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American Morning

Day After Blizzard of '06; Vice President Cheney Accidentally Shoots Fellow Hunter; Iran's Nuclear Ambitions

Aired February 13, 2006 - 08:59   ET

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

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. I'm Miles O'Brien, live in Central Park in New York City. It's the day after the blizzard of '06, and people are digging out.
Two hundred thousand people without power. The Northeast saddled with a blanket of snow. We have reporters everywhere. We'll bring you up to date -- Zain.

ZAIN VERJEE, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Zain Verjee, in for Soledad, with a warm cup of tea in a warm studio indoors.

Two inmates have escaped and finally give up their hostages. So why is one of those hostages also in handcuffs? The latest just ahead.

The vice president shoots a fellow hunter, but how does something like that happen to a pair of experienced hunters? We've got a live report.

And this house destroyed by a small plane. Was the deadly crash just an accident or a dangerous stunt that just got out of control?

That's ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

O'BRIEN: Welcome, everybody, to Central Park -- 26.9 inches of snow here. That's a 59-year-old record that was broken.

You remember that storm of '47, of course. Well, some of you might. This one topped it, 26.9 inches. We're told you can charge the taxpayers of the city of New York a million dollars for every inch of snow clearing it away.

This will just give you a sense. I'm walking -- this is where cars would normally be. See that "Caution" sign up there for the cars? Not necessary today because there's not a lot of activity here.

People walking along, thing glaze of snow. The streets are already getting a little slushy.

We've got some people here from Florida. We'll talk to them in a moment. They are actually throwing snow back and forth to each other. But making snowballs is a problem. It's actually a snow clump fight.

But this is a day after a big storm. It's interesting, because it wasn't too long ago we were wondering if winter would ever come to the Northeast. Well, Old Man Winter came in with a vengeance this time.

We've got reporters all up and down the coast. Allan Chernoff is at LaGuardia Airport, which is just emerging from its day-long hibernation there.

Brian Todd is on the Mall in Washington, where people are looking at a picture of a postcard seen any day of the week, but with the snow all the prettier.

And finally, of course, we've got Chad Myers, who is our severe weather expert, who is going to give us a sense of where things are headed.

But first, let's go to Allan Chernoff and see how things are going at the airport.

Allan, good morning.

ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Miles.

News flash. We got a flight out of here. American Airlines flight to Charlotte did depart about a half-hour ago. And so they are back up and running. They're in business.

Still, the majority of the flights canceled. But they are hoping to get more and more of these flights out of New York.

And, of course, we've had a tremendous delay here. LaGuardia was shut down entirely yesterday. The airport officially reopened at 6:00 a.m. Eastern Time, but of course that didn't mean that flights were actually leaving from here.

They still have more plows than planes out on the runways. There's 29 plows in all working to clear up more than 25 inches of snow. And right now they are working very hard on the gate areas because it's been tough to actually get those jetways over to the gates so that people can get on and off of the planes.

Many people had to sleep overnight here; 176 cots were set up, and they were all taken late last night. People just trying to get some rest. Very tough to do around here, but at least they were providing some comfort to people who were stranded at the airport.

In all, more than 500 flights canceled in the New York region, and that causing delays around the nation and even around the world. People just unable to get into New York City.

Miles, back to you.

O'BRIEN: All right, Allan Chernoff. Thank you very much.

These folks over here from Florida, they've got a flight in about two hours. It sounds like they might possibly be able to get on that flight.

In the meantime, look, we've got runners getting ready here. New Yorkers are a hardy bunch. You know? They don't let a little 26.9 inches stop them.

We've seen lots of runners come through here, a few people with skies. Haven't seen any of that lately. And, of course -- ooh, watch out for the snowplow.

Hey -- hey -- young man, yes, there you go. He's from Florida. I just wanted to let him know there's a snowplow coming.

Let's get over to -- yikes! I'm -- all right. I don't think he's messing around there. Those New York parks guys, when they come through they come through with a vengeance.

Let's go to Brian Todd, who's on the Mall in Washington.

Brian, good morning.

