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American Morning
Koran Burning Angers World; A Matter of National Security?; 9/11 Causing Cancer?; The Humanitarian "A-Team"; Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady in Car Accident
Aired September 09, 2010 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. It's 8:00 here in New York on this Thursday, September 9th. Glad you're with us on this AMERICAN MORNING. I'm Kiran Chetry.
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to you. I'm John Roberts. Thanks so much for being with us.
A lot to talk about -- let's get right to it this morning.
Chorus of criticism from around the world. A Florida pastor is under fire for planning to burn 200 copies of the Koran. World leaders now are calling on President Obama to stop the event in the name of world peace.
CHETRY: Meantime, the founder of the Islamic center and mosque being built at -- or near Ground Zero, says that the issue is now a matter of national security and a change of location now may lead to violence. Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf says that he regrets the situation and he's claiming that he never envisioned it would be a problem.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
IMAM FEISAL ABDUL RAUF, FOUNDER, THE CORDOBA INITIATIVE: If I knew that this would happen, this would cause this kind of pain, I wouldn't have done it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Our Soledad O'Brien had a chance to speak with him exclusively. We're going to get more of that interview in just a moment.
ROBERTS: And nine years after 9/11 first responders battling for their lives, claiming their cancer was caused by the dust in the air in the days and weeks and months after the attack.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We went through 9/11. We went through six months of crying and funerals. And I thought it was over. I didn't expect to have to go through it all again.
(END VIDEO CLIP) ROBERTS: A member of the EPA said the air is safe. Deb Feyerick speaks to one New York City firefighter and his family about the struggle.
CHETRY: And, of course, the amFIX blog is up and running as always. Join the live conversation right now. Head to CNN.com/amFIX.
ROBERTS: The Florida pastor who plans to burn 200 copies of the Koran to commemorate 9/11 has sparked a global controversy.
CHETRY: Probably something he intended to do in the first place. But, now, the president of Indonesia has written a letter to President Obama, urging him to stop the book-burning in the name of world peace.
Ed Henry is live at the White House this morning.
You know, it's also difficult and when you -- when you have people who aren't necessarily familiar with how our government works, they think, why can't the president just step in there and say, don't do it?
ED HENRY, CNN SR. WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Exactly, Kiran. It's extremely difficult. And that's part of the frustration for this White House is that they now have world leaders jumping in as well. As you mentioned, the Indonesian president firing off this letter saying do something. It's not clear that there is anything this White House can do, short of arresting this pastor or something like that, that they would obviously not do to prevent this. How in the world can they stop it?
I just literally got an e-mail from Robert Gibbs, White House spokesman. And I was pressing him on this letter and if they're going to react. He tells me, look, we've been clear from the start. From the president on down to General Petraeus, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, that this would be damning to U.S. troops.
And, in fact, just in the last few minutes, the president had an interview on ABC's "Good Morning America," he made that very point. He basically said that what this pastor was engaging in is a stunt. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Look, this is a recruitment bonanza for al Qaeda. You know, you could have serious violence in places like Pakistan or Afghanistan. This could increase the recruitment of individuals who would be willing to blow themselves up in American cities or European cities. You know, and so, you know, I just hope he says he's someone who is motivated by his faith.
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS, ABC NEWS: He says he's praying on it.
OBAMA: Yes. I hope -- I hope he listens to those better angels and understands that this is a destructive act that he's engaging.
(END VIDEO CLIP) HENRY: You can see the frustration on the president's face there. In this letter coming from the Indonesian president could have some particular resonance here at the White House. Let's not forget, President Obama spent part of his childhood growing up in Indonesia. He's planned two trips this year to actually take his family to Indonesia but had to cancel them because of health care reform developments. But he's still planning now to go to Indonesia himself later this year.
So, when the Indonesian president warns like, look, if you don't -- can't do anything here, there could be violence in Indonesia, in countries around the world.
That's going to have particularly powerful resonance here at the White House. But, again, this White House is struggling to figure out what can they do about it -- John, Kiran.
CHETRY: Yes. And, as we know, Attorney General Eric Holder held an emergency meeting. He was trying to work with interfaith leaders to try to come up with solutions as well. It just doesn't seem like there's any easy answers.
HENRY: That's right. And, in fact, after that meeting with those interfaith leaders, they came out, people like Cardinal McCarrick and said, look, basically asking this pastor as the president just did in that ABC interview, to think of better angels and stop. But other than doing that, right now, nobody has come up with a substantive thing that they can literally do to stop this, Kiran.
CHETRY: Ed Henry at the White House this morning -- thanks.
