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CNN Live Today

Pentagon Announces Base Closures

Aired May 13, 2005 - 10:00   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.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN CO-ANCHOR: Last hour, the military began notifying lawmakers of how their bases back home fared. At the bottom of the hour, the Pentagon will publicly announce its recommendations. We'll have live coverage.
Crews will be working throughout the morning to clean up this train derailment in Houston, Texas. Eleven cars went off the track, including five that carried liquefied petroleum gas. There are no reports of leaks or injuries. The cause of the derailment is under investigation.

A violent uprising in the former Soviet Republic of Uzbekistan has left dozens of civilians dead or wounded. Thousands of protesters had demanded the resignation of the president and his government. Demonstrators say troops opened fire on them. Uzbek security forces say the protesters seized weapons from a military camp. Both sides are also giving different numbers of casualties.

Nearly, six weeks after the death of Pope John Paul II, his successor is accelerating the process of sainthood. Pope Benedict XVI has overwritten the usually five-year waiting period. His Pontiff's announcement came during a meeting with Roman clergy and to a standing ovation from the priests.

Good morning. It is Friday the 13. I hope it's a lucky one for you. I'm Daryn Kagan.

U.S. military bases and surrounding communities will learn their possible fate. As we mentioned just a moment ago, the Pentagon releases at the bottom of the hour its recommendations for base closing and realignment. We're now getting early word of that announcement. Under the proposal, 150 military installations from Maine to Hawaii would be closed. Thirty-three major bases are on the list.

Still, there are fewer closings than the Pentagon officials had previously expected. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says the closings will save the government nearly $49 billion over the next 20 years. A congressional commission will hold public hearing on the changes, and then send its recommendations to President Bush by September 8.

Our Pentagon correspondent has more details.

Barbara Starr, you have seen the list?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTGON CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, Daryn, that announcement, official announcement at least, now about half an hour away here in the Pentagon briefing room, which I can tell is rapidly fill up with reporters and news media from all over the country, as local communities await the announcement. But CNN has obtained an early copy of the list from congressional sources.

And indeed, it appears about 33 major bases proposed to be closed; some of them are bases that will be very well known to people around the country. Let's go through some of them.

The U.S. Navy submarine base in New London, Connecticut, the Army's Fort McPherson, Georgia. That is the headquarters for the Army Forces Command, which directs the deployment of U.S. Army personnel around the world. But let's be clear, that function is not going to go away. The base is proposed to be closed. The function likely to move somewhere else. Also, Naval Station Pascagoula, Mississippi, that is not going to make Senator Trent Lott, a very influential Republican supporter very happy, that's in his state.

Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, another Army base, which specializes in developing high-tech communications for the Army. That we will find out where all of that work is going to shift to. Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico, which is a base where U.S. Air Force F-16s -- those F-16s, again, likely to shift somewhere else. We will learn where that is. Also, Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota. That is the home of some to B-1 bombers for the U.S. Air Force. Those are likely to move somewhere else.

A very interesting one, the Army's Fort Monroe, Virginia, just south of Washington D.C. here. That is the headquarters for something that is called the U.S. Army's Training and Doctrine Command. It is considered a vital operation, the Army tells us, for the future direction of the Army, as the global war on terrorism goes on. They develop new tactics, techniques and procedures. We will find out where that work is going to shift to.

It's a 28-page list, Daryn. A lot of it is what they call realignment. Moving things around the country, consolidating. A lot of it appears to be National Guard bases, and that may be a lurking controversy here. Because those National Guard bases, of course, closing them is something that the governors, the state governors clearly will want a voice in -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Very interesting. Just as you look down that list, Barbara, I'm sure there's some speculation leading up to today. Any surprises for you that you would not have expected a base to be on there?

STARR: Well, I think we will have to wait and see where some of these other functions will move to. It does not appear, and there had been early signals about this, that this will be devastating closures, if you will, across the country. The devil will be in the details about half an hour from now.

