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State Funeral for Gerald Ford; Post-Katrina Shootings in New Orleans

Aired January 02, 2007 - 12:00   ET

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

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: The former first lady, Betty Ford, now in this limousine. It will move on from the National Cathedral here in Washington after a Hearse gets ready to go carrying the casket of the 38th president of the United States, President Gerald Ford.
We're continuing our live coverage of this national day of mourning, this state funeral from the National Cathedral. This motorcade will go to Andrews Air Force Base outside of. There, that presidential jet will take the coffin to Grand Rapids, Michigan, for the final burial ceremony there.

We're watching all of this unfold.

History, Jeff Greenfield, unfolding. We heard some remarkable eulogies, tributes to this president.

JEFF GREENFIELD, CNN SR. ANALYST: The eulogies really did cover the waterfront. It touched on everything from Gerald Ford's personality, to his relationships to the press corps. And in the case of Henry Kissinger, the one substantive argument to say, you know, he was very aware and shrewd about the Soviet Union.

A lot of conservatives felt that he and Henry Kissinger were naive about the Soviet Union. That's one of the reasons Reagan ran against him.

And, of course, in the '76 debate, Ford said there's no Soviet domination of eastern Europe. Kissinger was trying to say he new full well what he meant was that there was no -- there was no political domination on the minds of the eastern Europeans. And Ford later said, "Of course that's what I meant."

But I think in general, the touchstones were all the ones we've been talking about the last few days, the inherent decency of the man, the geniality of the man, the toughness behind that geniality, and the sense that he was the right man at the right time for the Oval Office.

BLITZER: John King is over at the National Cathedral watching all of this unfold.

A crisp but sunny day. Windy, as we can see from those flags in the nation's capital.

John, President Bush saying that Gerald Ford brought calm and healing to the nation at a very, very decisive moment. JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: And in his eulogy, Wolf, President Bush making note, as many have in the past several days as the country has paid tribute to President Ford, of the tough political decision that President Ford made. And it was in that vain of decency President Ford, as President Bush put it, believing it was right for the country, necessary for the country's healing, for him to issue the pardon of President Nixon. And by pardoning President Richard Nixon, many believe Gerald Ford perhaps cost himself any chance and certainly hurt his chances of being elected president in the 1976 election.

Quite interesting, these were touching eulogies, but not speeches, as much as just simple words to reflect on I think what many keep remarking was a simple man. Not flowery words, but words of great tribute to the president.

It's quite a powerful scene outside now, Wolf. I'm sure you can see in front of the cathedral Betty Ford was just placed in the limousine. As you noted, the Ford family in other sedans behind the Hearse. And the Honor Guard still standing by as they wait for President Ford now to begin his final motorcade ride from Washington out to Andrews Air Force Base and back home to Grand Rapids, Michigan.

BLITZER: And the first -- the former first lady accompanied by her four children, three sons and a daughter. Many grandchildren and great grandchildren at the same time.

Candy Crowley watching all of this, together with us.

The first President Bush, in his words, said that Gerald Ford was a Norman Rockwell painting come to life -- Candy.

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SR. POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Straight out of the Midwest. I think that phrase really captured my attention, because I think it really did embody who Gerald Ford was, a man without airs, a man, as President Bush -- the first President Bush -- said who grew up where trust in your word, where what a man was to be, he certainly brought those qualities to the White House.

I thought this whole service was aimed at that, as Jeff said. The nugget of this, in all of the eulogies, was this decent and honest man. One could have a lot worse eulogies said about them. In fact, that's probably the highest praise one can get at the end of his life.

So, it struck me -- one of the things that struck me was what a majestic service it was for this man they all hailed as the common man and the man from the Midwest. So one thinks that Gerald Ford probably would have preferred the trip home to Grand Rapids, where, of course, he came from.

BLITZER: Walter Mears is former Associated Press, "Washington Post" bureau chief, a long-time reporter who covered Gerald Ford's presidency.

You heard Tom Brokaw, the former NBC anchor, Walter, say that this was a president with "no demons, no hidden agenda, no hit list or acts of vengeance."

I assume you agree. Clearly, a reference to the former president, Richard Nixon.

WALTER MEARS, FMR. AP BUREAU CHIEF: Apparently so. That was the era that ended with the departure of Nixon, which is not to say that some politicians since haven't had their enemies. But no enemies' lists, I don't think. And certainly, Ford was a different kind of president.

