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Scott McClellan Testifies Before Congress; Midwest Flood Fears; Missouri River Overtops Levees
Aired June 20, 2008 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: I'm meteorologist Chad Myers.
A brand-new levee being overtopped in northern St. Charles County. Yes, that's the Saint Charles County that part is a suburb of Saint Louis. We will have more coming up.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Chad, thanks.
And two months shy of the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, FEMA comes through with a warehouse full of household supplies for survivors. If you have been following this twisted tale on CNN, you have got to see the payoff.
Hello, everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips live in New York.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: I'm Don Lemon, live at CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta.
You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.
First up, tons of water crashing through earthen levees, swamping more farmland, more homes and threatening more communities. This levee, well, this break happened today outside Elsberry, Missouri. It's one of dozens we have seen over the past week. The flooding is blamed for 24 deaths so far. As the flooding worsens, so does the weather. It's been raining off and on in Missouri today.
And our Chad Myers is watching it for us.
The state's governor also taking note as he tours Lincoln County. A lot of towns are fortifying levees or, in the case of Clarksville, Missouri, building a wall of sandbags to keep out the bulging Mississippi. Water that seeps through is being pumped back into the river.
Chad Myers keeping a close eye on the mighty Mississippi. He joins us now with new information on that overtopped levee in Missouri -- Chad.
MYERS: Yes.
Yes. You say Saint Charles County and people start to get concerned, because there's a lot of live in Saint Louis in a northern suburb up in Saint Charles County. But this is not really in a neighborhood. This is in a very rural area. But we will get to it. This is another overtopping that we talked about. We will move up to the north of Saint Louis. We will get a little bit closer here, the levee breach around Highway C. Notice, Saint Peters, that is where the city ends, I guess, and then you get into floodplains, a very beautiful part of the area, corn grown everywhere here, beans and also probably not too much hay, but certainly some beans and corn.
And then you think about where Saint Louis is. And it's down here, not that far away for sure. And so we do concern ourselves a little bit with Saint Louis. But right now, it prepares from the latest NOAA forecast that I literally just pulled up that Saint Louis, you have crested. You are right there at 37.0-something. And you're not going any higher.
You are going to begin to fall from here. You did have a little boiling across the river in East Saint Louis last night. That was so far so good, contained with some sandbags. We will see how everything else hold up.
Boy, wouldn't that be nice if this was just the beginning of the end, Don?
LEMON: Yes, wouldn't it be nice.
All right, Chad, thank you very much for that.
While getting an eyeful of the flood zone, Missouri Governor Matt Blunt stopped to thank the many volunteers who have been helping fill the sandbags in Winfield.
And wouldn't you know it? Our other meteorologist, Reynolds Wolf, is right in the middle of that crowd.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, guys. I'm coming to you from Winfield, Missouri, where we're still in the sandbag line. Sandbags are made way down there (INAUDIBLE) fight here.
And (INAUDIBLE) Laura, she's handing them off to Carlos. And off they go on to a truck and away to flood-prone areas.
Everybody is here having a good time.
You guys still having a good time?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.
(CROSSTALK)
WOLF: They're making the most of a very dire situation.
People look at this. They do take this very seriously, because we still have these flood warnings that are still in effect for the time being. So, they're not taking it easy. They're still packing the bags. There are still some communities that are really in danger for the time being, because the flood warnings (INAUDIBLE) will stick around until we get to tomorrow.
That is the latest we have got here from Winfield. As long as there is that threat, we are going to keep bagging.
Let's send it back to you in the studio.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: All right, thank you very much for that, Reynolds.
And I'm getting this information in from the producers, that since Reynolds filed that report within the hour, we have just received word from the Lincoln County Emergency Operations Command, sandbagging efforts have been suspended because all 2,100-plus tons -- 2,100-plus tons -- of sand has found its way into the bags and is either sitting on the secondary levee or stockpiled to respond to breaches or overtopping.
So, all of that sand has been used.
OK. So, if you would like to help victims of the flooding in the Midwest, want you to go to our Web site. It's our Impact Your World Web page, where you will find links to several organizations that are stepping in to offer assistance. That's at CNN.com/impact.
PHILLIPS: The price of oil up again -- late this morning, crude futures were up about four bucks a barrel. At last check, the price had fallen back somewhat to under $134 a barrel, up $1.78 from yesterday, by the way. And today's rise blamed partly on news of Israeli war games apparently meant as a signal to Iran. Also being blamed, the shrinking U.S. dollar, which took a big weekly against the euro.
And in Washington today, a bill is being circulated that would tighten laws on energy speculation. And just for good measure, one lawmaker took a shot at big oil. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. PETER WELCH (D), VERMONT: The oil companies have us coming and they have us going. They have resources in the ground that are available for exploitation. They don't drill. But they call for more land to drill on. They have speculation in the market that's driving up the price. It increases the value of the assets that they're not bringing to market.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Now, on Sunday, Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman will take part in a global oil summit in Saudi Arabia. The Saudis are expected to announce a production increase of 200,000 barrels of oil a day.
