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Remembering the Victims of 9/11; Hurricane Ike Likely to Grow Stronger

Aired September 11, 2008 - 10:00   ET

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

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
CATHERINE HERNANDEZ, FAMILY MEMBER OF 9/11 VICTIM: My name is Catherine Hernandez, my father was a pastry chef at Windows on the World in the North Tower. For 10 years he made many fancy and famous desserts. But the sweetest deserts he made was the marble cake he made for us at home. From the time I was a little girl, I remember him baking in our kitchen. My sisters, Tatiana (ph), Jacqueline (ph) and my mom would sit around the kitchen table eating his cake and talking about our lives.

It's been seven years since we've been able to sit around the table. So many things have happened in my life that I want to tell my pappy. I joined the New York City Police Department. I got married. My husband and I moved into a beautiful new house and we had a baby, Kyle Roberto (ph). I'm also continuing my college education. I know he is proud of me and he would have been a wonderful grandfather to Kyle. Whenever we parted, pappy would say, (SPEAKING SPANISH). And this morning, I want to say the same thing to my pappy, I love you and go with God.

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: You can see and every year we see how emotional this day is for all of the family members and remembering their loved ones on this anniversary of September 11th. New York now. Back to Ground Zero.

Let's listen in for just a moment to former Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

RUDY GIULIANI (R), FMR. NEW YORK CITY MAYOR: ... at the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them. For seven years, to come back here to be together to feel how the entire world is linked in our circle of sorrow. And mostly to remember those we loved who are never lost.

The poem reminds us how brightly their memories burn, where our desires are and our hopes profound, felt as a well spring that is hidden from sight, to the inner most heart of their own land they are known, as the stars are known to the night. As the stars they shall be bright when we are dust, moving in marches upon the heavenly plain. As the stars are starry in the time of our darkness, to the end -- to the end they remain.

(APPLAUSE) COLLINS: And back now to the reading of the 2,751 victims at Ground Zero in the World Trade Center attacks. We've just heard from former Mayor Rudy Giuliani who, of course, was the mayor at the time of New York City who so brilliantly led that city and tried to get as many people as he could as quickly as he could back on their feet with so many different things that he was able to offer this country. You remember those visions I'm sure quite well.

We have been watching the dedication ceremony of the 9/11 memorial at the Pentagon as well. You see there live pictures now. The first major memorial honoring victims of the terrorist attack. CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr is joining us now live from the Pentagon with more on this.

And Barbara, just in case people might have missed it, you did an excellent piece on this memorial and were able to explain sort of some of the architecture and then even more importantly, what it will mean to the family members of some of these victims.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, as we look at this, Heidi, these are the benches commemorating the lives of the 184 people who perished here. If you look closely, some of the benches are facing in different directions. If you are commemorating the life of someone who died in the Pentagon, you stand reading their name on the bench as you face the building. If it was someone who perished on Flight 77, you stand in the other direction facing the sky to read their name.

What's about to happen here as you look at these benches, trees and water pools, military honor guards at each of them. And as the names are read, these blue shrouds with the American flag on them will be removed. This memorial is so extraordinary now because it sits right on the attack site. It is in a place that is one of the now post-9/11, one of the most heavily guarded spots on American soil. And yet this has been designed to be open 24-7.

Americans can walk through here with no restrictions on this memorial site at the Pentagon. And the National Park Service tells us they are prepared for one to two million people a year now to walk through this area which here at the Pentagon already is being called The Park, as these trees grow, this will become a very beautiful spot, a spot to really remember the lives and the individuals on that day.

COLLINS: It is an incredible, incredible picture that we are looking at, especially with the flag flying at half staff there right in front of that memorial. And Barbara, I just wonder as we are waiting for the President to get to the podium, if you have any idea - those blue shrouds that you mentioned, do you know, in fact, if they could be going to the family members to take them home with them or what will happen with those?

STARR: I think it's very possible that they will. You know, the family members have had some private tours out here over the last couple of days. They were leaving their own mementos, flowers, notes, that type of thing. It will be very interesting over the coming years here in Washington to see if this memorial becomes like so many other memorials, especially people who have visited the Vietnam Wall here in Washington. You go there day or night, and people leave mementos, remembrances all these years later of what happened.

