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Graduation Day at West Point; UN Peace Keeper Killed in Darfur; Clinton and Obama Explain Votes

Aired May 26, 2007 - 11:00   ET

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

T.J. HAWKIN, CNN NEWS ANCHOR: You are in that room. That's the "CNN NEWSROOM." And this is Saturday, May 26. Hello to you all. I'm T.J. Hawkin.
MELISSA LONG, CNN GUEST ANCHOR: Good morning. I'm Melissa Long, in today for Betty Nguyen.

HAWKIN: This Memorial Day weekend, we're focusing on pride, sacrifice and service, honoring those who gave their all for this country.

LONG: A new class of military leaders is preparing for duty. It is graduation day at West Point. We'll take you there live in a moment.

HAWKIN: Also you are feeling the pain. It hurts so bad at the pump this weekend. Who is really to blame for these high gas prices?

LONG: First, gentlemen and ladies, start your engines. More women than ever before will be behind the wheel at the Indy 500 this weekend. You'll meet them later in the "NEWSROOM".

HAWKIN: No time table for withdrawal, but maybe a troop reduction in Iraq. There is our report today, hours after the president signed legislation extending funding for the war.

CNN correspondent Elaine Quijano joins us now with the details.

Good morning, to you.

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, T.J. That report in today's "New York Times" says some in the Bush administration are looking at the possibility now of reducing the number of U.S. combat forces in Iraq by as much as 50 percent by next year.

The White House certainly not denying that any kind of discussions of different scenarios are taking place, but it's important to note this article says General David Petraeus has not been involved in the discussions on the specific points. That is very significant.

In fact, Deputy Press Secretary Dana Perino telling me it's very early yet in the administration's view that the administration would certainly like to be in a position to cut down the U.S. troop levels in Iraq, but they are also, of course, looking to commanders on the ground, including General Petraeus, of course. We heard President Bush say that time and time again.

It's going to depend on what happens on the ground and how the top military commanders view the administering before they decide what course of action to ultimately take.

HAWKIN: Elaine Quijano, thank you so much.

LONG: Three more U.S. military deaths in Iraq. One soldier was killed by small arms fire during an operation in the Baghdad area another soldier killed by an IED. An American died in a non-combat incident in Anbar Province bringing the overall military death toll in Iraq to 3,444.

HAWKINS: Three weeks since three soldiers disappeared in Iraq. The body of one soldier was found Wednesday. There is still a search for Specialist Alex R. Jimenez and Private Byron Fouty.

CNN Senior Correspondent Allan Chernoff spoke with the mother of one of the missing soldiers.

ALAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The anguish of a mother worried for her son missing in Iraq.

MARIE RAMON (PH): It's just terrible. He is a wonderful, wonderful son.

CHERNOFF: Marie Ramon's (ph) son 25-year-old Army Specialist Alex Jimenez has been missing in Iraq since May 12th, his father's birthday. Ramon waited all day for the birthday call that never came.

The Pentagon says Alex's unit was ambushed 20 miles south of Baghdad. As American forces conduct an intensive search for Alex, his family and friends hold prayer vigils every day.

RAMON (PH): I say, God, I put my son in your hands. You have the power. You can do everything.

CHERNOFF: When the body of a third missing soldier was found earlier this week in Iraq, Maria feared it could be her son.

RAMON (PH): When I saw the tattoos, I said, God, tell me no. It was terrible.

CHERNOFF: Family and neighbors describe Alex as mentally and physically tough, a man who grew up with the goal of joining the military.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was gung-ho, you know.

TURNOFF (on camera): Always wanted to be a soldier?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, yeah.

TURNOFF (voice-over): If Alex is being held captive, Maria has a message for the kidnapper.

RAMON (PH): Please, don't do anything bad to him. Please, please, save me my son. Alex, I miss you, Alex.

CHERNOFF: Alan Chernoff, CNN, New York.

LONG: Vice president Dick Cheney handing out diplomas at the United States Military Academy. CNN's Jim Acosta's there for us for graduation.

Good morning, Jim. Beautiful weather there.

JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, yes. We saw that ceremonial tossing of the hats here on the grounds of West Point. The military cadets who just graduated the class of 2007 tossed their hats into the air a few moments ago. Here is what it looked like.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DICK CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Last night President Bush signed into law the war supplemental that we worked hard to achieve. As we look to the future, I want to say this to the graduates and to all the men and women of the corps and to the families who gathered in the stadium today. Whatever lies ahead, the United States army will have all of the equipment, supplies, manpower, training and support essential to victory. I give you this assurance on behalf of the president, you soldier for him and he will soldier for you.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ACOSTA: That was Vice President Dick Cheney. He was the commencement's main speaker here today. In that piece of sound you just heard there, he was obviously talking about the passage of the war spending bill which was passed in the Congress this past week. A victory for the president in that it did not include any time tables for withdrawal of troops from Iraq.

The vice president there takes a bit of a victory lap here in front of the crowd here at West Point.

Just to tell what you happened here today, 978 cadets graduated here at West Point. They received their deployments and were commissioned as officers in the United States army as second lieutenants. This tradition you just saw tossing of the hats there has been going on since 1946.

Despite all the pomp and circumstance, these graduates know what lie ahead. Many of them will be going to serve in Iraq overseas in the war that has claimed some 49 lives of graduates of West Point since the war started in 2003. LONG: Jim, of course, there were, the crowd did gather outside the military academy in order to share their opinions on the Iraq war.

ACOSTA: That's right. Some of those protestors actually went to the United States Federal Court of Appeals to try to get the right to protest inside the grounds of West Point. That was rejected by the court saying that, no, they have to stay outside the gates. That a military academy is no place for that kind of political protest. The protestors were making the point that if the vice president is going to make a political speech, that they should have their right to a political speech here on the grounds of West Point that. That argument was rejected by the court.

What we are seeing right now is a lot of the festivities that seem to happen every year after these graduation ceremonies. You see the cadets throw their hats in the air and all their family members run on to the field to greet these cadets and give them a pat on the arm there, congratulating them for all their accomplishments.

One thing you see, all these kids rush the field to try to grab these hats that get tossed in the air. Every year that is a big souvenir item.

LONG: The prize token from graduation, certainly. Thank you for being us the graduation ceremonies. Certainly a proud moment for them and their family. Thanks, Jim.

HAWKINS: Another graduation ceremony. President Bush's former chief of staff got an honorary degree at the University of Massachusetts. He got something else to go along with that degree. He got booed, big time, for a good minute or so.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Andrew Card.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HAWKINS: As you can see that went on for some time. Even the faculty on stage joined in some of that booing. You see the signs there. They are blaming Card in part for the Iraq war. They would not quiet down as the presentation went on. Card did his greatest smiles and waved, but he did skip his speech.

LONG: He handled the situation there with grace considering.

Prosecutors want the vice president's former chief of staff to do the time. Their recommendation, 2 1/2 to three years for obstruction and perjury. A jury convicted Scooter Libby in March. The case was the byproduct of the leak that exposed the identity of CIA operative Valerie Plame. Libby will be sentenced June 5. The defense is expected to ask for no prison time. If the judge sentences Libby, the defense wants Libby to remain free during his appeal.

HAWKINS: As many of you head out this Memorial Day weekend, you are taking out loans to pay for the gas for your trip. Who is to blame for those high prices in we've got some possible answers coming up.

LONG: Have you ever dreamed of riding the space shuttle in orbit?

HAWKINS: Just dreamed, yes.

LONG: Keep dreaming. The next time you head to Florida, you could get a good feel for what it's like.

HAWKINS: I also dreamed about this other vehicle here, Warrior One. Live picture here. It's on the road and on a mission. The goal and that mission, all of that ahead in our live report with our Bonnie Schneider. Stick around.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LONG: This is the picture from Arlington, Virginia, on this memorial weekend. Despite record gas prices, millions of Americans are hitting the road for the long weekend. AAA motor club estimating 38 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home. About 83 percent of them hitting the road even though the average price for self-serve regular gasoline is at $3.22 a gallon.