I was struck by the discussion of both the pardon on Ford's golf -- there's a story that tells you how comfortable this man was with himself. The weekend that he pardoned Nixon, he was playing in a two- day golf tournament with his friend Melvin Laird as his partner in the golf tournament. Laird was at the White House the night before the pardon was issued, Saturday night, and he said that Ford never mentioned it to him.

They got to the golf course the following day, after Ford had made his announcement. And he asked Mel Laird, "What did you think of it?" And Laird said, "Look, we've got a golf tournament to play."

And they never spoke of it again all day. And they lost the golf tournament.

BLITZER: And we heard some humor interjected in these tributes, in these eulogies, from the former president, George Herbert Walker Bush.

Bob Green, when you spoke with President Ford over the years, he liked to laugh at himself. The self-deprecating humor became synonymous with President Ford.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He did. And I think, Wolf, that if you had to take one sentence out of today's services that summed up President Ford, it's something that the first President Bush said in his eulogy.

He was talking about how in a driving rainstorm, when President Ford had first become Congressman Ford in Michigan, he had made arrangements to go to a dairy farm with some journalists and some other people the next day. And as you remember from the eulogy, he said that Congressman Ford showed up, and everyone, including the reporters with him, were surprised he came there.

And Congressman Ford said, "They milk the cows every day. And besides, I promised."

And that, to me, is Gerald Ford.

He once said to me, "You know, I always think things are good, and I think they're going to get better." That's -- it's a pretty simple philosophy. I wish most of us could carry it off as well as he did.

He talked about the idea of himself becoming a part of the history, which is always such a -- you know, you see all of the presidents sitting there in the first two rows. And when a kid goes to school when he's 5 or 6 years old, one of the first things you hear is -- from the teacher -- in America, any child could grow up to be president. But what if the teacher pointed to the third row and said, "And you, you will."

It's only happened to half a hundred people or less in our history. We fool ourselves into thinking that we know all there is to do about being president and who our presidents are, but only those half a hundred or less ever know.

And what President Ford said was, "Well, if I am history, I hope it's history that's good. And I think on a day like today, we can pretty surely say he got his wish.

BLITZER: And this motorcade now getting ready to leave the National Cathedral. It will drive through the streets of Washington, D.C., make its way toward Maryland and Andrews Air Force Base, where the presidential jet will take this coffin and the entourage, including the former first lady, Betty Ford, to Grand Rapids, Michigan, where the president was from.

There you see a live picture coming in from Andrews Air Force Base. There will be more ceremonies there as well.

Let's go through some of the moments that we saw unfold today. The casket leaving Capitol Hill earlier in the day.

Jeff, as we take a look at this, this is videotape. We saw the casket move from the rotunda to outside the U.S. Senate. The U.S. Senate, which had been the home, if you will, for the vice president then, Jerry Ford. He was president of the Senate at that time.

And later, we saw the 21-gun salute. The cannon fire that was shot as the coffin was taken down the stairs, those 45 stairs of the U.S. Capitol.

And one of the president's sons, Steve Ford, clearly emotionally drained at that moment. The president blessed with a wonderful family. The first -- Steve Ford and then Susan Ford, his sister, that you see there. All four Ford children very, very involved in all of this activity, Jeff.

GREENFIELD: And we'll see Betty Ford. It has been mentioned that it may be that history will regard Betty Ford as consequential as her husband Jerry.

BLITZER: Because of what she did.

I want to just tell our viewers what they're seeing now. This is videotape.

When the motorcade and the Hearse went past the White House, some members of the White House staff came out to show their respects to the 38th president of the United States. That's the north lawn of the White House. They opened up Pennsylvania Avenue, which is usually closed to traffic, for this drive-by, as the motorcade went past the White House, past the West Wing of the White House, and then eventually made its way to the National Cathedral.

And here we see Betty Ford -- Betty Ford walking in, together with the president. He escorted her to her seat in the front row at this service.

Give us a final thought, Jeff.

GREENFIELD: I think it's remarkable that no matter what a president has done in office, no matter how long he and someday she has served, or short, whether the voters rejected them or re-elected them, at a moment like this, all of Washington comes together to pay homage. It is a way of saying, as I said earlier, in a state funeral, this is not even about Jerry Ford. This is as much about the United States of America.

This is who we are. This is what we do. These are the traditions, military, civic, religious, that we embody in this one experience.

