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CNN Live At Daybreak
Bush Nominates Appeals Court Judge Michael Chertoff to Head Homeland Security Department; Rescue Crews Working Throughout Night at Scene of Massive Mudslide
Aired January 12, 2005 - 06:00 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.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN ANCHOR: Ahead, digging out with shovels, buckets and a prayer of hope in California. Then...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I thought it was somebody that got struck by lightning or a car wreck, because it just was -- oh, I'm sorry -- it was just bam.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: A crash caught on tape. What happened just before this plane came down.
And to the president's choice to keep America safe. Where did Michael Chertoff come from?
It is Wednesday, January 12, and you are watching DAYBREAK.
And good Wednesday morning to you.
From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Kelly Wallace in for Carol Costello.
Now in the news, we have not given up hope. That's the message from the county fire chief as rescuers work nonstop to find survivors of a massive mud slide in southern California. Six people are confirmed dead and a dozen are still missing. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger plans an aerial tour of the region today.
Adding to the fears in southern California, a magnitude 4.3 earthquake near Palm Springs. It happened less than three hours ago, triggering car alarms. But authorities say there are no apparent injuries or damage.
Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta will announce measures today to deal with a rash of laser beams aimed at planes. He is also expected to reveal steps pilots can take if lasers are aimed at them.
The Michael Jackson case is back in court in Los Angeles today. It is to decide if evidence of prior sexual offenses will be admissible in his upcoming trial. Prosecutors want the hearing open to the press and the public. Jackson's attorneys want it close.
And here is an update on a story we told you about yesterday. A repair crew has arrived by helicopter in Kaktovik, Alaska to try to restore power to that town. Residents have been without power for several days, as the temperatures have hit 70 degrees below zero.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Wow!
WALLACE: Chad Myers in Atlanta -- Chad, that is incredibly cold, even for Alaska.
MYERS: That is incredibly cold.
Kelly, I have to ask you, can you do me a favor later today? Could you go to...
WALLACE: Yes, anything for you.
MYERS: Could you go to Zabar's, pick out some chicken soup and take it to Carol. She is under the weather now three days.
WALLACE: I know. I mean really, she is not feeling well. Our hopes that she can get better soon. What, cold, cough, what's going around I guess, right?
MYERS: If I could cook, I'd make some. But, you know, it wouldn't turn out as soup. It would be something a little different.
WALLACE: We're going to take care of her all for you.
MYERS: All right.
Well, thanks for filling in.
WALLACE: All right, Chad.
MYERS: We have appreciated you the last three days.
WALLACE: All right.
(WEATHER REPORT)
WALLACE: To call it a huge mission is an understatement. Rescuers say they haven't given up hope and are still searching for victims in the rubble of the California mudslides. They are using dogs, cameras and microphones to find any survivors.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHIEF ROB ROPER, VENTURA COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT: Only because of past history from worldwide events, the tsunami and so forth, that we hold out hope. But one of the big ingredients is the rescue teams are going in, they're finding voids still in the rubble pile that we believe are large enough that somebody could be in. As long as we're seeing that, then we hold out hope.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: Meantime, in the Sierra Mountains, the snow has frozen business at some ski resorts. Snow tires and chains are now mandatory accessories on mountain passes, with some drifts reaching second floor heights. In Colorado, rescuers found a mother and daughter who got lost in the snowstorm while cross country skiing on Sunday. The father left the women to find help. He is still missing.
It's not snow, but high water, creating the dangers for families in Arizona. Seven counties there now officially in a state of emergency. So homeowners can help get the financial help to recover.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We've got sandbags in place and toothbrushes ready. The car is, the battery is charged and we'll have to head out if they tell us to evacuate.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: And that same storm system washed away this home in Utah. Look at that. The National Guard was called in to airlift some people away from the flood danger.
CNN's coverage of the extreme weather culminates tonight at 10:00 p.m. Eastern during a special edition you won't want to miss of "NEWSNIGHT" with Aaron Brown.
We will have much more coverage of the mudslides in California in just a few moments.
But first, time for a CNN "Security Watch."
And it is the fight against terrorism on the new home front that gets a new leader, pending Senate confirmation, of course. President Bush has nominated federal appeals court judge Michael Chertoff to head the huge Homeland Security Department.
The president says Chertoff has the skills to take on the high profile position.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Our nation is still at war. We're focused. We're taking decisive actions on the home front that are critical to winning this war. When Mike is confirmed by the Senate, the Department of Homeland Security will be led by a practical organizer, a skilled manager and a brilliant thinker.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: Others are not as confident as the president. Some say Chertoff doesn't have experience to lead a massive bureaucracy like the Homeland Security Department. And civil liberties watchdogs say his work on the Patriot Act and other government policies is troubling.