ROBERTS: Well, the Vatican is weighing in on the Koran-burning controversy today. The Catholic Church is calling Pastor Jones' plan, quote, "outrageous and grave," recommending reflection as a better way to commemorate 9/11.
Today, a large Islamic group is going to announce an initiative to distribute 200,000 copies of the Koran to replace the copies that Pastor Jones plans to burn. Now, he only plans to burn 200. So, they're trying to overwhelm his particular demonstration.
CHETRY: In just eight minutes, we're going to be joined by Reverend Larry Reimer. He is a minister of the United Church of Gainesville, not far from the small congregation that's sparking all this controversy. He is trying to get Terry Jones to call off the Koran-burning. We're going to talk about whether or not anything that the local Christian community can do to try to stop it.
ROBERTS: You got to wonder if this pastor is enjoying all the attention. His congregation is what, 30 people?
CHETRY: Yes.
ROBERTS: Wow. CNN exclusive now: Soledad O'Brien's riveting one-on-one interview with Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf. Abdul Rauf is the driving force behind the Islamic center and mosque being built near Ground Zero, the Cordoba Center.
CHETRY: He's been silent until now, telling CNN that he regrets his project just caused so much pain, didn't realize it would, and it may be dangerous to turn back now.
Soledad O'Brien joins us this morning.
You had a chance to speak to him for a full hour. I mean, you got a lot of, you know, great insight out of what he's thinking as he's been thrust in the international debate.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes. And the conversation has been pretty much, I think, hysteria on both sides. And this was a moment to kind of sit down and have a thoughtful conversation.
What was interesting to me was that this imam who's been working for peace and bridge-building between the United States and its Muslim counterparts around the globe has really found himself in a tricky position. He's worried now about national security, should in fact, they say, all right, let's scuttle the plans or shouldn't do it.
Here's what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RAUF: Our national security now hinges on how we negotiate this, how we speak about it, and what we do. It is important for us now to raise the bar on our conversation --
O'BRIEN: What's the risk? When you say "national security," what's the risk?
RAUF: As I mentioned, because if we move, that means the radicals have shaped the discourse. The radicals will shape the discourse on both sides. And those of us who are moderates on both sides -- you see, Soledad, the battle front is not between Muslims and non-Muslims. The real battle front is between moderates on all sides of all the faiths and traditions, and the radicals on all sides.
The radicals actually feed off each other. And in some kind of existential way we need each other. And the more the radicals are able to control the discourse on one side, it strengthens radicals on the other side and vice versa. We have to -- we have to turn this around.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: So, if he's contending that it's a matter of national security, is he suggesting that even moving the mosque might inflame radicals overseas? O'BRIEN: I think it's less about moving the mosque and more about how it is moved, if indeed, it is moved -- which, by the way, they're open to but they're not committing to.
ROBERTS: Now, the discussion to it (ph).
O'BRIEN: Yes. So the framing of the issue.
But there's no question that he thinks that if they scuttle the plans, if they sort of say, OK, let's just move it to the upper west side in Manhattan, then there's going to be fallout from that. And that is going to be fallout in the extremist -- you know, extreme Muslims will use really as a recruiting tool, really as an opportunity. And he's very worried about that, yes.
CHETRY: I want to show our audience and get you to weigh in on this new poll that's out this morning. It's an ABC/"Washington Post" poll that says two-thirds of Americans, 66 percent, don't want that mosque and community center to be built blocks away from Ground Zero. You know, as we talk about this debate over location, it would be interesting to see if he thought, OK, we talked to David Paterson, we found a new location. If there's still as much opposition -- was it not about the location but more about Islamophobia?
O'BRIEN: And they didn't really get a new location. David Paterson really didn't offer new location. No one has really said here.
CHETRY: Right.
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: I mean, there's this theoretical conversation. So, I think what the imam has said is that if there's any silver lining, is that this is a conversation and one of those horrible, bitter, uncomfortable ones that has to happen to talk about religious tolerance.
And I think, in a lot of ways, there's so many things about Ground Zero and about 9/11 that have not been discuss that are sort of, you know, because they were never fully vetted, people have so much anger towards Islam and Muslims in this country. Clearly, and even they say, you know, that's a reason why they don't think a mosque deserves to be there. There is a big element of that.
And other people just say it's insensitive, that it's just not OK. So -- but no one's had these conversations before. And there -- those ugly, uncomfortable conversations the imam would say there's a silver lining in just having that discussion. Here's what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RAUF: I hope it dies down tomorrow, because we need this -- this dangerous discourse to die down. We need to build bridges, to build relationships, to build friendships and to build a new chapter in Muslim/non-Muslim relations. O'BRIEN: Is this the right way to do that?
RAUF: How do you propose we do it? How do you propose we really engage?
