Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
Suicide Bomber in Baghdad Targets Workers; Palestinians Respond to Child Killings; Missing South Carolina Couple Found Dead; Taco Bells Reopen Despite No Answers to E. Coli Scare; Iraq Study Group Report Criticized
Aired December 12, 2006 - 13:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CO-HOST: Hello, everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta.
DON LEMON, CO-HOST: And I'm Don Lemon.
PHILLIPS: War over words. You may need a crash course in al Qaeda. But what about the incoming chair of the House Intelligence Committee? "Congressional Quarterly's" national security editor joins us live with his expose.
LEMON: More hats tossed into the ring. Who's who and who has the best chance to be elected president in 2008? Our senior political analyst Bill Schneider looks at the field.
PHILLIPS: And why is a former KKK leader, David Duke, heading to a Holocaust conference in Tehran?
You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.
Consultation in Washington, devastation in Baghdad. President Bush pushes on with his listening tour and pushes back his announcement of a new war strategy. Meantime, Iraqis are reeling from more attacks on innocent civilians.
CNN's Elaine Quijano is at the White House briefing right now. She's going to join us in just a few moments.
So let's get to Baghdad, where the lure of work was once again a death trap for dozens of poor Iraqis. Our senior international correspondent, Nic Robertson, is there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That blast coming right after 7 a.m. in the morning. A massive blast that could be felt a mile away, heard much further away, according to police. Two hundred kilograms of explosives packed into the vehicle driven by the suicide bomber.
And what he did was drive right into the crowd of day workers looking for employment, called out to them that he had jobs on offer. According to police, the people moved forward. That's when he detonated the explosives. At least 60 people killed, 220 wounded. Many taken to hospitals in the center of Baghdad. Very possibly, this was a sectarian attack, an attack against Shias. Because typically they are the unemployed. Typically, they are the more impoverished, desperate, looking for this sort of day labor.
We've heard from other day laborers, saying that many of them no longer go to these gathering points. They try and get their work by phone. This wasn't the first such attack. But people now growing very wary of gathering together in such large numbers.
And a failed attack today in a Shia shrine in the town of Samarra, the Golden Shrine there. The police reported that a bomb was discovered at the entrance to a shrine. A U.S. military EOD explosives team was brought in. They tried to remove the fuse, cut some of the wiring. But as they were trying to get the bomb out of the area, it went off. It didn't cause a lot of damage, according to military officials. According to them, no reports of casualties.
But that, again, an apparent effort at a sectarian attack. That Shia shrine was targeted in February, the Golden Shrine, and when it was targeted in February it triggered a round of sectarian violence that has been continuing throughout the year.
Also, Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi meeting with President Bush. On his agenda, likely the sectarian violence. Also the fact that many Sunnis here feel that they have been left out of the political process. Tariq al-Hashimi from the large Iraqi Islamic Party, some 44 members of parliament. He is one of the leaders of that political group, quite an influential politician at this particular time.
Nic Robertson, CNN, Baghdad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Hamas fighting Fatah. Palestinians killing Palestinians, young and old. Gaza is looking a lot like Iraq these days.
Here's CNN's Atika Shubert.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Mourning for the loss of three children and their driver, all gunned down in front of the children's school. Their father is a senior intelligence official of Fatah, loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. With the brutal members the latest salvo in the ongoing battle, between Fatah and the militant Hamas faction, a revenge of another kind.
Hamas and Fatah are both condemning the attack. But even for these violent streets, the killing of children is beyond the pale.
Hamas was voted into power this year, but fighting between them and Fatah continues to spill into the streets.
A hundred and sixty thousand Palestinian government workers are also taking to those streets for violent protests. The government is unable to pay them because of an international boycott on aid designed to force Hamas to temper its militancy and recognize the state of Israel.
(on camera) As the violence in Gaza escalates, here in his headquarters in Ramallah, President Abbas is running out of options. His attempts to form a coalition government have failed. He now says he will call for early elections.
(voice-over) Fatah leaders say Abbas needs to exert pressure on Hamas. But some say there is only one viable answer.
JEBREEL M. RAJOUB, FATAH LEADER: The compromise will be the solution. None of the people of Hamas can say no to (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
SHUBERT: Will early elections stop the violence? Hamas warns it will only make things worse. Many Palestinians fear they are facing something that looks very much like civil war.
