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Wildfires Ravage Oklahoma, Texas; President Obama: 'Glimmers of Hope'; Possible Quake Survivor Found

Aired April 10, 2009 - 13:59   ET

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

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Tragedy for hundreds of people in Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas on this Good Friday. Their lives actually torn apart by the violent weather. In Mena, Arkansas, a tornado killed at least three people, damaged or destroyed dozens of homes and businesses in Texas and Oklahoma.

At least two people have lost their lives in wildfires fueled by powerful winds, and the big storm system has moved east, where it's still a major threat. Matter of fact, Midwest City, Oklahoma, is one of the areas where the flames actually swept through entire neighborhoods. Reporter Russell Carter with our affiliate KFOR is there. Russell, bring us up to date.

RUSSELL CARTER, KFOR-TV CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kyra, this is an absolutely devastating fire. A lot of wreckage right here in Midwest City, Oklahoma. According to officials, about 100 homes were absolutely blown to the ground by the devastating fire and the smoke. Just right here is one of those homes.

Take a look right here. This was actually the air-conditioning unit that was in the heating core that was actually in the attic of the home when it totally gave way, caved all the way in. You have a lot of stuff over here. This right here, an LCD screen TV that the homeowner just bought a couple of weeks ago. He was able to watch the Final Four with it, but as you can see right now, it is totally destroyed.

A lot of homes like this. And it was a very sporadic fire, because if you look to -- just to the south of here, this home next door, completely fine. You can see the roof. It's totally intact. The embers were just flying all over the place, because in Oklahoma, the winds just circulate, and it just picked random homes, and it's just total devastation throughout this neighborhood.

PHILLIPS: Well, we even see, too, Russell -- as you move around, our live connection was sort of cutting in and out, but you're back with us and we can actually see everything there behind you.

You know, what is next? I mean, for where you are, where have those people gone? Is there enough support? Are they getting everything that they need? I mean, have you been able to talk to any of them?

CARTER: Well, the Red Cross is here. They're delivering hamburgers, giving out hot dogs. There's a church group in Oklahoma. You know, it's the buckle of the Bible Belt. A lot of great, solid people who live in this community, live in this state. And when something like this happens, they just don't, you know, think about themselves, they rush to help other people. And that's exactly what they're doing in this state. They're coming around, they're giving water.

I mean, people are giving me things and I didn't lose anything. But they're making sure that I'm doing what I need and are giving me water and food so I can keep doing -- so I can keep reporting the news. Those are the kind of people that live here in Oklahoma.

PHILLIPS: You're absolutely right. I've been there. There are some great people from that state. Big hearts.

Russell Carter with our affiliate KFOR.

Great work for us, Russell. Really appreciate it.

CARTER: No problem.

PHILLIPS: And in Mena, Arkansas, hardly any place was safe from last night's tornado that killed three people. Homes, businesses, a school, a church, even the county jail, they all took a hit. And centuries-old trees are no longer standing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SUSAN BUSCH, TORNADO WITNESS: The basketball pole (ph) started flying through the air, and my husband grabbed his grandmother and we all huddled in the living room floor while glass was breaking and hitting us. But luckily, all of us and our animals are fine.

(WEATHER REPORT)

PHILLIPS: Optimistic, but cautious, President Obama says that he's seeing glimmers of hope across the economy after getting status reports from his top economic advisers just a few hours ago. But he also warns that we haven't totally turned the corner.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK H. OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Now, we have always been very cautious about prognosticating, and that's not going to change just because it's Easter. The economy is still under severe stress. And obviously during these holidays, we have to keep in mind that whatever we do, it ultimately has to translate into economic growth and jobs and rising income for the American people.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Dan Lothian at the White House.

Dan, exactly what does the president mean by glimmers of hope?

DAN LOTHIAN, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, yes. You know, a couple of things. First of all, the president today pointed out that when it comes to the Small Business Administration's largest loan program, that they've seen an increase in loans by about 20 percent. So that is one thing that he pointed to when referring to "glimmers of hope." But also, the White House has been pointing to, you know, the low mortgage interest rates, and also the fact that they believe that more money is flowing into the market.

