman with plans to go to medical school is the new Miss America. Twenty-four year old Deidre Downs of Birmingham won the 2005 crown in Atlantic City last night. She defeated Miss Louisiana in a final head to head talent competition. Downs says she wants to re- establish the pageant as a major cultural event. Good news for Alabama since, in the wake of Ivan there.

Well, let's check on the weather and see what's going on across the country and hear about those two storms that are hovering about in the Atlantic. Let's check in with Sydney, Orelon Sydney there. Hi Orelon.

ORELON SYDNEY, METEOROLOGIST: How are you doing, Collins? Pretty good day for us I think because we have two storms that neither of them in the near term expected to affect the United States. Here is hurricane Karl. This one's not going to affect anybody. The forecast is for it to continue northward and probably start to get into cooler waters the next couple of days.

This is tropical storm Jeanne. It is not expected to affect the U.S. anytime soon and even if it does, right now the winds are only 45 miles an hour. It's moving to the north at five and it's more of a northward drift than anything else, 130 miles east southeast of San Salvador. Not much to drive it, so it's just going to meander around in the western Atlantic, even 8:00 Wednesday, may reach minimal hurricane force but again not expected to be a threat to any land areas at least until the middle of the week.

For the rest of the nation, we've got thunderstorms in the west and believe it or not, snow fall in the mountains. Some of these rains have been heavy. There are flash flood advisories in effect for parts of Arizona and New Mexico today. Rain tapering off tomorrow, but snow lingering back across Yellowstone, parts of the northern Rockies and then thunderstorms become more numerous across the plains as a cold front marches its way to the east. Mild temperatures expected in the east, but look at the central plains. Readings will be near 100 today in Dallas and Houston, cooling to the lower 90s tomorrow. Collins.

SPENCER: Thanks Orelon. Well, RELIABLE SOURCES is just six minutes away. Howard Kurtz, what's on today's program?

HOWARD KURTZ, HOST, RELIABLE SOURCES: Thanks, Collins. Coming up, searching for the truth at CBS, an apparent black eye for Dan Rather and his network over those questionable documents about George Bush's National Guard service. Is the controversy overshadowing the real story of the president's Guard service or is this a colossal media blunder by a network with a partisan purpose?

And with even the president now criticizing the "60 Minutes" story, why is CBS still clinging to it? That plus Kitty Kelly takes on the Bush family and the press, all next on RELIABLE SOURCES.

SPENCER: All right. Thanks, Howard.

Well imagine a whole weekend of food, wine and jazz for a weekend package price starting at $165 and you can show up in shorts and jeans. What's not to love about the annual Monterey jazz festival, entering its final day by the sea in California. For those of you who can't be there, here's a taste of what you are missing.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TIM JACKSON, GEN. MGR, MONTEREY JAZZ FESTIVAL: We have an historical legacy. We've been here almost 50 years now, 47th year. We're one of the oldest jazz festivals in the world and we've really stayed true to our artistic vision. We're still presenting great jazz.

There's about 100 vendors all told between the food and merchandise and it's split about 50/50. So you got about 50 different food purveyors here and anything you can think of they've got.

They're going to have fun. They're going to give the festive part of festival, yet you're still going to be challenged musically by some fresh and exciting new sounds.

They come back year after year and they let you know what they like and they let you know what they don't like.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SPENCER: Nothing like good wine, good jazz and good food. Well, a check of the headlines after this break.

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