O'BRIEN: I --
RAUF: Soledad, we mustn't -- look, this is -- this is a matter of engagement right now. How do we -- how do we continue engagement is the question.
O'BRIEN: But engagement where people are furious. People -- many people on both sides of the issue are furious. Is that the kind of engagement you wanted?
RAUF: I ask, what is the solution? What is the solution to create an advancement of peace? We have to advance a discourse on peace.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: I think that's what they're looking for now are solutions, you know? Who's got a solution that can be a win/win across the board? A win for people who are worried about the sensitivity issue, and a win that doesn't send a message to the greater Muslim world that America is hostile to religious tolerance -- that America is at war with Islam.
ROBERTS: One of the other big issues that you pressed him on was the funding and the transparency involved. And at first, he said, well, it's not really my job. And then you said, well, would you -- who would you accept money from and who would you not accept money from? And he said, we wouldn't accept money from anybody who endangers the process.
But he wasn't totally clear on that on that?
O'BRIEN: And part of that lack of clarity, I think, is that they don't have money yet. They have not actually. I mean, it's a giant price tag, $100 million. And they don't actually -- you know, the way any church raises money, of course, is you create a board and you start doing fundraising, et cetera. You know, many people have called for a church being built first, and then, eventually, the nitty-gritty (ph).
ROBERTS: Yes.
O'BRIEN: And it's sort of the same process. So, I think the lack of clarity is it hasn't really happened yet. But they have several times committed to being clear about who the donors would be.
ROBERTS: Well, it's a good interview. Well done.
O'BRIEN: Thank you. Thank you very much. Appreciate that.
ROBERTS: Thanks for coming by this morning. To extreme weather now, what's left of Tropical Storm Hermine, wrecking havoc across the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Four funnel clouds touched down in Dallas, came out of literally nowhere. A camera caught one of them forming, hitting the ground, tearing apart a city block, leaving just a field of debris behind it.
Here's a close-up look at the result. A truck driver was injured when the twister, just like in the movie, picked up his rig and then slammed it into a warehouse.
CHETRY: Amazing pictures coming out of Dallas, that area today.
Our Rob Marciano is in the extreme weather center.
You mentioned that they could get some more isolated storms in that area as well. I mean, they had rooftop rescues going on yesterday. It was unbelievable.
ROB MARCIANO: Yes, you had both. You had eight reports of tornadoes. And the way the tornadoes formed yesterday was much like a spring event, you know, in Tornado Alley, not your typical post- landfall of a tropical system. So, that was certainly disconcerting.
And not only that we have the tornado reports across northern Texas, but also the tremendous amount of rain. Look at these numbers. I mean, over a foot of rainfall in multiple places. So, yes, a lot of high water rescues, over 100 in many spots, and a lot of these rivers are still in flood stage across Dallas and San Antonio and Austin.
Most of the heavier rain though will move off towards the north. It will be cooler across the northeast and windy again for the folks battling the wildfire just north and west of Boulder, Colorado.
More details on this plus Tropical Storm Igor out there in the Atlantic in about 30 minutes -- guys.
ROBERTS: Is it Igor or Igor (ph)?
MARCIANO: I guess it depends if you're a young Frankenstein fan. But we're going with Igor.
CHETRY: You guys are going with Hermine even though a lot of people say it's Hermine.
MARCIANO: Yes, potato, potato. We just hope they don't make landfall again.
ROBERTS: Is that "E" on (INAUDIBLE) or not.
CHETRY: Tornado, tornado. All right, Rob. Thanks.
Well, 14 minutes past the hour.
Reverend Terry Jones, as we know, is vowing to continue with his burn a Koran day despite outcry from pretty much all across the globe. How are other churches in Jones' hometown of Gainesville, Florida, responding? What has this done to the community? We're going to talk to Reverend Larry Reimer of Gainesville United Church about what his congregation is trying to do get Reverend Jones have a change of heart.
Fourteen minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Seventeen minutes past the hour. Welcome back to the Most News in the Morning.
We've been talking all morning about the growing controversy over the plans of a reverend with a very small congregation in Gainesville, Florida, to burn copies of the Koran to commemorate 9/11. We had him on our program a few days ago. He said at the time that he was praying about it, but since then, he said that he's pretty much going to go forward with it despite opposition, including opposition from Christian leaders in his own community.
And we're joined right now by one of them. It's Reverend Pastor Larry Reimer of the United Church of Gainesville. Sorry. I wanted to make sure I got that right. So, you guys are a neighboring congregation, I guess, we could say. I know you held an interfaith service yesterday to deal with this issue that was thrust upon all of you in the Gainesville community. How are people reacting there?