This place is somewhat a family memorial, a war memorial to the victims of 9/11. But it's both for the nation and very personal at the same time. Because the people who come to work in the Pentagon every morning, including your CNN Pentagon team, we walk into the building right past this, right past the attack site. This really now becomes a living part of what goes on here at the Pentagon every day. This is a place, of course, where so much history has been written since World War II when it opened. The nation's wars have been planned and fought here. So many tears, so much grief, and so much courage of the people who have served. Heidi.

COLLINS: All right. Barbara, we sure do appreciate that. And as we mentioned just a moment ago, we now would like to take you to President George Bush who has taken the podium and will address the family members and loved ones now here at the Pentagon. Let's listen for a moment.

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GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Thank you all. Mr. Vice President, Secretary Gates, Madam Speaker, Justices of the Supreme Court, member of my cabinet administration, members of Congress, Admiral Mullen and the Joint Chiefs, Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, a first responder on September 11th, 2001, directors of the Pentagon Memorial Fund, Mr. Chairman, congratulations, families and friends of the fallen, distinguished guests, fellow citizens, Laura and I are honored to be with you.

Seven years ago at this hour a doomed airliner plunged from the sky, split the rock and steel of this building and changed our world forever. The years that followed have seen justice delivered to evil men and battles fought in distant lands. But each day -- each year on this day our thoughts return to this place. Here we remember those who died. And here on this solemn anniversary we dedicate a memorial that will enshrine their memory for all time.

Building this memorial took vision and determination. And Americans from every corner of our country answered the call. Two young architects in New York City came up with the design. A foundry near St. Louis cast the steel. An Iraqi immigrant in Illinois gave the metal its luster. And citizens from across our nation made contributions large and small to build this graceful monument.

The Pentagon Memorial will stand as an everlasting tribute to 184 innocent souls who perished on these grounds. The benches here bear each of their names. Beneath each bench is a shimmering pool filled with the water of life, a testament to those who were taken from us and to their memories that will live on in our hearts.

For the families and friends of the fallen, this memorial will be a place of remembrance. Parents will come here to remember children who boarded Flight 77 for a field trip and never emerged from the wreckage. Husbands and wives will come here to remember spouses who left for work one morning and never returned home. People from across our nation will come here to remember friends and loved ones who never had the chance to say good-bye. A memorial could never replace what those of you mourning a loved one have lost.

We pray that you feel find some comfort amid the peace of these grounds. We pray you'll find strength in knowing that our nation will always grieve with you. For all our citizens, this memorial will be a reminder of the resilience of the American spirit. As we walk among the benches, we will remember there could have been many more lives lost.

On a day when buildings fell, heroes rose. Pentagon employees ran into smoke-filled corridors to guide their friends to safety. Firefighters rushed up the stairs of the World Trade Center as the towers neared collapse. Passengers aboard Flight 93 charged the cockpit and laid down their lives to spare countless others. One of the worst days in America's history saw some of the bravest acts in America's history. We'll always honor the heroes of 9/11, and here at this hallowed place we pledge we'll never forget their sacrifice.

We also honor those who raised their hands and made the noble decision to defend our nation in a time of war. When our enemies attacked the Pentagon, they pierced the rings of this building, but they could not break the resolve of the United States Armed Forces. Since 9/11, our troops have taken the fight to the terrorists abroad, so we do not have to face them here at home. Thanks to the brave men and women and all those who work to keep us safe. There has not been another attack on our soil in 2,557 days.

(APPLAUSE)

BUSH: For future generations this memorial will be a place of learning. The day will come when most Americans have no living memory of the events of September 11th, when they visit this memorial, they will learn that the 21st century began with a great struggle between the forces of freedom and the forces of terror. They will learn that this generation of Americans met its duty, we did not tire, we did not falter and we did not fail. They will learn that freedom prevailed because the desire for liberty lives in the heart of every man, woman and child on earth.

We can be optimistic about the future because we've seen the character and courage of those who defend liberty. We had been privileged to live amongst those who have volunteered to spread the foundation of peace and justice which is freedom.

Seven years ago this morning, police officer Cecil Richardson was on duty here at the Pentagon. He saw the terror that day with his own eyes. He says, on some nights he can still smell the burning metal and smoke. Not long ago he wrote me saying, I remember the reasons we fight. I remember the losses we felt, and I remember the peace we will have. That day of peace will come. And until it does we ask a loving god to watch over our troops in battle. We ask him to comfort the families who mourn and we ask him to bless our great land. And now it's my honor to dedicate the Pentagon Memorial.

