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American Morning
Wild Weather; Head of the DNC?; Golden Globes
Aired January 14, 2005 - 09:00 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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Homes smashed, trees leveled. The destruction this morning after tornadoes cut a deadly path in the South.
High water in Ohio. People in flood zones there waiting for the rivers to recede. Will they today, though?
Armed to the teeth and getting more dangerous. A new federal offensive against the nation's 21,000 gangs.
And three planets over and a few moons down. The Huygens space probe has landed on Titan. And a new world set to be explored on this AMERICAN MORNING.
ANNOUNCER: From the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Bill Hemmer and Soledad O'Brien.
HEMMER: Good morning, everybody. Last hour here, 9:00 in New York City. Kelly Wallace working for Soledad again today.
Good morning again to you.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. And happy Friday.
HEMMER: Well, thank you to you as well. We like that.
WALLACE: Yes, we do.
HEMMER: Weather causing more big problems across the country. In Ohio, look at this picture here. Rivers hitting some of the highest level in years. Many people there are used to this, unfortunately. We'll talk to one business owner about the damages there.
One town, fourth flood in 12 months. They're getting used to it in all the wrong ways.
WALLACE: Absolutely. Tough stuff there.
Also, politics. Could the Democratic Party be about to move to the right? We're going to talk to Tim Roemer, a candidate to chair the party. And he has an anti-abortion rights position. So where would he take the party? We'll talk to him coming up.
HEMMER: Also, on line, Jack Cafferty back.
Good morning. JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks, Bill.
The nation's top intelligence minds have come out with a report on what the world's going to be like in the year 2020. But they might not have gotten all of it covered. So we're asking you what you think the world will be like in, what is it, 15 years from now? AM@CNN.com, read some of this stuff later.
HEMMER: Thank you, Jack.
CAFFERTY: Yes.
HEMMER: Back to Daryn Kagan with us this morning on a Friday with the headlines at the CNN Center.
Good morning, Daryn.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Bill, good morning to you.
The first court-martial in the Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal is wrapping up. Closing arguments in the military trial of Army Specialist Charles Graner are set to get under way this hour in Fort Hood, Texas. The case will then be heading to the jury. If convicted, Graner could serve up to 17.5 years in prison.
In the Middle East, Israel has sealed off parts of Gaza this morning following a deadly attack by Palestinian militants. Sources say a group of militants stormed through the Gaza border killing at least six Israelis and as many as three Palestinians.
The FBI may scrap plans for a $170 million computer overhaul. Since 9/11, the agency has been trying to create a virtual data system for its case files, but that project is said to be outdated, over budget and behind schedule. The agency is now paying a research firm $2 million to try to salvage the plan.
And scientists say they have a signal from the space probe. The Huygens, the saucer-shaped probe, has now landed on the surface of Saturn's moon Titan. The landing said to have happened just over an hour ago.
The first data from the probe was expected at Mission Control in the next hour. If everything goes well, there could even be pictures later today.
So you think, well, are they going to find life? That's what we always think when NASA goes hunting around. Probably not. A little chilly up there, 290 degrees below zero, Fahrenheit.
HEMMER: Ooh, that will do it.
KAGAN: Yes. Yes.
HEMMER: Talk about extreme weather, right?
KAGAN: Exactly. HEMMER: Thank you, Daryn.
This stretch of extreme weather battering the country from coast to coast, heavy rains and snow and winds. And along the way they're taking a deadly toll.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER (voice-over): Some would describe it as a weather week from hell. And it is not over yet. In Lawrence County, South Carolina, an apparent tornado lifting the roof off the building, then slamming it back down, triggering a massive fire. People living within a half-mile of the building were evacuated.
In Arkansas, another tornado tearing through union county, killing two and injuring at least 20 others. This man's home took a direct hit.
GUY WEBB, HOME DESTROYED BY STORM: We was laying in bed and I heard that noise coming. And we started to get up, and about that time the end of the house blew off, and we rolled off the bed on to the floor.
HEMMER: In Utah, the damage from torrential rains and flooding is difficult to tally. Homeowners watched helplessly as their homes collapsed and then were swept away by the raging Santa Clara River. And in Denver, the problem was ice for drivers.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my god!
HEMMER: A 28-car smash-up had drivers jumping from their moving vehicles as they slammed into one another. Fortunately, though, in Denver, no one was hurt.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just like a chain reaction.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It must have been solid ice. I just started sliding and I just couldn't stop.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: That last was the view from Colorado. And there's some good news, too, from this weather. Officials say the 10 feet of snow in southern Colorado, also in northern New Mexico, will go a very long way toward easing the drought conditions that have been in place there for about the past five years.
Now Kelly with more.
WALLACE: Bill, no worries about drought in Ohio. Today's flood, the fourth in a year.
Chris Huntington is live in Marietta.
And Chris, any relief in sight for the folks there today? CHRIS HUNTINGTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kelly, indeed, they're getting a bit of a reprieve right now. As you can tell, it is not raining. That is the best news here, and that's the most important factor for helping the waters of the Ohio River right here recede.
