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Tropical Storm Fay Lashing Out at Florida; Changing of the Guard: Musharraf Out in Pakistan; West Nile Breeding Ground

Aired August 18, 2008 - 14:00   ET

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

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: If you haven't left the Florida Keys already, don't even try. Tropical Storm Fay bearing down and bulking up. We're watching its ever twist and turn.
And talk about leaving under a cloud. The president of Pakistan resigning before he can be impeached. We're going to see what his exit means for the war on terror and the world.

Hello, everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips at the CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta.

You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Well, the center of the storm isn't due to hit south Florida for a few hours yet, but Key West is already getting battered by the rain and the hail. Schools are closed, so is the airport, and most stores are shuttered. Thousands of tourists left hours ago, and that's when the tropical storm was whipping at Cuba's western coast. Cuba dodged any major damage, by the way, but that may not hold true for the U.S., depending on where Fay hits and how much stronger it gets in the meantime.

Let's get straight to CNN's John Zarrella, who's already getting soaked by some of these squalls at Key West.

We had a pretty clear picture and then it picked up, John.

JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, it sure did, Kyra. It's really beginning to pick up here now.

We're getting a constant heavy downpour, constant winds in the 30-mile-an-hour range. I actually had a wind gust on our wind meter a little while ago of 41 miles an hour, which, of course, is above tropical storm force. Right now where I'm standing, the winds are gusting around 28, 29, 27, 26, 30, 31, so we're in that -- below tropical storm force right now. But we have had the winds gusting in these squalls upwards in the low to mid 40s.

You can see out here the water is really, really kicking up. You can barely see the surf in the distance with that wind just whipping the tops off of those waves. And we have actually had a lot of the surf just blowing right up here along the seawall, up on to the dock. In the last hour or so, we're seeing a lot of this rain.

The storm is down to the south of us, that direction, so the storm moving, of course, to the north, to our direction. So there's wind coming right at us, and the water being pushed right into this side of the island down here in Key West, where we are.

Now, we're under a tornado watch all over south Florida, and, of course, heavy, heavy rain falling across the southern part of the Florida peninsula, not just here, but again, all across the southern part of the peninsula. Local authorities, the sheriff's office telling people, look, don't go out anymore, it's over, time to get in your houses and stay safe and be prepared for what's going to be continuing, worsening conditions.

Again, 31, 34, 35, so approaching tropical storm force again right here as we're standing. Thirty-six miles an hour, up around tropical-storm-force winds right now here in Key West. So Kyra, we're expecting these conditions again to get considerably worse as the day goes on and Fay moves closer to us -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: At the same time, I expect you to be even more careful.

John Zarrella, thanks.

Well, all around the Florida Keys, people are bracing for what John is going through right now. WSVN Richard Jordan now, weathering the storm now in Islamorada.

Hey, Richard.

RICHARD JORDAN, REPORTER, WSVN: Hi, Kyra.

All day long we have been in these conditions, this intense wind and rain. We're actually getting a little bit of a break from the rain right now, but go ahead and take a look at the surf. It's been choppy and rocky all day long.

The bulk of the storm is expected to affect Key West the most; however, the upper and middle keys are also getting a taste of Fay. In fact, they're not being left out at all. We have seen debris flying all across.

Many residents in this area, they say they're used to this kind of weather and they're not afraid of a tropical storm. So they are not moving, they are staying put.

A few of them have taken the proper precautions. They have put up shutters, they have got their water, ice, batteries, everything you need to survive the storm. But many of them are closely watching Fay. They're very concerned if she does develop into a Category 1 hurricane. They say as a tropical storm, they're not really concerned, but as a hurricane, that's a whole other thing.

As far as tourists and visitors, this is a very busy time of the year for the Florida Keys. There was a mandatory evacuation for all nonresidents of the Florida Keys. About 25,000 people left the Keys yesterday and headed out. Some of them really didn't have a choice because many hotels started canceling reservations and just kicking them out in anticipation for this storm. We're still about six hours away until the effect. Most of the effect of Tropical Storm Fay is really expected to hit the Keys. But again, all day long we have been feeling the wind, the rain. Fay has brought a pretty intense welcome wagon along with her as she prepares to get closer and inches very close to the Florida Keys.

