Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Major Flooding Across Several States Causes Evacuations and Some Deaths; Candidates Split Over Michigan's Possible Re-Do; Interview with Iraqi Ambassador to the U.S.; Tips to Beat Inflation; Salute to Our Troops

Aired March 20, 2008 - 10:00   ET

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

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everybody and a happy spring.

I'm Heidi Collins.

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Tony Harris. Stay informed all day in the CNN NEWSROOM.

Here's what's on the run down. First the rains now the Midwest, waves (ph) from rivers to crest, what's ahead in the soggy flood zone?

COLLINS: Sure. Prices are up. Well we've got tips to whip inflation now. Plus, new numbers offer a peek at the economy for next fall.

HARRIS: Five years of war, saluting the troops in Iran. "Headline News" anchor, Robin Meade, hosts of that "MORNING EXPRESS" show that's so hot and popular with the kids. She stops by today, Thursday, March 20.

You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

COLLINS: Across much of the country the water rises, the misery deepens. Flood waters are rushing across parts of at least seven states. Flood warnings are posted from Texas to Pennsylvania and Arkansas to Ohio.

Thousands of people have been evacuated and boats are fanning out across neighborhoods searching for people trapped in their homes. In many of those areas the rain has stopped, but the floodwaters continue to rise. At least 13 people have died and several are still missing. Dozens more have been pulled from fast-moving waters covering their neighborhood streets.

One of the hardest hit states, Missouri. President Bush has already declared a major disaster there. But the worst may be yet to come with record level flood surges expected tomorrow.

HARRIS: Another place reeling from the relentless floodwaters -- Ohio. Much of the state is dealing with swamped homes, washed out roads and rising rivers.

CNN's Sean Callebs is on the scene there in South Lebanon, that is just north of Cincinnati.

Well, you are bathed in sunshine at the moment, my friend.

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We are bathed in sunshine, but we're also kind of covered in muck. That may be the best way to explain it here this morning.

I think people in southwestern Ohio saw what happened in Missouri yesterday. They saw that rain come down in an unrelenting fashion, they knew it was coming this way. People here braced for the worst.

If you look behind me, that's a massive soybean field. When we got out here a few hours ago, it was well understand water, way, way out there. It has gone down significantly. What's happening is, that water from that field is going across this road -- this is a major, major road here in South Lebanon, it comes under -- into this culvert. Now usually this is a ditch that's pretty dry. But you can see the water continues to pour into this culvert here.

Now what's happening right now, we just talked to Warren County emergency officials. They tell us a couple of things. One, the Red Cross is out with the local fire department. They are trying to get out clean up kits to a lot of the flooded homes here in this area. The fire department is also going to go out and try and pump out basements flooded in this area.

But the big problem -- these roads right here, you can see this debris that has just built up along this guard rail, several feet piled up. We know that bridge inspection teams are going out this morning as well. They are going to try to determine if there's been any structural integrity that has been threatened somewhat because of this unrelenting rain.

Well we saw all those dramatic rescues yesterday, Tony, in Missouri. People here were just terrified of what was going to happen. The Little Miami River, they believe, has crested; at least they hope it has.

But the bad news, you talked about it a bit ago. This is going to flow down into the Miami, then into the Ohio, then into the Mississippi. So all those areas that have just been saturated is coming your way.

HARRIS: All right. We can just hope that the folks there can just hang on a little bit longer.

Sean Callebs for us this morning. Good to see you, Sean. Thanks.

COLLINS: Want to quickly try to get some more information for you as we go here about the situation in Missouri. Specifically, Eric McGowen is now on the line with us. He's with the Cape Girardeau Emergency Management -- obviously -- in Missouri.

In fact, if you could, Eric, first give us a tiny geography lesson. Tell us where Cape McGowen is -- excuse me, Cape Girardeau. VOICE OF ERIC MCGOWEN, CAPE GIRARDEAU CO., MO. EMERG. MGMT.: Cape Girardeau is located approximately 100 miles south of St. Louis. It's in the southeast portion of Missouri, above what's known as the Boot Hill (ph) area.

COLLINS: All right. So the gentleman we just spoke with from Eureka tells me that that is the area, at least in the southern part of the state, where several people are still missing. Do you have any knowledge of that situation?

MCGOWEN: Well, we have evacuated all of the people that have wished to be evacuated from our flooded areas. We've had great help from the U.S. Coast Guard, the Missouri Water Patrol and several other entities that have been on site helping us with this situation. As far as the missing persons cases in this area, I do not have that information at this time.