Where will things move to? I think that one of the lurking issues here will be the question of National Guard bases. The National Guard played a very vital role in the war in Iraq. And the state governors clearly will want to make sure they have a voice in which National Guard bases in their states may be closed down, Daryn.

KAGAN: Absolutely. Barbara Starr at the Pentagon, we'll be back to you about in about 25 minutes.

So from a political standpoint, game is on. Nowhere will that push be more intense than on Capitol Hill. Lawmakers not just interested in saving jobs in their districts, but in keeping their own as well.

Our congressional correspondent Joe Johns picks up that part of the story -- Joe.

JOE JOHNS, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's very true, Daryn. The heartburn has already begun here on Capitol Hill. The way this works, before 8:00 this morning, a pretty large group of service members in uniform gathered in one of the committee office rooms over on the House side. Started fanning out around the United States Capitol business delivering the documents to each and every member of Congress.

Of course, the reactions, as you might expect, among the members of Congress, extremely concerned about the list. House majority leader Tom DeLay, worried about Ellington Air Field National Guard Post, which is on the list. The National Guard, as Barbara Starr just reported, is a huge issue anyway, with some governors suggesting they ought to have the right to veto closings of Army or Air National Guard installations.

Some of the other bases Barbara talked about, Ellsworth in South Dakota, of course, that is the home of Senator John Thune, who was just recently elected. He knocked off Democratic leader Tom Daschle. His office is putting together a statement now. But it is clear that they do disagree with the decision.

Connecticut, of course, that is the home of Senators Chris Dodd and Joe Lieberman. They have the New London submarine base, obviously not happy with it. A spokesman in the office of Connecticut, Senator Dodd says.

So as this day goes on, we'll be listening more to members of Congress. The question is what can they do about it, if anything? The fact of the matter is, after this goes through a process, the president gets a whack at it. Then the Congress essentially can only vote down the entire list. And that, of course, is subject to a possible veto by the president of the United States.

So this is the beginning of a process, very controversial, of course. But sometimes it's very hard for members of Congress to do anything, though they may try, Daryn.

KAGAN: So Joe, give us an idea of some of the politicking behind the scenes. Like, could a senator or a congressman say -- or let's say a senator, you'll get the Bolton vote from me on the ambassador -- U.S. ambassador in exchange if you go ahead and save my base in my district? JOHNS: Yes. It doesn't necessarily work that way. Because the big problem is, they have to basically vote it down. Or it goes through, if the president signs off on it. There has been an effort over on the House side to at least try to delay these base closings because there are a lot of members of Congress who don't agree with that. The problem there also is, any legislation that went through the Congress saying we're going to delay the base closures, would also be subject to a presidential veto -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Hmm. All right. Joe Johns on Capitol Hill, we'll be checking back with you as well. And we will bring you live coverage of the base closure announcement at the bottom of the hour. Stay with us for any background information from Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr. Also we're efforting reaction from communities with bases on the closings list.

In Iraq today, no major insurgent attacks. But there were still smaller scale attacks that caused death and destruction. The type of violence that has become almost shockingly routine in Iraq. A bus bomb targeted an Iraqi military convoy near Baquba. Two Iraqi soldiers were killed, five others wounded there.

Thick, black smoke from a Humvee on a highway west of Baghdad. Insurgents apparently had commandeered the vehicle and placed a bomb inside of it. The target of the bombing was a U.S. military convoy. There were no reports of any American casualties.

And now for an update on Operation Matador, the major U.S. offensive in the northwestern Anbar Province. U.S. Marines leading the mission say they are moving through the region unimpeded. The isolated area has been rife with smugglers and used as a route by outside fighters to get into Iraq. Marines, sailors and soldiers are engaged in the offensive, which began a week ago. Among the latest developments, U.S. forces found a safe house. Marines took gunfire from that building. F-18 Super Hornets were called in and destroyed the site.

