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Back after Superstorm Sandy; Tornado Survivors Remember, Rebuild; Obama to Nation: Step Up for Oklahoma; New Rutgers Athletic Director Accused of Abuse; Decision Time for the Supreme Court; The Saddest Acre in America
Aired May 27, 2013 - 10:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Trying to recover while pausing to remember. In Oklahoma, thousands gathered over the weekend to mourn those killed a week ago by that deadly tornado.
Amid all the destruction and loss of life, residents are continuing to heal and rebuild. Here's more from our Nick Valencia.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Thousands gathered at the First Baptist Church in Moore Sunday night to remember the 24 lives lost, including ten young children. Last Monday's tornado was the strongest and deadliest to strike Oklahoma in years.
GOV. MARY FALLIN (R), OKLAHOMA: Our spirits have been shaken this week. Our hearts have been broken, but our resolve is strong and we will rise again.
VALENCIA: President Obama saw the devastation left by the powerful tornado.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Obviously, the damage here is pretty hard to comprehend. Our hearts go out to the families who have been impacted, including those who have had loved ones who are lost.
VALENCIA: The President offered solace and aid to those hard hit by the tornado.
OBAMA: It's going to take a long time for this community to the rebuild. So I want to urge every American to step up.
VALENCIA: This weekend, the parents of Bethany Pate joined her at what was once her house. The clean-up has just begun.
BETHANY PATE, TORNADO SURVIVOR: Now, we're just kind of getting real and starting to clean up. We're starting to take the next steps.
VALENCIA: Bit by bit, piece by piece, the residents of Moore, Shawnee and other cities impacted by the recent outbreak of tornadoes are beginning to put their lives back together. And they're not doing it alone. Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin offered her help to residents of this Moore neighborhood.
FALLIN: For those that are just overwhelmed, it is just too much to do, to get their personal belongings out. And then we'll come in, and then we'll take care of it as a state.
VALENCIA: A bittersweet yet familiar sound of "Pomp and Circumstance", provided a needed respite from the devastation as seniors from three area high schools graduated.
SAWYER TUMBLSON, HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE: I mean it's kind of sad we are ending our senior year like this but then again it brings us all a lot closer and more together. So I mean that's always a good thing, too.
VALENCIA: It's a closeness that will bring renewal to a community ravaged by the storm and provide them the courage to rebuild.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: Nick Valencia joins us now from Moore, Oklahoma. I know people are already busy there getting rid of that debris. The question is where do you put it?
VALENCIA: Well, we got a spot for it, Carol, landfill designated in the city of Moore. The city will come and pick up what's left behind. You can see behind me, residents are still going through the pieces of what's left of their community. Thousands of volunteers that come over from all across the United States to help strangers, neighbors have also helped neighbors.
But you know what's interesting and we find the most fascinating out here, Carol is how the resolve and the resilience of these people. They don't want help. They often turn it down. They -- they don't want to take away help from others who may need it more. In fact, they go so far as to ask us how we're doing. They offer us food, they offer us water.
It's incredible they've gone through so much of this before already this is a community especially more specifically that is used to tornadoes and accustomed to -- to tornados, but little, if anything could have prepared them for the disaster that happened here a week ago and for so many residents here, Carol, their lives will forever be divided by what happened before the storm and how they carry on afterwards -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Absolutely. Nick Valencia, reporting live from Moore, Oklahoma this morning.
While you're dreaming about that extended summer vacation the U.S. Supreme Court is getting ready to go back to work. Rulings expected for controversial cases on same-sex marriage and affirmative action. We'll have a look at what's ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Rutgers University is in the spotlight again and not in a good way. The University's new athletic director brought in to mop up Rutgers scandal-plagued sports program is not exactly squeaky clean. It turns out Julie Hermann was once accused of being an abusive coach at the University of Tennessee. And as you know, Rutgers got into a boat load of trouble for it's own abusive basketball coach.
More now from John Berman.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Carol, after everything that happened at Rutgers, this is the last thing that university needs. Two officials tell the "Newark Star Ledger" that what to do next is still being considered that the hiring of this new athletic director is an issue right now of grave concern and what happens next, again, is still not clear.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN (voice over): Rutgers University faced tough criticism on the days after a video surfaced of its head basketball coach being abusive towards players.
MIKE RICE, FORMER BASKETBALL COACH, RUTGERS UNIVERSITY: You're (EXPLETIVE DELETED) --
BERMAN: The video captured former coach Mike Rice's aggressive behavior, hurling basketballs at players and yelling homophobic slurs. The university fired Rice after a public outcry and the athletic director was also forced to resign.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was deeply disturbed by the behavior the video revealed.
BERMAN: This time, the university's president will have to answer to Governor Chris Christie after reports surfaced that the new athletic director hired to turn the university's image around is herself accused of being an abusive coach.
The Governor's spokesperson said in a statement, "He's not going to be making any judgments at this time but he expects to be talking with the Rutgers administration this week to get the details."