Well, he once spoke for the president. Today, he's speaking under oath on Capitol Hill. You will remember Scott McClellan. His White House memoir slammed his former boss and many of his former colleagues.
Ed Henry joins me now on McClellan's testimony about the leak of a CIA agent's identity today.
Hi, Ed.
ED HENRY, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Kyra.
Scott McClellan just wrapped up several hours of testimony. He was grilled by Republicans who were skeptical of his claims, some accusing him of selling out and telling his story in order to make money through his big book that came out in recent weeks.
At one point, Scott McClellan, through this process, you find out who your true friends are, acknowledging a lot of people in this White House have now basically disowned him. And sure enough, today, White House spokesman Tony Fratto said, when asked whether he would be paying attention to the testimony -- quote -- "I think Scott has probably told everyone everything he doesn't know" -- a tough shot, referring to the fact that people in this White House believe Scott McClellan was not really an insider, and thus doesn't really know what happened.
McClellan testified that he does not know specifically whether any White House officials committed a crime by being involved in the leak of Valerie Plame's identity, the former CIA agent. But he did say that, in general, he thinks that the White House has to come clean. And, in his words, he believes that the White House has been concealing information.
In fact, take a listen to what he just said a few moments ago about whether he believes Karl Rove, the former White House aide.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Would you trust Mr. Rove if he were not under oath to tell the truth?
SCOTT MCCLELLAN, FORMER WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Well, based on my own experience, I could not say that I would.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And, in fact, if Mr. Rove were under oath, would you have complete confidence that he would tell the truth?
MCCLELLAN: I would hope that he would be willing to do that. And, as you point out, it doesn't seem that he's willing to do that. But, based on my own experiences, I have concerns about that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HENRY: When asked about the president's potential role in the CIA leak, McClellan said that he does not believe the president did not have any knowledge of the leak. But when pressed about the vice president's role, McClellan left the door slightly by saying he didn't know. And he was asked several times about the vice president. But he still did not present direct evidence suggesting the vice president was involved.
But he said he believes Vice President Cheney should come forward and testify to Congress about his own role. The chances of that happening, though, I can tell you, are just about slim and none -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, Ed Henry live from the White House -- thanks, Ed.
HENRY: Thank you.
LEMON: We have a developing story to tell you about on Capitol Hill. The House of Representatives has passed an overhaul of domestic wiretap law. The compromise measure passed 293-129. It grants legal protection to telecom companies that help the government eavesdrop without warrants.
A lot of the Democrats say the changes go too far and put civil liberties at risk. But President Bush insists the law is a critical tool in the fight against terrorism.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The enemy who attacked us on September the 11th is determined to strike this country again. It's vital that our intelligence community has the ability to learn who the terrorists are talking to, what they're saying, and what they're planning.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: Well, the bill now heads to the Senate, where it's expected to pass as soon as next week.
The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, has been around a long time. But not many people had heard of it until a few years ago. The law was created by Congress in 1978. At its core is a special court to hear government requests to do wiretaps inside the U.S. The FISA law operated mostly out of the spotlight until 2005. That's when "The New York Times" reported the Bush administration was eavesdropping without getting warrants from the FISA court.
PHILLIPS: And we head back out to the campaign trial and our Friday Political Ticker.
John McCain has taken his free trade message north of the border to Canada. He told an audience in Ottawa that he's a firm believer in free trade, a not-so-veiled reference to Barack Obama's criticism of the trade deal among the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The best American statesmen have always understood that Canada is not some adjunct to America. We are firm and fast friends. We are allies, partners in success and adversity alike. And a great deal depends -- a great deal depends on preserving that unity. Trade is just a part of what unites us, but a very important part.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Obama is also talking about economic issues. He discussed his plans for the U.S. economy this morning with a group of Democratic governors.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I have laid out a comprehensive economic agenda over the last few weeks. I just want to highlight a few issues that I think are of particular importance to the states before we open up for discussion.
To start with, I think you would all agree that we need to pass a second round of fiscal stimulus, relief that can't wait until the next president takes office. I have called for an immediate $50 billion stimulus that would send out a second round of rebate checks to help families pay for basic necessities. But it also includes $10 billion in a home foreclosure prevention fund.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: And it's the photo-op many Democrats have been waiting for. The Obama campaign says, a week from today, Obama and his former rival, Hillary Clinton, will hit the campaign trail together -- no details yet. The two met privately the night of June 5, right before Clinton officially ended her campaign.
And check out our political ticker for all the latest campaign news. Just log on to CNNPolitics.com, your source for all things political.
LEMON: Gloucester, Massachusetts, made famous in "The Perfect Storm" -- it was a movie -- it's back in the spotlight now to an outbreak of teen pregnancies. Why would young girls want to start some kind of pregnancy club?
PHILLIPS: Hurricane Katrina survivors in Louisiana are getting supplies they need. It only took about three years. The supplies were there. The demand was there. So, what on earth got in the way? Our investigation straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Well, some people in New Orleans are finally getting supplies that they have needed about three years after the storm hit.
A CNN investigation exposed how FEMA gave away $85 million worth of brand-new household items meant for Katrina survivors. Well, the outrage over that story seems to be paying off now.
