Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Saturday

Hacker Convention; Iran Refuses IAEA; Gaza Strip Residents Leave; Tropical Storm Irene; Newly Released 9-11 Tapes

Aired August 13, 2005 - 12:000   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Tropical storm Irene churning toward hurricane strength today, Rob Marciano will tell us where it is now and likely headed.
New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson declares a state of emergency along the Mexican border. Why Mexico is unhappy about that.

Think the summer is just about over? Well, there is still some time to plan a getaway to the Florida Keys, perhaps.

And in Las Vegas, the Hacker Convention is on. CNN has been told not to bring a laptop, not to use the ATMs in the lobbies and to keep hotel room keys in sight. Still, our Daniel Sieberg braved it anyway.

Welcome to CNN live Saturday, I'm Fredricka Whitfield; a busy hour ahead. But first now in the news:

This breaking story we're following for you out of southern Italy. Italian media is reporting that an airplane with tourists on board has gone down in southern Italy, but we don't know exactly the size of that aircraft or how many people are on board that flight, just that it has gone down. More when we get it.

Gas prices are soaring and still no relief in sight. The prices of crude oil hit another all-time high yesterday, just under $67 a barrel. According to a new poll by the "Associated Press" and AOL, two-thirds of drivers say they expect rising fuel costs will cause them personal financial hardships in the coming months.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church will make no exception for gays to serve as clergy. At a national meeting yesterday in Orlando, church delegates voted down the proposal which would have allowed gays in committed relationships to be ordained following the vote, the presiding bishops said he hopes gays and lesbians don't believe the vote means they are not welcome in the nearly five million member church.

Not quite back to normal but moving in this direction today after a two day labor strike at London's Heathrow Airport. British airways now resumed most of its flights; this after more than 110,000 V.A. passengers were grounded during peak summer vacation season. An airline spokesman says it will take several more days before all is back on track.

The U.S. military says a suspected insurgent chemical facility has been uncovered in Iraq. Coalition forces reportedly were discovered more than 1,500 gallons of chemicals earlier this week along with production and storage facilities. The military did not identify the substances, nor say where they were found exactly. But they did say the raids resulted from information gathered from intelligence and detained interrogations. CNN is checking on this story and will have more as it develops.

President Bush has issued a blunt warning to Iran. He says, quote, "all options are on the table if Iran doesn't halt its nuclear program." CNN White House correspondent Dana Bash is following developments from Crawford, Texas -- Dana.

DANA BASH, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredricka, well you know, whether it's Iran or North Korea, it is really standard for the president and his top aides to say that they're not taking military actions or options off the table. Essentially that is the way the Bush administration and others have felt that they have -- were able to put teeth, some power behind diplomatic negotiations as they go on, but given the delicate stage of European negotiations with Iran and kind of in your face move they made this past week to unseal a nuclear facility, what Mr. Bush said in an interview this past week, just released today, with Israeli TV is noteworthy. Let's take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: My latest information is that the Iranians refuse to comply with the demands of the free world, which is do not in any way, shape or form have a program that could yield to a nuclear weapon. All options are on the table. The use of force is the last option for any president. And, you know, we have used force in the recent past to secure our country. It is a difficult -- it's difficult for the commander in chief to put kids in harm's way. Nevertheless, I've been willing to do so as last resort in order to secure the country and to provide the opportunity for people to live in free societies.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BASH: Now again, Mr. Bush has said that all options are on the table when it comes to Iran and other countries before. But the reminder you just heard there of the fact that the U.S. did use military force, of course, against Iraq, is interesting. There is a report out of Germany that Gerhard Schroeder, the chancellor of Germany, seemed to perhaps allude to this comment in a rally there today as he talked about military options and said, "We have seen it doesn't work." Now, Germany is one of three countries that is involved in trying to negotiate with Iran, trying to get them to stop their nuclear program. At this point, Fredricka, the U.S. is still very much supporting that effort. And where we are now in the diplomatic process is that the International Atomic Energy Agency, they are trying to coerce Iran to essentially stop that nuclear facility to close that nuclear facility back up. And they're going meet possibly and sometime in the near future to find out the next course. What the U.S. has been suggesting is perhaps it is time to take this action to the United Nations for sanctions against Iran -- Fredricka. WHITFIELD: All right, Dana Bash in Crawford, Texas, thanks so much.

