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CNN Live Today

President Bush's Speech to Victims; Clean-up in New Orleans; North Carolina Surveys Damage from Hurricane Ophelia; Search for Missing Children Continues in Gulf Coast

Aired September 16, 2005 - 10:00   ET

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

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
And those pictures are so very important. It's definitely a service to be putting those out there and something we're very proud of.

Thank you, Soledad.

A lot to tell you about today. It is 10:00 a.m. in Atlanta, 7:00 a.m. on the west coast. Good morning, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen in for Daryn Kagan.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: All who question the future of the Crescent City need to know, there is no way to imagine America without New Orleans. And this great city will rise again.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: President Bush vows to rebuild the Gulf region devastated by Hurricane Katrina, and he calls on all Americans to help. The president looked ahead to the massive reconstruction project in his speech last night. This morning, he is remembering the victims of Hurricane Katrina. He'll attend a national prayer service next hour at Washington's National Cathedral. CNN White House Correspondent Dana Bash has more on the president's message of hope.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): Not only did the president take responsibility for inadequate government response to Katrina, he conceded he failed his own test.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Four years after the frightening experience of September the 11th, Americans have every right to expect a more effective response in a time of emergency. When the federal government fails to meet such an obligation, I, as president, am responsible for the problem and for the solution.

BASH: That stunning statement in a relatively pristine french quarter of an otherwise devastated New Orleans, part of his first formal address in attempt to regain American's confidence. He learned a lesson from the ill-coordinated government response. BUSH: It is now clear that a challenge on this scale requires greater federal authority and a broader role for the armed forces.

BASH: Mr. Bush struck a hopeful tone, promising that government will pay for what he called one of the largest reconstruction efforts the world has ever seen.

BUSH: We will do what it takes. We will stay as long as it takes to help citizens rebuild their communities and their lives.

BASH: No new price tag but the president asked Congress to pass several new initiatives, including a Gulf Opportunity Zone, tax relief for small business, worker recovery accounts, up to $5,000 for training, education and child care for Katrina victims looking for jobs. An urban homesteading act to help lower income victims rebuild.

The chief White House goal of this speech? To turn around the perception the president was initially detached from the tragedy. He delivered his own instructions for families trying to reunite.

BUSH: Please call this number, 1-877-568-3317. That's 1-877- 568-3317. And we will work to bring your family back together.

BASH: And tried to move past allegations from some that race played a role in the slow response. BUSH: Poverty has rooting in the history of racial discrimination which cut off generations from the opportunity of America. We have a duty to confront this poverty with bold action.

BASH: The president set a goal of mid October to get evacuees out of shelters and ordered the Department of Homeland Security to review emergency plans for all major American cities.

Dana Bash, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: Most New Orleansans watched the president's speech from outside the Crescent City. But for those who have remained, the reaction to the president's pledges were positive. CNN's Sean Callebs is in New Orleans this morning.

And, Sean, does this positive reaction stem from just the resolve to rebuild?

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, I think so. But in terms of getting a whole lot of reaction out of the city, there's not entirely a lot. A, there's not much power and, b, there's only about 10,000 people in the city. But certainly those who are from this area are now in other areas it certainly is good news. The mayor has indicated he wants to get this city open for business soon.

We're in a part, however, that really hasn't even been touched by emergency crews, by clean-up crews. We are in the northern portion of New Orleans, right at Lake Pontchartrain. And you can see this marina is just littered, littered with scores of pleasure craft. And, think about it. Louisiana bills itself as a sportsman paradise. Well, it's going to take some time to bring paradise back to life.

Crews are getting out here today. If you see that marina back there, we were told at the height of the flood, after Hurricane Katrina came through, the water was up at those beams. So really incredibly swamped area.

And joining us now, one guy who's going to have an awful lot of work in the coming days and weeks, probably months ahead, Dave Guilford with Marine Recovery and Salvage.

Dave, firstly, how many boats are out here? You had a chance to come out and scope it out before you began work today.

DAVE GUILFORD, MARINE RECOVERY AND SALVAGE: By my count, there's probably 150 to 200 here in the parking lot area. They all washed up here, except for those that are at the bottom in the water.

CALLEBS: And it's more than just an issue for sportsmen to get out, pleasure craft. You say there's a safety issue out here right now.

