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McCain Announces Running Mate; Gulf Coast Prepares for Gustav
Aired August 29, 2008 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: OK, the answer to the question is, it is Palin. John McCain taps a relative unknown on the national stage. Is it a good choice? We will get all the opinion for you.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: And Hurricane Gustav has its eye turned toward New Orleans. So, why aren't residents able to get through to the emergency information lines?
LEMON: And up close and personal with a wildfire, a view none of us ever wants to get in person.
Hello, everyone. I'm Don Lemon, live here at the CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta.
NGUYEN: And hello, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen. You are in the CNN NEWSROOM.
LEMON: OK, the candidate of experience picks a running mate of change, a not very-well-known first-time governor who could become the first female vice president in U.S. history.
Defying speculation and passing over several better-known Republicans, John McCain introduces his running mate at a rally today in Dayton, Ohio.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R-AZ), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: My friends and fellow Americans...
(AUDIENCE MEMBER SHOUTS)
MCCAIN: I am very pleased and very privileged to introduce to you the next vice president of the United States...
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
MCCAIN: ... Governor Sarah Palin of the great state of Alaska.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: So, Governor Palin promised the crowd a vigorous campaign.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) GOV. SARAH PALIN (R-AK), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I know that when Senator McCain gave me this opportunity, he had a short list of highly qualified men and women. And to have made that list at all, it was a privilege. And to have been chosen brings a great challenge.
I know that it will demand the best that I have to give, and I promise nothing less.
(CHEERING AND APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: OK. So, why Governor Sarah Palin, a relative unknown to the national stage?
Let's check in with CNN deputy political director Paul Steinhauser.
Paul, what was the thinking behind this choice?
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: You know, this is a really interesting choice.
Today, Don, is John McCain's 72nd birthday. And usually, on your birthday, you get a surprise. Well, he gave us a surprise, Sarah Palin. There's a lot of good things about her and a lot of bad things about her I guess when it comes to the politics here.
First of all, let's talk about maybe what hurts. And that is experience. The Democrats have already attacked her on this one. We have already seen statements from the campaign.
Listen, she was elected in 2006. She's been a governor for about two years. Before that, she was the mayor of a town of about 8,000. The McCain campaign and the Republicans have been going after Barack Obama for months now, saying he doesn't have the experience to be commander in chief.
Well, if John McCain is elected president, he would be the oldest man ever to take the oath of office. And he would have a heartbeat away from the White House a woman who has very little national security experience, foreign policy experience.
But there are a lot of pluses as well, a lot of them. First of all, she's a reformer. She's known as -- battling ethics in her state. Remember that famous bridge to nowhere in Alaska? She was against it. She put the kibosh on it.
She's a Westerner, NRA. She's a big gun rights supporter. She's a social conservative. So, there's a lot of things that kind of really help her and help this ticket with social conservatives and the party faithful, also, women. Remember, there's a lot of Hillary Clinton supporters that maybe are still upset she's not on the ticket on the Democratic side.
Will they go to Sarah Palin? Maybe. But, then again, remember, on abortion and some other key issues like that, she definitely doesn't see eye to eye with feminist groups. So, a lot of pluses, a lot of minuses.
LEMON: Yes, and definitely one that was not really at the top of people's radar. We have been saying sort of a dark horse, Paul, and absolutely true.
I'm wondering. You are there in Minnesota now at the convention. Have you heard any reaction, gauged any reaction there?
STEINHAUSER: You're getting a lot of reaction so far on the Republican side. And it's all positive, of course. Everybody is saying, this was a bold pick, an exciting pick. And it's going to energize the people right here behind me at the Xcel Center in Saint Paul when the convention starts on Monday.
It's an interesting pick, because you know what? A lot of people are talking about Geraldine Ferraro when Walter Mondale named her in 1984. Remember, at that time, Walter Mondale was pretty far down in the polls and he needed something to kind of energize and excite. And he did it by naming the first woman on a major-party ticket.
But this race, Don, is pretty close. You look at the national polls, dead even in our latest poll, and the states as well. And it's interesting. Did he feel like he really needed to do this? Or should have gone with a safer choice? I guess time will tell, Don.
LEMON: airplane
Deputy political director Paul Steinhauser, we appreciate it, sir. Thank you.
STEINHAUSER: Thank you.
NGUYEN: Can you believe, three years after Hurricane Katrina, the northern Gulf Coast gets ready for what could be another encounter with a killer storm?