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Miles, watch out for those snowplows. We -- we dealt with them here all day yesterday. They're mostly done here today.

The good news is the sun is out, the snow is melting. The snowplows have been out. The roads are clear.

People are really staying home for the most part. A lot of school systems around this area are closed today. A lot of government workers staying home. People are out in the snow playing around, doing what they do, running, biking, walking, sledding, whatever they can do. A lot of that's going on here today.

Traffic also very light here. The traffic is not the problem.

The issue here today, power outages, from a height yesterday of more than 60,000 customers without power in the metropolitan D.C. area. There are now 12,500 customers without power.

We've been speaking to the power companies all morning. They have been literally working around the clock since early yesterday to try to restore people, but some very good advice they are giving that is good advice for anyone in the Northeast Corridor or anywhere around the country who is without power, and that is one central thing. Not only to make preparations before this and have alternative means of power or another place to go to, but re-report your outage.

Don't report it just once. Keep calling them until you get your power back so it gives them a better gauge of where the power outages are and when they can restore these -- these areas.

So, good advice for anyone in the Northeast Corridor there -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: All right. Thank you very much, Brian Todd.

The cross-country skies are out here in Central Park as people enjoy the winter wallop here. And these folks headed back to Florida are going to be saving this moment, I suspect, for some time to come. In the meantime, Chad Myers, give us a sense of what lies ahead this week. I heard a rumor that it's going to warm back up again. Not today but coming up -- yes.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, tonight will be cold, and then in the 30s and 40s. But I have a question for you.

O'BRIEN: Yes?

MYERS: You were in it. You were in it in Boston, and I didn't send you there, but you went there anyway. And you drove through and it you're there this morning. Are you surprised at how the city has rebounded? It seems to me from what I'm seeing that, like, nothing happened, or this was a five-day old snow.

O'BRIEN: Yes, I am consistently amazed at how...

MYERS: Yes.

O'BRIEN: ... quickly this place -- I think they have 2,200 snowplows in this city and some 350 salt trucks. And, you know, if you're the mayor of New York, you are judged by how well the potholes are filled and how well the snow is removed.

This is one of the things that happens with great alacrity here in New York. So it's an impressive operation.

MYERS: Well, one nice thing is that this isn't the seventh storm of the year. They're not completely out of budget at this point, too.

O'BRIEN: True.

MYERS: So they can get everybody out there.

(WEATHER REPORT)

O'BRIEN: Thank you very much, Chad.

We're talking to Mike Reinart (ph) here, who is in from Sarasota, Florida, with his son Graham (ph). He was in town -- this is the veterinarian of the year, folks. He just got an award.

Congratulations. Come on over here. Let's talk about this snow.

Graham (ph), how old are you, young man?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Eleven.

O'BRIEN: Eleven years old. Have you ever seen snow quite like this?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, yes, a little bit.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Like this?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But not this hard. O'BRIEN: Yes. Now, you've got it everywhere. Are you still having fun out here?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

O'BRIEN: Yes.

Now, I noticed it's really like clumps. You can only throw clumps at each other. You can't make a ball out of it. That's no fun, huh?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. It's not really that much fun, but it does help when you try to spray him to get his attention away from that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Throw clumps at dad.

O'BRIEN: And I think he actually drew a little blood.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

O'BRIEN: Turn this way a little bit.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is the combat, OK?

O'BRIEN: Combat injury here.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, you know, throw ice chunks at dad.

O'BRIEN: You have a story to tell in Sarasota when you return today.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, we do. Yes, we do. I'm going to tell them how I folded him up and put him in the overhead because he's going to be wet and I can't pack him.

O'BRIEN: All right.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, we do. And that's -- I mean, we got a few minutes, so I thought we'd come back down here. We were here yesterday in the blizzard, which was really...

O'BRIEN: Oh, that's...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, we've got this really bustling town that kind of didn't bustle yesterday.

O'BRIEN: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Couldn't get any taxis. But we came down here and it was just so neat. It was just such a neat experience, yes.

O'BRIEN: Great experience. We wish you safe journeys back. Hope it works well for you.

All right. Congratulations on the award.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thanks.