GUILFORD: Well, sure. I mean you can't have 100 boats sitting in a parking lot with rigging and fuel tanks and septic tanks and so on and so forth with people, you know, coming in. You got to get them out of here.

CALLEBS: The big question, how long is it going to take you guys to get this cleaned up?

GUILFORD: We're on it now. We're going to be working around the clock. We're going to have it done quicker than you think.

CALLEBS: Pretty amazing.

Now you had a chance to watch the president's speech last night. You were very bolstered by what you heard. But you had an interesting take on it too, that this area is pretty proud of taking care of its own.

GUILFORD: Well, yeah, we're very family oriented down here and it's a very tight community. New Orleans I know it looks like a big city on TV, but it's actually a pretty small town and we take care of our own and this isn't going to be any different. It's going to be a pretty local effort.

CALLEBS: Well, good luck to you, Dave. And one interesting thing, too. This boat over here. You were on that one just a couple of months ago down in Mexico.

GUILFORD: Yes.

CALLEBS: So this isn't just work for you. You know these people.

GUILFORD: I do. I know a lot of the people that own these boats in here. I've done my best to contact those that I reach and let them know where they're at. But, yeah, we know them. This is our family.

CALLEBS: If you're watching now, we're going to be busy.

GUILFORD: Yes.

CALLEBS: OK. Thanks a lot, Dave, I appreciate it.

Also the major said he wants to open basically four sections of town four sections of the city in the coming next 10 days, including the french quarter which is scheduled to be open a week from Monday. Bring in about 180,000 people into what is now a very crowded area with emergency crews but still the mayor says he wants to breathe life back into this city. It's a very important time.

Betty, back to you.

NGUYEN: And that's so important. Hopefully David is right, that this recovery process will go faster than you think. We're all hoping for that.

Thank you, Sean.

In other parts of the Gulf Coast, many people are welcoming President Bush's promise of help. They're just not exactly sure how that help will come to them. CNN's Allan Chernoff is in Biloxi, Mississippi.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): The president last night said the streets of Biloxi and Gulfport once again will be lined with lovely homes. But for the people who lost their homes, lost everything, they're wondering exactly how is that going to happen now, especially after their insurance agents have been saying that the damage here may not be covered because they're saying it was caused by a flood, not a hurricane, and many of these people did not specifically have flood insurance. They may be looking to the federal government for a bailout and the president did not offer that promise last night.

On the economic front, though, the president did talk about an incentive zone in this area to help businesses and up to $5,000 per person to help find a job. So the president certainly did provide hope to this community that is still facing many questions about the future.

Allan Chernoff, CNN, Biloxi, Mississippi.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: I want you to take a look at this. Flooded streets on North Carolina's outer banks after Hurricane Ophelia's three-day soaking. Now Tropical Storm Ophelia is moving away from the North Carolina coast. The eye of the storm never made landfall, but Ophelia still inflicted heavy damage in some areas. CNN's Rob Marciano is in Salter Path, North Carolina. And, Rob, are you surprised at the damage considering Ophelia never made official landfall?

ROB MARCIANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Betty. And surprised with a category one storm the damage that you see behind me. And the locals are surprised also. They said that they've had worse hurricanes come right over top of them and haven't seen this sort of damage.

Salter Path, by the way, is a community a fishing community, right smack in the middle of both banks. And that didn't bode well for them. Behind me a couple of areas. Basically these are like fish processing houses. Fishing boats would come right in here, unload their catch. They'd shuck scallops right there and put them off into the front part. Look how cinder block walls completely bashed in from the waves in the storm surge.

Fire that's a fire department helping out here. They came in yesterday right after the storm to take a look at some of these structures to determine which ones were safe to go in, which ones were not. That blue one or what's left of the blue one, not safe.

Continue to pan off towards the west. You see the moorings from what were docks here. That white building with the roof partially torn off, that's a Crab Shack. That's an institution here. Amazing seafood, I'm told. And you can actually eat right on the water. The owner has two shrimp boats that he brings in here. He catches the food himself and then puts it on the table within minutes of bringing it into shore.

And then continue to pan you see how all these docks and moorings completely blown out from this storm surge. Now (INAUDIBLE), as we continue to pan off towards the west, you see a little bit of a ripple from a northwest wind that's blowing today. But for the most, it's a sound. It's a bay. It's calm water.