And back to the small business loans, what the president pointed out is that now that this money is flowing, then some of these businesses can keep their doors open, they can meet payroll. So, again, that is sort of the "glimmers of hope" that they're talking about here at the White House. But still, as you pointed out, still being very cautious, because the president says we're still seeing a lot of job losses, there's still a lot of hardship out there, so there's still a lot of work to do.

PHILLIPS: Dan Lothian at the White House.

Dan, thanks.

And FDIC chief Sheila Bair was one of the budget bigwigs who had the president's ear today. It's her job to help you keep your bank account intact, but does her agency have the cash to do it? We're going to find out more from our Personal Finance Editor Gerri Willis in just a little bit.

Now, right now, it looks like the pirate standoff off the Somali coast is going to extend into the Easter weekend. Captain Richard Phillips, the hostage, actually tried to force the issue earlier today, jumping out of the lifeboat and making a swim for it. Some of the pirates fired shots, got him back.

The USS Bainbridge floating a few miles away. Another Navy vessel, the Halyburton, now in the area. Bigger pirate mother ships out there, too, as part of the chess game. And other pirates are taking their hijacked ships, captains in tow, to the area to show pirate solidarity.

Let's get to our Pentagon correspondent, Chris Lawrence.

Chris, when the captain jumped into the water, I'm curious as to why, for example, naval forces didn't see that immediately and try and get in and rescue him. You know, they've got their eyes on him 24/7, right?

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Yes, but let's put it into context here.

What we know is that although the Bainbridge is very close, it's still, you know, a few hundred yards away from where this lifeboat is. And apparently, from what I'm hearing from defense officials, this all happened very quickly, within seconds.

He jumped into the water. He tried to swim towards the Bainbridge. One of the pirates jumped in after him, they dragged him back on the ship. So this happened very, very quickly, in a time and a place where the Navy wouldn't necessarily respond to that. And just -- you know, I've been having a couple people ask me about the rule of engagement, you know, when the Navy would intervene but, you know, you have to understand, the rules of engagement are guiding principles to guide troops going into a combat situation.

This is not a combat situation. This is a hostage situation following a criminal action. These pirates are criminal actions. So it's a very different situation, a very unique situation.

PHILLIPS: Point well made.

Chris Lawrence there at the Pentagon.

We'll keep checking in with you, Chris. Thanks.

And of course, the family of Captain Richard Phillips is tired of just seeing pictures of him. They want to see him in person, safe and sound. And we just received a statement from Captain Phillips' wife. You're going to hear it straight ahead.

French forces have been dealing with a pirate standoff of their own, and now they've brought it to a bloody end. A French presidential statement says that troops stormed a yacht held by pirates for nearly a week off of Somalia's coast. One hostage, two pirates were killed in that operation; four other hostages, including a child, were rescued. The French decided to move in after the pirates refused their offers and threatened the captives.

As Chris pointed out, as you can see, different rules of engagement in each country.

Well, on a day of mass mourning in Italy, some incredibly hopeful news. Word of a possible survivor buried under the rubble four days after the L'Aquila earthquake.

PHILLIPS: Four days after an earthquake devastated L'Aquila, Italy, amazing news now. Crews working in the rubble may have found a survivor. They're trying quickly but carefully to get that person out. This unexpected development comes the same day that country mourned the 287 quake victims.

CNN's Paula Newton reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Stoically, calmly, family and friends filed in with flowers and prayers, bestowing some dignity in death to their loved ones. Sobbing, the pain poured out as it has for so many days now amid the rubble in this quake-stricken area. They know this is different. This is goodbye. There is in this mass a measure of relief where the quake made any ritual of burial impossible.

(on camera): Victims have been granted a solemn ceremony here, even in the open square of a police academy. No church in the area is yet structurally sound enough to hold this kind of a service.

(voice-over): Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi walked among more than 200 coffins before family members cried on his shoulder, sharing their pain. The mass then opened with the reading of a letter from Pope Benedict, who said ever since he himself felt the force of the earthquake at the Vatican, he was praying for them.

And so, with the pope's chalice, the funeral began. This is a full Catholic mass usually not allowed on Good Friday. The day so evocative here that Catholics believe Jesus was crucified, the pope himself allowed the exception.