Our investigative reporter Abbie Boudreau of our Special Investigations unit has been all over this story. She broke it. We're seeing the response now. That's what it's all about. She joins us live from New Orleans. Great job, Abbie. Tell us what's happening right now.
ABBIE BOUDREAU, CNN SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT CORRESPONDENT: Well, the truck has arrived. And all of these supplies are being off- loaded from the truck and into the UNITY of Greater New Orleans warehouse.
It's really an unbelievable thing. Honestly, to tell you the truth, I kind of have goose bumps just watching these -- this truckload of all of these items, items that have been sitting in FEMA warehouses for the last two years. They were meant for Katrina victims. Finally, Katrina victims will be getting some of these supplies today.
And with us is U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu. Mary Landrieu was actually someone who was critical in getting these supplies, making it happen once the story hit air.
SEN. MARY LANDRIEU (D), LOUISIANA: Well, thank you all for breaking the story.
And, again, it's just a shame that this link, you know, collapsed in this chain of help. But we have seen this over and over again with FEMA. They're improving, but not fast enough.
But I have got to say thanks to the homeless -- the UNITY coalition that really put their muscle behind, not just the vouchers that we got this week in the supplemental bill, but this project and making FEMA back up and release some of these boxes.
And I want to thank Texas, that found some of this material in their warehouses, the Marshals Service, and other federal agencies that said, hey, we have it. Let's give it back to where it was originally intended.
Some of these other agencies, so you guys understand, federal agencies and state agencies that FEMA said, we have these extra surplus items. A lot of states, said, yes, we do. But Texas called you guys.
Called us and I think sent these trucks. We have some of this stuff and we don't need it. It's supposed to be for disaster victims. Our state really stepped up. I have to thank Paul rainwater, with the office. Our state stepped up and said, send it back. We will do our best to distribute it. That's what's happening today.
BOUDREAU: Right. And so some of these other agencies -- just so you guys understand -- some of these other agencies, we're talking federal agencies and state agencies that FEMA said, hey, we have these extra items. Do you want them? A lot of states spoke up, said, yes, we do. Some federal agencies said, yes, we do.
But Texas actually called you guys.
(CROSSTALK)
LANDRIEU: Called us and I think sent these trucks. And they said, hey, we have some of this stuff and we don't need it. It's supposed to be for disaster victims. And so our state really stepped up. And I have to thank Paul Rainwater with the office. Our state stepped up and said, look, send this back. We will do our best to distribute it.
So, that is what is happening today.
BOUDREAU: And what does it feel like right now to see all this stuff just being off-loaded, this truck? It's just unbelievable.
LANDRIEU: Well, as I said, it helps not only the poor, who have lost so much. But middle-class families who are building back three- and four-bedroom homes could use some of these supplies. They have lost everything, as you know.
And, so, we're still fighting to get the federal, state and local governments to work. We're fighting to keep our nonprofits working together. And, as you see, this is a great example of the UNITY coalition, which Martha and some others are really working hard on.
BOUDREAU: Wow.
And, also, I don't know if we have time, guys, but I'm going to go ahead and go for it.
We have Martha Kegel here from UNITY of Greater New Orleans.
This is your warehouse. We talked to you in our original investigation that you guys did not have these items. We have been in this warehouse. We have seen what you have. You have limited your clients who are the Katrina victims to one fork, one knife, one spoon.
Now what do you say?
MARTHA KEGEL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, UNITY OF GREATER NEW ORLEANS: This is just an incredible day. We feel like the cavalry has arrived.
Thank you so much, Senator Landrieu.
LANDRIEU: You're welcome.
KEGEL: This is the stuff that our clients so desperately need to have a chance at putting their lives back together. This is how they will do it. They need pots and pans to cook with. They need to be able to keep their apartments clean. They need a pillow to sleep on. We're having pillows delivered, beds next week that Senator Landrieu and the Louisiana Recovery Authority got for us, all of this stuff that has been recaptured that was given away by mistake.
BOUDREAU: Right.
KEGEL: And now our clients are finally going to have a chance to have a home. BOUDREAU: Right. And she's absolutely right, because this is just the first truckload. We're expecting two more trucks today. Then, next week, I think next Wednesday, you guys are scheduled to get even more stuff.
So, it could just keep coming. This is a big deal for you. What does it mean? One time you told me, these are more than supplies. These supplies represent hope.
KEGEL: These supplies represent hope for people who have completely lost hope. These supplies represent the way in which people will get their lives back together, people who are disabled, people who are elderly, the most vulnerable people who have lost everything in the storm and have lost oftentimes their own mental health at the same time. And this is what they need to get their lives back together.
BOUDREAU: All right, guys, back to you.
If you guys have any questions, just let me know.
(CROSSTALK)
PHILLIPS: Well, Abbie, remind our viewers...
BOUDREAU: Go ahead, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Yes. Remind our viewers why these goods sat in these warehouses for three years. Explain to our viewers what you exposed, in case they didn't see your investigation.
BOUDREAU: Well, that is the $1 million question FEMA still refuses to answer.