COLLINS: OK. Well, as we talk about evacuating, obviously one of the challenges is getting out on the roads and so many of them have either been washed away or at least are completely covered with water. What are you telling people to do?

MCGOWEN: Do not attempt to drive through any of these flooded areas. We've been hearing the "turnaround, don't drown" motto on the news and radio and that's great advice.

COLLINS: Well, so then should they just stay, hunker down in their homes or if they can't make it to some of these Red Cross centers -- that I know have been set up and can't make it out on the roads. I guess I'm wondering what the advice is in that situation?

MCGOWEN: If you're home or where you're at is threatened by water and you need evacuation or you need assistance, please call our sheriff's department or call 9-1-1.

COLLINS: OK. So you have a lot of boats out going out to help people?

MCGOWEN: We do. We have the capability to get people out of their homes.

COLLINS: All right. Very good. We appreciate more of an update there in the area of Cape Girardeau, Missouri.

Eric McGowen, we appreciate your time -- with the Emergency Management there.

And -- probably seems like a very good time to head over to Reynolds Wolf who has sort of the larger perspective on all of what is happening there.

Reynolds, boy, it's just kind of clobbered the whole state.

REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Isn't it amazing. Absolutely amazing. What we had is -- you have a funnel boundary that just stopped right there. Just think of it as a giant rain making machine and it just kept going and going, the water piled up.

In some places, in Cape Girardeau, over a foot of rainfall. Now some of the video we've been showing you -- let's see, just to put things in perspective. You got St. Louis here. We take parts of I-44 and we zoom into this community. This is Eureka.

And let's show you some of the video that we had out of Eureka. Again, you've got the boat, you see the dogs there. This is actually the live image. Let's see -- I don't -- I think I see one dog that's actually in the boat. Goodness gracious. I'm not quite sure what he's getting from underneath the boat.

But one thing you can see, if the camera could somehow pan around. Look at the back of the boat and you can see the water pushing, pushing, pushing against the trees. What's interesting too about some of this, when you have these floating situations, is not really just the water on the surface, but the water below the surface, about a foot or so underneath the water, it can be much faster, it can be a very, very, quick current.

So if you try to walk through some of this, sometimes it'll it knock you right off your feet, push you downstream. And, believe it or not, flooding -- you've got more people that die in floods than any other type of weather phenomenon. And that is one of the many reasons why.

Let's talk about something else. Let's talk about some of the heavy rainfall. Again, we had a live phoner a few minutes ago from someone from Cape Girardeau. Talk about heavy rain, how do you like that? Over a foot of rainfall there; same story in Arkansas.

We've been talking about Indiana, the flooding there. Over seven inches of rainfall in both locations. Even -- over to Ohio, we've had over four, nearly five inches of rainfall in that spot.

And there is that phrase, though, that you often hear during these times we mentioned the, "turn around, don't drown." Plain and simple, the bottom line is, is that if you happen to be going down a roadway, you can't see the pavement, you can't see the surface of the road itself, don't even bother driving over because it only takes about 18 inches of water to actually lift up a big vehicle and push it downstream, and then you're in a whole mess of trouble.

That's the latest we got for you. It's a nasty situation in parts of the Midwest, the Ohio Valley and one we're going to be watching for quite some time.

COLLINS: Eighteen inches only. I didn't know that. And how would you know if it was below 18 inches or not?

WOLF: See that's it. That's why you don't bother.

COLLINS: Better to bailout.

WOLF: Don't even test it. Just -- always take the safe route.

COLLINS: Absolutely. Reynolds, thank you.

WOLF: You bet.

COLLINS: And just as a reminder, when the weather does become the news, remember to send us your i-Reports if you can, safely. Go to cnn.com and click on I-Report or type ireport@cnn.com right into your cell phone.

HARRIS: The Democratic candidates looking ahead to the May presidential primary. This is March. They're looking ahead to May.

After campaigning in North Carolina, Barack Obama hits West Virginia today. He gives a speech on Iraq and the economy next hour. The West Virginia primary, May 13.

Hillary Clinton on the campaign trail in Indiana later today. That state's primary is May 6. Clinton holds a town hall meeting focusing on the economy and attends a rally this evening for Republican John McCain.

The latest stop is London. He met today with British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown. McCain is on a week long trip to the Middle East, and Europe is part of a congressional delegation.