HAWKINS: I know you are getting tired of hearing us talk about how high the prices are. You know every time you drive past a gas station. What many of us don't know is why, why, why, why? CNN Tom Foreman, please talk us to.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Americans burn 385 million gallons of gas just today. At current prices, that's $1.25 billion worth. But try to find one driver who can tell you why prices have risen so steeply.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't know. It's confusing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't have a good answer.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's outrageous that the prices are that high.

FOREMAN: High crude oil prices alone are not at fault. A year ago crude was close to the price it is now and a gallon of gas was under $3. Now it's around $3.20.

ALI VELSHI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The cost of distribution remained surely the same. Taxes remained roughly the same. The culprit has got to be refining. We are paying more to refine gas from oil than we ever paid before.

FOREMAN: Oil industry analysts say some spectacular refinery fires knocked out a few facilities, and more importantly, ever since hurricanes Katrina and Rita, maintenance crews have been struggling to keep refineries producing.

When the short supply of refineries hits the high demand of spring travelers, this is the result. Some consumer advocates say the oil companies with their record profits should have seen this coming.

BRAD PROCTOR, GASPRICEWATCH.COM: Let's start taking some of those profits and pushing them into the refinery system so we can be more efficient into what we are able to convert. Because that's their job. FOREMAN: No new refinery has been built in America in 30 years. The oil companies have always said that's because it's costly, difficult work, and so many communities and politicians don't want the projects in their neighborhoods. The companies could probably overcome that...

PROCTOR: But you know what? There is no incentive for them to do that because the end result would be cheaper products for the consumer out there.

FOREMAN: All of us bear some of the blame. We are driving as many as we ever have. Each time gas prices rise, we complain, but we fill up just the same.

As long as that goes on, consumer advocates say keeping oil companies honest about their responsibility for refinery capacity will be difficult, even way down the road.

Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LONG: Two days of storms and floods left at least five people dead in central Texas. Two of the victims were just kids riding in a vehicle that swept off the road onto a gully. About 100 homes, apartment buildings and businesses have been damaged. The governor of Texas has called out the National Guard. HAWKIN: I think about some 38 million Americans are going to be traveling, getting away from home for the Memorial Day weekend. Among them, meteorologist Bonnie Schneider. She is away from home, as well.

LONG: She is not on the road yet enjoying a backyard barbecue, but you are enjoying a festival.

BONNIE SCHNEIDER, CNN METEOROLOGIST: That's true. Somebody is barbecuing around here. We are at the blossom festival in Ohio. Beautiful town.

I can tell you, there are so many people here. We are expecting 50,000 this weekend. One of the many festivities will be CNN's own Warrior One hummer. This was actually embedded in Iraq in 2003. Last summer was overhauled on the series on TLC "overhauling." Now you wouldn't know it. It looks terrific.

Folks are coming to see it and it's also touring the country to raise money for wounded veterans across the country and their families. I want to get to the weather.

(WEATHER REPORT)

SCHNEIDER: A lot of people talk about World War II veterans and say they are the greatest generation. Joining me now we have someone from the greatest generation. He will be 87 in July, right?

KEN SHUTT, WORLD WAR II VETERAN: That's right. SCHNEIDER: Ken Shutt has an amazing story to tell. He is a hero in sugar hill falls. You were flying over France when your plane was hit hard and you had to make it to England. What happened?

SHUTT: Well we got halfway across. We only had two engines working instead of four. Of so we just looked for as soon as we got over the channel, we looked for the best place to land. We landed on actually English air field.

SCHNEIDER: And you all survived?

SHUTT: All survived. All got out in time.

SCHNEIDER: We are looking at pictures. Let's zoom into the picture to see what a handsome young man you were. That was in 1943. There you are. That's a great picture. What do you think when you look at those pictures back then?

SHUTT: Memories. That's about all.

SCHNEIDER: I'm sure. what did you say when you were flying in the plane that barely could get across the English channel and sought hills of Dover and knew you were safe?

SHUTT: We all thought the same thing. It was all like the song "flying on a wing and a prayer." So we all got in, all lived and all continued.

SCHNEIDER: Thank you so much for joining us. Really appreciate it, Ken Shutt. An American hero right here.

