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Presidential News Conference; Reported Chlorine Leak in Orange County, Florida

Aired September 20, 2007 - 11:20   ET

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

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Mike Leavitt, the Health and Human Services director. We are not going to stick around for that, but we did just listen to the president for quite some time now talking about a number of topics.
Our Ed Henry is standing by outside the White House to sort of talk about this a little bit.

Boy, I mean, we talked about Iran, we talked about Iraq, we talked about recession. I could go on and on. But one thing that sort of stood out to me, Ed, was the fact that the president did speak about the latest assassination of a parliamentary member in Lebanon but would absolutely not discuss for even a single second these air strikes in Syria.

ED HENRY, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: That's right. I mean, that is a very interesting situation to pay attention to, you're right.

The president was pressed on that Israeli air strike in Syria. I can tell you there's a lot of concern within the Bush administration, outside the Bush administration. People in Washington following that situation closely, wondering if Israel's actions, were they sparked by concerns that Iran, perhaps North Korea, were trying to send a nuclear materials, other potential weapons and other materials, into Syria. None of that has been proven, but there is a lot of intrigue about that.

That's why the president was pressed on that. It was very interesting that he would not answer it. Obviously, there is a lot of -- undoubtedly, a lot of intelligence on this and he can't talk about it. But this is something to pay close attention to, because it's a very sensitive situation in an already-sensitive region.

The other thing I would point out is at the very end of this press conference is something we've heard that privately the president was seething about, that MoveOn.org ad attacking General David Petraeus. We finally really hear him on the record there lashing out at it, calling it disgusting. But going further.

And what I think I'd point to is the fact the president decided to use it as an occasion to attack the Democrats, who have been going after his policy, as you know, tooth and nail. And he said he believes the Democrats "are afraid to irritate the left wing but not afraid to irritate both General Petraeus and the broader military," saying that this was an attack on the military. This is obviously the not the last we've heard about it. But it's interesting. The president very outraged about that ad, but when he was pressed by another reporter about the fact that the Iraqi government is still not meeting benchmarks the president said they'd be meeting by now, he didn't seem quite as outraged about that. Instead, was saying give them some more time, give them some more time. But he clearly wanted to weigh in into the political ramifications of that ad that's days old now.

COLLINS: Yes.

HENRY: The president hoping to keep that alive -- Heidi.

COLLINS: Yes. Remind us too, Ed, quickly, what was the Democratic response? Did we hear from particular candidates? We didn't hear for some time, I know that.

HENRY: Well, most of the Democratic candidates, as you know, like Senator Hillary Clinton, decided really to sidestep and not -- on "AMERICAN MORNING" a couple of days ago, for example, Senator Clinton not wanting to attack MoveOn.org. One of the only Democratic candidates I say was Senator Joe Biden did criticize the ad but then was careful not to really criticize MoveOn.org and say that they've been an important voice in the debate.

The point here is that the president feels that these Democratic presidential candidates are dancing around attacking MoveOn.org itself because it's a liberal group that carries a lot of weight in the Democratic presidential primaries. The response from the Democrats, of course, is that they feel that the president is sort of focusing on a red herring and not focusing on the real problems on the ground in Iraq -- Heidi.

COLLINS: Ed Henry outside the White House for us today.

Ed, nice to see you. Thanks so much.

HENRY: Thanks.

COLLINS: Want to get to Jessica Yellin now on Capitol Hill for us this morning as well. More reaction to the president's speech there.

And as we've been saying with Ed, Jessica, there are so many different topics. But congressionally he did mention, you know, this possible risk of recession. He was questioned about that. And also raising taxes.

JESSICA YELLIN, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: He did talk about raising taxes, Heidi. And it was in the context of this SCHIP deal, a very political issue here that has to do with children's healthcare. And that's the whole reason the president held the press conference this morning. He was trying to get ahead of the headlines before House Democrats and Republicans and the Senate could announce that they've reached an agreement on this new plan to try to insure 10 million kids with health insurance, give 10 million kids of the working poor health insurance.

