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American Morning
Hurricane Jeanne Eyeing Florida; "Promises, Promises": Healthcare; "90-Second Pop"; Donors Choose Helps Teachers and Schools
Aired September 24, 2004 - 09:30 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: On a Friday, there's the bell. Final day of trading today down on Wall Street. The Dow starting today -- Dow 30, anyway -- 10,038, off about 70 points in trading from yesterday.
Watching the news for the oil markets, watching the news from the Fed all week. Nasdaq marketsite, 1,886, closing slightly ahead yesterday, about three quarters of a point -- just by a tick. We're open for business now on this Friday.
And welcome back, everybody. Good morning. AMERICAN MORNING continues now. Good morning, Heidi.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning.
HEMMER: We're watching Jeanne over the weekend.
COLLINS: Still watching Jeanne.
HEMMER: Closer and closer to Florida. A lot of folks down there watching the skies, as well. Many are still homeless after those other big storms that hit this year. We'll meet one family still trying to bounce back from Charley this half hour.
COLLINS: Also, Kelly Wallace back today for her series on election year issues. This morning, looking at whether there's a plan on the table to improve healthcare for the 45 million Americans without medical insurance. A lot of people want to know about that.
HEMMER: Kelly hasn't gone far. This half hour, back to Kelly Wallace and the news. Good morning.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, again, to you, Heidi and Bill. And good morning, everyone.
We begin in Iraq, where U.S. Marines are pounding insurgents in the city of Fallujah this morning. American forces say they are targeting the Abu Musab al-Zarqawi terror network. There are no reports of casualties.
And in Baghdad, two more foreigners have been taken hostage. An official tells CNN gunmen seized two Egyptian engineers from their Baghdad office.
Here in the United States, weeks after President Bush tapped him, Porter Goss is officially taking the post of CIA director. Goss arrived at the White House earlier this hour. He is being sworn in as the agency's director at a ceremony inside the Oval Office.
A prominent Muslim lecturer may turn himself in today as part of an indictment against a group dubbed the Virginia Jihad Network. He is accused of encouraging at least five men to join the Taliban in Afghanistan after the September 11th attack. His attorney says he will deny the charges.
And we know dogs have a keen sense of smell. Now, it seems, they can sniff out cancer, too. In the first study of its kind, dogs identified cancer-containing urine samples almost three times more often than expected from chance alone. The results are in this week's "British Medical Journal."
An incredible story there about man's best friend. Bill, back to you.
HEMMER: We've got to follow up with Sanjay on that, Kelly. More later. Thanks, again.
And folks, it is happening again in the southeast. Another hurricane eyeing Florida, this time it is Jeanne. Residents along the state's eastern border know the drill: stock up on supplies; seal up the windows. A hurricane watch in effect from Florida City to St. Augustine.
The governor, Jeb Bush, talked about the latest storm just a few moments ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. JEB BUSH (R), FLORIDA: These storms are brutal in terms of the wind force. And this storm has the potential of being similar to Ivan in terms of the strength of the winds, and storm surge is also a powerful force.
And so, I know people are frustrated. I know they're tired of all this. Trust me, their governor is, as well. But we should heed the warnings of the experts as it relates to evacuating.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: Evacuating not only to help save their own safety or their family, but also to get out from what is left behind from these storms. And thousands now still reeling from Ivan and Charley and Frances.
But John Zarrella now telling us in Florida there seems to be some comfort in the numbers there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): These are the children of Charley. This is their playground. They ride their bikes in a cul-de-sac at what, up until the hurricane, had been the Vizcaya Lakes Retirement Community in Port Charlotte.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All gone.
ZARRELLA: Now on the still undeveloped parcels of land sit 175 FEMA travel trailers. They are home to the children and families to young and old, to people who lost everything.
Six-year-old Ashley Taylor is the first to greet her mom. Marnie is just coming home after her shift at Charlotte Regional Hospital. Since the 1st of September, a FEMA trailer has been home to Marnie, her husband Richard, their three children, their beagle Lady and her five pups.
MARNIE TAYLOR, HURRICANE CHARLEY VICTIM: Everything was stripped from us in a matter of a couple of hours. We were lost. We had like no clue what to do. Being homeless in a matter of hours, it's like devastating.
ZARRELLA: When they showed up here, the Taylors say they had $11 to their name. Their trailer home and everything in it had been flattened. They had slept in a tent, with relatives, and in hotels.
FEMA's assistance, they say, saved them.
RICHARD TAYLOR, HURRICANE CHARLEY VICTIM: Come on, big boy. That's Mini-Me.
ZARRELLA: For up to 18 months, they can live rent-free. It gives them and the others here time to get back on their feet. And it gives their children time to forget about hurricanes.
R. TAYLOR: Thunder clouds up, she's right by somebody hanging onto them. She's really scared of them.
ZARRELLA: FEMA officials say they have 1,300 travel trailers and mobile homes ready for uninsured hurricane victims. Families are in 660 of them. Here, well over 100 of the 175 trailers are occupied.
(on camera): FEMA officials say they are sure that, before long, all the travel trailers here will be full. They are sure, because even now, more than a month after Hurricane Charley, people are still coming in who have no place else to live.
John Zarrella, CNN, Port Charlotte, Florida.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: Just think about thousands and thousands of families displaced by it.