But the problem here is, there is inlet's on either side of this barrier island. And as the storm surge came in with high tide, the water was forced in here. What compounded the problem was the slow- moving aspect of this storm. Those east winds for days filling up this very narrow inlet of water. And when that water was built up by the storm surge, well, that would have been fine if the storm moved right over but it past to their east. And it turned then the winds turned northerly and all that water in the middle of the sound after the winds turned northerly just slammed into the northern fringe of both banks into this fishing community.

So it's just an unbelievable amount of damage for a category one storm. But a number of circumstances took place in order for it to happen here. It's you know, I'd like to say this is isolated but actually up and down both banks we're seeing similar amounts of destruction. It just so happens that this is the fishing community where most of the piers and the buildings are right on the water, Betty.

So didn't even make landfall. It was only a category one. A hurricane's a hurricane. At some point, you're going to find some water damage. And what we saw in New Orleans, in Gulfport and Biloxi, the water does all the damage. The storm surge and the tides and the winds pound that water into areas like this and just create all sorts of destruction and we're seeing it here with a category one storm. Unbelievable, Betty.

That's the latest from here.

NGUYEN: Yes, it's just so surprising with, as you mentioned, a category one that never made landfall.

Rob, Chad Myers, obviously, has been watching this. He joins us now and has a question for you.

CHAD MYERS, METEOROLOGIST: Rob, I know exactly where you're standing because I was there last year for Alex. Now, have you been on the other side of the bridge? Is there any damage in Morehead City when the wind was blowing from the south?

MARCIANO: We haven't been over there to analyze the situation. Although, I'll tell you this, the power barely went down over there. So the officials that have hold us you know how we were concerned about the rivers, the Neuse River, the Pamlico River being filled up with water and serious surge going there. From what I've been told, not as bad as Hurricane Isabel which came on shore two years ago as a cat two. So it looks like, because Bocsound's (ph) so narrow and all that water got fished in here from that persistent east wind, it almost had nowhere to go but up and then in and that's what happened here.

MYERS: Well, Rob, the thing is, you had 25 hours of wind blowing one way, then all of a sudden the wind changes direction and the water tries to get out all at the same time when it took 25 hours to get in there, right?

MARCIANO: And I tell you what, the winds were strongest when we went off the air two nights ago at midnight, and those winds turned northerly, that's when it was really ripping through here. Not so much the east and on shore winds. It was when its winds turned northerly. So after experiencing that and not being able to sleep that night because the winds were so strong, it doesn't surprise me to see this sort of damage I suppose.

Chad.

MYERS: Yes, I know the feeling. When the producers say, go home go back to the hotel and get some sleep and the wind's blowing 80 and your hotel is shaking, like you're really going to sleep. But, hey, great reporting out there, bud. Thank you very much.

The storm is moving away from you now. It is moving to the north at about 10 miles per hour. You can begin to see the big flare-up as it's just churning in the Atlantic Ocean. And it is moving to the north-northeast.

Now, this motion is of some concern to people in New England. Look at this. This is Tuesday, September 6th. This is when tropical depression number 16 formed. And then it moved up to the north, did a loop, became a tropical storm, got a name, tried to move out to the east. High pressure said, no, wait.

Then it finally moved back into North Carolina. It was here yesterday. And by tomorrow, we've zoomed all of the way up. This is Plymouth, Massachusetts. Remember, you know, the pilgrims? Plymouth, Mass, all the way through Cape Cod, back to Point Judith.

This right here, a tropical storm watch. I expect this will even be upgraded to a tropical storm warning because look how close the line of Ophelia gets and then right over Halifax, Nova Scotia, with winds at 60 miles per hour. Could really see storm surge there. I mean, this is the Bay of Fundy right here. This is one of the areas of the world that has some of the highest tidal surges on a regular day. Sometimes 40 feet from low tide to high tide just on a regular afternoon.

Here's the latest pictures, though. The latest Ophelia's radar. We are still seeing the storm offshore. Eventually it's going to get too far offshore for our radars to pick it up. But right now we still have it there.

Back to you, Betty.

NGUYEN: It is far from over. We'll be watching. Thank you, Chad.

MYERS: You're welcome.

NGUYEN: Checking stories "Now in the News."