BLITZER: And I think I can speak for so many of my fellow journalists who covered this president. I was a young reporter at the time. And I think it's fair to say, he was a very, very decent, honorable man. He brought respect to our history, especially at such a difficult moment in our history, as the Vietnam War was winding down, and as the Watergate tragedy was still unfolding.

Gerald Ford, the 38th president of the United States. The motorcade now moving toward Andrews Air Force Base, where the next leg in this national day of mourning will unfold.

We're going to continue to watch all of this together with you. Stay with us here on CNN for continuing coverage of this national day of mourning, the state funeral of President Gerald R. Ford.

We'll have a complete wrap-up of all of the day's activities later today in "THE SITUATION ROOM." That starts at 4:00 p.m. Eastern.

For now, I want to thank Jeff Greenfield, all of our correspondents, all of our guests for the special coverage of the state funeral of President Gerald Ford.

Let's continue our news coverage with Tony Harris in the CNN NEWSROOM.

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: A wonderful ceremony, and a wonderful job by you, Wolf, and you're team.

You are in the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Tony Harris. Heidi Collins is off today.

A special edition of the NEWSROOM coming your way. Watch events happen live on this Tuesday, the 2nd day of January.

Here's what's on the rundown.

Protests in Iraq. Saddam Hussein's execution fuels anger on the streets. Fury over the dictator's treatment in his last moments.

New Orleans police in the chaos of Katrina opened fire on a bridge. Today, officers turned themselves in to face charges, including murder.

The state funeral for Gerald Rudolph Ford. The nation bids farewell to the 38th president of the United States this hour in the NEWSROOM.

Shootings in New Orleans in the chaotic days after Katrina. Today, seven police officers turning themselves in to face some serious charges.

CNN's Sean Callebs live now from New Orleans -- Sean.

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Tony, exactly. Six New Orleans police officers, one former New Orleans police officer, turned themselves into the sheriff's department here in Orleans Parish. They are being processed right now on charges of shooting two men on a bridge on September 4th, in those chaotic days right after Hurricane Katrina. But the way they turned themselves in really speaks volumes about the way this case is playing out here in New Orleans.

I want to take you to some pictures. At least 250, perhaps as many as 300 New Orleans police officers lining the road, greeting the Danziger Seven, as they are now known. The shooting took place on the Danziger Bridge.

As the seven people made their way to the sheriff's office, they were greeted by cheers, applause, and shouting chants of N.O.P.D. But what happened on that day still remains bitterly contested among the two sides.

The police say that they were answering a call that an officer was down. When they arrived at the bridge, they said there was shooting going on. That is when they shot and killed two people. The police, however -- later on, it was determined -- the indictments were handed up just this past Thursday.

But when asked about the show of support out here on the street today, we couldn't get any of the New Orleans police officers to speak with us. They were all tight-lipped. But we did get an officer from another -- from another unit.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OFC. BILLY MIMMS, CITY PARK POLICE: I'm from another department, but I'm glad to support the officers because it could happen to one of us. It could happen to me.

(END VIDEO CLIP) CALLEBS: Now, four of the officers are charged with first-degree murder. Three are charged with attempted murder.

They are going to be in jail here until at least Friday. That is when the various attorneys representing the officers say they hope to have a bond hearing.

Now, there is a civil suit pending against the city, the officers as well involved in this shooting. The Reverend Al Sharpton has actually said that the shooting is racially motivated, despite the fact that four of the officers involved are African-American.

When we talked to some of the attorneys involved in the case, they say they are simply dumbfounded by that accusation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FRANK DESALVO, ATTORNEY FOR ACCUSED OFFICER: Four of the seven officers are black. So Reverend Sharpton can't count or he can't do something.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CALLEBS: Now, the two people who were killed, 19-year-old James Brisset (ph), and also Ronald Madison (ph), who was 40.

Ronald Madison (ph) is mentally retarded. His brother was arrested and charged in that incident as well. He was held for about 26 days. He is now the individual pursuing the civil charge against the city.

But Tony, the charges against the six officers and one former officer do carry heavy sentences, if they are indeed convicted, including the possibility of the death sentence for four of those people involved in this -- Tony.

HARRIS: Boy, a strange set of circumstances there on the ground in New Orleans.

Sean Callebs for us.

Sean, appreciate it. Thank you.