Chad Myers now at the CNN Center. I've got some friends in Atlanta, Dan (INAUDIBLE), Chad, their 100-year-old home, giant Georgia Pine went right through the middle of the home. This is in Atlanta in the aftereffects of Ivan. They've got some good family and friends helping them out, but they're going to need help for a long time, too.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: And you hear about those stories all the way to Pennsylvania.
HEMMER: So true, yes.
MYERS: And this thing was from Mobile right up through Georgia, Alabama, the Carolinas, Virginia, Pennsylvania. Then it went offshore, came back down the Atlantic ocean, came across, made some thunderstorms across Melbourne and Fort Pierce a couple days ago, and then it ended up making rain showers that I'll show you on a couple maps now over in Louisiana and Texas.
There is Jeanne. Here's the problem: gets very close to Florida, makes a hard right-hand turn. That turn is going to be very important. If that turn -- these are the computer models we use -- if that turn happens where this red line is, Florida gets complete miss. If that line is way out here or if that turn happens later, obviously Florida gets another direct hit from a very large storm.
It is Category 3 -- it's forecast to be A category 3. Right now, still a Category 2. But that's what it looks like now.
This thing's already made a loop out here. Talk about a fickle storm. Did so much damage to Haiti; so many loss of lives there. Then over Freeport here on Sunday and Saturday afternoons. And as we move through here, this is Sunday morning and then through Sunday afternoon right through Daytona Beach and into Jacksonville. That's the center of the line, Bill.
And obviously that line moves. It goes left. It goes right -- depending on if the storm goes left and right. So, you have to keep watching it.
Here's what's left of Ivan. The rest of the country absolutely spectacular. Only one airport delay I have is Atlanta: 15 minutes. Everybody else doing great.
HEMMER: Chad, thanks for that. Have a good weekend. You working?
MYERS: I'm going to be in Melbourne.
HEMMER: You are?
MYERS: I'll see you there probably.
HEMMER: Well, good luck, OK? I probably won't make it this time around. But good luck to you and hope that that storm will do as little as possible. Thanks, Chad.
Here's Heidi across the room now.
COLLINS: All this week, we've discussed the fact that one of the biggest complaints of voters during a presidential election is that they don't hear enough about the issues.
Today, we conclude our series, "Promises, Promises," with a focus on healthcare. Once again, here now is Kelly Wallace. And we've been definitely talking about all the issues this week.
WALLACE: All the issues, and this is a big one. And we all relate to it, right? The rising cost of healthcare.
And so, we set out to ask two questions. What does each candidate promise to do about your healthcare costs? And yes this one, too: Can they keep those promises?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): Neither candidate can dispute these facts: 45 million Americans without health insurance, healthcare premiums skyrocketing, up 64 percent since 2000 -- ammunition for the challenger.
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This president has had four years to just talk to you about it, but he doesn't even have a plan.
WALLACE: The president fires a few shots of his own.
GEORGE W. BUSH (R), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: And I'm running against a fellow who has put out a healthcare plan that is massive. It is complicated. It is a blueprint to have the government control your healthcare.
WALLACE: The rhetoric from both men exceeds the reality, but still two very different approaches: a limited role for the federal government from Mr. Bush versus a more expansive one from Senator Kerry.
KERRY: I have a plan that will lower the cost of healthcare for all people who have it today.
WALLACE: The senator pledges to slash healthcare premiums by up to $1,000 per year by having the federal government pick up the tab for the most expensive claims, making federal health plans available to individuals and small businesses, and offering a 50 percent tax credit to small businesses providing coverage.
The reality? A hefty price tag: $653 billion over 10 years according to the Kerry campaign, $1.5 trillion according to Kerry's critics. And some economists say the Kerry plan might not encourage Americans to be more price-conscious about healthcare.
BUSH: One way we can control healthcare costs is to allow small businesses to share risk.
WALLACE: The president promises to lower costs by pooling together small businesses, providing tax-free accounts for families to save money for out-of-pocket medical costs, and offering tax credits of up to $3,000 to help low-income families purchase coverage.
The reality? Mr. Bush's plan is cheaper, costing 145 billion over 10 years, but far less reaching, covering just 11 million not- now-insured, fewer than half the newly-covered under Kerry's proposal. And the president's plan could result in healthy and affluent consumers taking some of their money out of traditional insurance and putting it in private tax-free accounts. Critics say this could raise costs for everybody else.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(on camera): Two candidates, two different philosophies. And, Heidi, what's interesting, we looked at five different issues this week. This is really the issue, the greatest difference between the two candidates.
COLLINS: People will have to decide, that is for sure. Kelly, great series. Thanks so much -- Bill.
WALLACE: Thank you so much.
HEMMER: It looks like that popular tax cuts, a few of them are going to live a bit longer, and at what cost. Andy is "Minding Your Business" on that in a moment.
And the star Jennifer Garner. She's got a new beau that should make the paparazzi quite happy. "90-Second Pop" takes a shot, after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: It's "90-Second Pop" for a Friday. The round-up of the usual suspects now. Jessica Shaw from "Entertainment Weekly," B.J. Sigesmund, staff editor for "US Weekly," and "New York" magazine contributing editor, Sarah Bernard.
Guys, good morning.
JESSICA SHAW, "ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY": Good morning.
B.J. SIGESMUND, STAFF EDITOR, "US WEEKLY": Good morning.
SARAH BERNARD, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, "NEW YORK" MAGAZINE: Good morning.
COLLINS: It's Friday, thank goodness.
Sarah, let's start with you. Martha Stewart, OK, she hasn't gone to jail yet.