It all has to do with this program that currently covers about six million kids. There has been a lot of fighting back and forth here on exactly how the program should be renewed. It expires next week.

And three sources tell us they have reached this agreement, but the president has promised to veto it. And what he's saying is that it's too expensive, it's a nationalized healthcare program.

I mean, what you mentioned, this new tax, well, it's a little misleading the way he put it. This entire bill would be financed with a 61-cent-per-pack tax on cigarettes. It's a tobacco tax. It's not on all Americans.

And in the larger context what we're seeing is a very political fight over spending. The Republicans want to renew their bona fides as, you know, fiscal conservatives, watchdogs of spending, and paint the Democrats as tax-and-spend liberals. They're using this children's healthcare program in the fight and, really, kids are really getting caught in the crosshairs.

But what we understand now is that there is a deal as of now where an agreement -- and the president has vowed to veto it. And he's trying to claim the upper ground by leading us off by making this announcement that the deal is too expensive.

COLLINS: All right.

CNN's Jessica Yellin for us at the Capitol this morning.

Jessica, thank you for that.

Want to take a moment now to give you some information that we are getting just in to the CNN NEWSROOM. These pictures, boy, it doesn't look like a very good scene here from our affiliate WKMG. This is out of Orange County, Florida. Again, out of Orange County, Florida.

We are understanding, according to our affiliates there, 33 people are actually being treated on that scene. You see the hazmat crews and the gear that they where when something like this happens, which is a chlorine leak at some type of supplier warehouse in Orange County.

They're setting up apparently -- this is coming to us from police in the area -- a hot zone. They're sort of trying to investigate how this could have happened and where this leak is coming from. Again, a chlorine leak apparently happened at a place called Country Fresh Cuts Warehouse (ph).

It apparently happened when they were mixing hydrochlorine or hydrochloride. Not sure why they were doing that, but it sounds like it was something that they were familiar with doing, anyway.

Again, 33 people are being treated after this chlorine leak. This is some new video we're getting in from our affiliate, WKMG, Orange County, Florida.

We are also understanding, according to police, there are three people who were transported. And police did evacuate the building certainly as a precaution there.

We'll plan to follow this one for you and bring you any more information that we may get. But you see all the people outside that building just sort of taking a seat on the lawn outside and possibly just trying to get some fresh air there. So, again, we will follow that for you.

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And still to come in the CNN NEWSROOM, protesters say they're marching for justice in Jena, Louisiana. The Louisiana town at the center of demonstrations and racial divisions.

The latest live coming up in the CNN NEWSROOM.

COLLINS: And declaring war. More fighting words expected from Osama bin Laden. This time, the al Qaeda leader has a new target.

Plus, O.J. Simpson out on bail in Florida. Still on the docket though in Las Vegas. The latest on his criminal case.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Good morning, everybody. I'm Heidi Collins. You are in the CNN NEWSROOM.

HARRIS: And welcome back, everyone to the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Tony Harris.

The CNN NEWSROOM on the road in Jena, Louisiana. Unfolding this hour, racial divisions and demonstrations in Jena, Louisiana. Let's take a look, live pictures all over the place. Tremendous access for us. And we're using our full capabilities to bring you this story today of protesters descending upon this town, Jena, Louisiana. It is a show of support for the so-called Jena Six, the black students charged with beating a white classmate. Demonstrators say the charges against the teens are too harsh.

Some local residents say it's all been blown out of proportion. We will talk more about that in just a moment. But there was a moment just a moment ago that I want to try to recap for just a moment here.

And I want to bring in Kyra Phillips, my colleague in the CNN NEWSROOM, who has put together -- and I can't say enough about the work you've done here. Seemingly over the last two weeks, you've been in this town telling this story. And you're a fabulous storyteller to begin with. But there was a moment just a moment ago where we were right back in the '60s.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, we were, and we were hearing black power, black power, and just the chants.

HARRIS: In the air. PHILLIPS: And that is what so many people have been saying in this town, is that this is more than just about three white kids who hung nooses and get short suspensions and six black kids that got in a fight with a single white boy, and they're facing murder charges. Obviously we know that's changed with regard to Mychal Bell.