LONG: Handsome gentleman today, as well. Thank you so much for allowing him to share his memories with us this morning. Thanks, Bonnie.

HAWKINS: Thanks, Bonnie.

LONG: This Memorial Day weekend, you have an opportunity to do something special for a soldier and his or her family. You can donate your frequent flier miles into hero miles to fisher House. Fisher House uses those miles to transport men and women wounded in Iraq to fly home. Fisher House will also match your contribution.

HAWKINS: The power of lift, you can experience a subtle flight without going for the entire astronaut training. That's just ahead.

LONG: Two Senators running for president have an important decision to make on the Iraq funding bill. We'll look at the choices they made and the possible impact on their campaigns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LONG: Good morning on this Saturday. Hope you are having a great weekend so far. California's Sacramento River will be crowded with holiday boaters this weekend. That prompted scientists to suspend the rescue efforts for two lost whales. Yesterday rescue crews used a fire boat to spay water at the whales hoping to drive them back to the pacific. They seemed to respond so they'll have more boats in the river when rescue efforts resume Tuesday.

HAWKINS: Is by any chance your Memorial Day plans include cliff diving? They do not in my plans. You might want to rethink that. Not just because it's not the brightest idea, but the Army Corps of Engineers banned it on 19 lakes they control in West Virginia, Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio. Cliff diving is a summer time rite for many people. The corps says this is very risky behavior, certainly won't be tolerated in those areas.

LONG: Banned in four states. Got it.

HAWKINS: Florida's newest ride is not at Disney.

LONG: No, in fact, it is at NASA. Here is CNN's John Zarrella.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: How do you get 38 astronauts to show up in one place? Offer them a ride on a space shuttle. The astronauts led by Bob Crippin and Bob Young took a ride on the first of its kind new attraction.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's go fly.

ZARRELLA: The shuttle launch experience, a $60 million ride is debuting this weekend at the Kennedy Space Center Visitors' Complex. It was designed and built not as a thrill ride, but to mimic a real shuttle lift-off. Here's the real thing. Now here's the ride. Veteran shuttle commander, Rick Searfoss, spent years working to get it just right.

RICK SEARFOSS, VETERAN SHUTTLE COMMANDER: I was the test pilot. I would hop onboard and they would tweak and change and adjust the vibrations and shaking and sounds and so forth. We kept doing that hundreds of times.

ZARRELLA: His peers, all smiles when it was over.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can't wait to get my grandkids in there.

ZARRELLA: It is meant to be more than simply a ride. It is a physical legacy of the shuttle program.

UNIDENTIFIED BOY: I thought it was cool when the space shuttle opened up.

CHARLIE BOLDEN, FORMER SHUTTLE COMMANDER: You looked at earth?

UNIDENTIFIED BOY: Yeah.

BOLDEN: If we come out of this and we don't have a handful of kids every week that change their minds and start raising their hand when somebody says, how many of you want to be astronauts? Then we have failed miserably. ZARRELLA: We couldn't pass up the opportunity to fly ourselves. Commander Bolden went along for the ride.

(on camera): That wasn't bad, Charlie.

I could do that for real. I could have been an astronaut.

(voice-over): That's as close as I'll ever get to the real thing. You know what? That's just fine.

John Zarrella, CNN, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LONG: Congress wanted to provide financial consideration to families who lost loved ones in war. Unfortunately, that isn't always happening. We'll look at some of the reasons why ahead in the newsroom.

HAWKINS: One of the biggest events this memorial weekend is the Indianapolis 500. Will the women rule this year's race? Stay tuned.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: And this word just in to CNN. According to wire reports, United Nations peace keeper has been killed in Darfur. The UN peace keeper was described as an Egyptian officer, was shot by gunmen looting his home on Friday. This would be the first UN casualty since peace keepers were sent into this region, this violent region where certainly several years ago, rebels took up arms against the government there. Now according to the UN, hundreds of thousands have been killed in the fighting there. A couple of million have been displaced in this war-ravaged violent region in western Sudan. It appears now the first UN peacekeeper has been killed in that conflict. We're keeping an eye on that developing story.