A national day of mourning. Americans pay respects to the nation's 38th president.

Funeral services for Gerald Ford held this morning at the National Cathedral in Washington. President Bush delivered the final eulogy.

CNN's Elaine Quijano is with us now from the White House.

And Elaine, what an elegant ceremony today. Just a couple of words from President Bush. President Bush said, "In President Ford the world saw the best of America."

Just a -- just a wonderful ceremony today.

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's right. High praise.

As you noted, President Bush making those remarks at the National Cathedral, saying that what the world saw in Gerald Ford, as you noted, was the best of America. And the president also referring to the post-Watergate era. The president saying that Ford's character and leadership brought calm and healing to one of the most divisive moments in our nation's history.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Amid all the turmoil, Gerald Ford was a rock of stability. And when he put his hand on his family bible to take the presidential oath of office, he brought grace to a moment of great doubt. In a short time, the gentleman from Grand Rapids proved that behind the affability was firm resolve.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

QUIJANO: And President Bush remembering Gerald Ford as a leader of character and humility. President Bush also said that Gerald Ford assumed the presidency when America needed him, not because he needed the office.

And finally, the president remembered fondly the last time he and President Ford met earlier this year. President Bush saying that "Gerald Ford was still smiling, still counting himself lucky to have wife Betty at his side, and still displaying the optimism and generosity that made him one of America's most beloved leaders" -- Tony.

HARRIS: CNN's Elaine Quijano for us.

Elaine, stay with us for just a moment here. We want to show everyone pictures of Andrews Air Force Base. The remains of the former president Gerald Ford to be arriving there shortly on this national day of mourning for that final trip home.

And I understand quite an elaborate ceremony to take place there. A brief ceremony, but another dignified ceremony to take place there at Andrews Air Force Base there as well in just a few minutes.

And we will, of course, bring that to you live here on CNN.

People in Colorado still digging out from back-to-back snowstorms. The latest blizzard dumping some three feet of snow on the region. Concerns today about feeding both people and livestock. Authorities are planning to bring in groceries in Humvees. They'll drop bales of hay from cargo planes or helicopters for hungry cattle.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAJ. GEN. MASON WHITNEY, COLORADO NATIONAL GUARD: Compared to what I've seen in the past, this is probably the worst I've seen down in the southeastern section of Colorado in terms of impassible roads and in terms of drifting snow that really creates a huge challenge for those rescuers, as well as for those folks trying to re-supply either the shelters that we have set up throughout that area, or trying to get some food into those cattle that right now are some pretty serious problems.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: In Nebraska, power crews struggling to restore electricity after a nasty weekend storm. About 15,000 customers have no electricity, and some could be in the dark for weeks.

Let's check in now with Rob Marciano.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HARRIS: An anxious wait. Faces tell the story. Families hoping for survivors once a missing plane is found. That story coming up in the NEWSROOM.

A dictator dies, and the world is a witness. Now images of Saddam Hussein's hanging spark anger on the streets of Iraq. To Baghdad.

Still ahead in the NEWSROOM, the powerful helping the powerless. Oprah Winfrey putting the disadvantaged at the head of the class. The story from South Africa in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: A search for survivors under way in Indonesia. Rescuers trying to find a missing passenger plane. The Adam (ph) Air flight disappeared from radar and sent a distress signal more than 24 hours ago. There were 102 people onboard, three of them Americans. The head of transport safety for Indonesia blames local police for spreading rumors that the wreckage and 12 survivors have been found. It's unknown whether the plane went down in the mountains or in the Java Sea.

And right now, let's take you back to Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, just outside of Washington D.C. The remains of former President Gerald Ford to arrive there at Andrews Air Force Base shortly. Preparations under way right now, as you see. A presidential jet, which we'll see in a moment, will take the remains of the president to his hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan. When that final motorcade arrives, we will take you back to Andrews.

Saddam Hussein's execution is over, but outrage over it is heating up. In Iraq's Sunni community, people are taking their anger public.

Our Ryan Chilcote has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Sunni anger over Saddam's execution poured into the streets Monday.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): We give our condolences to the Islamic nation and the Prophet Muhammad's nation with the death of the mujahadeed, Saddam Hussein. Mercy be upon him.

CHILCOTE: The protesters are not only angry about the execution, they're angry about the timing, as Sunnis prepare for the most important Muslim holiday of the year. And they're angry about how it was carried out. Iraq Sunnis watched this leaked video in horror as Saddam was taunted by Shiite witnesses, yelling the name of the radial Shiite cleric who the U.S. and Sunnis blame for running death squads that target Sunnis.