Right now, these waters 20 feet above their usual level. I'm standing on a staircase here that would ordinarily lead down to a riverfront promenade area that's under about four-and-a-half feet of water. The water is still rising ever so slightly. The concern here is that if it goes up another foot or so, you will get into the flooding stage here in historic downtown Marietta.
Now, you mentioned four floods in this area this year. As recently as last weekend the water was up to about this level. Again, putting many of these businesses, about 600 downtown business, under about three feet of water.
Back in September, a flood had water up to about this level. So, indeed, these folks are used to getting wet and drying out.
We wanted to give you some perspective on just how bad it has been here historically. This is a town that embraces its relationship with the river. There are no levees here in the town.
We're looking here at the historic Lafayette Hotel. And if Rod (ph) can show you here, that balcony on the second floor there is the level of the worst flood in modern times. In 1913, floodwaters up there about 45 feet above normal levels.
There's bad flooding in the rest of the state. The good news is cold weather today will help dry up some of the tributaries in the higher elevations. And, indeed, the hope is that as long as the weather holds and, indeed, the other factors, of course, the tremendous flood control systems in place around this area run by the Army Corps of Engineers, that what you're seeing behind me here, the Ohio River, will hopefully look just as calm and a few feet lower in the days to come -- Kelly.
WALLACE: All right, Chris. And with those cold temperatures, it would be good for anyone who likes to go ice skating. They can go figure skating on that river there.
Chris Huntington from Marietta. Thanks so much. Appreciate it -- Bill.
HEMMER: Kelly, all that soggy Ohio weather is much less severe than in September. Hurricane Ivan that rolled over the Buckeye State. Ivan caused flooding and mudslides throughout the area, swelling the river to 10 feet above normal.
The hurricane also knocked out power in several parts of the state. And Ivan blamed for 45 deaths in the U.S., 70 more in the Caribbean.
With so much flooding now in Marietta already in the past 12 months, how is it possible to stay in business? Good question for Teri Ann Zide. She owns a clothing store in downtown Marietta.
Teri Ann, thank you for your time this morning. I'm curious to know how now compares to September when the last big flood came through?
TERI ANN ZIDE, MARIETTA BUSINESS OWNER: This has been a lot easier to do. We've -- we didn't have as much water. We had a lot more notice, so it made getting things ready a lot easier than September.
September's flood was a lot dirtier. The water was a lot quicker. So overall, this has been a lot easier to deal with.
HEMMER: Tell me about your store, Teri Ann.
ZIDE: I have the finest ladies clothing store in all of southeast Ohio. We'd invite everyone to come down. And it's just two blocks from where we are here on Front Street in historic...
HEMMER: Are you open for business?
ZIDE: Not exactly. But we will be soon.
HEMMER: What is the impact of four floods in 12 months in the same town?
ZIDE: We are a river town. We're a little used to it. We are not used to this extreme flooding.
The two floods have caused havoc to -- two of the floods have caused much havoc to the businesses and the residential community. The other two floods were a little more easy to take. But we're tough. We'll be all right.
HEMMER: Sure. I imagine in all this, though, you get a lot of experience in ways you do not want. But after all, you are a river town. How do you get ready for this one based on the past three?
ZIDE: We -- we moved all of our product out. Everyone had a lot of time to be prepared for this flood. So most everyone was able to move their inventory, move their household goods, move everything out of the way of the water and be more prepared this time than we were in September.
HEMMER: Good luck to you. Hope the water goes down soon.
ZIDE: Thank you.
HEMMER: Teri Ann Zide there in Marietta, Ohio. You're most welcome -- Kelly.
WALLACE: All right, Bill. No rain in Ohio. What's the outlook for the rest of the country? Chad Myers in Atlanta with that.
(WEATHER REPORT)
WALLACE: Good to know, Chad. Very good to know. OK, thanks so much. We'll talk to you in a little bit.
Well, a young British royal reportedly planning a visit to Auschwitz. According to the "Sun" newspaper, Prince Charles has ordered his son Harry to visit the concentration camp after the young prince attended a costume party dressed in Nazi regalia.
Many European papers are calling for further penance from the 20- year-old prince. But a spokesperson says there will be no additional apology. Harry issued a written apology after photographs appeared in the British press.
And that story is still not going away.
HEMMER: That's right.
A number of Americans chipping in to help with the tsunami relief effort. How many thought, though, they could outdo the entire country of France? Meet one very special 14-year-old boy this morning.
WALLACE: Also, Bill, the man who wants to be the new face of the Democratic Party. Is he ready to swing the Democrats to the right?
HEMMER: Also, the front lines of America's gang wars. There's a new plan to fight off an alarming trend ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: And welcome back.
Could the Democratic Party change its position on abortion? Tim Roemer is running for head of the Democratic National Committee. And he is opposed to abortion, anti-abortion rights.
Tim Roemer is also a former member of the September -- former congressman and member of the 9/11 Commission. He joins us from Washington.