WADIE ABUNASSAR, PALESTINIAN ANALYST: What I fear is that we will have a lot of instability. We might have a lot of violence. I even fear that upon the declaration on early elections, some factions, if not Hamas itself, would go for a serious escalation in violence.
SHUBERT: many here say an effective coalition government is their only hope. And until that happens there will be many more funerals like this one.
Atika Shubert, CNN, Ramallah.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: They set out from South Carolina, planning to visit their family in New York. That was last Thursday. Today, we now know why Wayne and Dianne Guay never made it.
Our Jason Carroll reports from New York.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The family tells us this morning that they are just devastated. It was a very difficult night for them last night.
Late yesterday, the family finally got word that the search for the couple had ended. Police discovered Dianne and Wayne's white Mazda submerged near Rocky Mountain, North Carolina, late yesterday. The couple's car, apparently, had swerved off an interstate and into a swamp.
They had left early Thursday morning from their Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, home up interstate 95, bound to visit family here in New York, a 12-hour drive they've taken many times.
Family members were active in the search, passing out flyers, checking with hospitals, even paying for the helicopter that eventually spotted the couple's car.
South Carolina police say they checked by patrol vehicles and helicopter the route the Guays may have driven. But at this point, the family say they're just trying to come to terms with what has happened.
DANIEL RODRIGUEZ, COUPLE'S SON-IN-LAW: Everybody's pretty devastated. It's been a long night for everybody. And Jessica's pretty bad. And so we had some help last night, some friends and family, just to comfort her and us. And I just had to lay down finally for a little while and just -- you know, watch over her and stuff like that. So I'm just trying to make the preparations today, see what time -- see what happens (ph)...
CARROLL: The family does not believe foul play was involved. Obviously, an investigation is still under way. Also this morning, the family says they finally explained to the Guays' 5-year-old granddaughter why the couple would not be coming home for the holidays.
Jason Carroll, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: Hopes are high on Oregon's Mt. Hood, where the weather is better and searchers have fanned out again for three missing climbers. Men haven't been heard from since a cell phone call on Sunday. Kelly James told his family he'd been hurt near the peak and his friends had turned back to get help.
They helped themselves by leaving a note in their car, explaining what route they'd take if they ran into trouble. A good idea, except that trail is a hard one, especially in a blizzard like the one that stalled the search yesterday.
PHILLIPS: If Dennis Kucinich has any bumper stickers left from '04, he can scratch out the "4" and write in the "8." The Democratic congressman from Ohio announced he's running again for president. His platform is based on rock-solid opposition to the war in Iraq. He says his own party isn't doing enough to end it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. DENNIS KUCINICH (D-OH), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: ... fully expect to win, because when the American people hear this clarion call for a new and a true direction, this call to confirm their intent, their power, I am confident, they will respond as powerfully as they did just one month ago to demand that America quickly change course in Iraq and demand a leader who will make it happen.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: You trying to remember who Dennis Kucinich is? Well, his bachelorhood got a lot of attention last time around. You may remember "Get a Date with Dennis" contest. Things will be different this time around. Kucinich was married last year. LEMON: Well, before you bite into that burrito, check out the color of the onions. Health experts tracking E. Coli outbreaks say green onions might not be the culprit after all. Details straight ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM.
PHILLIPS: You can call it "This Old Space Station." Astronauts get ready to step out of Space Shuttle Discovery and get to work on a much needed addition. More on a high level construction project, straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Stepping out 220 miles above earth. The day after docking with the International Space Station, two astronauts from the Shuttle Discovery are about to start the first of three grueling spacewalks. Their mission, to bring one set of solar panels online and deactivate the old ones.
Back on earth, NASA is looking over images taken yesterday of Discovery's under belly, looking there for any signs of damage. They say they haven't seen anything so far that might affect the 12-day mission.
PHILLIPS: Security breach at UCLA and warnings today for some 800,000 current and former students along with faculty and staff. The university says that a hacker broke into the campus computer system, potentially accessing Social Security numbers, home addresses and birth dates. The chancellor says there's no evidence so far that the data has been misused. Still, potential victims are being urged to check in with credit reporting agencies.