An Iraqi official said the U.S. asked Iraq's Shiite-led government to delay the execution for two weeks, concerned it would look rushed and vengeful. But the hanging went on as scheduled, ending with some witnesses dancing around Saddam's body, shouting more Shiite slogans.

Iraq's government now said it will investigate what happened in the execution chamber, but that is unlikely to placate Sunni angry that now spreads beyond Iraq.

Saddam's eldest daughter, Raghad, appeared at a demonstration in the neighboring country of Jordan where she lives in exile. Some Sunnis vow they will now work to punish the Iraqi government.

Ryan Chilcote, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: In Iraq, another American soldier loses his life. The U.S. military says he died in a roadside bomb attack south of Baghdad on Monday. A statement says the soldier was talking to people about sectarian violence when he became a victim. His death raises the number of U.S. fatalities in the war to 3,003.

New Orleans, a city besieged after Katrina, an indictment: An incident on a bridge sends several New Orleans police officers to jail today. Their story coming up in the NEWSROOM.

The powerful helping the powerless: Oprah Winfrey putting the disadvantaged at the head of the class to South Africa, coming up in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: No word on the fate of a news photographer kidnapped in Gaza. No group is taking responsibility or making demands. Armed men abducted Hemi Rezuri (ph) Monday. Rezuri (ph) works Agence France Presse. Foreign journalists and aid workers has been recent targets of kidnappings in Gaza.

She is the queen of talk in United States. Now seen as a guardian angel in South Africa. Oprah Winfrey fulfills a promise, opening a school near Johannesburg for disadvantaged girls. CNN's Africa correspondent Jeff Koinange has this report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEFF KOINANGE, CNN AFRICA CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Oprah has been coming to South Africa for the past several years, determined to fulfill a promise she made to former President Nelson Mandela or Mediba to most here.

OPRAH WINFREY, TALK SHOW HOST: So, I said to Mediba, I would like to build school and I would like to commit $10 million dollars. This was five years ago, and he said, yes.

KOINANGE: And just like that, the two broke ground for a girl' school just outside Johannesburg. And what began as a $10 million project. It's since grown from $40 million dollars and counting.

WINFREY: The dream for me was to create a school that I would most want to attend. So from the very beginning, I sat down with architects and I said we have to have a library and a fireplace so that the girls can, it can be a place for learning as well as living for them.

We have to have a theater because this is a school for leaders and in order to be a leader, you have to have a voice. In order to have a voice, you need oration. So the idea for the school came about based on what I felt would be an honor for the African girls.

KOINANGE: And all of this for free. Free uniforms. Free books. Free meals. Everything is free at Oprah's school.

WINFREY: Hello.

UNIDENTIFIED CHILD: Hi.

KOINANGE: Oprah insisted on personally interviewing all the perspective students from schools around the country. The requirements are simple. The girls had to have better than average grades and they had to come from under privileged homes, much like she did.

WINFREY: I look in their faces and I see my own. With girls who came from a background just like my own. I was raised by a grandmother, no running water or electricity. But yet because of a sense of education and learning, I was able to become who I am.

And I want to do the same for these girls. And so, I think there's no better place than Africa because the sense of need, the sense of value for education and appreciation for it, could not be greater.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: And live now to Andrews Air Force base as the hearse and the motorcade arrive at Andrews Air Force Base. The hearse carrying the remains of former President Gerald Ford for that final journey back home to his hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan. The presidential jet is waiting there that will actually carry the body, the casket, family members and dignitaries for that final run to Grand Rapids, Michigan.

And on this national day of mourning, the country continues to honor, a Navy man, a lawyer in his home of Grand Rapids, a husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, Congressman, vice president and 38th President of these United States.

And right now, you are watching the arrival of the motorcade for the departure ceremony for President Ford. Eulogized today as a decent, honest man. President Bush saying in President Ford, the world saw the best of America and America found a man whose character and leadership brought calm and healing to one of the most divisive moments in our nation's history. President Bush called the 38th president a man who's name was a synonym for integrity.

And in just a moment, you will see the family exiting some of those vehicles for this ceremony. The Army, Marines, Navy, the Air Force, the Coast Guard all participating in this ceremony, as you see Vice President Dick Cheney there.