It has emerged that back in 1996 all 15 members of Julie Hermann's volleyball team at the University of Tennessee wrote her a letter. The players wrote, in part "The mental cruelty that we as a team have suffered is unbearable. We have been lied to, publicly humiliated and ripped apart as both players and people."
They said the coach had called them "whores, alcoholics and learning disabled." One of the players provided "The Star Ledger" with a copy of the letter. The paper says Hermann responded saying, quote, "I never heard any of this, never name-calling them or anything like that whatsoever."
Hermann has promised she will bring a new era to Rutgers.
JULIE HERMANN, ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, RUTGERS UNIVERSITY: It is a new day, it is already fixed and there's no one that doesn't agree about how we treat young people with respect, and dignity and build trust. BERMAN: But at that news conference, Hermann was asked about a jury award of $150,000 to former assistant coach Ginger Hineline back in 1997. Hineline claims she was fired because she was pregnant. In 1994, Hermann was a bridesmaid at Hineline's wedding. And in the video, the coach said this about her becoming pregnant.
HERMAN: I hope it's good tonight. I hope it's not too good, because I don't want you to come on February with any surprises. You know the office and all and would be hard to have a baby in there."
BERMAN: Hermann responded.
HERMANN: There is a video? I'm sorry, did you say there is video? There is no video, trust me.
BERMAN: Hermann is even seen here catching the bouquet. The University says its attorneys had investigated that case before Hermann was appointed. But as it prepares for the big 10, Rutgers has another big headache.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BERMAN: ESPN has talked to some people who were involved with the University of Tennessee volleyball team all those years ago. There are some people who say they simply did not know any of these things were going on. They say they never saw what these teammates accused Julie Hermann of doing. So there are differing stories out there.
And again, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie says he is going to take a look at this, this week. It's clear the Governor of New Jersey doesn't want these scandals at Rutgers to continue -- Carol.
COSTELLO: We will keep you posted.
Coming up in the NEWSROOM, it is one of the most hallowed grounds in the nation. We'll take you to Arlington National Cemetery for a live report on this Memorial Day.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Coming up on 45 minutes past the hour. Time to check our top stories.
Beef prices heading higher as Americans start their summer grilling season. That's because of drought conditions that aren't letting up across the cattle-producing Midwest. The Agriculture department says the average price for a pound of beef is now $2.11.
A television cable fell onto the tracks and grandstand at the Coca- Cola 600 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. Ten fans were injured, none of them seriously. The race was stopped for a half hour as cars hit by the cable were repaired. Fox Sports says it has not figured out exactly what went wrong.
It's been a blockbuster Memorial Day weekend at the box office, one of the biggest ever. The top dozen films raked in more than $250 million from Friday through yesterday. Topping the list "Fast and Furious 6", it pulled in close to $100 million. Coming in second, "The Hangover Part 3", it pulled in just $42 million. That's much, much less than expected.
It is decision time for the U.S. Supreme Court. The answers will affect the lives of millions of us. Same-sex marriage and affirmative action are just two of the more than 30 cases set to hit the docket. CNN's Athena Jones takes a look at the legal decisions ahead.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ATHENA JONES, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): From now until the end of June, the Supreme Court is expected to rule on big issues: affirmative action and same-sex marriage.
TOM GOLDSTEIN, CO-FOUNDER, SCOTUS BLOG: It's almost unimaginable the number of things the Supreme Court is going to decide that affect all Americans in the next month.
JONES: First up could be whether public schools can consider race when admitting students. Abigail Fisher sued the University of Texas arguing she was rejected because she's white.
ABIGAIL FISHER, ALTERNATIVE ACTION PLAINTIFF: I hope the court rules that a student's race and ethnicity should not be considered when applying to the University of Texas.
JONES: The school says race is one of many factors it uses to achieve diversity on campus. Court watchers say Anthony Kennedy could side with conservative justices to overturn or limit a major Supreme Court decision from ten years ago that allowed affirmative action.
The justices are also dealing with another hot button issue -- same- sex marriage.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: -- that marriage is between one man and one woman, you guys won't accept it.
JONES: Considering whether California's Proposition 8 ban is constitutional. And in a second case, if the Defense of Marriage Act can deny same-sex couples the same federal benefits as heterosexual ones.
EDITH WINDSOR, DOMA PLAINTIFF: I think it's going to be good.
JONES: That case was brought by Edith Windsor, a New York woman who had to pay higher estate taxes after her wife died than someone in a heterosexual marriage would have.
GOLDSTEIN: I think it's likely in the Defense of Marriage Act case that the Supreme Court will invalidate the federal law that says we won't recognize state same-sex marriages. But in the California Proposition 8 case, the justices seem unlikely to require under the constitution every state to recognize same-sex marriage. The ruling may not be a huge gay rights victory at all, but I doubt it's going to be a significant loss either. JONES: Another case involves the kind of genetic testing that led actress Angelina Jolie to undergo a double mastectomy. The court is considering whether human genes so-called "products of nature" can be patented.