Tim Roemer, good to see you. Thanks for being here.
TIM ROEMER, CANDIDATE FOR CHAIRMAN, DNC: Great to see you, Kelly. Nice to be with you.
WALLACE: Well, you know your critics have taken issue with your position, being anti-abortion rights. I see you smiling there.
Kate Michelman, the former head of NARAL, who very well could throw her hat into the race as well, as well as to become chairman of the Democratic National Committee, she says, "Tim Roemer's candidacy for chairman of the party threatens the very principles for which the Democratic Party has stood for many years." She says, "His views and record are closer to those of George Bush."
How do you respond to that?
ROEMER: Well, first of all, Kelly, I don't want to steer this party to the right. And I disagree with those that want to steer it to the left. We need an inclusive party.
Senator Kennedy in remarks this week to the American people said we should not be a party that litmus tests on abortion or any other single issue. I agree with that. I think we need ideas and values. We need to connect to voters in the South and the Midwest that quite frankly don't think we care about some of those values.
So I think in my conversations -- and I've had some private conversations with Kate Michelman, the person you just mentioned. We need to make sure that in the future we're not litmus testing on this issue.
And Arnold Schwarzenegger and George Bush, who have different positions on abortion, are in the Republican Party. They can talk. My mother is very much pro choice. I am pro life. We should be able to be in the same party.
WALLACE: But your critics might say, with some of your positions again being anti-abortion rights, that perhaps you would in some way swing the party more to the right than to the left. What do you say to that?
ROEMER: I want to keep this party going with the kind of values and the kind of security on job security and national security, Kelly, that will help us win elections. I'm tired of losing elections.
We lost 97 of the 100 fastest-growing counties in the United States. We got beat in all five open Democratic seats in the deep South. We lost ground with Hispanic voters and Catholic voters.
I want to help modernize our party and our state party organizations. I want to be inclusive as a party. I don't want a litmus test on a single issue.
For instance, I'll be in St. Louis this weekend, where job security is very important to people all over America. We need to talk about how the Bush administration lost all kinds of jobs. How do we improve that job security for people and their families? That's the difference between oftentimes dignity and despair.
With women's issues, Kelly...
WALLACE: Congressman, let me just jump in. I know we don't...
ROEMER: ... not only abortion, but how do we try to -- how do we try to make sure that women get equal pay for the jobs that they have, and make sure that they're just not getting 70 cents on the dollar? Those are the kind of job security issues that we need to talk about in the Midwest and across the country.
WALLACE: Sorry to interrupt, Congressman. We just don't have a lot of time.
ROEMER: Oh, that's OK.
WALLACE: I want you to weigh in on a talk in "The Wall Street Journal" today about one of your opponents in this race to become chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Howard Dean. According to "The Wall Street Journal," Howard Dean's presidential campaign hiring two Internet political bloggers as consultants so that they would say positive things about his presidential campaign.
You're smiling. Can I get your response to that?
ROEMER: Well, I think that, you know, bloggers and the Internet, Governor Dean has done some good things to help us understand how to positively, hopefully positively use the Internet to communicate and to raise money. The Internet can also be used in negative ways to distort people's record, just as a 30-second TV ad can. I think we need to be positive in the way we use this.
The Democratic Party, I think, Kelly, we really need to connect better to the American people. Again, I am about how we talk about national security, where the Bush administration has let us down.
Just in the news today, the FBI cannot modernize their technology and computer system to share information with other agencies about terrorism. There's a new report out today in the news about the National Intelligence Council that says that Iraq now will be a magnet for new terrorists and a place to -- as a conveyor belt to disburse terrorists around the world. We need to go after Republicans on how national security is not making America and the world safer.
WALLACE: All right. Congressman Tim Roemer, we have to leave it there. One of a handful of candidates to become the chairman of the Democratic National Committee. That decision to be made in February. We look forward to talking to you in the weeks ahead. Thanks again.
ROEMER: Thank you, Kelly.
WALLACE: Bill.
HEMMER: Break here in a moment. Counting down to the Golden Globes this weekend. "Ray" could make a huge splash on Sunday night. Which film, though, will give it the biggest competition? Back in a moment here on AMERICAN MORNING right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Welcome back. And back to Jack, "Question of the Day."
CAFFERTY: Thank you, Bill.
The world in 2020 will be a vastly different place, highlighted by the rise of Asia, particularly China. A report done by the National Intelligence Council titled "Mapping the Global Future" says we'll still be grappling with terrorism. Al Qaeda may not be around.
The greatest terror threat in 2020 could be bioterror attacks that are capable of killing millions of people. And the similarly inspired Islamic extremist groups will still be perpetrating their -- their evil here and there. The United States, though, according to the report, will remain a superpower. The question we're asking this morning is where do you see the world in 2020?
Stocker in Louisiana, "In 2020, the world will be struggling largely unsuccessfully to recover from a global-wide economic depression. Complicating things in the developed world will be the dawn of robots with artificial intelligence which will displace even more workers."