BERNARD: Not quite.
COLLINS: But she has been talking already about what will happen afterwards, which would be could be some sort of reality TV thing.
BERNARD: This is my favorite story that we've had in a long time.
COLLINS: You are comparing her to Donald Trump already.
BERNARD: I know. See, it's like they've skipped over the jail part, and they're going right into her success afterwards...
SHAW: I think (INAUDIBLE).
BERNARD: ... which is exactly what she wants. Oh, you think it's her hair?
SHAW: Yes.
BERNARD: Well...
COLLINS: A lot of people are going to be upset about this.
BERNARD: Well, you know, I think we predicted this on this couch a couple of months ago when we said that the only thing left for her to do was to try to resurrect herself with a reality show. And she has so smartly teamed up with Mark Burnett, the guy behind "Survivor" and "The Apprentice."
COLLINS: He's kind of successful.
BERNARD: He's a little successful. But the thing is this is not necessarily going to be a reality show. He has said that he signed on to revitalize what she already does. So, he might just sort of figure out an interesting way to have her still as the how-to homemaker expert.
And the amazing thing about this is how good it has been for both of them. Her stock has risen 5 percent this week. And he, believe it or not, has been wanting to get out of the reality show ghetto for a while. He actually has two shows coming up this season that are scripted shows for WB. So, he's actually trying to move on in another direction.
SIGESMUND: I have to say, I do I not see this happening. I do not believe this news. I just...
BERNARD: Why not?
SIGESMUND: I just feel like Martha Stewart spent decades building and controlling her image. She is the most controlled woman. Why would she let Mark Burnett come in and tape her life and create a show around her?
BERNARD: But I don't think that's what they're going to do.
SIGESMUND: No, no, no. Donald Trump -- remember, Donald Trump basically has a cameo every week on "The Apprentice." He's like the host of that show. You cannot -- the show is not built around him. It's all about those -- the competitors on the show.
COLLINS: Right.
SHAW: I think the only thing that would make Martha interesting would be if he actually went and covered her life as a reality show. I mean, I don't really want to see her baking cookies anymore.
COLLINS: OK.
SHAW: I want to see life in jail.
COLLINS: Yes.
BERNARD: Well, that's what I was saying (INAUDIBLE) about that.
COLLINS: That's a different story. All right, let's get back to another issue now. Do we actually really have another Bennifer case going on?
SHAW: It seems that we do.
COLLINS: I mean, seriously, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner is who we're talking about.
SHAW: Yes. I don't think it's going to be nearly as scandalous as the former Bennifer situation. Jennifer Garner is obviously from "Alias." And they met on the set of "Daredevil," which was his mediocre superhero movie. And they are together. Their cars have been spotted in the same driveway. And so...
COLLINS: So people still very much care about this kind of thing, right?
SIGESMUND: What is so interesting about this to me is that Ben Affleck learned from his relationship with Jennifer Lopez about the media and how they were going to cover him incessantly. In this relationship with this Jennifer is a complete 180 from the last one. This one it's all about privacy. It's all about I'll meet you at your house or I'll park my car...
COLLINS: Right.
SIGESMUND: ... a little ways away from your house.
SHAW: About four blocks away, yes.
SIGESMUND: Yes.
(CROSSTALK)
SIGESMUND: And Ben Affleck...
COLLINS: I guess that's what you have to do.
SHAW: But, you know, it's the most important lesson. That's -- I mean, both of them will not benefit from a relationship that is covered so much in the media. It can only hurt your career.
COLLINS: maybe they'll just stay together. There is an odd concept.
BERNARD: No, they won't, because they date every single costar each one has. So, I don't really think...
COLLINS: That's not a good history then, you're right.
Jessica, B.J. and Sarah, thanks so much, as always, guys. And have a good weekend -- Bill.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: All right, Heidi, in a moment here a novel use of the Internet to help out some teachers and schoolkids. "Extra Effort" coming up here on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Welcome back, everyone. Check on the early market action, and more on that tax cut extension passed last night by the Senate, what it means to you. Here's Andy Serwer "Minding Your Business."
Good morning, Drew.
ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Good morning, again. Can I be honest with you?
HEMMER: You may.
SERWER: Not a whole lot going on on Wall Street this morning. Nothing happening at all, as Lou Reed used to sing.
Up 18 -- well, that's not bad. Up 18, that's as much action as we've gotten this morning.
Hey, big tax cut passed yesterday by Congress. A master political stroke by the president, I would say: $146 billion tax cut. Let's break it down for you and see how it goes.
You can see here, $1,000 child tax credit. That's extended. It was scheduled to slide back to $700. The 10 percent tax bracket, obviously for lower-income families. That's extended.
The costs in the right-hand column, well that's actually also benefits to taxpayers. ATM, that pernicious tax bill -- in fact, aren't all taxes pernicious? That, we got a little bit relief there, and also the marriage penalty.
Many Democrats voting for this bill. Charles Rangel saying, gee, how could you do otherwise? He sort of acknowledged the fact that the president put them in a difficult position; very difficult to vote against a tax cut in election season with the election just months away -- weeks away.
HEMMER: I think you're right about that. How fast did that thing go through Congress?
SERWER: Zip-a-dee-doo-dah. Absolutely.
HEMMER: Thank you, Andy.
SERWER: You're welcome.
HEMMER: All right, once again now, here is Heidi.