REV. LARRY REIMER, MINISTER, UNITED CHURCH OF GAINESVILLE: People are reacting with a strong sense that the reality is that we have more in common with one another across interfaith lines than we have in conflict. And so, there's been a strong outpouring of support for our Muslim sisters and brothers.
CHETRY: I know you're also leading an active effort to prevent Reverend Jones from going forward with this burn a Koran day. What have you done in terms of outreach to him and have you gotten a response?
REIMER: I've called him, but I've not gotten any response. Tomorrow, a group of interfaith clergy, Muslim, Christian, Jewish will present a petition to him that will have over 6,000 signatures, possibly more, asking him not to burn the Koran. We believe that this is something that's going to endanger lives around the world and a certainly a horrific act for all our Muslim sisters and brothers.
CHETRY: I spoke with Pastor Jones earlier in the week. He talked to us, and he appeared to leave the door open to perhaps changing his mind, canceling this demonstration on Saturday. Let's listen to a bit of what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: So, you're saying that --
PASTOR TERRY JONES, DOVE WORLD OUTREACH CENTER: We're not backing down. CHETRY: You might well not go through with this? You're saying that you're praying about it you may not burn the Koran on September 11th?
JONES: I'm saying that we are definitely praying about it. We have firmly made up our mind, but at the same time, we are definitely praying about it.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: As you could hear, hard to sort of get a read. He says he's praying about it. He seemed to indicate that there was, perhaps, a little bit of trepidation, but then at the same time, he says, but we're definitely going through with it. Do you think there's room there to change his mind or do you think this is definitely happening September 11th?
REIMER: We hope that he'll change his mind. I'm not particularly optimistic. He seems bent on this path, but leaders from around the world have asked that he change his mind. I believe that if he goes through with this, the act of burning the Koran, I believe in my sense that God's heart will be the first to break. But at the same time, I believe that God sees all these people of different faiths standing together, working for one another, caring about one another, and that something can cause God's heart to smile at this time.
CHETRY: Yes. I hear what you're saying. You know, in addition to a lot of the criticism, obviously, that he's been receiving and his congregation has been receiving, people have said that, you know, perhaps the media is partly to blame as well for elevating this, for giving a 30 to 50-member congregation a forum to show their hate. Do you think that if we ignore this, it would perhaps go away?
REIMER: We're in an age where a polarizing voice can get a lot of attention regardless, and what I appreciate right now is that it is being indicated that this is a 30-member congregation. At one point, I think the Wall Street Journal referred to it as a mega church. And most important thing could get out is that Gainesville, the Christian and Jewish communities around the world stand together with our Muslim sisters and brothers, that this has no place in our faith.
I got a letter from a Muslim who'd heard about this on the radio in Montreal today talking about his sense that God is like the ocean. That all of our faiths flow toward as rivers flow toward the ocean. This is a much truer representation of the way people believe and the way people care about each other. So, that's what we want to do right now is proclaim that through the whole world that this is not Christianity.
This is not Gainesville. This is not America. This is one person who is very far out in his own isolated place.
CHETRY: And, if he, indeed, does go through with it, and those images are shown around the world, what in your mind is the fallout? REIMER: I have great fear for this. I had a faculty member from the University of Florida here in Gainesville who lives in Indonesia telling me that he feared for his family. He has Christian family. They've lived in peace with Muslims for centuries, and that this is the kind of thing that inflames the hatred of fanatics.
What divides us in this world is not our religions, what divides us, the fundamentalists and fanatics on both sides of the fence. And so, we do need to have as many progressive voices being able to speak and saying this is not who we are as people of faith, but right now, there's no telling what the reaction will be?
CHETRY: And what is the role into peace loving Muslims who, you know, do not subscribe to radical ideology in anyway? What is your recommendation for their reaction because no doubt this is going to be hurtful, and no doubt, there's going to be anger? What should they do?
REIMER: What I've experienced with the Muslim community here and around the world who have spoken to me is that they are deeply saddened by this. I don't know how we could equate this with something happening to us in the Christian faith. Maybe a couple of years ago, many churches here were burned in Gainesville. Ours was partly burn, and we felt the pain of something like that happening to a place that we loved and held dear.
The Muslims around me are all recommending that no one act violently. They are speaking of their hurt and their pain, but they are saying through their sisters and brothers this is an act of one isolated person and do not react to it violently. They're explaining to the children why people seem to hate them in this moment, and we are trying to say we don't hate them. And we're trying to communicate to people around the world that Judaism and Christianity and Islam stand together as brothers and sister of one historic faith.
