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President Bush Arrives to Tour Bridge Collapse Devastation; Condition of Country's Bridges; Saved by the Bible?
Aired August 04, 2007 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: From the CNN Center, this is the CNN NEWSROOM. And it is Saturday, August the 4th, 10:00 a.m. here in Atlanta, 9:00 in Minneapolis.
Good morning to you all. I'm T.J. Holmes.
VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Veronica De La Cruz, in this morning for Betty Nguyen.
Here's what's straight ahead in the NEWSROOM.
President Bush arriving at the St. Paul Air Reserve Base moments ago. He's in Minnesota to get a firsthand look at the devastation at the site of the 35W bridge collapse.
You're looking at live pictures right now.
HOLMES: Also, investigators looking at this -- taking a close look at this, this particular part of the southern span of that Minnesota bridge. We'll tell you why. That's coming up.
Also, this...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To most people who are not in this field, you know, they assume that any bridge that they drive on on a daily basis is a safe structure. But, you know, in certain cases, that may not be the case.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DE LA CRUZ: A nationwide alert on the safety of U.S. bridges and a fear that many more may not be safe.
HOLMES: We are going to start in the Twin Cities, again, like we showed you that live picture. President Bush arriving just moments ago at St. Paul.
He's arriving there promising federal aid. We're looking at this live picture here. Air Force One just touching down moments ago. So they're getting ready there for the president's arrival.
He's going to be taking an aerial tour, we understand, and certainly going to be visiting with the victims, and certainly the -- some of the rescuers, the heroes, the folks who went into action right after this tragedy happened.
Investigators, in the meantime, have zeroed in on a picture -- a particular picture on south side of the bridge. There it is. You're looking at it now.
CNN's Susan Roesgen live in Minneapolis with all the latest, and this big clue they believe they have now with this picture that they're looking at.
Good morning to you, Susan.
SUSAN ROESGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, T.J.
We assume that that's something that President Bush is going to ask about, this suggestion that part of the bridge, the south end of the bridge, shifted a full 50 feet as it fell, that the rest of the bridge fell straight and that one end of it shifted 50 feet to one side.
Now, you did mention President Bush. He has landed, as you said, in Air Force One. The next step is to go up in Marine One, the helicopter, so he can get a good, overall look at the situation here, get a look for himself at some of the aerials that we have been seeing for the past couple of days.
Then he's going to go on the ground and take a foot tour. He'll be getting much, much closer than we in the media have been allowed to get.
He'll be talking to some of the rescuers there, as you mentioned, T.J. He will be talking to some of the ordinary people, the people who just rushed from the downtown area to help save people. And he will be talking to some of the victims' families.
One of the missing people here that we know of -- at least eight people still missing -- was a 23-year-old pregnant woman with a 2- year-old daughter strapped in the back seat. They have not been found. So, certainly, President Bush will be called on to give some comfort to the families of the missing as well.
Now, back to what the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating. They're using this computer model, this super- sophisticated animation that takes input, that takes input on things like the stress on the bridge, the number of cars on the bridge, vibration on the bridge, maps it out into an animated computer model.
The National Transportation Safety Board says this model will be invaluable in helping them try to recreate what exactly happened on that bridge without having to physically pull pieces of it together. They also said yesterday in a news conference, T.J., that they have actually four videos of that bridge collapse.
One we've seen exclusively initially on CNN. One of the other four, the chairman said -- he's actually with the FBI, and he believes that tape may be an even better look at what happened. So they'll use the computer model, they'll use the physical evidence, and they'll use this mystery tape, this other tape in the hands of the FBI, to get a good look at possibly what happened -- T.J.
HOLMES: All right. A lot of clues. A lot of video. A lot of pictures. They're going to piece this thing together, try to find out exactly what caused this bridge to collapse.
Susan Roesgen for us this morning in Minneapolis.
Susan, thank you so much.
DE LA CRUZ: Here's a look at the victims who have been identified so far.
Yesterday, police released the name of a fifth victim, Paul Ikestan (ph). He was driving his truck right here that burst into flames shortly after the collapse. It's right next to that school bus.
Also identified, 32-year-old Julia Blackhawk of Savage, Minnesota. She leaves behind two sons.
Twenty-nine-year-old Artemio Trinidad-Mena of Minneapolis has four children, including a 2-month-old daughter.
Thirty-six-year-old Patrick Holmes of Mounds View, Minnesota, leaves behind two children.
And 60-year-old Sherry Engebretsen, who leaves behind a husband and two daughters.
HOLMES: And a rare Saturday session to tell you about for the House of Representatives. House members expected to finish up work on $250 million in emergency funding to rebuild the I-35 West Bridge in Minneapolis. The Senate finished its version yesterday. The House also taking up the Foreign Intelligence Act.