Louisiana and Mississippi are taking no chances as Tropical Storm Gustav churns through the Caribbean. Jamaica, well, it just got blasted. And next in line, the Cayman islands. Gustav is already blamed for dozens of death in the Caribbean. And forecasters say by tomorrow it could be a major hurricane and could hit the Gulf Coast next week.
The governors of Louisiana and Mississippi have already declared states of emergency.
Our Chad Myers is tracking this powerful storm in the CNN Severe Weather Center.
Where is it right now, Chad?
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It is not that far east of Grand Cayman, maybe a couple of hundred miles. And now it's in very warm, deep water. And that's the fuel for a hurricane, warm, deep water. The storm has to keep moving, because as it sits there and spins, it uses up the heat, it uses up the energy in that water, cools the water off and kind of mixes it around a little bit, too. So, it wants to keep getting warmer and warmer water as it moves. And that's what it's doing right now, 70 miles per hour, probably going to 90 by tonight, for sure, and then quite possibly before it hits the western tip here of Cuba, quite possibly a major hurricane.
That will tear it up a little bit. When hurricanes hit land, they get torn up a little bit. And it will have no time at all to get back into the Gulf of Mexico and back and get into the warm, deep water again.
This is called the loop current in here. Water actually comes out of the Caribbean. It bubbles up here into the Gulf of Mexico, and then eventually exits itself out here through the Florida Straits and turns into the Gulf Stream this way. So, it's in a very bad position here for all of the Gulf of Mexico cities, from Pensacola, all the way to Houston, and then maybe then some.
We have been looking at a few of the latest computers that are saying this thing could go to the left toward Texas. We will see. This is the next one. This is Hanna. There it is. There's the Leeward Islands right there, not that far east of San Juan. It is forecast to go the west and then in fact to go the south.
Look at that. There's the left-hand turn and then possibly back around and into the Gulf of Mexico again next week. So, it could be a one-two punch for somebody. We will keep watching it -- Betty.
NGUYEN: That can be very dangerous.
MYERS: You bet.
NGUYEN: We will be watching it closely. Thank you, Chad.
MYERS: You're welcome.
LEMON: Yes. As you said, we're watching Gustav as it is on track possibly to hit New Orleans.
But, in India, the damage is already done. Now people are just looking to survive.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: OK, you know what? It is being called India's Katrina, and it's no exaggeration. Floodwaters arrived in northeast India earlier and much higher than normal this year. And a swollen river in neighboring Nepal burst its banks, sending more water into the region. It is a disaster of staggering proportions and the worst is yet to come.
CNN's Sara Sidner is in Bihar State.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SARA SIDNER, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: This is a fight for survival. First comes chaos, as people jockey to get aboard. Then come the tears.
Only 85 people can fit on this army rescue boat. That's about half the crowd that's standing here. The waist-deep floodwater is rising fast.
"My father's been left behind," she says.
It's a scene that will unfold dozens of times today alone.
(on camera): This is a chaotic scene, because, as soon as these boats stop in any of the villages that have been flooded, people rush the boats and try to jump on. That can capsize them. So, they have to quickly and orderly get people on as fast as possible and then push off to get out of here.
(voice-over): People are being plucked from treetops and hauled into boats with what few possessions they have left.
"I hope my life is saved. But if it's not and God wants to take it, what can I do?" he says.
More than 100,000 people have been rescued from the floodwaters. But authorities say a total of one million need to be evacuated from the worst flooding the state of Bihar has seen in 50 years.
"My whole family is stuck in the village right now," says Jayprakash Yadav.
In the district of Madhepura, hundreds of people cling to rooftops, begging rescue crews for help. They are surrendered by water, but have no water to drink, no food to eat and no shelter left. The police and army rescuers are stunned by the scale of the devastation.
MAJOR NIDIN KHAIRMODE, INDIAN ARMY: No, no, I have not seen something like this. This is a major catastrophe. (INAUDIBLE) some 200 years back.
SIDNER: Water from the Kosi River rushed into this area after a massive rupture in an embankment hundreds of miles away in Nepal and changed the course of the river. Now farms and villages lie beneath this grim brown tide and two million people are suffering because of it.
"My son is stuck in the river. Someone, please bring him back," cries this woman. She is refusing to leave until her son is rescued. She may have a long wait. There are tens of thousands waiting to be rescued, and just a few boats to do the job.
Sara Sidner, CNN, Bihar, India.
(END VIDEOTAPE) NGUYEN: Well, back here, let's talk about the economy for a second, because your money doesn't go as far as it used to. And now incomes are falling. We are going to check the markets and we look live at what you had to say about John McCain's choice of a running mate.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: All right, so Alaska's governor, Sarah Palin, is John McCain's choice as a V.P. running mate. He announced that today from Dayton, Ohio.