We don't know why these items sat for two-plus years in the FEMA warehouses. All we do know is that they were intended for Katrina and Rita victims. And they did not go to those victims.
Instead, they just sat in FEMA warehouses, until FEMA finally declared them surplus after they have no longer wanted to pay the million-plus dollars a year to pay for their leasing fees. So, therefore, they said, you know what, these items are now surplus. We will offer them up to federal agencies and state agencies. And that's what happened.
But of course, the irony here, the great irony, is that when FEMA offered them up to all the states, Louisiana Surplus Agency, the person in charge there, the director there, said, you know what? No thanks. We don't -- as far as he knew, he didn't realize that there was a need. That's why this has resulted in what it has today, because the people on the ground said, if we would had known these items existed, we would have asked for these items. So, there was obviously a huge disconnect there.
(CROSSTALK)
PHILLIPS: Is there -- yes. And we saw the mismanagement of FEMA through Katrina. It was just pathetic.
But is there anybody there that's going to be receiving these supplies? Or are these just volunteers that are at the site right now? Are there actual folks there that are going to take some of this stuff home right now?
BOUDREAU: OK.
Well, here's how this works. Community groups, OK, community groups will actually distribute these supplies. It is not like this is a free-for-all, where anybody who wants something can just come on over and grab something that they want. That's not how it works.
How it works is groups like UNITY will take the supplies, put it in their warehouse, and then distribute it fairly to their clients, their clients, of course, being victims of Katrina. We do see someone here, though, who was actually part of our story.
And her name is Debra Reed.
Debra, if you want to step on over here, you're fine. You're fine. And this is the type of person -- if we can get the camera back over here -- this is the type of person, Debra Reed, who will actually benefit from some of these supplies.
This is Debra.
DEBRA REED, KATRINA VICTIM: And it's a blessing. It's a blessing in disguise. Thank God. It's going to help not just me being a homeless person, but other homeless in the city of New Orleans that UNITY and Volunteers of America are trying to help. And I thank FEMA and the newscasts for making it possible.
BOUDREAU: Right. Right.
And what do you think when you're watching all these items coming off this truck?
REED: I think I'm going to get a new pot set.
(LAUGHTER)
BOUDREAU: All right, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Oh, bless her.
BOUDREAU: So, those are the -- you can see the direct effect. And I guess that's what's so exciting about this story. Our job is to report the news. It's other people's job to take action. And that's exactly what happened in this case -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Well, it's great to -- it's just great see it happening.
Abbie Boudreau, fantastic work. Thanks so much. LEMON: A lot of folks in the Midwest could certainly use some pot sets today, because much of their belongings have been strewn about because of that floodwater. What is happening in Saint Charles, Missouri -- there you go, some pictures there of our affiliate who are there in the area. What's happening there? We hear that a possible levee is over -- a levee is being overtopped there. That's according to our Chad Myers.
We're going to talk to the public information officer in Saint Charles, Missouri, who is going to update us on this very situation, right after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: All right, Saint Charles, Missouri, just a stone's throw from Saint Louis, Missouri, really in the same metropolitan area. We're hearing that a levee has been overtopped there.
Joining us now to talk about that and tell us what is going on is Dan Casey, the public information officer for the Saint Charles Fire Department.
And what I'm hearing is that there may be some good news in all of this. Or at least your efforts may be paying off, Mr. Casey.
DAN CASEY, PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER, SAINT CHARLES FIRE DEPARTMENT: Right. Right.
We actually do have water up to the level of where we have sandbags right now. And we're working very closely with the Emergency Management Agency and the Corps of Engineers to try to get that stabilized up there. Right now, we don't really have anything coming over the levee, but it is right at the top. And we need to -- we need to just secure that.
LEMON: Right at the top, and you need to secure it. So, how do you -- how are you going to do that? What are your plans?
CASEY: Well, we're trying to keep those sandbags up. We don't expect too much more of a rise in the river due to the levee breaks just farther to the north. So, we're hoping that what we have now is going to be enough.
And we're working closely with all the other agencies. And we're keeping an eye on it constantly. We do have members of our fire department who are on a task force for swift water rescue just in case. We have them on standby. It could possibly if it were to come over the top affect some residential areas. So, we're concerned about that. But we are keeping a close eye on it, working closely with emergency management agencies.
LEMON: You are a native of Saint Charles or that area?
CASEY: Correct, yes.
(CROSSTALK) LEMON: Do you remember 1993?
CASEY: Right. Most of the folks involved were here in '93 and they're well aware of the ramifications if that water were to come over. So, we're working very diligently to keep that from happening.
LEMON: All right, Dan Casey, we certainly appreciate you joining us today.
And -- I'm sorry about that. You know what? I'm jumping the gun here, because our meteorologist, the person who really should be doing this interview, Mr. Chad Myers, wants to jump in.
Chad, go ahead.
MYERS: Dan, I just wanted you to -- we were kind of focusing on '93 for just a second. I wanted you to kind of compare this one to '93. Can you?
CASEY: Well, obviously, we're not dealing with as much water. In '93, we had both -- both rivers were affected. We had the Missouri and the Mississippi actually came together in northern Saint Charles County.