O'BRIEN: Veterinary of the year right here in Central Park.

You never know who you're going to meet in New York City -- Zain.

VERJEE: Chunks at dad? Poor dad.

O'BRIEN: Poor dad.

VERJEE: You know, when Miles and I have a disagreement we're going to have to take it outside and have a snow fight.

Right, Miles?

O'BRIEN: Snow chunks. Snow chunks.

VERJEE: Thanks.

A Texas millionaire is still in intensive care this morning two days after being shot by Vice President Dick Cheney. The men were hunting quail at the Texas ranch when the VP accidentally fired at his hunting companion.

CNN's Ed Lavandera is live in Corpus Christi, Texas, and he joins us now -- Ed.

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Zain.

Well, Harry Whittington is recovering from that gunshot wound from Saturday afternoon. You know, it wasn't until yesterday that we learned of this. And the only reason it came out that this accident had happened Saturday afternoon is that one of the vice president's friends, the owner of the ranch, actually called a reporter at the local newspaper here, and then it was disseminated out by The Associated Press. Had it not been for that, some of us are wondering whether or not we would have found out about what happened here on Saturday afternoon.

Nonetheless, Harry Whittington recovering from the shotgun blast that he suffered on Saturday afternoon. His friends say that he's alert, talking and doing well. And they say what happened to him isn't all that uncommon.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PETER BANKO, HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATION: It was a fairly common hunting injury that we experience here in south Texas at our trauma center. He was basically peppered by a shotgun. And so he got some shotgun spray to the face, neck and upper torso.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAVANDERA: That was the hospital administrator who spoke just a short while ago with Miles. And we understand that Mr. Whittington will undergo some other tests later on this afternoon, and there's a possibility that he might be sent home back to Austin later on today, if not within the next day or so -- Zain.

VERJEE: Ed Lavandera reporting.

Thanks, Ed.

Coming up in just about 10 minutes, we're going to talk to one hunting expert about how this could happen with an experienced hunter like the vice president. We'll also hear more on gun safety.

Let's check the headlines now and go over to Carol Costello.

Good morning, Carol.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, Zain.

Good morning to all of you.

The British military has now arrested a man in connection with a videotape showing British troops allegedly beating up Iraqis. The video shows British forces dragging, hitting and kicking some Iraqi teenagers. This was apparently taped back in 2004. British Prime Minister Tony Blair vowing to launch a full-scale investigation.

We'll do it again tomorrow, that's the word from the judge overseeing Saddam Hussein's trial. It got off to another shaky start today.

A ticked-off Saddam screaming at the judge earlier, complaining that he was forced to show up. And that may explain why he's in an overcoat and that's his bathrobe underneath.

He also shouted, "Down with Bush!" and "Long live Iraq!" Hussein and his lawyers have also been complaining that the new chief judge is biased.

One person is missing after a plane crashes into a home in California. Take a look.

The small plane hit a two-story home. The pilot was apparently performing stunts over the rooftops when the plane went down over the weekend. One person believed to be in that house still unaccounted for.

Several inmates who broke out of the Cook County jail in Illinois have been caught. The final two fugitives gave themselves up earlier this morning after holding a woman and her children hostage. Thankfully, no one was hurt.

The prison has had real trouble lately. There have been three escapes since June.

And it is the Super Bowl of dog shows. But instead of the terrible towels, they have the down and dirty drool towels.

The 130th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show gets under way today in New York. Not even the snow could stop anyone from coming.

More than 2,600 entries from 165 breeds and varieties will parade on to the green carpet at Madison Square Garden, each hoping to win the prestigious best in show. How cute. The winner will be crowned tomorrow night.

We were only able to show you two still pictures because, you know, those dogs are being kept under wraps -- Zain.

VERJEE: What are the criteria to win there?

COSTELLO: You've just got to be beautiful.

(LAUGHTER)

VERJEE: Carol, thank you.

Coming up, there's been another church fire in Alabama, but authorities now may have an idea of who is behind the fires. We're going to bring you a live report.

Also, after one of the worst hurricane seasons ever, the National Weather Service is looking to cut costs. We're going to look at whether those cuts could put lives at risk.