We'll second it back to you, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Yes, not everyone wants to visit with her, that's for sure.

Richard Jordan, thanks so much.

(WEATHER REPORT)

PHILLIPS: Pulling out or digging in? Russia claims it's pulling its troops out of the heart of the Georgian heartland, but that can't be confirmed at this point.

Reports from the Georgian city of Gori say that the Russians are still there. The cease-fire that both countries agreed to calls for a Russian withdrawal to two separatist regions, with the right to roam (ph) a loosely-defined security zone. Now, Russia routed Georgian forces after the Georgians entered disputed South Ossetia in a drive against Russian-backed militants.

And after meeting with the president -- or with President Bush, rather, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is returning to Europe this hour. She's going to confer with NATO allies on ways to handle the newly assertive Moscow. Rice has warned the Russians though that they're going to pay a price for invading Georgia, but the U.S. doesn't want to overreact and risk Russian help on restraining Iran, fighting terrorism, and of course trying to seek peace in the Middle East.

Now another global drama playing out today. This one in Pakistan. After almost a decade in power, Pervez Musharraf resigned as president, leaving the volatile nuclear-armed nation on an uncharted course.

We have more now from Islamabad with CNN's Reza Sayah.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

REZA SAYAH, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Celebration and sweets in the streets of Islamabad...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You will see that 99 percent of the people are happy.

SAYAH: ... moments after President Pervez Musharraf told the nation he was stepping down.

PERVEZ MUSHARRAF, FMR. PRESIDENT OF PAKISTAN (through translator): Now I have decided that I would resign from the post of president. SAYAH: For the first 45 minutes of his televised speech, the embattled president kept the nation in suspense, defending his administration, questioning why Pakistan's young civilian government wanted to impeach him.

MUSHARRAF (through translator): ... why they are scared of me.

SAYAH: Ultimately, analysts say, Musharraf had no choice. Odds of fighting an impeachment vote and winning not in his favor.

While Pakistanis celebrated, a farewell ceremony at the president's house. Musharraf presented with the honor guard and salutes from military colleagues. Not the way he wanted to go out, say analysts.

TALAT MASOOD, POLITICAL ANALYST: He must be so disturbed that he told that he had done such a great job.

SAYAH: The farewell marks the end of more than eight years of military rule under Musharraf.

In 1999, Pakistan welcomed him with opened arms, Washington called him a crucial ally in the U.S.-led war on terror. But years passed in Pakistan without Democratic elections. Musharraf also broke promises to step down as army chief. His popularity plummeted when he twice sacked Pakistan's chief justice.

Pakistanis passed out sweets when he came the power. On Monday, they passed out sweets when he lost it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This thing we must resolve to make sure that the general does not make a political comeback.

SAYAH (on camera): Pakistan's parliament will now have 30 days to elect a new president. A number of names have emerged as possible candidates. Among them former primer minister Nawaz Sharif, and the widower of the former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, Asif Ali Zardari.

Reza Sayah, CNN, Islamabad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Barack Obama's back on the trail after a week of vacation in Hawaii. The Democratic presidential candidate is talking pocketbook issues in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BARACK OBAMA (D-IL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: John McCain said the other day -- he said, you know, the reason that we have this energy crisis is, for 30 years, politicians in Washington haven't been doing anything. And I thought, well, John McCain and I agree, except he's been there for 25. And he opposed raising fuel efficiency standards on cars.

(END VIDEO CLIP) PHILLIPS: Republican John McCain is in Florida, where this morning he spoke to the Veterans of Foreign Wars convention in Orlando.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Victory in Iraq is finally in sight. A great deal still depends on the decisions and good judgment of the next president. The hard-won gains of our troops hang in the balance. The lasting advantage of a peaceful and democratic ally in the heart of the Middle East could still be squandered by hasty withdrawal and arbitrary timelines. And this is one of the many problems in the shifting positions of my opponent, Senator Obama.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, John McCain and Barack Obama have some definitive ideas about what kind of Supreme Court they'd like to see ahead. Just ahead this hour, we're going to hear from both men in their own words from the faith forum over the weekend.