Also happening now, Vice President Dick Cheney telling West Point grads they've been trained for battlefield leadership and now it is time to leave. Cheney handed out diplomas at the military academy's 209th commencement just a little while ago.

MELISSA LONG, CNN ANCHOR, NEWSROOM: Months of classic political power plays are over. President Bush signed the latest war funding bill. No time tables just like he wanted. There are benchmarks or goals for the Iraqi government to meet and the president can waive those. The bill pays for the war through September. The funding battle will resume over the summer.

HOLMES: We'll have a vote on that funding, but leading Democratic presidential candidates got on the spot here. If you vote yes, maybe you alienate the anti-war crowd, but if you vote no, you get hit with charges that you don't support the troops. Here now is Dana Bash.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On the campaign trail in Iowa, Hillary Clinton was already explaining her vote against funding troops in Iraq.

SEN. HILLARY CLINTON (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We owe them more than what they're getting right now. We owe them -- a change in course in Iraq that recognizes the realities on the ground.

BASH: So was her main Democratic opponent Barack Obama.

SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: It is time to bring this war to a close.

BASH: Both were reacting to the rapid-fire Republican criticism of their no votes on the war funding bill. John McCain called the votes the height of irresponsibility. Mitt Romney said Clinton and Obama's votes serve as a glaring example of an unrealistic and inexperienced world view. It's all political fallout from last night's drama after refusing for days to say how they would vote.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Obama, Mr. Obama, no. Mrs. Clinton, Mrs. Clinton, no.

BASH: By voting against funding the war, both presidential candidates stood exactly where many Democratic primary voters want them. Cutting off funding is something both had vowed not to do.

CLINTON: I am not prepared to vote to cut funding to American troops.

OBAMA: Democrats aren't interested in playing chicken with the troops. We are absolutely committed to making sure that the troops have the equipment they need in order to come home safely.

BASH: Changing their positions is sure to help in the short term with staunchly anti-war voters both candidates need to win the Democratic nomination, but how will it play in the general election? Flashback to 2004 when Democrat John Kerry voted against a war spending bill.

JOHN KERRY (D) MASS: I actually did vote for these billions of dollars before I voted against it.

BASH: The bush campaign pounced saying he...

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: ...abandoned our trooped in combat by voting against the funding.

BASH: But things are different now. The vast majority of Americans oppose the war.

ANDREW KOHUT, PEW RESEARCH CENTER: The Democratic candidates now come closer to the way the middle of the country thinks about the war in Iraq than do Republican candidates.

BASH: Senators Clinton and Obama are banking on that trend continuing, more and more Americans, Democrats, independents and Republicans opposing the war, but that's hard to predict. There are still 18 months before Election Day. Dana Bash, CNN, Capitol Hill. (END VIDEOTAPE)

LONG: This memorial weekend we honor those who gave their lives in the war, but what about those left behind? Josh Levs is here with a reality check.

JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We are taking a look today at the benefits that these people receive when someone loses a family member in war. Obviously there is a lot you have to deal with. It's all the emotions. One thing the government takes care of is providing certain benefits to survivors. That's what we are looking at. It turns out a couple of years ago, the amount of money that the government gives to these survivors was raised big time, but there are actually a lot of people who are unable to collect that and some veterans groups saying that in the end, many of these people are not getting all the money they are entitled to.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LEVS (voice-over): When troops give their lives for the country, the last thing families should have to worry about is money, say many law makers. So two years ago Congress expanded the so-called death gratuity big time from just over $12,000 to $100,000. They even made it retroactive to 2001.

BILL FRIST (R) FMR SENATE MAJORITY LEADER: We owe them a debt of gratitude and we own them even more than a debt of gratitude.

LEVS: But some troops had died not knowing their families wouldn't have access to that money. Jamie Jaenke, a single mom, thought it would go to her mother to raise her daughter but by law it can only go to a spouse or child, so the money is in a trust her daughter cannot touch until she's 18.

SUSAN JAENKE, GRANDMOTHER: I have a daughter without a mother and now we don't have a future.

LEVS: Some in Congress are trying to change that.

REP. TOM LATHAM (R) IOWA: It was just an oversight, I believe, in that they didn't take into consideration these types of situations.