Plus, Iran's nuclear ambitions. Should we trust U.S. intelligence after the failures in Iraq? We're going to speak to the former chief U.S. weapons inspector in Iraq, David Kay.

That's next on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VERJEE: Troubling word today that Iran has now made good on threats to resume its nuclear enrichment work. The fear is this: Tehran intends to use the enriched fuel to arm nuclear bombs. Now, Iran says that that's not true, its nuclear program is just for peaceful purposes and it's only pursuing nuclear energy.

Joining me now from Washington is the former chief U.S. weapons inspector, David Kay.

Thanks for being with us.

What do you make of these reports that Iran is resuming uranium enrichment work at its Natanz nuclear facility? Why is that so significant?

DAVID KAY, FMR. CHIEF U.S. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: Well, Zain, it's significant for two reasons. First of all, uranium enrichment is a key process in making weapon-grade material. The second is it shows, I think, the lengths to which Iran is willing to go in terms of international opposition to pursue its program. So it's both practically significant and it's politically significant.

VERJEE: Does it have the capacity to produce significant amounts of enriched uranium gas?

KAY: Not at first, but it certainly has a construction program and a facility that over time can produce really significant amounts.

VERJEE: What do we really know about the facilities? I just want to show some satellite pictures that we have here that show the Bushehr nuclear power plant, we've got pictures that show the uranium conversion facility in Isfahan as well. And also, pictures that show the facility in Natanz.

I mean, we look at these facilities. We've got the pictures. But how much do we really know about what is going on in there?

KAY: We don't depend, fortunately, on the satellite photos. Our best knowledge of what Iran is doing comes from International Agency -- Atomic Energy Agency inspectors on the ground. And, in fact, the severest threat the Iranians have made is to curtail their rights of inspectors.

Without inspectors, we will be right back in the situation of Iraq, depending on satellite photos and information from defectors who may have another agenda.

VERJEE: The IAEA inspectors have begun a mission there to go to the facilities just to learn what kind of controls remain on the nuclear sites. If they aren't getting the kind of access or cooperation they need, how much are they really going to learn?

KAY: Not as much as if they had full access, but they are better than nothing. They are there. They can see the amount of activity going on even though they will not be able to check it in detail.

VERJEE: Can we trust U.S. intelligence on Iran, anyone's intelligence on Iran after intelligence failures in Iraq?

KAY: Well, first of all, you have to realize that all intelligence is inherently a difficult act, particularly against a country like Iraq or Iran, and it's very difficult to rely on. I don't think -- in this situation, quite frankly, we're more lucky than we might have been.

We've got an Iranian regime that by its very own statements discredits the belief that it is not pursuing a program. And we still do have some inspectors on the ground.

VERJEE: Should we be resigned to a nuclear Iran? From your perspective, can Iran be contained or deterred?

KAY: Look, I cannot imagine with the current regime in Tehran being resigned to that regime having access to nuclear weapons. I mean, I'm confirmed in my belief that if Iran had nuclear weapons today we'd have to contemplate their use of it.

I think it's really one of the major international security challenges, fortunately made easier by Iran. We have an international coalition agreeing to this. Iran should not have nuclear weapons. VERJEE: What about the Russian proposal, very briefly, to enrich uranium on Russian soil? You think that will get traction?

KAY: I think it's a very good proposal. And if the Iranians reject it, it will just be another piece in the puzzle confirming their belief -- our belief that they are going for a weapons program.

VERJEE: Former chief U.S. weapons inspector David Kay joining us from Washington.

Thanks so much.

KAY: Thank you, Zain.

VERJEE: Coming up, we'll bring you more on that hunting accident involving Vice President Dick Cheney. He shot and wounded one of his hunting partners. We're going to take a look at how it could have happened. We'll also get some safety tips, as well.

Plus, after one of the worst hurricane seasons ever, the National Weather Service wants to cut loose some of its most experienced forecasters. Is that a recipe for disaster?

Ahead here on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: So here's a question for you. A little quiz. What do you think is the most dangerous sport?