Ten Iraqis were killed today in a suicide attack outside a Shiite mosque north of Baghdad. Twenty-one others were wounded in that attack. An Iraqi army officer says his troops were able to capture another suspected suicide bomber who was targeting that same mosque.

Chief Justice Nominee John Roberts is likely welcoming a day away from Capitol Hill today. The Senate Judicial Committee wrapped up its three days of questioning yesterday and Roberts skillfully side- stepped his personal views on abortion and assisted suicide. The committee is expected to vote next week and the full Senate the week after.

Well, there's more good news for motorists today. AAA reports that the average price of a gallon of regular gas has dropped. It's just under $2.89 a gallon. That's about three cents from yesterday. Three cents below yesterday. And it's down about 17 cents a gallon from its all-time high. The Lundburg survey reports many refineries damaged by Hurricane Katrina are now back up and running.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is set to announce his re-election plans today in San Diego. He has been dropping numerous hints that he will, indeed, seek a second term in office. That announcement of the 2006 bid comes as Republicans gather for a state party convention and amid rising Democratic opposition to several ballot initiatives.

Well, they had one task at hand, trying to house thousands of Katrina victims. But was such a task a mission impossible? We will go inside the operation.

Plus, there are no welcoming signs in Slidell, Louisiana. Find out why this city is having such a hard time getting the relief it needs.

And Katrina's kids, children still separated from their parents. How Mrs. Bush plans to help reunite them.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Well last night President Bush said the U.S. military will take a more forceful role in future disasters, but it took more than just the military to coordinate a massive effort to house tens of thousands of evacuees at the Houston Astrodome. I met that team when I was in Houston earlier this week.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LT. JOE LEONARD, U.S. COAST GUARD: I want to know how things are flowing over there because I know they had some problems yesterday.

NGUYEN, (voice over): Whatever today's problem is, it doesn't even compare to what the people in this room faced when Katrina slammed ashore. The mission, find shelter for tens of thousands and do it in less than 24 hours.

LEONARD: If somebody told me two weeks ago, you're going to be running the largest shelter in U.S. history, I would have said they're nuts.

Do you think we'll have a resolution on that today?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I hope so.

NGUYEN: But Lieutenant Joe Leonard of the Coast Guard, and his team of federal, state and local officials, refused to believe this was mission impossible. In a matter of hours, they had shelter, showers and food for desperate hurricane survivors who fled to Houston for help.

A lot of people say the reason why this works is, of course, there is a team effort, but a main part of that is you and the role that you're playing in all of this.

LEONARD: I appreciate that. I am part of a team here. This is not a one-man show. Anyone who thinks this is a one-man show is crazy. And if they want to try it, they're more than welcome to come down here and try to run this by yourself.

RICK FLANAGAN (ph), HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT: You know the purpose of why we're here. NGUYEN: At his side are the other two men leading this effort of epic proportion. Rick Flanagan, assistant chief of the Houston Fire Department, and Bob Royal (ph), chief of the Houston Fire Marshall's Hazardous Materials Team. For him, this mission hits close to home.

BOB ROYAL, HOUSTON FIRE MARSHALL: We have extended family that's lost their me and Ralph, have extended family that's lost their home in Slidell, Louisiana.

NGUYEN: With the need so great, Lieutenant Leonard's own father, who's faced some 35 disaster in his lifetime with the military and the Red Cross, is back on the front lines.

Are you giving him any advice?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not at all.

NGUYEN: Not at all?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not at all. I'm just helping out.

LEONARD: I invited him down because of his knowledge and skills. I have never run a shelter in my life.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But the important thing is . . .

NGUYEN: Whatever's happening in this room is working.

LEONARD: If we're not able to get everybody out, we should be able to move them all down here by the end of the week.

NGUYEN: The goal, get all of the evacuees out of the four main shelter in Houston and into homes by the weekend.

LEONARD: We're trying to do the best we can to get ourselves fired.

NGUYEN: Representatives from New Orleans traveled with Louisiana's governor on this trip to thank Houston for its hospitality.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart because you all have been so great to us.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I do want you to know that . . .

NGUYEN: When something remarkable happened.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In that time that you hear, that's our counsel president, Oliver Tumous (ph), who's just gotten an opportunity to see his wife and his daughter. So just bear with us a minute.