Danger in the Grand Canyon. After heavy rains and flooding, the search goes on for almost a dozen tourists and campers who are still unaccounted for.

First, the foreclosure crisis, now the threat of a public health crisis. We're going to tell you how the two are connected.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, the housing meltdown could be hazardous to your health, even if you're not having money problems.

Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen here to explain.

And I was asking you, "OK, how do you put these two together?" And you said, "Trust me, it's something you need to know."

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Right, it does sound strange, home foreclosures and West Nile Virus, but they are related. And when you see this video you will understand exactly how they're related.

This is a pool in Orange County, California. The home was foreclosed upon, nobody took care of the pool. And as you can imagine, it has become a magnet for mosquitoes.

There are 1,300 pools like this in Orange County, and officials there are really worried that it's going to make an already pretty bad West Nile situation out there even worse. And so they are going out there and they're trying to get rid of these mosquitoes. But I'll tell you -- you can see all these little critters growing in there -- it's a mess. It is a mess. You see those mosquitoes right there.

PHILLIPS: And who's paying for all this? I mean, who pays to clean up that mess?

COHEN: Taxpayers pay for it, because these are homes that have been foreclosed on. And the officials we talked to said, we try to contact the banks and figure out who owns these places, but it takes a long time, so we just have to go in there and clean it up. And if it was just one pool or two pools, maybe it wouldn't make that big of a difference, but they're concerned. We're talking about 1,300 pools in one county, and this is going on in other places in the U.S. as well.

PHILLIPS: And let's remind our viewers why this needs to be taken care of. West Nile Virus, I mean, I had a few friends that lost family members to West Nile Virus. This was a huge problem for us here in the states at a certain time.

COHEN: And you know what? It still is a problem. And you don't hear as much about it because West Nile Virus is not as new as it used to be, but it is still a problem.

Let's take a look at some of the symptoms that can happen when you get West Nile. It can start out as a fever or a headache. And when it gets really bad, as Kyra said, people can die. Some people have convulsions, some people become paralyzed.

Now, to put it in perspective, most people who get West Nile are fine, but it can be a very serious disease.

PHILLIPS: Oh, we'll definitely follow it, because obviously there are more houses that are being foreclosed.

COHEN: Right.

PHILLIPS: It's become a bigger...

COHEN: More pools they're not taking care of. Right, it just keeps getting bigger and bigger.

PHILLIPS: All right. We'll track it. Thanks, Elizabeth.

COHEN: Thanks.

PHILLIPS: Faith and values on the campaign trail. Over the weekend, Barack Obama and John McCain were pressed about some divisive issues at a faith forum at a California megachurch.

Here's what Obama had to say about the U.S. Supreme Court.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: I would not have nominated Clarence Thomas. I don't think that he...

(APPLAUSE)

I don't think that he was a strong enough jurist or legal thinker at the time for that elevation. Setting aside the fact that I profoundly disagree with his interpretations of a lot of the Constitution, I would not nominate Justice Scalia, although I don't think there's any doubt about his intellectual brilliance, because he and I just disagree. You know, he taught at the University of Chicago, as did I in law school.

PASTOR RICK WARREN, SADDLEBACK CHURCH: How about John Roberts?

OBAMA: You know, John Roberts, I have to say, was a tougher question only because I find him to be a very compelling person, you know, in conversation individually. He's clearly smart, very thoughtful.

I will tell you that how I have seen him operate since he went to the bench confirms the suspicions that I had and the reason that I voted against him. And I'll give you one very specific instance, and this is not a stump speech.

WARREN: All right.

OBAMA: I think one of the...

WARREN: When I pick this up it means...

OBAMA: Right, exactly. I'm getting the cues. I'm getting the cues.

(LAUGHTER)

OBAMA: One of the most important jobs of, I believe, the Supreme Court is to guard against the encroachment of the executive branch on the other -- the power of the other branches.

WARREN: OK.

OBAMA: And I think that he has been a little bit too willing and eager to give an administration, whether it's mine or George Bush's, more power than I think the Constitution originally intended.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Now, just ahead this hour, we're going to hear what John McCain has to say about the U.S. Supreme Court in his own words.