An update on the breaking story we were following for you, the plane that has crashed in southern Italy. Well now Italian media is reporting that two people were on board that plane, a small aircraft and that witnesses say they noticed flames, that the plane appeared to have caught fire before it went down.

Now in the Middle East, a major turning point is fast approaching, the withdrawal of Israeli settlers from Gaza by force if necessary. John Vause is with us now from northern Gaza.

And John, have most of the settlers already pulled out?

JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, a lot of them have Fredricka. They've been packing up. There's now about 29 hours to go before that deadline arrives. The protest will continue. There'll be another big rally Jerusalem tomorrow night. But in some the smaller settlements, like this one in Dugit in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, most residents are packing up and moving out.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE (voice-over): The small Jewish settlement of Dugit has probably how Aerial Sharon wanted the disengagement to happen. Here no one is talking about defiant last stands, resisting the soldiers or police. Just about everyone has either moved out or is about to go.

Eli Cohen built this house 14 years ago. He's now taking it apart piece by piece. He doesn't want to leave, but doesn't agree with the more radical protesters who are preparing for a fight.

ELI COHEN, DUGIT SETTLER, DUGIT SETTLER (through translator): I don't accept their ways. They get in our way, too. They want change, the government's decision.

VAUSE: Like so many other Jewish settlers in Gaza, the people of Dugit knew they were building their dream homes on occupied Palestinian land, but never thought Israel would give it up. Sonya Bozagon (PH) says her home cost close to a million U.S. dollars and when she leaves, she wants it bulldozed into the ground.

SONYA BOZAGON (ph), DUGIT SETTLER (through translator): It will hurt me less than knowing Arabs will live in my house.

VAUSE: The last four days have been frantic, packing boxes removing everything that isn't nailed down, even something some things that are.

(on camera): Most of the houses have now been almost totally stripped bare. Here even the kitchen sink is gone. Dugit is one of the more secular settlements. Many of the Israelis who came here moved not because of a belief that god promised this land to the Jews, but rather for this.

(voice-over): And few believe giving up their slice of paradise will improve security for Israel.

AVI FIROUZ, DUGIT SETTLER: It's not fair to live this place without complete peace.

VAUSE: But come Monday, Dugit will be a ghost town. Its 100 or so settlers resigned to reality, resentful they have to go, but most likely all gone nonetheless.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VAUSE: And even after the midnight deadline Fredricka, there will still be a 48 hour grace period for the settlers. But once that is gone, that's when the Israeli soldiers and police will move in -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And, John, where are most of the settlers going?

VAUSE: Well, they're going in a lot of different locations. A lot of them moving to nearby cities like Askalot (PH) a lot of them moving into luxury trailer parks and demountable (PH) homes which the government has provided. Some of them moving to rent houses, for example, and they're receiving rental subsidies for the next few years. But, a lot of them are trying to keep their communities together, but a lot want to stay in this area around the Gaza Strip, not far from the Mediterranean -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, John Vause, thanks so much.

At this hour, tropical storm Irene is on the brink of becoming a hurricane. With the latest on the storm, Rob Marciano is in the weather center -- Rob.

ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Fredricka, Tropical Storm Irene has not strengthened yet to hurricane status. Here it is, fairly unorganized. Although it will be entering warmer waters of the Gulf Stream and it is does so, we expect it to intensify to hurricane status. And that is the forecast for the National Hurricane Center, the latest as of 11:00 a.m. Eastern time.

Seventy-mile-an-hour winds to go to 75-mile-an-hour winds sometime later today or tonight or tomorrow morning, and then stay a hurricane, but the key here, obviously, is the track. Looks like it is going to miss the Carolinas and then re-curve out into the shipping lanes and miss the northeast as well. And we're pretty confident in this forecast. So, at this point, Irene poses no threat to land. One of the reasons for that is, very weak front it's going to help kind of push it along and usher in cooler air for folks sweating quite a bit. Weekend forecast highlights hot and humid conditions across the eastern third of the country with heat indexes well over 100. So, dangerous heat in some of the big cities across the northeast, this cool air though, will slowly get that way. Hot and dry weather expected across much of the west coast.

So, Irene poses no threat, Fredricka, that's good news. Back to you.

WHITFIELD: All right, thanks a lot, Rob.

Well, coming up: Florida residents know the dangers of hurricanes all too well. One year auto go today, Hurricane Charley devastated the city of Punta Gorda. Later a conversation with the mayor on the recovery and rebuilding.