Joining us with his take is CNN Radio correspondent Dick Uliano -- Dick, great to talk to you this Wednesday morning.
DICK ULIANO, CNN RADIO CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Kelly.
WALLACE: So you have followed Michael Chertoff. You've also been assessing the reaction.
What is the reaction so far to this nomination?
ULIANO: Well, Kelly, we're told by members of Congress that Michael Chertoff is likely to be confirmed when he faces Senate hearings, perhaps later this month. After all, he's been confirmed three times before as an assistant attorney general, a U.S. prosecutor and so forth. And, Kelly, Senate Democrat Joe Lieberman says he doubts that Chertoff's role in developing the Patriot Act, which has drawn some criticism, will disqualify him.
So when he faces these hearings, he's expected to do well.
WALLACE: Take a look at this, Dick, as we look at are -- when people are asked, in the latest CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll, are you worried that you or a family member will become a victim of terrorism, 38 percent saying yes, 61 percent saying no. Clearly, fears that people will be a victim of terrorism going down.
How could that impact the confirmation hearings for Michael Chertoff?
ULIANO: Well, Kelly, as you know, that is pretty much in line with what the administration, the Bush administration, probably wants. They want most Americans not to be fearful of terrorism, but they want a recognition that it could happen. And at a panel this summer, Kelly, for the American Constitution Society for Law and Policy, Michael Chertoff, the homeland security secretary nominee, said al Qaeda's threat to attack the United States remains every bit as real as it did on 9/11.
WALLACE: Dick, I want to ask you quickly, of course, you covered the Whitewater hearings. You know Michael Chertoff's role as a counsel to the Republicans on this.
How could that play a role, especially when you now have a junior senator from New York, Hillary Rodham Clinton?
ULIANO: A good question, Kelly, because this speaks to whether he'll win Senate confirmation. And we talked to, for example, Richard Ben-Veniste, who was a 9/11 commissioner. He opposed Michael Chertoff in 1996 over Whitewater, the investigation of Clinton land deals. Chertoff helped Republicans in the Senate lead the investigation and Ben-Veniste was the defense.
He says that he thinks Chertoff is right for this job of homeland security secretary. He says at the end of the day they were friends. He says he highly regards his intellect and his ability to work hard.
But, Kelly, he also says this is a sprawling department and he believes that Chertoff's going to need a strong deputy to help manage it.
WALLACE: It'll be interesting to watch it all. Dick Uliano, CNN Radio correspondent, thanks for getting up early to be with us today.
We appreciate it.
And, of course, stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.
Back now to our top story.
Rescue crews working throughout the night at the scene of that massive mud slide in southern California.
CNN's Kimberly Osias joins us now from La Conchita with the latest -- Kimberly, what are searchers looking for -- well, any luck for the searchers right now?
KIMBERLY OSIAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I'll tell you, Kelly, they are trying to remain hopeful. Search and rescue efforts are still continuing. However, six people are now confirmed dead. Thirteen are still unaccounted for. But these workers say they are drawing tremendous strength from the amazing stories of survival from the tsunami.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
OSIAS (voice-over): Time is of the essence in a search and rescue mission like this one. Emergency crews are finding large pockets of air in the rubble, some large enough for people to survive in. So, while bulldozers and cranes do the heavy lifting, rescuers proceed with extreme caution.
CHIEF ROB ROPER, VENTURA COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT: Our concern is, is we could have somebody in there. That's why this is tedious work. It has to be done on hand.
OSIAS: The winter storms that caused Monday's deadly mud slide have been wreaking havoc across the Western U.S. Just to the southeast of La Conchita, a boulder rolled off an eroded hillside and blocked Topanga Canyon earlier this week. It took several blasts Tuesday to finally clear the blocked roadway.
To the east, in Las Vegas, Nevada, drivers had to deal with flooded roads. More flooding in Utah caused this home to come off its foundation. The house and its residents' belongings rushed away with the current.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
OSIAS: California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is expected to tour the area later this morning. And good news continues on the weather front. Sunny skies are expected later today, as well as for the reminder of the week -- Kelly. WALLACE: Kimberly, a lot of people are asking, any warning at all that might have gone out to the people in that area after all the rain over the past few days to clear away from their homes?