DE LA CRUZ: You're going to want to get used to this story. In Tampa, Florida, this bridge right here, take a look. Well, it's now shut down.
This is tape from earlier, obviously. Inspectors there say chunks of concrete have fallen off, exposing metal to the elements. The county must now decide whether to repair or replace the 45-year- old bridge. Florida's governor has ordered a review of all of the state's bridges.
Florida is not alone. Many cities and states now taking a closer look at their bridges. And you can see it in the headlines of local papers across the country.
In fact, I believe you have the "Atlanta Journal-Constitution," right?
HOLMES: We have...
DE LA CRUZ: They're looking at 18 bridges in the area. HOLMES: We have that here. We're going to take a look at this. But also need to take a look at President Bush. There he is, just getting off Air Force One, landing in St. Paul.
He's there at the Air Reserve base. Of course, the president coming in today to really -- to really comfort some of the victims, that community as well, support them and what has happened there in Minneapolis. Also, to give promise of federal funding.
He's expected to take an aerial tour of that site where that bridge collapsed. We know five dead now, and still at least eight is the number we're getting still known to be missing. Several cars under that water.
A lot of work still to be done, but the president is meeting up, actually, his wife, the first lady, Laura Bush, actually in the area yesterday, lending her support, lending a hand after a trip that is already scheduled for her. And she ended up making a detour on that -- on that trip to go be with those families.
And also the rescuers and the emergency officials, the workers who have been working around the clock. Many of them jumped right into action as soon as this happened.
But here, again, the president getting off Air Force One. He is going to take a short trip now. There he is in St. Paul. He's going to head over to Minneapolis to check out the -- check out the damage and lend what he can to the victims there of this tragedy.
And like we were saying, a lot of areas, a lot of cities and states around the country now taking a look at their bridges and what kind of shape they're in.
CNN's Dan Simon now has the more on the condition of this country's bridges.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Some of them, like San Francisco's Golden Gate, are national symbols, but a startling number of America's bridges have become a symbol for something else, neglect and now danger. Bridges are essential to our daily lives, but more than 160,000 of them, more than a quarter of all the bridges in this country, have been rated as "structurally deficient" or "functionally obsolete".
In plain English, they're getting old.
PROF. MO EHSANI, UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA: Like anything else, there is a useful life for all structures. And ultimately, they need to be replaced or strengthened.
SIMON: Engineering professor Mo Ehsani has designed nearly a dozen bridges in Arizona.
EHSANI: For most people not in this field, you know, they assume that any bridge that they drive on on a daily basis is a safe structure, but, you know, in certain cases, that may not be the case.
SIMON: Experts say some of the most traveled bridges in the nation have problems. They're structurally deficient. Bridges like the 51-year-old Tappan Zee Bridge in New York. More than 135,000 cross daily. And the Quinnipiac Bridge in Connecticut, 50 years old. It was designed to handle over 80,000 cars and trucks daily, but it's actually carrying more than 140,000 a day.
STEPHEN FLYNN, AUTHOR, "THE EDGE OF DISASTER": We're absolutely not doing what needs to be done to make sure our bridges are adequately maintained, are safe.
SIMON: Stephen Flynn wrote "The Edge of Disaster," examining our nation's aging infrastructure, including bridges..
FLYNN: It's very clear that we have to fix the bridges and keep them adequately maintained because they really are marvels of engineering in many cases. But when they fail, they really fail. And so, we can -- it's not just loss of life risk, which is, of course, a real tragedy. It is that these are the true lifelines in many cases of our cities.
SIMON: Some states are worse off than others. Federal data shows more than a third of bridges in New York, West Virginia and Vermont are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. The same goes for Connecticut, Oklahoma, North Carolina and Hawaii.
Pennsylvania is even worse, at nearly 40 percent. That state has 30 of the same design as the collapsed Minneapolis bridge. And in Rhode Island, 53 percent, more than half the bridges there.
(on camera): Bridges in western states tend to do better than other parts of the country. One reason, the bridges are newer. But climate also plays a major factor.
(voice over): Professor Ehsani says bridges in colder climates corrode more quickly.
EHSANI: The reason primarily is because of the de-icing chemicals that we use every winter to keep those roadways clean.
SIMON: Federal officials say it would cost $461 billion to fix America's bridges and roadways. The tragedy in Minneapolis may have provided the political and emotional will finally to take action.
Dan Simon, CNN, Tucson, Arizona.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DE LA CRUZ: You know, many people have been wondering about the safety of the bridges where they live.
And Josh Levs, he is manning the dotcom/DESK today.
How is it going?
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: You know, I'm doing my best to make you proud.
I mean, this is her gig, people. But I'm doing my best.
We're piecing through what's on...
DE LA CRUZ: You're doing wonderfully. And I understand you've got some great valuable information for folks.
LEVS: Yes. You know, it's really amazing what dotcom puts together in a case like this.