And you're going to want to catch CNN's "LARRY KING LIVE" tonight, 9:00 Eastern, with the Reverend Rick Warren as Larry King's guest. He's going to give us a behind-the-scenes look at the faith forum, where he questioned John McCain and Barack Obama on some divisive issues.

Also, our Rick Sanchez, he had a conversation with Rick Warren. He's going to tell us about that next hour.

The University of California wins a major case. A judge ruling the school can reject credit for graduates of religious high schools that reject evolution.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) PHILLIPS: Eight gold medals to show for the Beijing Olympics. Michael Phelps is on his way to becoming one of the highest-earning Olympians in history. One analyst says that the 23-year-old could take in as much as $50 million a year in endorsements.

Even before he had dried off from his last event, Phelps has pocketed a million-dollar bonus from Speedo. And before Beijing, he was raking in $5 million a year from sponsors such as Visa. But experts caution that Phelps -- well, they caution that Phelps shouldn't do so much too soon. The risk is called diluting the brand.

And conditions are worsening by the minute. It won't be long before Tropical Storm Fay slam into the Florida Keys, but where will it go after that?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(WEATHER REPORT)

PHILLIPS: Well, the Oscars are considered the Super Bowl of award shows, but that isn't stopping one company from hitting the brakes on its advertising plans for the broadcast.

Stephanie Elam at the New York Stock Exchange with more on whose commercials you won't be seeing next February -- Steph.

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, that's right. I know, I can't believe we're already talking about early next year, Kyra, but it's true. It's time to start getting those plans together, and the 2009 Academy Awards will be missing one major sponsor.

General Motors has pulled out of its long-time sponsorship of the ceremony as it shifts its advertising budget away from television to other forms of digital marketing. GM already skipped this year's Emmy broadcast. And while ABC has plenty of time to find a replacement for GM, it's probably not going to be the easiest task. Many other companies, they're trimming their budgets as well, and a lot of times when they're trimming budgets, advertising is one of the first to get a little bit of an ax there -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right. Well, just how much money will the Oscar broadcast be losing on this, you think?

ELAM: Well, to put it in perspective, let's take a look at what GM shelled out last year. It was nearly $14 million to run its ads during the show. And over the past decade, the carmaker has spent more than $100 million. A GM spokesperson tells CNN that, while the Academy Awards were a good platform in the last, they will "not be a part of our 2009 business plan." In previous years, the automaker had gone so far as to pay extra to be exclusive -- the exclusive auto advertiser, and provided its vehicles to shuttle celebrities around town.

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

ELAM: And coming up, as the summer winds down, many school age kids will be learning a harsh lesson about economics. I'll have that story in the next hour of the NEWSROOM, Kyra. Back to you.

PHILLIPS: All right, Steph. Thanks.

ELAM: Sure.

PHILLIPS: Faith and politics. As we mentioned, Barack Obama and John McCain were pressed about some divisive issues at a California megachurch on Saturday. Here's what's McCain had to say about the makeup of the Supreme Court.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MCCAIN: I think that the president of the United States has incredible responsibility in nominating people to the United States Supreme Court. They are lifetime positions as well as the federal bench. There will be two or maybe three vacancies. This nomination should be based on the criteria of proven record of strictly adhering to the Constitution of the United States of America and not legislating from the bench.

Some of the worst damage has been done by legislating from the bench. And by the way, Justices Alito and Roberts are two of my most recent favorites by the way. They really are. They are very (INAUDBILE). And I'm proud of President Bush for monitoring them.

The Congress is supposed to be careful stewards of your tax dollars. So what did they just do in the middle of an energy crisis, where in California we're paying $4 a gallon for gas? They went on vacation for five weeks. I guarantee you, two things they never miss, a pay raise and a vacation, and we should stop that and call them back and not raise your taxes. We should not and cannot raise taxes in tough economic times.

So it doesn't matter , really, what my definition of rich is, because I don't want to raise anybody's taxes. I really don't. In fact, I want to give working Americans a better shot at having a better life.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: You'll want to catch CNN's "LARRY KING LIVE" tonight at 9:00 Eastern with the Reverend Rick Warren as Larry's guest. He's going to give us a behind the scenes look at the Faith Forum where he questioned John McCain and Barack Obama on some divisive issues.