LEMON: Green onions or red herrings? More than 90 Taco Bell restaurants closed in the E. coli scare are reopening today. Experts rethink early reports that pointed to green onions as a culprit. Joining us now with more, senior medical correspondent, Judy Fortin.
What is going on?
JUDY FORTIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Don, we'll start with the bottom line, and that is the mystery continues. The FDA is now saying that there is no food ingredient that has been ruled in or ruled out in the E. coli outbreak in the northeastern Taco Bell restaurants.
At this point, the government agency says there's no evidence to implicate green onions as the source of E. coli. FDA officials did find a sample of white onions from one New York Taco Bell that tested positive for E. coli, but it's a different strain.
So far, 64 cases of E. coli have been reported. Only 38 of them confirmed. Cases have been reported in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. One person in South Carolina got sick, too, but that person ate in a Pennsylvania restaurant.
LEMON: You said a different strain. Is this a particularly bad strain? Because it seems like a lot people are getting sick. FORTIN: Well, it's the most common strain and, yes, people can get very sick from this strain. No deaths have been reported. But according to the Centers for Disease Control, 50 people were hospitalized and eight developed kidney failure. The cases were reported between November 20 and December 2. No new cases have been reported since then. So that's the good news in all this so far.
LEMON: All right, so there were the cases in Iowa. Now there are the cases in the northeast. Are they linked at all?
FORTIN: No link so far that they're talking about. The Iowa Department of Health reports 40 people developed E. coli symptoms after eating at a Taco John's. It's a completely different restaurant chain located in Cedar Falls. Up to 15 people were hospitalized in those cases, and the CDC is keeping a very close eye on them right now.
LEMON: You know, I was talking to you before, when you think about E. coli, usually you think about red meat, you know, and making sure that you cook it. But this one with vegetables, how do you make sure your vegetables are safe? And why all of a sudden vegetables?
FORTIN: Up until now, we have heard about meat, but produce has really been in the news this year. The most important thing, always wash your hands before you touch any produce and after, too, because of the cross-contamination.
The CDC recommends washing all fruits and vegetables under running water. Don't put it in standing water, especially if the vegetables and fruits are going to be cooked -- or they won't be cooked.
Remove outer leaves of leafy vegetables. And if you're concerned or at high risk, make sure you cook your vegetables and fruit. I know that may sound strange, but in most cases, bacteria can be washed off, but bacteria can be sticky, which is why you want to wash your produce thoroughly. You can't say that enough in this case.
LEMON: Yes. Cook your vegetables and fruit?
FORTIN: Well, I know. I mean, you may not want to cook your fruit, but may want to avoid it, especially if you're at high risk, if you've got a compromised immune system, if you're one of those groups that may be at risk for bacteria or viruses.
LEMON: It sounds unusual, but if you don't want to get sick.
FORTIN: That's right; you've got to take those precautions.
LEMON: Thank you very much.
FORTIN: You're welcome.
PHILLIPS: The great Tanenbaum tizzy is over. The Christmas trees are back at the Seattle airport. Details on the change of heart straight ahead. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Well, you've heard of "Sleepless in Seattle". How about treeless in Seattle, the sequel? Return of the Tanenbaum.
It's beginning to look like Christmas again in Seattle at the Tacoma International Airport. Staff workers overnight -- paid staff workers overnight to put back the 14 plastic Christmas trees they'd taken down over the weekend.
A rabbi had threatened to sue over the lack of a Menorah in the airport's holiday decor. He later changed his mind. Some airline workers had already begun setting up their own trees, little ones, on ticket counters.
PHILLIPS: You know the expression, your mileage may vary? Well, you have no idea by how much. Susan Lisovicz at the New York Stock Exchange with the surprising details.
Hey, Susan.
SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra.
This is really interesting because of the big difference in mileage. The EPA has released this information on fuel economy. On average, cars rated by the new method will post a 12 percent drop in city gas mileage and an 8 percent decline in highway mileage.
As for the type of vehicle that will take the biggest hit, hybrids. That's because the new testing will eliminate some of the all electric driving that helped them produce such impressive results in the first place.