Tom in Woodbridge, Illinois, "We'll be invading England looking for weapons of mass destruction."
Bruce in Madison, Wisconsin, "By 2020, cars will be smaller, more fuel efficient. The political influence of corporations will be reduced due to increased public awareness of the corporate misbehavior both in the United States and abroad. And the national debt will be several times as large as it is today."
Reg in Thunder Bay, Ontario, "Jack Cafferty will be out of work because he refused to learn Spanish. Osama will release another audiotape. And Paul Begala will start "CROSSFIRE" with, 'But Gore won in Florida.'"
(LAUGHTER)
CAFFERTY: Thank you, Reg.
HEMMER: Thank you, Jack.
They're rolling out the red carpet in Hollywood this week. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association presenting their Golden Globes on Sunday. Get a preview now from CNN entertainment correspondent. Here's Sibila Vargas.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SIBILA VARGAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Leo.
JOHNNY DEPP, ACTOR, "FINDING NEVERLAND": And who will be you, young squire?
VARGAS: And Johnny.
NICOLE KIDMAN, ACTOR, "BIRTH": Don't bother me again.
VARGAS: And Renee. When the Hollywood foreign press throws an awards show, they make room for big stars. This year is no different.
LEONARDO DICAPRIO, BEST ACTOR NOMINEE: He was America's first legitimate billionaire.
VARGAS: DiCaprio's nod came for playing aviation pioneer Howard Hughes. In fact, every one of the nominees for best actor drama plays a real life person. UNIDENTIFIED MALE, "SIDEWAYS": Dad is never alone.
VARGAS: Bio pics dominate the best drama category, too. Besides "Finding Neverland" and "The Aviator," there's "Hotel Rwanda" and "Kinsey," the story of the famed sex researcher.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE, "KINSEY": We can go back to my place.
VARGAS: It wasn't a bio pic, but an original story that earned the most Golden Globe nominations. That's "Sideways" with seven, including one for best musical or comedy and another for costar Virginia Madsen.
VIRGINIA MADSEN, ACTOR: I didn't dare hope that it would really, really happen.
VARGAS: Besides "Sideways," the musical or comedy category is the usual grab bag, with one animated film, a genuine musical, a dark comedy and another bio pic, "Ray."
JAMIE FOXX, ACTOR, "RAY": Yes, but I'm going to make it do what it do, baby. Yes.
VARGAS: The title role in "Ray" earned Jamie Foxx one of his three acting nominations, an unprecedented feat.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is certainly a film that causes people to discuss it.
VARGAS: Among film's leading female contenders, Nicole Kidman for "Birth." Hilary Swank received two nominations, while Uma Thurman and Renee Zellweger were each nominated a second time for a repeat performance.
Meanwhile, it was the women of Wisteria Lane that dominated the television categories.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE, "DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES": It doesn't mean anything. It was just sex.
VARGAS: "Desperate Housewives" grabbed five nods in all, including three for best actress in a comedy series and one for best supporting actress, a major comeback for the ABC network, which also snagged the best drama nomination for "Lost."
Lost entirely in the shuffle were the final seasons of veteran shows "Friends" and "Frasier." But such was not the case for HBO's "Sex and the City." Its swan song was tapped for best comedy and best actress for Sarah Jessica Parker.
SARAH JESSICA PARKER, ACTOR, "SEX AND THE CITY": I don't know why I was fighting it. This is going to be fun.
VARGAS: Sibila Vargas, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEO TAPE) HEMMER: And a bit later, more Globes talk in "90-Second Pop" this morning. And full coverage after the awards on Monday here on AMERICAN MORNING -- Kelly.
WALLACE: Can't wait for that.
From California to the Carolinas, a wicked week of weather leaves behind a huge mess. So, is there any break in sight? That's ahead right here on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Get you down to Wall Street right now. Almost 9:30 here in New York City. Getting ready for the start of trading.
It has been a down day just about every day in 2005, has it not? We got a bit of a breather, what, on Wednesday this week, when the Bulls finished in the positive territory. But yesterday we were back to the same old same old, for this year, anyway.
10505 is your opening mark there. Off about 112 points in trading yesterday.
Here's the Nasdaq, down 22 points at the close yesterday. Starting today at 2070 on the Nasdaq.
So welcome back. 9:30 here in New York. Soledad is out, Kelly Wallace is in today.
Good to have you along with us again today.
WALLACE: Good to be with you.
HEMMER: Been watching the story in California...
WALLACE: It's incredible.
HEMMER: ... every day this week. It's not over yet. The search for victims is over in La Conchita, but the mountains there still might be moving, we're told.
We'll find out how the town is heeding warnings of another possible mudslide. Get a report from LA, north of LA in a moment here.
WALLACE: Tough times for those folks out there, Bill.
Also, we will talk about a new federal offensive against street gangs. Twenty-one thousands gangs are now said to be out there. And police say the weapons are becoming more sophisticated and the violence more extreme.