A Marine Reserve unit involved in Operation Matador reportedly has taken an extensive hit. An embedded reporter with "The Washington Post" says at least six Marines from the squad have been killed and 15 others wounded. That squad is one of three belonging to the 1-Platoon of Lima Company, 3-Battalion, 25-Regiment. The company based in Columbus, Ohio.

Speaking on CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING," Major Jennifer Potter described that Marine unit's makeup.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAJ. JENNIFER POTTER, U.S. MARINE RESERVES: I think that Lima Company, 3-Battalion, 25-Marine, is pretty typical of the usual Marine Reserve unit. It's primarily bottom heavy. In other words, we've got a lot of junior enlisted Marines, younger guys in their late teens, early 20s. But to add some maturity to that, we also have a number of Marines who have been in the service either on active duty, or lengthy time in the reserves. But in general terms, the unit is mainly bottom heavy with junior enlisted Marines.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Major Potter says she doesn't have confirmation yet on the unit's number of casualties.

A new trail -- a new trial against a former Abu Ghraib prison guard is now way. Prosecutors are presenting evidence this hour in the case against Army Reserve Specialist Sabrina Harmon. A widely seen photo of a detainee was entered as evidence at her court martial on Thursday. Prosecutors contend that Harmon was abusing this man. But Harmon's attorney said the pose was a joke. The defense attorney said the guards had nicknamed that detainee Gillian, and Gillian was in on the joke.

Following up on a "Security Watch" story from yesterday, a family has been allowed to go on its way after being removed from an Air France flight. The flight from Paris to Boston was diverted to Bangor, Maine on Thursday. A man, his wife and two children were taken off the plane. Officials say the man's birth date matched that of a person on a terror watch list. And the names were nearly an exact match. The man was cleared after questioning.

Say tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.

Military bases bring jobs and economic stability to small towns. But dozens of communities are now bracing for possible military closures. Still ahead, we're going to look at the economic impact and the people who will be affected.

A massive bridge fire last night. But now, New York commuters are getting back on track. Details straight ahead on that.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: President Bush, a live picture there from Washington D.C. He is making a new appeal for a Social Security reform. The president's audience this hour is the National Association of Realtors' Convention in Washington D.C. Mr. Bush's Social Security plan features private retirement accounts. It will also curb future benefits for more affluent seniors. Mr. Bush also talking about the latest employment numbers and the general state of the economy.

Later today, the president hosts several college sports champions at the White House. Mr. Bush will then head to Camp David for the weekend.

Well, we all know that your home is likely the biggest investment of your life. So it's no surprise that the 6 percent or 7 percent seller's commission is also one of the biggest fees you'll ever pay. There is room for negotiation. Our personal finance editor Gerri Willis joins us with her "Top 5 Tips: Home Edition."

Hi, Ger. GERRI WILLIS, CNN-FN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Hi, Daryn. Good to see you. Tip No. 1 today, when you're selling your house, the most important thing you're going to do is pick out the real estate agent to help you. Check out those new kids on the block. Since you've held your house for probably seven years, that's the average the real estate world has changed, now there's discounters, there's online realtors, offline realtors. You name it. You need to understand the differences. And Daryn, did you know that the average commission now, it's not 6 percent anymore. It's just a little over 5 percent.

KAGAN: Oh! Well, that's good news for sellers at least.

WILLIS: That's right.

KAGAN: But there are some hidden agendas sometimes out there.

WILLIS: You know, it's interesting that we're talking about it today. Because that National Association of Realtors Convention that you just showed down in Washington, they're discussing this issue right now. The realtors have been talking with the Justice Department for some time about this issue of whether they're trying to keep the discounters out of the business.

When you sit down with an agent, if you're working with a full service agent, ask if they're willing to work with any and all agents, even discounters to sell your house. Because at the end of the day, you want to make sure you have the widest marketing possible.

KAGAN: So how do you -- when you actually sit down to pick an agent, what are you looking for?