CHETRY: Hopefully, all of your praying pays off and that your prayers are answered and that he doesn't go through with this. Thanks for joining us this morning, Reverend Larry Reimer.
REIMER: Thank you very much.
CHETRY: Sure of the United Church of Gainesville. Good to talk to you this morning -- John.
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: Vice President Joe Biden handing out hot dogs and thanking former president George W. Bush. What's that all about? We'll tell you coming up next. Twenty-four minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROBERTS: Twenty-seven minutes after the hour. A conversation about politics and Iraq. It's serious for Vice President Joe Biden. The vice president appeared on Comedy Central Colbert Report last night. He had a little bit of fun heading a hot dogs to our troops in the audience. CHETRY: And the vice president also had a message for former president, George W. Bush.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: President, thank you. You've honored these guys. You've honored these women. You've honored these troops. And I've known you, your entire eight years as president. I've never known a time when you didn't care about what have we disagreed on policy, but you deserve a lot of credit, Mr. President.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. President, I never disagreed with your policy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: Colbert, of course, adding some levity there at the end, but it was nice to see some civility, the vice president saying, you know, we may have disagreed about where we wanted to go with that, but he said, you know, I admire the fact that you care.
ROBERTS: Good to see paying tribute to the troops too with a little hot dog as well.
Did policies and assurances after 9/11 cause cancer? Many young first responders have developed and died from cancer. We'll show you one firefighter's struggle to stay alive for his family. That's coming up right after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Welcome back to AMERICAN MORNING. Top stories just two minutes away. First, we want to bring you an A.M. Original. Something you'll see only on AMERICAN MORNING. It's been nine years since the 9/11 attacks. A lot of heroes that day are now fighting for their lives.
ROBERTS: Many young men, first responders, are developing blood cancers at an alarming rate. Deb Feyerick checked in with one New York City firefighter who's in a middle of his struggle for his very survival, and she's here now with his story. This is so tragic. So many people suffering, particularly after the assurances that the government gave us.
DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's exactly right. It's sort of like a one-two punch, if you will, you know. And watching this man go through this, the pain he and his family are suffering physically and emotionally as well is really heart wrenching. It's as if a time bomb was set, and now many who answered the call to find survivors at Ground Zero, themselves are fighting for their own survival.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FEYERICK (voice-over): When we first met 53-year-old retired New York City firefighter Randy Wiebicke in July, he was healthy and feeling good. His cancer was in remission. Seven weeks later, this is what he looks like. 25 pounds lighter, his body frail, in the fight of his life.
RANDY WIEBICKE, NEW YORK CITY FIREFIGHTER: It was a little rough.
FEYERICK: Randy Wiebicke's story is that of many first responders who thought they had dodged the bullet and escaped the illnesses so many developed soon after 9/11 until last summer when the bullet hit.
RANDY WIEBICKE: My kidneys shut down. And when your kidneys shut down, you know it.
FEYERICK: It wasn't just kidney failure, but a rare and very aggressive blood cancer known as Multiple Myeloma, which he and his wife are convinced came from toxins at ground zero.
MADELINE WIEBICKE: I just thought it was over with. We went through 9/11. We went through six months of crying and funerals. I thought it was over. I didn't expect to have to go through it all again.
FEYERICK: Hundreds of first responders have died post 9/11 from various cancers, yet there's no proof exposure to ground zero toxins are to blame. Doctors say most cancers take longer than nine years to develop.
Randy's cancer, though, is different, and the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation says one study suggests a link is possible. Dr. Jacqueline Moline, who wrote the study, has been tracking 9/11 responders from the beginning.
DR. JACQUELINE MOLINE, NORTH SHORE LIJ HEALTH SYSTEM: We found a predominance of multiple myeloma in younger folks than we would have expected. When we looked at the numbers, it was about four times more than we would have expected in the age group.
FEYERICK: Your gut tells you what?
MOLINE: That I think we are going to find that myoloma is in some fashion associated with the world trade center.
FEYERICK: What happened to Randy Wiebicke this summer? In August he chose to have an experimental type of stem cell transplant using his brother's healthy stem cells to replace his immune system. Wife Madeline captured some of it on camera.
MADELINE WIEBICKE: Hi, Ran, how you feeling?
RANDY WIEBICKE: Not so good.
FEYERICK: The chemo, three different kinds, every six hours, eight days straight, killed Randy's bone marrow and residual cancer cells. RANDY WIEBICKE: It was pretty rough. They have to beat you down to build you up.
FEYERICK: There's no cure for multiple myeloma. But Randy's doctor, Guenther Koehne, is optimistic the new procedure will lead to a longer remission.