OLIVER TUMOUS: I said I wasn't going to cry (INAUDIBLE).

NGUYEN: And that brought tears to the men who did the unmanageable. Together they reunited families and changed lives, including their own.

LEONARD: That was something. That's the first time I've actually seen a reunion.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That was great.

LEONARD: That made this all worthwhile.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: It sure did. And it proves that it's more than just providing shelter and food, it's also about reuniting families, which is so important in all of this.

Speaking of, almost 2,000 missing children lost in Katrina's deadly wake. Now you can help reunite them with their loved ones. Want to tune in all weekend to see their pictures and help Katrina's tiniest victims find their way home. Our special coverage begins tomorrow morning, 7:00 Eastern, only on CNN.

Police in Virginia have issued an Amber Alert for a missing college student. Taylor Marie Bell (ph) is a freshman at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. Police say she was last seen leaving her dormitory the night of September 5th. The case of the 17- year-old has shifted from a missing persons case to a criminal investigation though police are not saying why. Bell is described as being 5'6", 135 pounds and light brown hair with brown eyes and piercings in her ears and nose.

Still to come this hour, New Orleans may be ready to welcome people back, but one other Louisiana city is still taking baby steps to recovery. The mayor of Slidell gives FEMA a piece of his mind.

Plus, Gerri Willis joins us with a piece of advice that could help the residents of Slidell.

Hi, Gerri.

GERRI WILLIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi there, Betty. Good to see you.

If you're get no help, we've got ideas to get what you need. Five tips is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Hurricane Katrina has left U.S. taxpayers facing a tab of some $200 billion. The most expense relief and rebuilding project in U.S. history. In today's "Top Five Tips," CNN Personal Finance Editor Gerri Willis looks at some of the safety nets the government and you are providing.

Let's start with the first one. Where's the first place people should turn for relief?

WILLIS: Hey, Betty. Good to see you. You should think about FEMA first. They give away thousands of dollars in grants to do everything from repair your home to help you find temporary housing. You want to call this number, 1-800-621-3362. They can help you live rent-free for a fixed period of time. You can apply for long-term housing costs. This is a resource that people should really take advantage of.

NGUYEN: Gerri, your next tip mentions the Small Business Association. Now, will this help people who don't own small businesses?

WILLIS: Yes. Let me just correct a little bit. It's Small Business administration. The SBA gives out low-cost loans, not just to businesses, but to individuals, people who have big losses. Typically the rule of thumb has been that you can apply for a loan of up to $200,000 for $40,000 worth of damage on your home. But that number may actually change. This is a great place to go if you're having trouble. They're on the web. And I just can't urge people enough to go out there and tap what you can for relief at this point.

NGUYEN: Because it's out there, it's just a matter of getting in the system and getting that relief.

You know, speaking of getting in the system, what about unemployment?

WILLIS: Well, the good news here is that if your job has been ended, suspended because of Hurricane Katrina, you can apply for unemployment benefits. And even if you haven't worked in a year, you can still get some jobless money by going to the Department of Labor. They have something they call the Disaster Unemployment Assistance Program. You can apply to them. There are also one-stop career centers that will help you apply for this aid. In public areas, for example, in Houston Astrodome there, they have one of these career centers.

NGUYEN: You know, Gerri, I was down in Houston earlier this week and there, unfortunately, were some people who are running scams, talking about how this aid is out there but if you go through me, I can help you get it for a fee. So with so much available and folks really not knowing how to navigate the system, is there legal help out there?

WILLIS: There is indeed. The American Bar Association is offering free, yes I said free, legal help. You can call 1-800-354- 6154. Now, this means that you can get some assistance in say negotiating your settlement with the insurance company. Whatever it is you need, they're there to help and they're doing it pro bono right now because they just want to help out in this very difficult period.

NGUYEN: Also, let's talk about taxes for a minute. Are evacuees, survivors, going to get a break from the IRS?

WILLIS: Well, there are a couple breaks people are going to get. And this is critical. Because remember, some people have not filed 2004 taxes. If that's the case for you, understand that this deadline has been extended to January 2006. So you've got a little breathing room here. Also understand that you can deduct losses that your insurer doesn't reimburse for on this tax year if you want, on the filing for this tax year.

