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CNN Live Today
Holiday Travel; Katrina on Tape; Restoring Art and Hope
Aired December 23, 2005 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's take a look at what's happening "Now in the News."
Long lines at airports, crowded highways. The holiday travel rush is on. According to AAA, more than 63 million Americans are heading somewhere for the holidays. An estimated 8.7 million will be flying. A complete travel wrap-up is just ahead.
In Iraq today, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld announced a reduction in U.S. troop level of two combat brigades. Perhaps 7,000 troops won't rotate into Iraq early next year. Today's announcement means that troop levels will fall below the baseline level of 138,000.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: The conditions here in Iraq have evolved favorably. We've made a decision to reduce our brigades from 17 to 15 and to increase some of our assistance to the training and equipping in -- of the Iraqi security forces.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: Indonesian authorities say they've boosted an alert in place for several weeks warning of terrorist threats against Americans. They say the move is a precaution, not a response to any specific new threat. The State Department has reissued a notice warning that terror attacks have occurred in Indonesia around Christmas and New Year's.
Police believe the thieves who broke into a California art gallery knew exactly what they wanted. Surveillance pictures show them making off with a Chagall lithograph and a linoleum cut by Picasso valued at $88,000. Authorities say the thieves went in with a plan. They were inside the gallery in Palm Desert for less than two minutes.
New Yorkers are trading their sneakers for subway tokens today. The trains and buses are running again after a three-day transit strike. The city's 33,000 mass transit employees agreed to return to work while negotiations on a new contract continue. The transit strike was the first in the city in 25 years.
Good morning. Welcome to CNN LIVE TODAY. Let's check some of the time around the country.
Just after 8:00 a.m. in Los Angeles, and just after 11:00 here in Atlanta. And it's show time at the North Pole, where the elves are doing last-minute chores. Santa making his traditional visit to us here at CNN.
Always makes time to stop by before he heads out on his route. We always appreciate that. It also means we have a lot of kids in the newsroom today. So if you hear something in the background, it's the one day of the year we just kind of let things hang loose.
Hi, Santa.
He'll be out here with us in just a minute.
I'm Daryn Kagan.
Up first, your holiday travel.
Americans by the millions are on the move today. AAA says that holiday travel between now and New Year's could set a record. The Auto Club estimates that more than 63 million Americans will be traveling 50 miles or more.
We're watching the holiday travel rush from New York's LaGuardia to LAX in Los Angeles. And from Denver to Florida, there's a look at the traffic on Interstate 4 near Fairbanks, Florida.
So, about 51 million travelers are expected to drive to their holiday destination. More than eight million are taking to the skies. And that means a lot of activity at the nation's airports.
CNN's Alina Cho joins us for our coverage from New York's LaGuardia airport.
Good morning.
ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, good morning to you.
You know, considering that this is one of the busiest travel days of the year, I have to tell you, at least for now, LaGuardia airport is relatively quiet. Now, there was that morning rush at about 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. It's expected to get busy here again at about 3:00 this afternoon for the evening rush.
Now, holiday travelers do have a couple things going for them this year. Of course, that New York transit strike is over. So they don't have to worry about finding a way to get to the airport.
The weather isn't posing a major problem in this area. So, in turn, there are no reported delays here. And there aren't any reported delays at JFK or Newark either. Those are the two other major New York airports.
Now, but still, the best advice, airport officials say, is to call ahead to make sure your flight is on time and certainly get to the airport early.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: As long as you get here early, it works.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The drive to the airport was a piece of cake. The line was a little intimidating in the beginning because the directions or, you know, where you're supposed to stand is not all that clear. But, you know, it worked ultimately.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was easy to get here, but once we got here, the lines were very, very long. Incredibly long, actually.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It seems like it's, I would say, about 25 percent busier than I've seen it ever in my life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: Now, one key piece of advice if you're heading to the airport is do not pack any wrapped gifts. They will be opened. But Daryn, if you're traveling through Chicago, O'Hare Airport, we understand, is offering free gift wrapping.
KAGAN: Oh!
CHO: So if you're one of those lucky travelers to pass through Chicago, yes, you won't need to bring wrapping paper. They will take care of it for you at the airport. So not a bad deal.
KAGAN: As someone who still has some gifts to wrap, I think that sounds like a very attractive service.
CHO: That's right.