WILLIS: Well, look. You want to get candidates names from a variety of places. Talk to your friends. Talk to your family. Go online. There are great Web sites to find agents out there. Realtors.com is a great place to go, as is homegain.com. You want somebody who has some experience in the neighborhood that you want to live in and has a good track record when it comes to selling houses.

KAGAN: So you're going to sit down with these potential candidates and interview them. What kind of questions should you ask?

WILLIS: I say grill them. You're not just going to interview them. You're really going to put the pedal to the metal. Ask them the hard questions. How are you going to market my house? Are you just putting it on the multiple listing service? Or are you putting it in the local newspapers? Paying for ads in other places, like real estate circulars, you need as much help as you can get because let's face it. This housing boom has been going on for a while and you want to make sure you can get your piece of the action. Ask about their fee structure, how you're going to pay them. And make sure again that they're working with all players.

KAGAN: Well, this is all going to go down in the writing. There will be a contract you'll have to sign.

WILLIS: Yes. A lot of people don't pay any attention to the listing agreement. But you really should. Because at the end of the day, you want to make sure if Aunt Lily wants to buy your house you're not paying them a fee for doing so. Because at the end of the day, maybe she'll pay more than other people will.

KAGAN: Very good.

WILLIS: Daryn, I want to mention too, that Saturday morning, 9:30, it's "OPEN HOUSE." We'll be talking about this issue and others. As well as the big, fun thing we're doing this weekend. P. Alan Smith, he's a gardening guru. And we go to his house in Little Rock, Arkansas. We're going to show you his garden. You're just going to love it.

KAGAN: When's the part when you come to my house and do one of these home fix-it projects?

WILLIS: Oh, I'm free this afternoon.

KAGAN: Come on down, you're always welcome and your crew.

KAGAN: Thank you, Ger.

WILLIS: Thank you.

KAGAN: Ahead on CNN LIVE TODAY, a fire on a New York area bridge and how it impacted the early morning commute there. Kind of a mess.

And a traffic snarl in Florida and what caused that? Oh, no! Take a bite out of traffic. CNN LIVE TODAY will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Let's check the commute. Commuters in New York are having to contend with the collapse of this retaining wall. It's a 50-foot wall or it was, until it gave way yesterday. It unleashed a torrent of dirt, rock and even trees. The mess has closed part of the Henry Hudson Parkway.

From roads to rails. And this fire on a railroad bridge in northern New Jersey that started last night on Amtrak's portal drawbridge near the Hackensack River. Amtrak says most trains will operate between New York and Washington, but there will be delays.

And then welcome to May in Montana. How lovely. A spring storm dumping more than a foot of snow in the southeastern part of the state. Schools were closed. Only emergency travel was advised. Elsewhere in the state, heavy rains unleashing this flooding and those problems are expected to worsen as the snow melts off.

Stay tuned, we have an interesting twins story coming up.

Looking at news from "Coast to Coast."

A neighborhood catastrophe today in the Detroit suburb of Highland Park. A number of homes there caught fire this morning. Fire officials say the blaze started in a vacant warehouse and at least four other houses nearby also caught fire. The cause is under investigation.

Then there was this four-legged traffic stopper in downtown Miami. Not exactly clear how the 14-foot gator ended up there. Professional gator wranglers were summoned and soon carted the alligator speed bump to a safer habitat.

And here's a twin story. Suburban Cleveland, one in a million day on this maternity ward. Adult twin mothers, or sisters, giving birth yesterday to boys each, almost at exactly the same time. Only about 30 minutes separated the two deliveries. It was even more unusual, since both women were not due for a couple of weeks. So there you go.

Still ahead on CNN LIVE TODAY, which military bases across the nation face possible cuts? We're standing by for a Pentagon announcement expected to happen at any moment. We'll bring that to you live.