DR. GUENTHER KOEHNE, MEMORIAL SLOAN-KETTERING CANCER CENTER: My hope obviously is that the outcome will be better with the transplantation rather than without the transplantation.
FEYERICK: Days before the ninth anniversary of 9/11, Randy leaves the hospital. But he and Madeline are not thinking about the past, only about the year of healing ahead.
MADELINE WIEBICKE: He made it through, and I think he's going to be well. I think that -- I think he'll be cured.
FEYERICK: And I see your lip quivering a little. It's hard to talk about.
RANDY WIEBICKE: Sure. You do what you have to do.
MADELINE WIEBICKE: Right. And you'll dance at your children's weddings. And hold your grandchildren.
FEYERICK: Grandchildren who may one day hear the story of that day from a firefighter who lived through it.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FEYERICK: And when you talk to firefighters, what is so frustrating is no one will really say definitively that it's what they breathed at ground zero. And a gut feeling is not the same at the physical proof to show why they're still getting sick.
CHETRY: Just a little bit more about the procedure he had. So the reason he was looking like you said he did is because of the intense chemotherapy, and then he had the bone marrow?
FEYERICK: They're basically trying to kill his immune system and replace it with his brother's. Now they're watching to make sure his brother's immune system begins to grow within him. Really it will take a full year until he begins feeling better. Maybe by Christmas, let's say, he'll feel little bit better. But the real healing won't begin until six to 12 months.
ROBERTS: Are you keep watching his story?
FEYERICK: Yes, we will.
ROBERTS: Thank you so much.
Tomorrow, by the way "AMERICAN MORNING " remembers the attacks of 9/11. After all the political infighting, there is some progress at the site, a memorial rising from the ruins and a new tower taking shape. We'll head to ground zero to show you what it looks like years later.
CHETRY: Meanwhile we check our top stories this morning. The founder of the Islamic center and mosque being built near ground zero speaking exclusively to CNN's Soledad O'Brien. Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf says the Islamic center must remain where it's planned to be built.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
IMAM FEISAL ABDUL RAUF, FOUNDER, THE CORDOBA INITIATIVE: If we move from that location, the story will be the radicals have taken over the discourse. The headlines in the Muslim world will be Islam is under attack.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHETRY: More of this interview with the man in the middle of the Islamic center controversy ahead.
ROBERTS: The president of Indonesia, the latest world leader to protest plans by a Florida pastor to burn 200 copies of the Koran on Saturday to commemorate the 9/11 attacks. He's written a letter to President Obama asking him to put a stop to the event in the name of world peace. The president is urging Pastor Terry Jones to reconsider in this interview was a short time ago on "Good Morning, America."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, (D) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: If he's listening, I just hope he understands what he's proposing to do is completely contrary to our value as Americans, that this country is built on the notions of religious freedom and religious tolerance.
And as a very practical manner as commander of chief of the armed forces of the United States, I just want him to understand that this stunt that he is talking about pulling could greatly endanger our young men and women in uniform who are in Iraq, who are in Afghanistan. And we're already seeing protests against Americans just by the mere threat.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTS: Pastor Jones says he plans to pray for guidance, but so far he sees no reason to cancel his Koran burning event.
CHETRY: And there will be a new sheriff in town this weekend. Joe Arpaio, America's toughest sheriff, was invited to speak to the state's largest Republican legislation. Arpaio is currently the sheriff Maricopa County in Arizona is said to be considering a run for the White House in 2012.
ROBERTS: Now to Indiana, the fourth city we're visiting in four days as we hitch a ride on the CNN Express. The Hoosier state held significance for Democrats in the past. It's where President Barack Obama held court just days before he was elected.
CHETRY: Only this time around it appears Indiana Republicans may be the ones on their way to a comeback. T.J. Holmes joins us live from Indianapolis with the latest election buzz. Hey, T.J.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning there, guys. You mentioned four cities. We are in four states in four days. At one point we had four reporters on the bus. Just down to one now, just me out here on the roads now.
But this is our last stop here in Indianapolis. And, yes, it was, in fact, exactly where I am, American Legion mall, also one of the last stops for President Obama in 2008.
Take a look. This was two weeks before he was elected president, came here about 35,000 people collected in this mall here, a raucous crowd, an excited and energetic crowd. This was actually the last stop Senator Obama made before he went to visit his ailing grandmother in Hawaii, just to give you some perspective and remember this time.
But that was a very different time. And a lot of people thought this shows something is going on in this country right now for a Democrat to be in Indiana two weeks before this election, because this state had for the past 40 years voted Republican. So a Democrat just having a chance in Indiana was a big deal.