You know, the United States has more than half a million bridges, as we're hearing, and a lot of them, as we heard in that report, decades old. You've got time, weather and traffic all combining to take their toll on these bridges.
So, in the aftermath of what we've seen the last few days in Minneapolis, the government has ordered immediate inspections of more than 750 of those. So, to see how the bridges in your state measure up, do this -- CNN.com home page, you can click on a link below the main story. That will bring up the list of all of the possibly suspect bridges state by state.
Search for your state. You'll see if one is on your route to work.
Many local TV affiliates and newspapers are also currently focused on troubled bridges in their areas. For example, we've got this site here, WFAA in Dallas-Fort Worth.
It has posted a video on the Web site reporting that the longest bridge in Texas, what officials are doing to make that one safe. And they also posted a list of specific bridges that are in need of attention.
Now, you know, crumbling infrastructure is an important story that resonates all over the country. So checking in with your local TV stations and the newspapers in your town, a very good place to find more information about the status of the bridges right near you.
I'm going to give you an example here, one of the biggest. "New York Times" reporting today that the Brooklyn Bridge, one of the city's beloved landmarks -- even people who haven't been to New York know that bridge -- it was rated in poor condition last year. But, I'm going to tell you, the article also says city officials are saying that the bridge is safe. And it was already scheduled for reconstruction in 2010.
So, you know, Veronica, that's the kind of thing that a lot of people are looking at here to find out what's near them.
DE LA CRUZ: Yes. Yes.
Well, we've got this one, too, the "Atlanta Journal- Constitution".
LEVS: Yes.
DE LA CRUZ: "Metro Atlanta's 18 Worst Bridges". Can we get a shot of that?
So, this is something that's very important to you today. Take a look at your local paper.
And Josh, I understand that we've also gotten in some pretty interesting e-mails.
LEVS: We have. Yes, we've gotten a lot of e-mails.
You know, a lot of I-Reports, which I'll be telling you about a little bit later today. And also a lot of interesting e-mails. And there's one here I want to share with you.
It's from a woman named Nicole Olson (ph), who told us, "My husband is Carl D. Olson (ph). He's a survivor of that bridge collapse in Minneapolis. He's currently still in the hospital." She says, "I knew he survived because I saw him on CNN."
She says she was watching CNN, she saw the footage of the collapse. She saw him sit down, stand up, walk away. That's how she knew how to find him.
So, whether that was in our video or our I-Report, it's a sign of, you know, how quickly people turn to us for the news and get helpful information.
DE LA CRUZ: That's great. Yes. Yes.
And Josh, you're doing a great job.
LEVS: Yes?
DE LA CRUZ: You're hired.
LEVS: Oh, yes. I'm so happy.
DE LA CRUZ: You can at least share the desk with me. How's that?
LEVS: I seriously feel like I've just been knighted by the queen.
DE LA CRUZ: All right.
Josh Levs, thanks.
LEVS: Thank you.
DE LA CRUZ: But the question remains, why are so many of America's bridges at risk of failing? Well, tonight at 8:00, Soledad O'Brien and the CNN Special Investigations Unit looks into "Road to Ruin: Are We Safe?"
That's tonight and tomorrow night, 8:00 Eastern.
HOLMES: Well, lots of people say the bible saved them, but maybe not quite like this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When it came out, it hit the bible, which stopped it. And they said that if the bible hadn't been there, it would have hit his shield and it would have ricocheted back inside.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Yes, you heard that right. A soldier's survival story, that's straight ahead.
DE LA CRUZ: Also, toys that could be toxic now pulled from store shelves. What you need to know.
Plus...
HOLMES: The more they cost, the more they crumble. A new report says some of the most expensive cars also have the priciest repairs.
DE LA CRUZ: Are you familiar with that, T.J.?
HOLMES: I am not. I drive a Chevrolet.
Those details a little later in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: President Bush in Minneapolis this morning. There he is just arriving a short time ago in St. Paul. That was just a short time ago.
The president set so tour the scene of that bridge collapse there. And he is committing federal aid to help the folks in their recovery there. Also in helping to rebuild that bridge and promising a whole lot more to come.
DE LA CRUZ: A U.S. soldier faces sentencing this morning after his conviction on rape and murder charges. Last night, a military jury found Private Jesse Spielman guilty in the rape and murder of a 14-year-old Iraqi girl and the killing of her family.
The attack happened last year in a village about 20 miles south of Baghdad. Prosecutors did not say Spielman took part in the rape or murders, but they allege he went to the house knowing what other soldiers intended to do and served as a lookout.
HOLMES: Well, they call it "The Good Book". They say it can save you. And one U.S. soldier in Iraq says he can testify to that.
DE LA CRUZ: An enemy bullet was apparently no match for the soldier's bible.