COLLINS: Michigan revote. The clock is ticking towards today's deadline. Now there's a plan, but the candidates are split over whether to except it.

CNN's Jessica Yellin explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JESSICA YELLIN, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Senator Clinton, championing revotes in Michigan and Florida, issues this challenge...

SEN. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON (D-NY), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I call on Senator Obama to do the same. This is a crucial test. Does he mean what he says or not.

YELLIN: Clinton's aides are going further, accusing the Obama campaign of snubbing those delegate-rich states, even disenfranchising voters.

In an exclusive interview with Anderson Cooper, Barack Obama insists...

SENATOR BARACK OBAMA (D-IL), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: We have consistently said we'll play by whatever rules the DNC has laid out.

YELLIN: The DNC says the plan for a Michigan revote fits its rules. But now the Obama campaign is questioning the legality of a redo. They are concerned the plan would be paid for with private funds; that's a first. And anyone who voted in the Republican primary would not be allowed to revote, even though Michigan is supposed to have an open primary. There's self-interest on both sides this fight. Obama tends to do better in open primaries. Clinton, who is eager to narrow Obama's delegate lead, has reason to believe she would gain most to from a redo. She won the January 15 primary -- Obama was not on the ballot.

Michigan's Democratic leaders warn that without a new primary the fallout at the Democratic convention will be ugly.

SEN. CARL LEVIN (D), MICHIGAN: Now we're in a situation where unless there's a new primary in Michigan, because of a flawed primary which took place before, we're going to have a floor fight or a credentials fight.

YELLIN: Senator Clinton says now, it's all up to Barack Obama.

CLINTON: Today, I'm urging him to match those words with actions, to make sure the people of Michigan and Florida have a voice and a vote in this election.

YELLIN: But Obama is questioning Clinton's motives?

OBAMA: Senator Clinton, I have to say on this, has been completely disingenuous. As soon as she got into trouble politically, and it looked like she would have no prospects of winning the nomination without having them count, suddenly she's extraordinarily concerned with the voters there.

YELLIN (on-camera): Senator Clinton's supporters say they've raised the money needed for a revote, but it still has to get to the legislature and time is running out. It has to pass on Thursday or it's back to the drawing board.

Jessica Yellin, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: CNNPolitics.com is your source for everything political, from the candidate's movements to the latest delegate count. Get all that and more at CNNPolitics.com.

HARRIS: Vice President Cheney on the ground in Afghanistan. This morning he met with Afghan President, Hamid Karzai, during the unannounced visit.

Afghanistan faces rising threats from al Qaeda and Taliban militants. Cheney says the U.S. will ask for more help from NATO. The vice president is on a 10 day trip to the Mideast. He was in Iraq earlier this week.

COLLINS: The Iraq war, five years later -- the view from within. We'll be talking to the Iraq top diplomat in the United States. That's coming up next hour, right here, in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: News just in to CNN. Former White House adviser, Lewis "Scooter" Libby, convicted last year, as you will recall, of lying to a grand jury and federal agents investigating a leak of CIA agent Valerie Plame's identity, was disbarred, we're hearing this morning, from practicing law in the nation's capital.

Last July, you may remember, a court sentenced Libby to a 30 month prison term and President Bush later commuted Libby's sentence, calling it excessive. Once again, Lewis "Scooter" Libby disbarred from practicing law in Washington, D.C.

COLLINS: News about U.S. troops in Iraq. Sources tell CNN this morning military leaders will recommend a pause in withdrawals. The news comes as the war moves into its sixth year.

Joining us now, from Washington, Samir Sumaidaie. He's the Iraqi ambassador to the United States.

Ambassador, thanks for being with us this morning. I'm sure...

SAMIR SUMAIDAIE, IRAQI AMBASSADOR TO U.S.: Thank you.

COLLINS: ... that you watched the president's speech yesterday.

SUMAIDAIE: I was there.

COLLINS: You were there yesterday -- marking the five year anniversary. Let's go ahead and listen to this for a moment and then I have a question for you.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: On this anniversary the American people should know that since the surge began the level of violence is significantly down; civilian deaths are down; sectarian killings are down; attacks on American forces are down.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: I think if we're being fair, we could say that most people agree the surge is working, at least militarily. But since the very beginning of this, there has always been the other half of the equation which would certainly be political. Talk to me a little bit about some of the headlines by way of political progress that your government has made.