And we know the Dems' convention just wrapped up in Denver, Colorado. And there all week was our Roland Martin, our politics contributor here, CNN political contributor Roland Martin. He is still there.
Roland, you just finished up your radio show. And I imagine you have been gauging some reaction from listeners all over the country.
What are people saying? Are there folks still left in Denver? What are they saying there? And what are they saying to you on the radio?
ROLAND MARTIN, CNN CONTRIBUTOR: Well, we had some folks who sent e-mails who said that it was some doubt -- and also no doubt who said that it was a good pick in terms of her position in terms of fighting the corruption. She's an outsider as well.
But, on the flip side, I had -- we had women who said, wait a minute. She might have my anatomy, but does she have my viewpoints? And, so, it was really sort of -- obviously, folks were taken by surprise by this pick.
But others also brought up that, hey, John McCain has now opened the door for the same criticism of Senator Barack Obama when he chose Joe Biden by calling this a desperate pick by John McCain, a roll of the dice, if you will, because he's hoping to capture some of the Hillary Clinton supporters.
But, look, if you remember, now, I interviewed a lot of her supporters and I got tons of e-mails. What they have always talked about was not gender, but experience. That was the main thing they talked about is...
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: And where she stood on the issues, Roland, where she stood on the issues. I think that Ms. Palin may be directly opposite to Hillary Clinton on many of the issues that are important to many women.
MARTIN: And that is exactly where you're going to see Democrats go after her and say, wait a minute. Do you stand with me on the issues or do you stand with me as a woman? I would not be surprised to hear the feminist organizations obviously be pleased that a woman has been elevated as a vice presidential nominee. But they are going to say, wait a minute, where are the issues?
When you really think about it, it's sort of like if John McCain chosen an African-American for the job. And they say, wait a minute. You might be black, but are you with me on the issues that I care about?
LEMON: And let's just -- let talk here, Roland.
OK, so, Joe Biden has a very long history, lots for, just to be honest, Republicans to pick apart in his history. The longer you have been there, the more things that they can find. She doesn't really have a very long resume when it comes to legislative issues. She's been governor for about two years now.
So, in many ways, she's a blank slate, and they really can't criticize her on issues or for maybe past mistakes or what have you.
MARTIN: Absolutely.
LEMON: So, it could be a good choice.
(CROSSTALK)
MARTIN: Well, actually, they can go after her on the issue of, she is a huge proponent of oil drilling. Now, granted, that position follows John McCain as well.
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: She's a conservationist as well, though.
MARTIN: Right. But it shores up -- here's the deal. It shores up the conservative base.
But the question is, how are you going to go after that independent voter? You know, look, Mitt Romney gave you the competitive edge in Michigan, on the economy. How does this shore up any perceived weaknesses that John McCain has?
LEMON: OK.
MARTIN: No doubt risky, but I still think -- not only that. Check this out, Don. Democratic primaries, in every primary, women averaged 57 percent of all voters.
LEMON: Right.
MARTIN: In Georgia, 63 percent. So, if you were saying, hey, we know the numbers shows that, with a female, we can get female numbers, Senator Clinton, she could have easily won every primary if it was solely based upon number of female voters. It didn't happen.
LEMON: OK.
MARTIN: Very risky move by John McCain.
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: All right. Well, we shall see, too, Roland.
And you know what? The convention is over. Don't stay too long at the party, all right?
MARTIN: Well, actually, I have got to head to Saint Paul.
(LAUGHTER)
LEMON: OK. Roland Martin, CNN contributor, thank you, sir.
MARTIN: Thanks.
NGUYEN: Well, let's get some more reaction from someone who lives in Palin's home state of Alaska.
Bob Hale joins us now. He is from Juneau, Alaska. He's actually the publisher of "The Juneau Empire." And he joins us on the phone.
Let me ask you this, Bob, because I understand you were even often caught off guard, surprised by this pick.
BOB HALE, PUBLISHER, "THE JUNEAU EMPIRE": Yes, I was.
Actually, my phone rang about 6:30 this morning. And my sister down in Texas had called me to let me know that this -- this announcement had been confirmed and it was going to be forthcoming. And I hung up and called someone here in town who is a rather astute political observer. And they just were floored. This, from what I could tell, was not on anybody's radar in any kind of way.
NGUYEN: Not even her staff?
HALE: That's what I'm told, that not her -- not even her staff was aware of this.
NGUYEN: My goodness.