With very traditional readings of redemption and prayers for strength, they celebrated the lives of those lost. The youngest, less than 6 months old. The oldest known victim, 96. In his homily, the pope's top envoy told the mourners this was a precious moment to reflect on the meaning of life.

Through all the rituals here, there is still a sense of shock that most still can't shake. The depth of loss for some will never pass. Parents on bended knee, knowing this moment with their child is their last.

"We're grieving for a whole community here because very young people died. It could have been me. It could have been my mother," she says.

"There are not enough tears. Not enough," she says. "So many good people, gone."

And seeing so many coffins in a sacred procession to receive the last rites only magnifies all they've been through. This is a national day of mourning here, and Italians are intimately feeling the pain of these victims. Almost half of Italy is at risk of earthquakes, and millions are feeling the aftershocks. This country is trying to gather strength for what could come next.

Paula Newton, CNN, Copito (ph), Italy.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: And what's so different about this Easter holiday? Twitter.

Trinity Church on Wall Street in New York is actually tweeting its "Passion" play. That's right, the story of Jesus Christ micro- blogged in little bursts of information. It's been going on a little more than two hours right now, and this is what I love about my EP, Kelly Frank (ph).

She's in the control room right now, and I said, "Kelly, I want you to explain to the folks, because I'm not very good with this, how this is playing out and what people are saying."

Kelly, by the way, everybody, keeps me up on Facebook and Twitter and all that good stuff. She's very up with the times.

So what are they saying?

KELLY FRANK (ph), CNN PRODUCER: That's right. It's actually really an interesting concept, Kyra.

What they have done, this particular church has done, is they've taken the Twitter, I guess phenomenon, if you will, and they are actually doing "The Passion of the Christ." And in fact, based on the time, it's 2:17 in the afternoon, and they even have it in first- person character.

And as you can see right here, it says, "Jesus Christ." And it says, "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit." And that's about right where, you know, according to most historians and theologians, that that's where we would be between 2:00 and 3:00, going back to the time of "The Passion."

But if you look through this, you have different things. Like, here's "Mary Mother." "The light is going from the sky. I'm alone here. Give me strength." That sort of thing.

The interesting thing about is, you know, if you're at work and you're a Christian, it's an interesting way, sort of a sign of the times, to keep up with "The Passion" if you can't necessarily go to a Good Friday service or whatever it is. It's, you know, right here in modern technology. It's a pretty interesting thing.

PHILLIPS: Well, I'm curious, is it -- has it remained respectful, or are people chiming in and trying -- you know, maybe from other religions or even people that don't believe in Jesus Christ, creating any type of debate or dialogue, or no?

FRANK: No, not at all. Actually, there's even some "hellos" from the Jewish community. They've been commenting.

One person who is really into this "Passion" chimed in and said, "Hey, guys, stay within the 140-character limit," which if you know Twitter, you can only put 140 characters. And he said it was ruining the effect.

But, I mean, you have people in the character of the prostitutes, Mary Magdalene, the thief that was next to Jesus on the cross, that sort of thing. So, it's -- it's very -- they are taking it very seriously. You know, in fact, there's even a twitter from Leanne Thomas (ph) thanking the church for doing this beautiful service. So, it's, you know, a real sign of the times.

PHILLIPS: And it's less -- it's a little easier than reading the bible, too. It can be a little overwhelming, getting into the actual bible.

FRANK: Sure. But it's interactive, too. I mean, that's the great thing. People can participate if they want. But for the most part, people have been very, very, very respectful of the process.

PHILLIPS: Thanks Kelly (ph).

FRANK: You're welcome.

PHILLIPS: Well, catching fish, healing the wounds of war. A CNN hero found a way to do both. It's an unconventional approach, to say the least.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Did you know that some 40,000 non-citizens are serving in the U.S. military? You can remove Sergeant Juan Luis Alcivar from that list. Today, he took the oath of citizenship from Homeland Secretary Janet Napolitano.

Sergeant Alcivar came to the U.S. from the Dominican Republic when he was 5. He served in Iraq, lost his femur, and was awarded a Purple Heart. But only now is he officially an American.