This was also a much different time than when the president was here. At the time Indiana's unemployment rate was 6.7 percent. Today it is 10.2 percent. So a much different time then. Also a different time for a lady I met yesterday. At that time she had a job.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AMY RINRINGER: Even though I was willing to accept a lot less money than what I used to make, many companies either weren't hiring or they were hiring and were concerned that if they hired me I would jump ship once the economy got better for something that paid similar to what I was getting paid prior to.
It's natural for a lot of people to point fingers at what's happening, but I think you have to adapt to the environment that you're in.
I don't know that that they should just blame the government or what have you. They should do what they can do in their means.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: OK, we have nine congressional seats here up for grabs. Right now five of them are held by Democrats, and at least two, maybe three, are in play for Republicans right now.
Also, guys, we talk about the Senate. It might be a stretch for the Republicans to possibly take over the Senate up in D.C. Well, this is the state that could play into that because Evan Bayh, as we know, a democrat, he is not seeking reelection. So his seat is up for grabs. Right now the Republican Dan Coates in that race is up in most polls by 20 percentage points over his Democratic challenger, Representative Ellsworth.
So this is a state that could certainly shake things up in Washington, D.C. So always a battleground, always a place to watch, but a much different than it was two years ago when President Obama was in this very spot.
ROBERTS: T.J. Holmes taking it all in for us today. Thank you very much, T.J.
Again, for the most political news, go to CNN.com/ticker.
CHETRY: We're going to meet Team Rubicon still ahead, the new face of disaster relief. They're retired military vets who specialize in disaster zone field medicine, uniquely qualified to reach the most dangerous areas of the world, and today they're going into Pakistan.
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ROBERTS: The United Nations secretary general says the flooding in Pakistan is the worst natural disaster that he has ever seen. Many places have been abandoned by rescue teams because they're too remote or just too dangerous to go into.
CHETRY: It's unbelievable how many people are left helpless with nothing to help them live. That's where these guys come in, a group of veterans with a special skill set. They don't ask questions, they don't hesitate. They just go.
Our newest correspondent Kaj Larsen followed them on their mission. He joins us this morning from Islamabad. Hi there, Kaj. Tell us about how tough it is to get into some of these areas and why this group is uniquely qualified to do it.
KAJ LARSEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Thanks, Kiran. Well, I think John said it right when he said these areas are both too remote and too dangerous to get into for conventional aid.
I was able as a veteran to immerse myself as a member of this charity organization and deploy with them on their mission to Pakistan. That allowed me to see really up close and personal some of the victims of the floods here.
And as this tsunami continues to roll from north to south, this perpetual tsunami, it really increases the devastation, making it more necessary to get groups like Team Rubicon out there. This is the first part of my journey with them.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LARSEN (on camera): I'm packing for Pakistan.
(voice-over): I'm a member of the charity group Team Rubicon. A group made up of veterans of some of the most elite fighting forces in the world. No longer working for the military, we're now doing something different; using military training and logistics and technical skills to conduct humanitarian missions in some of the most remote and dangerous countries. (on camera): About five days ago I got a call from them. They're sending a team to deploy to Afghanistan to assist with the victims of the flooding disaster there.
(voice-over): I headed to the airport to meet up with other Team Rubicon members who had volunteered for the Pakistan operation. At the airport were three other teammates.
(AUDIO GAP)
WILLIAM MCNULTY, TEAM RUBICON: -- years in the Marine Corps Reserve, I became an intelligence specialist. It's been our experience that we can respond to national disasters faster than -- than larger NGOs. So, basically we bring these skills that were developed on the battlefield.
LARSEN: Former Iraq vet told Matt Pelak told me how this mission differs from what he used to do for the military.
MATT PELAK, TEAM RUBICON: It's good to come to an area like this and not have a gun in my hand and be able to -- you know actually just get down and help people, and not have people looking at you with fear, but with hope.
LARSEN: With the team assembled -- first stop, Dubai.
(on camera): I think hour 23 of our journey to Pakistan. In the meantime some of us are resting.
We just arrived to Islamabad Airport and loaded all our gear into the team van and we'll be heading down south to get closer to the affected areas where the aid work is going to begin.
(voice-over): We began the long drive to southern Kucha (ph) a place where international aid is desperately needed for hundreds of thousands of Pakistanis. But the problem is many western doctors are wary of coming here because of the precarious security situation.
MCNULTY: We assess the risk involve, we mitigate what risk we can. We accept a certain level of risk, in line with the mission and then we act.
LARSEN: Concerns about security are constant here. Upon our arrival there had been three bombings in three days with more than 100 people killed.
(on camera): As we're driving to the areas in the southern Punjab (ph) region that are most affected by the floods, there's this long, continuous line. It's practically a mile long of trucks that are delivering aid to the region.