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Aired January 14, 2005 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Homes smashed, trees leveled. The destruction this morning after tornadoes cut a deadly path in the South.
High water in Ohio. People in flood zones there waiting for the rivers to recede. Will they today, though?
Armed to the teeth and getting more dangerous. A new federal offensive against the nation's 21,000 gangs.
And three planets over and a few moons down. The Huygens space probe has landed on Titan. And a new world set to be explored on this AMERICAN MORNING.
ANNOUNCER: From the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Bill Hemmer and Soledad O'Brien.
HEMMER: Good morning, everybody. Last hour here, 9:00 in New York City. Kelly Wallace working for Soledad again today.
Good morning again to you.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. And happy Friday.
HEMMER: Well, thank you to you as well. We like that.
WALLACE: Yes, we do.
HEMMER: Weather causing more big problems across the country. In Ohio, look at this picture here. Rivers hitting some of the highest level in years. Many people there are used to this, unfortunately. We'll talk to one business owner about the damages there.
One town, fourth flood in 12 months. They're getting used to it in all the wrong ways.
WALLACE: Absolutely. Tough stuff there.
Also, politics. Could the Democratic Party be about to move to the right? We're going to talk to Tim Roemer, a candidate to chair the party. And he has an anti-abortion rights position. So where would he take the party? We'll talk to him coming up.
HEMMER: Also, on line, Jack Cafferty back.
Good morning. JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks, Bill.
The nation's top intelligence minds have come out with a report on what the world's going to be like in the year 2020. But they might not have gotten all of it covered. So we're asking you what you think the world will be like in, what is it, 15 years from now? AM@CNN.com, read some of this stuff later.
HEMMER: Thank you, Jack.
CAFFERTY: Yes.
HEMMER: Back to Daryn Kagan with us this morning on a Friday with the headlines at the CNN Center.
Good morning, Daryn.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Bill, good morning to you.
The first court-martial in the Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal is wrapping up. Closing arguments in the military trial of Army Specialist Charles Graner are set to get under way this hour in Fort Hood, Texas. The case will then be heading to the jury. If convicted, Graner could serve up to 17.5 years in prison.
In the Middle East, Israel has sealed off parts of Gaza this morning following a deadly attack by Palestinian militants. Sources say a group of militants stormed through the Gaza border killing at least six Israelis and as many as three Palestinians.
The FBI may scrap plans for a $170 million computer overhaul. Since 9/11, the agency has been trying to create a virtual data system for its case files, but that project is said to be outdated, over budget and behind schedule. The agency is now paying a research firm $2 million to try to salvage the plan.
And scientists say they have a signal from the space probe. The Huygens, the saucer-shaped probe, has now landed on the surface of Saturn's moon Titan. The landing said to have happened just over an hour ago.
The first data from the probe was expected at Mission Control in the next hour. If everything goes well, there could even be pictures later today.
So you think, well, are they going to find life? That's what we always think when NASA goes hunting around. Probably not. A little chilly up there, 290 degrees below zero, Fahrenheit.
HEMMER: Ooh, that will do it.
KAGAN: Yes. Yes.
HEMMER: Talk about extreme weather, right?
KAGAN: Exactly. HEMMER: Thank you, Daryn.
This stretch of extreme weather battering the country from coast to coast, heavy rains and snow and winds. And along the way they're taking a deadly toll.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER (voice-over): Some would describe it as a weather week from hell. And it is not over yet. In Lawrence County, South Carolina, an apparent tornado lifting the roof off the building, then slamming it back down, triggering a massive fire. People living within a half-mile of the building were evacuated.
In Arkansas, another tornado tearing through union county, killing two and injuring at least 20 others. This man's home took a direct hit.
GUY WEBB, HOME DESTROYED BY STORM: We was laying in bed and I heard that noise coming. And we started to get up, and about that time the end of the house blew off, and we rolled off the bed on to the floor.
HEMMER: In Utah, the damage from torrential rains and flooding is difficult to tally. Homeowners watched helplessly as their homes collapsed and then were swept away by the raging Santa Clara River. And in Denver, the problem was ice for drivers.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, my god!
HEMMER: A 28-car smash-up had drivers jumping from their moving vehicles as they slammed into one another. Fortunately, though, in Denver, no one was hurt.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just like a chain reaction.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It must have been solid ice. I just started sliding and I just couldn't stop.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HEMMER: That last was the view from Colorado. And there's some good news, too, from this weather. Officials say the 10 feet of snow in southern Colorado, also in northern New Mexico, will go a very long way toward easing the drought conditions that have been in place there for about the past five years.
Now Kelly with more.
WALLACE: Bill, no worries about drought in Ohio. Today's flood, the fourth in a year.
Chris Huntington is live in Marietta.
And Chris, any relief in sight for the folks there today? CHRIS HUNTINGTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kelly, indeed, they're getting a bit of a reprieve right now. As you can tell, it is not raining. That is the best news here, and that's the most important factor for helping the waters of the Ohio River right here recede.