Welcome to America, Sergeant. And thanks for talking to us today.

So how do you heal the wounds of war? Sure, there's surgery and therapy. But what about fishing? Yes, fishing. And no, we're not baiting you.

Ed Nicholson found a way to make it happen, and that's why he's our hero.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: This is "CNN Heroes."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was in Afghanistan. I broke a vertebrae.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We got hit by the blast. It blew me up about 25 feet in the air.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My feet were just shredded up. I lost my right eye. My mouth was blasted out.

ED NICHOLSON, CRUSADER: The demons of war, you just don't set them aside. But once you get out on the river, the serenity is incredibly healing.

My name's Ed Nicholson, and I founded a program that helps wounded servicemen and veterans through fly fishing.

I spent 30 years in the Navy. More recently, I was down at Walter Reed. It was impossible not to see the servicemen and women missing limbs and serious wounds. And I thought many of them probably would love to get out of the hospital and go fishing.

Instead of cranking it in, you strip, strip.

You become more independent. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My injuries are to my right arm. It really helped me to start using that right hand and adapt to skills of everyday living.

NICHOLSON: I've heard from other participants that, "When I'm out there fishing, I don't think about the pain."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The doctors, they can't heal the heart and soul. Being out in nature does that. What it shows you is that life's not over. It's only beginning.

NICHOLSON: OK, here we go.

I'm not a psychologist. I'm just an old naval officer. But I can tell you this, that the individuals that work with our program, they get a great deal out of it. That's what keeps me going.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: And if you'd like to get involved or you know someone else doing something extraordinary, you can go to CNN.com/heroes.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, it looks like another night of negotiation off the Somali coast. The pirates and the U.S. Navy still not on the same page.

Captain Richard Phillips, the hostage, tried to get away. He actually jumped out of his lifeboat, into the water, then some of the pirates fired shots and got him back.

Well, the USS Bainbridge is floating a few hundred yards away, showing a lot of restraint. Another Navy vessel, the Halyburton, now in the area. Bigger pirate mother ships also out there, too. And other pirates now taking their hijacked ships with their captives to that area to show pirate support.

Well, there's something else we want to know. The family of Richard Phillips is watching and waiting and hoping, and we've just received this statement from the captain's wife, Andrea: "My family and I would like to thank our neighbors, our community and the nation for the outpouring of support. We felt the compassion of the world through your concern for Richard. My husband is a strong man and we'll remain strong for him. We ask that you do the same."

CNN's Stephanie Elam is in their hometown of Underhill, Vermont.

And knowing that community, Stephanie, they're -- when he comes home, there is going to be one serious celebration.

STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I believe you're right, Kyra. I think there will be a hero's welcome when he makes his way back here.

Yesterday we were hoping to actually hear from his wife, Andrea, but she decided she was too overwhelmed to speak at that time. Waiting for just good news before she comes before cameras. But we did get a chance to speak to their priest, and also a woman who shown owns a shop right down the street from their house.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REV. RICK DANIELSON, ST. THOMAS CHURCH: People are very concerned. Everybody is very concerned. Everyone has been very hopeful, like I said, it's going to have a happy outcome.

And people have been -- people who really know the Phillips have been, I understand, have been just wonderful in giving them all kinds of support. Not only their prayers, but also more tangible support, too.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

LAURA WELLS, PHILLIPS FAMILY FRIEND: We're still hoping and praying that, you know, maybe he can do it again and the Navy will be more prepared, that he might do something unexpected.

He's a family man, very devoted to his family. His children are wonderful, and he's a wonderful family man.

ELAM: You have seen him come in here with his family and his wife, and you can tell that they're a close-knit family?

WELLS: Yes. He's -- excuse me. You know, you see him work in his yard with his family.

And we are just hoping and praying everything turns out OK. I'm sorry. It's very hard to talk about this.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ELAM: And another sign of the support here that the community is giving to the Phillips' family, you'll see yellow ribbons, yellow flowers along the town on the white fence in front of the Phillips' home as well -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right. Stephanie Elam, appreciate it.