(APPLAUSE)

COLLINS: And there you have President Bush who has obviously given a very, very emotional few remarks there to the families and loved ones of the victims at the Pentagon on September 11th, 2001. He has officially now dedicated this memorial today. You see it there in front of you, and now what we will see are all of the family members and officials, dignitaries, making their way over to what's known as The Park where slowly one by one each one of those blue drapes will come off the benches to signify each and every victim at the Pentagon. We will be watching for that and again let people take a moment to get their way over to The Park.

In the meantime we will take a quick break here. We're back in just a moment with more of the September 11th remembrances here on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Quickly, we want to take you back to the Pentagon Memorial now that the President just officially unveiled and dedicated, as you see each one of the blue shrouds coming off the benches to signify one of the 184 victims at the Pentagon.

Now, as you can see, all of the shrouds have been taken off and the military members at each of the benches are facing the same direction. We told you earlier about why they were positioned the way that they were, whether or not the victim was killed inside the plane or killed inside the Pentagon. There was a very particular way that they stood in order to signify that.

And our Barbara Starr has been talking quite a bit about how beautiful this park is because of those trees also placed right next to each one of the benches that we will see grow in time to become even more of a park. And the number of people that will undoubtedly visit this beautiful memorial over the next several years I'm sure will be enormous in number.

Now you have, once again, President Bush there with Donald Rumsfeld, Robert Gates, Mike Mullen and Jim Laychak who, as you know, is the president of the Pentagon Memorial Fund there, all of them walking together to make their way to those benches and the beautiful memorial once again at the Pentagon.

I want to take a moment now as people are making their way through to bring in our Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr who has walked these grounds several times. And I know, Barbara, that you have been able to be there in Washington at the Pentagon on your daily assignments and sort of keep an eye over the constructing of this memorial. Now today, as you see it and you see its importance certainly for the family members, I just wonder what your thoughts are as well.

STARR: Well, it's really something, Heidi. And I think it's just so touching that the President accompanied by his two secretaries of Defense who served during this period of time walking through the memorial, walking amongst the benches. It's a very personal place when you walk out there. My overwhelming feeling at the moment is the feeling I've had every year since that day.

Standing out there watching the flames pour out of the building in utter disbelief for those first moments about what had happened here. And in the intervening years everything that has occurred now today finally we see really truly what is proper here, what is the measure of respect for the people who died here. Finally really coming to fruition. And the president paying very personal tribute. But what Secretary of Defense Don Rumsfeld said is perhaps the most compelling. This was a place, as he said, "that became acquainted with the night. Very dark things happened here."

Now on this beautiful sunny day again in September, the U.S. military paying tribute finally in the way they want to in this form of this permanent memorial. You see the benches facing in different directions commemorating the lives of those either lost in the Pentagon or lost on Flight 77. And I should say that all of the people lost on Flight 77, their families have really become part of the Pentagon family over the years. They are often here, very involved in the memorial and very involved in how this will be run for years to come. So a very, very compelling morning here, Heidi.

COLLINS: Barbara, yes. I mean, every time that you see the President break down in tears and get emotional, there is just something about that, of course. You know what, we want to take a moment now as well to listen into the benediction taking place at that podium there at the Pentagon. Let's listen in.

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REAR ADM. BARRY BLACK (RET.), UNITED STATES NAVY, CHAPLAIN: ... may this consecrated ground provide many opportunities for reflection and contemplation. Inspiring us to humble ourselves, to pray, to seek your face and to turn from wickedness. Lord, you have promised that, if we will do these things, you will hear our prayers, forgive our sins and heal our land. Continue to bless and sustain the families and loved ones of the 184 people who died here. Remind them that nothing can separate them or their loved ones from your love. Death nor life, angels nor principalities, powers nor things present, nor things to come, nor anything in all creation. In the days to come, bless and keep us. Make your face to shine upon us and be gracious unto us. Lift the light of your countenance upon us, and give us your peace. Do for us and the land we love exceedingly, abundantly, above all that we can ask or imagine. According to your power working in and through us, we pray in the redeemer's name. Amen.

COLLINS: The benediction given by Rear Admiral Barry Black, United States Navy, retired chaplain of the United States senate there at the Pentagon. Let's listen to the music and take a moment to look at the memorial, the permanent memorial now unveiled today. You no longer see the blue shrouds covering each one of those benches. 184 of them to signify each one of the victims of the plane that crashed into the Pentagon.