Athena Jones, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COSTELLO: It is the final resting place for more than 800 U.S. troops who were killed in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. I'm talking about Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery, an area that's been called the saddest acre in America. That's where we find Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr. Hi, Barbara.
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol. Well, it has been called the saddest acre in America. I think also it is the most loving, respectful acre in America. As you can see today behind me hundreds of people coming to pay their respect, family members, members of the U.S. Military. We have talked to some of the battle buddies that are here. Young troops coming to visit their fallen friends here at Section 60.
A short time ago, we talked to a young man, a member of the 82nd airborne division who brought his friend, his fallen friend, home from the battlefield to his final resting place here at Arlington. Why don't you have a listen to what this young man had to say about Memorial Day?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
TRENTON BLANCHARD, U.S. ARMY SPECIALIST: I cannot imagine being anywhere else. It's serving and losing a brother in arms and I'm going to be here on Memorial Day. There is no way to describe it. This is the only place I'd want to be.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: Specialist Trenton Blanchard talking about his friend private first class Michael Metcalf who fell on the battlefields of Afghanistan. Everyone here is really deeply tied to remembering the troops on this day.
And I think you only have to look around, Carol, to know that to people here, Memorial Day isn't so much about going to a picnic, going to the mall, going to a baseball game although they certainly do that. For the people here Memorial Day is about remembering all of those who served -- Carol.
COSTELLO: It's just heart breaking to see so many children there. Oh. Thank you. Barbara Starr reporting live from Arlington National Cemetery.
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) COSTELLO: It's not the best way to kick off summer, flooding and heavy snow in parts of the country. Meteorologist Indra Petersons joins us from New York with more on this really weird weather.
INDRA PETERSONS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: It's so unbelievable this weekend. We were talking about snow in Vermont. Let me show you this video in case you missed all it -- rain and snow all weekend long.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PETERSONS: The unofficial start of summer looking nothing like it's supposed to. Torrential rain and historic flooding blamed for at least three deaths in the San Antonio area. The body of an 18-year- old missing since Saturday was recovered from flood waters on Sunday night.
DAVID HARRIS, SCHERTZ, EXEC. DIRECTOR OF SUPPORT: Whether it's the floods of '98, 2002 or again this year in 2013, a powerful force of water comes down that creek and either takes out homes, disrupts live, in this case, took the life of a young man.
PETERSONS: Drivers had to be rescued from flood waters, submerged in more than nine inches of rain that fell in less than seven hours. Even this bus was no match for flooded roads. Riders escaped the bus through the hatch in the roof.
Drenching rains and flooding washed away any outdoor plans in the Central Plains. In Iowa residents breaking out their shovels instead of their grills to make sandbags to protect from rising waters.
The final week of May looking more like a winter wonderland in parts of the northeast. The Memorial Day weekend storm brought chilly temps and dumped nearly three feet of snow on a New York Ski mountain in the Adirondacks.
And in Stowe, Vermont more than a foot of snow recorded on Sunday. The latest in the season it ever had that much snow.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PETERSONS: Hard to believe this is May and almost June. What does it look like out there today? Yes, things are rebounding. Temperatures are warming up in the north east. But we do still have a slight risk and now even a moderate risk out on the plains. So what are we looking for -- the threat of isolated tornados. They're moderate as you can see there and the red is now in towards Kansas and even through Nebraska.
And what we're going to be watching as we go throughout the week is actually the system that's producing the rain currently on the West Coast. It's a cold enough system once it slides across the plain, it will enhance our threat for tornadoes by the middle of the week. So by Wednesday, we are looking for the potential of a tornado outbreak coming in anywhere from the Dakotas all the way down through Texas -- Carol.
COSTELLO: All right. Indra Petersons, thanks so much.
In minutes, we will see President Obama lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns; Also on hand, one of the most elite groups in the U.S. Army. I leave you now with the hand picked soldiers who stand sentry over the tomb and all it symbolizes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: About face.
SPEC. NATE CHARTIER, TOM SENTINEL: It's an honor being able to work in Arlington National Cemetery. There are some days where you just get that hair raising on the back of your neck feeling like this is just right. This is just perfect, you wouldn't want to work anywhere else the rest of your life.
Everyone works on each other's uniforms evenly. But to have somebody else around you taping you off, make sure there's no lint, debris or anything in there. You may not look as good or it may not look uniform to the other soldiers on the plaza.
The reason why some of us have certain things while at the door is because it just works for us during training to kind of calm us down before we go out the door.
One of those days it just gives you motivation to go hey, I'm going to crush this guard change. This guard change is going to be amazing.
Another high one.
You have the sun hitting the plaza, then with it being so bright, it bounces off, hits you back. It feels like the temperature is even warmer than it is if you are in regular clothes. I did not think I was ever going to be guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers. A lot of people don't realize their freedom isn't free. It really isn't. You have thousands of soldiers that died for our country.
I don't look at it as just three unknown soldiers that I'm guarding. I'm guarding the 300,000 plus soldiers that gave their life for this country.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