And you don't even have a Saturday paper. But, right now, is it true that you're trying to print another Friday paper -- it's only 11:00 a.m. there -- to try to get this news out there today? Because it wasn't previously known in time to print the paper.
HALE: Yes, we're going back to the old days. We are going to run an extra edition and hit the streets with that about 1:30 and get that out to all of our newsstand locations. And so we have got two hours until we're ready to be out delivering papers.
NGUYEN: You are doing double time, no doubt.
Talk to me a little bit about Sarah Palin. You probably know her a lot more than some of the folks who live outside Alaska. What kind of a vice presidential candidate do you think she is going to be? What's her record here?
HALE: Well, when she ran for governor a couple of years ago -- and you have got to keep in mind that, three years ago, she was a soccer mom, hockey mom from Wasilla, which is sort of suburban Anchorage. And she ran in a primary race against a former governor, just ran away with that election, and won the general. And then, so now...
(CROSSTALK)
NGUYEN: How did she do it? Did she do it on issues? Did she do it because she's a tough politician? Because I understand some opponents called her "Sarah Barracuda."
(LAUGHTER)
HALE: Oh, that's as much Alaska politics as it is anything else.
But I think Alaska was very much ready for political change at the state level, didn't want the same old things from the same old people. And, so, she has done, I think, a good job in the eyes of many, not such a great job in the eyes of other.
And the real test now or the real question is going to be, at the national level and on a stage of that size, how prepared is she? And what is her role going to be? And how good is she going to be in that role?
NGUYEN: That was a lot of questions right there. And as we're just getting news of this today, there is a lot to be answered when it comes to the category of Sarah Palin, a lot of people looking at this pick, some of them surprised, you even caught off guard.
Bob Hale, publisher of "The Juneau Empire," thanks for spending a little time with us today.
HALE: Certainly. My pleasure.
LEMON: When is the last time you heard an extra paper...
(CROSSTALK)
(LAUGHTER)
LEMON: Extra being printed.
NGUYEN: You have got to do what you have got to do.
LEMON: Yes. Of course. Of course.
(BUSINESS REPORT)
NGUYEN: A lot of people asking Some questions today, one being, does she have the experience? Is she ready? Well, our panel will take a closer look at John McCain's vice presidential choice.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: Hello, everyone. I'm Don Lemon, live here at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta.
NGUYEN: Hello, everybody, on this Friday. I'm Betty Nguyen. And you are in the CNN NEWSROOM.
It's about 30 minutes past the hour, and here are some the stories that we are working on right here in the CNN NEWSROOM.
Today, Jamaica, next week, New Orleans. Tropical Storm Gustav is nearing hurricane strength as it heads toward Cuba. And there is an increasing chance that it could hit New Orleans, still recovering from Hurricane Katrina three years ago.
Well, fresh from the Democratic National Convention, Barack Obama is joining vice presidential running mate Joe Biden on a tower of battleground states, starting in Pennsylvania.
And the next vice president of the United States could be a woman. Senator John McCain today named Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate.
LEMON: OK. John McCain's choice of Sarah Palin to be his running mate is still sinking in across the political world -- across the nation, really.
Let's bring in Bay Buchanan and Amy Holmes to talk more about McCain's decision.
Hello. Thank you both for joining us today.
BAY BUCHANAN, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: My pleasure.
LEMON: I want to ask you this, Amy. We've been watching the Democratic National Convention for a week. Lots of pageantry -- women very high profile -- Michelle Obama, Hillary Clinton, lots of children.
Do you think that factored into John McCain's decision at all, watching all of this unfold over the past week?
AMY HOLMES, CNN POLITICAL CONTRIBUTOR: Well, the McCain campaign couldn't help but notice that Obama was having trouble with traditionally Democratic women. CNN's own poll found that 27 percent of Hillary's supporters -- now those could be men and women -- but that those supporters were planning to vote for John McCain.
So in choosing Governor Palin, he's hoping that he might be able to get just enough of those Hillary Clinton supporters to make a difference. And today, Geraldine Ferraro -- she said herself that there were a lot of Hillary Clinton supporters who were looking to make history. And with Governor Palin, this might just be it. LEMON: OK, so, Bay, do you think that this decision was in the works for a long time or was it something, obviously -- I don't know -- maybe that was decided over the past week, watching the Democratic Convention, as I asked Amy?
BUCHANAN: Well, you know, I think, Don, that you have a point. There's no question that she was looked at, that she has been studied, that she was a possibility...
LEMON: But she rose up on the list maybe.
BUCHANAN: Yes. Exactly. She rose up on the list. And I think that they did look at this and saw, look, Obama did not take a woman. That opened up the possibility here. That would be an interesting possibility.