OSIAS: Well, the residents said to me that they heard no warning whatsoever. And emergency crews said, yes, they did have a mud slide here in 1995 and they learned from that. But the sensors that were placed in the base of the mountain were simply too low to have warnings from this mud slide that was so much farther up. So, no warning was given.
WALLACE: All right, Kimberly Osias reporting from La Conchita, California.
We'll be watching your reports throughout the day here.
Well, losing an engine -- hear what the pilot of this plane and people on the ground did when he lost power at 17 past the hour.
And a prisoner shown in those infamous Abu Ghraib Prison photos speaks out at an American soldier's trial. That's at 32 past.
But first, we know Social Security isn't the most riveting topic to tackle, but it affects every one of us. A closer look at how the president's plan would affect you at 20 after.
Now, a look at what else is making news this Wednesday morning.
We'll be right back.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The top 25 innovations that changed the world and our lives during CNN's first 25 years.
We asked experts at the Lamosen (ph) MIT program to come up with a list.
At 15, a shocker -- nickel metal hydride and lithium ion batteries. Without them, cell phones, laptop computers and video cameras wouldn't last nearly as long.
Number 14 is automatic teller machines. ATMs changed how we deal with dead presidents forever more.
Number 13, vehicle air bags have saved thousands of lives since they exploded on the market.
Who are you? Number 12 knows. DNA fingerprinting changed forensic science forever.
PROF. SIR ALEC JEFFREYS, GENETICS, UNIVERSITY LEICESTER, U.K.: We could see from that very first DNA fingerprint not only its potential for biological identification, but also for sorting out family relationships. O'BRIEN: Eleven on the list is a mini marvel used in everything from ink jet printers to sensors for those air bags -- MEMs, or micro electro mechanical systems.
Stay tuned as we count down to number one.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: Time for your news, money weather and sports.
It's just about 15 minutes after the hour and here is what is all new this morning.
Health workers were able to vaccinate about 1,200 people near a refugee camp in Indonesia. The vaccinations were needed after two children at a tsunami refugee camp became infected with measles.
A federal grand jury is hearing evidence in the criminal probe of former Clinton National Security Adviser Sandy Berger. Berger admitted to removing documents from the National Archives and destroying them, but he says it was a mistake.
In money, General Motors is recalling more than 98,000 trucks, SUVs and vans due to possible problems with their power steering and brakes. The recall covers six Chevy and GMC products from the 2000 model year.
In culture, First Lady Laura Bush has picked as many as five different outfits for next week's inaugural events. The crown jewel, the Oscar de la Renta evening gown that she will wear for those inaugural balls.
In sports, quarterbacks Dan Merino and Steve Young lead the list of nominees for this year's pro football Hall of Fame. They will join 13 other former players and executives on the ballot. The six inductees will be announced on February 5. That is the day before the Super Bowl.
Time now for a look at weather.
Chad in Atlanta -- Chad, I guess if you keep repeating to people in California the worst is over, they'll start believing it.
MYERS: Maybe they'll get it...
WALLACE: Maybe they will.
MYERS: ... because we've had to say for now like 20 straight days rain or snow is coming. Now it's finally moved to the east.
(WEATHER REPORT)
WALLACE: The pictures are dramatic. A small plane crashing in Orlando, Florida next to a road and witnesses rushed to help. Eric von Ancken from our Orlando affiliate WKMG has more.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
ERIC VON ANCKEN, WKMG CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The pilot is losing oil pressure fast, so he looks for a safe place to land, but he's running out of room and altitude. The crash -- stopped by a power pole. Watch again. You can see the wings dipping, first to the left, then to the right. The right wing actually drags along the ground then gets clipped by the power line and wham! You see the sparks.
TROY MARCELO, WITNESS: But I saw a flash of light. I thought it was somebody who got struck by lightning or a car wreck, because it just was -- oh, I'm sorry -- it was just bam!
ANCKEN: And like lightning, witnesses ran over and pulled out the student pilot, Steve Schieber.
TOM STEWART, WITNESS: It was smoldering and we saw the gas dripping out. And that was, you know, we were, you know, it's just what you do when you have to do what you have to do.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We were just making sure the other gentleman that was in the cockpit, trying to get him out, wasn't hitting any of the power lines, because there were power lines around him.
ANCKEN: The instructor, Don Lawlor, was still stuck inside. He could barely move.
RYAN CORDELL, WITNESS: So I started talking to him about music, just anything to keep him alert, I guess.
ANCKEN: Firefighters tell us Lawlor died in surgery at the hospital. And the owner of the plane tells us both men on board knew what they were doing. They were certified and competent and so was the plane.