But this is an overall message that racism still exists all across this country, and what has happened here in Jena is just the beginning. I mean, this is a movement, I feel, from talking to white and blacks here, that this is not just going to be Jena, Louisiana that we're talking about in the next few months, few years, decades.

HARRIS: Yes, and I've had some of those same conversations, Kyra. And just if we can go back to some of the pictures here, I want to try to explain what's happening now, because there are two large groups, as you know, Kyra. For simplicity sake, call them the Sharpton group with Michael Baisden who you spent time with this morning on the bus, getting from Alexandria here to the courthouse. And then there is the Jesse Jackson group. We thought there might be a moment when those two groups would merge and we'd have a real sense of the real size of this rally and march today. That is in fact happening right now.

The Jesse Jackson group, we understand, has left the softball field where they had assembled and are now marching past the courthouse on their way to the high school. And many of the people in the Sharpton group are now heading back this way. So now we have that moment that we thought would happen, when these two groups have merged.

And now we are getting a real sense -- and we'll probably go to our overhead shot, about 30 feet above street level, that will give you a better sense of how big this really is.

PHILLIPS: And you know why they did that? Because so many people said they were coming, and they did. And so Sharpton and Jesse Jackson decided, OK, we're going to work it out, we're going to organize this.

So whether you're here at courthouse or you're at the ballpark or you're a couple miles down the road, outside of Jena, you have a place to rally and to come together and speak your mind.

HARRIS: Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Yes.

HARRIS: Please talk to us. Because I've been telling folks all morning about this incredible special that you and your team have been working on, at least the last few weeks, it feels like, because you haven't been around.

PHILLIPS: And you know what I said? I said, this is real journalism. This is why we got into the business. Diversity, movements like this, this is what it's all about. I know we've been watching all this O.J. Simpson coverage, and people on the outside want to hear about that, but this is the real deal. This is what makes a difference and what you and I went to school for.

HARRIS: And you've been here, put time in on the ground. You have an amazing story to tell of all sides. We like to get that 360 view of a story. You had the time to do that. Talk to us about some of the access you've been granted, and in some cases doors you have nudged aside.

PHILLIPS: Oh, yes. Well, let's start with what happened this morning. We were able to gain access with Michael Baisden, who, as you know, on black talk radio, has rallied this movement in so many ways. He and Al Sharpton, I came in with them on the bus, and a number of other folks that they are supporting, including Mychal Bell's mother, Melissa Bell was with us.

Let me just give you a short clip of a discussion we had on the bus this morning at 6:00 a.m.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Mrs. Bell, what do you think of this?

MELISSA BELL, MYCHAL BELL'S MOTHER: This is good. It's beautiful to see how people around here, but I'm get pushed more than I'm getting anything. And I was on the phone with Mychal a few minutes ago, and I was telling him what's going on.

PHILLIPS: You told Michael what's going on right now? What did he say?

BELL: He was excited. He said he was watching it on the news.

PHILLIPS: And what did you tell him?

BELL: I told that he should see all the people out here supporting him. He said it is amazing. He was in good humor. He said he's watching it on the news.

PHILLIPS: Thank you.

REV. AL SHARPTON, CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST: Of the parents that are here, not one of those that are talking to you, not one major media in the white community, has stood up and denounced it in Jena. It's been white leaders everywhere else. Why if this is such a prank, hasn't one white minister, mayor, anybody, had the courage to stand up and say, it's wrong to do that, it's wrong to have a tree that's segregated, it is wrong to do these things, it's wrong that you're hanging up these Confederate flags. None of them have stepped forward.

So their silence shows us this was fine, as long as it was under the carpet. We came to pull the carpet up. If there are roaches and we turn the light on, don't blame us for being those that get rid of roaches.

MARTIN LUTHER KING III, CHMN., CEO, REALIZING THE DREAM: A new generation of young people who were not exposed to the movement are here today to march.

PHILLIPS: Is this in your dad's spirit?

KING: Oh, absolutely.

