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American Morning

New Orleans Mayor Authorizes Forced Evictions; Katrina Hurts Job Market; Washington Mourns Rehnquist

Aired September 07, 2005 - 09:31   ET

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

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: All right. Let's take a look at some live pictures once again as we continue this morning tour of the city. Still not a lot of pretty pictures there, as you look through this neighborhood. I suspect we're still kind of near that industrial canal region, which -- this actually is some tape which was fed down just a little while ago.
But that's what New Orleans is this morning. And who knows? There might be somebody in any one of those houses, still trying to stay there. And the mayor is not very happy about it. As a matter of fact, New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin has authorized the use of force to remove any residents that are refusing to leave the city, leave their own property. That said, the U.S. military says it's not going to take part in that effort. So it will be interesting to see how that plays out.

Karl Penhaul is live in Jackson Square, in the heart of the French Quarter. Karl, the police force in New Orleans is fairly well overwhelmed, so if there's really going to be forced evacuations, the military probably has to cooperate.

KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's difficult to know exactly how that's going to play out, Miles. And so far, we haven't seen any sign of a start to these forced evacuations, although we do understand that they could begin over the next few hours and certainly in the course of today.

What you have to remember, though, yes, the emergency services are overwhelmed here by the scale of this. But there isn't just the New Orleans Police Department in Louisiana State, but there are also police officers from other states, as well. We also saw U.S. border patrol out. And also Mayor Nagin has also said that firefighters could forcibly evict people from their homes, as well as the National Guard.

But you're right, today the military high command came out and said we are not going to take part in these forced evacuations. And also importantly, they said we're not going to take part in starving Americans out of their own homes, either. They've said that we're here for humanitarian relief operations, and if we see citizens in need of food and water, we're going to hand that over, too.

Now yesterday, that's exactly what was happening. Because I was out with paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division. They found an elderly man and his wife. And they were kind of aware that the mayor wanted people out, even at that stage, but they said no, we're going to give these people food because they haven't literally got anywhere else to go.

And, of course, as you know, Miles, the paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne are well capable of house clearing when they're called upon to do so. But in this case, they're simply saying, we're not going to do it, we don't want to be part of those law enforcement activities, we're here for humanitarian efforts.

M. O'BRIEN: All right. Thank you very much. Karl Penhaul, in the city of New Orleans. Appreciate that.

Let's get back to Soledad in Baton Rouge -- Soledad.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Miles, thanks.

You know, we've been talking about just how smoothly things really have been running in the shelter, as we spent the morning here. But the people in charge of mental health will tell you that the fact that so many people here are missing their loved ones is a really, really tough thing.

We want to introduce you to Jaronica Smith. Her daughter, whose name is Joanna (ph) Smith, who's 17 years old, is missing. Now, the good news is, you know she evacuated.

JARONICA SMITH, DAUGHTER MISSING: Yes.

S. O'BRIEN: The bad news is, you don't really have any better location than Atlanta, Georgia. And I know you're part of a big family group that's here, as well.

SMITH: Yes, we are.

S. O'BRIEN: When did you last see your daughter?

SMITH: Well, it was the Friday before the storm. The Friday before the storm. That was our last time seeing her.

S. O'BRIEN: Did you make any sort of plans to connect? She was going to Atlanta.

SMITH: Yes, and I say, make sure you call mama. You know, if anything happens, call mama. But I haven't heard anything, so I don't really know.

S. O'BRIEN: But do you have any way -- would she have any way to reach you?

SMITH: Yes. My -- her grandmother and her grandfather have a cell phone, so.

S. O'BRIEN: And she knows that number?

SMITH: Yes, she know the number, but she hasn't called.

S. O'BRIEN: She's only 17 years old. She went off with friends, but not anybody you know really well. SMITH: Not at all.

S. O'BRIEN: You must be very -- I mean, obviously...

SMITH: I cry every day.

S. O'BRIEN: Well, hopefully, we'll be able to get her name out. I know you've registered here at the Red Cross, because they have a computerized system and they're making it not only -- right now, I guess it's set up only for people who are here in the area.

SMITH: Yes.

S. O'BRIEN: But in a couple of days, we're told, it's going to expand to all the other states where evacuees are. What else are they doing for you here?

SMITH: Well, they're doing a lot. They help us so well. I never thought a shelter like this with a lot of people, you'd get that much assistance. But it's wonderful. They're feeding us like five meals a day. We're getting, like, our needs that we need, like our assistance that we had in Jefferson Parish, we get it here. They're helping out a lot. They're really -- they're trying to find us a place to stay. So it's nice. It is. You know, I think it's better than any other place, I believe.

S. O'BRIEN: Well, good luck in finding Joanna. Again, the good news is you know she was headed out before the storm, which is a little bit of good news.