With this -- the good news is here with Saint Charles, we border -- Saint Charles City, we border the Missouri River. And, of course, to the north and west, we border the Mississippi.
Without the Missouri having too much of a flood issue, it's not necessarily a concern for us here in the city. What we are concerned about is the Mississippi getting a little bit high and coming across those levees to the north.
MYERS: If we do a levee, let's say we completely lose it, how many people would be affected, how many homes? Do you know?
CASEY: Most of it is farmland. And most of it was taken care of in '93. So, there is not a whole lot left out there. We do have some minimal areas where we had some minor flooding in '93 that we could be concerned about with this as well.
Yes, '93 was 48 feet. Right now, we're only talking about 37. So, not even close, is it?
CASEY: Right, right. Some of that water could still get into the low-lying areas. And we have been pretty proactive about this whole thing. Obviously, it's been predicted for quite some time, and we have been expecting it. So, we are pretty prepared.
MYERS: We're just showing on my Google Earth how really -- how agricultural it is. But then you get right down to the river and there are quite a few residences. And there's no levees for those residences at all.
Hey, Dan, thank you. I know you guys -- you are busy you. But keep us up to date if anything else changes, would you? CASEY: We sure will.
MYERS: All right. Thanks.
(CROSSTALK)
CASEY: Thank you.
LEMON: Hey, Chad, don't go anywhere. We want to thank Dan.
But, Chad, we also want to go to John Sonderegger, who is also with Saint Charles.
And, John, I'm just being told by the producers here that you are watching the water come over that levee?
JOHN SONDEREGGER, PUBLIC INFORMATION COORDINATOR, SAINT CHARLES, MISSOURI: Yes. It's in (INAUDIBLE) in Saint Charles County. It's about a mile-and-a-half north of Saint Peters. It's called the Highway C levee. And it's coming over pretty good at that point.
LEMON: Chad...
SONDEREGGER: But, again, it's an agricultural area.
LEMON: Yes. Go ahead.
Chad, do you want to jump in here?
MYERS: Well, Highway C is kind of a -- it's a misnomer -- it's kind of a meandering little road. We have it here.
What part of Highway C is this coming over now?
SONDEREGGER: It's, like I said, about a mile-and-a-half north of St. Peters' Old Town.
MYERS: Is it where it straightens out there -- there's a -- it turns to the left and then turns back to the right?
Is it where it straightens out?
SONDEREGGER: Well, yes, it goes in circles. It's not where it straightens out. It straightens out where it comes across the railroad tracks, there's no problem. Then when it makes a little circle, it turns, oh, I guess, to the left a little bit. And then there's another loop and then you -- I can see it. You haven't (INAUDIBLE) it's about four miles from the river.
MYERS: OK. All right. Very...
LEMON: Hey, Chad, can I...
MYERS: Yes, we're right along that road. That's the road right down there through the middle -- go ahead, Don. LEMON: Yes, can I jump in here, because we were talking to Dan and Dan said it was holding. And they were trying to shore up more of the sandbags.
SONDEREGGER: (INAUDIBLE).
LEMON: And so...
SONDEREGGER: (INAUDIBLE).
LEMON: Go ahead.
Go ahead, John.
SONDEREGGER: ...holding it up.
LEMON: Yes, I think John is on -- John, are you on a cell phone?
SONDEREGGER: I am.
LEMON: Yes. So, again, you said it's not holding at all and the water is coming through.
How much? Is it rushing through, is it a trickle? Do you think these sandbags will be able to be -- to hold any longer?
SONDEREGGER: The sandbags aren't going to hold it at all. It's coming over the top. It's going to keep coming until the levee just gives way, you know, and the water is going to come here, that's all.
LEMON: And in the area that...
SONDEREGGER: (INAUDIBLE). There's very few residents living in here, maybe 25 to 30 houses. And nobody is affected by it yet. The houses are a pretty long way away.
LEMON: OK. You just answered my question. I was going to ask you where you are and how many people.
Do you have any access -- do you have a cell phone or camera or can you take any pictures and e-mail them right there to CNN, to our I-Report?
SONDEREGGER: The (INAUDIBLE) I don't have any access to that right now.
LEMON: OK.
Chad, unless you have anymore questions for Mr. Sonderegger, I'm going to let him go.
MYERS: No. These are busy guys.
LEMON: And get back to work.
MYERS: Yes, let him go. LEMON: OK.
LEMON: Hey, John and Dan, thank you very much. And we wish you the very best with this.
If you get any new information about the water coming over or anymore areas affected, will you call us back?
SONDEREGGER: OK. Thank you.
LEMON: All right, thank you, John.
Best of luck to you.
PHILLIPS: Straight ahead to the next story we're following, Gloucester, Massachusetts, made famous in "The Perfect Storm." Well, it's back in the spotlight due to an outbreak of teen pregnancies.
Why would young girls want to start some kind of pregnancy club?
We'll tell you about it.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: 3:35 Eastern time right now. Here are some of the stories we're working on in the CNN NEWSROOM.