PHILLIPS: Is that what he'd want you to do?

KING: I think it is. It's certainly one of the things. I mean, obviously, at the end of the day, it's about bringing this community back together. But justice is has to be done first.

PHILLIPS: Has there been changes since your dad marched in Selma?

KING: Oh, most definitely, many changes, but we still have a long way to go. The triple evils of poverty, racisms and militarism/war are still in existence.

PHILLIPS: And what is this about today?

KING: This is about justice, justice for the six young men, and even justice for the victim.

PHILLIPS: What about the three boys that hung the nooses?

KING: That is something that we must address in terms of a hate crime piece of legislation, I think, because clearly it is not being addressed appropriately. There has been no penalty for those individuals.

PHILLIPS: So there's more to come.

KING: We're certainly going to (INAUDIBLE) for it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: You know, Kyra, in many ways, you asked the question of Martin King III. And let's do that pivot; let's finish that circle. You can't tell this story without talking about what happened in September a year ago at Jena High School and the fact that there were nooses found, hanging from a tree.

PHILLIPS: That's what caught everybody's attention. There were three nooses hanging from a tree, where students say only white students used to sit. And we go back and we tell our viewer in this special tonight how it began and how we got to the Jena Six. Is there a link? Legally, lawyers, prosecutors say no.

However, what I will tell you, there is a link with regard to an attitude, a feeling, between blacks and whites. If you look at everybody that is involved, whether it's a hanging of the nooses, all the way up to what happened on that schoolyard fight with six black boys and one white boy. There is a connection with groups of friends that run together, groups of friends that believe a certain way. So you have to address the nooses, and you have to talk about what happened there to get to the point of why all these people are here. In 2007, no one -- no matter where you're from -- should be hanging nooses, symbols of lynching black people -- from a tree. End of story.

HARRIS: You fuel the passions.

PHILLIPS: And I want you to know that I pursued that. I want you to know that I talked to either a parent or a relative of each one of those boys that hung the nooses, OK? And it's a mixed bag. These are kids that don't have a past record. This is the first time these three kids have really been in trouble.

HARRIS: Could anyone explain the nooses, why these kids...

PHILLIPS: Can anyone explain? I will tell you and I will not name names at this point, because we're having a lot of discussions about who we want to handle that, with regard to names and pictures right now, that there is an attitude among some of these families that it was just a joke, it was just a prank. But my boy didn't mean what he did, you know? He's suffering for this. He doesn't understand why people are so angry at him.

And I showed up at one of the door steps of one of the families, and I was greeted by two big men with shotguns, OK. But I was also introduced to another family that was willing to talk to me and say, look, my boy didn't mean to do harm, he made a mistake, and he's paying the price.

So let's continue to turn this. Because the other side, and you're alluding to this right now, is what's going on in this town -- 85 percent white, 12 to 15 percent African-American. What is happening in this town along the lines of race? I know you talked to residents...

PHILLIPS: This is a wakeup call. This is a wakeup call, Tony. And in our special, in our investigation, we're trying to hold people accountable for their actions and their decisions. There is a lot more to come with the district attorney here in this area...

HARRIS: Reed Walters?

PHILLIPS: Absolutely. The man who is prosecuting these boys. He didn't want to talk. He didn't want to grant an interview. We attempted to get him on camera numerous times, had to approach him unexpectedly to get some answers. He told me when I asked him, do you think there is racial division in your town, that there is racial tension. He told me, absolutely not.

HARRIS: Really?

PHILLIPS: There is more to tell with regard to that part of the story.

HARRIS: There would appear to and disconnect. But what I want folks to hear right now is some of the exchanges, some of the interviews you conducted with Jena residents. Let's take a listen to some of this from tonight's special.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LAURA FINK, JENA RESIDENT: I want people from the outside that do not live here to understand that the image they're portraying of the community here is not what they're portraying.

PHILLIPS: What is the image?

FINK: This is a very close community. I feel safe here. I think this is a good community. I think people stand together, black or white here. And I've been here about 14 years, and I like it here. And I think they're not portraying us for what we really are.