And I think they also saw -- there's so much attention because of Obama's -- the first black president, if he's successful -- that that history, if he's successful -- making element of this campaign would be -- would be something that we would like to compete with. And I think that may have, you know, pushed them a little bit for this.
But she's also a very, very good choice to excite the base. As I said earlier, very much excitement there. It's got the history element. And she complements John McCain very, very well. Her experience as governor, outside Washington -- something that's important, as well.
LEMON: And I want to ask -- I want to ask you this. And either one of you can jump in. It's a very sensitive subject. You know, she has a little baby that has Down Syndrome. And I would imagine that is, in many ways, a 24-hour job for some people. She's going to be out on the campaign trail. But then, mothers -- women may relate to that sort of issue.
What do you think about this? How do you think that's going to play out, really, on the campaign trail, her having this -- this little newborn baby who happens to have Down's Syndrome?
HOLMES: Well, there's a very important element to that, and that is that Governor Palin is pro-life. And she knew that her baby would be born with Down's Syndrome. And she said that that didn't matter to her, that this was a precious, perfect child, a blessing. And I think that's something that could really resonate with mothers, with voters -- values voters -- that will be important.
And, honestly, Don, I'm really surprised to be hearing people almost suggesting that she might not be a good mom because she's a working mom and she's out there on the campaign trail. I mean I thought that was an attitude that we were supposed to have gotten over 20 years ago.
LEMON: OK.
BUCHANAN: And...
BUCHANAN: You know, Don...
LEMON: I'm out of time, Bay.
BUCHANAN: OK.
LEMON: But I'll give you the last -- really quick, I'll give you the last word.
BUCHANAN: I've talked to people up there in Alaska. I know the people up there personally. And they say she's a terrific mom. She recognized this. She thought it was sad when she found out. But then she welcomed this child. She is a great mom and she will be able to give that child the care he needs -- that the child needs. And she does have a father there helping her out, you know?
LEMON: All right. Bay Buchanan, Amy Holmes, thanks to both of you.
NGUYEN: Well, you know, we're starting to receive I-Reports from CNN viewers who are reacting to John McCain's choice of Sarah Palin to be his running mate.
Let's check in now with our Josh Levs for more on what they have to say.
So have they been tackling some of the same issues that we're talking about -- Josh?
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Exactly. I was just thinking that. The things that Amy and Bay are talking about, a lot of the voters are, too.
We are hearing largely from women today and I'm going to show you some of that. We are hearing from men, as well.
I'm going to start off now with a piece of a video i-Report we got from Jason Jewitt (ph).
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JASON JEWITT, IREPORTER: Shame on you, John McCain. No, not for choosing a woman, but for thinking America is stupid. It's pretty clear this is nothing more than a political game. All this is, is a gimmick. John McCain wants to take disenfranchised Clinton voters and bring them to his side because he wants them to think one woman is as good as the next.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEVS: Well, we're also getting some i-Reports that are really praising this decision. An interesting one now from Katie Brown (ph), who is taking on an argument that the Obama campaign has already launched.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) KATIE BROWN, IREPORTER: Taking experience off the table? Really? I don't think so. We're not voting for the vice president. We're voting for the president. And we don't need an inexperienced president in office.
Thanks.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEVS: That was Katie Brown.
Now, we're also just getting some quotes from people who are writing to us. Let's go to this first one we've pulled up here into a graphic from Lindsey Lostig in Washington, D.C., who says: "Certainly, Sarah Palin is meant to swing unsatisfied Clinton supporters. Don't be so easily wooed. Unlike Clinton, Palin's experience is -- inexperience, rather -- is glaring and she certainly would not be capable of stepping in as commander-in-chief."
But I'm going to go now to Sheryl Langdon, a quote from her. And she says to us: "I was going to vote for Hillary. Now I will vote for Sarah. Smart, smart move on the Republican side."
Let's go back to the screen behind me so you can see where all this takes place if you're new to I-Report, as lots of people are. This is ireport.com right behind me. This is one of the major questions we have going right now, to weigh in on McCain's pick for V.P.. And people are sending us their photos, their videos, their stories. You can submit it in any way. You don't have to be great at technology. We'll talk you through it.
And some people just (INAUDIBLE) their quotes. Here's one person from Alaska who wrote us just now: "She's the best governor we've ever had. You guys will love how she is. She did so much for us in the little time we've had her as governor."
But on the flip side, we're getting this one that says: "She's nothing like Hillary.
If he was going to pick a woman, he should have just picked Condoleezza. I would give anything to be a fly on the wall wherever Hillary is at right now."