SUMAIDAIE: Well, yes. There has been political progress. Recently, as you know, three important pieces of legislations were passed by Parliament as a package, as a result of a great deal of negotiations and concessions. And, basically a deal was struck, and Iraqis proved that they can, actually, reach accord through Democratic process. This was a great success.

But, of course, we cannot expect that every problem will be solved immediately. These things take time. The Democratic process, as you know in this country, can be slow, painfully slow sometimes, but it is working. It is beginning to actually produce results. COLLINS: Well, as we talk about this violence of being down, it certainly makes it easier for the government to meet. There was a time there where it was frightening, and quite frankly dangerous, to get into some of these meetings that needed to take place in order to get some of this work done.

Specifically, because they are meeting more, I'm assuming, tell me about what happens inside those meetings. Is it an entirely different security situation?

SUMAIDAIE: Well that atmosphere is different. I was there in Baghdad in January. And the time before that visit, I was in Baghdad in August last year. And the difference between the two trips was palpable.

The atmosphere was different, it was much more relaxed in January than it was in the August before. People are able to, to focus on the political issues. They are able to move their -- see fear produces a kind of retrenchment, a protective attitude and I think as fear falls away, people become more rational and more reasonable and this is beginning to happen. We have a heavy legacy to deal with from the last 35, 40 years of difficulty, but now I think we have a chance.

COLLINS: Yes, so you are saying that in those meetings, because the environment is entirely different, that there is more cooperation, more optimism, and, obviously, hopefully, more work getting done?

SUMAIDAIE: More realism, yes. We have to also to remember that large sections of Iraqi people have switched completely over the last year. Many people who were dead against the new regime are now part of the political process or they have at least declared that they want to be part of the political process.

We have just now passed one of the legislations I just mentioned was the provincial elections which will take place in October. That will produce a much better representation of Sunnis and of areas that were strange in the beginning. So, the political process is moving forward thanks to the surge and thanks to the progress on security.

COLLINS: Well, you mentioned elections. Obviously, I'm sure you're well aware that we are in the height of the election season ...

SUMAIDAIE: Yes.

COLLINS: ...here in the United States. How closely is the Iraqi government watching that process and is there a candidate that is either a favorite or is someone that they're very concerned about?

SUMAIDAIE: Well, of course, the American elections are watched with great interest. But we would not presume to make any comments. This is an American choice and it is a Democratic process that we both respect and admire and want to learn from. But we leave it to the Americans to decided.

Whoever, whoever wins the White House is going to deal with the reality and I'm sure whether it's he or she will put American national interest foremost and I think all of them will reach a very similar conclusions, that the gains that we have made together must not be jeopardized.

COLLINS: Well, I certainly hope you're right about that. I don't know anyone who could disagree with that sentiment. Ambassador Samir Sumaidaie, thanks so much for your time today.

SUMAIDAIE: Thank you, thank you.

HARRIS: Is your stress rising along with the price of everything? Gerri Willis has tips on how to beat inflation in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: The pulse of the economy just released to the Index of Economic Indicators, down again in February for the fifth straight month. One economic -- economist, that is, says the signals are flashing yellow. The index is used to predict where the economy is headed in the next three to six months. Another sign of trouble, more new jobless claims than expected last week.

But as we look at the big board now, look at that. Markets are up today, Dow Jones Industrial averages up about 103 points at this point in the trading day. NASDAQ also up by about 19 points. So, we'll continue to watch that for you, of course. And oil prices down again this morning, hovering around the $100 a barrel mark.

HARRIS: Well, the price of pizza to a gallon of milk to a tank of gas, we're all feeling the pinch of rising prices. How can you beat, beat inflation? Not just stay even, we want to beat it!

Gerri Willis ...

GERRI WILLIS, CNN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: That's right.

HARRIS: ...has some tips. Gerri, good to see you this morning.

WILLIS: Good to see you, Tony.

HARRIS: All right, let's start. Give us some ways that we can, I don't know, maybe -- that we can beat inflation. Which should we be looking to?

WILLIS: Well, start at the grocery store.

HARRIS: Right.

WILLIS: If you're shopping at one store, you're being held captive to their prices. Check out a few grocery stores in your area so you can take advantage of sales and don't forget, food isn't just sold at the grocery stores. Sometimes, your local drugstore carries eggs or milk, and the prices there may be cheaper.