EVELYN TALLEY-MOSER, JENA RESIDENT: This is one of the truly integrated communities in this area. And I think it's so unfair, you know, because Jena High School is integrated, and many of the schools around here in the bigger cities are not. This is a microcosm of what people from other places in the United States think it should be. And all of a sudden this wonderful little town, you know, has this reputation. And I think it's completely unjust and unfair. You know, how did this happen? You know, why? It's not the community.

Martin Luther King said, "Judge people by the content of their character, not by the color of their skin." And I would like to add, not by their geographical location. Just because this is south does not mean that this is not an integrated community. Do your homework before you print things? This is hurting our families. You know, this is hurting my grandchildren. My family from California is calling and saying that we have things that are not true about this community. You know, where are they getting this information?

CHARLENE RANTON, JENA HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER: I feel that the world is not seeing the real picture of Jena High School. I feel like we here do our best to get along with all genders, races and kinds, and we do here on the school campus. We have put this other behind us and are moving forward.

The biggest hindrance we have at this point is the absence of our main academic school building. That's the biggest problem we have. It's not about race.

Now what I see mostly that is the problem is outside of this school community, those that have chosen to come and really don't know what it's like here. Our school is a peaceful place and it's a good learning environment for our students.

PHILLIPS: Anna Marie, I was looking through the yearbook, and best all-around, they voted a black and a white student, most witty, black and a white students, most athletic, black and a white student. Even a homecoming court. There seems to be a big misconception in a number of ways.

ANNA MARIE RANTON, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT: There is. We go to school functions together. We communicate at school, you know, outside at lunch. You know, we're all friends here, and people don't see that, because they're not at our school every day.

PHILLIPS: So what happened on this campus? Was that something that doesn't happen on a regular basis, and why do you think it happened?

RANTON: I'm really don't know. I think it's people from outside bringing it inside to the school, every day.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Isn't it fascinating? They're all types here, it's not just black and white. There is a big part of the white community that's saying we all get along. We respect each other. In the high school, outside of the high school, and that we are not backwards, redneck hicks. I asked them that. People from the outside think you're all country racists. All right, talk to me then. Tell me why you're upset with that. And that's how I was able to break barriers with these folks to get the other side, Tony.

There is definitely a segment of the population that has an issue with integration. But there's also a big part of this community that wants -- that supports this.

HARRIS: Kyra, I could do it, but tell everyone about your special tonight. I think it's going to be fantastic.

PHILLIPS: 8:00 p.m. Eastern Tonight, "Judgment in Jena." 8:00 p.m. Eastern. And we will tell the whole story of how we got to this point today, and how we're seeing a movement like we haven't seen since the 1960s.

HARRIS: That promises to be terrific television. You and your team, I know, have done a fantastic job, I know. And I can't wait to see this tonight, "Judgment in Jena." Kyra Phillips and her team in Jena for weeks. Watch the work they put in, the conversations they've had with people who live here, work here, call Jena, Louisiana home, 24/7, 365. Can't wait to see that tonight.

PHILLIPS: Thanks, tony.

HARRIS: And we are just moments away from the Reverend Jesse Jackson here just outside the courthouse in Lasalle Parish.

Heidi, back to you.

COLLINS: All right, guys. Thanks so much for that, live from Jena, Louisiana today.

I also want to get to this story as well -- gray, windy and wet, feels like a nor'easter, but this storms blowing off the Florida coast. We're going to have the very latest.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Dr. Sanjay Gupta in Southern California. Behind me Youssef, the 5-year- old Iraqi boy burned with gasoline, is getting his operation. I've gotten a rare look at one of the most fascinating procedures I've ever seen. I'll bring that to you next in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: A burned Iraqi boy undergoing his first reconstructive facial surgery, paid for by many of you, our CNN viewers. I want to go live to CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta, as Sherman Oaks Hospital in L.A. where that surgery is about half-way done or so, Sanjay, and it is an incredible surgery.