Yes. We get this story now from reporter Jodi Hovenden of our affiliate WIVB.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KIM SCOTT, MOTHER OF PFC. BRENDAN SCHWEIGART: It's just a miracle.
JODI HOVENDEN, REPORTER, WIVB (voice over): Kim Scott of Andover believes it's a miracle that her son, Army Private First Class Brendan Schweigart is OK, and it may have been his bible that saved his life.
SCOTT: He said it saved his life. He said that having a bible there saved his life.
HOVENDEN: The 22-year-old who graduated from Andover Central School in 2005 was on a mission in Iraq Tuesday when he was shot with a high-powered rifle in his left arm.
SCOTT: He didn't know he had been shot. He said it felt like he had been hit by a sledgehammer.
HOVENDEN: Kim says the bullet traveled down Brendan's side and out his chest area, where he was carrying his bible in his front pocket, underneath his bulletproof vest.
SCOTT: When it came out, it hit the bible, which stopped it. And they said that if the bible hadn't have been there, it would have hit his shield and it would have ricocheted back inside.
HOVENDEN: She says doctors found the bullet lodged in the bible.
SCOTT: I just said thank God. You know, thank God he had his bible. I guess he carries it everywhere he goes.
HOVENDEN: Kim says her son has always believed in God, attending the First Baptist Church in Andover with his grandparents when he was younger. And she believes God had a hand in saving her son's life.
SCOTT: He's a really good kid. Really loving.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: All right. And here we are taking a live picture now of Marine One. The president of the United States there taking that aerial tour we were talking about.
And he just landed a short time ago in St. Paul aboard Air Force One, and now here he is. This is now a live picture of President Bush taking that aerial tour.
He's there, of course, to lend support and also to ensure that the federal government -- or tell the folks there that the federal government is there to help, and certainly by bringing money into that area. Certainly going to need help rebuilding that bridge, and just the community needs to know that they have support.
So, the president there to lend his support. We're going to be dipping in if the president makes comments. He's going to be getting a briefing. So we're keeping an eye on the president's goings on there in Minnesota.
DE LA CRUZ: All right, parents. Listen up. There is a go ahead reason for you to check your child's toy box this morning.
HOLMES: Yes. We're just minutes away from talking to the person who can answer your questions about this week's toy recall.
But first, this...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DINA ABDEL WAHAB, CNN HERO: Special needs were just integrated into the main school system, and they went in the same classroom with the other children. If it can happen around the world, it should happen here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DE LA CRUZ: Dealing with the difficulty of Down Syndrome. One mother's efforts make her a CNN Hero.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DE LA CRUZ: Well, for some time now, CNN has been telling the stories of people you might not otherwise hear about. We call them CNN Heroes.
This morning, the story of a woman in Egypt who fights for the country's most vulnerable, children with special needs. And it's why she is today's CNN Hero.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So let's do it again.
WAHAB: I remember when my son was born eight years ago. I didn't hear anything about inclusion in Egypt.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There are approximately two million children with special needs in Egypt.
Less than 2 percent of them receive educational services.
WAHAB: Very good reading, Ali (ph).
We first learned that Ali (ph) had Down's Syndrome when he was three months old. And, of course, it took us some time to really learn what to do. And we did a lot of research. We went to the States and we did some programs for Ali (ph). And it was to my surprise when I went there to see that children with special needs were just integrated into the main school system and they went in the same classroom with the other children.
If it can happen around the world, it should happen here. And this is how, really, I got things started.
I was absolutely convinced if you want to talk about mainstreaming and if you want to talk about the inclusion of children with special needs, you have to start at a very young age. You need to prepare him academically, you need to prepare him socially.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Approximately 700 toddlers are currently enrolled in The Baby Academy.
Ten percent are children with special needs who are fully integrated with their classmates.
WAHAB: It has prepared the children who don't have special needs to be with their peers in the classroom and accept their differences.
It has taught us to see disability in a new and different light and to learn how to deal with it in a positive way.
Because it was a new concept in Egypt and because not everybody really understood, can they really be together, we have prepared and opened the doors for them to see things in a different perspective.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ninety-five percent of special needs graduates from The Baby Academy have been integrated into normal education.
Over the next five years, Dina plans to open 20 centers throughout the Middle East.
WAHAB: If you really believe that it is all right for every child to have a proper education and just seeing that there is a shift in mentality now is a plus and is hope for the future, and not only for Ali (ph), but for all other children.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DE LA CRUZ: And if would you like to learn more about Dina Abdel Wahab and her school, or if you want to nominate a hero of your own, you can get all of the information online at CNN.com/heroes.
HOLMES: All right. The more expensive the car -- you know, you're paying all that extra money.
DE LA CRUZ: Right, of course.
HOLMES: You've got to be paying for something.
DE LA CRUZ: All the luxury.