JIM GRADY, PLANE OWNER: It's all done by FAA standards. We have an A.I. on staff. That's an airplane inspector.
ANCKEN: Firefighters say the pilot tried to put down the plane on the Dubsdread Golf Course because he knew he couldn't make it to Orlando Executive Airport. He missed the golf course. But look again closely. He also missed the SUV driving down the road and the houses on the other side.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He did an excellent job. This could have been a catastrophe. It could have been in a house, it could have been into a building, it could have been on the side of the road.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
WALLACE: Some dramatic pictures there. And that was Eric von Ancken from our Orlando affiliate, WKMG. Well, in the next half hour here on DAYBREAK, how do you stop the insurgents from stopping the elections? I'll speak to a general about the efforts in the battle zone as Iraqis prepare for the polls.
And will you have any money for you and your grandkids by the time you retire? Ahead, why some people want you to sit up and pay attention to the president's Social Security plan.
This is DAYBREAK for a Wednesday morning.
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BUSH: By the time today's workers who are in their mid-20s begin to retire, the system will be bankrupt. So if you're 20 years old and in your mid-20s and you're beginning to work, I want you to think about a Social Security system that will be flat bust, bankrupt, unless the United States Congress has got the willingness to act now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: Some tough words from President Bush about Social Security. He is putting the pressure on law makers who are leery of his proposal to privatize part of the ailing system.
Last week on DAYBREAK, we talked to a policy expert who supports the president's plan. This morning, we follow up with a critic.
Ridge Multop, a senior legislative representative with AARP, the American Association of Retired Persons, joining us now on the phone from Washington.
Mr. Multop, thanks for being with us today.
RIDGE MULTOP, SENIOR LEGISLATIVE REPRESENTATIVE, AARP: Good morning, Kelly.
WALLACE: First, as you know, a big debate over the extent of the problem. The president's critics say that he is saying it's a crisis, it's not in crisis.
But isn't it true that the system can only pay promised benefits to retirees until at 2042?
MULTOP: Well, that's right. One of the things is, of course, that everybody is working off the same numbers. We're all using numbers from the Social Security Administration and they say that the system will be running a surplus for at least the next 14 years, until 2018. And that it can pay 100 percent of benefits until 2042 and it can pay about 70 percent of benefits, based on incoming tax revenues for decades after that.
WALLACE: Well, again... MULTOP: Now, you know, to me, to me, you know, a crisis is something we have to deal with immediately.
WALLACE: OK.
MULTOP: You know, 1983 was a crisis in Social Security.
WALLACE: But here is the question, though. Doesn't something ultimately need to be done or shouldn't something be done? Again, you have those supporters of the president's plan saying look, if you have younger people investing just about $2,000 of their Social Security fund into the stock market, they could earn a greater benefit than the promised benefit.
Why is that such a bad idea?
MULTOP: Well, I think you have to separate out the idea of private accounts from the long-term strength and solvency of Social Security. AARP recognizes that we have got to do something. You know, anybody who looks at it, you know, says yes, we have a serious long-term challenge.
WALLACE: But Mr. Multop, let me -- let's stay on the issue of the privatization and private accounts.
MULTOP: Yes?
WALLACE: Why would AARP be so against these private accounts?
MULTOP: Well, because the private accounts actually weaken the system because the way the president seems to be proposing them -- now, I have to say, we -- no one knows exactly what his proposal is yet. The proposals that we've seen, the kind of things they've talked about take money out of the system that would otherwise go to pay benefits. According to the Congressional Budget Office, that would be $2 trillion in the first 10 years.
So our concern, and our members' concern, is where does that money come from?
WALLACE: All right...
MULTOP: Does it come from new borrowing, adding to the federal deficit over those 10 years or 20 years? Or does it come out of benefits?
WALLACE: Well, that is -- there's so much here and we're barely scratching the surface. But we're out of time.
Ridge Multop, senior legislative representative for the AARP.
Thanks for being here and we look forward to talking to you as this debate intensifies in the months ahead.
Still to come here on CNN's DAYBREAK, the man who sat atop that infamous Abu Ghraib Prison pyramid photo testifies against an American soldier. Hear what the accused had to say about that prisoner's testimony.
And you've heard the phrase "frequent flier." What's the low down on those airline savings plans?
That's all ahead here on Wednesday's edition of DAYBREAK.
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: And good morning to you and welcome to the last half hour of DAYBREAK.
From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Kelly Wallace, in for Carol Costello.