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: It really is. And I'm standing right outside the Grossman Burn Clinic, where Peter Grossman and his father are actually operating on Youssef, this boy that we've learned so much about. And you're absolutely right. It's a remarkable story. The projected cost of taking care of all of this was around $300,000. And they received 13,000 individual donations as a result of some of the reporting on CNN and CNN.com. Well, I'm seeing the result of all of that today. One of the most fascinating operations I have ever seen, Heidi, being able to take care of some of the most cosmetically difficult areas to take care of on one's body, the face.

Take look at some of the animation here. You'll get a sense of what Dr. Grossman has to do to be able to take care of Youssef. First of all, putting in these tissue expanders. You can see those dotted lines. The idea there is to actually expand some of the normal skin around the burns, and after it expands enough, Heidi, to be able to actually pull that skin over the area where that burn once was and give him a more normal appearance. They're going to do that to cover the right ear, and sort of around his chin as well.

They're also going to remove a lot of that scar tissue, again, very cosmetically sensitive areas between the nose, around the lips. It's actually pulling his lips up. Being able to do that all is difficult. They're sort of as you mentioned, halfway through that right now. Things are going very well. I got a chance to sort of scrub in, watch that. Dr. Grossman was kind enough to show me a lot of what he is doing, and it seems to be working very, very well.

PHILLIPS: I know, Sanjay, that they are, in order to do that, in order to sort of soften that skin, they're also injecting steroids into the face. You know, I just think about this procedure and this little, little body, this little 6-year-old guy on the operating table. It's going to be tough for him, and I'm sure tough for his family as well.

GUPTA: Yes, you know, I think this is one thing that it always sort of tugs at your heartstrings a little bit. You see this 5 or 6- year-old boy who's being wheeled off to surgery, and his parents, like any parents anywhere in the world, are sad. He's sad. They were reluctant to let him go. They know it is the right thing do. But there were a lot of tears shed at that moment. And you're a parent, I'm a parent. You watch that, it sort of tugs at you as well.

You have to blur his father's face as you may see in some of those images there. We're still concerned about his safety and his security as well. They literally risked their lives to be able to take care of their little boy. And again, we are seeing the result of a lot of that today.

It's going well. This is the first operation in a series of operations, Heidi, probably six to eight operations over the next maybe year or so. So it is a long process. But it all sort of hinges on this operation today, Heidi.

COLLINS: Yes, and quickly, before we let you go, Sanjay, you said it's about halfway through or so. So what, are we expecting maybe a couple more hours, one more hour?

GUPTA: I'd guess another couple of hours probably before the operation is completely done. And obviously they'll want to make sure he comes out from the anesthesia all right. He'll be in the recovery room for a little bit of time. But I think that's a pretty good estimate, Heidi.

PHILLIPS: Is he going to have a lot of pain as he goes through the recovery process?

GUPTA: I think he'll certainly be sore. Anybody would be sore after an operation like this. They give pain medications to control that. So as a result of that he may be quite sedated for some time. You sort of balance those two things. You want him to be pain-free, but you also sedate a little bit as well. But they're going to try and keep him as comfortable as possible. I'd imagine a little bit of soreness as a result of these tissue expanders.

PHILLIPS: OK, Sanjay Gupta, thanks so much. It's interesting to hear what's going on inside that operating room, for sure.

We're going to take a quick break. We'll be right back in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

REV. JESSE JACKSON, CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST: Free Jena Six now! Free Jena Six now!

HARRIS: There you have the Reverend Jesse Jackson just a short time ago here in Jena, Louisiana. We have tried to be as fair as we could be in depicting this day. In all honesty, when you have anywhere from 20,000 to 30,000 mostly black folks here you have to work overtime to get the views of the white residents of Jena, Louisiana represented. We tried to do the best we could, and we will continue to work toward that effort throughout the day, as we continue to cover this massive rally and march in the CNN NEWSROOM from Jena, Louisiana.

Heidi, back to you.

COLLINS: All right, Tony. Thanks so much.

And thanks for watching, everybody. I'm Heidi Collins. "YOUR WORLD TODAY" is next with news happening across the globe and right here at home. We'll see you tomorrow, everybody.

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