If you're looking to get the best price on electronics, take advantage of shopping bots, like shopping.com and pricegrabber.com. Now, these Web sites, they scour the Web and they alert you to when that item is on sale. And of course, talking to money savvy consumers will let you get the scoop on upcoming discounts ...

HARRIS: Nice.

WILLIS: ...and sales. Do it online. Fatwallet.com and slipdeals.net (ph).

HARRIS: Nice, I like that. What's another way, Gerri, to make sure that you're getting the right price?

WILLIS: Haggling, haggling ...

HARRIS: Haggling?

WILLIS: ...that's in style. Yes, in a recent survey, listen to this, by Consumer Reports, more than 90 percent of those who haggled over furniture, electronics and appliance prices ...

HARRIS: Oh.

WILLIS: ...scored a lower price on at least one purchase in the past three years. So, if you like an item but it's beyond your budget, ask the merchant if they'll work with you. Make sure you research those product costs before you even go to the store. Print out Web pages ...

HARRIS: Nice.

WILLIS: ...save flyers, request a written quote from a competitor. And then, what you do is, Tony, you call the store ...

HARRIS: Right.

WILLIS: ...and you ask whether the merchant will match your best offer. You may also want to look at product flaws. You can get discounts by pointing out scratches, dings -- you get the picture.

HARRIS: Yes, so, you know, we certainly need to do our homework. We need to be ready if we're going to get some good prices on things here. What can we do about -- I don't know what you do with this one -- about the cost of gas, rising gas prices?

WILLIS: Yes, you know, this is tough.

HARRIS: Yes.

WILLIS: Right? I mean, you got to have gas, it's going up. How can you save? Maybe at the margin, you know, save money by using cruise control as long as you're on the highway.

HARRIS: Right, right.

WILLIS: And if you're one of those aggressive drivers, Tony, I don't know if this is you.

HARRIS: No, no, no. It is Heidi, though.

COLLINS: (INAUDIBLE)

WILLIS: Whoo! OK, now I know.

HARRIS: I just put her on full blast, didn't I?

COLLINS: Liar, liar, pants on fire.

(LAUGHTER)

HARRIS: Sorry.

WILLIS: I'm sure you're both fabulous drivers. But if you're not, you can save as much as 35 percent on your gas if you just slow it down. Don't forget to remove the roof rack or clean out all the extra stuff you're lugging around in your trunk.

HARRIS: There you go.

WILLIS: And remember, that really drains your fuel economy.

HARRIS: Right, I'm not getting rid of the golf clubs. They stay.

WILLIS: Yes.

HARRIS: What about getting rid of -- how about this? Can you give us some help in getting rid of all of the fees, the bank fees, if we can do something about that? That would really help.

WILLIS: You know, this is one of those things that just really gets to you, whether it's your bank account ...

HARRIS: Absolutely.

WILLIS: ...or your credit card, there are all these crazy fees, overdraft fees. To get rid of those, link your checking account to your savings account ...

HARRIS: Yes.

WILLIS: ...and while there's not a lot you can do about ATM fees, consider a bank that has a big network, OK? So, you can find places to go to the bank without paying what is now $3, which I think is insane.

HARRIS: Thank you.

WILLIS: Yes, you can also consider joining a credit union because credit unions have low fees. And lawmakers have been scrutinizing credit card companies for rising late fees and other, what we call "dubious" practices. To avoid their late fees, automate your payments online. You'll never be late again.

If you think you're going to be late paying a bill, you can also call the company and extend the deadline or pay over the phone. If you've had a good track record you may even be able to waive the late fee, which is always great news, but you've got to work it, work it.

HARRIS: Boy, you have to work it. That is the theme of your tips this morning, you have to work it. Hey, Gerri, we're looking ahead to "ISSUE #1" at noon Eastern time today. Give us a bit of a preview, if you could.

WILLIS: Well, we've got a lot coming up in the noon hour and all week on CNN with "ISSUE #1." We're focusing today on how the struggling economy is impacting you, your jobs, your savings, your house and your debt, and we're going to answer that pesky question, is it a recession or is it not, for final. We're not going to debate any more. We're going to answer the question.

HARRIS: Gerri Willis, CNN's personal finance editor, can't wait to see you at noon today. Thanks, Gerri.

WILLIS: Thank you.

HARRIS: You got a long way to go and a short time to get there.

COLLINS: We're yellow today, trying to be sunshiney and bright.