Now in the news, rescue crews worked throughout the night looking for any survivors of the massive mud slide that hit La Conchita, California. Just about an hour ago, a seventh body was found. Seven people dead, more than a dozen still missing.
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 January 12, 2005 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN ANCHOR: Ahead, digging out with shovels, buckets and a prayer of hope in California. Then...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I thought it was somebody that got struck by lightning or a car wreck, because it just was -- oh, I'm sorry -- it was just bam.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: A crash caught on tape. What happened just before this plane came down.
And to the president's choice to keep America safe. Where did Michael Chertoff come from?
It is Wednesday, January 12, and you are watching DAYBREAK.
And good Wednesday morning to you.
From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Kelly Wallace in for Carol Costello.
Now in the news, we have not given up hope. That's the message from the county fire chief as rescuers work nonstop to find survivors of a massive mud slide in southern California. Six people are confirmed dead and a dozen are still missing. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger plans an aerial tour of the region today.
Adding to the fears in southern California, a magnitude 4.3 earthquake near Palm Springs. It happened less than three hours ago, triggering car alarms. But authorities say there are no apparent injuries or damage.
Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta will announce measures today to deal with a rash of laser beams aimed at planes. He is also expected to reveal steps pilots can take if lasers are aimed at them.
The Michael Jackson case is back in court in Los Angeles today. It is to decide if evidence of prior sexual offenses will be admissible in his upcoming trial. Prosecutors want the hearing open to the press and the public. Jackson's attorneys want it close.
And here is an update on a story we told you about yesterday. A repair crew has arrived by helicopter in Kaktovik, Alaska to try to restore power to that town. Residents have been without power for several days, as the temperatures have hit 70 degrees below zero.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Wow!
WALLACE: Chad Myers in Atlanta -- Chad, that is incredibly cold, even for Alaska.
MYERS: That is incredibly cold.
Kelly, I have to ask you, can you do me a favor later today? Could you go to...
WALLACE: Yes, anything for you.
MYERS: Could you go to Zabar's, pick out some chicken soup and take it to Carol. She is under the weather now three days.
WALLACE: I know. I mean really, she is not feeling well. Our hopes that she can get better soon. What, cold, cough, what's going around I guess, right?
MYERS: If I could cook, I'd make some. But, you know, it wouldn't turn out as soup. It would be something a little different.
WALLACE: We're going to take care of her all for you.
MYERS: All right.
Well, thanks for filling in.
WALLACE: All right, Chad.
MYERS: We have appreciated you the last three days.
WALLACE: All right.
(WEATHER REPORT)
WALLACE: To call it a huge mission is an understatement. Rescuers say they haven't given up hope and are still searching for victims in the rubble of the California mudslides. They are using dogs, cameras and microphones to find any survivors.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHIEF ROB ROPER, VENTURA COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT: Only because of past history from worldwide events, the tsunami and so forth, that we hold out hope. But one of the big ingredients is the rescue teams are going in, they're finding voids still in the rubble pile that we believe are large enough that somebody could be in. As long as we're seeing that, then we hold out hope.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: Meantime, in the Sierra Mountains, the snow has frozen business at some ski resorts. Snow tires and chains are now mandatory accessories on mountain passes, with some drifts reaching second floor heights. In Colorado, rescuers found a mother and daughter who got lost in the snowstorm while cross country skiing on Sunday. The father left the women to find help. He is still missing.
It's not snow, but high water, creating the dangers for families in Arizona. Seven counties there now officially in a state of emergency. So homeowners can help get the financial help to recover.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We've got sandbags in place and toothbrushes ready. The car is, the battery is charged and we'll have to head out if they tell us to evacuate.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: And that same storm system washed away this home in Utah. Look at that. The National Guard was called in to airlift some people away from the flood danger.
CNN's coverage of the extreme weather culminates tonight at 10:00 p.m. Eastern during a special edition you won't want to miss of "NEWSNIGHT" with Aaron Brown.
We will have much more coverage of the mudslides in California in just a few moments.
But first, time for a CNN "Security Watch."
And it is the fight against terrorism on the new home front that gets a new leader, pending Senate confirmation, of course. President Bush has nominated federal appeals court judge Michael Chertoff to head the huge Homeland Security Department.
The president says Chertoff has the skills to take on the high profile position.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Our nation is still at war. We're focused. We're taking decisive actions on the home front that are critical to winning this war. When Mike is confirmed by the Senate, the Department of Homeland Security will be led by a practical organizer, a skilled manager and a brilliant thinker.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: Others are not as confident as the president. Some say Chertoff doesn't have experience to lead a massive bureaucracy like the Homeland Security Department. And civil liberties watchdogs say his work on the Patriot Act and other government policies is troubling.