I want to bring in Beth Murray. She's a psychiatric nurse from Bloomington, Indiana. She is the on-site mental health coordinator here. It's nice talk to you. And obviously, Jaronica's story, I'm sure you hear that again and again and again. How do you possibly make someone feel better? You know, she's missing her daughter. You can't make that better.

BETH MURRAY, MENTAL HEALTH COORDINATOR: Yes. First of all, we try to actually provide the information. We try to get the client hooked up with the missing persons desk. And we are building a database of who has checked in to which shelters within Louisiana. And we're working on a more national database to try to identify people. It's difficult, because evacuations are still occurring, people are moving around from shelter to shelter at times. And we don't have a good database of the private shelters, the church-based shelters and other homes that are...

S. O'BRIEN: And nobody has -- I mean, they're lucky, they have a grandmother, grandfather, who have a cell phone.

MURRAY: Right.

S. O'BRIEN: But a lot of people have nothing.

MURRAY: Right, a lot of people have nothing. A lot of people came out of the hurricane with their cell phone, but after about three days, the batteries died.

S. O'BRIEN: Yes. If you're lucky, three days.

MURRAY: Right.

S. O'BRIEN: What percentage of the people here need counseling and what will need -- what percentage will need counseling?

MURRAY: I think a great percentage probably need counseling. What we've noticed about the Louisiana area is that families are very strong here. They're extended family networks. They're aunts and uncles and grandparents all together, and I think the single most important thing at really being able to come through this kind of catastrophic event is having that support of one another and family members. The more support somebody has, the less likely they are to need professional assistance.

The people that have come through this with very little support, emotional support, have been much more devastated. And, of course, families that have been separated or split up are having the most difficulty, just trying to find one another.

S. O'BRIEN: You know, I was hearing about with 14, 15, 16 people in their family, and I thought, oh, wow, it's going to be so tough for you to find a place. But you're actually saying it's a good thing in the long run because they have each other.

MURRAY: That's right. That's right. And they don't have that worry about where to find one another.

S. O'BRIEN: Right. All right. Beth Murray, nice to talk to you. Thanks very much.

MURRAY: Thank you.

S. O'BRIEN: Let's get back to Miles in New York -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: Thanks, Soledad.

The Congressional Budget Office is now predicting Hurricane Katrina will cost the country 400,000 jobs and it will likely stunt economic growth. As we reported, many of the evacuees that are now in Texas are planning to stay there. So what will that mean to the job market there?

Diane Rath is chair of Texas Workforce Commission. She joins us from San Antonio. Diane, good to have you with us. The economy is pretty good there and perhaps can absorb this? What are your thoughts on that?

DIANE RATH, TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION: We're very fortunate because Governor Perry prioritized job creation in Texas during his administration, so we've been very lucky. Our unemployment is at record lows for the past four years. We've created 250,000 jobs over the past two years. So we feel we're well poised to help these people rebuild their lives. M. O'BRIEN: Give us a sense -- you've been trying to tally, I imagine, the number of unemployed people you might have to absorb. What are the numbers currently?

RATH: We feel there's about 250,000 folks that have sought refuge in Texas from Louisiana. Out of that, we feel about 40,000 will probably be seeking employment.

M. O'BRIEN: OK, 40,000. And will they be able to apply for unemployment benefits and all those things that would typically go along with losing your job? Of course, there's no records to back much of anything up.

RATH: We're very active in doing that, because so many of these individuals have never been unemployed before. They've never realized that they are qualified for unemployment benefits. So we're aggressively seeking to register them. We're handling all the claims for Louisiana for unemployment benefits, and at the same time, helping them find a job and reattach to the workforce.

M. O'BRIEN: What about if you were self-employed?

RATH: The disaster declaration covers many people that would not ordinarily be covered. So if you're self-employed, if you're involved in different forms of agriculture, which so many of the folks from Louisiana are. If you have more sporadic employment, we're asking everyone to apply for unemployment insurance. We've set up a separate 800 number to handle those claims. And then we'll be able to sort out the wage records.

M. O'BRIEN: All right, and we've been talking a lot about the red tape. Are they running into a lot of red tape getting through this whole process?

RATH: I think we're focused on making sure that we deliver the assistance these folks need. We need to take care of their health and safety first, and then we need to reconnect long term and let them establish their lives. So we need to cut through the red tape. We need to make sure that we can get them what they need, get them their job quickly, allow them to apply for unemployment insurance, find those records and deliver the checks, which was a big challenge we have. Instead of delivering checks, because we have no mailing addresses -- they're going to be moving -- Louisiana has very actively pursued debit cards. So folks will be receiving their benefits on debit cards.