COLLINS: Every week, we seek out someone who makes the extra effort to help others. Today, we're talking to Charles Best. When he saw public schoolteachers paying for supplies out of their own pockets, he founded Donors Choose. It's an organization that gets philanthropists together with teachers.
So, also with us, Laura Regan-Peterson, a teacher who uses Donors Choose to help her first graders.
So, this is just a fantastic organization, Charles. Tell us how you came up with the idea.
CHARLES BEST, FOUNDER, DONORS CHOOSE: Well, I'm a teacher myself. And about four years ago, during my first year of teaching, when I was sitting in the teacher's lunchroom talking with my colleagues about all of the resources that our students didn't have, we kind of thought, well what if individuals could go to a Web site and see all of our ideas for helping our students learn, choose a project that spoke to their values, and make a donation knowing what they were making possible?
COLLINS: So then, how did the teachers actually get the help from Donors Choose?
BEST: Well, a teacher goes to Donors Choose, writes a one-page essay about an experience they want to make possible for their students and the materials required. And if an individual reads that teacher proposal at Donors Choose and decides to fund it, the materials are delivered to the schoolhouse door, along with a disposable camera so the teacher can take photographs and send thank you notes to the donor.
COLLINS: That's probably the best part for the donors. So, how successful have you been?
BEST: It's just been incredible, Heidi. About 2,000 public schoolteachers have used Donors Choose.
COLLINS: And what do the kids say?
BEST: Well, you know, I think we've found that students in the thank you notes that they write to their donors, some of them say, "This is the first book I've ever owned." Or one student said, "I can't believe a stranger would give these materials to my classroom. Can you send me your address so I can do something for you?"
COLLINS: Oh, that's so sweet.
Laura, I want to get to you now. I know that this was really a problem for you as a teacher. In fact, first time around -- you teach first graders. LAURA REGAN-PETERSON, FIRST GRADE TEACHER: Yes.
COLLINS: You donated $5,000 of your own money to get supplies that your classroom needed. How have you gotten help then from Charles' organization?
REGAN-PETERSON: I've received over 31 grants through Donors Choose that has made my teaching experience so much more incredible. My students learn in a much more meaningful way, and it's unbelievable how they've come so far.
COLLINS: Kids get excited when they have the things they need to learn.
REGAN-PETERSON: They really do. New materials are wonderful motivators for students to learn.
COLLINS: Charles Best and Laura Regan-Peterson, thanks so much, guys, for being here today.
BEST: Thank you, Heidi.
REGAN-PETERSON: Thank you very much, Heidi.
HEMMER: All right. Coming up on CNN, live coverage of John Kerry's speech starting off today in Philadelphia. The senator expected to outline his plan to win the war on terror. We'll have a close eye on that, and an ear, as well. Betty Nguyen has that next hour.
We're back in a moment on AMERICAN MORNING after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Coming up on "IN THE MONEY" this weekend, the state of American politics sometimes described as laughable, other times just pathetic. Anyway, the folks over there at Comedy Central, who are all a couple of degrees off true north, like to take a look at our political system and have fun with it.
We're going to have Stephen Colbert on "IN THE MONEY" this weekend. He's one of "The Daily Show" correspondents. And the program airs Saturday at 1:00, Sunday at 3:00. And Heidi's got the circus situation on the network all weekend long.
So just, you know, go to the store today, get your groceries, and then just park your butt in front of the TV set until Monday morning 10:00 and just do -- see everything we do here.
WALLACE: Monday morning 7:00.
CAFFERTY: Ten o'clock. We want them to watch all the way through the end.
WALLACE: Right. Oh, but you said until Monday morning 10:00. You want them to watch Monday morning at 7:00 a.m., AMERICAN MORNING. CAFFERTY: Yes, and it lasts until 10:00.
COLLINS: We've all had too much TV.
CAFFERTY: Draw this up on a thing for her.
The "Question of the Day" is -- the "Question of the Day": Is Mrs. John Kerry helping or hurting her husband's campaign -- which seems immaterial at this point.
John says: "I'm sure she helps and hurts the campaign. She helps with people who value a strong, intelligent, decisive partner with interests in social welfare, and she hurts with those voters who long for the run of Betty Cleaver.
Jonesey in San Antonio, Texas: "I think Mrs. Kerry is outspoken almost to the point of being obnoxious, not to mention not having any fashion sense. Is she helping or hurting her husband's campaign? She's hurting it. You go, girl. You're helping President Bush be re- elected.
And Brad in Moretown, Vermont, writes: "I believe Mrs. John Kerry, a.k.a Teresa Heinz Kerry, is sharp, funny, and definitely an asset to her husband's presidential campaign. And by the way, I don't care what anybody says about you, you are funny, witty, and pretty sharp for an old codger."
You could have left out the old codger.
SERWER: Got you. They got you.
HEMMER: ... give you a break every now and then.
Hey, we've got to run, but want to say happy birthday to Shane. Our man Shane is the guy you see with what we call the jib camera. Shane was at the Yankee game last night celebrating his birthday. I think he had no less than 39 beers, and he's here today.
So, Shane, happy birthday, brother. And good luck...
WALLACE: Happy birthday, Shane.
HEMMER: He's a good man and keeps us...
SERWER: Sane, sane.
COLLINS: On camera.
HEMMER: Some days.
Have a great weekend. Here's Betty Nguyen at the CNN Center. Betty, good morning to you on a Friday.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, good morning. Happy birthday to Shane, as well.
HEMMER: Yes, pass that along.