KAGAN: Alina, thank you.
Well, AAA says that travelers hitting the highways will find gas prices averaging about $2.20 a gallon for self-serve regular. The motor club says the majority of people driving for Christmas and New Year's will begin their trip in the Southeast.
Let's take a look now at some live pictures, I-4. That's in Orlando, Florida.
Chad, that looks like a beautiful day in Florida.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes.
KAGAN: What about across the rest of the country?
(WEATHER REPORT)
KAGAN: If you're thinking of flying around, Chad, you know, don't go far, because Santa Claus is here in the building and will probably appreciate your services -- see, he's there.
MYERS: Yes.
KAGAN: He's going to probably need, you know, maybe his own Santa forecast as he plans his route.
MYERS: Right. And for the Southeast, actually, he needs a poncho.
KAGAN: A poncho. A Santa poncho. We'll see if we have one that we can loan to him.
MYERS: OK.
KAGAN: All right, Chad. We'll hear from you in just a moment.
And we also will hear from Santa Claus as well.
A pay raise for some of your leaders. Come on, you'll want to know how much these people are making. And they're getting raises. That story ahead.
And later, from waterfront to waterlogged, the gripping images of a man stranded in his home. Hear what he's doing with his videotape now.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: To some business news now. Wal-Mart says it plans to appeal a big court ruling that favors its workers. A California jury ordered the retail giant to pay $172 million to thousands of employees in that state.
The workers claim that Wal-Mart illegally denied them lunch breaks. The jury found that Wal-Mart violated a 2001 California law that requires employers to give 30-minute unpaid lunch breaks to employees who work at least six hours.
Wal-Mart admits it had compliance issues when the law became effective four years ago, but the company says it is now in 100 percent compliance.
With more business news, let's check in with Allan Chernoff on Wall Street.
Hi, Allan.
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN SR. CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Daryn.
(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
KAGAN: We'll hear from you later, but look who's in the house. Santa Claus is here, and he's just ready for all the boys and girls to come gather around and tell him what they want for the holiday.
We're back live with Santa in just a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: There are more signs of life in New Orleans following back-to-back hurricanes. The city's 2:00 a.m. curfew is being lifted. So it's all night long for Bourbon Street bars once again. And more neighborhoods are reopened, as well.
Across Lake Pontchartrain we get images of Hurricane Katrina's August 29 arrival up close and personal. A little too up close and person. It is shot by Slidell, Louisiana, homeowner Kennard Jackley.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KENNARD JACKLEY, HURRICANE KATRINA SURVIVOR: This is the downstairs. I'm boarded up. It's the day before the big show. Everything's looking good.
The water is supposed to get up to that high. I don't think so.
I think -- here it comes. We just had a gust of about 100 miles per hour just a little while ago.
I've got plenty of waterfront property. Better start selling it. That's enough out of you there, whatever your name -- Katrina, or whatever the hell your name is.
I might have to go to the roof.
There goes my truck. Man, there's a -- some kind of heater or something.
Man! There's Ray's refrigerator. Jeez, his whole house is gone, too, man.
Where's all this stuff coming from?
There's me. I got about another two feet before I'm going under the top floor of a two-story house.
Whoa, baby! That's all -- look at that, a tidal wave coming. I never thought I'd die this way.
Maybe that old tree will float over here and get me. Do you think them insurance guys will understand when I show them this picture, if I'm alive?
I can feel the floor shaking. This whole house is going to have to come down, I guess.
Here it comes, up the front door. It broke the front door. I don't know if you can all see that. It's up to the top.
OK. It's starting to come in the top floor. Here it comes.
There goes my guitar. Oh, yeah, here comes the water, up from the bottom. Here it comes.
It's in the house. Broke the door lock. There it is.
Oh, man. I can't stop it now. Oh, no!
There were four houses over there. Now they're gone, all four of them. Oh, man!
A lot of people's treasures floating down the stream here now. Man, this is unbelievable. Everybody works their whole life to get something, and then look what happens.
Mother Nature, you're no good.
My back porch is gone. Man, when's this thing going to stop? Man, god, dog it.
There's my neighbor, Ray's, boat. I guess the only good thing you can say about this thing, I don't see no floating bodies yet. Maybe mine. I don't know.