And looking for ways to save gasoline? Find out how cruising could help you save some cash. We'll explain as CNN LIVE TODAY rolls on.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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Aired May 13, 2005 - 10:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN CO-ANCHOR: Last hour, the military began notifying lawmakers of how their bases back home fared. At the bottom of the hour, the Pentagon will publicly announce its recommendations. We'll have live coverage.
Crews will be working throughout the morning to clean up this train derailment in Houston, Texas. Eleven cars went off the track, including five that carried liquefied petroleum gas. There are no reports of leaks or injuries. The cause of the derailment is under investigation.

A violent uprising in the former Soviet Republic of Uzbekistan has left dozens of civilians dead or wounded. Thousands of protesters had demanded the resignation of the president and his government. Demonstrators say troops opened fire on them. Uzbek security forces say the protesters seized weapons from a military camp. Both sides are also giving different numbers of casualties.

Nearly, six weeks after the death of Pope John Paul II, his successor is accelerating the process of sainthood. Pope Benedict XVI has overwritten the usually five-year waiting period. His Pontiff's announcement came during a meeting with Roman clergy and to a standing ovation from the priests.

Good morning. It is Friday the 13. I hope it's a lucky one for you. I'm Daryn Kagan.

U.S. military bases and surrounding communities will learn their possible fate. As we mentioned just a moment ago, the Pentagon releases at the bottom of the hour its recommendations for base closing and realignment. We're now getting early word of that announcement. Under the proposal, 150 military installations from Maine to Hawaii would be closed. Thirty-three major bases are on the list.

Still, there are fewer closings than the Pentagon officials had previously expected. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says the closings will save the government nearly $49 billion over the next 20 years. A congressional commission will hold public hearing on the changes, and then send its recommendations to President Bush by September 8.

Our Pentagon correspondent has more details.

Barbara Starr, you have seen the list?

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTGON CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, Daryn, that announcement, official announcement at least, now about half an hour away here in the Pentagon briefing room, which I can tell is rapidly fill up with reporters and news media from all over the country, as local communities await the announcement. But CNN has obtained an early copy of the list from congressional sources.

And indeed, it appears about 33 major bases proposed to be closed; some of them are bases that will be very well known to people around the country. Let's go through some of them.

The U.S. Navy submarine base in New London, Connecticut, the Army's Fort McPherson, Georgia. That is the headquarters for the Army Forces Command, which directs the deployment of U.S. Army personnel around the world. But let's be clear, that function is not going to go away. The base is proposed to be closed. The function likely to move somewhere else. Also, Naval Station Pascagoula, Mississippi, that is not going to make Senator Trent Lott, a very influential Republican supporter very happy, that's in his state.

Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, another Army base, which specializes in developing high-tech communications for the Army. That we will find out where all of that work is going to shift to. Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico, which is a base where U.S. Air Force F-16s -- those F-16s, again, likely to shift somewhere else. We will learn where that is. Also, Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota. That is the home of some to B-1 bombers for the U.S. Air Force. Those are likely to move somewhere else.

A very interesting one, the Army's Fort Monroe, Virginia, just south of Washington D.C. here. That is the headquarters for something that is called the U.S. Army's Training and Doctrine Command. It is considered a vital operation, the Army tells us, for the future direction of the Army, as the global war on terrorism goes on. They develop new tactics, techniques and procedures. We will find out where that work is going to shift to.

It's a 28-page list, Daryn. A lot of it is what they call realignment. Moving things around the country, consolidating. A lot of it appears to be National Guard bases, and that may be a lurking controversy here. Because those National Guard bases, of course, closing them is something that the governors, the state governors clearly will want a voice in -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Very interesting. Just as you look down that list, Barbara, I'm sure there's some speculation leading up to today. Any surprises for you that you would not have expected a base to be on there?

STARR: Well, I think we will have to wait and see where some of these other functions will move to. It does not appear, and there had been early signals about this, that this will be devastating closures, if you will, across the country. The devil will be in the details about half an hour from now.