At the same time that all of this is going on and the family members are getting their first look at what's known as The Park there in Washington, D.C., we are also watching Shanksville, Pennsylvania where Governor Ed Rendell has just introduced Senator John McCain who is now coming to the podium. They have all taken a moment to lay a wreath near the crash site there in Shanksville.

Let's listen in to Senator McCain.

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SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: ... No American living then should ever forget the heroism that occurred in the skies above this field on September 11th, 2001. It's believed that the terrorists on United Flight 93 might have intended to crash the airplane into the United States Capitol. Hundreds, if not thousands, of people at work in that building when that fateful moment occurred could have been destroyed along with a beautiful symbol of our freedom. They and very possibly I, owe our lives to the passengers who summoned the courage and love necessary to deprive our depraved and hateful enemies their terrible triumph.

I've had the great honor and privilege to witness great courage and sacrifice for America's sake. But none greater than the sacrifice of those good people who grasped the gravity of the moment, understood the threat and decided to fight back at the cost of their lives. I had the great honor of speaking at the memorial service for one of them, Mark Bingham. I acknowledged that few of us could say we loved our country as well as he, and all the heroes of September 11th had. The only means we possess to thank him and them to be as good an American as they were. We might fell well short of their standard, but there's honor in the effort.

In the gospel of John it is written, greater love hath no man than this, than a man lay down his life for his friends. Such was their love, a love so sublime that only God's love surpasses it. I'm in awe of it as much as I am in debt to it. My God bless their souls.

(APPLAUSE)

COLLINS: Senator John McCain there. We had been told he would speak for 90 seconds. I believe that was exactly how long he spoke, very quick comments. Prior to him, Governor Ed Rendell here.

Let's get back to New York for another moment of silence.

(BELL RINGING)

GEORGE PATAKI, FMR. GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK: At another moment of national grief, the death of Martin Luther King, Jr., Robert Kennedy spoke these words of solace written by the ancient Greek poet, Escalus -- "He who learns must suffer, and even in our sleep, pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart. And in our own despair, against our will, comes wisdom to us by the awful grace of God."

May God bless those who defend our freedom and all of those we lost on September 11th.

(APPLAUSE) COLLINS: Governor Pataki there. Getting back to some of the music and more remembrances at Ground Zero in New York. That was the last, just moments ago, of four moments of silence. And that one, just to remind you, was an observance of the fall of the North Tower.

I want to take you back now to the Pentagon where we are looking in and watching President Bush meet up and talk with some of the family members of the victims from the Pentagon attacks on this day seven years ago. Just some interesting and warm shots to show you there. The president, very emotional, in case you missed it, moments ago when he dedicated this new and beautiful memorial at the Pentagon for the 184 victims there.

We've had several shots of it today. It really is something to see. I imagine that many of you will go to Washington, D.C., specifically to go and see this newest memorial.

First Lady Laura Bush, as well, talking with family members, greeting people and I'm sure taking a moment to walk through the park herself. We continue to watch these shots of all of the people gathered, the loved ones of the victims, friends and family remembering the victims at the Pentagon. And again, there you see it, a live shot of the park and all of these benches to commemorate each one of the people who were lost on this day seven years ago. The blue shrouds now taken away, and the different directions, just as a reminder, that those benches are facing commemorates where they were killed, whether it was on the plane or inside the Pentagon.

Again, as we continue to watch President Bush offering hugs and kisses to many of the family members standing by there and we listened to him speak just moments ago. Some very, very emotional moments from him, as well as from former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld who said a number of things, it's the first time we've seen him certainly in a public format, if you will, talking about how we will never forget the way this huge building shook on that day seven years ago and where a great building became a battlefield.

Also watching Vice President Dick Cheney now making his way through the park and each one of those benches commemorating the victims of 9/11 at the Pentagon.

Of course, it is a day most of us remember exactly where we were and what we were doing, September 11th, 2001, the day the United States came under attack. Here is how the terror unfolded. At 8:46 Eastern time, American Flight 111 slams into the North Tower of the World Trade Center. At 9:03, United Airlines Flight 175 hits the South Tower of the World Trade Center. At 9:30 a.m. President Bush makes a statement about an apparent terrorist attack. It was at that time when the world realized what was going on. And at 9:37 a.m. American Airlines Flight 77 rammed into the Pentagon. At 10:10 a.m. United Flight 93 crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: You're watching live pictures coming in from three different areas on this seventh anniversary of September 11th. Ground Zero, of course, on your left, the Pentagon in the middle, and Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where Flight 93 crashed into a field there.