Also, our Rick Sanchez talked with Rick Warren. You'll hear what he had to say to Rick coming up in the next hour as well.

Well, the John McCain camp has fired off an angry letter to NBC accusing the network of -- quote -- "abandoning nonpartisan news coverage." It stems from Saturday night's Faith Forum in California when McCain and Obama answered questions separately about some other divisive issues. These comments, the next day from Andrea Mitchell on NBC's "Meet the Press," sparked that letter.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ANDREA MITCHELL, NBC NEWS: The Obama people must feel that he didn't do quite as well as they might have wanted to do in that context because what they're putting out privately is that McCain may not have been in the cone of silence and may have had some ability to overhear what the questions were to Obama. He seemed so well prepared.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: And here's some of what McCain campaign manager Rick Davis' letter to NBC president Steve Capus says -- quoting now -- "This is a serious charge. Andrea Mitchell is repeating, uncritically, a completely unsubstantiated Obama campaign claim that John McCain somehow cheated in last night's form at Saddleback Church. This is irresponsible journalism and sadly, indicative of the level of objectivity that we have witnessed at NBC News this election cycle."

No credit for creationism? The university system won't accept some classes from Christian schools.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: A tragic case goes to trial next month in Ohio. A father allegedly killed his own baby. Doctors and health professionals say it may have been a case of shaken baby syndrome. Our chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, investigates it.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): You're looking at a home in peaceful Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, which was irrevocably changed this past March. That's when Crystal Wilson returned home and found her two-and-a-half-month-old baby Camryn unresponsive.

Camryn was rushed to a hospital, but died two weeks later. The cause, severe bleeding and damage to the brain and retinas. Doctors say the baby was shaken violently, better known as Shaken Baby Syndrome.

Camryn's father, Craig Wilson, who was caring for the child at the time was charged with murder and other related charges. Now, Wilson has pleaded not guilty. He admits to shaking Camryn, but not to kill him.

According to the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome, more than 1,400 babies are injured by shaking every year. About 300 of them will die. Others suffer permanent disabilities.

You see, a baby's neck muscles aren't strong enough to resist the motion of violent shaking. When that happens, the brain rattles around inside the skull, causing bleeding and tearing of brain tissue in the protective membranes. The baby's retinas can be destroyed, causing blindness. The syndrome has become so widespread in the United States, many states are forming task forces to alert parents to the problem. DR. R. DARYL STEINER, AKRON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL: It will be a Web-based program that will allow the hospitals, health care providers, and childcare agencies to access the information so that they can distribute it to mothers, parents, prospective mothers, childcare providers, in the dangers of shaking the baby.

GUPTA: In many maternity wards in Ohio, a mother must sign a form promising she understands the dangers of shaking an infant. But some doctors say fathers should also sign, because many new dads don't know how to handle little ones.

STEINER: A young infant comes into the lives of an adult, of a mother or a father, and suddenly they have the stress of raising that child that they've never had before. And, of course, a baby doesn't come with an operator's manual.

GUPTA: Wilson's lawyer John Sinn says although the father admitted to shaking the child, he never meant to hurt his son.

JOHN SINN, WILSON'S DEFENSE ATTORNEY: This was a young father who was overwhelmed and overstressed, but acted in a spur of the moment and made some decisions out of frustration that obviously cost his son his life and will affect the rest of his life.

GUPTA: Since Camryn's death, CNN has obtained a copy of the baby's autopsy records. According to the medical examiner's report, besides the bleeding, the baby had more than 20 rib fractures, some of which were older than others. Wilson's attorney says that needs to be taken into account.

SINN: If that autopsy is accurate, if this child has been severely injured to the point that his ribs were fractured on prior occasions, multiple occasions, how come no one knew that?

GUPTA: Police say the case is closed and they don't expect any more arrests. The judge wants the issue of the fractures to be resolved before Wilson's murder trial in September in Akron, Ohio.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, reporting.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Six principals in two years, a formula for disaster at Junior High number 22 in one of the poorest, most violent neighborhoods of New York.