We obviously love to hear from you at iReport.com. And not only throughout the day, but Betty, as you know, starting bright and early tomorrow, we'll be sharing more i-Reports that we're getting. So keep weighing in on this really surprising decision.
NGUYEN: We're all over it. Politics.
LEVS: Right.
NGUYEN: Thank you.
LEVS: Thanks. NGUYEN: You know, let's get some insight now on Sarah Palin's political career from someone who's followed her up close, that being Michael Carey. He joins me now by phone. He's a columnist with the "Anchorage Daily News" and he actually moderated several debates when Sarah Palin was running for governor.
And, Michael, we thank you for joining us.
Let me ask you about this, because you did moderate several of those debates when she was running, how tough of a politician is she?
What do you know about her?
MICHAEL CAREY, "ANCHORAGE DAILY NEWS": You know, I did -- I had not been in the same room with her until I moderated the debates. I mean I had been in a ballroom or something like that, but not where I got to ask the questions and she was the recipient of my questions.
She's very, very good on television. Not only is she telegenic, but she's very focused, very disciplined, very on -- very good at staying on message. She did a very good job during the debates.
Now, her opponents, Democrats in particular, will say she didn't say anything, she's just good on television. And my response to that was being good on television is the point if you're on television.
NGUYEN: But when it comes to the issue of experience -- and that's what a lot of people are really hammering home today, considering the fact that she's only been in office for two years and prior to that, I think she served as mayor...
CAREY: Right, of a small community.
NGUYEN: What kind of political chops does she have? What experience does she bring to the table?
CAREY: Well, I think it's -- this is really one case of what you see is what you get. She ran as a reformer governor, a fresh face. She's had some big successes as governor. The people who know her best and know her governing don't think much of her as an administrator or someone -- somebody who has a hands-on knowledge of either the budget or policy. And she's going to be tested, and I think tested strongly, in the whole question of foreign policy, ready to lead, those kind of questions. There's no question but she's going to be pressed by the Democrats.
NGUYEN: Yes. She's definitely going to be tested, especially when you go up against someone like Joe Biden when you talk about national security and foreign policy and those kinds of issues.
But there are those who will argue, Michael -- and maybe you can be a testament to this -- that she, perhaps, maybe has some more executive experience in that she has served as a governor.
CAREY: I say, you know, I don't have a very high opinion of that argument. Being a governor of two years -- for two years of Alaska is -- you know, I mean does she have less experience than a United States senator like Joe Biden or -- and the executive experience that she would have here is far different than it would be required to be president of the United States. I'm not trying to diss my home state, but I don't think it adds up.
NGUYEN: So do you not think this was a good pick?
CAREY: I -- it depends on -- you know, Sarah Palin has many skills. And I think if -- I heard that she was going to go out and she and McCain were going to meet voters and sort of do the Straight Talk Express.
Have I got that right? They're going out to medium and small sized towns in Ohio and Pennsylvania, is that the plan?
If it is, she'll be really good at meeting people one-on-one. She has a lot of strength there. She's fresh. She's smart. She's a lot smarter than people think. Some people dissed her -- oh, she's just a beauty queen. Believe me, she's got more going than that. She' has political skills. But she's never been on a stage this big and she's going to be asked about foreign policy. She's going to be asked about Georgia. She's going to be asked about a whole lot of things.
I mean one of the things you guys should ask her is has she traveled? Has she ever been out of the United States?
I don't know.
NGUYEN: All right. Michael Carey with a little inside into Sarah Palin. We do appreciate your time today.
Thanks, Michael.
CAREY: You're welcome.
LEMON: OK. So here's CNN is being told. We're being told people in New Orleans are being told to dial 311 for information on evacuating ahead of Hurricane Gustav. But many are finding they cannot get through.
So where are they supposed to get the information?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: OK. You are about to see an amazing human transformation. We could hardly believe it ourselves -- proof that a little motivation and a lot of dedication can deliver some results.
Here's our chief medical correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, in today's Fit Nation.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JENNIFER MARNELL, LOST 180 POUNDS: In most of the pictures, I didn't have a smile on my face.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Jen Marnell was 27 years old, 300 pounds and very unhappy.
MARNELL: I didn't realize how depressed I was because my family loved me regardless no matter what. It was a struggle with being overweight all my life. I was overweight from the time I was eight years old.
GUPTA: One day at an amusement park, Jen was kicked off a roller coaster ride because of her size. In that moment, she began undoing 27 years worth of bad habits.
MARNELL: I just broke down in tears and that was really the final straw.
