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Michael Vick Returns to NFL; President Obama Back on Road, Offensive on Health Care Reform; Congressman Mike Ross Criticized From Both Sides on Health Debate; Wildfires Burning in Northern California; 118 Confirmed Dead after Typhoon; BB&T Reportedly Buying Colonial Bank

Aired August 14, 2009 - 11:00   ET

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

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everyone. It is Friday, August 14th. Here are the top stories in the CNN NEWSROOM. A disgraced quarterback returns to the NFL. Michael Vick joining a new team. The announcement live soon.

More manpower joins the firefight in California today. A thousand homes now at risk south of the San Francisco Bay Area almost a week after a devastating typhoon ravaged Taiwan.

Victims are still waiting for rescue and resources. Good morning, everyone. I'm Tony Harris, and you are in the CNN NEWSROOM.

So, let's begin this morning in Philadelphia where Michael Vick is signing up to play for the eagles. The team plans a news conference any moment now. While we wait, let's go to CNN's sports correspondent Larry Smith at the Eagles' training center in south Philly.

Larry, good to see you. Look, a couple things here. It seems to me that one of the surprises here is that it's the Eagles that we're talking about because so many teams have been mentioned as being in this Michael Vick -- I don't want to call it a sweepstakes, but a number of teams were considered to be in the picture for possibly signing him. You know, there seemed to be little doubt that someone was going to sign him.

Do I have that correct, as we see Andy Reid, the coach, and Michael Vick stepping up to begin the news conference? Maybe you can take that question on quickly and then we'll get to the news conference.

LARRY SMITH, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Very quickly. I mean, the eagles are one that, certainly, they were going to try to keep (ph) him in. And keep in mind, too, Donovan McNabb, who's the starting quarterback, lobbied to have Michael Vick here. Andy Reid, the Eagles head coach, is someone who knows about second chances. Both of his sons have had arrests on drug charges. And expect the Eagles to use him in a lot of ways, not just as a quarterback.

HARRIS: OK. I think we're close to getting started here.

Let's take you to the Philadelphia Eagles training facility. And the head coach, Andy Reid, is speaking.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

ANDY REID, HEAD COACH, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: ... questions and answers here. And, again, all three of us are available to answer the questions that you present us.

So, the Philadelphia Eagles organization is obviously very excited to have Michael Vick on board with us, and not only as a football player. We all know what kind of football player Michael is and was and will be. But, also, the fact that Michael has aggressively attacked the issue that he was presented with and done it in a manner that is not only proactive, but sincere. And he's got a great supporting cast, not only with his family, but also with Coach Dungy and also with the commissioner of the National Football League, Roger Goodell.

With that, I will turn it over to Coach Dungy.

TONY DUNGY, FORMER NFL COACH: Thank you, Andy.

I appreciate him still referring to me as "coach" even though I'm not coaching anymore. But it is really an honor to be here.

I got involved in this process a couple months ago just by going in and speaking to Mike when he was in Leavenworth. And we talked for a long time about things that had gone on in his life, but we talked more about what he wanted to do in the future, and that is what I was concerned with, and really got the sense that he wanted to do some great things.

He wanted to be a positive role modal for young people, and he wanted to get back to his family. And with that in mind, we kind of made a commitment to stick with each other and continue to talk through things, and continue to bounce things off each other.

Commissioner Goodell found out about that conversation, and when he talked to Mike, he asked if I would come on board on behalf of the league in a formal role, and I agreed to do that. I was happy to do that. I was excited to see what would transpire when he got reinstated.

Several people called me, several coaches, wanted to ask about my dealings with Mike and my thoughts, and Andy was one of them. And we had a long conversation about where I felt Mike was, and I'm just really happy that things turned out this way.

I'm proud of the Philadelphia Eagles. I know they didn't do this as a charity measure. They feel like Mike's going to help their football team and be a weapon for them. But they also stepped out to give a man a second chance, and I think that's important.

I've done a lot of work with inmates and ex-offenders in Tampa for the last 13 years. The last project I was involved with in Indianapolis was getting together with Mayor Greg Ballard there on a re-entry program.

We have roughly 4,000 inmates every year that come back into the city of Indianapolis and Marion County there, and we want some structures some things to make it easier for those young men who made mistakes to come back and be productive. And I think that's what this is all about.

So, I'm proud of the Eagles. I think it's going to work out great.

I told Mike I didn't think he could be with a better organization from my dealings with Andy and Jeffrey Lurie and Joe Banner. I know they're going to have a great support system here in place for him.

And I'm also very proud of Donovan McNabb. You know, he went out of his way to tell Coach Reid, we should make this happen. This guy can help us. But also, he's a friend, and I want to make it good for him.

So, I think you just see a symbol of some great leadership and Christian forgiveness. So, I'm excited for Mike, happy for him, and just want to be helpful in any way possible. I told Andy, you know, I don't want to overstep my bounds, but I'll be there to help him in any capacity he wants, and that's basically why I'm here and why I'm involved.