And for the first time, mileage will be posted on medium duty pickup trucks, vans and the biggest SUVs. Previously, they were considered commercial vehicles. But so many people bought them that environmentalists called on regulators to require mileage information on them, as well.
The EPA says the new mileage standard is a more realistic reflection of real-world driving. The old test was done in near perfect conditions: 70 degree temps, no air conditioning, very little traffic. The new test will be done partly with the a/c on, more stop and go driving, and more rapid acceleration for us lead footers. In other words, just more of the real world, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: I'm right there with you. So where are we going to see these changes?
LISOVICZ: You're going to see them on the sticker window in new car showrooms, Kyra. The EPA has also redesigned the window sticker to include estimated fuel cost for a year based on 15,000 miles or more.
Expect to see them once the next year's models, '08 models.
(STOCK REPORT)
PHILLIPS: Thanks, Susan.
LEMON: Back for more after '04? Ohio Democrat Dennis Kucinich throws his battered political hat into the presidential ring again. Our Bill Schneider joins us to bat that one around.
PHILLIPS: Changing course in Iraq. Ideas from the Iraq Study Group. Will they be part of the president's plan? We'll take a closer look.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Hello. I'm Kyra Phillips at the CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta.
LEMON: And I'm Don Lemon.
Is time running out for the missing hikers on Mount Hood? Right now, on a break in the weather, the search intensifies. You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.
PHILLIPS: New way forward in Iraq. It may have to wait for the new year. The White House now says President Bush will likely unveil his revamped Iraq strategy in January. Earlier, there was talk of a pre-Christmas announcement. Aides say that Mr. Bush is asking a lot of questions at his ongoing strategy sessions and simply needs more time.
LEMON: For a lot of Iraqis, time is running out. In Baghdad today, a suicide bomber lured jobless men to his truck packed with more than 400 pounds of explosives. The blast killed at least 60 people and wounded more than 200.
Also, a bomb was found at a Shiite mosque in Samarra, the same mosque that was bombed in February, setting off a fire storm of sectarian violence. Today's device went off while security -- excuse me -- forces were trying to move and defuse it. It caused only minor damage.
PHILLIPS: Before ISG, the Iraq Study Group, violence in Iraq was spiraling out of control and Washington was splintered over what to do next. After ISG, violence in Iraq is spiraling out of control, and Washington is splintered over what to do next.
As we hear now from CNN's John Roberts, the report that some were hoping would be a panacea instead of being panned.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): There was no mention of the Iraq Study Group at the State Department Monday, only words of thanks from President Bush for his team searching for solutions in Iraq.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I appreciate the advice I got from those folks in the field. And that advice is an important part, an important component, of putting together a new way forward in Iraq.
ROBERTS: Later, the president sought advice from scholars and former military men, none of whom has high praise for the study group report, particularly its recommendation to pull combat troops out of Iraq.
Stephen Biddle of the Council on Foreign Relations was among them.
STEPHEN BIDDLE, COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS: I think it's unsound and likely to lead both to an increase in sectarian violence and, downstream, to an increase in U.S. casualties.
ROBERTS: To Biddle, the ISG report is only a political foundation for a graceful exit from Iraq, not a solution to the problem. Rather than get out, Biddle would take a long shot to win the war, pouring thousands more troops into Iraq.
BIDDLE: And the long shot I would take is to combine the largest force we can possibly sustain in the country but not making an open- ended commitment to keep it there forever.
ROBERTS: It's the same approach advocated by Senator John McCain, who called the ISG report a recipe for defeat in Iraq.
Neoconservative David Frum, who as a White House speech writer coined this famous phrase...
BUSH: Axis of evil.
ROBERTS: ... has nothing good to say about how President Bush has handled Iraq but no faith in the ISG report either.
DAVID FRUM, FORMER WHITE HOUSE SPEECH WRITER: The main suggestions are wishes and fantasies. They're not going to work. The president has made it clear, it is not going to be the basis for his action.
ROBERTS: Frum opposes both the troop withdrawal and idea of talking with Iran and Syria and wonders how such brilliant individuals came up with such folly.
FRUM: Reminds you of that cynical poster you see in a lot of offices, "none of us is as dumb as all of us." And it's kind of amazing that such a distinguished group of Americans could produce such a feeble effort.