All that down there demolished. Unreal. Don't mess with Mother Nature.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: It turns out Jackley and his wife did not have flood insurance and their homeowner's insurance company has offered only $14,000. The Jackleys say they're going to need four times as much, so they're selling DVDs of the home video, trying to raise the money to rebuild. And you can see it all on cnn.com/pipeline.
In the weeks following Katrina, we told you about one New Orleans artist who turned out to be a relative of our CNN White House Correspondent Suzanne Malveaux. Their home and, more importantly, their artwork had been nearly destroyed by floodwaters. Well, as you might come to expect, one of our viewers came to the rescue.
And Suzanne picks up the story from there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice over): When we first arrived at my cousin Vernon Dobard's house in New Orleans in September, this is what we found.
VERNON DOBARD, ARTIST: I don't know what to do. I have no idea what to do. Gosh. Try to bring something back. I can take one, maybe just one.
MALVEAUX: In the aftermath of Katrina, Vernon's artwork was submerged in six feet of water and in danger of being lost forever. When we told the story on CNN three months ago, a Pensacola, Florida, gallery took notice.
MARK BAKER, GALLERY OWNER: I pretty much lost my studio and everything I had during Hurricane Andrew in Miami in 1992, which was devastating.
MALVEAUX: In an act of goodwill, Mark Baker, the owner of Omago Arts Studio (ph) and his team offered to rescue Vernon's life's work. In October, we went back to Vernon's house, where we found the studio in even worse shape than when we first arrived. (on camera): I have to warn you, it's pretty nasty inside.
(voice over): We had no idea whether anything would be salvageable.
(on camera): Oh, this is finished. It's history.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can see where all the mold is just going wild there.
MALVEAUX (voice over): But under a refrigerator, we discovered pieces we didn't even know existed.
(on camera): Wow. Look at this.
(voice over): Curious neighbors and friends stopped by to offer encouragement.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where's Vernon? Vernon's in Baltimore?
MALVEAUX (on camera): Vernon's staying with me now.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.
MALVEAUX: He's living with me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Take my cell number, have him call me.
MALVEAUX (voice over): It took us several hours to prepare the works for their three-hour journey...
(on camera): Flip it.
(voice over): ... separating those damaged by gasoline, sewage and debris from those in better condition. When the paintings arrived in Pensacola, Baker and his team went to work, cleaning and drying Vernon's art.
BAKER: It will be cleaned. It will be put inside of a shadow box and mounted and it will be displayed as is.
MALVEAUX: Two months later, they were ready for display.
(on camera): (INAUDIBLE) finally?
BAKER: Finally.
MALVEAUX: Are you nervous?
BAKER: Very.
MALVEAUX: Shortly after, Vernon arrived, having never met Mark or seen his paintings since the hurricane.
DOBARD: I live with these paintings every day. I work on them each day. And so it's like losing a family member. It's just strange. You just feel a sense of loss, yes.
It goes here.
Overwhelming joy, gratitude. So incredible. Yes, that someone would be that generous. It's like seeing a family member again, to see your creations. Yes, it's strange, but it's true, yes.
MALVEAUX: Now, shared with many. As a sign of his gratitude, Vernon gave the only thing that he had left to show Mark what his generosity has meant, a piece of the family's history.
DOBARD: That's my gift to you. OK?
BAKER: Thank you.
MALVEAUX: A gift that marks the end of a journey taken over the course of three months and more than 200 miles, which now offers one New Orleans artist a new beginning.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: A great story. Thank you so Suzanne. And the best to you and your family as they recover from Katrina.
When we come back, the latest on the wiretap controversy in Washington. It's a question of who knew what and when did they know it.
That's just ahead, along with Santa Claus. Santa's here. Oh, and the kids are in the house.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: Some of our kids are happy, some are -- yes, we're on TV. We've got to get Benjamin. See, there's Benjamin.
SANTA CLAUS: Yes. Well, Benjamin looks so sleepy, I think.
KAGAN: I know.
CLAUS: Yes.
KAGAN: Benjamin is making his national television debut there.
CLAUS: Well, very great.
KAGAN: Yes.
Hey, Benjamin.
CLAUS: And who is going to be -- who of Benjamin's family is watching?
KAGAN: Benjamin -- well, Benjamin's mom and dad.
CLAUS: Yes.
KAGAN: Tom Foust (ph) is our --usually our 10:00 a.m. producer. And he -- this is his little boy.