And voices from Ground Zero, you'll hear newly released tapes of emergency workers and civilian pleading for help on 9/11.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: A year ago today, Hurricane Charley showed no mercy on the Florida Gulf coast town of Punta Gorda. The scars are still visible. Overall, Charley caused $14 billion in damage, making it the second costliest hurricane after Andrew. More than 300 homes and businesses are scheduled for demolition, 1,600 residents are still living in temporary housing. It's been a tough road. National correspondent, Susan Candiotti, takes a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

THERESA VOGOLINA (PH), PUNTA GORDA RESIDENT: We're so lucky. We are so lucky.

SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Lucky because they're getting a brand new home for a fraction of the cost.

JIM MINARDI, PUNTA GORDA RESIDENT: Well, some say how do you guys rate? But, I say it's that good, clean living.

CANDIOTTI: A year ago, Jim Minardi and Theresa Vogolini's (PH) home in Punta Gorda was destroyed by Hurricane Charley. But a nonprofit group teamed up with home fixer-upper, Bob Vila to build them a state-of-the-art disaster resistant house called Cole Plus.

LESLIE CHAPMAN, FED. ALLIANCE FOR SAFE HOMES: Code Plus construction is what we're all about, because we want to shoot for quality, not what rules may or may not require.

CANDIOTTI: They're new home goes beyond the building code.

(on camera): One of the main changes has to do with how higher up you are than before. How was it the last time?

MINARDI: Well, before we were four feet lower. We're at the -- same elevation as the seawall. It's a big margin of safety for us.

CANDIOTTI (voice-over): That will help prevent flooding. A concrete stone wall around the foundation will stave off erosion.

(on camera): How did they better anchor the tiles than before?

MINARDI: Every tile is double screwed to the entire roof.

CANDIOTTI: As for protecting all the glass...

We are no longer required to have storm shutters.

CANDIOTTI: No shutters anymore?

No shutters. These are double-paned impact resistant. To be able to have all of these windows without having to deal with shutters and we have such a beautiful view that was just so important to us.

MINARDI: The biggest advantage of this door is that it opens outwards.

CANDIOTTI (voice-over): To lessen the pressure from hurricane force winds, pushing in. Open the side of the house...

(on camera): Now, you might think this is an air conditioning unit but it is not, it's a generator.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, it's a generator and it is permanently installed. It's far superior to the temporary types.

CANDIOTTI (voice-over): It can keep the house running when power goes out for weeks at a time.

MINARDI: Having lived through Charley, the most devastating aspects of it, who'd want to live in a house, or stay in a house that is just built to the minimum standards?

CANDIOTTI: Jim and Theresa will foot part of the sizable bill for their new home, perhaps a small price to for a better chance of serving another major hurricane with a home in tact.

Susan Candiotti, CNN, Punta Gorda, Florida.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And you can see why Jim and Theresa consider themselves lucky. Well, earlier I talked to Punta Gorda's mayor, Stephen Fabian, and asked him how nerve-wracking it has been during this very active hurricane season.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

STEPHEN FABIAN, MAYOR, PUNTA GORDA: The people look at it and they're saying, hey, we can't stand another one, but they are ready for it. They are heeding their warnings and I think that's one of the things we learned from the last one, if they say it is coming, make sure you're prepared for it.

WHITFIELD: You still have something like 1,600 people living in trailers and other temporary housing. A number of homes that are likely to be demolished, something like 330 in a town of 16,000. What are the frustrations that people are still feeling one year after Charley?

FABIAN: Well, I think the frustration is just trying to get work done. You know, there's very -- a shortage of people, workers and there's also a shortage of material. And it's happening but it's going to take a long time, as you said, we still have buildings that have to be demolished, a lot of roofs yet still have to be replaced, so it's frustrating, but the people, the spirit of the people have been great and their attitudes have been great and I think that's what is keeping us together.

WHITFIELD: So if you all have experienced a shortage of, you know, workers, construction workers, folks who can help rebuild, are your residents there also experiencing a lot of gouging? Are people able to afford the few workers that are available?

FABIAN: There's been some. But not -- it hasn't been as prevalent as people may think. There's been some, there's been some people that have been ripped off by contractors who came in and took money and then took off, but all-in-all, it's been very good.

WHITFIELD: So you drive around town, what are some of the reminders of the work that has yet to be completed?

FABIAN: Well, the reminder, first of all, is I see things I never saw before, because we lost a lot of our trees, buildings are down, you still see buildings that have to come down and be demolished and rebuilt. But, you're also seeing the rebuilding going on so it's very encouraging.