HOLMES: For the luxury, maybe a sturdier car, you might think. So surely they should do better in crash tests, right?
DE LA CRUZ: Yes, of course.
HOLMES: Not so much. The leading vehicle safety agency did a crash test on some luxury models, and it is not pretty. We're going to share the results with you.
DE LA CRUZ: Ouch.
And later, papa has got a brand new bag -- no, not a bag? Papa's got a brand new child. The late Godfather of Soul and new DNA claims.
We'll have details for you next in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: And welcome back, everybody, to the NEWSROOM.
Our top story this morning coming to us out of Minneapolis. President Bush has arrived in the Twin Cities. He arrived about 30 minutes ago, already doing his aerial tour of the scene of that collapse. The president will be speaking a little later this morning. We will bring you those remarks live.
DE LA CRUZ: In the meantime, investigators are taking a closer look at the southern side of the bridge, saying they discovered the end of the bridge shifted 50 feet while the rest of the bridge fell straight down. They say it's too early to tell if it was a cause or effect.
HOLMES: Also, moments ago Britain announced it is voluntarily stopping all exports of its beef. You're looking at a live picture of a news conference that's under way by British authorities. Foot and mouth disease has been found in cattle on a farm in Surrey. The farm is being isolated after lab results yesterday indicated cows there have the virus. Foot and mouth disease poses very little threat to humans. Britain's new prime minister says the country will act quickly to contain the disease. There was an outbreak in 2001 that spread to nearly 2,000 animals.
Now parents out there, you've got enough on your minds, enough to worry about. Now, this warning. Within the last few days, a huge toy recall announced. Nearly a million popular toys made by Fisher-Price. The problem, lead, a neurotoxin, in the paint. And we've got an expert with us this morning to figure out what in the world is going on and what in the world you need to be looking for.
Patty Davis is with the Consumer Product Safety Commission and joins us now this morning from Washington. Good morning, ma'am, thank you for being here. We hear these several times. How big of an issue out there is lead? Seems like we've had several recalls involving this.
PATTY DAVIS, CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION: Well you know, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced several recalls involving lead in products. We have major enforcement campaign specifically looking for lead in products. Children's metal jewelry for instance. Any time a U.S. company introduces a banned hazardous substance as lead is in paint a banned hazardous substance, that's unacceptable to the Consumer Product Safety Commission and we have an open and active investigation into how that happened. HOLMES: And you say a major enforcement campaign. Why didn't it work this time before some of these toys got out there into U.S. homes?
DAVIS: Well you know, we can't do this alone. We're certainly at the borders with the Customs and Border Protection service looking at products as they come in. But as you can imagine, there are millions and millions of products that come into the United States. It's a shared responsibility with U.S. companies. U.S. companies have the obligation to make sure that any products they're importing from any country, not just China, meet U.S. safety standards and there was a failure here.
HOLMES: Do they have the incentive though to make sure that this stuff isn't happening? A lot of these companies, they use companies out of China and also they're competitive so they try to get it the cheapest they can so they can compete. So do they have the incentive? Can we really depend on them? Sure, it would be great if they did help out, but it's a bottom line for them a lot of times.
DAVIS: Well you know, the incentive -- there are a couple of them. No. 1, they obviously have an incentive to keep their customers safe because they want those customers to come back. But No. 2, we have authority to lodge penalties against those companies. When we see a violation of a safety standard or a U.S. law, we will not hesitate to lodge penalties against any company.
HOLMES: What can you tell parents right now? What should they be thinking? What should they be feeling? And what should they be looking out for? And any reassurance for them that whatever they may pick up, the toy that their children are playing with day in and day out are safe.
DAVIS: You know, it's so important to keep track of the recalls that the U.S. Consumer Safety Product Commission issues. We issue more than 400 every single year. Should you be concerned about these Fisher-Price toys that have high levels of lead in the paint? Absolutely.
Take them away from your child. Go through your toy box in addition to that. Do an inventory, go to our Web site, www.cpsc.gov, pull the toys that we have recalled.
You know, we have a big campaign drive to one million. You can sign up to get our recall notices directly to your inbox simply by going to our Web site and providing us your e-mail address. It's easy and it's fast.
HOLMES: And I have to ask, are you all catching them in time? You say go to the Web site and you do the recall, but if the kid has been playing with a toy for a year, it defeats the purpose. Are you all catching these things in time?
DAVIS: You know, we have been over in China. Our chairman recently visited China. We have technical experts also that are working with the Chinese government and Chinese manufacturers so that we can prevent the problem at the source. We're hard at work to do that.
I think parents also need to put this lead issue in perspective. The largest source of lead poisoning in the United States is not toys, it's not children's metal jewelry, although parents should be aware of the recalls that we conduct. It is old paint in older homes. If you have a home that was built prior to 1978, chances are there was lead in that paint. We banned it in 1978. You can do a lot in your own home to alleviate that hidden hazard.