When you think about hunting, for example, you would think perhaps that would be a dangerous sport. Let me show you a little graphic. This comes from the National -- Department of Transportation National -- oh, I can't remember what it is.

Gene (ph), get in my ear and remind me.

It's federal figures, anyhow.

These are injuries per 100,000 participants. Football, 2,740; water skiing, 219; hunting, 7.

I don't know the extent of those injuries. That's an important little point, but the fact of the matter is, it's safer than many people might think.

We're talking about this, of course, in the wake of the weekend incident in which the vice president accidentally shot a companion as he was hunting for quail near Corpus Christi, Texas.

Tred Barta is an accomplished hunter. He also hosts his own show on the Outdoor Life Network. He joins us from Las Vegas.

Good morning, Tred. Good to have you with us.

TRED BARTA, OUTDOOR LIFE NETWORK: Good morning. How are you? O'BRIEN: Good. Are those numbers misleading. Those seven injuries that we talk about per 100,000, do those tend to be more serious because it's hunting?

BARTA: You know, hunting can be an extremely dangerous sport, but the fact remains that the percentage of accidents, fatal or otherwise, is an infinitesimal percentage compared to outdoor sports today.

O'BRIEN: Infinitesimal. All right. How -- to what do you attribute that?

I mean, you've got a situation where you would think on the surface, for those who don't know a lot about hunting, you have guns, you have, in many cases, you know, kids who get involved in this, as well. What makes it so safe, do you think?

BARTA: The truth of the matter is that the safety procedures, the licensing procedures and training today are superb. Most accidents do not come from the discharging of weapons.

We're hunting in the mountains, we're using horses. You have rattlesnakes. The vagrancy of getting hurt in nature are a much higher percentage than being shot. But it is a -- it is a dangerous sport and one that has to be taken very seriously.

O'BRIEN: And always have to be paying attention to the weapon.

Let's just talk in general. This kind of incident, we gave you a sense, seven injuries per 100,000. How common is what we've seen here with the vice president? Do you hear about these kind of things lot?

BARTA: You know, quail hunting is a very explosive sport.

O'BRIEN: So to speak.

BARTA: You have a -- two or three guns hunting behind dogs. The quail are brought to point by the dogs. You move in to break the covey of quail, and they explode in a flurry of activity.

There are many times where you have your target in sight, but you can't shoot. You have to have a clear line of sight. And as a general rule, we like to have the bird clear just the horizon before taking a shot, and to raise your gun and shoot at a 30 to 40-degree angle.

It is incumbent upon all the hunters to know where your partner is. And it is incumbent upon the guide, the doing handler and each gun.

A situation that happened to Vice President Cheney can happen to any hunter. He was using a .28 gauge shotgun. Number 8 or 9 shot. The gun can be absolutely deadly. It's short range. His friend got peppered with shot.

What happened here? We had a basic breakdown of communication. Go ahead.

O'BRIEN: So, in particular, when you're talking about the way you described this, there's kind of choreography that goes along with quail hunting, in particular. The communication is so important, isn't it?

BARTA: The communication is important. The NRA and many states require the use of a fluorescent cap or vest. But in this situation everyone is at fault, Vice President Cheney, his friend who got in the wrong position.

When Vice President Cheney raised the gun to shoot the quail, he knew in his mind, at his soul, his heart that he had his target in sight and that it was a safe shot. Vice President Cheney is an excellent shot and well trained. It fell apart.

There is a silver lining here. My son Hunter is 15 years old, has a New York State license, has hunted all around the world. There has not -- there is not a hunter that has not been in this situation before. It can happen.

O'BRIEN: Tred Barta, who is with the Outdoor Life Network, host of "The Best and the Worst of Tred Barta."

Thanks for sharing the best with us this morning.

BARTA: Thank you very much. Good morning.

O'BRIEN: Zain.

VERJEE: Miles, coming up, a top U.S. medal contender is carried off on a stretcher at the winter Olympics. We're going to bring you a live report from Torino.

Plus, a rare flop for Starbucks. Andy has got that. He's "Minding Your Business."

That's ahead here on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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