There's quite a bit of news coming out of this today in that the Pentagon has just unveiled its brand new permanent memorial to the 184 victims there. Very, very emotional ceremony as we continue to see family members, dignitaries, government officials walking through what's known as the park on this first day. Of course you see the flag at half staff in the foreground there, very poignant site.

Shanksville, Pennsylvania, a less permanent, sort of a temporary memorial, if you will, is still there near the crash site of Flight 93 as all the family members and some dignitaries there -- we heard from Senator McCain a little bit earlier and the governor of Pennsylvania as well.

And then of course to New York where each one of the names are being read. You see many of them on the bottom of your screen, each and every one in fact, the 2,751 victims in New York World Trade Center attacks.

We have many other things to keep an eye on as well today. We cannot forget to tell you about the progress of Hurricane Ike. We want to get directly to that now because there is quite a bit of news from this as well. We want to keep everybody updated.

This storm likely to grow stronger as it barrels across the Gulf of Mexico toward the East coast. Landfall expected by Saturday morning, likely to happen between Corpus Christi and Houston. Mandatory and voluntary evacuations happening now or at least in the planning stages. At least seven Texas counties are preparing for that.

I want to get the very latest developments now from Rob Marciano who is standing by to give us that on Hurricane Ike.

All right. An awful lot going on today, Rob. But we really need to keep people updated on this as well.

ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, this is developing and developing quickly. The storm has increased in size overnight. Hasn't done a whole lot of increasing in intensity. And then we've had airplanes dive in and out of here to take some sampling of the data. This thing is just a monster, how big it is, already from New Orleans down to Cancun, back to Florida, these coastlines are being affected by the storm.

Hurricane-force winds extend 115 miles from the center. That's bigger than Rita, that's bigger than Hurricane Katrina. Not quite as strong, and I think that part of the reason is because of its size. Sometimes when they're this big, they have a hard time rapidly intensifying. So we'll see if the inner core develops and begins to tap into the Gulf heat. And if that happens, then we'll probably see this thing develop into a Category 3 or higher.

Here is the forecast from the National Hurricane Center. They do bring to it a Category 2 by Friday, tomorrow, afternoon at 2:00 p.m. We will have an update any minute now with this track and potentially with the strength of this thing. And then going into the upper Texas coastline now, we have shifted this a little farther to the east. That right turn may very well be happening a little bit quicker than originally forecast in the last couple days. That means that anywhere from Corpus Christi to the Sabine Pass on the Louisiana/Texas border will be under the gun here.

But the entire coast of the northern Gulf Coast will feel the effects. As a matter of fact, they're already feeling them in Biloxi, where some of the roads along the coastal beaches have been closed because the water is already beginning to rise there. And tropical storm warnings are posted from the Alabama/Mississippi border all the way back to Cameron Parish, Louisiana. Hurricane watches are up for parts of southwest Louisiana and almost entire coastline of Texas.

Rain bands already beginning to move into the Big Easy. These are rotating into Long Beach, Gulf Port and into Biloxi as well. So this storm certainly impressive in its size and will be affecting millions of people regardless of where its direct hit takes place, which is timed, Heidi, to be tomorrow night into Saturday morning. But I think the Texas coastline will begin to feel hurricane-force winds as soon as nightfall tomorrow. So this thing will be approaching quickly.

It is so big that's probably the thing that's most alarming with this. It is going to affect people on either side of it by 200 or 300 miles.

COLLINS: Wow, that is unbelievable. Even just watching it on there -- and I know, as we've just been saying, it's going to grow, it's likely to grow -- it looks absolutely huge.

MARCIANO: It's intimidating, that's for sure.

COLLINS: Yes, well, let us know, Rob, if we need to come back to you with anymore updates on that.

MARCIANO: OK.

COLLINS: Sure do appreciate it.

Now Ike's deadly trail of destruction -- the United Nations and other aid groups are scrambling to get supplies into the impoverished nation. Ike was the fourth storm to strike in three weeks. The situation there is bleak. Thousands of people are left homeless, wandering through the filthy floodwaters that have swallowed entire towns, in fact. Obviously talking here about Haiti. Safe drinking water is running low. Medical workers say infections are becoming widespread as disease looms, an ever growing threat.