She's one of the most powerful women in the world, a force to be reckoned with. Oh, and by the way, she also writes children's books on the side.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Glimmers of hope -- President Obama says the U.S. economy is starting to see them. Wrapping up a meeting with his top economic advisers today, the president says the effects of new tax cuts are showing up in people's paychecks for the first time. Plus, he says frozen credit markets are starting to thaw.

But at the same time, Mr. Obama warns there is much work to be done.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: We discussed the public/private investment mechanisms that we had set up so that we can start getting some of these toxic assets off the books. And all the agencies here have been involved in further refining the ideas and making them work effectively. And we feel confident that even as we're dealing with the problems within the banking system, that we're also addressing some of the problems in the non-bank financial system that was such a huge proportion of our credit flow when it came to things like auto loans and credit cards and so forth.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: One of the people who bent the president's ear today, FDIC Chairwoman Sheila Bair. Her agency makes sure that your bank accounts are insured. But it's not an easy job these days, that's for sure, right, Gerri Willis?

WILLIS: Yes, you've got that right, Kyra. You may be interested in the FDIC and just what's going wrong there. The reality is that the Federal Deposit Insurance fund, it's declined significantly and it's likely to fall further despite what we've done so far. That according to Sheila Bair. Deteriorating as economic and industry conditions resulted in 25 bank failures last year, 21 so far this year. More are coming.

And I mentioned Sheila Bair before, she's the chair of the FDIC. She's saying that bank failures could cost about $65 billion over the next five years. That's on top of $18 billion last year.

Now, what the FDIC did was raise premiums on banks that have to pay into the insurance that the FDIC hands out and the FDIC is hoping that the extra money will prevent the funds from hitting zero. So, Kyra, yes, things could be better.

PHILLIPS: All right, so what do you think the future of the FDIC is right now?

WILLIS: Well, look, you know, the agency, it's not going to run out of money, because it's backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. So, even if they were to run out of all these -- all of this insurance money that comes in from banks all over the country, it wouldn't matter. Because, at the end of the day, the Federal Reserve and Treasury would have to stand up and make -- and make the system whole.

Look, it's the FDIC's job at the end of the day to make sure the depositors are safe. And it's very important in this country to make sure there are no runs on the banks, that people don't worry about their money in banks. It's really safeguarding those institutions, before the depositors, not for the people who own the banks - Kyra.

PHILLIPS: Gerri, thanks.

WILLIS: My pleasure.

PHILLIPS: When she talks, people listen. And when she writes, children read.

CNN's Jessica Yellin introduces us to the chairwoman of the FDIC.

(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)

JESSICA YELLIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Sheila Bair protects your savings. "Forbes" magazine calls her the second most powerful woman in the world behind German Chancellor Angela Merkel, but she's well ahead of Hillary Clinton and Oprah Winfrey.

These days, Bair's power is growing as she plays a key role in fixing the housing and financial crises. Would you believe that on the side, she writes children's books, teaching saving and investing?

SHEILA BAIR, FDIC CHAIRWOMAN: Each buck you save, I'll match it quick. Spend it, there's no extra dough. So, save your cash and watch it grow.

YELLIN (on camera): So, how would she explain the current crisis to kids?

BAIR: People weren't stashing their bucks.

YELLIN (voice-over): As head of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Bair's main job is to make sure that people who do save their bucks are protected if their bank shuts down.

First appointed by President Bush, Bair's been an outspoken advocate of more aggressive oversight. In 2007, she warned about the dangers of sub-prime mortgages and was ignored. Last year, she urged the Bush administration to refinance bad mortgages. They didn't listen, President Obama did.

BAIR: I do think you have to have compassion for some of these borrowers.

YELLIN: Now she's making headlines calling on Congress to break up big banks.

BAIR: We need to simply end too big to fail.

YELLIN: Some traditionalists snipe that she's getting away from the core role of the FDIC, protecting savings. But Bair says growing up in a rural Kansas town made her a populist and in the future?

BAIR: I think institutions will be smaller and better managed from a risk perspective and back into the bread and butter of lending and extending credit.

YELLIN: As for the children's books?

(on camera): Are you going to be able to do one on the toxic asset plan? BAIR: That would be a challenge.