NGUYEN: Got a lot to tell to tell you about this morning. Thanks, guys.
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Aired September 24, 2004 - 09:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: On a Friday, there's the bell. Final day of trading today down on Wall Street. The Dow starting today -- Dow 30, anyway -- 10,038, off about 70 points in trading from yesterday.
Watching the news for the oil markets, watching the news from the Fed all week. Nasdaq marketsite, 1,886, closing slightly ahead yesterday, about three quarters of a point -- just by a tick. We're open for business now on this Friday.
And welcome back, everybody. Good morning. AMERICAN MORNING continues now. Good morning, Heidi.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning.
HEMMER: We're watching Jeanne over the weekend.
COLLINS: Still watching Jeanne.
HEMMER: Closer and closer to Florida. A lot of folks down there watching the skies, as well. Many are still homeless after those other big storms that hit this year. We'll meet one family still trying to bounce back from Charley this half hour.
COLLINS: Also, Kelly Wallace back today for her series on election year issues. This morning, looking at whether there's a plan on the table to improve healthcare for the 45 million Americans without medical insurance. A lot of people want to know about that.
HEMMER: Kelly hasn't gone far. This half hour, back to Kelly Wallace and the news. Good morning.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, again, to you, Heidi and Bill. And good morning, everyone.
We begin in Iraq, where U.S. Marines are pounding insurgents in the city of Fallujah this morning. American forces say they are targeting the Abu Musab al-Zarqawi terror network. There are no reports of casualties.
And in Baghdad, two more foreigners have been taken hostage. An official tells CNN gunmen seized two Egyptian engineers from their Baghdad office.
Here in the United States, weeks after President Bush tapped him, Porter Goss is officially taking the post of CIA director. Goss arrived at the White House earlier this hour. He is being sworn in as the agency's director at a ceremony inside the Oval Office.
A prominent Muslim lecturer may turn himself in today as part of an indictment against a group dubbed the Virginia Jihad Network. He is accused of encouraging at least five men to join the Taliban in Afghanistan after the September 11th attack. His attorney says he will deny the charges.
And we know dogs have a keen sense of smell. Now, it seems, they can sniff out cancer, too. In the first study of its kind, dogs identified cancer-containing urine samples almost three times more often than expected from chance alone. The results are in this week's "British Medical Journal."
An incredible story there about man's best friend. Bill, back to you.
HEMMER: We've got to follow up with Sanjay on that, Kelly. More later. Thanks, again.
And folks, it is happening again in the southeast. Another hurricane eyeing Florida, this time it is Jeanne. Residents along the state's eastern border know the drill: stock up on supplies; seal up the windows. A hurricane watch in effect from Florida City to St. Augustine.
The governor, Jeb Bush, talked about the latest storm just a few moments ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. JEB BUSH (R), FLORIDA: These storms are brutal in terms of the wind force. And this storm has the potential of being similar to Ivan in terms of the strength of the winds, and storm surge is also a powerful force.
And so, I know people are frustrated. I know they're tired of all this. Trust me, their governor is, as well. But we should heed the warnings of the experts as it relates to evacuating.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: Evacuating not only to help save their own safety or their family, but also to get out from what is left behind from these storms. And thousands now still reeling from Ivan and Charley and Frances.
But John Zarrella now telling us in Florida there seems to be some comfort in the numbers there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): These are the children of Charley. This is their playground. They ride their bikes in a cul-de-sac at what, up until the hurricane, had been the Vizcaya Lakes Retirement Community in Port Charlotte.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All gone.
ZARRELLA: Now on the still undeveloped parcels of land sit 175 FEMA travel trailers. They are home to the children and families to young and old, to people who lost everything.
Six-year-old Ashley Taylor is the first to greet her mom. Marnie is just coming home after her shift at Charlotte Regional Hospital. Since the 1st of September, a FEMA trailer has been home to Marnie, her husband Richard, their three children, their beagle Lady and her five pups.
MARNIE TAYLOR, HURRICANE CHARLEY VICTIM: Everything was stripped from us in a matter of a couple of hours. We were lost. We had like no clue what to do. Being homeless in a matter of hours, it's like devastating.
ZARRELLA: When they showed up here, the Taylors say they had $11 to their name. Their trailer home and everything in it had been flattened. They had slept in a tent, with relatives, and in hotels.
FEMA's assistance, they say, saved them.
RICHARD TAYLOR, HURRICANE CHARLEY VICTIM: Come on, big boy. That's Mini-Me.
ZARRELLA: For up to 18 months, they can live rent-free. It gives them and the others here time to get back on their feet. And it gives their children time to forget about hurricanes.
R. TAYLOR: Thunder clouds up, she's right by somebody hanging onto them. She's really scared of them.
ZARRELLA: FEMA officials say they have 1,300 travel trailers and mobile homes ready for uninsured hurricane victims. Families are in 660 of them. Here, well over 100 of the 175 trailers are occupied.
(on camera): FEMA officials say they are sure that, before long, all the travel trailers here will be full. They are sure, because even now, more than a month after Hurricane Charley, people are still coming in who have no place else to live.
John Zarrella, CNN, Port Charlotte, Florida.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: Just think about thousands and thousands of families displaced by it.
Chad Myers now at the CNN Center. I've got some friends in Atlanta, Dan (INAUDIBLE), Chad, their 100-year-old home, giant Georgia Pine went right through the middle of the home. This is in Atlanta in the aftereffects of Ivan. They've got some good family and friends helping them out, but they're going to need help for a long time, too.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: And you hear about those stories all the way to Pennsylvania.