HARRIS: Yes, welcome back, everyone, to the CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Tony Harris.

COLLINS: Hi there, everybody. I'm Heidi Collins.

A lot to talk about today, particularly in the weather department. Across much of the country, look at this, floodwaters rushing across at least seven different states. Flood warnings posted from Texas to Pennsylvania, Ohio to Arkansas. Storms have dumped as much as a foot of rain in some areas. Thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes. Dozens more have been rescued from cars swallowed up by the rushing waters. In fact, at least 13 people have died. Several are still missing.

One of the hardest hit states, Missouri. President Bush has declared a major disaster there. But the worst may be yet to come with record-level flood surges. Those aren't expected until tomorrow.

And quickly want to get you back to this story in case you caught it a little bit earlier, because we do have an update. It is a happy story. Look, here's the dog rescue that we were watching, had our camera...

HARRIS: Can we get the dogs in the boat already?

COLLINS: The dog got in the boat finally after lots and lots of treats and interesting antics by those two fine gentlemen there.

Finally, again, these pictures coming in from our affiliate in Eureka, KMOV. You now see the dogs have been taken from that boat to shore. They put them in the crates, and they are now hopefully going to be returned to their owners. But we don't quite know the situation just yet. We just know that the two dogs are fine. We'd get calls if we didn't follow-up.

HARRIS: The dogs are OK, as best we can determine, so we can move on with the rest of the show.

COLLINS: Yes.

HARRIS: All right. Still to come in the NEWSROOM this morning, Wounded Warriors on a mission. Part of a salute to the troops marking five years in Iraq. Headline News anchor Robin Meade, host of that popular "MORNING EXPRESS" show joins us next in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Five years of war in Iraq, tremendous sacrifice by the men and women of the military and of course their families. On our sister network, CNN Headline News "MORNING EXPRESS" anchor Robin Meade honors them every day in a segment called "Salute to the Troops." She's joining us now to talk a little bit more about it.

So the focus of this, Robin, is really terrific.

ROBIN MEADE, CNN HEADLINE NEWS ANCHOR: Thank you. I kind of feel like it's the least we can do for these people who are putting their lives in harm's way and there away from their families, and so every day we just kind of salute them. I wanted to give an example of some of them, the stories that we do.

Here's an example. We came across two soldiers who could have retired after being injured in the line of duty but they decided to tough it out and try out for another job in the military. We call this piece "Dream Jumpers."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We were just doing routine night patrol. We were just ambushed by a roadside bomb, and the entire front of my leg was blown off, and you don't feel the pain right away. And so I guess I was trying to get off the table a lot. Someone was like, you're going to have to lay back down.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They tried to save my leg during the hospital visits and all these different things. But it was too much infection because it was kind of dirty over there.

MEADE: The United States Army calls them "Wounded Warriors," soldiers injured on the battlefield. But for Daniel Metzdorf (ph) and George Perez, those injuries didn't force the end of their military careers. These guys reenlisted. Their mission now to compete for a spot on the Golden Knights parachute team.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They came to me in the hospital and they're like, well, you've got one leg, and I said, yes, the doctor's told me that already, but I still kind of want to serve. So I just went through the medical board process and the Army as a team basically took me from being wounded in Iraq to right now, you know, jumping out of planes. LT. COL. TONY DILL, THE GOLDEN KNIGHTS: When they volunteered to be the Wounded Warriors, to come to the -- they would receive no special treatment, the same jumps, the same level of training. And when they hit tryouts they're going to have to be able to pass just like everybody else does.

MEADE (on camera): So After all this training there's still a chance that Sergeant Perez and Metzdorf won't make it.?

GEORGE PEREZ, WOUNDED WARRIOR: Yes. This is not an easy thing. I'm not going to show up and they're just going to stamp my hand, and you're a Golden Knight. That's not how it works. You're dealing with the best skydivers there are.

So why didn't you just go and leave, if you could have left with benefits?

PEREZ: Yes, ma'am.

MEADE: Why didn't you?

PEREZ: I love being in the military. I love being part of the U.S. Army.

MEADE (voice-over): This is the goal, to be part of the Army's precision parachute team, jumping from planes, performing in air shows. This is part of the training. Both of them fought for their balance like I'm doing here in this wind tunnel. I have four limbs. Think about how different it must be for them.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They basically just taught me how to fly just around this. It's just act like this isn't here, because this isn't really affecting me good or bad.