WHITFIELD: So you have all these signs of kind of residual devastation, then today you still are going to have a celebration. Why is it that so many residents feel like this is a day, one year later, to celebrate?

FABIAN: Well, that's the spirit of this city. This city is -- the people here are just unbelievable. And they want to show -- I saw a T-shirt this morning that I thought was very interesting. It said "Hey, Charley, pride and tradition cannot be blown away." And that's the spirit of the people in this town.

WHITFIELD: So, what's going to take place at that celebration?

FABIAN: Pardon?

WHITFIELD: What will take place at the celebration today?

FABIAN: Oh, well, they're -- first of all, there's going to be a general opening. We will have dignitaries, Mark Foley, our representative in Congress will be there, Katherine Harris, a number of our state legislators, and then we are going to have the unveiling of the monument called the "Spirit of Punta Gorda," which will be permanently placed in our new park called Wesley Park when that is rebuilt.

WHITFIELD: Are you able to see...

FABIAN: Pardon?

WHITFIELD: Go ahead.

FABIAN: There will be music. There are vendors there. It's just going to be a -- from 1:00 'til 5:00, there is just going to be a great celebration.

WHITFIELD: Are you able to see the day when Punta Gorda will be back to normal?

FABIAN: I think it's going to take anywhere from three to five years for us to get back to what I would call normal. But, what is going to happen is something that we're going to have a better city, it's going to take -- instead of 15 to 20 years to do some of the thing we wanted to do, it's going to be done in the next five years.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Punta Gorda Mayor Stephen Frazier (SIC).

Coming up, vivid audible details revealing how emergency workers responded to the 9/11 attacks. Voices of those caught in the nightmare at Ground Zero.

And in this summer heat, we're all relying on America's power grid to keep us cool. How vulnerable are we to a potential failure?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: In our "CNN Security Watch," the Homeland Security Department has lowered its terrorism threat level for mass transit, moving it from high to elevated last night. The threat level was raised last month following attacks on London's transportation system.

The sound of terror, New York releases some dramatic 9/11 recordings. On them, you hear alarmed firefighters struggling to save lives following the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. CNN's Jason Carroll has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A plane just crashed into an upper floor the World Trade Center. Transmit a second alarm and start relocation companies into the are..."

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The earliest calls in seconds after 8:46 a.m., a plane had just struck the World Trade Center's north tower.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It looked like it was intentional. Tell all units it could be a terrorist attack.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Roll every available ambulance you got to this position.

CARROLL: It is now clear there were communication problems following the first attack, too many emergency responders trying to talk on the same radio frequency.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Have the borough tell the units don't come up on the radio.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ten-four, I just informed everybody of that, just informed everybody of that.

CARROLL: Seconds after that transmission, a second plane strikes the south tower at 9:03 a.m. Word of many trapped people flooded radio transmissions.

No. 1 World Trade center, the 103 floor, southwest corner and northwest corner, reported to be 100 people overcome at the location.

CARROLL: The 103rd floor was occupied by Canter Fitzgerald, 658 of their employees were killed. 9:59 a.m., the south tower collapsed. A frantic call from a man identified as Chief Brown.

CHIEF BROWNE: Chief Browne, mayday Liberty and West. I'm trapped in the rubble, trapped in the rubble, trapped in the rubble, got gas...I can't breathe! Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!

CARROLL: Deputy Chief Robert brown survived and is still in the EMS. Three-hundred-forty-three firefighters died. Many believe more could have been saved if they had heard warnings the second tower was going to collapse.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All unites be advised, the north tower is leaning, move your operations north of the tower!

CARROLL: 10:28 a.m., the second tower collapsed, a desperate call from a trapped man.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can anybody hear me I'm a civilian; I'm trapped inside one of your firetrucks underneath the collapse that just happened.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Standby. There's people close to you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can't breathe much longer. Save me. I'm in a cab of your truck.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Transmitting a mayday. Where are you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I just told you. If you look at the World Trade Center, there's the north pedestrian bridge. I think it collapsed when the partial building just collapsed. I was on the street. I don't have much air. Please help me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I copy that. I'm going to go look for him.

CARROLL: The fire department tells CNN they believe he survived. The radio problems continued for emergency responders.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're not answering. I just want to know where's the nearest triage, we got an ambulance full of people and we're being bombarded with so many, we can't handle.