YELLIN: In fact, Bair's agency will help auction off some of those toxic assets. This week, she's been meeting with some top financial industry players explaining how those auctions will work and encouraging them to buy in.

Jessica Yellin, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEO TAPE)

PHILLIPS: A serious sign of the times. The struggling "Los Angeles Times," on the newspaper's front page yesterday, an ad laid out very much like a news story. It actually tells readers about a rookie cop's first day on the job. A cop who's actually a character on the NBC drama "Southland." It was marked as an ad and done in a different font style. Still, more than 100 "Times" employees reportedly signed a protest petition. It will be interesting to see if this continues.

Well, we're starting to see signs of the change on Wall Street. Finally, some good news. But as Susan Lisovicz has told us before, it's going to take some time to dig our way out of that recession.

Susan, all right at the end of the week we've just started to do this Friday wrap-up. We're going to point out the good things that happened in the week and the bad things that happened in the week.

Should we start with the good? What do you think?

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I think we should start with the good. I think that's always something good as we start a weekend, Kyra, especially on this Good Friday.

But, yes, I think there was more good than bad this week. And certainly the big headline is that your 201(k) may now be a 301(k), because the Dow has gained 22 percent over five weeks, Kyra. That is huge. We haven't seen growth like that since the 1930s. And it's coming because there have been signs, outright signs of growth in the economy or in many cases, things just aren't as bad as they were.

PHILLIPS: And there was better news on the job front this week as well, right?

LISOVICZ: That's true. And it's all relative. We got initial claims yesterday, Kyra, a very high number. But they declined from the week before and that's probably, as you mentioned, how we're going to dig out of this recession. It's not going to be a sudden spurt of growth. It's going to be things improving not as bad as they once were, suggesting that the worst of the recession may be behind us, may.

PHILLIPS: May. All right.

Now, the bad news. I'm glad there's only one point here. And you're all about finding the bargains, but people aren't even shopping for bargains like at Wal-Mart, right? That's how bad it is?

LISOVICZ: That's right. Well, we got March retail sales this week. And Wal-Mart has been the one standout, because people really want to stretch their dollars. And Wal-Mart's figures came in basically much lighter than what Wall Street expected. And so just imagine, if people are going to Wal-Mart and they're buying food and health care, as they've been doing -- health care items, as they have been for months, imagine how tough it is for stores like Sachs, which saw a decline of 23 percent, Dillard's down 19 percent, Kohl's down four percent. It's tough to sell something other than essentials and even Wal-Mart has had to deal with it.

PHILLIPS: Have a great weekend, Susan. We'll see you on Monday.

LISOVICZ: You, too, happy Easter.

PHILLIPS: Same to you. Severe weather that pounded Texas, Arkansans and Oklahoma has moved east. We're going to find out where the danger zones are right now.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: All right, so we told you about the storm system that produced that deadly tornado in Arkansas. Also the wildfires we've been talking about in Texas and Oklahoma. It's tracked to the east now.

Reynolds Wolf following all the severe weather conditions across the country. I tell you what, it's been a busy day.

(WEATHER REPORT)

PHILLIPS: Let's see what Larry Smith has to say. Let's go out to him at Augusta there as he's been tracking the scores and the weather for us.

You're kind of taking double duty, watching the game but also watching the skies. What do you think, Larry?

LARRY SMITH, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, we're hopeful.

I tell you what, I certainly hope he's wrong about late Sunday afternoon getting some kind of storms, because that's when you've got everybody out and the presentation of the green jacket for the new champion and it's such pomp and circumstance. A great way to finish the week on Easter Sunday. Let's hope that that's not the case.

As you mentioned, we're watching right now the chance of some rain later today. They're on the course. Everyone now has teed off and everyone is out playing, won't finish until after 7:00 tonight. So that final hour of the day is what we're really concerned about for the moment - Kyra.

PHILLIPS: OK, everybody, too, wondering, what about Tiger Woods, how's he playing? SMITH: Yes, Tiger Woods, right now he is even for the tournaments. He's even for the day, I should say, two under par for the tournament, seven strokes behind the leader.

Chad Campbell is in the clubhouse at nine under par.

