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CNN Live Sunday

New Polls Show Racial Divide On Bush Handling of Hurricane; Police, Firemen from Around the Country Flock to Help Biloxi, Gulf Region; Tragic, Desperate 9/11 Calls of Flood Victims At Height of Storm

Aired September 11, 2005 - 18:30   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: We are going to continue our coverage here of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Carol Lin. I will be continuing through this evening. Thank you very much, Fred. Good to share the coverage with you as we watch the president's arrival on board the USS Iwo Jima as he prepares for tomorrow's series of briefings from officials on down the line, starting with Lieutenant General Honore who is running the recovery operation on the ground. More of this in just a moment.

Dan Simon, we're trying to get his microphone adjusted so that he can talk above the helicoper noise. But Dan Simons reported earlier that the president will be taking a tour of the New Orleans area after a thorough briefing that starts at 8:45 tomorrow morning. He'll be touring the New Orleans area in military trucks. So, it will give him, really, a ground view of the devestation and some of the recovery operations you've been watching on our air throughout the day. The Coast Guard out there in door to door recovery operations as they try to recover some of the bodies and help some of the -- even some people with their pets, we've been watching as people -- animals are starting to appear and people are recovering some of their personal belongings.

Dan Simons out at the Iwo Jima. Dan, can you hear me?

DAN SIMONS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I can hear you. Can you hear me?

LIN: Barely. Barely. You know what, Dan? I think we're going to have to adjust your microphone. We are going to take a quick break. Back to live pictures in just a moment.

From the CNN center In atlanta, I'm Carol Lin.

And topping this hour, the rescues, the cleanup and the presidential visit, as you have been watching on our air to the Gulf Coast. We are going to start with the latest developments in mission critical.

Mississippi officials say Katrina wiped out 5,000 homes in Biloxi, Mississippi alone. And most of those still standing have some running water, but it may not be safe to drink. We are going to be live in Biloxi. And in Louisiana, nearly half of New Orleans is still under water. That is what the president is going to be seeing. A short time ago, the city's police announced it will not force people out of their homes, even though they are technically breaking the law. The commander of Joint Task Force katrina predicts they will find few less dead in New Orleans than the mayor had predicted.

And life is a little easier for residents in parts of southeast Louisiana today, state health officials have lifted boil water orders for some parishes after tests show that the water is safe.

The Red Cross estimates now that 374,000 people are now in shelters or hotels and homes in 34 states and the District of Columbia. Texas alone is hosting about 200,000.

And, take a look at these, as I hope these live pictures are coming up, as the president's helicopter is landing on the USS Iwo Jima. It is a military ship, parked along -- docked along the Mississippi River. Dan Simons has been reporting that this president will be overnighting on this military ship. And then starting at 8:45 tomorrow morning, he will be getting a thorough briefing from Lieutenant General Honore and his staff about the recovery operation and the latest.

Dan Simons reporting now live near the USS Iwo Jima.

Dan, so what is going to happen next? The president is going to get off the helicopter, will he have any business to attend to? Or at least just relax, and get ready for tomorrow, big day?

SIMONS: We're not totally sure what's on tap for tonight. But we know that he's actually going to sleep on the ship this evening. We know that a busy, busy schedule tomorrow. Tomorrow morning, a briefing in the morning with Louisiana Senate Mary Landrieu, and of course Mayor Ray Nagin.

And the president is going to actually come on the ground and he's going to go tour some of the devestated areas. He's going to be in a humee.

And so, after that, we understand he's going to head over to Mississippi and tour some of the region there.

So, a lot on the president's plate. Of course, he wants to see up close and in person how things have progressed since the last time he was here only a few days ago. This is his third trip to the region. But just a few minutes ago, we saw several helicopters land on that ship, two of them were decoys. And, there's actually more choppers landing at the moment.

And that's the Iwo Jima. He's right there at the River Walk.

Now the River Walk, in case you don't know, it's a real tourist -- it's a real tourist destination. There's lots of shops there and restaurants. It is also where several years ago, you may remember, a freighter actually rammed into the River Walk and caused a lot of devastation. But that's where the Iwo Jima is now. And the president just arriving in the past few minutes.