CARROLL: Some firefighters and family members of the victims say the transmissions show the city needs to change the way it communicates in a crisis. CAPT. AL FUENTES, RETIRED FIREFIGHTER: We have a dead man walking on 9/11. And unless we fix what is wrong with dead man walking now, it's not if, it's when.

CARROLL (on camera): A fire department spokeswoman told me that they have made significant improvements to their communications system. Including upgrading their radio repeater system, and giving firefighters more handheld radios. Even so, critics say still more needs to be done.

Jason Carroll, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And CNN is committed to providing the most reliable coverage of news affects your security. Stay tuned to CNN for the latest information day and night.

Could the U.S. suffer another power blackout like we saw in 2003? Straight ahead a live report on how America's power grid is holding up this summer.

And if you're looking to get away from it all, I'll talk to a travel expert about one option that looks like a little bit of paradise.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: A look at our top stories: President Bush isn't ruling out military force to halt Iran's nuclear program. Just this week, Iran resumed work with uranium after rejecting incentives from Europe to renounce nuclear weapons. President Bush tells Israeli television that force is the last option, but it is an option nonetheless.

The military released a set of photographs today after a raid this week in Iraq. The sight is being described as a chemical facility run by insurgents. An official statement said the chemicals still are being analyzed and officials refuse to speculate as to what was being produced.

Some of Gaza's Jewish settlers are packing up to leave under Israel's disengagement plan. The Israeli government will issue eviction notices Monday and then forcibly remove resisters later on in the week.

August is being, well, August today. Across the eastern half of the country, today's heat index is expected to top 100 and tomorrow will mark exactly two years since the hot summer day that triggered the biggest blackout in the United States history. Could it happen again? CNN's Kathleen Koch is standing by live at the Potomac Edison plant that powers the nation's capital -- Kathleen?

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, you know, the nation's power grid is holding up, but just barely. Right now here in Washington, D.C. at half past noon, it is already 99 degrees and that's part of the problem. There have been record temperatures across the country this summer and that has meant record power demand.

Now, for example, the week of July 17th saw the highest nationwide electricity usage ever in U.S. history and the weeks that followed were a close third and second. So, it's no surprise that many are quite worried that indeed there could be another big blackout just like the one that happened two years ago. As you mentioned, the anniversary is approaching tomorrow and right now there is really little encouraging news from top energy officials.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID GARMAN, UNDERSECRETARY OF ENERGY: We could have another blackout. Very little has fundamentally changed since the 2003 blackout. There are some new provisions in an energy bill that will be very important for reducing the scope, the duration and the frequency of blackouts, but we still have an electricity grid that is fundamentally the same as the one we had two years ago.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KOCH: The energy bill that was just signed by President Bush does provide some incentives for investing and improving transmission capacity. It also assures that utilities will be able to recover more of their cost for what they spend to improve reliability. And it also for the first time, establishes mandatory reliability rules that all in the power industry must follow.

However, these changes, as promising as they are, will take some time to implement. So Fredricka, experts are urging everyone, as hard as it may be at times like this, to really conserve energy as the mercury soars. Back to you.

WHITFIELD: All right. Good advice. Kathleen Koch, thanks so much.

New Mexico's governor has declared a state of emergency along his state's border with Mexico. Governor Bill Richardson says there's an urgent need to deal with border crimes. Richardson says there's a 54- mile stretch of border that's particularly out of hand.

Richardson says he takes the step reluctantly, but must do so to protect the people that he represents. He notes he's the nation's only Hispanic governor and says New Mexico is a state that's been very good to legal migrants.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. BILL RICHARDSON (D), NEW MEXICO: It has practical benefits. We have 180 mile of border with Ciuaua, Mexico, New Mexico does and the situation is out of hand. I declared a state of emergency basically to free up close to a million-and-a-half dollars that will be used for law enforcement overtime pay, equipment, mainly because the federal government and the Congress are doing nothing and in New Mexico, we've got border smuggling of people; we've got smuggling of drugs; we've got kidnappings, murders. We've got cattle destruction and there is very little response from the Border Patrol. They're doing a good job, but they don't have the resources.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: In reaction, Mexico has released a statement saying quote, "It is important to point out that the Government of Mexico has been working consistently along the entire border, together with the governments of the federal border entities in dealing with various problems linked to criminal activities."