We will come back to this ceremony in just a couple of moments. But first, some other news. A climate contrast. Heavy snow in the West. Spring-like in the east. Just bizarre. Wacky weather. The complete story coming up in the NEWSROOM.

And the West Virginia mine tragedy, a year later, one man out of 13 survives the underground terror. We'll return to Sago coming up next in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: And right back to Andrews Air Force Base now as dignitaries and the service, the ceremony at Andrews Air Force Base is about to begin. The remains of the former president yet to arrive there at Andrews Air Force Base for that final journey back home to Gerald Ford's hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan. When the hearse arrives, we will take you back to Andrews.

Seven New Orleans police officers turned themselves in, greeted by dozens of fellow officers. At the city jail this morning, the officers accused of murder and attempted murder in shootings at Danzinger Bridge.

It happened in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Arraignment is scheduled for tomorrow. Four of the officers charged with first degree murder. The judge says those four won't get bond. The police union asked other officers to come out to show their support.

Well, we are a nation divided by weather.

CNN's John Roberts looks at the East-West split.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) JOHN ROBERTS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): On New Year's Day, people in La Junta, Colorado, were still digging out from under 30 inches of snow.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People can't get out of their homes. They can't get to the stores. Stores can't get employees out to work. It's a mess.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've seen drifts this big, but this much snow this deep everywhere, I've never seen it.

ROBERTS: The blizzard that started last week in the Rockies swept through the plains and all the way to Texas, dumping three to four feet of snow along the way.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Personally, I love this weather. Professionally, it's been a nightmare.

ROBERTS: New Mexico's major arteries are now cleared. But over the New Year's weekend, ice and heavy snow brought traffic on long stretches of Interstate 40 to a screeching halt.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Two trucks stopped on 287.

ROBERTS: A fleet of small planes are flying over southeastern Colorado searching for any motorists who remain snowbound. Officials are also trying to get food to stranded livestock in the area. In Kansas, tens of thousands of homes and businesses are still without power.

While the nation's midsection is snowed under, the weather in the eastern United States is the polar opposite, unseasonably warm. Cherry blossoms are blooming in the nation's capital, four months too soon. In upstate Rochester, New York, 2007 road in on water-skis rather than snow skis. And for polar bears at New York's Coney Island, their annual New Year's Day swim didn't make a big splash. These people who have ice water in their veins were positively lukewarm about it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've been in the water when you've had to kick the ice out of the poll (ph) to get into the water. It's a piece of cake this time. I mean, I should have brought my lounge chair out here. All I'm missing is a hot tub and some suntan lotion.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: CNN's John Roberts reporting.

Gasper is gone. The Beluga whale left the Georgia Aquarium here in Atlanta. Veterinarians euthanized him today. They say he'd had a weakened immune system ever since coming to the aquarium about a year ago and he'd been getting sicker in recent days. Gasper was wildly popular with aquarium visitors, especially children.

Still to come, a dictator dies and the world is a witness. Now images of Saddam Hussein's hanging sparks anger on the streets of Iraq. That story next in the NEWSROOM.

And an amazing feat. A young teen trying to break a record sailing across the Atlantic. He's all by his lonesome. That story next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Back now to Andrews Air Force Base. The remains of former President Gerald Ford at Andrews Air Force Base at this moment, for that final journey back home to his hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan.

The presidential jet that you see in the background will take the remains to his hometown, on this national day of mourning. The country continues to honor this navy man, lawyer in his hometown of Grand Rapids, a husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, congressman, vice president, 38th president of the United States.

You're watching now the departure ceremony for President Ford, eulogized as a decent, honest man earlier today. The army, all the branches -- the army, marines, navy, air force and the coast guard participating in the ceremony, as the motorcade arrived. The cordoned commander, Army Lieutenant Michael Hudson brought the ceremonial troops to attention.

In just moments, the Ford family will be escorted to their positions. You're taking a look there at the casket team, which will take its position at the rear of the hearse and remove the casket from the hearse. The commander will bring the ceremonial troops to present arms of the U.S. Air Force band out of Bolling Air Force Base out of Washington, D.C. will play under the direction of Colonel Dennis Layendecker, "Hail to the Chief" and then the hymn "Going Home."

More of our continuing coverage to come in just a moment. We will take a break, our coverage will continue with Don Lemon coming up in the NEWSROOM right after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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