Where will things move to? I think that one of the lurking issues here will be the question of National Guard bases. The National Guard played a very vital role in the war in Iraq. And the state governors clearly will want to make sure they have a voice in which National Guard bases in their states may be closed down, Daryn.

KAGAN: Absolutely. Barbara Starr at the Pentagon, we'll be back to you about in about 25 minutes.

So from a political standpoint, game is on. Nowhere will that push be more intense than on Capitol Hill. Lawmakers not just interested in saving jobs in their districts, but in keeping their own as well.

Our congressional correspondent Joe Johns picks up that part of the story -- Joe.

JOE JOHNS, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's very true, Daryn. The heartburn has already begun here on Capitol Hill. The way this works, before 8:00 this morning, a pretty large group of service members in uniform gathered in one of the committee office rooms over on the House side. Started fanning out around the United States Capitol business delivering the documents to each and every member of Congress.

Of course, the reactions, as you might expect, among the members of Congress, extremely concerned about the list. House majority leader Tom DeLay, worried about Ellington Air Field National Guard Post, which is on the list. The National Guard, as Barbara Starr just reported, is a huge issue anyway, with some governors suggesting they ought to have the right to veto closings of Army or Air National Guard installations.

Some of the other bases Barbara talked about, Ellsworth in South Dakota, of course, that is the home of Senator John Thune, who was just recently elected. He knocked off Democratic leader Tom Daschle. His office is putting together a statement now. But it is clear that they do disagree with the decision.

Connecticut, of course, that is the home of Senators Chris Dodd and Joe Lieberman. They have the New London submarine base, obviously not happy with it. A spokesman in the office of Connecticut, Senator Dodd says.

So as this day goes on, we'll be listening more to members of Congress. The question is what can they do about it, if anything? The fact of the matter is, after this goes through a process, the president gets a whack at it. Then the Congress essentially can only vote down the entire list. And that, of course, is subject to a possible veto by the president of the United States.

So this is the beginning of a process, very controversial, of course. But sometimes it's very hard for members of Congress to do anything, though they may try, Daryn.

KAGAN: So Joe, give us an idea of some of the politicking behind the scenes. Like, could a senator or a congressman say -- or let's say a senator, you'll get the Bolton vote from me on the ambassador -- U.S. ambassador in exchange if you go ahead and save my base in my district? JOHNS: Yes. It doesn't necessarily work that way. Because the big problem is, they have to basically vote it down. Or it goes through, if the president signs off on it. There has been an effort over on the House side to at least try to delay these base closings because there are a lot of members of Congress who don't agree with that. The problem there also is, any legislation that went through the Congress saying we're going to delay the base closures, would also be subject to a presidential veto -- Daryn.

KAGAN: Hmm. All right. Joe Johns on Capitol Hill, we'll be checking back with you as well. And we will bring you live coverage of the base closure announcement at the bottom of the hour. Stay with us for any background information from Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr. Also we're efforting reaction from communities with bases on the closings list.

In Iraq today, no major insurgent attacks. But there were still smaller scale attacks that caused death and destruction. The type of violence that has become almost shockingly routine in Iraq. A bus bomb targeted an Iraqi military convoy near Baquba. Two Iraqi soldiers were killed, five others wounded there.

Thick, black smoke from a Humvee on a highway west of Baghdad. Insurgents apparently had commandeered the vehicle and placed a bomb inside of it. The target of the bombing was a U.S. military convoy. There were no reports of any American casualties.

And now for an update on Operation Matador, the major U.S. offensive in the northwestern Anbar Province. U.S. Marines leading the mission say they are moving through the region unimpeded. The isolated area has been rife with smugglers and used as a route by outside fighters to get into Iraq. Marines, sailors and soldiers are engaged in the offensive, which began a week ago. Among the latest developments, U.S. forces found a safe house. Marines took gunfire from that building. F-18 Super Hornets were called in and destroyed the site.