The coal mining town of Wright, Wyoming, is digging out today from a deadly tornado. The twister leveled much of a mobile home park when it struck before dusk yesterday. Authorities say one person died at the scene and a second died later of a heart attack. Another person is unaccounted for. The twister destroyed between 40 and 50 homes.

Some say Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist wants to be president one day. Well, why are some conservatives not so happy with that idea?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Christian conservatives rally tomorrow for Supreme Court nominee John Roberts. Justice Sunday II takes place at a megachurch in Nashville, but where is home-state Senator Bill Frist? He wasn't invited and that's raising a few eyebrows. CNN Congressional Correspondent Ed Henry looks at Frist's move to the middle and why it's angering so many on the right.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As he certainly shows all the signs of a man running for president, Bill Frist had been aggressively courting conservatives. But suddenly the romance may be over.

TONY PERKINS, FAMILY RESEARCH COUNCIL: And that's like, you know, pursuing someone for months to take them to the dance and then you stand them up at the dance and leave with somebody else.

HENRY: After four years of backing President Bush's stem cell policy limiting research to existing cell lines, Frist has had a change of heart.

SEN. BILL FRIST (R), MAJORITY LEADER: I believe the president's policy should be modified. We should expand federal funding.

HENRY: That's heresy to many conservatives, because it will require the destruction of human embryos.

REP. TOM DELAY (R), MAJORITY LEADER: And I think a candidate that believes in the destruction of life would have a very hard time appealing to the vast majority of the Republicans in this party.

HENRY: Frist says his decision was driven by principle, not politics. Speaking as a heart surgeon, he says such research may help cure diseases like Alzheimers.

FRIST: It will define us as civilized and ethical society forever in the eyes of history.

HENRY: But Frist was accused of pandering to the religious right during the Terri Schiavo case, when the senator claimed his medical training allowed him to tell from videotapes, that the brain-damaged woman was not in a persistent vegetative state. Some political analysts say the senator is now deliberately breaking with conservatives to show he's his own man.

STU ROTHENBERG, POLITICAL ANALYST: He wants to be acceptable to social conservatives, but he doesn't want to be defined solely as a social conservative or religious conservative. And so, Frankly, he's going to have to go back and forth on some of these cultural issues and try to find the sweet spot in the Republican party.

HENRY: With a new CNN-"USA Today-"Gallup poll showing a clear majority of the country behind increased stem cell research, the leader of a group pushing for more funding, believes Frist's new policy could broaden his appeal in a general election.

JOHN HLINKO, STEMPAC: I think one of the things we're finding is the more people learn about what this research actually is, the more likely they are to support it. That's true across the board for centrists, for liberals, for conservatives.

HENRY: But Frist first has to win the Republican primaries and conservative leaders say they will not stand for the senator wooing them on Schiavo and then abandoning them on stem cell research.

PERKINS: That is not a good way to build relationships and so if that were a calculated political decision, it is a poor one.

HENRY: It will take years, about three to be exact, before we know if moving to the political center was the right prescription for Dr. Frist.

Ed Henry, CNN, Capitol Hill.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: An influential Washington lobbyist is to appear this week in federal court in Florida. Jack Abramoff is an associate of several leading Republicans, including House Majority Leader Tom Delay. he was arrested Thursday -- Abramoff was, rather -- Thursday in Los Angeles and posted bail of $2.25 million. A grand jury indictment charges Abramoff misled lenders and forged a key document to win loans toward the purchase of a casino boat venture.

Coming up, it's time to talk about your travel plans. What you to think about swaying palm trees and being surrounded by water? Sound good? We've got some ideas for you coming up next.

(ALLERGY REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Well, summer is winding down and we've got the key to a last minute weekend getaway for you. The keys are sprinkled 150 miles or so into the sea off the southern most tip of Florida. They attract a million visitors a year. "Conde Nast Traveler" features the keys in the August issue and Dana Dickey is a senior editor at the magazine. Hello to you in New York.

DANA DICKEY, SENIOR EDITOR, "CONDE NAST TRAVEL": Hello.

WHITFIELD: All right, Dana, it seems like the Keys really is the place of an adult playground. Is it very kid friendly?

DICKEY: It is super kid friendly. You know, in August, a lot of times people think of traveling with their family and because it is so hot at home, we forget to go to great warm-weather spots nearby such as the Florida Keys.

But even though it is only about a thousand square miles of dry land, that's only about half the size of Rhode Island, there is so many diverse experiences for both romantic get-aways was and families that it is a "don't miss" spot.