As CNN's Gary Tuchman shows us what happened when the school met principal No. 7.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Of the more than 1,400 public schools in New York City, this junior high used to be considered one of the 12 most dangerous in the system. Fights, sexual assaults, weapons brought on campus. For students who wanted to learn, it was unbearable.

LEISHKA ROSADO, JHS 22 STUDENT: I was scared. As soon as I got home I told my mom I didn't want to be in this school. But she told me she couldn't do anything about it.

TUCHMAN: Junior High School 22 in the South Bronx in one of the poorest and most violent neighborhoods in New York City had six principals in and out in just over two years. But then, the mostly Hispanic and black students at the school met principal No. 7.

SHIMON WARONKER, JHS 22 PRINCIPAL: I'm Jewish.

TUCHMAN (on camera): But you're from a different part of Judaism than most Jews are from, or a different sect, is that correct?

WARONKER: Well, I affiliate with Chabad-Lubavitch.

TUCHMAN (voice-over): Shimon Waronker is a Lubavitch Jew, an ultra-orthodox religious sect. He wears very traditional clothing, a skull cap, maintains a beard. Many of the students didn't know quite what to think.

(on camera): When you first saw him and you saw the way he was dressed, what did you think he was?

ROSADO: I had no idea. At first it was kind of funny. I was like, he needs to shave that beard off.

TUCHMAN (voice-over): Parents were frankly stunned too.

(on camera): Had you ever met a guy like this before?

MARIA ARJUNE, PARENT: No. Jewish guy? No, never.

WARONKER: I might as well have come from Mars, they had no idea. They thought I was Amish.

TUCHMAN (voice-over): To put it bluntly, parents and students thought this was a cultural mismatch.

PATIENCE OTUN, JHS 22 STUDENT: I thought that he was in way over his head and that most of the people were not going to listen.

TUCHMAN (on camera): So why did they listen to him?

OTUN: Maybe because they started respecting him.

TUCHMAN (voice-over): Waronker speaks Spanish, that helped him a great deal. He also served in the military, which helped him come up with this initial concept.

WARONKER: We had to take back the hallways.

TUCHMAN: By simply making sure kids were in classrooms, the school started to turn the corner. A uniform policy was implemented, some teachers were fired, which the assistant principal acknowledges caused commotion.

But more than three years later, this once failing school has received an A on a report card put out by the city school system. It's no longer on that dangerous school list.

WARONKER: Some are bigger.

TUCHMAN: Shimon Waronker expects a lot, but students say they're feeling the love.

ROSADO: When you're close to him, you know he's the principal, but at the same time he talks to you in a way that he is like a friend.

OTUN: In his face you could tell that he was serious and that he was willing to stay and fight for us.

WARONKER: All right, have a wonderful day, class.

TUCHMAN: His faith is not part of the teaching here, but keeping the faith is.

WARONKER: The job is so much fun.

TUCHMAN: Gary Tuchman, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: And just a little note to pass along, Shimon Waronker left the school at the end of this year to attend a superintendent's program at Harvard University.

Well straight ahead, the baby whale and the yacht. It's a love affair that's no ship-board romance.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Tropical Storm Fay is heading toward the Gulf of Mexico. What does it mean for oil prices? A lot, believe it or not. CNNMoney.com's Poppy Harlow has our "Energy Fix" from New York.

Hey, Poppy.

POPPY HARLOW, CNNMONEY.COM: Hey, Kyra. That is always a key concern, what do these storms mean for Americans at the pump for oil prices?

Surprisingly, we haven't seen oil prices really respond to this Tropical Storm Fay and talk that it could pick up speed and head toward the Gulf of Mexico. Right now, analysts are saying the storm does not pose a threat to oil platforms in that area. So oil prices, Kyra, are actually moving lower right now, believe it or not. We're right around $113 a barrel. But as a precautionary measure, Shell has evacuated more than 400 people from its facilities in the Gulf of Mexico. But the company does say there will not be any more evacuations, Kyra, at least not right now. PHILLIPS: Well we usually see a big spike in oil prices when tropical storms or hurricanes head into the area.

HARLOW: We usually do. Things are different right now.