Naomi Campbell pleaded guilty today to charges she assaulted two police officers at London's Heathrow Airport. Prosecutors say the supermodel went ballistic after she was told one of her bags was missing. She was ordered to do 200 hours of community service work and to pay thousands of dollars in fines and compensation.
And the mayor of Gloucester, Massachusetts is expressing skepticism about reports that high school girls made a pact to get pregnant. There were 17 pregnancies at Gloucester High School this year, about four times the norm.
Rain was in the forecast for much of Missouri today, adding to concerns about flooding along the Mississippi River. FEMA says it's already given out more than $33 million in flood assistance.
LEMON: Well, CNN I-Reporters are helping us bring you all the angles of this flooding disaster.
And Josh Levs is trying to keep track of every one of them -- what do you for us right now, Josh?
By the way, the I-Reporters all week,, really, throughout this disaster, they have been fantastic.
JOSHUA LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They've been incredible. And we're going to remind everyone, we only air ones where we have checked in advance that no one went to any danger to get these photos.
It is some incredible stuff. In fact, one incredible I-Reporter is going to join us right now, Vivian Knoble.
Vivian, are you with us?
VIVIAN KNOBLE, IREPORTER: Yes, I am.
LEVS: OK. Great.
Here's what I'm going to do, ask our control room to take some of your pictures against the full screen there so we can start to see -- what I really like about your pictures that you've sent to us is that they're chronological. That picture is from before the storm.
Now, guys, let's scroll through the next few photos.
Vivian, tell me, you are, as I you understand, in Southern Wisconsin, is that right?
(AUDIO GAP)
LEVS: OK. I guess we've lost you.
I'll tell you what she told me in advance. This -- let's scroll through some more of her photos. What we're seeing here is this area called Lake Koshkonong. And what happened there -- look at that, the water steadily encroached against her summer home. You can see they had boarded the windows, thinking, OK, maybe there will be a big storm. They didn't realize there would be feet of water. She tells me her newly finished basement has now been completely destroyed and she says the water continues to rise.
Now, let's look at a couple more of these photos there. You can see -- I really like this because they're chronological. It's one of the hottest hits on I-Reports right now.
Vivian, are you back with us?
KNOBLE: (INAUDIBLE).
LEVS: Vivian, are you here with us now?
KNOBLE: Yes.
LEVS: OK. Great.
So we're looking at these photos, as you can tell.
Am I getting this right, this is at your summer home in Lake Koshkonong?
KNOBLE: Yes, it is.
LEVS: And have you ever seen any -- let's hold onto this one for a second.
Have you ever seen anything like this?
KNOBLE: No. We've been up here for 21 years and never.
LEVS: So you've never seen anything like this.
Now, how high up has the water gotten up against the back of your house?
KNOBLE: OK. Since this, the second picture, it's almost up to our knees now. We had to board up the windows higher now. It's all covered now in boards.
LEVS: It's really amazing. And we're going to go right now also to a piece of video that you took in your town. Let's take a look at this and tell me, what are we seeing here?
I know you've never seen anything like this.
Where are you in your town here?
KNOBLE: We're entering across the lake, Charlie's Bluff. That would be on Lake Koshkonong in Milton. And there's a restaurant. You get back into that road there's a restaurant called the Buckhorn Inn.
LEVS: Well, how many years have you been going to this town?
KNOBLE: Well, we've been up here 21 years.
LEVS: Twenty-one years.
And have you ever had flooding before?
KNOBLE: No.
LEVS: You've never even had flooding at all, let alone like this?
KNOBLE: We've had it over the banks, but not up to our house.
LEVS: Vivian, really fabulous work.
Now, tell me, being there, how are you getting around? How are you living right now?
KNOBLE: Well, we have no gas. We've been taking cold showers. And the lake is contaminated, so we have to use disinfectants and we're here, when we go in the basement, we've five sump pumps going and they're pumping out 5,500 gallons an hour.
LEVS: And what are they pumping it to? Where does it go?
KNOBLE: Right out the window into the lake.
LEVS: Right. Right out the window into the lake, the lake which, right there, is now right outside the back of your house. So basically you're pumping it out of your house and back right into the general pool that is now encroaching onto your house, right?
KNOBLE: Yes, it is.
LEVS: Vivian, listen, thank you so much for joining us.
I really appreciate your time. It was great to talk with you.
And before I let you guys go and toss it back to Don and Kyra, I want to show you all right there on CNN.com behind me a series of photos that are getting a lot of Internet traffic, because, again, these pictures really bring you to the scene. You get that first person view. I-Reporters, we love to get your stories, your videos, your photos. As we said, make sure you stay safe in taking them. We're going to keep looking at them, Don, and we're going to make sure to keep bringing them to you right in THE NEWSROOM.
LEMON: Oh, nice work. Nice work to our I-Reporters.
LEVS: Yes.
LEMON: Thank you very much for that, Josh.
LEVS: Thanks a lot.
LEMON: When weather becomes the news, remember to send us your I-Reports, as well. Just go to iReport.com or type ireport@CNN.com into your cell phone. But remember, stay safe.
PHILLIPS: All right, Chad Myers, apparently we're getting in pictures, or new video, rather, from St. Charles. We were talking about this just a few minutes ago and the overtopped levee there in Missouri.