GUPTA: Jen started her weight loss journey exercising on her own at the gym and quickly moved up to group classes. When she reached her goal weight of 120 pounds -- almost a 200 pound weight loss -- she started a new career as a personal trainer.
MARNELL: This has made life a whole lot more exciting, adventurous. I'm able to take more risks and do -- you know, do more things. It's really taken a weight off my shoulders, literally.
GUPTA: Jen says her experience adds authenticity to her can-do message. After all, she's been there.
MARNELL: It can be done, you know, through hard work and dedication. It's not going to be easy. You know, I won't lie to you. But it can be done.
My name is Jennifer Marnell and I left 180 pounds.
GUPTA: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, reporting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: It was three years ago today CNN was in New Orleans as another extremely powerful hurricane slammed ashore. And we haven't left there. The city is still rebuilding, not only homes and buildings, but schools. It is a monumental task. And a little transparency here. I'm on a non-profit board to reopen the first school to be integrated in New Orleans. It was closed after Katrina.
I went back this week to look into the city's complete overhaul of the school system.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What is the range?
LEMON (voice-over): School's back in session in New Orleans -- well, some of them are. Many, though, still bear the marks of Hurricane Katrina. Schools like Morris Jeff Elementary still sit idle and each day get worse and worse from vandalism and neglect. Celeste Lofton-Bagert, Aesha Rasheed and folks in their community have taken it upon themselves to save the school that's been in the neighborhood since 1904.
(on camera): And what do you guys want?
CELESTE LOFTON-BAGERT, NEW ORLEANS RESIDENT: We want a school. We want a high quality public integrated school in this area.
AESHA RASHEED, NEW ORLEANS RESIDENT: The plan to put -- building a school in this community really far down the road. And we are clear that the demographics say that the kids right now need a school in this community and there's community support for a school in this community.
LEMON (voice-over): Neighbors here had blasted a proposal by state and local school board members to overhaul the city's entire school system. The so-called "master plan" calls for 28 schools to be renovated or constructed over the next five years. Federal flood recovery money covers most of the $685 million costs. And later on, according to the state education superintendent, schools that would not be practical to renovate will be sold or redeveloped.
PAUL PASTOREK, LOUISIANA STATE SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT: Many of these old schools were designed as such that it's nearly impossible, at a reasonable cost, to transform them into 21st century schools.
LEMON (on camera): And you're going to sell them to whom?
PASTOREK: We'll sell them to entrepreneurs, developers, neighborhoods.
LEMON: To use as schools or just any business that they want?
PASTOREK: To convert to other -- other uses. But some could even be sold as schools.
LEMON (voice-over): Little comfort for parents who can't afford more convenient and progressive charter or private schools. They say their kids face exhausting commutes and unfamiliar neighborhoods, and losing a school in the middle of their neighborhood is a huge loss.
ANNE DANIELL, NEW ORLEANS RESIDENT: We applied to five charter schools -- schools that we felt good about that are public schools that are all over the city. We didn't get into any of them.
LESLIE STEWART, NEW ORLEANS RESIDENT: I don't have transportation to get him back and forth to school. And I don't know what school he's going to be going to. And it's kind of hard to get your kids in school now since the hurricane.
HELEN THOMPSON, NEW ORLEANS RESIDENT: It's really like a loss, because, really, Morris Jeffs was like what we call a village. It wasn't just an ordinary school. It was more like a school that really cared. LEMON: The superintendent says they're taking all of that into consideration, but are more concerned about getting rid of buildings they don't need because of a decline in the number of students -- old, outdated campuses.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I could come over here...
LEMON: For instance, blackboards are a thing of the past.
PASTOREK: Most of these old schools are schools that we don't want to be in, frankly. Then there are schools that have been around for a long period of time and people love them and they're attached to them.
LEMON: New Orleans officials say the average school building is 75 years old and that more than three quarters of the city's schools are in poor or very poor condition.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: And so, by the time it's all done in 20 years, it's almost $2 billion to overhaul the schools.
Joining me now is Celeste Lofton-Bagert, whom you've just heard from in that piece. She says a lot of people -- we're talking about the storm coming now -- are having trouble getting information about Hurricane Gustav. They're calling the city's emergency number, but they are not getting through.
And she joins us now by telephone. She's sent us e-mails here today. We've been in contact with her.
What trouble are you having?
Thanks for joining us, Celeste.
What trouble are you having getting through? What's happening?
LOFTON-BAGERT: Thank you.
Well, we've been trying to just make contact with neighbors, as we make preparation with Hurricane Gustav coming our way. And this morning, just walking the neighborhood, trying to find out each other's plans, family after family have been trying to call the 311 number and haven't been able to get through.
