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American Morning
Analysis of Obama-Cameron News Conference; Night of Terror in Joplin
Aired May 25, 2011 - 08:48 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KIRAN CHETRY, CNN ANCHOR: Wrapping up that press conference between President Barack Obama and Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain finishing up in just shy of an hour. Interesting ending on the discussion domestically that we've been having about the terrible state of storms --
CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: That's right.
CHETRY: -- that have gone on and the death toll as he said, knowing that you have friends means all the world.
But it was also interesting. A couple of hot topics from the reporters that were able to ask questions. One of course, Libya; what are we doing with Moammar Gadhafi? Is the escalation in Libya going to work? And would they be satisfied with Gadhafi staying in power.
ROMANS: And David Cameron said he's got to go and the President saying that he's got to -- his capacity to send thugs against his own people has to be diminished. Also, questions about the Middle East and a new -- renewed focus on a peace process for the Middle East.
So David Cameron there, UK Prime Minister, congratulating the President for what he said a bold -- a bold --
(CROSSTALK)
CHETRY: Spark.
ROMANS: -- spark of progress in the region from the President's recent speech about that.
CHETRY: It's also what he think -- the President was very blunt when he said -- I just want to get back to where -- the United Nations is not going to deliver a Palestinian state, advising the Palestinians against that push in their plan to press the U.N. to recognize them without some sort of agreement with Israel and that is going to be a huge hot topic.
But both of them agreeing that either side has to sort of recognize the dignity and the need in order to make any type of progress.
ROMANS: And the President is saying it will take quote, "wrenching compromise on both sides for progress". And -- and Kiran, you pointed out at the end of the speech, they were talking about what's happening in the United States with the tornadoes. In the beginning of the Prime Minister of the UK's speech, he talked about two things the United States and UK both need and are both dedicated to right now, jobs and security for peoples of both countries.
So really a very 360-degree view of the -- the common interest of these two special allies.
CHETRY: That's right and then, later today, as we said later on, President Obama will be addressing the joint sessions of parliament, the joint Houses of Parliament.
So we'll of course follow that live as well. But we do want to bring you up to date on the latest from Missouri as well as Oklahoma and the other states hit by severe weather over the past couple of days.
We are going to take a quick break. Its 50 minutes past the hour. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
CHETRY: Fifty-three minutes past the hour right now. We are following breaking news.
Southwest Airlines says it has taken eight planes out of service in Dallas because of the weather. They want to inspect them for hail damage and also repair in some cases because of that severe weather damage.
ROMANS: Now, Southwest Airlines was able to get its first rounds of departures out on time this morning. But this may have an impact on the rest of the day's schedules. Passengers are asked to check Southwest.com for updates. The crew is still suffering the aftermath of those very violent storms over the region.
CHETRY: And speaking of that, deadly tornadoes killing ten more people in three states overnight, Oklahoma, Kansas and Arkansas. Oklahoma hit especially hard; five people were killed there, dozens more injured. And storm chasers as well as TV crews captured incredible video of these storms as they were happening.
Take a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wow, we got lightning really close. Where is it? Yes. Are you coming down?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ok, we've got another tornado -- I'm sorry we got another tornado on the ground. But we're going to have to get out of here, guys. We cannot stay around here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Multiple vortex, multiple vortex tornadoes on the ground. Where is the location as we are looking back there towards the south?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don't worry about it. We are doing all right.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: The next video is from KFOR in Oklahoma City. Listen as a reporter in a crew car spots a massive twister. We've got that one. I guess it's not ready yet
But it's heading right for the crew car. And it's amazing because you can -- you can see so much of the devastation all around. Take a look at this and see if we have it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's going to turn, it's going to come a little bit now. It's making a left turn. I'm stopping, because it is coming up to I-40. I'm stopping, because it's coming up to I-40 right now. Unbelievable, it's right here.
It's a killer tornado, an absolutely killer tornado that's now crossing. It is going to be crossing I-40 here shortly. If you know anybody that's on I-40, going into or coming out of Oklahoma City, tell them not -- not to even get near I-40.
More -- more it's got another bunch of vortexes hanging out of it. Goodness, gracious.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROMANS: Wow.
CHETRY: That's amazing. If you've never experienced the sheer force of a tornado, these pictures may be as close as you may come. Check this out.
You see that tractor-trailer just literally torn to shreds. This is a video shot by Oklahoma City affiliate, KOCO. This twister is just sheering apart that tractor-trailer, tossing it through the air. The driver was in it at the time and he somehow survived that.
ROMANS: And again from KFOR TV, a surreal scene as a twister began forming directly above the crew's vehicle. Pay particular attention to the utility poles flying overhead during this live report.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Through there they got shutdown, so hopefully, they will get everybody --
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Look at the motion in that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- hopefully they will get --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh my gosh.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- out of there and safe.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The motion is tremendous. David Payne, are you still with us? A violent tornado --
(CROSSTALK)
DAVID PAYNE: Yes. I get another killer tornado. It might be across Highway 81 as it intensified and it almost got us. It intensified right on top of us. It is amazing.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: there they got shutdown --
(END AUDIO CLIP)
CHETRY: Those pictures are just eerie to see. You understand the sheer force when you can see it rip apart a big rig. You can see it rip the utility poles and the lines right out.
ROMANS: And Rob Marciano says those people are trained weather chasers, people who are doing that sort of reporting in that part of the country. They know tornadoes well. But it looks very --
(CROSSTALK)
CHETRY: They are still putting their lives at risk by doing that.
ROMANS: -- it looks very dangerous. It looks very dangerous and very scary.
Ali Velshi is in Joplin where they are still picking through the wreckage of tornadoes just like that -- Ali.
ALI VELSHI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, and you know, ten people killed in the heartland by those tornadoes. You just showed the death toll here in Joplin, now up to 125. That's new information we have this morning.
They have also increased the number of structures that have sustained damage. They are now saying nearly 8,000 structures here sustained damage.
And part of that was that helicopter ride I was on yesterday morning. It was actually -- it wasn't a ride for the media. We were included in it. But it was the National Guardsmen going out there with cameras trying to evaluate how serious this was as a result of that and some other forecasting.
They increased the intensity of this tornado to an EF-5. That's the highest. 750 people are being treated in area hospitals around here. This had winds of more than 200 miles-per-hour.
Now, we have been reporting, you have seen reporting from all over this affected area. Just a few moments ago, the police came to us. We have just been hearing from our other crews around Joplin. Everybody has got to evacuate the devastated areas. There will be no home owners allowed in. There will be none of us, no media. We're breaking down as soon as I say goodbye to you. And we've all got to relocate to another area because they still say there is a lot to search and there's still some recovery. Christine and Kiran
ROMANS: Thanks, Ali.
CHETRY: To find out how you can help -- a lot of people have been writing and saying, what happens now? How do you help people that have been suffering because of the tornado? Go to CNN.com/impact and on the home page there, you'll find a lot of the organizations that are pitching in. You can find out what exactly it is they are doing and whether you would like to donate.
ROMANS: It is 58 minutes after the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ROMANS: And that will do it for us here on AMERICAN MORNING.
CHETRY: We'll be back tomorrow.
Meantime "CNN NEWSROOM" with Carol Costello starts right now.
Good morning Carol.