Are we going to get that video?
There we go. This coming to us from our affiliate, KSDK. Appreciate the pictures here, St. Charles County, Missouri.
You can see where that levee has overtopped and how it's affecting the area there -- Chad, are you with us?
MYERS: I am, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: OK. Good. I wanted to make sure you were there.
Can you -- you've been following the exact location and Google mapping all this for us. Now -- well, now we're kind of losing the shot.
MYERS: I'm kind of having a hard time figuring out what we're seeing here because this -- is that a big highway there or is that just -- is that maybe the Missouri River?
Because there are two rivers and you've got the Illinois up there, too. Now, that's obviously the freeway.
PHILLIPS: Yes. MYERS: So, yes. So they're still up there by I-70 in St. Charles. And so they may just be getting to -- they may have just flown over the Missouri River, because the Mississippi River is still on the other side. But you can see how the water is up there. And I can't -- I can't -- I'm searching on my Google Maps trying to figure that out and I just don't know where that is right now.
PHILLIPS: Can you see which side of I 70, if you know what side of I-70 it is, then we'll know which...
MYERS: Oh, it must be north of I-70.
PHILLIPS: OK.
MYERS: Because if you get south of I-70, that's all very populated residential areas and this doesn't look like that. And then as he pans up a little bit, you can get a glimpse of a river.
I'm just -- I'm not sure which one it is.
Maybe if there's audio on this, I will listen to what the pilot is saying and I'll get back to you to figure out what he's actually saying there, Kyra.
And you sent me something earlier and I want to get this, I want -- because it is -- it is a little bit cute. Because I know you think being a reporter is a great time. Well, there's a lot of down time in between that one minute live shot every hour. Describe this shot for me, Kyra.
Who's the...
PHILLIPS: Well, that's in Oakville, Iowa. And this is one of my favorite photographers. We were actually in Baghdad together. That's Pellan Sidkey (ph) and she's with Emanuel (ph). And, basically -- I mean it's funny, when they sent me this shot, it looks like they're hanging out at the beach. You know, that was sort of the title. And I took a chuckle at that.
But on a serious note, you know, this is in Oakville, where the flooding was. And they had been working all day, all night. And they just were catching a little bit of a break.
And you know what they were actually doing right there, Chad?
MYERS: Playing Suduko.
PHILLIPS: Yes, exactly.
(LAUGHTER)
MYERS: I don't know.
PHILLIPS: They were playing blackjack.
MYERS: Oh, right. PHILLIPS: They were -- actually, there were fish that were coming up on the land there and they were trying to throw the fish back into the water so they wouldn't die. And they saw minnows and they saw crawfish. And so they were trying to protect the, you know, a little bit of the life there that was coming up on the sands or on the shores there where that flooding. And those were farms that are underwater -- soybean farms, corn.
So it really put it in perspective.
MYERS: It's going to be a real rush now to try to get a short crop into some of these fields that aren't completely inundated with water and silt. If you can get a nice short crop corn in -- if there's enough seed left -- or a short crop, maybe a bean in there, then you can actually maybe still make something of this year.
Now, obviously, you've got a lot of water. But you can't get a tractor in it when the water looks like that. And the land is going to look like that, and even mucky, for a couple of weeks. So they have -- there's a race to the finish even to get any crops from some of these farms.
PHILLIPS: Well, that's what I love about you, you always find the positive within the disaster. There's a little bit of hope there.
MYERS: Yes.
PHILLIPS: Chad, thanks so much.
MYERS: You're welcome.
PHILLIPS: Thanks for sharing the picture.
MYERS: All right. You bet.
LEMON: All right, thanks very much, guys.
And what's interesting about St. Charles, it's one of the fastest growing counties in the nation -- a really fast growing area there. And many of those waterways that you see all have casinos and gaming parlors and what have you. And they rest on those waterways in St. Charles County. So it's going to be very interesting to figure out exactly where this water is coming over when it has to do with the residents there and businesses there, as well.
As Chad said, I-70 runs right through St. Charles, as well as in St. Louis, what we call Highway 40 and 44. That parallels that city, as well.
But, again, on one side, as Chad said, you've got a residential area, very populated, one of the fastest growing counties -- metropolitan areas in the nation. And then on the other side, you have business and rural and farms and what have you.
We're going to update you on this because this affects -- this is going to affect everyone, not only the people in this county, in the St. Louis area, but it's going to have nationwide affect when it comes to your food, as well.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Well, many American families are feeling the economic pinch because of high gas and food prices. Now, that means eating healthy is often an afterthought.
But in today's Fit Nation, Dr. Sanjay Gupta shows us there is a way to eat healthy on a tight budget.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Cash-strapped American families may be tempted to eat more fast food. That's because you get more calories and bang for your buck. A recent study found foods like candies, pastries, other baked goods and snacks cost $1.76 per 1,000 calories. Store-bought fruits and vegetables, on the other hand, cost more than $18 for 1,000 calories. That's nine times more expensive.
(on camera): What are we growing in here?