ROBERTS: The conservative tabloid "New York Post" newspaper went much further in its criticism, labeling ISG chairmen James Baker and Lee Hamilton, quote, "surrender monkeys."
Not all Republicans are so vicious. In fact, the ISG report has split the Republican Party. Many moderates, who saw the damage the Iraq war did at the polls in November, have embraced the recommendations.
About the only things from the ISG report that critics and supporters do agree on is how bad things are in Iraq and the plan to step up the training of Iraqi forces. In fact, the U.S. military has already begun that process.
But between the meetings and the reports he's expecting from the State Department, Pentagon and National Security Council, President Bush should have plenty of political cover to ignore the rest of what the ISG had to say, as long as he comes up with a workable alternative.
FRUM: The status quo isn't acceptable. The ISG is not acceptable. So there has to be some other way. There has to be something better that the president has to find. That's the job of the president, to go out and listen to people.
ROBERTS (on camera): Another thing most people agree on, the president doesn't have much time to come up with a new plan before Iraq spirals into all-out chaos.
And while the White House won't say just when President Bush will announce his new initiative, they do expect to have an idea of the timing by the end of this week.
John Roberts, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Get a fresh perspective on the day's top stories from Anderson Cooper. Join "A.C. 360" weeknights, 10:00 p.m. eastern.
LEMON: There now are two Democrats with officially declared presidential intentions. Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich and Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack. Still no announcements from the senators considered the party's front-runner, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Joining me now from Washington is CNN's senior political analyst Bill Schneider. So Bill here is what I want to know, what does a Kucinich announcement today bring to the race for the White House? Does it bring a different facet?
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: What it brings is the strongest anti-war position of any Democrat likely to run for president. He is very strongly anti-war. In his press release prior to his announcement today, he said that the election result was caused by widespread voter discontent with the war in Iraq. And I can tell you from having looked at the polls that is true. And he has a complaint with the Democratic leadership in Congress, saying they seem inclined to continue funding the perpetuation of the war. They refuse to cut off funding, that's something that Congressman Kucinich wants to do. So other Democrats do not. So he is the strongest anti-war voice and that reflects the views of a lot of Democrats.
LEMON: So Bill in our latest poll on the Democratic choices, we didn't even ask about Kucinich, but who are the front-runners in that? SCHNEIDER: Well you can see here, Hillary Clinton, by far is the front-runner, 37 percent of Democrats prefer her. Barack Obama, 15 percent, he's a newcomer to the race, creating a lot of excitement. A few older names, Al Gore, John Edwards, John Kerry, from 2004. In those top five contenders, notice, there's really only one new face who doesn't have a lot of baggage from the past and that's Barack Obama.
LEMON: Barack Obama and considering all the publicity he's getting, a lot of press, you would think that the numbers might be higher than that. But let's talk about him. Last night on "Monday Night Football" he had a little fun with the question of will he or won't he run. Everybody's been asking. Let's take a listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BARACK OBAMA, (D) ILLINOIS: So tonight, I'd like to put all the doubts to rest. I would like to announce to my hometown of Chicago and all of America that I am ready for the bears to go all the way, baby. Dun-dun-dun.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: You have to admit that was pretty funny and you know what, it's free publicity, he doesn't have to spend the money on campaigning or on ads.
SCHNEIDER: That is worth a lot of money, well over $100,000 worth of air time. That's called a classic political tease. He's fresh, he's new, he's different, there's a lot of excitement about him. And certainly -- he is also of course very eloquent. He gave that dramatic speech in 2004 at the Democratic National Convention. You know, the point that I hear from Democrats often is while Senator Clinton has too much political baggage, maybe Senator Obama doesn't have enough political baggage. He doesn't have a whole lot of national experience. He was a state senator but he's only been in the Senate for two years. So they're kind of worried about both of them.
LEMON: Yeah, and also he's operating on a national level, on a national platform now, and has the book and all that stuff. So the question is Hillary Clinton has all this experience, people are saying he doesn't have experience. Who do you think is more electable, Clinton or Obama?