LIN: So, Dan -- tomorrow, how carefully plotted out is the president's course around the city? Because it is still less than half under water, but there really aren't very many places that he will be able to travel.

SIMONS: Well, if he's in some of the bigger trucks, he should be able to navigate the streets pretty well. One positive sign that we've seen today, is the water in many areas has receded. I was in one particular area yesterday in the middle part of the city, and just a few days ago, the water was actually up to my chest. When I was there yesterday, it was right at my knees.

And so, the pumps are really working in the city. We know that more than three dozen pumps are now actively working 24/7. And so they expect, actually, the city of New Orleans, at least most of it, to be dry within a month.

LIN: Who will he actually get a chance to talk to? I mean, he's going to talk with the military commanders who are in charge of the recovery operation. But will he have a chance to talk with any of the people who are still left in their homes or some of the people who actually endured this tragedy?

SIMONS: Well, we haven't been privy to, you know, what the particulars are in terms of the schedule. We have an overview about the briefing and so on. But I think you would expect the president to at least, you know, meet with some of the folks who are still in the area. But we're not quite sure.

But we know it is going to start early in the morning and obviously go throughout the day.

LIN: What's going to make think anything more than a photo opportunity for president?

SIMONS: That's a very good question. I think, you know, it's always a good idea, you know, to actually have these discussions in person with the various officials. And I think, you know, that is what's going to happen tomorrow.

He will be meeting with all the various politicians in the area. There will probably be some city counsel persons there. And you know, you would probably expect the president still to get an earful about how the federal government was slow in those first few days -- those critical days after Hurricane Katrina made landfall in Louisiana.

LIN: It is a grim time, too, in the cleanup operation. I mean, you have got military folks going door-to-door, trying to recover bodies, trying to mark the doors. I mean, I'm sure the president will see the paint marks on the doors of homes where bodies were found. How did the recovery operation go today? I'm just trying to get a glimpse of what the president is going to be told tomorrow.

SIMONS: Well, we know that crews around the clock are continuing to recover bodies. There was a situation yesterday that I witnessed where seven bodies were actually pulled from a nursing home in mid city.

And stuff like that has been happening all across the city. It's utter devestation is what you are seeing, of course. And tomorrow, I'm sure the president will get a real sense as to how those efforts are going, and how the clean-up effort is going.

LIN: We're looking at a funny shot, as the president poses with one of the -- I guess the flight deck crews that brought in his helicopter. And he had Thad Allen, who is actually taking over the FEMA operations on the ground, taking the picture for the president. The president making his way down, greeting crew members here on the USS Iwo Jima, as he gets ready for his third tour of the hurricane zone.

Dan, I'm just wondering, what is the mood like on the ground, compared to what it was last week? I mean, it was so disasterous. I'm just wondering, as you talk with some of the crews who are going through the recovery operation, what are they telling you?

SIMONS: Well, I can tell you that when I talk to the residents, at least the residents who still here, there is a sense of optimism in the air. And I wasn't feeling that when I first got here a few days ago.

Now, you get the sense that they're very adamant that New Orleans should be rebuilt. These are folks who love their land, the brand of culture here in the Big Easy. And so, I think they are just eager for a sense of normalcy.

I mean, obviously, it would just be a huge step just to get the power back on. And then, of course to have clean water.

But life as you know it in the city of New Orleans has come to an abrupt halt. I mean, you can't go down the street and get a hamburger if you want to. Just those little things people miss. And hopefully we'll start seeing some of those luxuries come back, hopefully soon.

LIN: You bet.

And of course, not all of New Orleans is without water and power. So, there are spotty areas where folks, in fact, who were saying, lok, why are you forcing us to leave when we have power and water? And, then the order came in this afternoon, no, nobody is going to be forced to their homes. The military is not going to do it, and neither are local officials or police.

SIMONS: That's exactly right. You have several thousand holdouts in the city of New Orleans. And there have been veiled threats by the police department that at some point things were going to get ugly. That they were going to actually go into the homes and forcibly remove these folks. But now I actually received word a couple of hours ago from the public information officer from the New Orleans Police Department. And he told me that, no, we will not forcibly remove these people from their homes. Basically, when a police officer confronts one of these individuals, they have to tell them in no uncertain terms that, listen, by staying here, you are -- basically you know, could -- you know, be actually manhandled by somebody, by a criminal, or that there's a health risk here, and you may not have any food and water. We're not going to give you anymore. It's possible we may not give you any food and water. So, by being here, you are really posing a danger to yourself.