HEMMER: So true, yes.
MYERS: And this thing was from Mobile right up through Georgia, Alabama, the Carolinas, Virginia, Pennsylvania. Then it went offshore, came back down the Atlantic ocean, came across, made some thunderstorms across Melbourne and Fort Pierce a couple days ago, and then it ended up making rain showers that I'll show you on a couple maps now over in Louisiana and Texas.
There is Jeanne. Here's the problem: gets very close to Florida, makes a hard right-hand turn. That turn is going to be very important. If that turn -- these are the computer models we use -- if that turn happens where this red line is, Florida gets complete miss. If that line is way out here or if that turn happens later, obviously Florida gets another direct hit from a very large storm.
It is Category 3 -- it's forecast to be A category 3. Right now, still a Category 2. But that's what it looks like now.
This thing's already made a loop out here. Talk about a fickle storm. Did so much damage to Haiti; so many loss of lives there. Then over Freeport here on Sunday and Saturday afternoons. And as we move through here, this is Sunday morning and then through Sunday afternoon right through Daytona Beach and into Jacksonville. That's the center of the line, Bill.
And obviously that line moves. It goes left. It goes right -- depending on if the storm goes left and right. So, you have to keep watching it.
Here's what's left of Ivan. The rest of the country absolutely spectacular. Only one airport delay I have is Atlanta: 15 minutes. Everybody else doing great.
HEMMER: Chad, thanks for that. Have a good weekend. You working?
MYERS: I'm going to be in Melbourne.
HEMMER: You are?
MYERS: I'll see you there probably.
HEMMER: Well, good luck, OK? I probably won't make it this time around. But good luck to you and hope that that storm will do as little as possible. Thanks, Chad.
Here's Heidi across the room now.
COLLINS: All this week, we've discussed the fact that one of the biggest complaints of voters during a presidential election is that they don't hear enough about the issues.
Today, we conclude our series, "Promises, Promises," with a focus on healthcare. Once again, here now is Kelly Wallace. And we've been definitely talking about all the issues this week.
WALLACE: All the issues, and this is a big one. And we all relate to it, right? The rising cost of healthcare.
And so, we set out to ask two questions. What does each candidate promise to do about your healthcare costs? And yes this one, too: Can they keep those promises?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(voice-over): Neither candidate can dispute these facts: 45 million Americans without health insurance, healthcare premiums skyrocketing, up 64 percent since 2000 -- ammunition for the challenger.
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This president has had four years to just talk to you about it, but he doesn't even have a plan.
WALLACE: The president fires a few shots of his own.
GEORGE W. BUSH (R), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: And I'm running against a fellow who has put out a healthcare plan that is massive. It is complicated. It is a blueprint to have the government control your healthcare.
WALLACE: The rhetoric from both men exceeds the reality, but still two very different approaches: a limited role for the federal government from Mr. Bush versus a more expansive one from Senator Kerry.
KERRY: I have a plan that will lower the cost of healthcare for all people who have it today.
WALLACE: The senator pledges to slash healthcare premiums by up to $1,000 per year by having the federal government pick up the tab for the most expensive claims, making federal health plans available to individuals and small businesses, and offering a 50 percent tax credit to small businesses providing coverage.
The reality? A hefty price tag: $653 billion over 10 years according to the Kerry campaign, $1.5 trillion according to Kerry's critics. And some economists say the Kerry plan might not encourage Americans to be more price-conscious about healthcare.
BUSH: One way we can control healthcare costs is to allow small businesses to share risk.
WALLACE: The president promises to lower costs by pooling together small businesses, providing tax-free accounts for families to save money for out-of-pocket medical costs, and offering tax credits of up to $3,000 to help low-income families purchase coverage.
The reality? Mr. Bush's plan is cheaper, costing 145 billion over 10 years, but far less reaching, covering just 11 million not- now-insured, fewer than half the newly-covered under Kerry's proposal. And the president's plan could result in healthy and affluent consumers taking some of their money out of traditional insurance and putting it in private tax-free accounts. Critics say this could raise costs for everybody else.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(on camera): Two candidates, two different philosophies. And, Heidi, what's interesting, we looked at five different issues this week. This is really the issue, the greatest difference between the two candidates.
COLLINS: People will have to decide, that is for sure. Kelly, great series. Thanks so much -- Bill.
WALLACE: Thank you so much.
HEMMER: It looks like that popular tax cuts, a few of them are going to live a bit longer, and at what cost. Andy is "Minding Your Business" on that in a moment.
And the star Jennifer Garner. She's got a new beau that should make the paparazzi quite happy. "90-Second Pop" takes a shot, after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: It's "90-Second Pop" for a Friday. The round-up of the usual suspects now. Jessica Shaw from "Entertainment Weekly," B.J. Sigesmund, staff editor for "US Weekly," and "New York" magazine contributing editor, Sarah Bernard.
Guys, good morning.
JESSICA SHAW, "ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY": Good morning.
B.J. SIGESMUND, STAFF EDITOR, "US WEEKLY": Good morning.
SARAH BERNARD, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, "NEW YORK" MAGAZINE: Good morning.
COLLINS: It's Friday, thank goodness.
Sarah, let's start with you. Martha Stewart, OK, she hasn't gone to jail yet.
BERNARD: Not quite.