So there's a little help out there from the IRS. You just have to know how to use it. And Betty, for more information on disaster relief, you're going to have to watch us, 9:30 a.m. Eastern Saturday, only on CNN "OPEN HOUSE".

NGUYEN: And so important. Thanks for the information. Very good information to get out there. Gerri Willis.

WILLIS: Thank you.

NGUYEN: The relief is just not coming fast enough for the mayor of one devastated Gulf Coast town.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am so pissed off about it that I can't see straight.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: What's being done to help the residents of Slidell, Louisiana?

Plus, children of the storm. Look at all of these faces. An update on efforts to put youngsters back in the arms of their parents.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: We're coming up on the half hour. Want you to take a look at this. You see Karen Hughes. Also there, Tom DeLay, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and the president. This is all in part with the national day of prayer, which will be taking place today. A service at the National Cathedral in Washington. This prayer will be for the leadership, the communities and for the nation. A sermon will be given by bishop T.D. Jakes of Dallas. And when that happens at the top of the hour, we're going to bring it to you live.

Also today, on this morning after President Bush addressed the nation, his wife is confronting what may be the most heartwrenching cruelty of the storm. Last hour, Laura Bush focused on the children separated from their families and desperately waiting to be claimed.

CNN's Brian Todd is at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in Alexandria, Virginia. Brian, what kind of progress is being made to reunite these children with their parents?

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: There's a great deal of progress being made, Betty. These dozens of volunteers have been here 16 hours a day, almost around the clock, tracking missing children. So far more than 700 cases have been resolved, where kids have been reunited with their parents or caretakers. Now, just last hour, as you mentioned, Mrs. Bush was in here, thanking these volunteers. She toured the facility. She asked some of the volunteers here how the calls were processed, what they do with the calls, where they send them, how they get the information to the teams on the ground. Then she took some questions from reporters.

And during that time I asked her if she thought that the slow federal response in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the confusion on the ground might have contributed to the more than 2,000 children still listed as missing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LAURA BUSH, FIRST LADY OF THE UNITED STATES: I don't know about that. This -- you know, certainly there are certain -- maybe it could have, but also when you think of the scope of a he disaster this size, this huge, the clean-up area is the size of England. And to imagine families in this sort of disaster, it's very -- when you think about taking your own child to the grocery store and getting separated from them in the grocery store, you can imagine what it would be like in a situation like this. But it's also a really good reminder to all of us to have a plan with your family, in case there's ever any sort of natural disaster.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

TODD: Now, as far as that plan for the family, the first lady said a couple times that parents should stress to their children no matter how young the children are that in the event of a natural disaster or something like it, the children should know their name, they should know their parents' names and they should know their addresses. She said that a couple of times. Clearly, that's a theme that she wants to hit on.

We're going to show you one of those children who's missing right now. His name is Ace Martinez. He is nine months old. Last known to be with his caretakers in Covington, Louisiana. Ace Martinez, not seen since the hurricane hit.

And the officials here are asking you if you have any information on Ace or any of the other, as we said, more than 2,000 children listed as missing, to call this number. It is 1-888-544-5475. That is the Katrina Missing Persons Hotline. You can also go to www.missingkids.com for more information on these cases. And Betty, they will be here for the indefinite future.

NGUYEN: Yes, until they reunite these children with their families. I have to ask you, though, Brian, about the registries at the shelters across the nation, the Red Cross registry. Because I've spoken with so many families, especially outside the Astrodome in Houston, where they're on the system, they just can't find their children. So how are those registries hooking up so that children can be reunited with their parents?

TODD: Well, the officials here at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children are cross-referencing their information with the information some of these other agencies are getting. But they admit here that there is so much confusion still on the ground, in Houston and in other places, that it is very hard to get an accurate tally of the number of children missing.

And it is hard to keep track of them even once you do have them in the registry, because people are moving around from shelter to shelter, from state to state. There is still a lot of movement on the ground. And so these numbers are going to be adjusted up and down as they catch up to them.

NGUYEN: You bring up a very good point, because so many people did mention they found their loved ones in the registry, but physically, they can't find them at that particular shelter they're registered in. So that's a very good point. A lot of information that needs to be shared and shared quickly.

Brian Todd, thank you.

And this programming note. All this weekend, all weekend long, CNN will focus on the missing children of Katrina. Beginning tomorrow morning at 7:00 Eastern, we will show you photos and share the stories of some of the 2,000 children desperately hoping to find their families.