Joining us with his take is CNN Radio correspondent Dick Uliano -- Dick, great to talk to you this Wednesday morning.
DICK ULIANO, CNN RADIO CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Kelly.
WALLACE: So you have followed Michael Chertoff. You've also been assessing the reaction.
What is the reaction so far to this nomination?
ULIANO: Well, Kelly, we're told by members of Congress that Michael Chertoff is likely to be confirmed when he faces Senate hearings, perhaps later this month. After all, he's been confirmed three times before as an assistant attorney general, a U.S. prosecutor and so forth. And, Kelly, Senate Democrat Joe Lieberman says he doubts that Chertoff's role in developing the Patriot Act, which has drawn some criticism, will disqualify him.
So when he faces these hearings, he's expected to do well.
WALLACE: Take a look at this, Dick, as we look at are -- when people are asked, in the latest CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll, are you worried that you or a family member will become a victim of terrorism, 38 percent saying yes, 61 percent saying no. Clearly, fears that people will be a victim of terrorism going down.
How could that impact the confirmation hearings for Michael Chertoff?
ULIANO: Well, Kelly, as you know, that is pretty much in line with what the administration, the Bush administration, probably wants. They want most Americans not to be fearful of terrorism, but they want a recognition that it could happen. And at a panel this summer, Kelly, for the American Constitution Society for Law and Policy, Michael Chertoff, the homeland security secretary nominee, said al Qaeda's threat to attack the United States remains every bit as real as it did on 9/11.
WALLACE: Dick, I want to ask you quickly, of course, you covered the Whitewater hearings. You know Michael Chertoff's role as a counsel to the Republicans on this.
How could that play a role, especially when you now have a junior senator from New York, Hillary Rodham Clinton?
ULIANO: A good question, Kelly, because this speaks to whether he'll win Senate confirmation. And we talked to, for example, Richard Ben-Veniste, who was a 9/11 commissioner. He opposed Michael Chertoff in 1996 over Whitewater, the investigation of Clinton land deals. Chertoff helped Republicans in the Senate lead the investigation and Ben-Veniste was the defense.
He says that he thinks Chertoff is right for this job of homeland security secretary. He says at the end of the day they were friends. He says he highly regards his intellect and his ability to work hard.
But, Kelly, he also says this is a sprawling department and he believes that Chertoff's going to need a strong deputy to help manage it.
WALLACE: It'll be interesting to watch it all. Dick Uliano, CNN Radio correspondent, thanks for getting up early to be with us today.
We appreciate it.
And, of course, stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.
Back now to our top story.
Rescue crews working throughout the night at the scene of that massive mud slide in southern California.
CNN's Kimberly Osias joins us now from La Conchita with the latest -- Kimberly, what are searchers looking for -- well, any luck for the searchers right now?
KIMBERLY OSIAS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I'll tell you, Kelly, they are trying to remain hopeful. Search and rescue efforts are still continuing. However, six people are now confirmed dead. Thirteen are still unaccounted for. But these workers say they are drawing tremendous strength from the amazing stories of survival from the tsunami.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
OSIAS (voice-over): Time is of the essence in a search and rescue mission like this one. Emergency crews are finding large pockets of air in the rubble, some large enough for people to survive in. So, while bulldozers and cranes do the heavy lifting, rescuers proceed with extreme caution.
CHIEF ROB ROPER, VENTURA COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT: Our concern is, is we could have somebody in there. That's why this is tedious work. It has to be done on hand.
OSIAS: The winter storms that caused Monday's deadly mud slide have been wreaking havoc across the Western U.S. Just to the southeast of La Conchita, a boulder rolled off an eroded hillside and blocked Topanga Canyon earlier this week. It took several blasts Tuesday to finally clear the blocked roadway.
To the east, in Las Vegas, Nevada, drivers had to deal with flooded roads. More flooding in Utah caused this home to come off its foundation. The house and its residents' belongings rushed away with the current.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
OSIAS: California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is expected to tour the area later this morning. And good news continues on the weather front. Sunny skies are expected later today, as well as for the reminder of the week -- Kelly. WALLACE: Kimberly, a lot of people are asking, any warning at all that might have gone out to the people in that area after all the rain over the past few days to clear away from their homes?
OSIAS: Well, the residents said to me that they heard no warning whatsoever. And emergency crews said, yes, they did have a mud slide here in 1995 and they learned from that. But the sensors that were placed in the base of the mountain were simply too low to have warnings from this mud slide that was so much farther up. So, no warning was given.