LIN: All right. Dan Simons reporting live there in New Orleans, right next to the USS Iwo Jima, where the president of the United States has just landed, greeting members of the military team there. And getting ready for series of briefing starting at 8:45 tomorrow morning. And then touring the area around New Orleans to see the devastation of the hurricane on the ground for himself from the view of these humvees and military vehicles as he tries to wind his way around that flooded city. Still some 40 percent flooded.

And then in the afternoon, he will be going to Mississippi. Perhaps even having a chance to talk with some of the evacuees about their experience of surviving this devastating disaster.

As we look at that live picture. We also want to tell you about the search and rescue teams which are still scouring New Orleans for those who made it through the storm, and even those who didn't.

CNN's Ed Lavendera has been going live from a boat all this afternoon. I see he's on dry land right now -- Ed.

ED LAVENDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Carol.

A fascinating portrait going on right here that we can show you. And it captures exactly what the search and rescue teams are having to deal with. Let's show you the camera, looing inside here of this EMS vehicle. This is a gentleman.

His name is Michael Batiss (ph), we just came off the water with him a short while ago. And what's happening here is that Michael has been in his house for the last two weeks. He is trying to reach his mother's house that somewhere in this area. We weren't exactly able to pin him down on where he wanted to go.

But essentially -- he didn't really want to be rescued, what he wanted to do was get a ride from the 82nd Airborne Division soldiers we were with and the Coast Guard guys we were with, and he wants to be taken to his mother's house. These guys know that it's a horrible idea.

And this is exactly the kind of thing that Lieutenant Nick Dougherty has been struggling with all day. We have been watching this the last half hour. It is incredibly tough.

LT. NICK DOUGHERTY, 82ND AIRBOURNE DIVISION: It's really frustrating, because you know that they just don't belong out there. And like I've said before, they are really strong-hearted, strong- minded people. I don't think they understand the significance and the dangers of the area right now. It is really unhealthy for them to be out there. And probably a lot of bio hazards exist. And they just want to go and stay with all they have grown up with and what they got here.

And, trying to convince them to go get a clean place to stay in, some fresh boots, some fresh water. You would think they would take it up right away, but they have got other intentions, you know. And it's really hard to convince them of that.

LAVENDERA: You heard the stories he was telling us on the boat a short while ago. He said killed a dog with a baseball bat a little while ago. That he was being attacked by a pit bull. That he's been walking through this water.

He took us to a corpse a little while ago. This is a man that -- I can see the look in your eye. You desperately want to get him out of here. And we're having a hard time convincing him of that, aren't we?

DOUGHERTY: There's no doubt in my mind this guys definitely a survivor, just like you said. I mean, staying two weeks in this, and fighting off dogs and making your way around here without getting sick. This guy definitely a survivor.

And I don't doubt that he could last a little while longer here. But it is so unhealthy and unfit for people to be in. You -- it's just really sad to see the people try and stay out here. You wish you could show them the places to go. Tell them where everyone else has been going, showing how much better off they are.

LAVENDERA: In the last couple of minutes, where you guys were talking to him there privately, were you able to break through anymore at all?

DOUGHERTY: I think so. I know he said, as we were talking, he said he was starting to contemplate going to a cleaner spot, letting us go somewhere, talking to the places, sending to Texas, different things like that.

He said, you know, yeah, I'm thinking about going over there. And he wants to go, I think. But he wants to go at a later time. So, he wanted to come back in here. But bottom line is, they don't need to be out in this stuff.

You wish that you would show them a better place they could be in. And they would just take you up on it. But it's really hard when we are out here in this.

LAVENDERA: Lieutenant, keep up the good work. I really appreciate it.

Carol, you get the sense -- I mean, this is a man who's been walking through this water. They really just want to get him medical attention. And even convincing him of that has been very difficult. It's something we've watched unfold here in the last 30 minutes. Back to you. LIN: Ed, it's almost like post-traumatic stress syndrom or something, or a sense of denial that this situation is indeed that serious. He may die from any infections that he got.