LEMON: And it's -- is it just 311 or -- there are a couple of numbers, right, that you've been trying?
LOFTON-BAGERT: Yes. For about three years, since the storm, the city has been -- said that they have been putting together a plan so that what happened last time so that all the trauma that the kids and families went through wouldn't happen. They created a 311 number, which is kind of like -- it functions like a 411, but it's free. You call it. The plan was that you call it, you let the city know where you are and how many people are with you and so that... LEMON: And they help you. Right.
LOFTON-BAGERT: Yes. And that you could -- that we'd be able to evacuate.
LEMON: OK.
LOFTON-BAGERT: But the families that I know in the neighborhood have been calling for about a day now, trying to get a hold of this number to -- they've come up with a plan to evacuate.
LEMON: OK.
LOFTON-BAGERT: ...and haven't been able to get a hold of anybody.
LEMON: Celeste, we appreciate you, first of all, for doing the school piece with us. And we also appreciate you for informing us about this 311 system.
CNN is going to check into it for you and we will let you know. I'll call you back and let you know if we find anything out. We've been reaching out to the mayor's office.
Celeste, best of luck to you guys, OK, and your neighbors. Thank you very much.
LOFTON-BAGERT: Thank you.
LEMON: We want to get now to our Sean Callebs. He joins us now from New Orleans.
Sean, of course, is stationed in our bureau there and lives in New Orleans. What are you hearing about these hotline numbers? Have you been able to get through?
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, a couple of things. We called from our bureau, which is a 504 number. Nothing happened. We couldn't get through. Then someone tried from just a regular 504 area code number, were put on hold for about 25 minutes.
Then, I have to tell you, the person who did answer, extremely helpful. Walked our producer through, gave him his address and they told him where he would need to go to be picked up to be one of these people who evacuated from the city. But the information our producer got, he said, was right on the money. It was extremely helpful.
The problem was, you just had to wait 25 minutes listening to Musak until the person actually got on. But the bottom line is it did work.
Now, think about this -- a lot of the people who are going to need to be evacuated out of this area, who don't have another mode of transportation, a lot of these people are elderly or they're infirmed. The only way to get from your home to where you need to get picked up, basically, is to walk. So that could be difficult. But the bottom line is what they said they were going to do, they were able to do and it works.
LEMON: Some people said they got like a fast busy signal and -- or nothing happened. But then you said you got through, Musak. It took a while, but you finally did get through after awhile.
CALLEBS: That's the headline, exactly.
LEMON: Sean Callebs, we appreciate it.
We're also going to check again with the mayor's office -- and I'm sure Sean will, as well -- to get to the bottom, to see what's going on there.
Thank you, Sean.
NGUYEN: You know, we see wildfires all the time in the news, but not usually this close. It's next in our segment Caught On Cam.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Check this out. In Boise, authorities now say a piece of heated metal fell from a power pole and ignited dry brush and gale force winds fueled an inferno that ravaged a neighborhood today. Here's a dramatic look at the battle waged by the city's firefighters.
This is video shot from a firefighter's helmet and it shows the desperate effort to blunt the flames as they rapidly spread. Now, the fire on Monday is blamed for one death and a professor -- that was a professor at Boise State.
It's time to check in with CNN's Wolf Blitzer. And he's been so busy lately.
LEMON: He has. He's standing by in "THE SITUATION ROOM" to tell us what's coming up at the top of the hour.
You're in Minnesota, right -- Wolf?
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Right. We're in St. Paul right now, guys. We're getting ready for a big show. John McCain throws a curve ball into this presidential campaign, picking a largely unknown woman for his vice presidential running mate.
Who is Governor Sarah Palin?
We're covering all the angles for you -- her background as Alaska's governor, her family, her five children, including an infant with Down's Syndrome; plus, her experience and how she's handled issues, including energy and oil.
Plus, Barack Obama hitting the road for this, the first time, as the official Democratic presidential nominee. We'll get reaction to his big speech and his plans for the next three days.
Plus, Gustav becomes a hurricane, as New Orleans braces for the worst on this, the third anniversary of Katrina.
All that and a lot more coming up right here in "THE SITUATION ROOM" -- back to you guys.
NGUYEN: There's a lot going on.
LEMON: Yes, a lot going on.
Thank you, Wolf. We'll be watching.
The closing bell coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: All right, the closing bell ringing on Wall Street right now. The Dow down 168 points at closing.
NGUYEN: Let's get you now to "THE SITUATION ROOM" and Wolf Blitzer.