Well, New Orleans, Biloxi, Gulfport, those are some of the cities at least partially erased by Hurricane Katrina. But they aren't the only ones.

CNN's Jason Carroll is in Slidell, Louisiana, a city where anger is building because the recovery efforts are not.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is what much of Slidell, Louisiana looks like. Eighty percent of homes in the city east of New Orleans are damaged or destroyed; half of the city's 30,000 residents now homeless. Hundreds lined up Thursday for food stamps.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The Slidell area is one of the hardest hit areas over here.

CARROLL: So much devastation and yet, many here say they are being ignored by the agency that is supposed to help, FEMA.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They turned our case over three times. I had to keep registering.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The help line is not up. All I want to know is, where's a house to live? What can I do?

CARROLL: The city's mayor, Ben Morris, just as angry.

MAYOR BEN MORRIS, SLIDELL, LOUISIANA: I am so pissed off about it that I can't see straight. CARROLL: Morris says his anger comes from FEMA's broken promises. Like when the agency assured him trailers would be sent to house Slidell's homeless.

(on camera): What's happened with that request?

MORRIS: Gone.

CARROLL: What do you mean, "gone"?

MORRIS: Nothing's happened.

CARROLL: What do you mean, nothing has happened?

MORRIS: Nothing has happened.

CARROLL (voice-over): FEMA has released a statement, saying, "We have contact with the mayor and know he's frustrated. We wish we could have met all their needs already, but these things take considerable time and effort."

Perhaps, the mayor says, there would be more effort if they saw for themselves jut how bad things are here.

(on camera): From the air you really get a better sense of the devastation that the mayor was talking about. When you look down there, it is literally destruction just as far as the eye can see.

MORRIS: This is the greatest catastrophe that has occurred -- natural disaster -- that has ever occurred in the United States. And we're right in the middle of it. And what we're saying, All right, guys, get out of your hotel rooms, come down here, sleep in your car, sleep in a tent, sleep on the floor with us. And give us some help.

CARROLL: He says Slidell has waited long enough.

Jason Carroll, CNN, Slidell, Louisiana.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: Well, one of the most prominent private fundraising efforts has been the one headed by former presidents Bush and Clinton. It's already topped $100 million. But in a one-on-one interview with CNN's Larry King, Clinton said the government role in dealing with Katrina needs to be scrutinized.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BILL CLINTON, FMR. PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Well, I think the president did the right thing in taking the responsibility. Clearly, the FEMA response was slow. And there are lots of reasons that I think that happened. I believe that there should be some reorganization there.

LARRY KING, CNN ANCHOR: Should FEMA not be part of national security? CLINTON: Well, you know, I'm biased. I liked it the way it was. I think the most important thing is we probably should have some sort of requirement that anybody who has the job has prior experience in emergency management. It's a very serious, important job.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: And you can see the entire interview tonight on CNN's "LARRY KING LIVE. That airs at 9:00 Eastern, 6:00 Pacific, right here on CNN.

Checking stories "Now in the News."

Ten Iraqis were killed today in a suicide attack outside a Shiite mosque north of Baghdad. Twenty-one others were wounded in that attack. An Iraqi Army officer says his troops were able to capture another suspected suicide bomber who was targeting that same mosque.

Chief justice nominee John Roberts is likely welcoming a day away from Capitol Hill today. The Senate Judicial Committee wrapped up its three days of questioning yesterday, and Roberts skillfully sidestepped his personal views on abortion and assisted suicide. The committee is expected to vote next week, and the full Senate, the week after that.

There is more good news for motorists. AAA reports today that the average price of a gallon of regular gas has dropped. It's just under $2.89 a gallon. That's about a three cent drop from yesterday, and it's down about 17 cents a gallon from its all-time high. The Lundberg Survey reports many refineries damaged by Hurricane Katrina are now back up and running.

California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is set to announce his re-election plans today in San Diego. He has been dropping numerous hints that he will, indeed, seek a second term in office. The announcement of a 2006 bid comes as Republicans gather for a state party convention, and amid rising Democratic opposition to several ballot initiatives.

Still to come on CNN LIVE TODAY, no spitballs or funny faces. Find out why these students are treating their new teacher with tremendous love and affection.