MEADE (on camera): Were you two already paratroopers, is that the correct term?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

MEADE: You've already came out of planes. This is no big deal as far as being out in the open.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's way different, because we were jumping from like 800 to 1,000 feet above ground level. And now we're jumping on small little twin otter at about 12,500. It's a little different. It gets a little dodgy.

MEADE (on camera): Sergeant Perez, what are the basics?

PEREZ: Pretty much learn how to control your body, your movement, turning, stuff like that.

MEADE: How do you two help each other? You kid with each other a lot because you're in similar situations?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. MEADE: Like what? Come on, come on, let me have it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, we kid back and forth. He can run faster than me but he's only missing a foot, so I mean, it's not...

MEADE: When are we going to know if you make it?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, we'll call you.

MEADE: What does it mean to you to possibly make the Golden Knights?

PEREZ: Well, first of all, for me, I'm terrified of heights. So my wife knows it, and she'll be pretty impressed if I'll be able to accomplish this mission and make it as a U.S. Army paratrooper.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is obviously a dream job. This is ...

MEADE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ...you know, it's something that -- hey, I'm a Golden Knight. So like, yes, I know it's awesome. But it's definitely a huge compliment. But at the same time, it's the part of the story that we bring to the table about just the Army team, the strength getting someone basically from the battlefield to still be an asset in today's Army. It's awesome. It's a huge testament, too, to the Army, its' values, and its' goals.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They want to stay in the military, go for it, be strong, be Army strong. I like the speed and I like the rush and what better way to do it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a dream. I couldn't believe it at first. Kind of thought of it (ph) as a joke and I was like, yes, are they aware I got one leg? And so, it was awesome. Once I got over here, amazing. Right now, this is what I'm doing and I'm happy doing.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MEADE: I know I should get seasick and you look out and you see that shot.

HARRIS: Yes.

MEADE: And they're just jumping like this every day.

COLLINS: Oh, no big deal.

MEADE: Oh, we do this every day.

COLLINS: Boy, it's tremendous, the Golden Knights. But you know, we kind of know the outcome here, I mean, because that was their ultimate goal, of course, to become Golden Knights.

MEADE: When we did that piece, we didn't know what the outcome was. Now, this time around, Daniel Metsdorff (ph) and George Kares (ph), they were not selected, but they didn't have enough jumps. So, they say that they're going to continue working toward that goal because they didn't want to retire yet. They still want to be a part of that team. So, they're going to continue that.

COLLINS: You know, and almost -- and I have to say almost every veteran that I've met has gone back two, three and four times. I mean, the dedication is absolutely incredible. And when we talk about a lot of these things, just yesterday as you well know, the fifth anniversary since going into Iraq, I know that you asked quite a few of them, and they want to share with your viewers what the five years have been like for them. What did you notice the most?

MEADE: You know, let me share some of the responses that we got. So, a lot of our viewers are military members and we said can you tell me how the past five years have a been a challenge or a triumph to you. We weren't looking for political angles, just their stories. So, I think you're going to find the common theme of, you know, we still support people who are over there no matter how you feel about the war effort.

So, here's a viewer who really stressed the positive effect on her family.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOICE OF JOSIE HOUGHTON, FORT BRAGG, NORTH CAROLINA: Hey Robin, this is Josie and Kennedy Houghton at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. My husband is currently stationed at Camp Victory, Iraq in Baghdad. The past five years has brought our family a lot closer together.

Our communication skills are very strong and we've learned different ways to celebrate our milestones, holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries. He's been watching his daughter grow up through photos and we're very proud of him and ourselves for adapting so well to this lifestyle. We love you daddy.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MEADE: You know, her enthusiasm is really infectious, but obviously there are very tough moments, like this next viewer who said that the war meant that they had to rush their marriage.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOICE OF SIERRA DERRICK, WAYMART, PENNSYLVANIA: My mom had the party, the reception at her house and that was it. The next day he left. We had our honeymoon at Red Roof Inn and that was a good night. Hunter (ph), he's -- he's lost without him but he has me, so he's coping. He gets better every day. It's his -- his daddy is his best friend.

VOICE OF UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Who's my best friend?

DERRICK: Your daddy.

(END VIDEO CLIP) MEADE: So sweet, so, that must have been Hunter saying who's my best friend? She's like, you know, your daddy.

You know, one of the common things, too, that we found not only just one person in a family -- I bet you found this too when you talked to military members. Sometimes there are, you know, more than just one person getting deployed, three, four ...