HOLMES: All right, well Patty Davis from the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Ma'am, thank you so much for some of that expertise and important information for parents out there. Thank you so much.
Of course, your commission here we're talking about having issues as well. The commission understand doesn't have enough members to sometimes levy those fines against those companies. The commission that normally has three commissioners has been functioning with only two for more than a year now. That vacancy can only be filled by the president. And Ms. Davis, if you're still there, any hopes you will be able to fill that commission?
DAVIS: The president just signed a bill. There was an amendment to the homeland security bill and we now have quorum in place for another six months. Filling that vacancy is up to the White House. You have to talk to the progress that the White House is making on that. But we are ready to go. We are ready to go ahead and file civil penalties, pass new regulations if need be.
HOLMES: Well that is a shame. I guess we need to get on the horn to the White House and see about that. Again, Patty Davis, ma'am, thank you for your time this morning.
DAVIS: You're welcome.
DE LA CRUZ: Ford in the meantime is recalling 3.6 million cars. Apparently there's a potential problem with a cruise control switch and that switch has been blamed for fires in some other Ford vehicles. Now the recall includes different Fords, Lincolns and Mercuries built from 1992 to 2004. You can get this complete list at CNN.com. Ford recalled six million newer model vehicles for the same problem, T.J.
HOLMES: All right, no problem with fine vehicles, a lot of Fords. But we're going to turn to talking about luxury cars now. Not always the best bet when it comes to fender-benders.
DE LA CRUZ: Right, which is why you drive a beater car.
HOLMES: I drive a -- why are you going to call my Chevrolet a beater?
DE LA CRUZ: That's what you were saying earlier. You stay away from the luxury cars.
HOLMES: I do not do the luxury cars.
DE LA CRUZ: So your beater is a Chevy.
HOLMES: My beater is the Chevy.
DE LA CRUZ: Listen, CNN's Greg Hunter reports that fixing that dream machine, not the beater, comes with a high price tag. Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GREG HUNTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): While crashes from fender-benders like these don't look like much, the repair bills sure do. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety recently tested the bumpers of 11 luxury cars. At low speeds, it tested front and rear crashes and then front and rear corner crashes.
The institute says the results aren't as luxurious as the cars. All these cars were subjected to the same test. Top speed, six miles per hour. About the pace I'm walking right now. Take this Infiniti G-35, the institute's worst performer. Expensive car and expensive body damage.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's right, we're looking at damage that will cost over $4,000 to repair.
HUNTER: And that was just for a rear impact. After all four tests, the cost hit nearly $14,000 in damages. Nissan, which owns Infiniti, told CNN, "We design each new model to resist low-speed collision damage and will continue to work closely with major insurance conditions to keep premiums low for our customers."
The best performer -- the Saab 93 at just over $5,000 in repairs while Saab told us, "We are honored, yet not surprised with our performance in the most IIHS tests." The institute says the Saab's performance isn't good enough.
DAVID ZUBY, INSURANCE INST. FOR HIGHWAY SAFETY: There are three cars with less than $6,000 total damage in four tests.
HUNTER: Is that good?
ZUBY: We don't think that's good.
HUNTER: It's just the best of the worst.
ZUBY: That's right.
HUNTER: The institute believes it's not unreasonable to expect less than $1,000 in total damages after all four tests. Take this 1981 Ford Escort, which underwent the exact same tests. It would cost $500 to fix today. So why can't current luxury vehicles compete today?
ZUBY: The problem with all of these vehicles, with the exception of maybe two is that the bumpers don't extend far enough to the sides of the vehicles to protect expensive parts like head lamps, hood corner and fender. HUNTER: So metal, nothing.
On a good note, the institute says car manufacturers only need make small changes for some big savings on future bumper tests.
Greg Hunter, CNN, Ruckersville, Virginia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
DE LA CRUZ: See, and that's why the price tag doesn't matter. That's why you drive a beater.
HOLMES: If you want to call a Chevrolet a beater. Contrary to popular belief.
DE LA CRUZ: With the spinners and it's lowered. You know what, T.J. gets chauffeured to work every day, he's lying.
HOLMES: Wow, why do you tell the people this?
DE LA CRUZ: Your secret is safe with me. He doesn't get chauffeured to work. He drives a Chevy Tahoe. All right, for a complete list of the cars tested, be sure to log onto our Web site at CNN.com.
And now onto some serious news. A gruesome discovery at the home of a Hollywood actor. A man found mauled to death by a dog owned by Ving Rhames. How did it happen? We'll be taking a closer look. Plus this -- good morning, Josh.