But first, the pension safety net is getting weaker. Why the bankruptcies at Delta and Northwest could end up affecting everyone.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

NGUYEN: Want to talk to you about a big project for one Atlanta classroom: Collecting donations for the victims of Katrina. But they never thought they'd be helping to clothe and feed their own school teacher. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BERAK) NGUYEN: Taking a listen to the songs being sung on this National Day of Prayer. The president has made September 16th a national day of prayer and he's asking religious leaders around the country to join him. This is a live look now at the National Cathedral in Washington, where the president himself will be attending this prayer service. He'll also be speaking during it. And the sermon today will be given by Bishop T.D. Jakes from Dallas. When that takes place, we'll be bringing it to you live.

Now to the aftermath of Katrina. A New Orleans teacher is starting over after the hurricane. She has a job in a new state, but her children live an hour and a half away from her. Her friends are scattered farther away and her thoughts keep returning to her home.

CNN's Carol Lin reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CAROL LIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Hundreds of miles away from the only city she's ever known, Terry Baquet is always getting lost.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Bless your heart.

TERRY BAQUET, TEACHER: I'm going to be all right. I'm going to be all right. I'm going to make it.

LIN: It took her two hours to get to work at Sandtown (ph) Middle School, south of Atlanta, where she's starting a new teaching job. She interviewed with the principal wearing the t-shirt and flip- flops she wore escaping the hurricane.

BAQUET: She never thought twice about the way I looked.

LIN (on camera): Because that's all you have?

BAQUET: Yes, well, she walked me through the school.

LIN (voice-over): At the same time, students had started collecting clothes and supplies to donate to hurricane victims. They ended up dressing their new teacher from head to toe.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I brought her some clothes so that she could have something to wear to work.

LIN: Everything Terry has now -- an empty donated house, her clothes, shoes -- were given to her by total strangers. It was a far better situation than when she first arrived, applying for any job she could find.

BAQUET: And was literally begging these managers for a -- which I thought was a wonderful salary, $9 an hour, you know, to work at Blockbuster.

LIN: Wow, and here you are, a certified schoolteacher.

BAQUET: With a master's degree.

LIN: While she looked for work, her children lived apart from her with extended family so they could enroll in a school. She drives an hour and a half after work to see them.

Zachary, 14, is trying to be a good sport with the separation. It hit 16-year-old Kelly much harder. We showed them the latest news footage of out of their old New Orleans neighborhood.

BAQUET: Look at the Taco Bell sign.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's WalGreen's!

BAQUET: Oh, my goodness!

LIN: Terry wonders about her home, the arts and craft bungalow she left behind, and how she's going to pay the mortgage on a ruined house. But there are things money can't buy. Terry's family and friends are scattered over three states.

BAQUET: When somebody calls me from a 504 area code, it's -- I just can't wait to pick up the phone. That's what I miss. I miss my community, I miss my friends.

LIN (on camera): They miss you, too.

BAQUET: I miss my family.

LIN: But Terry doesn't want people to feel sorry for her.

BAQUET: We want people to understand that we are strong people and we can do it, but right now we need so much help.

LIN (voice-over): For Terry, there's so much support from her new job. They will do what they can do help.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And we need to get her a map, so she won't get lost. We need a big map.

LIN: Carol Lin, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: I want to take you now back live to Washington in the National Cathedral, where the national day of prayer is taking place, the service there you're seeing right now. Vice President Dick Cheney and his wife attending that service. Also in attendance will be the president and Mrs. Bush. In fact, President Bush will be speaking at this service. It's a service to remember and honor the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

And as we're watching, we understand the president will be walking into the shot momentarily. There he is. President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush attending this service at the National Cathedral in Washington on what is marked as the national day of prayer. President Bush has made September 16th a national day of prayer and he is urging religious leaders around the country to join him in this national day of prayer.

We're going to take a short break and be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Here's a live look now at the National Cathedral in Washington. Like it did after 9/11, the church is hosting a national prayer service for Hurricane Katrina's dead and displaced. President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush just arrived for this service. We will show you portions of this, this hour, when President Bush will be speaking shortly.

NGUYEN: Want to say good morning to everybody watching today. Welcome to the second hour of CNN LIVE TODAY. I'm Betty Nguyen in Atlanta, sitting in this morning for Daryn Kagan.

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