SCHNEIDER: Well, that's a question a lot of Democrats are asking. And the voters will not readily acknowledge prejudice in the polls. So it's very hard to tell. A lot of Democrats are saying, you know, she has problems. He may have problems. Isn't there a third way? And that's why they're looking at all the other candidates. I've counted as many as 12 potential contenders in the Democratic race. John Edwards, Evan Bayh, Bill Richardson, Joe Biden. There are lots and lots of people who are considering running for president and a lot of Democrats who worry about exactly the question you ask, are saying, isn't there someone else.
LEMON: Yeah, and the two at the top of the list haven't really said if they're going to run yet, they're just kind of "maybe" hinting at it.
SCHNEIDER: That's right, the only one who said he's going to run, well, Vilsack today and Dennis Kucinich, but neither one of the top contenders.
LEMON: Yeah, Bill Schneider, thank you so much for joining us.
SCHNEIDER: Ok.
PHILLIPS: The search is back on for three hikers stranded somewhere on Oregon's Mt. Hood. We're tracking the latest developments.
LEMON: In the line of fire, Australians on the run, huge blazes create a dangerous and potentially deadly situation. That's ahead straight ahead in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Well it could have been a holiday miracle, instead, there is a tragic update to the missing couple story we brought you yesterday. Wayne and Diane Guay were found last night still in their car, submerged in a swamp off I-95 in North Carolina. They set out from South Carolina on Thursday to celebrate Christmas with their kids and grandkids in New York.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MEGAN GUAY LIENDO, COUPLE'S DAUGHTER: They were perfect people. We always said we loved each other. We gave each other hugs. I'm thankful that God gave them to me.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Last week, North Carolina police got a report of a possible accident near where the Guays were eventually found but officers said they didn't see any vehicles at the time.
PHILLIPS: Hopes are high on Oregon's Mt. Hood where the weather is better and searchers have fanned out again for three missing climbers. The men haven't been heard from since a cell phone call on Sunday. Kelly James told his family he had been hurt near the peak and his friends had turned back to get help. They helped themselves by leaving a note in their car explaining what route they would take if they ran into trouble. A good idea, except that that trail is a hard one, especially in a blizzard like the one that stalled the search yesterday. Steve Rollins is the president of Portland Mountain Rescue, a non profit organization that helps in the search and rescue of stranded climbers. He joins me now on the phone from Portland. Steve can you give me an update on the search?
STEVE ROLLINS, PORTLAND OREGON MOUNTAIN RESCUE: Yes, the weather has improved a little bit today. So we're still having problems with the avalanche hazard. But we're searching to the best of the ability, our hands are still kind of tied by Mother Nature. PHILLIPS: Now, this cell phone call that came through from Kelly James, he said that he had been hurt near the peak. Do we know what kind of injury?
ROLLINS: I don't believe we have any information on the type of injury, other than he was wet and cold and obviously, hypothermia is a concern.
PHILLIPS: So knowing the conditions right now, up where he is, where they could possibly be and where maybe Kelly called from, if that was able to be tracked, they obviously had the right clothes, they did have equipment. What are their chances of surviving in these conditions?
ROLLINS: You know, it's really hard to say. It just depends on if they were wet or if they were able to stay dry. We don't know exactly what kind of equipment they had with them. If they had good survival gear, they could certainly still be alive. But if they're getting wet and in the storm, depending on how good their shelter, certainly it's concerning so --
PHILLIPS: How experienced are these guys, Hall, Cook and James?
ROLLINS: We understand that they're all very experienced climbers. They've apparently climbed all over the world. They have ice climbing experience. So that's definitely in their favor. As rescuers, we're obviously trying to be as optimistic as possible. And so, you know, we're hoping that that experience allows them to survive in these conditions.
PHILLIPS: Do you know if they've hiked the north side before?
ROLLINS: I don't believe any of these climbers have been on Mt. Hood before.
PHILLIPS: Oh, this is their first time on Mt. Hood?
ROLLINS: It would be their first time on this particular mountain. But they apparently have a lot of experience on other large mountains so it does not appear to be an issue of inexperience.
PHILLIPS: All right Steve, what kind of assets are you using to try and find them, by air, by ground, what do you have?
ROLLINS: The weather really hasn't allowed for any type of air support so it's really mountain rescuers on the ground, waiting through the weather, trying to avoid avalanches and the other hazards we have on the mountain and just doing our best to find any clues for where these guys may be.