WALLACE: All right, Kimberly Osias reporting from La Conchita, California.
We'll be watching your reports throughout the day here.
Well, losing an engine -- hear what the pilot of this plane and people on the ground did when he lost power at 17 past the hour.
And a prisoner shown in those infamous Abu Ghraib Prison photos speaks out at an American soldier's trial. That's at 32 past.
But first, we know Social Security isn't the most riveting topic to tackle, but it affects every one of us. A closer look at how the president's plan would affect you at 20 after.
Now, a look at what else is making news this Wednesday morning.
We'll be right back.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The top 25 innovations that changed the world and our lives during CNN's first 25 years.
We asked experts at the Lamosen (ph) MIT program to come up with a list.
At 15, a shocker -- nickel metal hydride and lithium ion batteries. Without them, cell phones, laptop computers and video cameras wouldn't last nearly as long.
Number 14 is automatic teller machines. ATMs changed how we deal with dead presidents forever more.
Number 13, vehicle air bags have saved thousands of lives since they exploded on the market.
Who are you? Number 12 knows. DNA fingerprinting changed forensic science forever.
PROF. SIR ALEC JEFFREYS, GENETICS, UNIVERSITY LEICESTER, U.K.: We could see from that very first DNA fingerprint not only its potential for biological identification, but also for sorting out family relationships. O'BRIEN: Eleven on the list is a mini marvel used in everything from ink jet printers to sensors for those air bags -- MEMs, or micro electro mechanical systems.
Stay tuned as we count down to number one.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: Time for your news, money weather and sports.
It's just about 15 minutes after the hour and here is what is all new this morning.
Health workers were able to vaccinate about 1,200 people near a refugee camp in Indonesia. The vaccinations were needed after two children at a tsunami refugee camp became infected with measles.
A federal grand jury is hearing evidence in the criminal probe of former Clinton National Security Adviser Sandy Berger. Berger admitted to removing documents from the National Archives and destroying them, but he says it was a mistake.
In money, General Motors is recalling more than 98,000 trucks, SUVs and vans due to possible problems with their power steering and brakes. The recall covers six Chevy and GMC products from the 2000 model year.
In culture, First Lady Laura Bush has picked as many as five different outfits for next week's inaugural events. The crown jewel, the Oscar de la Renta evening gown that she will wear for those inaugural balls.
In sports, quarterbacks Dan Merino and Steve Young lead the list of nominees for this year's pro football Hall of Fame. They will join 13 other former players and executives on the ballot. The six inductees will be announced on February 5. That is the day before the Super Bowl.
Time now for a look at weather.
Chad in Atlanta -- Chad, I guess if you keep repeating to people in California the worst is over, they'll start believing it.
MYERS: Maybe they'll get it...
WALLACE: Maybe they will.
MYERS: ... because we've had to say for now like 20 straight days rain or snow is coming. Now it's finally moved to the east.
(WEATHER REPORT)
WALLACE: The pictures are dramatic. A small plane crashing in Orlando, Florida next to a road and witnesses rushed to help. Eric von Ancken from our Orlando affiliate WKMG has more.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
ERIC VON ANCKEN, WKMG CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The pilot is losing oil pressure fast, so he looks for a safe place to land, but he's running out of room and altitude. The crash -- stopped by a power pole. Watch again. You can see the wings dipping, first to the left, then to the right. The right wing actually drags along the ground then gets clipped by the power line and wham! You see the sparks.
TROY MARCELO, WITNESS: But I saw a flash of light. I thought it was somebody who got struck by lightning or a car wreck, because it just was -- oh, I'm sorry -- it was just bam!
ANCKEN: And like lightning, witnesses ran over and pulled out the student pilot, Steve Schieber.
TOM STEWART, WITNESS: It was smoldering and we saw the gas dripping out. And that was, you know, we were, you know, it's just what you do when you have to do what you have to do.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We were just making sure the other gentleman that was in the cockpit, trying to get him out, wasn't hitting any of the power lines, because there were power lines around him.
ANCKEN: The instructor, Don Lawlor, was still stuck inside. He could barely move.
RYAN CORDELL, WITNESS: So I started talking to him about music, just anything to keep him alert, I guess.
ANCKEN: Firefighters tell us Lawlor died in surgery at the hospital. And the owner of the plane tells us both men on board knew what they were doing. They were certified and competent and so was the plane.
JIM GRADY, PLANE OWNER: It's all done by FAA standards. We have an A.I. on staff. That's an airplane inspector.