COLLINS: But she has been talking already about what will happen afterwards, which would be could be some sort of reality TV thing.
BERNARD: This is my favorite story that we've had in a long time.
COLLINS: You are comparing her to Donald Trump already.
BERNARD: I know. See, it's like they've skipped over the jail part, and they're going right into her success afterwards...
SHAW: I think (INAUDIBLE).
BERNARD: ... which is exactly what she wants. Oh, you think it's her hair?
SHAW: Yes.
BERNARD: Well...
COLLINS: A lot of people are going to be upset about this.
BERNARD: Well, you know, I think we predicted this on this couch a couple of months ago when we said that the only thing left for her to do was to try to resurrect herself with a reality show. And she has so smartly teamed up with Mark Burnett, the guy behind "Survivor" and "The Apprentice."
COLLINS: He's kind of successful.
BERNARD: He's a little successful. But the thing is this is not necessarily going to be a reality show. He has said that he signed on to revitalize what she already does. So, he might just sort of figure out an interesting way to have her still as the how-to homemaker expert.
And the amazing thing about this is how good it has been for both of them. Her stock has risen 5 percent this week. And he, believe it or not, has been wanting to get out of the reality show ghetto for a while. He actually has two shows coming up this season that are scripted shows for WB. So, he's actually trying to move on in another direction.
SIGESMUND: I have to say, I do I not see this happening. I do not believe this news. I just...
BERNARD: Why not?
SIGESMUND: I just feel like Martha Stewart spent decades building and controlling her image. She is the most controlled woman. Why would she let Mark Burnett come in and tape her life and create a show around her?
BERNARD: But I don't think that's what they're going to do.
SIGESMUND: No, no, no. Donald Trump -- remember, Donald Trump basically has a cameo every week on "The Apprentice." He's like the host of that show. You cannot -- the show is not built around him. It's all about those -- the competitors on the show.
COLLINS: Right.
SHAW: I think the only thing that would make Martha interesting would be if he actually went and covered her life as a reality show. I mean, I don't really want to see her baking cookies anymore.
COLLINS: OK.
SHAW: I want to see life in jail.
COLLINS: Yes.
BERNARD: Well, that's what I was saying (INAUDIBLE) about that.
COLLINS: That's a different story. All right, let's get back to another issue now. Do we actually really have another Bennifer case going on?
SHAW: It seems that we do.
COLLINS: I mean, seriously, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner is who we're talking about.
SHAW: Yes. I don't think it's going to be nearly as scandalous as the former Bennifer situation. Jennifer Garner is obviously from "Alias." And they met on the set of "Daredevil," which was his mediocre superhero movie. And they are together. Their cars have been spotted in the same driveway. And so...
COLLINS: So people still very much care about this kind of thing, right?
SIGESMUND: What is so interesting about this to me is that Ben Affleck learned from his relationship with Jennifer Lopez about the media and how they were going to cover him incessantly. In this relationship with this Jennifer is a complete 180 from the last one. This one it's all about privacy. It's all about I'll meet you at your house or I'll park my car...
COLLINS: Right.
SIGESMUND: ... a little ways away from your house.
SHAW: About four blocks away, yes.
SIGESMUND: Yes.
(CROSSTALK)
SIGESMUND: And Ben Affleck...
COLLINS: I guess that's what you have to do.
SHAW: But, you know, it's the most important lesson. That's -- I mean, both of them will not benefit from a relationship that is covered so much in the media. It can only hurt your career.
COLLINS: maybe they'll just stay together. There is an odd concept.
BERNARD: No, they won't, because they date every single costar each one has. So, I don't really think...
COLLINS: That's not a good history then, you're right.
Jessica, B.J. and Sarah, thanks so much, as always, guys. And have a good weekend -- Bill.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: All right, Heidi, in a moment here a novel use of the Internet to help out some teachers and schoolkids. "Extra Effort" coming up here on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Welcome back, everyone. Check on the early market action, and more on that tax cut extension passed last night by the Senate, what it means to you. Here's Andy Serwer "Minding Your Business."
Good morning, Drew.
ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Good morning, again. Can I be honest with you?
HEMMER: You may.
SERWER: Not a whole lot going on on Wall Street this morning. Nothing happening at all, as Lou Reed used to sing.
Up 18 -- well, that's not bad. Up 18, that's as much action as we've gotten this morning.
Hey, big tax cut passed yesterday by Congress. A master political stroke by the president, I would say: $146 billion tax cut. Let's break it down for you and see how it goes.
You can see here, $1,000 child tax credit. That's extended. It was scheduled to slide back to $700. The 10 percent tax bracket, obviously for lower-income families. That's extended.
The costs in the right-hand column, well that's actually also benefits to taxpayers. ATM, that pernicious tax bill -- in fact, aren't all taxes pernicious? That, we got a little bit relief there, and also the marriage penalty.
Many Democrats voting for this bill. Charles Rangel saying, gee, how could you do otherwise? He sort of acknowledged the fact that the president put them in a difficult position; very difficult to vote against a tax cut in election season with the election just months away -- weeks away.
HEMMER: I think you're right about that. How fast did that thing go through Congress?
SERWER: Zip-a-dee-doo-dah. Absolutely.
HEMMER: Thank you, Andy.
SERWER: You're welcome.
HEMMER: All right, once again now, here is Heidi.
COLLINS: Every week, we seek out someone who makes the extra effort to help others. Today, we're talking to Charles Best. When he saw public schoolteachers paying for supplies out of their own pockets, he founded Donors Choose. It's an organization that gets philanthropists together with teachers.