Oil was, keep in mind, higher over night and early on this morning on those concerns about supply disruptions. And if you think back a few years, in 2005, Hurricane Katrina and Rita temporarily shut a quarter of U.S. oil and fuel production. We had to open up the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to help out with prices, prices hit then record highs. But Shell says as of now, no production has been affected. Oil prices are falling, and if you look at the overall season, despite six named (ph) Atlantic storms this year, we haven't seen any significant damage to oil platforms.

So instead of oil prices rising, crude is down more than 30 bucks since the high we saw in July. A lot of that has to do also with the stronger U.S. dollar and slower global demand all playing in here. But at least for now we're not seeing oil prices rise.

But we do want to hear from those of you in the path of the storm. Please send us your stories, your pictures. You can do that on ireport.com/energyfix. But of course, Kyra, we want to tell people, don't put yourself in harm's way to do so.

PHILLIPS: All right, Poppy. Thanks so much.

Want to take a look at the conditions of course throughout Florida. We have been bringing you live pictures. This was just a few moments ago, actually on the ground there in Key West, Florida. We were showing you how the rain and the wind is picking up. Our affiliate there bringing us these pictures. You can see the car dealership getting pounded behind there. Our John Zarrella on the ground bringing us details about the conditions, also how all the tourists have finally evacuated from that area as well.

Meanwhile, in Islamorada, WSVN reporter, Rene Marsh, brings us the latest from that area that is starting to get pounded.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RENE MARSH, WSVN REPORTER: Well what we have is a lot of wind. You're right, the rain has held up, but it's very windy right now. We're being blocked by a building, but let's step out from this building, Chris, let's walk and just see how much more the winds do pick up once you don't have the building to block you. That is the biggest thing out here right now. It's really just the winds.

The waves, moderate at this point. Obviously it's a bit rough. The trees still blowing, but the winds are picking up. We have got the Hampton Inn Hotel just right over there. We have some people watching this all happen and watching as Fay makes her approach through their windows. The Hampton Inn probably the only hotel that we could find that was remaining open because as you know everyone, as far as the visitors, evacuated. Now we did drive around a bit on the roads here and they have instructed people not to be on the roads because conditions have been so bad. So right now, that mandatory evacuation for visitors canceled all because they don't want people on the roads.

Now there were some reports of some flooding near Marathon and as you said, a couple of waterspouts. So this tropical storm is bringing some other issues along with it. And although the rain isn't heavy as yet, because this wind is so strong, it's lifting the water up from the ocean and it just feels like little darts hitting at your skin. It is quite painful, but right now it seems like it goes and comes. There's some calm and then it picks back up again as far as the wind goes. But that's what's going on here in the Islamorada.

We are told that there were some scattered power outages here. And people again, just -- they're stressing not to be out because it's just not safe. As we were driving in our vehicle, the shift, we were being pushed across the roads and the tide is getting a bit high. So it's understandable as to why they wouldn't want people on the roads at this point.

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PHILLIPS: And from Islamorada also to Key West, Florida, we've got our correspondents on the ground there tracking all the conditions there of Tropical Storm Fay. Jacqui Jeras is working out of the weather center, and also Chad Myers will have more for us in the next hour.

Well it's a tough blow for some students. A state-run university refusing to recognize credits from some religious high schools. A federal judge has ruled that UCLA is within its rights.

CNN'S Kara Finnstrom explains why.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But that's a not really, if you are a Christian, remember now you have your testimony.

KARA FINNSTROM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Calvary Chapel Christian School in Southern California --

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are there parents that can abuse their authority (ph)?

FINNSTROM: -- what's taught to the 1,300 students here.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Here in school, we have rules and regulations.

FINNSTROM: -- is now at the center of a culture war over religion and education.

ROBERT TYLER, ADVOCATES FOR FAITH AND FREEDOM: Our teaching reflects that God exists, whereas the UC wants courses to be caught from a perspective that there is no God.

FINNSTROM: The University of California is denying credit for some Calvary Chapel courses, saying some textbooks instruct that the Bible is an unerring source, ignore important topics in science and history, and do not teach critical thinking.