A Marine Reserve unit involved in Operation Matador reportedly has taken an extensive hit. An embedded reporter with "The Washington Post" says at least six Marines from the squad have been killed and 15 others wounded. That squad is one of three belonging to the 1-Platoon of Lima Company, 3-Battalion, 25-Regiment. The company based in Columbus, Ohio.

Speaking on CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING," Major Jennifer Potter described that Marine unit's makeup.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAJ. JENNIFER POTTER, U.S. MARINE RESERVES: I think that Lima Company, 3-Battalion, 25-Marine, is pretty typical of the usual Marine Reserve unit. It's primarily bottom heavy. In other words, we've got a lot of junior enlisted Marines, younger guys in their late teens, early 20s. But to add some maturity to that, we also have a number of Marines who have been in the service either on active duty, or lengthy time in the reserves. But in general terms, the unit is mainly bottom heavy with junior enlisted Marines.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Major Potter says she doesn't have confirmation yet on the unit's number of casualties.

A new trail -- a new trial against a former Abu Ghraib prison guard is now way. Prosecutors are presenting evidence this hour in the case against Army Reserve Specialist Sabrina Harmon. A widely seen photo of a detainee was entered as evidence at her court martial on Thursday. Prosecutors contend that Harmon was abusing this man. But Harmon's attorney said the pose was a joke. The defense attorney said the guards had nicknamed that detainee Gillian, and Gillian was in on the joke.

Following up on a "Security Watch" story from yesterday, a family has been allowed to go on its way after being removed from an Air France flight. The flight from Paris to Boston was diverted to Bangor, Maine on Thursday. A man, his wife and two children were taken off the plane. Officials say the man's birth date matched that of a person on a terror watch list. And the names were nearly an exact match. The man was cleared after questioning.

Say tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.

Military bases bring jobs and economic stability to small towns. But dozens of communities are now bracing for possible military closures. Still ahead, we're going to look at the economic impact and the people who will be affected.

A massive bridge fire last night. But now, New York commuters are getting back on track. Details straight ahead on that.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: President Bush, a live picture there from Washington D.C. He is making a new appeal for a Social Security reform. The president's audience this hour is the National Association of Realtors' Convention in Washington D.C. Mr. Bush's Social Security plan features private retirement accounts. It will also curb future benefits for more affluent seniors. Mr. Bush also talking about the latest employment numbers and the general state of the economy.

Later today, the president hosts several college sports champions at the White House. Mr. Bush will then head to Camp David for the weekend.

Well, we all know that your home is likely the biggest investment of your life. So it's no surprise that the 6 percent or 7 percent seller's commission is also one of the biggest fees you'll ever pay. There is room for negotiation. Our personal finance editor Gerri Willis joins us with her "Top 5 Tips: Home Edition."

Hi, Ger. GERRI WILLIS, CNN-FN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Hi, Daryn. Good to see you. Tip No. 1 today, when you're selling your house, the most important thing you're going to do is pick out the real estate agent to help you. Check out those new kids on the block. Since you've held your house for probably seven years, that's the average the real estate world has changed, now there's discounters, there's online realtors, offline realtors. You name it. You need to understand the differences. And Daryn, did you know that the average commission now, it's not 6 percent anymore. It's just a little over 5 percent.

KAGAN: Oh! Well, that's good news for sellers at least.

WILLIS: That's right.

KAGAN: But there are some hidden agendas sometimes out there.

WILLIS: You know, it's interesting that we're talking about it today. Because that National Association of Realtors Convention that you just showed down in Washington, they're discussing this issue right now. The realtors have been talking with the Justice Department for some time about this issue of whether they're trying to keep the discounters out of the business.

When you sit down with an agent, if you're working with a full service agent, ask if they're willing to work with any and all agents, even discounters to sell your house. Because at the end of the day, you want to make sure you have the widest marketing possible.

KAGAN: So how do you -- when you actually sit down to pick an agent, what are you looking for?