Also getting a clearer picture now of the devastation in Cuba. At least 200,000 homes were damaged. Nearly one fourth of the population forced to evacuate. Surprisingly, only a few deaths have been reported. The storm raked across Cuba and ran nearly the entire length of the island.

If you would like to help those people affected by recent hurricanes, you can always go to Impact Your World. It's on one of our Web site pages. And there you will find links to groups offering assistance to those people. Once again, that's at CNN.com/impact.

Plenty of fear, but no damage from a pair of earthquakes in Asia this morning. One of the quakes was centered off the coast of Hokkaido, Japan. A tsunami warning was issued but never materialized. And then in Indonesia, tsunami fears forced evacuations after an earthquake there in the Molucca Sea. There were no reports of injuries or damage from either quake thankfully.

Another aftershock rattled southern Iran, though, today just one day after a strong earthquake there killed seven people yesterday. Three people are still missing, another 45 were injured.

The presidential candidates putting aside politics today to honor the heroes of September 11th. You saw John McCain speaking a little bit earlier in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, remembering the victims of United Flight 93. McCain and Barack Obama will make a joint appearance at Ground Zero in New York later this afternoon. Tonight they will both speak at the Service National Presidential Candidate's Forum.

Obama and McCain will talk about what national service means to them and to the nation. You can see the forum live right here on CNN beginning at 8:00 Eastern. And if you can't get to a TV, you can always watch live on CNN.com.

Tomorrow it will be back to the battlegrounds, though. So we wanted to take a look at a couple of swing states where the candidates still have their work cut out for them.

CNN senior political analyst Bill Schneider has some of the numbers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST: 2004, George W. Bush narrowly wins re-election. 2008, the economy has taken a nose dive. President Bush's job rating has tumbled from 52 to 28 percent.

Let's look at where things stand in four key battleground states. Michigan, with its battered rust belt economy -- Barack Obama has a four point edge over John McCain, which is exactly one point wider than John Kerry's margin over Bush four years ago.

New Hampshire, which voted for Bush in 2000, then switched to Kerry in 2004. And now, Obama leads by six. A bit wider than Kerry's one point margin in 2004.

Missouri, which has voted for the winner in every election for the past hundred years save one, McCain up by five. A little tighter than Bush's margin four years ago.

Virginia, where Obama hopes to make his southern break through. Not yet, McCain leads by four. That shaves Bush's nine-point margin in Virginia by more than half. All four states are voting the same way they voted in 2004, although the Democratic ticket is doing slightly better in each. It's as if very little has changed in four years.

MARK PRESTON, CNN POLITICAL EDITOR: John McCain seems to be dodging the bullet, at least at this point, being tied to George Bush.

SCHNEIDER: In all four states, partisans are lining up solidly with their parties. Independents are the key swing group. They're voting for Obama in New Hampshire and Michigan, and for McCain in Missouri and Virginia.

PRESTON: It's that small sliver of undecideds, or Independents, in the middle that John McCain and Barack Obama are fighting for.

SCHNEIDER (on camera): I often think it's comical how nature always does contrive that every boy and every gal that is born into the world alive is either a little liberal or else a little conservative. Fa, la, la. William Schwenck Gilbert wrote that in 1882. Looks like it's still true.

Bill Schneider, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COLLINS: Joe Biden is the only candidate on the trail today. He is in Ohio which is, of course, another key battleground state.

His counterpart, Sarah Palin, is back home now in Alaska. She got quite a boisterous welcome from supporters in Fairbanks. Palin is back in Alaska to see off her son, Track Palin, set to be deployed to Iraq with the 25th Infantry Striker Brigade. She is scheduled to appear at the brigade's deployment ceremony which will happen this afternoon.

In the meantime, on this seventh anniversary of September 11th, we will continue to follow all of the events that are taking place today in New York, at the Pentagon and Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

New York, you still hear the reading of the names that continues today -- the 2,751 victims there at the World Trade Center.

A quick break now. We'll be back in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COLLINS: Quickly want to get you updated on Hurricane Ike here. We of course have been covering this and the track as best as can, as best as meteorologically possible. Of course following the path of a hurricane for several days, and now we are learning the city of Houston, and Harris County in particular, plan to begin evacuating their people with special needs. That will be this morning. Some of those evacuations have already begun.