LADONNA REDMOND, COMMUNITY ORGANIZER: You know, any number of things. There are -- those are collard greens on the far aisle there. And those are turnip greens right next to them.
GUPTA (voice-over): But there is another, cheaper, alternative. You can grow it yourself. Ladonna Redmond planted the first seeds of what she calls urban farm sites in this gritty Chicago neighborhood when she couldn't find fresh produce nearby. There are no supermarkets around, only convenience stores. Urban gardens like this are part of a growing movement. Now, the non-profit urban farming started three years ago in Detroit, with a goal of eradicating hunger. It's added gardens in New York, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Minneapolis-St. Paul and Newark.
Burpee, the largest seed company in North America, says sales of vegetable seeds are up 40 percent over the same period over a year ago.
During World War II, some 20 million American families planted so called Victory Gardens, producing more than 40 percent of the country's fresh vegetables.
TAJA SEVELLE, FOUNDER, URBAN PLANNING: So this model has already been done. We're just duplicating it.
GUPTA: An old idea with healthy benefits -- bringing corn and other fresh produce to inner city people.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, Chicago.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Straight ahead, this robber apparently visited a brush heap earlier. He's got the clerk in the palm of his hand. And then he uses a palm frond. It's Caught on Camera.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Well, it was quite a show and we're only learning about it today. Israel launched a large scale military exercise earlier this month. Fighter jets, bombers, apparently with one purpose -- to show the world just how far it can reach. Israeli jets flew west far into the Mediterranean, about the same distance as strategic targets lie to the east of Iran. Israeli officials won't say whether that was the statement they were trying to make.
And we have no video of the exercise, but these are the types of planes that were involved. A report in today's "New York Times" says that more than 100 fighters, bombers, helicopters and refuelers took part in that mission.
Politics Zimbabwe style -- runoff day is in a week, when people vote again for a president. And the election landscape is a mess. Voters are choosing between the long ruling incumbent president, Robert Mugabe, and Morgan Tsvangirai. He's been detained by security forces several times just this month and more than 70 of his supporters have been killed. His party's secretary-general is on trial for treason and the opposition had considered pulling out of the runoff, but said today it will stay in the race.
And Cuba is moving back into the international fold. The European Union has agreed to lift sanctions on the communist island in hopes of encouraging reforms amid the leadership of Fidel Castro's brother, Raul. Washington isn't happy and the U.S. has maintained a decade-long trade embargo against Cuba, as you know, and it says it hasn't seen significant improvements since Raul took over.
LEMON: All right, this is truly amazing. Behold one of the many uses of the palm frond. One robber in Florida thought it was the perfect weapon for a stick up. Check out how he tries to hide his face in his shirt. The clerk wasn't too intimidated by this brandishing of a branch. He chased the palm perp out with another underrated weapon -- a loaded bar stool. And police eventually arrested that suspect. Nobody was hurt off of that.
PHILLIPS: The closing bell and wrap of the action on Wall Street straight ahead.
(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: It is time now to check in with CNN's Wolf Blitzer.
PHILLIPS: That's right. He's standing by in "THE SITUATION ROOM" to tell us what's coming up at the top of the hour.
Hey, Wolf.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, guys.
Thanks very much.
We're standing by for Barack Obama live. He'll be answering questions for the first time since he decided to opt out of the public finance system.
Once he starts talking, we'll go there live.
And immediate reaction from the McCain campaign. His key adviser, Frank Donatelli, is standing by live for us, as well.
And Scott McClellan -- the former White House press secretary turned best-selling author testifying on Capitol Hill, as you've been reporting. He has strong words for Vice President Dick Cheney and the White House.
All that and a lot more coming up right there in "THE SITUATION ROOM."
PHILLIPS: Have a great weekend -- Wolf.
BLITZER: You, too.
LEMON: Thanks. We'll be watching.
And let's talk about the summer now. It's been so hot lately in many parts of the country, you may have forgotten it's not even summer yet. But it will be soon. Summer officially begins at 7:59 p.m. Eastern. And I'll be on an airplane for the official start of summer. Unless you're in the Southern Hemisphere, in which case it will be winter. The summer solstice is the longest day of the year -- about 15 hours of daylight. Days will be longer than nights until the first day of fall. Happy summer solstice to everyone.
PHILLIPS: Well, the closing bell is about to ring on Wall Street.
LEMON: Stephanie Elam is standing by with a final look at the trading day.
Stephanie, we could all use longer days, but not necessarily to work those longer days.
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No. But this is the happiest day of the year. Tomorrow, I start getting sad, because that means the days start getting progressively shorter.
LEMON: Oh.
ELAM: But I love it.
PHILLIPS: You're thinking about your wedding, planning your wedding. That's what's putting you in such a good mood.
(LAUGHTER)
ELAM: You know, I'm not but I am very happy about my wedding, which will be in the summer, of course, because that's my season.
(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
ELAM: A rough day but I do hope you fine people have a great weekend.
LEMON: Have a great weekend, Stephanie. We appreciate it. Thank you.
PHILLIPS: All right.
Let's take it now to Wolf Blitzer and "THE SITUATION ROOM" -- Wolf.