WHITFIELD: So, how do you find some of the great deals, because especially when you are talking about a family vacation, folks want to make sure they get the most of their buck.

DICKEY: Well, definitely -- first I think what you want to do with your family is everybody get together and talk about that they want to do. If you want to enjoy the literary heritage of Ernest Hemingway and some sort of vibrant street life and night life, then you're going to want to head to Key West. If you want to go sport fishing, there is no place like the Key of Islamorada. If you want sort of a great exclusive, barefoot, chic place, scene of many J. Crew catalog shoots, you want go to the Moorings (ph).

So, first of all, figure out what you want to do, then explore the different resorts, because there is everything from adults only to full-service resorts with special day care activities for kids.

WHITFIELD: Wow. And it really is -- you know, you alluded to some of the water sports -- it really is a place where there is a host of water sports from the fishing to the diving, et cetera. How do you go about trying to make some of those plans?

DICKEY: Well, remember, one of the great things about going in August is no one else is going in August or fewer people are. So, that means you can get last minute reservations with lots of dive operations that will take you out for private diving expeditions.

Or when we compare this to getting married in Vegas in that you quickly do it and you might be over your head in water really quickly, you can get a day -- a weekend-long dive seminar. So, you could be diving off a 30 foot cliff, you know, before you know it.

WHITFIELD: Wow. And let's underscore August, south Florida, it's hot.

DICKEY: Well, it is hot, but remember you're going to get some great coastal breezes along this 115 miles of coast that you may not get land-locked at home.

WHITFIELD: All right. Dana Dickey. "Conde Nast Traveler" featuring the Keys -- Some what, 13 keys along that 115-mile stretch?

DICKEY: Thirteen are major Keys. That's right, 115. That's right.

WHITFIELD: A lot to choose from. All right. Before I let you go, we know what, we are in the middle of hurricane season and August, September, October become very active months. What do traveler who choose to venture to the Keys want to keep in mind?

DICKEY: That's right. Well, what you want to keep in mind is you want to constantly check the National Weather Service to sort of long in every day and see what predictions are. Listen carefully to the news and remember, the Keys are prepared for this sort of thing. So, if you can't go at the last minute; if weather changes your plans, you can postpone it and they'll make other arrangements for you.

WHITFIELD: Is that difficult do?

DICKEY: No. Not in many places. They're willing to work with you especially in months like August, because a lot of people just don't want to go because they maybe think hurricanes will definitely happen when really the odds are with the traveler.

WHITFIELD: All right, Dana Dickey. "Conde Nast" magazine. I almost let you go before getting that one in. So, thanks so much.

DICKEY: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: Cuban leader Fidel Castro marks his 79th birthday today. There are no official celebrations planned, but CNN's Lucia Newman reports his supporters are taking advantage of this day to harass his opponents.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LUCIA NEWMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is how supporters of Cuba's communist leader celebrated his birthday, by organizing so-called repudiation acts in front of the homes of Fidel Castro's staunchest opponents. "This is a present for Fidel," says this woman, "so he'll know that the people love him and that those who don't love the revolution must get out."

While dissident Jezell Delgato (ph) stood at her balcony taking photos, the crowd cried out, "filthy rats, get out of your hole," and, "Fidel, Fidel, give the Yankees hell."

Catch cries, well rehearsed by the communist neighborhood committee that organized the rallies. In front of the house of this dissident, Vladamida Roca (ph), whose father was a founder of Cuba's Communist Party, a similar scene.

"This is fascism," Roca (ph) told reporters, "the kind of lynch mob inspired by Hitler and Mussolini." The Cuban government claims that the dissidents are mercenaries paid by Washington, a charge they deny.

(on camera): This is hardly an isolated incident meant to celebrate President Castro's birthday. On the contrary, over the last month there have been dozens of demonstrations of this kind aimed at intimidating Cuba's dissident movement, which over the last year, has become increasingly bold.

(voice-over): It's his 79th birthday. His beard is gray and thinner; his gait much slower, but the world's longest-serving head of government has made it clear he won't retire. He still delivers marathon speeches and resists giving even an inch to those who differ with his communist rule.

"Commandante said it very clearly on July 26th. We won't allow any of those shameless mercenaries to do as they please," says this supporter. Castro usually celebrate his birthday in private.

Meanwhile, those who are permitted to voice their opinions in this country, sing him happy birthday in front of the homes of those who are not.