Right now, these waters 20 feet above their usual level. I'm standing on a staircase here that would ordinarily lead down to a riverfront promenade area that's under about four-and-a-half feet of water. The water is still rising ever so slightly. The concern here is that if it goes up another foot or so, you will get into the flooding stage here in historic downtown Marietta.
Now, you mentioned four floods in this area this year. As recently as last weekend the water was up to about this level. Again, putting many of these businesses, about 600 downtown business, under about three feet of water.
Back in September, a flood had water up to about this level. So, indeed, these folks are used to getting wet and drying out.
We wanted to give you some perspective on just how bad it has been here historically. This is a town that embraces its relationship with the river. There are no levees here in the town.
We're looking here at the historic Lafayette Hotel. And if Rod (ph) can show you here, that balcony on the second floor there is the level of the worst flood in modern times. In 1913, floodwaters up there about 45 feet above normal levels.
There's bad flooding in the rest of the state. The good news is cold weather today will help dry up some of the tributaries in the higher elevations. And, indeed, the hope is that as long as the weather holds and, indeed, the other factors, of course, the tremendous flood control systems in place around this area run by the Army Corps of Engineers, that what you're seeing behind me here, the Ohio River, will hopefully look just as calm and a few feet lower in the days to come -- Kelly.
WALLACE: All right, Chris. And with those cold temperatures, it would be good for anyone who likes to go ice skating. They can go figure skating on that river there.
Chris Huntington from Marietta. Thanks so much. Appreciate it -- Bill.
HEMMER: Kelly, all that soggy Ohio weather is much less severe than in September. Hurricane Ivan that rolled over the Buckeye State. Ivan caused flooding and mudslides throughout the area, swelling the river to 10 feet above normal.
The hurricane also knocked out power in several parts of the state. And Ivan blamed for 45 deaths in the U.S., 70 more in the Caribbean.
With so much flooding now in Marietta already in the past 12 months, how is it possible to stay in business? Good question for Teri Ann Zide. She owns a clothing store in downtown Marietta.
Teri Ann, thank you for your time this morning. I'm curious to know how now compares to September when the last big flood came through?
TERI ANN ZIDE, MARIETTA BUSINESS OWNER: This has been a lot easier to do. We've -- we didn't have as much water. We had a lot more notice, so it made getting things ready a lot easier than September.
September's flood was a lot dirtier. The water was a lot quicker. So overall, this has been a lot easier to deal with.
HEMMER: Tell me about your store, Teri Ann.
ZIDE: I have the finest ladies clothing store in all of southeast Ohio. We'd invite everyone to come down. And it's just two blocks from where we are here on Front Street in historic...
HEMMER: Are you open for business?
ZIDE: Not exactly. But we will be soon.
HEMMER: What is the impact of four floods in 12 months in the same town?
ZIDE: We are a river town. We're a little used to it. We are not used to this extreme flooding.
The two floods have caused havoc to -- two of the floods have caused much havoc to the businesses and the residential community. The other two floods were a little more easy to take. But we're tough. We'll be all right.
HEMMER: Sure. I imagine in all this, though, you get a lot of experience in ways you do not want. But after all, you are a river town. How do you get ready for this one based on the past three?
ZIDE: We -- we moved all of our product out. Everyone had a lot of time to be prepared for this flood. So most everyone was able to move their inventory, move their household goods, move everything out of the way of the water and be more prepared this time than we were in September.
HEMMER: Good luck to you. Hope the water goes down soon.
ZIDE: Thank you.
HEMMER: Teri Ann Zide there in Marietta, Ohio. You're most welcome -- Kelly.
WALLACE: All right, Bill. No rain in Ohio. What's the outlook for the rest of the country? Chad Myers in Atlanta with that.
(WEATHER REPORT)
WALLACE: Good to know, Chad. Very good to know. OK, thanks so much. We'll talk to you in a little bit.
Well, a young British royal reportedly planning a visit to Auschwitz. According to the "Sun" newspaper, Prince Charles has ordered his son Harry to visit the concentration camp after the young prince attended a costume party dressed in Nazi regalia.
Many European papers are calling for further penance from the 20- year-old prince. But a spokesperson says there will be no additional apology. Harry issued a written apology after photographs appeared in the British press.
And that story is still not going away.
HEMMER: That's right.
A number of Americans chipping in to help with the tsunami relief effort. How many thought, though, they could outdo the entire country of France? Meet one very special 14-year-old boy this morning.
WALLACE: Also, Bill, the man who wants to be the new face of the Democratic Party. Is he ready to swing the Democrats to the right?
HEMMER: Also, the front lines of America's gang wars. There's a new plan to fight off an alarming trend ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: And welcome back.
Could the Democratic Party change its position on abortion? Tim Roemer is running for head of the Democratic National Committee. And he is opposed to abortion, anti-abortion rights.
Tim Roemer is also a former member of the September -- former congressman and member of the 9/11 Commission. He joins us from Washington.