ANCKEN: Firefighters say the pilot tried to put down the plane on the Dubsdread Golf Course because he knew he couldn't make it to Orlando Executive Airport. He missed the golf course. But look again closely. He also missed the SUV driving down the road and the houses on the other side.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He did an excellent job. This could have been a catastrophe. It could have been in a house, it could have been into a building, it could have been on the side of the road.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
WALLACE: Some dramatic pictures there. And that was Eric von Ancken from our Orlando affiliate, WKMG. Well, in the next half hour here on DAYBREAK, how do you stop the insurgents from stopping the elections? I'll speak to a general about the efforts in the battle zone as Iraqis prepare for the polls.
And will you have any money for you and your grandkids by the time you retire? Ahead, why some people want you to sit up and pay attention to the president's Social Security plan.
This is DAYBREAK for a Wednesday morning.
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BUSH: By the time today's workers who are in their mid-20s begin to retire, the system will be bankrupt. So if you're 20 years old and in your mid-20s and you're beginning to work, I want you to think about a Social Security system that will be flat bust, bankrupt, unless the United States Congress has got the willingness to act now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: Some tough words from President Bush about Social Security. He is putting the pressure on law makers who are leery of his proposal to privatize part of the ailing system.
Last week on DAYBREAK, we talked to a policy expert who supports the president's plan. This morning, we follow up with a critic.
Ridge Multop, a senior legislative representative with AARP, the American Association of Retired Persons, joining us now on the phone from Washington.
Mr. Multop, thanks for being with us today.
RIDGE MULTOP, SENIOR LEGISLATIVE REPRESENTATIVE, AARP: Good morning, Kelly.
WALLACE: First, as you know, a big debate over the extent of the problem. The president's critics say that he is saying it's a crisis, it's not in crisis.
But isn't it true that the system can only pay promised benefits to retirees until at 2042?
MULTOP: Well, that's right. One of the things is, of course, that everybody is working off the same numbers. We're all using numbers from the Social Security Administration and they say that the system will be running a surplus for at least the next 14 years, until 2018. And that it can pay 100 percent of benefits until 2042 and it can pay about 70 percent of benefits, based on incoming tax revenues for decades after that.
WALLACE: Well, again... MULTOP: Now, you know, to me, to me, you know, a crisis is something we have to deal with immediately.
WALLACE: OK.
MULTOP: You know, 1983 was a crisis in Social Security.
WALLACE: But here is the question, though. Doesn't something ultimately need to be done or shouldn't something be done? Again, you have those supporters of the president's plan saying look, if you have younger people investing just about $2,000 of their Social Security fund into the stock market, they could earn a greater benefit than the promised benefit.
Why is that such a bad idea?
MULTOP: Well, I think you have to separate out the idea of private accounts from the long-term strength and solvency of Social Security. AARP recognizes that we have got to do something. You know, anybody who looks at it, you know, says yes, we have a serious long-term challenge.
WALLACE: But Mr. Multop, let me -- let's stay on the issue of the privatization and private accounts.
MULTOP: Yes?
WALLACE: Why would AARP be so against these private accounts?
MULTOP: Well, because the private accounts actually weaken the system because the way the president seems to be proposing them -- now, I have to say, we -- no one knows exactly what his proposal is yet. The proposals that we've seen, the kind of things they've talked about take money out of the system that would otherwise go to pay benefits. According to the Congressional Budget Office, that would be $2 trillion in the first 10 years.
So our concern, and our members' concern, is where does that money come from?
WALLACE: All right...
MULTOP: Does it come from new borrowing, adding to the federal deficit over those 10 years or 20 years? Or does it come out of benefits?
WALLACE: Well, that is -- there's so much here and we're barely scratching the surface. But we're out of time.
Ridge Multop, senior legislative representative for the AARP.
Thanks for being here and we look forward to talking to you as this debate intensifies in the months ahead.
Still to come here on CNN's DAYBREAK, the man who sat atop that infamous Abu Ghraib Prison pyramid photo testifies against an American soldier. Hear what the accused had to say about that prisoner's testimony.
And you've heard the phrase "frequent flier." What's the low down on those airline savings plans?
That's all ahead here on Wednesday's edition of DAYBREAK.
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: And good morning to you and welcome to the last half hour of DAYBREAK.
From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Kelly Wallace, in for Carol Costello.
Now in the news, rescue crews worked throughout the night looking for any survivors of the massive mud slide that hit La Conchita, California. Just about an hour ago, a seventh body was found. Seven people dead, more than a dozen still missing.
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