Luisa Newman, CNN, Havana.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And coming up: Even computer hackers like to go to conventions. We'll take you along and introduce you to some people who want to get inside other people's P.C.s.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Hundreds of hackers emerged from the shadows recently at a gathering in Las Vegas. They're among the brightest minds in the field of computer technology. Most are on the up-and-up, but as CNN's Daniel Sieberg reports, among this crowd, it's hard to tell exactly who's who.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANIEL SIEBERG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's easy to think all computer hackers are the same: Shadowy figures hunched over a keyboard plotting ways to steal your information, breaking into banks and government agencies.

From the darkness, to the light: These guys are attending the annual Hacker convention in Las Vegas, but they're not all here to cause trouble. Instead, some of them are testing the limits of digital stuff that's everywhere in our lives, sometimes to try to make it better.

ROBERT IMHOFF-DOUSHARM, "HACKAJAR": I've been trying for three years now to really show all the insecurities in the credit card industry, to show the credit card industry that they need to make sure my credit cards are secure.

SIEBERG: Imhoff-Dousharm, who prefers the handle "Hackajar," also shows how a thief could buy a card reader on-line, read the data from a stolen credit card and use another machine to create a new card with your information. We encountered several hackers at the convention who explained the difference between the do-gooders and the criminals.

UNIDENTIFIED MALES: We love you, Kevin.

SIEBERG: Kevin Mitnick is arguably the most famous former hacker.

KEVIN MITNICK, FORMER HACKER: You got me, dude.

SIEBERG: At the hacker gathering in Las Vegas, where he now lives and works as a security consultant he's treated like a celebrity. He served nearly five years in federal prison for breaking into systems at several major corporations. He was released in January 2000.

MITNICK: ... Like the bite of the forbidden fruit. Knowledge of certain systems, security. A lot of people here work as security professionals. There is, you know, several people, you know, here that are hackers. It's all about knowledge and information and sharing. And it's to each individual's, you know, own morals and ethics of how they're going to use that information, because it can be for good or it can for bad.

SIEBERG: Many hack into their own devices like video game machines. Some simply want it see what is under the hood.

BUNNIE, HACKED THE XBOX: Guys who like -- really like cars, will buy a cheap car, like a Honda Civic or something and they'll like put all these fins on it and new wheels and they'll just do everything. By the time you're through with it, it is a completely different car. Hackers are exactly the same sort of thing. They're just really into like the network or they're really into their video games or something like that.

SIEBERG: Of course, they're not all helpful mechanics looking to sup up a ride. There are those here who would sooner swipe your data than safeguard it.

(on camera): Organizers told us to leave the laptops behind, not to use the ATM machines here in the lobby. Somebody's already messed with this one and to keep an eye on our hotel room cards at all times, because some folks here can read the information right off this stripe.

(voice-over): In a few cases, they're exactly who the government is looking for, not to incarcerate, but to hire. At this hacker gathering, the feds are part of the program. LINTON WELLS, DEFENSE DEPARTMENT: We don't have all the answers. We seek talent wherever we can find it and so, here there is a significant talent pool that is worthwhile tapping into. At the same time, there is a line that we cannot cross: If people have engaged in illegal behavior, then we're not interested in having them work for us.

SIEBERG: Like any field of expertise, there are those who would enhance it and those who would exploit it. The hacking world is no different.

Daniel Sieberg, CNN, Las Vegas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Still much more ahead on CNN LIVE SATURDAY. In a few moments: "IN THE MONEY." And at 2:00 Eastern on CNN LIVE SATURDAY, our legal analyst will talk about the decision to grant bond to a Mississippi Klansman convicted in the killings of three civil rights workers.

And we'll hear from Lieutenant General David Patreas(ph) in the 2:00 hour. Jane Arraf talked to him today in his only interview before leaving Iraq.

And at 3:00, CNN 25 looks at the top 25 characters in sports, but first, here's Jack Cafferty with a preview of "IN THE MONEY."

JACK CAFFERTY, HOST, "IN THE MONEY": Thanks, coming up on "IN THE MONEY:" Your tax dollars at work someplace else. IF you don't know what they're doing in Gaza, we'll stick around and we'll get you right up to speed on that deal.

Plus, the numbers say we've been in a bull market for a couple, three years. We'll see why it doesn't feel that way to investors.

And stop looking at your watch: We'll look at why the airlines keep running late. Some suggest they do it on purpose. All that and more, right after a quick check of the headlines.

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