Tim Roemer, good to see you. Thanks for being here.
TIM ROEMER, CANDIDATE FOR CHAIRMAN, DNC: Great to see you, Kelly. Nice to be with you.
WALLACE: Well, you know your critics have taken issue with your position, being anti-abortion rights. I see you smiling there.
Kate Michelman, the former head of NARAL, who very well could throw her hat into the race as well, as well as to become chairman of the Democratic National Committee, she says, "Tim Roemer's candidacy for chairman of the party threatens the very principles for which the Democratic Party has stood for many years." She says, "His views and record are closer to those of George Bush."
How do you respond to that?
ROEMER: Well, first of all, Kelly, I don't want to steer this party to the right. And I disagree with those that want to steer it to the left. We need an inclusive party.
Senator Kennedy in remarks this week to the American people said we should not be a party that litmus tests on abortion or any other single issue. I agree with that. I think we need ideas and values. We need to connect to voters in the South and the Midwest that quite frankly don't think we care about some of those values.
So I think in my conversations -- and I've had some private conversations with Kate Michelman, the person you just mentioned. We need to make sure that in the future we're not litmus testing on this issue.
And Arnold Schwarzenegger and George Bush, who have different positions on abortion, are in the Republican Party. They can talk. My mother is very much pro choice. I am pro life. We should be able to be in the same party.
WALLACE: But your critics might say, with some of your positions again being anti-abortion rights, that perhaps you would in some way swing the party more to the right than to the left. What do you say to that?
ROEMER: I want to keep this party going with the kind of values and the kind of security on job security and national security, Kelly, that will help us win elections. I'm tired of losing elections.
We lost 97 of the 100 fastest-growing counties in the United States. We got beat in all five open Democratic seats in the deep South. We lost ground with Hispanic voters and Catholic voters.
I want to help modernize our party and our state party organizations. I want to be inclusive as a party. I don't want a litmus test on a single issue.
For instance, I'll be in St. Louis this weekend, where job security is very important to people all over America. We need to talk about how the Bush administration lost all kinds of jobs. How do we improve that job security for people and their families? That's the difference between oftentimes dignity and despair.
With women's issues, Kelly...
WALLACE: Congressman, let me just jump in. I know we don't...
ROEMER: ... not only abortion, but how do we try to -- how do we try to make sure that women get equal pay for the jobs that they have, and make sure that they're just not getting 70 cents on the dollar? Those are the kind of job security issues that we need to talk about in the Midwest and across the country.
WALLACE: Sorry to interrupt, Congressman. We just don't have a lot of time.
ROEMER: Oh, that's OK.
WALLACE: I want you to weigh in on a talk in "The Wall Street Journal" today about one of your opponents in this race to become chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Howard Dean. According to "The Wall Street Journal," Howard Dean's presidential campaign hiring two Internet political bloggers as consultants so that they would say positive things about his presidential campaign.
You're smiling. Can I get your response to that?
ROEMER: Well, I think that, you know, bloggers and the Internet, Governor Dean has done some good things to help us understand how to positively, hopefully positively use the Internet to communicate and to raise money. The Internet can also be used in negative ways to distort people's record, just as a 30-second TV ad can. I think we need to be positive in the way we use this.
The Democratic Party, I think, Kelly, we really need to connect better to the American people. Again, I am about how we talk about national security, where the Bush administration has let us down.
Just in the news today, the FBI cannot modernize their technology and computer system to share information with other agencies about terrorism. There's a new report out today in the news about the National Intelligence Council that says that Iraq now will be a magnet for new terrorists and a place to -- as a conveyor belt to disburse terrorists around the world. We need to go after Republicans on how national security is not making America and the world safer.
WALLACE: All right. Congressman Tim Roemer, we have to leave it there. One of a handful of candidates to become the chairman of the Democratic National Committee. That decision to be made in February. We look forward to talking to you in the weeks ahead. Thanks again.
ROEMER: Thank you, Kelly.
WALLACE: Bill.
HEMMER: Break here in a moment. Counting down to the Golden Globes this weekend. "Ray" could make a huge splash on Sunday night. Which film, though, will give it the biggest competition? Back in a moment here on AMERICAN MORNING right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Welcome back. And back to Jack, "Question of the Day."
CAFFERTY: Thank you, Bill.
The world in 2020 will be a vastly different place, highlighted by the rise of Asia, particularly China. A report done by the National Intelligence Council titled "Mapping the Global Future" says we'll still be grappling with terrorism. Al Qaeda may not be around.
The greatest terror threat in 2020 could be bioterror attacks that are capable of killing millions of people. And the similarly inspired Islamic extremist groups will still be perpetrating their -- their evil here and there. The United States, though, according to the report, will remain a superpower. The question we're asking this morning is where do you see the world in 2020?
Stocker in Louisiana, "In 2020, the world will be struggling largely unsuccessfully to recover from a global-wide economic depression. Complicating things in the developed world will be the dawn of robots with artificial intelligence which will displace even more workers."