LAVENDERA: He was sitting there talking to me. He had been walking through water, going back and forth, and a bizarre set of circumstances that he's living under. And all he wants to do is reach his mother's house. It really goes to what these guys have been saying that the people who want to be rescued have been rescued. And what these search and rescue teams are now encountering are what I've been saying all day, are hard core people who do not want to abandon their city.

When we came across Michael Batise (ph) a little while ago, he was standing on the edge of a boat, yelling, I'm a survivor. And now he wants to go to his mother's house. His mother's not there. We don't know why he wants to go there.

LIN: He's just reaching for a sense of normalcy, isn't he? Ed, thank you very much.

We're also covering a different kind of aftermath, the names, nearly 3,000, said out loud, one at a time at ground zero today. When CNN LIVE SUNDAY returns, remembering the victims coast to coast of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Also, heroes of the storm: emergency workers who have traveled from far and wide to help out along the Gulf Coast.

And, locals, state or federal officials, who should get the blame for the slow response to help victims of Katrina? We get a "Fresh Take" on that debate from Carlos Watson. Straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: In New York, on this September 11, a time for remembering those who died in the terror attacks four years ago today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CILP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Eileen Fletcher. Andre G. Fletcher. Carl M. Flickenger (ph) , John Joseph Floria (ph), Joseph Walken Flouders.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Siblings of those who died at the World Trade Center read allowed the names of their brothers and sisters. The somber roll call lasted more than four hours. The brother of one man killed in the attacks had a message of encouragement for his listeners.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Define us not by how we left. Define us by how we lived, by how we laughed, by how we loved. That's what they'd say. Make us the reason you embrace life, not the reason you don't. It's your spirit that keeps ours alive. (END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Well, some New York firefighters spent this anniversary in New Orleans lending a hand with Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. They paused to remember their fallen colleagues during a service this morning in the city's Algiers neighborhood. 343 firefighters died in that attack four years ago.

President Bush and Vice President Cheney observed a moment of silence at the White House. And ceremonies were held in honor of the 184 people who died when the terrorists crashed a plane into the Pengaton.

In Pennsylvania, a memorial service for the victims of the fourth hijacking. It's believed flight 93 was headed to Washington when the passengers revolted against their hijackers. The plane crashed in a rural Pennsylvania field. The passengers heroic efforts were remembered during a service at the crash site.

And in Afghanistan, U.S. soldiers took time out today to remember the lives lost on 9/11. Less than a month after the attacks, the U.S. launched the military company in Afghanistan. The offensive was intended to wipe out al Qaeda and the Taliban government that sheltered its leaders.

Well, tonight, "CNN PRESENTS: Twist of Fate, Stories from 9/11." Five people whose lives who were changed by a day that changed America. We hope you'll join us at 8:00 Eastern, 5:00 Pacific.

In the meantime, there are heroes every day. The helpful voice on the other end of the line. But when Hurricane Katrina was hitting, they were helpless.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTFIED FEMALE: I hope their families understand that we tried.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: 911 operators do everything, desperate to do something to help those people.

But first, everyone who suffered from Katrina deserves help: a monumental task. The very people who help refugees from war-torn countries resettle in the U.s. are offering their help, but the federal government hasn't agreed. Lavinia Limon is the president of the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants. And she is going to give us the bottom line.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Helping every single person affected by Hurricane Katrina is a monumental task. So, you would think that when qualified people offer to help, the federal government would jump at the opportunity. Not so for a group that helps refugees and immigrants who come with nothing to this country. Lavinia Limon is the president of the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants.

Lavinia, when you offered help of your organization, you haven't gotten any response at all from FEMA or the Bush administration?

LAVINIA LIMON, U.S. CMTE FOR REFUGEES/IMMIGRANTS: Well, we haven't had a positive response yet. We have had some response. I think that are not ready to make the decisions about what they are going to do to help these people over the longer term.

LIN: So, what you are saying that time is ticking. I mean, that these people need to have a plan right now. That's part of the recovery.

LIMON: I think that's right, Carol. What we see, you know, both in our affiliants around the nation who are helping families, as well, as you can see on CNN, the American people are opening up their hearts and opening up their doors and their homes, and that's wonderful and very heartening.