LEVS: So far, no luck. Meanwhile there is a battle over another benefit, annual payments. This one we need to draw out to explain. Many survivors are eligible for money from the Department of Defense and the Veterans Administration. Here is one example of how that could work. This benefit is often about $13,000 a year for a widow. This benefit, about $12,000. But survivors don't get both. They get this one and then enough from the Department of Defense to bring the total up to this, in this scenario, a total of $13,000. Many veterans groups are pushing for survivors to get both. It would cost the government billions. The Pentagon has said there is no apparent need for it. The Defense Department says it does all it can to provide for families of troops who pay the ultimate price.

(END VIDEOTAPE) LEVS: These days there is actually another benefit issue that's growing and that's this. Now that there are so many National Guard troops in Iraq, individual states are now taking a look at the amount of money that they give to families of National Guard troops who are killed. Some states, those situations are now turning into controversies. And Melissa, actually in some states it's shaping up to affect future state elections, state races.

LONG: Huge issue, obviously. What about some of the other benefits, as well?

LEVS: There's a giant pile of them and it's getting to a point now, it's a long list of things that the government provides. They provide, for one thing, there is life insurance. You can get up to $400,000 in life insurance. The government helps cover the premium for that. So that's part of it. There's also burial benefits, career assistance and a number of private groups that contribute toward this. So in the end, there are a large number of benefits. The two we focus on here are the two most controversial from the Federal government.

LONG: They sacrifice so much. They're entitled and their loved ones are entitled. Josh Levs with a reality check. Thank you.

LEVS: Thanks.

HOLMES: We've got a way for you to help out a hero this memorial weekend. Veronica de la Cruz at the dot com desk to explain to us. Hello.

VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey there TJ. Imagine this, you are sitting in a hospital room trying to recover from your injuries. You probably want your mother, your brother, maybe your best friend, your girlfriend, boyfriend, by your side. We're going to show how you can help a wounded veteran in need. This is the perfect time to give up all those miles that might just be sitting around.

From now through Monday, airlines will match any frequent flier miles you donate to the Fisher House, effectively doubling your contribution. Just log on to cnn.com/coming home and click on Fisher House hero miles. Find your airline and fill out the extremely short form. It only takes a few seconds and it does a world of good. While you are on the coming home web page, be sure to check out all of the other great content. CNN producers have uploaded tons of I-reports sent in by military families. Their inspiring stories are great reminders of what Memorial Day is all about. Also on the site you'll find the story of warrior one, the battle-scarred Humvee used by CNN during the Iraq invasion. It was sold at auction for more than $1 million and all that money went to the Fisher House. You'll also hear from families who have children in the war zone. Take a listen to this. This is a father talking about his son in Iraq.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Some people ask, you know, why would you send your son off to this situation? I always reply back if not my son, whose son? I think if it was up to parents to send their children to battle, there wouldn't be any. Fortunately, it's these young men and women that feel the call to serve. In Christopher's case, that's exactly what happened.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DE LA CRUZ: That web address cnn.com/cominghome. Please keep sending us your I-reports and emails. We love to hear from you. TJ, Melissa.

HOLMES: All right that was great to hear from that dad there. Veronica, thank you so much.

LONG: Veronica just mentioned warrior one. It is on the road raising money for families in need. We have a live update coming up.

HOLMES: Also, she has had enough of "The View." Have you had enough of Rosie? We'll look back at Rosie's greatest hits and some big misses, as well. That's later in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: All right. Ladies, start your engines. The record number of women will be behind the wheel tomorrow for the Indy 500 and CNN's Larry Smith reports for us now.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LARRY SMITH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For the first time ever, there will be three female drivers in the Indianapolis 500.

SARAH FISHER, 6TH INDIANAPOLIS 500: It's really neat to be a part of that because it shows that as a sport, we are on the same level as the business world where women are CEOs. Women are leaders, and to have a sport that can do that, I'm really glad to be part of this.

DANICA PATRICK, 3RD INDIANAPOLIS 500: Three people, four people, five people. I don't know if there's really that much of a difference in it all. Probably, you know, when it gets to something like 10 that will be pretty significant. That's a large -- that would be almost 1/3 of the field. That would definitely be a big day.