Tom in Woodbridge, Illinois, "We'll be invading England looking for weapons of mass destruction."
Bruce in Madison, Wisconsin, "By 2020, cars will be smaller, more fuel efficient. The political influence of corporations will be reduced due to increased public awareness of the corporate misbehavior both in the United States and abroad. And the national debt will be several times as large as it is today."
Reg in Thunder Bay, Ontario, "Jack Cafferty will be out of work because he refused to learn Spanish. Osama will release another audiotape. And Paul Begala will start "CROSSFIRE" with, 'But Gore won in Florida.'"
(LAUGHTER)
CAFFERTY: Thank you, Reg.
HEMMER: Thank you, Jack.
They're rolling out the red carpet in Hollywood this week. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association presenting their Golden Globes on Sunday. Get a preview now from CNN entertainment correspondent. Here's Sibila Vargas.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SIBILA VARGAS, CNN ENTERTAINMENT CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Leo.
JOHNNY DEPP, ACTOR, "FINDING NEVERLAND": And who will be you, young squire?
VARGAS: And Johnny.
NICOLE KIDMAN, ACTOR, "BIRTH": Don't bother me again.
VARGAS: And Renee. When the Hollywood foreign press throws an awards show, they make room for big stars. This year is no different.
LEONARDO DICAPRIO, BEST ACTOR NOMINEE: He was America's first legitimate billionaire.
VARGAS: DiCaprio's nod came for playing aviation pioneer Howard Hughes. In fact, every one of the nominees for best actor drama plays a real life person. UNIDENTIFIED MALE, "SIDEWAYS": Dad is never alone.
VARGAS: Bio pics dominate the best drama category, too. Besides "Finding Neverland" and "The Aviator," there's "Hotel Rwanda" and "Kinsey," the story of the famed sex researcher.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE, "KINSEY": We can go back to my place.
VARGAS: It wasn't a bio pic, but an original story that earned the most Golden Globe nominations. That's "Sideways" with seven, including one for best musical or comedy and another for costar Virginia Madsen.
VIRGINIA MADSEN, ACTOR: I didn't dare hope that it would really, really happen.
VARGAS: Besides "Sideways," the musical or comedy category is the usual grab bag, with one animated film, a genuine musical, a dark comedy and another bio pic, "Ray."
JAMIE FOXX, ACTOR, "RAY": Yes, but I'm going to make it do what it do, baby. Yes.
VARGAS: The title role in "Ray" earned Jamie Foxx one of his three acting nominations, an unprecedented feat.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is certainly a film that causes people to discuss it.
VARGAS: Among film's leading female contenders, Nicole Kidman for "Birth." Hilary Swank received two nominations, while Uma Thurman and Renee Zellweger were each nominated a second time for a repeat performance.
Meanwhile, it was the women of Wisteria Lane that dominated the television categories.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE, "DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES": It doesn't mean anything. It was just sex.
VARGAS: "Desperate Housewives" grabbed five nods in all, including three for best actress in a comedy series and one for best supporting actress, a major comeback for the ABC network, which also snagged the best drama nomination for "Lost."
Lost entirely in the shuffle were the final seasons of veteran shows "Friends" and "Frasier." But such was not the case for HBO's "Sex and the City." Its swan song was tapped for best comedy and best actress for Sarah Jessica Parker.
SARAH JESSICA PARKER, ACTOR, "SEX AND THE CITY": I don't know why I was fighting it. This is going to be fun.
VARGAS: Sibila Vargas, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEO TAPE) HEMMER: And a bit later, more Globes talk in "90-Second Pop" this morning. And full coverage after the awards on Monday here on AMERICAN MORNING -- Kelly.
WALLACE: Can't wait for that.
From California to the Carolinas, a wicked week of weather leaves behind a huge mess. So, is there any break in sight? That's ahead right here on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Get you down to Wall Street right now. Almost 9:30 here in New York City. Getting ready for the start of trading.
It has been a down day just about every day in 2005, has it not? We got a bit of a breather, what, on Wednesday this week, when the Bulls finished in the positive territory. But yesterday we were back to the same old same old, for this year, anyway.
10505 is your opening mark there. Off about 112 points in trading yesterday.
Here's the Nasdaq, down 22 points at the close yesterday. Starting today at 2070 on the Nasdaq.
So welcome back. 9:30 here in New York. Soledad is out, Kelly Wallace is in today.
Good to have you along with us again today.
WALLACE: Good to be with you.
HEMMER: Been watching the story in California...
WALLACE: It's incredible.
HEMMER: ... every day this week. It's not over yet. The search for victims is over in La Conchita, but the mountains there still might be moving, we're told.
We'll find out how the town is heeding warnings of another possible mudslide. Get a report from LA, north of LA in a moment here.
WALLACE: Tough times for those folks out there, Bill.
Also, we will talk about a new federal offensive against street gangs. Twenty-one thousands gangs are now said to be out there. And police say the weapons are becoming more sophisticated and the violence more extreme.
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