And -- but what we know is that people need permanency. They need their own place. That, as the saying goes, guests are like fish. After a little while, it becomes trying for both sides.

LIN: Well, how does it work with refugees? I mean, if we have the Mong (ph) refugees or Bosnian refugees, or refugees from African wars, typically, how quickly do they get settled into some kind of, you know, apartment or home?

LIMON: Wel, typically, we meet them at the airport and take them right to their permanent home. So, it is already stocked with beds and furniture and food and all the things that they need. We enroll the children in school We get people through health screening. And our first thing that we try and do is look at economic self- suficiency. Look at getting people a job. And these are people who don't speak English.

So, we think that it's important that when you have suffered the kind of tragedy that victims of Katrina have suffered, it is very important to start building your new lives right away. Because sitting around too long, thinking about what happened is not good for the family or the individual.

LIN: But it's different. I mean, when refugees come over, they don't come over in a mass of 300,000 people. So, this is the largest migration of an American population since the dust Bowl days. So, do you think that there needs to be extraordinary by Congress, say, some sort of mandatory jobs program or housing specific to the Katrina victims?

LIMON: Well, certainly that would all by terrific. But we know that we could help about 100,000 people, probably within the space of about three or four months. It's been done before by this network. There's over 400 organizations around the United States that combine the professional resettlement along with the volunteer network.

Our partners in this with the U.S. Committee for Refugees include faith based organizations from all the major faiths. And the network is really quite extensive.

For the past 30 years, we resettled over 2 million refugees.

LIN: All right. Perhaps the same can be done. Then why do you think that the federal government is not leaping on this opportunity?

LIMON: Well, I think they've been busy feeding, housing and transporting people away from the waters. And that's understandable. And, you know, we hope that they turn their attention to this very quickly.

LIN: All right, consider this all call out, Lavinia.

LIMON: Thank you.

LIN: Thank you very much. Lavinia Limon

Well the Red Cross tells me that people are walking up to the convention center and adopting hurricane victims on site. Total strangers helping total strangers. But now the FBI may be a good place to stop before opening your doors. They are offering free background checks for the next two months. In fact, evacuees can check out people offering their homes, and homeowners can check out the evacuees. There's no direct public access, though. Local law enforcement will have to look up the information and then make a recommendation.

More on the aftermath of the Hurricane Katrina in just a moment. First, other stories happening right "Now in the News": For example, at least one American soldier died today in a roadside bombing in Iraq. He died during a pre-dawn patrol in Samarra, 60 miles north of Baghdad. The assault against the city in western Iraq reportedly has killed about 150 purported insurgents. This is the second time this year that United States and Iraqi forces have tried to clean out Tal Afar.

And the last Israeli soldiers are heading out of Gaza, leaving the narrow seaside strip in control of the Palestinians. Troops lowered the Israeli flag at a ceremony, ending the occupation after 38 years.

The price of gasoline rises again. A national survey published today that shows in the wake of the Hurricane Katrina the cost of a gallon of gas rose to a nationwide average of $3.01.

And the U.S. Geological Survey reports new rumblings at Mt. St. Helens. Small amounts of steam, gases and ash are being reported, but a major eruption is still not expected.

In the meantime a storm of controversy over the response to the catastrophe along the Gulf coast. Did the state of Louisiana ask for help soon enough? Was Washington prepared for a disaster of this magnitude? Carlos Watson, back with his "Fresh Take". Straight ahead.

ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Allan Chernoff in Biloxi where out of towners are banding together to bring this town back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Just a short time ago, the president arrived in New Orleans via Air Force One, and then he took a helicopter to a military ship that is docked on the Mississippi River. The president, on his third trip to the hurricane zone, just as a couple polls came out by "Time" magazine and "Newsweek". "Newsweek" having him at only a 38 percent job approval rating in the wake of this hurricane disaster.

The president, there, standing next to the mayor of New Orleans, in the yellow polo shirt there. Shaking hands with military officials. There, standing next to the president the man who is going to be taking the help of the recovery efforts, as Mike Brown was sent back to Washington.

The president gets a briefing in the morning by his top military commanders on the ground as to how the recovery and relief operation is going. As the Coast Guard continues and the National Guard, military folks continue to recover bodies out of homes. The president now about to take pictures with the crew of the USS Iwo Jima.