And then a mandatory evacuation, a mandatory evacuation, of people in the low-lying areas will begin today at noon. So once again, of course, noon local time there. An effort to keep that population safe from Hurricane Ike. This is all according to Mayor Bill White, whose name you may remember from Hurricane Katrina. Lots and lots of experience under the belt of Bill White.

So once again, that's the very latest with Hurricane Ike -- mandatory evacuations in parts of Houston. We'll stay on top of that as always here on CNN.

And now back to the memorial and the seventh anniversary of September 11th. I want to show you once again, the New York Stock Exchange this morning, where they had a moment of silence. Let's go ahead and show you that one more time.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(MOMENT OF SILENCE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COLLINS: As you well know, Wall Street has been long been considered the financial capital of the world. But business came to a screeching halt when the two towers of the World Trade Center fell seven years ago. CNN's Susan Lisovicz is at the New York Stock Exchange now with more on how traders are remembering 9/11.

I'm not sure, Susan, where you were during the moment of silence today. But it's always so poignant to see those traders and everyone stop, because that is a place of furious activity all the time. We see a lot of running across the floor. I've been down there myself with you. And when they stop and stop talking, it really makes you think back and remember.

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Heidi, I was here, and it's a personal tragedy for a lot of people. It's a very close community, it's a very small area, and it's never going to be forgotten, Heidi.

The New York Stock Exchange is just a few blocks from the World Trade Center. And in the fact, many people who work here came through the complex where many subways and the Path Train from New Jersey converge. The NYSE is so close that traders tell me they could feel the building shake. There was no opening bell that day. And the exchange, which is always considered a high security risk, went into a lockdown.

Just going to read to you a few sentences from a trader's recollection from that day which I think really captures a common experience for many people here. Heidi, what he said was -- "Many of us got out that Tuesday walking through streets onto which ash, smoke and business envelopes fell snow-like blocking both your view and your breathing. Yet when a stranger was met, they were invited to join the convey and offered a spare wet cloth through which to breathe as they walked. When we reached the East River there was a volunteer group of tug boats, fishing boats and many ferries that looked like the evacuation of Dunn Kirk. No charge, no money, just, may I help you? No one got anyone's name. No thank you cards will be sent. But Americans, even New York Americans, who freely give to strangers but argue with neighbors were suddenly one group."

And that's the spirit of 9/11 that so many people here remember. There will be a concert outside the NYSE this afternoon. The September Concert Foundation will sponsor its seventh annual celebration of peace and shared humanity. So it was the worst of times, but also we saw the best of mankind that day, Heidi.

COLLINS: Yes, and several days to follow certainly. I remember that very, very well. I think a lot of us do.

Just wondering, Susan, trading taking place today now, right?

LISOVICZ: Yes. And when trading did resume seven years ago, it was a terrible time. And we're seeing a lot of adversity today. This has been a very volatile week with the Dow moving by triple digits every day. Today another triple-digit loss. Shares -- well actually right now we're off our lows. But shares of Lehman Brothers are just unraveling, down 36 percent. Other financials dropping as well.

Continuing doubts about Lehman's future. Several analysts downgraded the ratings on the firm just a day after Lehman said it would report a nearly $4 billion loss and announced drastic measures to raise capital. One analyst says the company's earnings still face challenges, and you can see it happening on Wall Street in terms of the financial sector.

Also, the Dow giving back about half a percent right now, 55 points. The Nasdaq, meanwhile, is down just four. Oil is down about another $1, Heidi, despite concerns about Hurricane Ike.

Back to you.

COLLINS: All right, Susan. Thanks so much for that. Sure do appreciate it.

And as Susan said, just steps away is the World Trade and Ground Zero. We are still listening in to the names of the 2,751 victims lost this day seven years ago.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... We're missing you everyday.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am honored to have read on behalf of my fellow citizens from Peru.

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COLLINS: A somber morning here in the CNN NEWSROOM. Seven years after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon and Shanksville, Pennsylvania we remember the victims and honor their families.

Bells toll in New York, Washington and Shanksville. The names of those killed in the attacks read allowed. Loved ones remembered. In fact, it's still being read and those memories still being heard in New York. A moment of silence also to mark the tragedy and a new memorial is unveiled and dedicated by the president at the Pentagon.

I'm Heidi Collins. Join me again tomorrow morning starting at 9:00 a.m. Eastern.

For now, CNN NEWSROOM continues with Tony Harris.