LEVS: Hey there. You know, it's a big anniversary for CNN. It's especially big for the dot.com desk. I'm Josh Levs. I'll have details on that coming up right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRIS MCGINNIS, EXPEDIA.COM: A general tip for a member is that Europe is much more formal than the United States. So if there's ever a question, it's better to dress up instead of dress down. Avoid bright colors. Consider packing black, khaki and navy. These are colors that will help you blend in.
Also when it comes to shoes, try not to wear the typically American bright white athletic shoes. Europeans wear athletic shoes when they participate in sports, they don't wear them casually like we do. Men should always wear long pants when they're in Europe except when they are beachside, it's OK to wear shorts. Children typically wear shorts in Europe, but men almost always wear long pants.
The things that scream tourists are walking around with a water bottle in your hand, videotaping, excessive videotaping of everything.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DE LA CRUZ: So what is the anatomy of a bridge? How easily can it bend? Well CNN's Rick Sanchez goes on assignment to find out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RICK SANCHEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's important to note that every single time something goes over this bridge, the bridge has a little bit of movement. Not much, very little but imagine that movement occurring millions and millions of times. That's what causes fatigue.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
DE LA CRUZ: It's something you don't want to think about, but this is a report that you will want to see before you drive over the next bridge. Join Rick Sanchez tonight 10:00 Eastern/7:00 Pacific only on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Hundreds on the run from a wildfire in southern California. This is happening in Santa Barbara County, where about 300 people have been ordered to evacuate. Crews have this massive wildfire contained last week, but weather conditions once again fuelling those flames.
DE LA CRUZ: And Reynolds, earlier you were saying the word of the day is heat wave. Will it be heat wave for southern California?
(WEATHER REPORT)
HOLMES: All right Reynolds, thank you so much, sir.
Meanwhile, police investigating what appears to be a fatal dog attack at the L.A. home of actor Ving Rhames. Authorities say a caretaker was found dead on the front lawn covered in dog bites. An autopsy expected Monday will determine the cause of death. Animal control seized three bull mastiffs and an English bulldog at the home of Ving Rhames. Rhames was not at home at the time of the attack. He's known, as you see him there, you know that face for his roles in the "Mission Impossible" movies.
DE LA CRUZ: Also "Pulp Fiction."
People have taken the I-report concept and they have been running with it, even with this Ving Rhames story.
LEVS: Even with this story, because we were looking at some other serious stories. This one too, they're all over the place.
We've got --let me show you some of the pictures that we have. Andrew Fielding was outside Rhames' house in Brentwood and he snapped these pictures. They show some sort of official activity inside the gated home. And as is typical when celebrities are involved, even if it's just their, the news media showed up, got some clips of that.
In some ways just another typical day for I-reports. What's significant is that this Citizen Journalists Initiative was launched just one year ago. Every month CNN is receiving about 4,000 I-report submissions from people like you.
Here's just one outstanding example from the past week that we haven't showed you yet. This is from Marek Ryciak. She lived just a few blocks away from the scene of this explosion in Dallas, Texas. He says this blast rattled the windows.
If you look at that picture, you can kind of feel like you're there. That's what i-Reports are doing to you. So for all of us, be sure to tune in today at 4:00 Eastern. We have a special one-year anniversary tribute to the thousands of first rate I-reports that we've been getting over the past year. And as you guys know, more than ever for the bridge explosion, historic day on the anniversary of the creation.
DE LA CRUZ: Almost 600, right?
LEVS: Yes, almost 600 and we're not done yet. They're still coming in today. We're still trying to process through the ones we've gotten just a few hours that we've been on air this morning.
DE LA CRUZ: And you know, Virginia Tech, the tragedy there -- 250, so nearly 600 for this one. It's absolutely amazing.
LEVS: More than ever, it shows two things. One, this is a huge news story but two, that it's really catching on. People are coming to understand the significance and the power of i-Reports.
DE LA CRUZ: It's so easy, you just take your cell phone camera, shoot some videos. Josh, nice to see you.
HOLMES: Josh, thanks so much.
Meanwhile, something else here caught on tape, not by an i- Reporter but surveillance cameras. She says she was a crime victim, but the evidence did her in. No doubt, she's literally fudging the truth. We will explain this one.
DE LA CRUZ: Plus, this -- the godfather of soul accused of fathering more children. The new claims straight ahead in the NEWSROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
DE LA CRUZ: In our water cooler stories this morning, papa has got a brand new bag and a whole lot more.
HOLMES: It's a baby bag apparently. An adviser for James Brown say nearly a dozen people who claim Brown is their father have taken DNA tests and he says at least two of those tests have been positive. Brown died in December. His will names six children.
DE LA CRUZ: That's why he was singing, "I Feel Good."
HOLMES: Oh my goodness, Veronica.
DE LA CRUZ: All right, I'm moving on. Someone else who has admitted to fathering a child is Eddie Murphy, T.J., with former Spice Girl Melanie Brown. That's not Melanie Brown. Murphy is engaged to film producer Tracey Edmonds. There she is right there. And he has five children from his previous marriage.