Everyone's talking about that round of 70 on Thursday and how poorly he played. Tiger never plays his best golf on Thursday here. In fact that 70, that ties his best-ever round on a Thursday here. The last three times he did it, he got the win on Sunday. So, we'll see if history can repeat itself yet again.

PHILLIPS: Now, this is also a very big time for caddies as well, it's a huge deal.

SMITH: It is. There's one caddie in particular that when you see Carl Jackson out here on the bag of Ben Crenshaw, it's like all is right with the world. They have been paired up since 1976. Only once did they not come here together. That was in 2000, when Carl Jackson was undergoing some treatment for colon cancer. He got past that and now here is their 33rd Masters together for Jackson, it's his 48th Masters.

He dropped out of high school when he was 13 years old. A new school dress code, he couldn't afford the clothes, so he dropped out. But the club didn't like having a truant possibly working for him, so none other than President Dwight Eisenhower, who was an Augusta national regular, talked Jackson into going back and getting his diploma. He did and now he's one of the great stories here, as he's again, his 48th Masters.

He said as long as Ben is ready to go for the ride for the 50th Masters, he'll go along for it, too. They won't be here this weekend. Ben not having his best couple of days. He will not make the cut to get into the weekend.

PHILLIPS: Great history, though, great piece of history. Thanks, Larry.

A burning car and a passed-out driver and one tough cop. It all adds up to a harrowing rescue attempt and we're going to show you what happened as it all unfolds on video.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: All right. That hostage situation continues off the coast of Somalia, still waiting to see if FBI negotiators are able to get Captain Richard Phillips away from those pirates at this point. Chris Lawrence monitoring details for us out of the Pentagon.

Chris, I understand you're learning something new right now.

LAWRENCE: Yes, Kyra, a Defense official is confirming to us that various pirate ships and pirated ships are all in the area and are actively looking for the area where this lifeboat is. In other words, these are larger, motherships that the pirates have been using to launch the small skiffs as well as ships that they have already hijacked.

The Defense official says that the military has been hearing communication between the pirates, which indicates that they are looking for this lifeboat. Again, the military has the USS Halyburton now in the general area that has some helicopters capabilities that the Bainbridge did not have. There's also a ship with extensive medical facilities, the Boxer and that could be there within about a day.

PHILLIPS: And Chris, I think you brought up a great point the last time we were talking, because those that are not familiar with rules of engagement and the military and hostage situation versus combat situation. That a lot of people wondering, OK, why -- there's all this military force right there? Why don't they take these pirates down and save this captain's life?

Maybe you can explain, because the rules of engagement are very different here and you've got a number of entities with different political commitments and military commitments. And try and hammer it out for us so we can explain this to people as they're wondering continuously why something hasn't happened to this point.

LAWRENCE: Let me use this analogy for you.

A robber is robbing a 7-Eleven and you've got a tank outside. Well, the tank's powerful. But what can the tank do? You can't blow up the 7-Eleven and everyone in it, you know?

And I just use that analogy to say, you know, the captain on this lifeboat, he jumps over the side. The U.S. military is now confirming to us that at least one pirate jumped in after him, that several shots were fired. They brought the captain back on board. Now, this all happened in a matter of seconds. The Bainbridge is, you know, still several hundred yards away. Close, but still several hundred yards away and this happens in a matter of seconds.

And, again, the Navy's one of the primary goals here is to safely get the captain rescued. They don't want to endanger his life. So, even though you may have an overwhelmingly powerful vessel, it can be powerless in one respect if you're trying to preserve the life of the captain and you want to use diplomacy and negotiation to do that.

PHILLIPS: Chris Lawrence, appreciate it.

At Virginia Tech, moving beyond a tragedy. The west wing of the second floor of Norris Hall is reopening. It's been nearly two years since a student gunman opened fire in that wing killing 30 students and instructors before killing himself. Earlier that day, he killed two other students in a dormitory. Well a new center for peace studies and violence prevention will now be housed in that wing.

Frantic rescue attempts for a driver who doesn't even know that he's in trouble. A Michigan police officer rushes to help save an unconscious man trapped in a burning car. Officer Mark Patel (ph) got there just in time. Some good Samaritans were having trouble breaking the window. They got the guy out moments before the car exploded into flames. Apparently the driver passed out from a medical condition with the motor running and his foot pinning down the gas pedal. The engine overheated and sparked the blaze.