As I was talking about the job approval ratings, our CNN Bob Franken is reporting on what the president is trying to accomplish with this trip and the week ahead.

What's at stake?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): While President Bush led the nation in pausing to remember the disaster four years ago -- his focus now is the one that hit two weeks ago. The president left the White House for an overnight trip to the Gulf region so devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Emotions still run high.

SEN. MARY LANDRIEU (D), LOUISIANA: I'm not here to blame anyone. But I'm also here to tell the federal government, and the operatives from the White House, over my dead body will you put the blame on mayors, city council members, Republicans or Democrats, local elected officials, when the White House and the Washington bureaucracy, and maybe I'm part of that, failed to give them the resources they need.

FRANKEN: State and local officials have received a lot of blame. Like the New Orleans mayor, for instance, for not using available buses to evacuate people who did not have their own transportation.

MAYOR RAY NAGIN, NEW ORLEANS: Sure there were lots of buses out there. But guess what? You can't find drivers that would stay behind with a Category 5 hurricane pending down on New Orleans. We barely got enough drivers to move people on Saturday and Sunday to move them to the Superdome.

FRANKEN: New polls show the president gets much of the blame. His approval ratings are the lowest of his administration. But those same polls spread the blame to those at all levels of government, even as the president and his supporters decry the so-called blame game. SEN. DAVID VITTER (R), LOUISIANA: I just wish folks in Washington would get with it and get real and focus on the challenge at hand, and stop this from becoming a political football.

FRANKEN (on camera): There is a widespread feeling that the stakes are very high as officials try to restore not only the area ravaged by Hurricane Katrina, but the president's credibility, too. Bob Franken, CNN, the White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: All right. So let's get a "Fresh Take" on the response to the hurricane. CNN Political Analyst Carlos Watson in Washington -- excuse me, not in Washington, but it will feel like it as we talk -- in New York tonight.

CARLOS WATSON, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: Hi, Carol.

LIN: Carlos, we are talking about the president's job ratings. Take a look at what "Time" and "Newsweek" came up with it. I mean, "Time" magazine has the president's approval rating standing at 42 percent. "Newsweek" has him under 40 percent, at 38 percent, this is the lowest the president's ranking in the history of that magazine's poll.

What does the president do?

WATSON: Carol, there's a bigger deal here. Because behind those numbers what you are not seeing is that the president has remained consistently lowly rated, frankly, by Democrats in the 12 percent.

But what is starting to worry them, the reason they took the action on Michael Brown, was not only the substantive need for someone with more ability to manage the crisis but frankly the political need. He saw a double digit drop in his support among republicans. Going last year, for example, from about 92 percent down to 82 percent.

And among Independents an even steeper drop from about 46 percent, in a poll a year ago, to 32 percent. So all of that said that a move had to be made that signaled that he was moving in a different direction.

Frankly, beyond that, the only issue to think about in a major way is what happens as he goes forward in the next two to three weeks. Is he able to not only stop the erosion, but also start to see his numbers improve.

LIN: Right, but doesn't it look like he's taking a cheap shot at his FEMA director by sending Mike Brown back to Washington and put a military commander in charge of the recovery operations?

WATSON: You know what, apparently -- it's clear -- it must have been clear from the White House polls that the numbers were bad enough, that even Republicans were looking for some sort of change, some sort of accountability to be made and weren't clearly going to stand behind the president. So, I don't think he's going to lose much among Republicans for making that Michael Brown change.

LIN: But a different poll, frankly, pretty disturbing. I mean,it seems like this issue cuts right down racial lines. You look, once again, at a poll by "Newsweek" magazine; 65 percent of minorities believe that race was a factor in slow government response. And 64 percent of whites say that race was not. How is this likely to influence the 2006 election coming up or even 2008?

WATSON: Well, Carol, in some ways you are not surprised, because you oftent see racial divides. But when you talk to people informally, whether in barber shops or churches, or restaurants, you certainly appreciate that at least among African-Americans, the intensity of the feeling, about the Bush administration response -- judged as a slow response, and obviously racially tinged response, given that poll -- is one that reminds you of a Rodney King moment. Where people say, it not just about politics but how I'm thought about as a person.