So, also with us, Laura Regan-Peterson, a teacher who uses Donors Choose to help her first graders.
So, this is just a fantastic organization, Charles. Tell us how you came up with the idea.
CHARLES BEST, FOUNDER, DONORS CHOOSE: Well, I'm a teacher myself. And about four years ago, during my first year of teaching, when I was sitting in the teacher's lunchroom talking with my colleagues about all of the resources that our students didn't have, we kind of thought, well what if individuals could go to a Web site and see all of our ideas for helping our students learn, choose a project that spoke to their values, and make a donation knowing what they were making possible?
COLLINS: So then, how did the teachers actually get the help from Donors Choose?
BEST: Well, a teacher goes to Donors Choose, writes a one-page essay about an experience they want to make possible for their students and the materials required. And if an individual reads that teacher proposal at Donors Choose and decides to fund it, the materials are delivered to the schoolhouse door, along with a disposable camera so the teacher can take photographs and send thank you notes to the donor.
COLLINS: That's probably the best part for the donors. So, how successful have you been?
BEST: It's just been incredible, Heidi. About 2,000 public schoolteachers have used Donors Choose.
COLLINS: And what do the kids say?
BEST: Well, you know, I think we've found that students in the thank you notes that they write to their donors, some of them say, "This is the first book I've ever owned." Or one student said, "I can't believe a stranger would give these materials to my classroom. Can you send me your address so I can do something for you?"
COLLINS: Oh, that's so sweet.
Laura, I want to get to you now. I know that this was really a problem for you as a teacher. In fact, first time around -- you teach first graders. LAURA REGAN-PETERSON, FIRST GRADE TEACHER: Yes.
COLLINS: You donated $5,000 of your own money to get supplies that your classroom needed. How have you gotten help then from Charles' organization?
REGAN-PETERSON: I've received over 31 grants through Donors Choose that has made my teaching experience so much more incredible. My students learn in a much more meaningful way, and it's unbelievable how they've come so far.
COLLINS: Kids get excited when they have the things they need to learn.
REGAN-PETERSON: They really do. New materials are wonderful motivators for students to learn.
COLLINS: Charles Best and Laura Regan-Peterson, thanks so much, guys, for being here today.
BEST: Thank you, Heidi.
REGAN-PETERSON: Thank you very much, Heidi.
HEMMER: All right. Coming up on CNN, live coverage of John Kerry's speech starting off today in Philadelphia. The senator expected to outline his plan to win the war on terror. We'll have a close eye on that, and an ear, as well. Betty Nguyen has that next hour.
We're back in a moment on AMERICAN MORNING after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Coming up on "IN THE MONEY" this weekend, the state of American politics sometimes described as laughable, other times just pathetic. Anyway, the folks over there at Comedy Central, who are all a couple of degrees off true north, like to take a look at our political system and have fun with it.
We're going to have Stephen Colbert on "IN THE MONEY" this weekend. He's one of "The Daily Show" correspondents. And the program airs Saturday at 1:00, Sunday at 3:00. And Heidi's got the circus situation on the network all weekend long.
So just, you know, go to the store today, get your groceries, and then just park your butt in front of the TV set until Monday morning 10:00 and just do -- see everything we do here.
WALLACE: Monday morning 7:00.
CAFFERTY: Ten o'clock. We want them to watch all the way through the end.
WALLACE: Right. Oh, but you said until Monday morning 10:00. You want them to watch Monday morning at 7:00 a.m., AMERICAN MORNING. CAFFERTY: Yes, and it lasts until 10:00.
COLLINS: We've all had too much TV.
CAFFERTY: Draw this up on a thing for her.
The "Question of the Day" is -- the "Question of the Day": Is Mrs. John Kerry helping or hurting her husband's campaign -- which seems immaterial at this point.
John says: "I'm sure she helps and hurts the campaign. She helps with people who value a strong, intelligent, decisive partner with interests in social welfare, and she hurts with those voters who long for the run of Betty Cleaver.
Jonesey in San Antonio, Texas: "I think Mrs. Kerry is outspoken almost to the point of being obnoxious, not to mention not having any fashion sense. Is she helping or hurting her husband's campaign? She's hurting it. You go, girl. You're helping President Bush be re- elected.
And Brad in Moretown, Vermont, writes: "I believe Mrs. John Kerry, a.k.a Teresa Heinz Kerry, is sharp, funny, and definitely an asset to her husband's presidential campaign. And by the way, I don't care what anybody says about you, you are funny, witty, and pretty sharp for an old codger."
You could have left out the old codger.
SERWER: Got you. They got you.
HEMMER: ... give you a break every now and then.
Hey, we've got to run, but want to say happy birthday to Shane. Our man Shane is the guy you see with what we call the jib camera. Shane was at the Yankee game last night celebrating his birthday. I think he had no less than 39 beers, and he's here today.
So, Shane, happy birthday, brother. And good luck...
WALLACE: Happy birthday, Shane.
HEMMER: He's a good man and keeps us...
SERWER: Sane, sane.
COLLINS: On camera.
HEMMER: Some days.
Have a great weekend. Here's Betty Nguyen at the CNN Center. Betty, good morning to you on a Friday.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, good morning. Happy birthday to Shane, as well.
HEMMER: Yes, pass that along.
NGUYEN: Got a lot to tell to tell you about this morning. Thanks, guys.
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