SMITH: Danica Patrick is one of the most popular drivers on the Indy car series. She will be joined by Milka Duno and Sarah Fisher. Racing (INAUDIBLE) is nothing new for Fisher, who is competing in her sixth Indy 500. And Duno is 35 year old from Venezuela who will be competing in just her second series race. Oh yeah, she is a naval engineer with four masters degrees.

MILKA DUNO, 1ST INDIANAPOLIS 500: It's going to be huge because this is so, so special race. It's the biggest event in modern racing, the biggest event in the world and our sport. (INAUDIBLE)

FISHER: I talk to Milka quite a bit because she is new and she is a rookie. It's really a tough thing to come to the Indianapolis 500 especially for your second race. I told her if she needs any help, more than welcome to come over to the bus and have a chat or ask any questions. But we are competitors at heart and that's the big picture.

SMITH: Being competitive is what motivates Patrick, who is still looking for her first career win.

PATRICK: Last year was the year that was very difficult. There was two teams that seemed to be dominating, not only the Indy 500, but all the races and that's no fun. This year the chances are very good. I have experience under my belt. I have a team that's knowledgeable. I have some allies out on the track. So I think that in the end, this year might be the best shot I've had yet.

SMITH: But whether or not Patrick, Fisher or Duno actually win the race may not be what makes the biggest impact for women in this sport.

FISHER: It's more important that women compete consistently at the top level. It's not just one race that means the world to the entire sport of racing. You have to consistently compete up front in order for it to mean something.

SMITH: Larry Smith, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LONG: You're going to be wearing your Danica t-shirt this weekend?

HOLMES: I absolutely will. I'll be watching that race (INAUDIBLE) It's exciting. Her first win and she had a chance to win it, came in fourth, I believe, her first one.

LONG: I like Miss Duno, four masters degrees? Very impressive.

HOLMES: She is smarter than the rest of the field. She can outsmart them to the finish line.

We'll change that graphic that says "fast women," you know what we are talking about.

LONG: Oh, TJ Of course we know what we are talking about.

HOLMES: All right folks. We're going to take a break, get ourselves together here. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HOLMES: Of course, special events all across America this Memorial Day weekend.

LONG: Barbecues, festivals, parades. One such festival is actually in Chagrin Falls. It's blossom time there. CNN warrior one is there and so is CNN meteorologist Bonnie Schneider with her eye on the sky. Good morning or good afternoon Bonnie.

BONNIE SCHNEIDER, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hi Melissa, TJ, TJ, you did mention that I drove the Hummer here. Unfortunately, I did not. It would be a nice ride if I did. This vehicle after being hit hard with artillery back in 2003 in April in Iraq, it was completely unfortunately not in good shape at that point. It was overhauled last summer to this outstanding vehicle you see behind me and it's actually touring the country to raise money for families of severely wounded war veterans, so a really good cause. You'll want to come check it out if you're in the Ohio area.

Let's go ahead and take a look at the weather forecast. We've been lucky here so far. In the Cleveland vicinity, the showers have been on and off but elsewhere across the country, lots of rain in Texas. Take a look at the weather graphics now. You'll find that we are looking at a chance for rain across Texas. Luckily both coasts look good. So if you are barbecuing in Savannah, Georgia, you're fine. LA looks good. But just in the middle of the country particularly in Texas we are expecting some of the heavy rain. You'll have some problems with flooding into the area and dark (ph) raiin there.

Let's move on now and take a look at our graphic for the rest of the weekend. It looks good. We've got some nice conditions as I mentioned on both coasts. Now we'll move on to our next graphic and you'll find that today we are looking at some nice conditions.

All right. Let's come back to where we are now here at the warrior one Hummer. This Hummer is going to be on display all throughout the weekend here in Ohio. We are expecting 50,000 people to come here throughout the weekend to check it out. The interior is really something to see. Since it's been overhauled by TLC, come inside. Take a look at this. They've got four LCD monitors, a brand- new sound system. That is the hot bass that's going in there. It's really spectacular.