So, you end up wondering whether or not there will be a larger ramification. Certainly, you see churches mobilizing, not only to help out the evacuees, but also frankly, to register people to vote. You started to see that this weekend in Baltimore, New York and other places.

The other thing you may begin to see, is you may begin to see more candidates highlight this issue much in the way that a lot of females candidates pointed out the Clarence Thomas hearings in 1992, the hearings that happened a year earlier. That turned into a major victory.

You certainly saw in California, in the mid-'90s, a number of Latinos pointing to how Republicans dealt with immigration. That ultimately lead to California no longer being a swing state but becoming solidly Democratic. There could be big political ramifications coming out of this, depending how the president's job -- not just recovery, but rebuilding is interpreted.

LIN: But since we're talking about real people on the ground, I mean, almost 400,000 people now left homeless. What changes for them? I mean, what can the Bush administration or Congress do right here and now? What needs to change, what needs to happen?

WATSON: Well, certainly you are going to hear about a lot of things. We hear a lot about jobs. Health care is something we need to hear more about. We heard former vice presidential candidate John Edwards today talk about something that you and I have talked about earlier, which is the issue of predatory lending for a lot of people who are on the ground.

Even when they get money, or if they need loans to try and rebuild their homes, etc cetera, will they get charged unnatural rates. All of those kinds of basic services are ultimately going to need to be delivered.

The other issue that is fairly significant for a lot of people, Carol, though, is when will New Orleans really get up speed, such that it makes sense to bring your kids back, and other sorts of things. That kind of uncertainty will lead to additional issues for local and state government.

LIN: All right, Carlos Watson, thanks so much. Getting us back on track with our "Fresh Take.

WATSON: Thanks, Carol.

LIN: You, too.

All right. In the meantime, people in Biloxi, Mississippi paused for church services today and then returned to the tedious task of cleaning up from Hurricane Katrina. Emergency workers from across the country are coming by the truckload to Biloxi to help in the recovery effort. CNN's Allan Chernoff is live in Biloxi.

Allan, good to see all those hardworking souls at work.

CHERNOFF: Carol, you are looking at a Missouri command unit here in Mississippi. Seems a little strange, but not if you look all around this town, because we have got states, counties, and cities from around the nation joining in to help this town in its time of need.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHERNOFF (voice over): They came from across America, from Nevada and Illinois, and at last count, 26 other states. They began arriving one day after the storm, all offering help to Biloxi, Mississippi.

DOUGLAS AUGUSTA, ATLANTA, GEORGIA FIREFIGHTER: We knew things were so catastrophic here and we knew that the people in Biloxi needed help. So, we volunteered to come here.

CHERNOFF: There are 60 Indiana state troopers in the city Biloxi alone. And dozens from Florida. Salaries and equipment paid for by their home states. The extra law enforcement presence has help local authorities make 31 arrests for looting. It's a huge assist to Biloxi's officers, many of whom are dealing with the loss of their own homes.

BOB BLOOMBERG, POLICE CAPTAIN, MISSOURI: Hopefully, coming down here, we can give those officers some relief, let them attend to personal business. Try to get their lives back.

CHERNOFF (on camera): Katrina took a heavy toll on Biloxi's fleet of police vehicles. All of these cars were flooded. This one got hit by a tree. And 18 vehicles in all totaled, on top of three fire trucks and 41 public works vehicles.

(On camera): So, dozens of cities and counties are lending their vehicles to Biloxi.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The people are giving us vehicles, other cities, say, here, take this, and use it until you get through. We're just so thankful for the all the help that we're getting from all over. CHERNOFF: There may be complaints that the federal government was slow to respond. But no one in the city of Biloxi has anything but thanks for the help from other cities and states.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHERNOFF: That's why in this time of crises the people of Biloxi truly believe these are the United States of America -- Carol?

LIN: What a great story, Allan. You know, the president is going to be visiting Biloxi, Mississippi tomorrow afternoon.

Give us an idea of what he's going to see. Do you think that this spirit of cooperation and people coming together is pretty uniform across region?