HOLMES: Got a statement here released from Murphy's publicist that says he and Melanie Brown dated briefly and he has paid child support to Brown, who is also known as "Scary Spice." She filed a petition Thursday to legally establish Murphy as the father of her daughter Angel.
DE LA CRUZ: And how many Spice Girls were there?
HOLMES: There were five. And we understand there's Ginger, Scary, Posh.
DE LA CRUZ: Keep going.
HOLMES: Sporty. We're missing one.
DE LA CRUZ: And I'm scared that T.J. knows who the Spice Girls are.
HOLMES: I got help from the gentleman. Ginger, yes.
DE LA CRUZ: All right, take a listen to this. A woman in Maryland is accused of fudging the truth, taking the chocolate. She took the chocolate. Police say the woman claimed she had been assaulted, but that turned out to be false.
HOLMES: OK, while she's being interviewed by the police they start noticing large chunks of fudge falling out of her pockets. The investigation and surveillance video revealed a burglary at a nearby fudge shop. The woman has been arrested.
DE LA CRUZ: Like a true chocaholic.
HOLMES: Yes, fudge falling out of the pockets.
Well folks, we have a lot of stuff going on this morning. If you are just waking up with us, investigators narrowing the search for clues in that deadly bridge collapse in Minnesota. Straight ahead, hell we'll you what they're looking for.
DE LA CRUZ: That's right. Also at this hour, President Bush touring the scene of that disaster. He is set to speak in the next hour to the people of Minneapolis. We're going to bring you his remarks live.
HOLMES: Also, he stopped just a few feet short of the edge of the collapsed bridge and that's just the beginning of his story. It's a survivor story you have really got to hear to believe. That's in the next hour of the NEWSROOM. Stay right here.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) HOLMES: It is that time. Time for us to check in with Kiran Chetry for the big stories of the last week, also to see what's coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING" on Monday. Hello there, Kiran.
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: Hi T.J., great to see you. Well of course the tragic bridge collapse out of Minneapolis provided images that will be hard for many of us to ever forget. "AMERICAN MORNING" was the first morning show to get that chilling surveillance video showing the bridge actually plunging into the Mississippi River.
But you know, the tragedy also revealed some heroes. John Roberts talked with Shanna Hansen (ph), the fire department diver who raced into the Mississippi River to help the victims. Incredibly brave and very humble.
We also talked to Congressman Keith Ellison. He represents the district where the bridge fell and warned that it could happen somewhere else in the future.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. KEITH ELLISON (D), MINNESOTA: All across this country there are bridges that are deemed to be structurally deficient, which means that they need work.
And we've got to really focus on investing in infrastructure. Out of this horrible tragedy and it is that, hopefully we can learn something and that is that we cannot let our infrastructure go.
The government is about tradeoffs. You can have one thing or another. You can invest in infrastructure or you can pursue other government expenditures, which are not as productive as basic infrastructure investments.
There have been tradeoffs, there's no doubt. And I think this is a time when we are going to have to refocus our attention on the basics, what really matters. Safe infrastructure has got to be a basic core function of government.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Again, that was Minnesota Congressman Keith Ellison. We're going to see what promises are made and what promises are kept to make sure this tragedy does not happen to any other bridge around the country, T.J..
HOLMES: Absolutely. And a turn here, something a little lighter and that was much more fun to watch on the show this week, the little girl and the medical mystery. Now only our Sanjay Gupta could have figured this one out. A sticker on an apple.
CHETRY: Yes, that's right. This is little Josie. You know, she had a cough that was very severe. She suffered with it for a long time. Her mother couldn't figure it out. The surgeons though found the culprit. Josie had inhaled the sticker that was on an apple she was eating. We talked to Josie and her mom Sarah. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SARAH DRESSENDORFER, DAUGHTER INHALED FRUIT STICKER: They just said we really need to go in and see what that sound is. It was a really curious sound when she would breathe.
CHETRY: And so they got it out.
S. DRESSENDORFER: They got it out.
CHETRY: Are you still going to eat apples?
JOSIE DRESSENDORFER, SWALLOWED FRUIT STICKER: Yes.
CHETRY: And what are you going to do this time?
J. DRESSENDORFER: Take off the sticker.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: She was just so precious. And you know, it's unbelievable. They were able to get it out with a scope and now she's perfectly fine.
HOLMES: She was so cute. Still going to eat her apples. All right well Kiran, thank you so much. We will of course see you on Monday on "AMERICAN MORNING." You have yourself a good weekend.
CHETRY: You too T.J., thank you.
HOLMES: All right and of course, Kiran Chetry, John Roberts, "AMERICAN MORNING" beginning at 6 a.m. Eastern.
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