Some of the illustrations actually show what it was like in Iraq at the time. We have some of the illustrations showed some of the crew members of CNN and you can see them there. This was actually taken of a photograph that was shot the last day for the crew when they were in Iraq. They are all wearing hats that they found in a palace in Iraq. It's really incredible stories behind every illustration that you'll see here. So we will be here throughout the weekend giving you updates, talking to some veterans. We spoke to a gentleman earlier, 87 years old, was a World War II veteran, really some amazing stories here, not just here in Ohio, but around the country as we get you closer and closer to Memorial Day on Monday.

LONG: Bonnie Schneider there. Thanks so much and don't forget, coming home, a special dedication on our website at cnn.com, also for Memorial Day weekend.

HOLMES: And I need to reiterate, Bonnie did not drive that Hummer to Ohio. All right. In less than an hour you can see more of the CNN Hummer and how it's helping thousands. Our special warrior one for all airs at 12:30 Eastern. Special programming continues at 2:30 Eastern when combat search and rescue takes you behind enemy lines and at 3:00 Eastern, (INAUDIBLE) battlefield in our CNN special investigations unit, wounded warriors, all part of our Memorial Day weekend here on CNN. And of course, the NEWSROOM continues at the top of the hour. Always so exciting to see Fredricka.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's great to see you all, as well and hello Melissa. Our American heroes at work. You've been seeing it all morning. We are going to take you to the former center of the Iraq insurgency. Former thanks to our American heroes. We are going to show you how this town is now being reconstructed from rubble, from rubble to reconstruction there in Ramadi.

Also in the 2:00 p.m. Eastern hour, you know Lieutenant Dans (ph), Lieutenant Dans, remember that from "Forrest Gump?" Well, Gary Sinese is going to be joining us live from Washington. He is quite the veterans' advocate. He will be telling us about all kinds of ceremonies that he is helping to head up there in our nation's capital throughout this Memorial Day weekend. How was that for my "Forrest Gump" impression?

LONG: (INAUDIBLE)

WHITFIELD: Looking forward...(INAUDIBLE) I saw both your eyebrows. That's the best I can give you.

LONG: It's all about the effort.

WHITFIELD: A for effort.

HOLMES: We've got more Memorial Day coverage coming up here. So please stick around.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LONG: Good morning. Live picture of the waters just outside New York City. It is fleet week in New York, some 3,000 sailors and Marines descending in New York. You are looking at a live picture there of the USS Wasp. It's of course home to navy and Marine Corps choppers, also amphibious vehicles and 3,000 people heading to New York City for the annual fleet week. Beautiful weather. I think it's going to be the high 80s today.

HOLMES: The weather is cooperating and certainly a good time for the Marines and sailors who show up there to hang out in New York for a few days, for a week. This celebration wraps up on the 30th of May, but a good time for citizens, civilians to go up and kind of get an up close and personal look for what it's like for these folks.

LONG: There are parades and you can tour the ships and learn more about the military.

HOLMES: It's a good time there. So the weather cooperating on this Memorial Day weekend.

LONG: Memorial Day weekend marks the beginning of the summer festival season, as well. In Wisconsin, that means bratwurst. It is billed as the world's largest brat fest that's underway in Wisconsin, the state capital of Madison. Participants hope to set a new world record by consuming 200,000 brats over four days.

HOLMES: Not sure if Dr. Sanjay Gupta would recommend that, but...

LONG: Bring the Pepto-Bismol.

HOLMES: But something else for you to get a load of here. Speaking of pork, 11-year-old boy in Alabama used a pistol to kill this thing, this monster, this wild hog, stretches nine feet four inches from snout to tail, weighing 1051 pounds. That would make it bigger than the legendary monster hog you might remember from a few years ago in south Georgia, yes. Three years ago they called it hogzilla, but this would be bigger than that one and I don't know how many times he had to shoot it with that pistol, but I don't think one round is going to get it.

LONG: Tough guy look on his face.

HOLMES: He should to kill that thing (INAUDIBLE)

LONG: Still to come, CNN NEWSROOM continues next with Fredricka Whitfield.

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