CHERNOFF: There certainly is a tremendous amount of cooperation up and down the Gulf Coast. There's no question about it. People, as we said in our package, from all around have been coming down to help. We talked about the police officers, the firefighters, but there are volunteers here by the hundreds. Cooking meals, giving out meals, just helping people, any way they possibly can.

It really has been quite impressive. And, of course, can you see right behind me, just very typical of the devastation here. Anybody who walks down one city block here can see this town really needs help that is true for towns up and down the coast.

LIN: The president will be seeing for himself. At least it is dry land behind you, Allan. We count our blessings for small things these days. Thanks very much. Allan Chernoff, reporting live in Biloxi, Mississippi.

When CNN LIVE SUNDAY continues, in the middle of the storm, their hands were tied. Biloxi 911 operators heard the pleas for assistance, but all they could do was offer a comforting voice.

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LIN: And now the 911 operators in Biloxi, Mississippi. They were taking calls from the people during Hurricane Katrina, able to hear the cries for help, but unable to do anything but listen. Ted Rowlands has their story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Biloxi Police and Fire.

TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: When the hurricane came ashore, 911 dispatchers in Biloxi, Mississippi had been moved to the city's storm proof operation center. They were ready for a long night, but had no idea what they were about to go through.

DESIREE DUFRENE, 911 DISPATCHER: The calls kept getting worse and they kept getting more serious. With people actually starting to die and starting to drown in their own homes. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Your house is under water?

ROWLANDS: At the height of the storm, police and fire crews were pulled off the street. It was simply too dangerous for anybody to be out.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just get to the safest part of the house, sir.

ROWLANDS: Unable to send help, dispatchers tried to get people to save themselves.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They need to get as high as they can, OK. But I mean, you know, just right now we can't get out.

HEATHER GRAF, 911 DISPATCHER: And then you get the same people calling back over and over, and they keep saying the water's rising, the water's rising.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You need to do what you need to do to save your life.

DUFRENE: Well, they were begging for their lives. They were saying, you have to come get me out of my house. I have children, I'm elderly, you have to come get us. We're drowning.

ROWLANDS: At one point a dispatcher had to explain to a caller that it was even too dangerous for police boats.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We can't ma'am...we were in a boat and the wind gusts and the waves got too much for our boat, to put our officers in danger and we're taking addresses and as soon as it calms down a little bit we're gonna try to get back out. We have about 60 homes that people stayed in.

ROWLANDS: Dispatchers say the most difficult calls came from children.

GRAF: There was a couple of children that called that, you hear the mom in the background just screaming.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you only 12? Where's your parents?

ROWLANDS: It got so bad, according to dispatchers that some people knew they were going to die and ask that the dispatchers contact their loved ones.

DUFRENE: They were giving us their next of kin. They were telling us, you know, call this, call my family. This is my mother, this is my father, this is my aunt or uncle. You need to tell them that I said good-bye.

GRAF: There was no help we could send them. We didn't have anything. That's -- the toughest thing we have to live with you. You feel like it's your fault. What could you have done. DUFRENE: Knowing that you're the last person they talked to -- sorry. And I hope their families understand that we tried. And -- we did the best we could.

ROWLANDS: Ted Rowlands, CNN, Biloxi, Mississippi.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Well the New Orleans Saints scored a win today for the thousands of fans devastated Hurricane Katrina; with a 23-20 season opening victory over the Carolina Panthers. Saints players visited several shelters, also this week, talking to displaced Louisiana residents. And everywhere they went they heard the same request. Win a game for us. So, with three seconds left to go, John Carney kicked a game-winning 47-yard, field goal, hopefully bringing some hope and happiness to the people of New Orleans.

All right. What lessons can we learn from Hurricane Katrina? Federal officials were caught off guard when Katrina hit. Four years after 9/11 are we still vulnerable? Those questions answered in a "CNN Security Watch" special at the top of the hour.

At 8:00 Eastern, "CNN Presents: Twists of Fate", stories of 9/11. Five different stories of how the terrorist attacks affected their lives.

At 9 o'clock Eastern, "Larry King Weekend", and Larry's guest tonight is the Dali Lama, on coping in the aftermath of Katrina. And he is taking your calls live.

I'll be back at 10 o'clock Eastern, tonight, with a close look at the federal government's responses to pleas for help from Louisiana's governor. The hour's headlines, when I come back.

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