PHILLIPS: How many rescuers do you have out there?
ROLLINS: I believe we have about 20 rescuers out there today from Portland Mountain Rescue. It's a very large operation, we have rescuers on the north side of the mountain and the south side so I don't have the specifics on how many total rescuers are in the field. The biggest limitation for us is not so much rescuers, it's the weather conditions and the avalanche conditions that we're dealing with.
PHILLIPS: So kind of put me in the day in the life of a rescue -- or rescuer. What does he or she wear? What do they bring with them and what exactly do they do? What are they looking for? Are there any type of sounds or anything they shoot into the air to try and get the attention of these hikers -- or these climbers that may be somewhere in the area?
ROLLINS: Well, all our rescuers are skilled mountaineers and we carry enough equipment for our own survival and also, obviously if we find the patient, we need equipment to be able to treat them for hypothermia and that sort of thing. We carry technical climbing equipment and avalanche equipment, navigation gear. Really, enough equipment to deal with anything the mountain happens to throw at us. When we're out in the field, we're looking for clues for where the lost people may be. Obviously, finding the people is the ultimate clue but as a searcher, you focus on looking for clues and that might be footprints in the snow. It could be articles of unnecessary clothing or gear that has been discarded as clues, potentially by the lost subjects. It could be broken tree limbs lower on the mountain, trying to indicate the direction of travel. So that's the kind of thing we're looking for.
PHILLIPS: Have you come across any clues so far Steve, besides that phone call that Kelly James made from the cell?
ROLLINS: On the teams I've led, we didn't come across any clues. I'm not aware of any clues that have been found, other than the note that you alluded to and also the phone call. It is very challenging. The conditions that I led my team in yesterday, we only had maybe 20 feet of visibility. At times, we couldn't hardly see the snow underneath our feet. So in those kind of conditions, obviously unless you're right on top of somebody, you're probably not going to find them. With the winds as high as they were, just hearing your partners talking is a challenge. Nonetheless, hearing somebody calling for help. But I do think that that is a testament for the searchers, that even with those limited odds, we're willing to go out in those conditions and search because we will do whatever we possibly can to try to find these people.
PHILLIPS: And air support would help a lot, right. So, what are you waiting for in order to bring in helicopters?
ROLLINS: Well, just flying a helicopter around a mountain is dangerous to begin with and that's great evidence on Mount Hood, a couple years ago, we had a helicopter crash during a rescue, and that was during nice sunny conditions. Obviously, stormy conditions like this are even more hazardous, limited visibility, even if you could get a helicopter into the air if you can only see 20 feet, that's not going to do you a lot of good. So if we got a good break in the weather where visibility improved and the conditions were suitable for flying, I think that would be helpful. But really, we're looking the entire mountain, we just don't know which side of the mountain these guys went off of, so. PHILLIPS: Steve Rollins, president of Portland Mountain Rescue, still on the search for Brian Hall, Jerry Cook and Kelly James. We'll stay in touch with you. Thanks, Steve.
ROLLINS: Thank you.
LEMON: And obviously, the weather conditions will be playing a major factor in this search. Let's check in now with CNN's Rob Marciano.
(WEATHER REPORT)
PHILLIPS: Australia on fire, homes and even towns in danger from brushfires that have burned close to 700,000 acres. That's almost the size of Rhode Island. Reporter Adrian Brown of Channel 7 Australia takes us to the front lines.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ADRIAN BROWN, CHANNEL 7 AUSTRALIA (voice-over): It had the destructive power of a bomb, detonating in woodland, close to the coast, but not close enough to save these homes. Lost in what was an exhausting night for firefighters.
PAUL CATTERALL, LANCESTON FIRE BRIGADE: (INAUDIBLE) conditions, wind blowing, grass fires that were moving faster than vehicles could drive away from them.
BROWN: In all, 18 homes were destroyed.
TRACEY CANE, SCAMANDER RESIDENT: We had gas cylinders exploding and trees falling over and just -- fireball and screaming.
BROWN: With those forced to flee, unsure what they'd return to.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Residents have lost their homes and some people don't know whether their homes are still standing so they're very concerned.