M. O'BRIEN: What about employers? Are you getting a lot of people hired right away?

RATH: Our Texas employers have been wonderful. We've received phone calls the first day. I mean, last Sunday morning I was receiving phone calls around the state on my cell phone. We set up a special hotline so employers can call us, and we've had an overwhelming response. Large employers, small ones, they're coming from all parts, even areas which really don't have a concentration of the folks who sought refuge in Texas. We had a large company in Brownsville who has an order in for 100 welders. We had folks out in West Texas, Brady and Sonora, asking if there's anyone with experience in the oil fields, because we are desperate for workers in the oil fields. We have small mom and pops hospitals. Everyone is stepping forward to provide opportunities for these folks now.

M. O'BRIEN: Diane Rath, chair of the Texas Workforce Commission, thanks for being with us.

RATH: Thanks for having us.

M. O'BRIEN: Let's check the headlines now. Carol Costello with that.

Carol, good morning.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: She was so wonderfully positive, wasn't she? Awesome.

Good morning to you.

Now in the news, Washington will bid farewell to Chief Justice William Rehnquist at his funeral this afternoon. Rehnquist will lie in repose at the Supreme Court, where the public can pay their last respects. That will happen until noon.

Our Joe Johns is live at the Supreme Court.

Joe, who's expected to attend the funeral today?

JOE JOHNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Certainly the president of the United States, a number of senators in all likelihood also expected to attend. In fact, the Senate recessing for the funeral of the chief justice. Just a few minutes ago, I saw a pretty healthy number of United States senators on their way into the Supreme Court to walk past the casket of the chief justice. He, of course, will be leaving here for the very last time this afternoon. A pretty healthy number as well of regular Americans now waiting outside the building, 10:00 Eastern Time. That's when they'll be able to file through up until noon at that funeral this afternoon at St. Matthews Church, it is a Catholic Church. Rehnquist was Lutheran, but his family asked to use St. Matthews because of its size, apparently. He will also be buried at Arlington Cemetery.

Carol, back to you.

COSTELLO: Joe Johns live in Washington.

The other big story we've been following this morning, outside of Katrina, is a series of attacks in Iraq. In Basra, a roadside bomb struck part of a convoy carrying U.S. diplomats from the consulate in Basra. Four private security contractors were killed in that attack. Further north in Baghdad, an improvised explosive device hit a U.S. Army humvee. At least three U.S. soldiers were injured. One is said to be in critical condition.

(WEATHER REPORT) S. O'BRIEN: Coming up in just a few moments on AMERICAN MORNING, people in need certainly need beds, and they need food and they need water, but they also need spiritual help. We interview the Bishop Robert Meunch, and Reverend Jerry Young and Pastor Rick Warren just ahead. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

S. O'BRIEN: Welcome back, everybody.

How are religious leaders ministering for the people who really need it the most? We'll check in with some this morning. Rick Warren, pastor, joins us, also Bishop Robert Meunch of Archdiocese of Baton Rouge, and the Reverend Jerry Young of St. Joseph's Cathedral.

Gentlemen, I'm going to put the same question to all of you. I'll talk to people, and they'll start off fine, and 10 seconds into our interview, they dissolve into years, because they are, obviously, clearly hurting. What message do you say to them to help? What do you say?

BISHOP ROBERT MEUNCH, BATON ROUGE ARCHDIOCESE: Well, I think you identify with them, and you empathize with them, you feel with them, and you pray with them, and you support them. Their faith is strong. It's every bit as strong as ours. And the people from the New Orleans area -- I lived there for 50 years -- they're hail and hearty, they're people of love and faith, and they are survivors. You want to see a real survivor, look at these heroes.

S. O'BRIEN: But at the same time, I know people are asking you, where was God when the water was filling up in my house? Where was God when my daughter went missing and I can't find her now?

REV. JERRY YOUNG, ST. JOSEPH'S CATHEDRAL: Well, God, I think, sometimes resides with ministers like us, because I came over here right away, and you would be surprised how people recognized a priest, you know. They came up to me, and I started hugging people, talking to them, they were crying, and you just kind of be there with them and show that God is present, and that's the way I first ministered here at the River Center.

S. O'BRIEN: Rick, what message are you giving to people?

PASTOR RICK WARREN, "THE PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE": Well, one of them is that God's purpose for their life, obviously, is greater than any problem they're going through.

S. O'BRIEN: Yes, but they're going through -- I mean, the problem doesn't even describe what's going on.

WARREN: No, no. The issue here though is I think, as the father said here, is that God in people. Where is God right now? He's in the hands and the hearts of the people, of all these people who are helping, and really the untold story is what's happening in the churches, Soledad. We're hearing places like the 6,000 people here, but there are far more than that. There are maybe a quarter of a million or more that are being taken up by churches here in Baton Rouge, that are being ministered to by ordinary people, people of faith who are saying we're going to open -- we're going to be the hands and the arms of Jesus Christ.