And some are happy. We're OK. OK.
There's going to be some tears and some smiles.
Santa Claus is here with us.
Santa, we love this when you come for a visit every year. You make time for us, and it's just great.
CLAUS: Well, I think it's wonderful that you have the opportunity, especially so many of the children that are here that dad or mother is in the service...
KAGAN: That's right.
CLAUS: ... and out of the country.
Now, everything has caught up with everything about Iraq, but, of course, there are military personnel across the globe in a lot of places.
KAGAN: All over, right.
CLAUS: Think about a lot of them who have been in Korea for years.
OK. How about you guys sitting down so we can see some of the others? OK?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Santa...
CLAUS: Yes?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: ... there's one more day until Christmas.
CLAUS: How about that.
Well, let's see, today is Friday, the 23rd. Then Saturday, the 24th. And then Sunday is the 25th. Is that right? I do have my schedule right? Good.
KAGAN: Good job.
CLAUS: All right. Thank you.
KAGAN: And we should explain here -- I'm going to come down here with you, Santa, and all the kids. We usually just have our CNN kids come. And this year we did invite some of the kids up from Ft. Benning. Their mom or dad or perhaps both are serving overseas. And we wanted to have them -- to have a chance to get to talk with you and see you.
CLAUS: Yes. Well, I was talking with some of the Boyd family over here.
KAGAN: Who do we have? Where are the Boyds?
Hi Guys. Did you have a chance to talk to Santa? Yes? What did you tell Santa that you wanted this year?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want my dad to come home.
KAGAN: You want your dad to come home.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And I wanted an Xbox.
KAGAN: An Xbox. Those are two really good wishes.
What did you ask Santa for?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Toys.
KAGAN: What did you ask him for?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Toys.
KAGAN: Toys. Very good.
Who else wants to come up and see Santa?
CLAUS: Well, I think we all -- yes, because we were talking about -- we had the Tate family.
KAGAN: Where are the Tates?
CLAUS: The Tates are back here.
KAGAN: Oh, one of our Tates aren't too happy, right?
CLAUS: No.
KAGAN: Yes.
CLAUS: The grandmother and grandfather are here with them because mother and dad are in the service.
KAGAN: Right. And I want to come over and talk to them, because this is Monica (ph) and Samuel Washington (ph).
Well, maybe we'll get you in a second when everyone's a little bit happier. But it's a great story -- triplets.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
KAGAN: Two-year-old triplets. Here, maybe we can come over here. Two-year-old triplets and both mom and dad are overseas?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. They're both...
KAGAN: Hold on. Let me come over and take the microphone. OK. And don't mind about the crying. We'll talk over the crying.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. All right.
KAGAN: OK. Both mom and dad are overseas?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, both parents are in Kuwait. We're the grandparents.
KAGAN: The grandparents of 2-year-old triplets, and you are raising them right now?
Come on.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
KAGAN: Come on, we've got room for you. OK.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, we are. My name is Monica Washington (ph) and Sam Washington. We're the grandparents of the Tate triplets.
And as I said, both of their parents are away in Kuwait serving time. They're due to come back about the middle of January. And they had a birthday on yesterday. They're 2 years old.
KAGAN: Two years old. Well, happy birthday.
How long have you been doing this, grandma and grandpa?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They left in September, in the beginning of September. Yes, and we've been doing it full time.
KAGAN: You're really doing your service.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. And they stay with grandpa all day during the day.
KAGAN: Grandpa, how are you doing taking care of three 2-year- olds?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I manage. I manage pretty good. I just keep them on a schedule. That's all I can do with three of them.
KAGAN: And hang on.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And hang on.
KAGAN: And hang on.
Well, give us their names so we can get their beautiful faces.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is Dylan (ph), Caitlin (ph).
KAGAN: Hi, Caitlin (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And this is James (ph). They are on CNN (INAUDIBLE). KAGAN: That's OK. No rules on a day like today.
Well, thank you for doing it. Thanks for bringing the kids up.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. And thank you.
Thank CNN for having us to see Santa Claus with the kids. That's a blessing.
KAGAN: We'll have to get a tape and get it over to mom and dad over in Kuwait.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.
KAGAN: OK. Things are a little crazy here at CNN.
We're going to take a break. More Santa, more kids coming up after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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