I mean, just the sheer volume is incredible. There must have been 100 trucks just waiting to try and get supplies in to the affected areas.
After 8,000 miles and three straight days of traveling, Rubicon finally arrives to a remote village that even a month into the floods is yet to receive medical aid. Undaunted by State Department and military warnings about security the team begins saving lives. Doctor Eduardo Dolhun is a member of the team.
DR. EDUARDO DOLHUN, TEAM RUBICON: So what we're going to do is this is going to be our de facto triage area right here. We'll write -- diagnose, write the prescriptions.
LARSEN: As the team begins to set up a clinic in an abandoned building, the victims start arriving.
(on camera): Well, what's the issue with this guy?
MCNULTY: The baby is totally floppy -- totally unresponsive.
LARSEN: We're going to bring this baby to see Dr. Dolhun right now.
DOLHUN: We have a baby that is 10 or 11 months old and having diarrhea for four or five days with vomiting. We now have a situation in which she's probably bordering on severe dehydration to the point where she's listless.
LARSEN: It is here despite all the concerns about safety, the Taliban threats, militants and sectarian violence, the real threat Team Rubicon finds is that of children and the elderly dying of dehydration.
It's simple logistics. Lives can be saved if aid can get through. For all their skills, it's risking the journey to the victims that may be the team's greatest act on this mission.
As Baby Ali just one of 2,000 villagers the team will treat this day fights for survival.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LARSEN: Along with the Team Rubicon members we were able to make it to some of the more remote and affected areas of the flooded regions. And during that process, we were able to talk and get up close and personal with some of the victims.
Tomorrow, we'll be following Team Rubicon on the second part of their journey as they push out even further into the flood-affected areas. And, of course, we will get to the resolution of what happened with little 9-month old Baby Ali -- John, Kiran.
ROBERTS: Looking forward to all of that. Our Kaj Larsen for us in Islamabad this morning; Kaj thanks so much.
If you want to find out how you can help, by the way, just head to the special section of our Web site, Impact your world. The address is cnn.com/impact.
Ten minutes to the top of the hour. We'll be back in just a moment. MARCIANO: Dallas yesterday, tornadoes touching down -- look at this -- tearing up some of that industrial area. There was one injury after a tractor trailer got tossed into a warehouse. Amazingly that could have been whole lot worse.
Also, not like tornadoes, but all the flooding rains from Tropical Storm Hermine. We had over 100 high water rescues. That woman had to be taken in hook and ladder over that swollen river.
All right. Good morning, everybody.
Again, 15.62 inches of rainfall in Georgetown, Texas; Cedar Park seeing over a foot; Anderson Mill seeing over a foot as well; it was a wet day. And it continues. The rivers are still swollen here, in some cases still floods from San Antonio to Austin back up to Dallas although most of the heavy rain has shifted up towards the north.
So eastern parts of Oklahoma and Missouri -- two to four inches of rainfall expected today and this is all leftovers again from Tropical Storm Hermine.
As far as what's going on across Colorado, still battling the wildfire north and west of Boulder. Gusty winds up to 50 miles an hour possible today. Humidities will be relatively low so a red flag of warning has been posted.
We'll also be kind of breezy across the northeast today; much cooler than it has been. And because of that you may see some travel delays just because of the wind at New York City Metro airports there and in D.C. as well.
This is Tropical Storm Igor. Here's Africa. It is way out there. Don't have to do too much about this or worry about it, at least in the near term. We'll keep you updated.
That's a quick check on weather. AMERICAN MORNING is coming right back.
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CHETRY: Following some developing news for you at three minutes until the top of the hour.
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady involved in a car crash in Boston earlier this morning. "The Boston Globe" is reporting that the cars involved are a van and a sedan. Sources at the scene say it was Brady driving the sedan. He was treated at the scene. The driver of the van had to be transported to a local hospital. Brady was shaken, but not hurt in the accident, which is, of course, a good thing since the team is playing the Cincinnati Bengals this Sunday.
ROBERTS: He was probably heading to training camp this morning, I would think so.
CHETRY: Yes. Roberts: We wish them all well and that -- the fellow in the van had to be extracted with the jaws of life, so we're keeping our fingers crossed that everything will be all right there.
CHETRY: Three minutes until the top of the hour. We'll be right back.
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ROBERTS: Continue the conversation on today's stories; go to our blog at cnn.com/amfix.
That will wrap it up for us. Awfully good of you to join us this morning.
We'll see you back here again bright and early tomorrow.
CHETRY: Meantime, don't go anywhere, the news continues. "CNN NEWSROOM" with Kyra Phillips starts right now.