We're going to love these people. And in that love, they say, God sees, God knows, God cares, and God's going to be with you. And as the bishop just said, it was so important what he said, these people, they haven't lost their faith. If anything, it's strengthening their faith. I'm finding myself encouraged. I'm amazed at the resiliency of these people.

S. O'BRIEN: You know, it's interesting you say that, because we've been interviewing all morning these volunteers, who got on a plane and came in and helped out, and as you said, you know, that's really where you get inspired.

WARREN: Yes.

S. O'BRIEN: It's very nice. You sort of see the silver lining in all of this. Do you think the people will recover?

MEUNCH: Definitely they will recover, because their strength lives God and the strength of one another, the support of one another. And people from near and far are coming and doing whatever they can do, opening their arms, their hearts, their lives, their homes, and sharing with one another. This is what it's all about. Sooner or later, we're all going to leave this earth. And in the meantime, we need to support one another. And a great outpouring, greater than the winds and the waters, is happening in human beings.

S. O'BRIEN: I think that's a nice way to put it. Bishop Meunch and Reverend Young and Rick Warren. Thank you, gentleman, we certainly appreciate it.

M. O'BRIEN: Sorry, we lost our audio there. Fortunately, we didn't miss much of the interview. That was very interesting.

CNN LIVE TODAY is coming up next. Daryn Kagan will be guiding -- she'll have her hand on the tiller for the next three hours.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Ready to go, Miles, yes. Good morning to you.

At the top of the hour, much more of all of Katrina's evacuees. We found a family in Texas -- get this -- this one family has taken in 27 guests. It's a great story and you're going to want to stick around for that.

Another big part of the story, toxic floodwaters. What exact is in there? How dangerous is it and what about the cleanup effort? All that, plus a live update from FEMA. We're going three hours yet again today, and we'll see you at the top of the hour -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: All right, Daryn, thank you very much.

Still to come on our program, signs that the oil industry is beginning to recover from Hurricane Katrina. Andy Serwer with that, up next on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

M. O'BRIEN: A much-anticipated new cell phone will be unveiled today. Looking forward to that one, actually. And then there's the early check on Wall Street markets. This -- you must be thinking right now, it's Andy Serwer time. Sure enough, it is.

ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" COLUMNIST: It sure is. It's time for the business news here.

Let's go down to Wall Street and see how stocks are trading at this hour. Down seven points, the Dow Jones Industrial average. Oil prices have stabilized. A new report from the Associated Press cites a study by the CBO, that's the Congressional Budget Office, which estimates that 400,000 jobs will be lost in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, and that the cost to the nation's economy, the GDP, growth in the second half this year, will be one full percentage point less. Interesting news there.

M. O'BRIEN: That's a big number.

SERWER: It is.

M. O'BRIEN: And then when you consider the oil prices mixed in with that, that could be real trouble, couldn't it?

SERWER: It's a big toll on the economy. And, of course, we really won't know, as we keep saying, until later this year, even next year.

M. O'BRIEN: Yes.

SERWER: Shifting gears here a little bit. We want to tell you about a new highly-anticipated cell phone finally coming out. It's the iPod cell phone. Been talking about this for weeks and months. Apple is going to be making this in conjunction with Motorola. It's called Rokr, R-O-K-R. Not Roker.

M. O'BRIEN: Where's the picture?

SERWER: I don't know. We're getting pictures, probably, right now as we speak. No, maybe not. You know, Apple keeps these things very close to the vest. I mean, they never let these things out. It will only hold about 50 songs, apparently, but it's the kind of thing that people will likely go ga-ga about. Apple wants to get in this market, because for every mp3 player sold, 13 cell phones are bought. So you can see it's a much bigger market.

M. O'BRIEN: It's all coming into one box, isn't it?

SERWER: Convergence is what we used to call.

M. O'BRIEN: Convergence, as they say. I'm looking forward to that one box whenever it comes out.

SERWER: Yes, that's right.

M. O'BRIEN: Thank you, Andy.

SERWER: You're welcome.

M. O'BRIEN: Appreciate it.

We're back in a moment. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

S. O'BRIEN: Welcome back, everybody. And as we wrap up here this morning, things really are just getting underway. Breakfast is almost done. A very big thank you to the folks who have come out to talk to us and share their story. Miles, clearly people are traumatized, and we certainly appreciated their time this morning.

M. O'BRIEN: All right, Soledad. And do they spend most of the day there?

S. O'BRIEN: They can leave. I mean, you know, we're actually right across the street from a museum and a big, grassy field. We've seen the kids playing outside, as well. It's a nice play to be if you have to be in a shelter. Nobody wants to be in a shelter, but you know, at it's light and clean and it's a safe place to be -- Miles.

M. O'BRIEN: Long way from the Superdome.

That's all the time we have for this edition of AMERICAN MORNING. Daryn Kagan at CNN Center to take on the rest of the morning.

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