BROWN: Concerned, but grateful too.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The fire is hellish. Good luck to them and a pat on the back. You can't say anymore. It's just miraculous.
BROWN: Brush fires have been threatening the area since the weekend, fanned by wind gusts of up to 120 kilometers an hour. So far, 10,000 hectors have been scorched. And tonight, there are fears a wind change will threaten other North Eastern towns, St. Mary's and Bomorris.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Very scared, very scared, never seen nothing like this ever.
BROWN: In Victoria's northeast, smaller fires have merged to form a 240 kilometer front. But cooler conditions ease the danger. Firefighters grabbing the chance to mop up spot fires and reinforce containment lines. But, still there were losses. At Mt. Buffalo, the 100-room Crester Ski Lodge was destroyed.
JOHN THWAITES, ENVIRONMENT MINISTER: A lot of work has gone into protecting the area around Mt. Buffalo and obviously in this case, they weren't able to protect the lodge.
BROWN: (INAUDIBLE) Mt. Booler (ph), an old film set also gone. And as (INAUDIBLE) sweltered in 30 degree temperatures, fire swept through the hills east of the city, destroying at least one home and, tonight, others are under threat. Adrian Brown, 7 News.
(END OF VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: What's in a name? Confusion.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I believe he's a threat. We need more security.
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Against Barack Obama?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Of course.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: One little consonant, but a world of difference. Obama versus Osama, ahead in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Obama, with a "b." The Democratic senator and potential presidential hopeful is not the fugitive head of al Qaeda. But you'd be surprised how many people don't know that. Or maybe you wouldn't. CNN's Jeanne Moos asks the age-old question, what's in a name?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's not just buzz about this guy, it's more like a scream.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Senator Barack Obama!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Senator Barack Obama!
MOOS: He was red-hot in New Hampshire.
BARACK OBAMA: I am fired up.
MOOS: But not everyone knows him.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Who exactly is Barack Obama?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know who you're talking about.
MOOS: Maybe that explains how someone could confuse Obama with Osama. Only one little consonant differentiates the two names. And as if that similarity weren't enough. How about sharing the name of a former dictator? You know his middle name, Hussein.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh get out, you're kidding me.
MOOS: That's right, Barack Hussein Obama, but that's not what Oprah calls him.
OPRAH WINFREY: Senator Barack Obama.
MOOS: The Hussein part was his Kenyan grandfather's first name.
OBAMA: I mean it would be one thing if my name was John Hussein Smith, when you're already starting with Barack Obama.
MOOS: The Obama Osama similarity led WBAL radio talk show host Chip Franklin to hit the streets, asking --
CHIP FRANKLIN, WBAL RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Do you think Barack Obama poses a threat to the United States?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sure, he's still out there, he's still plotting.
FRANKLIN: He's still plotting? Do you think Barack Obama poses a threat to the United States?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, definitely.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Of course.
FRANKLIN: What country do you think Barack Obama could be president of, Nigeria, Sudan, France or the United States?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nigeria.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He could have a problem with that, I'd change my name.
MOOS: Political consultants say it's too late for that, too late to switch to, say, his childhood nickname, Barry.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's in a name?
MOOS: A lot.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Plant which we call a rose, (INAUDIBLE) has a name we'd smell as sweet, so Barack would, where (INAUDIBLE) Barack name to retain that, dear perfection that he owns without the title.
MOOS: When a Republican operative seemed to go out of his way on MSNBC to use Obama's full name.
ED ROGERS: Barack Hussein Obama.
MOOS: Obama supporters thought Ed Rogers did it on purpose, though Rogers later denied he was trying to tie Hussein to Saddam. Add to all this that Barack rhymes with Iraq. Still, Obama's not sweating it.
OBAMA: The American people are not concerned about middle names.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Barack Obama what?
MOOS: Is he a threat to the U.S.?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I believe he is a threat. We need more security.
MOOS: Against Barack Obama?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Of course.
MOOS: Osama's on the run, Obama's considering one. Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.
(END OF VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Straight ahead, they survived Iraq. Can they handle Congress?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Got back, I'm trying to live a normal life. When your country needs you, your country needs you.
(END OF VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Taking the hill, as in Capitol Hill, straight ahead from the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.voxant.com