COLLINS: Yes.

MEADE: ...five times now for a lot of these folks. You have brothers and mothers, multiple family members like this woman.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

VOICE OF MICHELE SEARS, BELPRE, OHIO: This is Michele Sears from Belpre, Ohio. The past five years has been a rollercoaster ride for me. Having my husband deployed to Iraq, both my sons and my son-in- law deployed several times each. Son-in-law Steve (ph) is in Iraq right now. End of this month, both my boys will be home on leave. First time together in four years, big reunion. Throughout it all, I still support all the troops. God bless them all.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MEADE: So, you know, we talked about a common theme here and I would say that it is one of sacrifice, still willing to do it, worrying about children growing up without their parents around all the time, but above all else, still supportive of the ones who are there.

COLLINS: Yes, no question about it. And you know what? The vice chief of staff of the Army, General Richard Cody, he has five people in his own family who are all serving at the captain level, two of his sons, three nephews. So, I mean, it's felt all the way from the top all the way on down, all of the sacrifice and all of the service.

MEADE: Definitely and we see it runs in the family. You have, like multiple ...

COLLINS: Yes.

MEADE: ...family members who are serving. So, those are things that we do every morning the salute to the troops. And how could we not say thank you.

COLLINS: Exactly, it's terrific, we love it. And we'll keep having you on so you can do it over here, too.

MEADE: Thank you, let me get out of your way so you guys can get back to work.

COLLINS: All right, Robin Meade, thank you, appreciate it.

MEADE: Thank you. HARRIS: All right, still to come in the NEWSROOM this morning, fuming over $4 gas and what Indiana's attorney general is doing about it.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: You know, when you think about the troubles in the housing market, boarded up homes, and bad neighborhoods may come to mind. But wealthier neighborhoods with bigger homes are also caught up in this mess.

Stephanie Elam is at the New York Stock Exchange to explain why. Stephanie, you know, I don't think this is hard to figure out. I mean, you had those record low mortgage rates, folks were taking those jumbo loans with little money down. The next thing you know, they get one of these resets and they can't pay.

(BUSINESS HEADLINES)

COLLINS: $4.09 a gallon. Somebody is laughing all the way to the tank, and it's not the driver.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: If it's high enough and it's, you know, they are gouging then definitely, somebody needs to step in.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: Gouged in the wallet, in the NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: $4 a gallon gas? Sure, it could happen in the heartland. It did, in fact, at three Indiana stations. Talk about road rage.

Sandra Chapman of affiliate WTHR explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SANDRA CHAPMAN, WTHR REPORTER (voice-over): On the main drag west to Danville, pit stops on U.S. 36 on a speedway and two marathons last Friday left drivers fuming at the pump. The price for unleaded $4.09. Drivers were paying an extra 70 cents a gallon.

CHERYL TOMASKI, DRIVER: I was getting gas just before they changed it, so I didn't buy it.

CHAPMAN: Indiana's attorney general isn't buying it either. Wednesday he threw down the price-gouging flag after angry customers complained. Three Hendricks County stations must now pay back what they siphoned.

STEVE CARTER, INDIANA ATTY. GEN.: These complaints about prices over $4 a gallon, that was clearly beyond the range of reasonable prices. If they bought fuel at these stations they need to take their receipts back into the station and they'll get a credit then for that excessive amount that they paid.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's great. I mean, they need to watch. It's high enough. And if, you know, they are gouging, then definitely somebody needs to step in.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, but how many people are going have their receipts?

CHAPMAN: The attorney general says carelessness at one station caused the trickle-down effect.

CARTER: Well, one of the station says that they made a mistake, that actually they did intend to raise their diesel fuel price to over $4 a gallon.

CHAPMAN (on camera): The owner of this station says he raised his prices because of the competition. Now, he says, he's had to inform a local car dealership who uses these pumps that they overpaid.

(voice-over): This is the first time since the terrorist attacks of 9/11 that the attorney general has forced gas stations to make good on bad pricing. In 2001, more than $32,000 was refunded.

CARTER: That's why we always want stations to think about what they're doing before they jump these prices up.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: The gas station owners agreed to pay refunds. They will face no other state penalties.

HARRIS: Fuel efficiency or luxury? A car buyer's dilemma. But can you have it all? Auto expert Lauren Fix drops by.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.voxantshop.com