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PHILLIPS: Well, leading the charge into our special holiday- themed, "What the...?"

A battalion of bunnies and a cavalcade of chicks who have taken over a Pennsylvania woman's home. She's got more than 800 peeps, stuffed animals and knickknacks. Here's the kicker, she doesn't like the actual peeps candy.

And for 20 years, she was eye candy for eager men. Now an Italian lap dancer ditched the club for the convent and become a nun. That's not here. Hold on, you'll see her in a second, I hope. Old habits die hard, I guess. She performs religious dances not seen here in prisons, churches and hospitals. There's a shot of her. Is it there? Guys, we got to show the picture of the nun. It comes after the lap dances.

And a unique take on a traditional Jewish holiday, Passover Seders for pooches. Oh, yes. The Illinois pet food company has sponsored the meals for a couple years now. No doggie bags, though. The pups apparently not big fans of matzo.

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PHILLIPS: So, have you seen more money showing up in your paycheck? "The Help Desk" is open for business and that's one of the topics. Personal finance editor Gerri Willis puts your questions to the experts.

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GERRI WILLIS, CNN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: We want to get you answers to your financial questions. Let's get straight to "The Help Desk."

Donna Rosato is a senior writer with "Money" magazine. Ryan Mack is the president of Optimum Capital Management. That first e-mail comes from Howard. He asks, "Some folks are going to get a $15 to $25 raise in their weekly paychecks. What about those of us who are on Social Security or are disabled?" Donna.

DONNA ROSATO, SENIOR WRITER, "MONEY" MAGAZINE: Well, he's talking about the "make work pay" credit, which people are already start seeing in their paycheck. And that was part of the stimulus program. Now, there is something for retirees, too.

That was meant to give money to people who are working, but for retirees or people on disability, they're going to get a one-time $250 payment this year. And if you're married and your spouse is also collecting Social Security, you'll get a $500 payment as well.

WILLIS: A little something for everybody... ROSATO: Yes.

WILLIS: ... in that, right?

And as a matter of fact, there are a lot of bennies (ph) in the tax bill you're really going to have to pay attention to this week. C.R. asks, "I know that employers can't ask an applicant's date of birth, but during my job search, I noticed that employers ask what year the applicant graduated high school. Obviously, they can determine a person's age by that, so why is that question allowed?"

Ryan, here's somebody who really wants to mask their age.

RYAN MACK, PRESIDENT, OPTIMUM CAPITAL MANAGEMENT: Well, you know what, I like this question because it really shows the impact of knowing your rights and how that can affect your personal financial situation. And actually, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission -- that's the primary agency in charge of implementing the Age Discrimination in Employment Act -- essentially said that -- they came out with a regulation saying that asking an applicant's age in itself does not constitute an establishment of age discrimination, so that's not the case.

As a matter of fact, I found a case, Wanda Smirofsky (ph) versus Phillip Morris, that she tried to file a claim against Phillip Morris because Phillip Morris asked her, does this state -- you know, what year did you start working professionally. And essentially then filed because of that that it didn't, you know, it did not file for age discrimination

WILLIS: But Ryan, don't you think the dirty little secret of this recession is that a lot of employers are taking out older workers?

MACK: Yes, well, we have to look at all the facts. And the law's the law. So, by itself, just asking an employer (sic), how old are you, that is not illegal.

WILLIS: Yes, I think there's an undue burden, though. on older workers in this economy.

MACK: There is.

WILLIS: They've really got to work hard to keep those jobs, obviously. All right, guys, thanks for your answers. Great answers, tough questions.

"The Help Desk" is all about getting you answers. Send me an e- mail to gerri@CNN.com or log on to CNN.com/helpdesk to see more of our financial solutions. And "The Help Desk" is everywhere. Make sure to check out the latest issue of "Money" magazine on newsstands now.

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PHILLIPS: All right, that does it for us. Have a beautiful Easter weekend. We'll see you back here on Monday. Rick Sanchez is off and Don Lemon is in.