WILLIS: Well, look. You want to get candidates names from a variety of places. Talk to your friends. Talk to your family. Go online. There are great Web sites to find agents out there. Realtors.com is a great place to go, as is homegain.com. You want somebody who has some experience in the neighborhood that you want to live in and has a good track record when it comes to selling houses.

KAGAN: So you're going to sit down with these potential candidates and interview them. What kind of questions should you ask?

WILLIS: I say grill them. You're not just going to interview them. You're really going to put the pedal to the metal. Ask them the hard questions. How are you going to market my house? Are you just putting it on the multiple listing service? Or are you putting it in the local newspapers? Paying for ads in other places, like real estate circulars, you need as much help as you can get because let's face it. This housing boom has been going on for a while and you want to make sure you can get your piece of the action. Ask about their fee structure, how you're going to pay them. And make sure again that they're working with all players.

KAGAN: Well, this is all going to go down in the writing. There will be a contract you'll have to sign.

WILLIS: Yes. A lot of people don't pay any attention to the listing agreement. But you really should. Because at the end of the day, you want to make sure if Aunt Lily wants to buy your house you're not paying them a fee for doing so. Because at the end of the day, maybe she'll pay more than other people will.

KAGAN: Very good.

WILLIS: Daryn, I want to mention too, that Saturday morning, 9:30, it's "OPEN HOUSE." We'll be talking about this issue and others. As well as the big, fun thing we're doing this weekend. P. Alan Smith, he's a gardening guru. And we go to his house in Little Rock, Arkansas. We're going to show you his garden. You're just going to love it.

KAGAN: When's the part when you come to my house and do one of these home fix-it projects?

WILLIS: Oh, I'm free this afternoon.

KAGAN: Come on down, you're always welcome and your crew.

KAGAN: Thank you, Ger.

WILLIS: Thank you.

KAGAN: Ahead on CNN LIVE TODAY, a fire on a New York area bridge and how it impacted the early morning commute there. Kind of a mess.

And a traffic snarl in Florida and what caused that? Oh, no! Take a bite out of traffic. CNN LIVE TODAY will be right back.

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KAGAN: Let's check the commute. Commuters in New York are having to contend with the collapse of this retaining wall. It's a 50-foot wall or it was, until it gave way yesterday. It unleashed a torrent of dirt, rock and even trees. The mess has closed part of the Henry Hudson Parkway.

From roads to rails. And this fire on a railroad bridge in northern New Jersey that started last night on Amtrak's portal drawbridge near the Hackensack River. Amtrak says most trains will operate between New York and Washington, but there will be delays.

And then welcome to May in Montana. How lovely. A spring storm dumping more than a foot of snow in the southeastern part of the state. Schools were closed. Only emergency travel was advised. Elsewhere in the state, heavy rains unleashing this flooding and those problems are expected to worsen as the snow melts off.

Stay tuned, we have an interesting twins story coming up.

Looking at news from "Coast to Coast."

A neighborhood catastrophe today in the Detroit suburb of Highland Park. A number of homes there caught fire this morning. Fire officials say the blaze started in a vacant warehouse and at least four other houses nearby also caught fire. The cause is under investigation.

Then there was this four-legged traffic stopper in downtown Miami. Not exactly clear how the 14-foot gator ended up there. Professional gator wranglers were summoned and soon carted the alligator speed bump to a safer habitat.

And here's a twin story. Suburban Cleveland, one in a million day on this maternity ward. Adult twin mothers, or sisters, giving birth yesterday to boys each, almost at exactly the same time. Only about 30 minutes separated the two deliveries. It was even more unusual, since both women were not due for a couple of weeks. So there you go.

Still ahead on CNN LIVE TODAY, which military bases across the nation face possible cuts? We're standing by for a Pentagon announcement expected to happen at any moment. We'll bring that to you live.

And looking for ways to save gasoline? Find out how cruising could help you save some cash. We'll explain as CNN LIVE TODAY rolls on.

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