The Association of Christian Schools sued. This week, a federal judge ruled UC has the right to refuse credits, and now the Christian schools are appealing.

DAVID MASCI, PEW FORUM ON RELIGION AND PUBLIC LIFE: It could have potentially a chilling effect on religious schools and the kinds of courses that they offer students.

FINNSTROM: UC school officials declined an interview, but released a statement saying, "There is essentially no difference between the course approval rate for religious and secular schools." And the university system says it, "...does not consider whether courses have religious content, but whether they provide adequate instruction."

At the crux of the debate, whether this school's Christian viewpoint distorts certain curriculum, or adds to it.

DANIELLE HATT, CALVARY STUDENT: When you look at our science curriculums, we're given everything theory from intelligent design to evolution, whereas it is more narrowed in a public school system. So I think we're given a broader spectrum.

FINNSTROM: Senior Danielle Hatt hopes to attend a UC school. Right now the few classes being refused credits shouldn't hold her back.

The fear of Christian school leaders, more classes could be refused credit, handicapping students in Christian schools and Christian education.

PASTOR DES STARR, CALVARY CHAPEL CHRISTIAN SCHOOL: I that think that we are moving towards a more secular time and we're going to fight for the rights to continue to teach from a Christian viewpoint.

FINNSTROM (on camera): It is a fight students at private religious schools will be watching closely, especially those with their sights set on campuses like UCLA. Attorneys say the appeals could drag on for years.

Kara Finnstrom, for CNN, Los Angeles.

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PHILLIPS: You have heard about curiosity killing the cat, well it didn't do it to this little dog. Well, it didn't do very good for this dog, I guess you would say. Hear how he escaped death after luring himself into a sticky situation.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) PHILLIPS: Well he may not have a thirst for knowledge, but an inquisitive tongue taught an east Texas dog a pretty painful lesson. Reporter Bob Hallmark of CNN affiliate KLTV has all the details.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BOB HALLMARK, KLTV REPORTER (voice-over): This pint-sized bundle of energy is named Cody. A familiar sight at the Bull Frog Marina every weekend with his owner, Ed Pauley.

ED PAULEY, CODY'S OWNER: He's a companion. I can go from room to room and he goes with me. If I go out the door, he sure wants to go.

BUBBA ROMINE, FISHING FRIEND: Sweetest dog in the world. Everybody loves Cody. Couldn't ask for no better friend.

PAULEY: We're best friends -- we're real good friends at least. And if Cody has anything to say about it, I won't go any place without him.

HALLMARK: Last weekend, Pauley and his friends were fishing off the dock, when he looked and saw fishing line hanging from Cody's mouth.

PAULEY: I don't really know what I thought right quick (ph), but I knew I had to get it out.

HALLMARK: Cody had swallowed this treble hook, which can be deadly for dogs. Pauley rushed him to a Longview vet and after a two- hour surgery, Cody was back in business.

PAULEY: He had to have it out and I would do anything that I could.

HALLMARK: For these two, the bond between owner and dog is very strong.

PAULEY: He's just like a member of the family. If you've got children, you've got to take care of them. If you've got a dog, you've got to take care of him.

HALLMARK: In Marion County, Bob Hallmark, KLTV 7-News.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Lost and alone, a baby humpback whale off the coast of Sydney, Australia, has apparently found its mother ship. The orphan calf bonded with a yacht, even tried to suckle it. That yacht was then used to lure the whale, estimated to be one to two months old, out to sea. Rescuers are hoping that it finds its real mother, or another pod of whales soon, so it can get something to eat. They don't know what to feed it actually.

The next hour of CNN NEWSROOM starts right now.

Key West dead ahead, Tropical Storm Fay sets a course for the Keys. It may be a hurricane by tomorrow. We've got all the watches and the warnings.

And a farewell to arms and to every other vestige of power in Pakistan. Pervez Musharraf surrenders rather than take on a fight that he couldn't win.

And there go the tanks. But where? Russian forces say they are leaving Georgia. Georgians say that's news to them. Our Michael Ware is in the occupied city of Gori.

Hello, everyone. I'm Kyra Phillips at the World Headquarters in Atlanta.

You're live in the CNN NEWSROOM.