So, with that, I'll turn it over to Mike.

MICHAEL VICK, FOOTBALL PLAYER: First off, I would like to express my gratification to Jeff Lurie and Coach Reid, Andy Reid, for making me a part of this organization and giving me the opportunity.

I know, as we all know, in the past I made some mistakes. I have done some terrible things. I made a horrible mistake, and now I want to be part of the solution and not the problem. I'm making conscious efforts in the community to work with the humane society, and hopefully I can do that locally and continue with my goods (ph) and efforts and bringing awareness to animal cruelty and dogfighting in the inner cities and in our communities.

I want to send a special thanks to Donovan McNabb. He's a great friend for reaching out to Andy and just giving Andy the time to think about the decision that he made in bringing me in.

I now know that playing in the NFL is a privilege and not a right. And I want to do whatever is necessary and be the best ambassador for the NFL and the community.

I want to send a special thanks to my family, my fiancee, Kijafa, and my mom, my dad, everybody whose influence helped me change as an individual.

I want to say thank you to Commissioner Goodell.

I want to say thank you to Tony, Tony Dungy, serving as my mentor, also being influential in my work in helping redefine, you know, me as an individual. And, you know, just giving me the proper advice and being there, and having open dialogue with me at all times.

I want to say thank you to my agent, Joel Segel, who has been there through the ups and downs and through the hardest times of my life, Judy Smith (ph), as well as, you know, other people who have contributed in my comeback.

Once again, I know everybody is thinking, why Philadelphia? First off, I think it's one of the flagship organizations, a great tradition, great staff, great organization, a winning team. They have a great team in place, and I just want to be a part of that great tradition and give this team every opportunity to win a Super Bowl.

This is a -- I'm considering this my first year, first year back. You know, not trying to come out and not trying -- just trying to fit in whatever I can, get acclimated and, you know, just do whatever I can to help this team succeed and reach the Super Bowl.

With that said, I know I probably left some people out who I probably need to send a special thanks to. Sorry. But you all know who you are.

And I will continue to, you know, serve in our community, continue to do all the right things, and continue to help young individuals out in this world from going down the same path that I went down. I'm excited about the opportunity.

And with that said, I'll open it up for questions. I will be willing to answer any of them.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

VICK: You know, I addressed that. I made poor judgment. You know, bad decisions in my life, you know.

And I had to reach a turning point, and prison definitely did it for me. But it was totally unnecessary and uncalled for.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

VICK: You know, it's a surreal feeling right now. I never -- I couldn't envision it two years ago.

I was optimistic that it would happen one day, but I knew it was going to be a long process. And, you know, we, as a people, we fear the unknown. And I'm just happy that I have the opportunity now.

I'm glad that Coach Reid and the rest of the organization stepped forward. Donovan was very instrumental in that, and I'm glad that I got the opportunity at a second chance. And I won't disappoint.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE)

VICK: Well, I've been away from the game for two years, and I've got to start somewhere. I've got to crawl before I walk.

You know, I can't imagine going out after a two-year hiatus, going out and trying to be a starter for a football team. I just don't think it can happen. With as much God-given ability that I have, I don't think that I will be able to do it.

I think I could, but I wouldn't risk it. And, you know, I need time to get my feet wet and get acclimated, like I said before.

So, you know, I think -- I thought this was the perfect situation, the perfect scenario. And I could come in and I could learn from Donovan. He's one of the premier quarterbacks in the game. One of the best, and everything that he has learned and the way he has been polished has come from Coach Reid.

So, I want to get with those two and do as much as I can to become a complete quarterback. And I have time to do it.

QUESTION: Much has been made of second chance...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hold on one second.

Go ahead.

QUESTION: Whether it's fair or not, some number of people will always look at you as being the guy (OFF-MIKE) those dogs as torture. How do you convince those people that you truly have changed?

VICK: I was wrong for what I did. Everything that happened at that point in time in my life was wrong, and it was unnecessary.

To the life of me, to this day, I can't understand why I was involved in such pointless activity. And why did I risk so much at the pinnacle of my career? And I was naive to a lot of things, but I figure if I could, you know, help more animals than I hurt, than I'm contributing and I'm doing my part.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ma'am, go ahead.

QUESTION: Much has been said about given second chances. But in your opinion, is there a crime no matter how many victims or how the victims have suffered, that might not deserve a second chance?

VICK: You know, I think everybody deserves a second chance. You know, we all have issues, we all deal with certain things. And, you know, we all have our own set (INAUDIBLE) in our life. And I think as long as you're willing to come back and do it the right way, and do the right things, and that you're committed, then I think you deserve it. But you only get one shot at a second chance, and I'm conscious of that.

QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) was there ever a time when you knew what was you were doing was wrong but still doing it anyway (OFF-MIKE)?

VICK: Well, I mean, we all use the excuse it was part of our culture. And, you know, I don't think that's an excuse.

You know, I was kind of abiding by that rule at the time. And as I grew older and as things started to transpire, and then once I went to prison, you know, I had plenty of time to think about what I did.

And I've seen people's reactions. And up until that point, I never really cared. I won't say I didn't care, but I never thought about it. Now I understand that people care about their animals. They care about their health, their welfare, the protection of animals. And now I do.

So, that's why I say if I can, you know, help more than I hurt, then I'm contributing. I'm doing what I need to do.

HARRIS: Michael Vick at the Philadelphia Eagles training facility. He's been signed by the Eagles. I believe it's a two-year deal. I'll check that with Larry Smith in just a moment.

And I know that everyone watching this will have an opinion of what they've seen here from Michael Vick and will answer the question for themselves whether there was enough contrition. Did the apology that you heard, did it feel sincere to you?

A couple questions now we'll take to CNN Sports' Larry Smith, who is outside of that training facility and had a chance to hear Michael Vick's comments.

And Larry, let me start with some basic stuff here, and then we'll drill down a little bit more.

Remind us again -- we heard some of the reasons cited by Michael Vick from Tony Dungy, from Andy Reid, but why the Eagles?

SMITH: Why the Eagles signing him? Well, as they mentioned before, the organization is one that's a winning organization, and they did their due diligence, including talking to the NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell, to get a sense of where Michael Vick's head was. Also, Tony Dungy, as he talked about, has played an integral role.

And I can tell you this -- I was at the courthouse in Richmond, Virginia, in December of '07 when Michael Vick was sentenced on these dogfighting charges, and what I hear today from Michael Vick is a lot more contrition than I did on that day, when he was facing, again, at the time, it seemed almost two years in prison.

Now, I'm not an expert, I'm not a psychologist, telling you what I hear today and what I heard in Richmond back in December.

HARRIS: Exactly. No, I get you.

SMITH: I'm just comparing the two.

But why the Eagles? They said -- hey, listen, this is a team, a head coach in Andy Reid, as I mentioned before, has seen both of his sons arrested on drug charges. He understands the values of a second chance.

They did their due diligence and feel right now that Michael Vick -- this is a calculated risk they're taking. They think it's a risk is one they should take and it will be beneficial for both parties.

HARRIS: Well, this is perfect. The camera shot inside the training facility moved from Michael Vick to Tony Dungy, and it's perfect, because I was going to ask you about Tony Dungy.

He's a former coach in the league. He's a Super Bowl-winning coach in the NFL, retired now.

Talk to us about Tony Dungy, his role in Michael Vick's life, and the amount of credibility he brings to this entire situation.

SMITH: That's the word perfectly, Tony, "credibility." There are few men associated with the NFL that are respected more than Tony Dungy. He is somebody -- I don't care, coaches, media, the players, who you talk to.

Here's what I see, too, of Michael Vick. By having Tony Dungy there in his life, perhaps for the first time he has someone now that -- as a role model, as a mentor he can go to that cares about him and Michael Vick as a person. And Michael Vick's going to need that.

He's got Donovan McNabb there. He mentioned he is a close friend from back in his college days. They've known each other for a long time. Andy Reid, I talked about what he brings to the table. The eagles organization and now Tony Dungy.

I want to show you what Michael Vick is going to be facing.

This morning's "Philadelphia Daily News," this was the headline on the front of the "Daily News": "Hide Your Dogs Now."

HARRIS: Yes.

SMITH: We know the Philadelphia sports fans have been very cruel over the years, even to players that they like. And so, Michael Vick, he has to understand, and the team and the franchise and the players have to understand, this is what's going to be out there for this year and possibly even next season, and who knows when that will end.

Michael Vick can't run from his past, but he can try to run for and do successful things for the Eagles.

HARRIS: Well, you mentioned the Eagles fans. And man, they're tough. Historically tough. They booed Santa Claus.

Look, I mean, there's no doubt that even though he's playing for the home team, that he is likely to face some demonstrations, some protests, and some booing from members of that fan base. Correct?

SMITH: Sure. Well, and not just in Philadelphia, but anywhere he goes.

HARRIS: Absolutely.

SMITH: You know, PETA already...

(CROSSTALK)

HARRIS: But you expect that on the road, don't you? Yes, you expect that. You expect he'll get that kind of treatment. But with these fans, he'll get it at home, as well.

SMITH: Well, you expect it from the fans, but at the same time, understand our society. We talk about when somebody falls from grace. We also celebrate when somebody rises like a phoenix from the ashes.

HARRIS: Right.

SMITH: If Michael Vick is extremely successful for this team, and does great things, those cheers will be fewer from the home crowd, and he'll have to then worry about only when he goes out on the road. But he even said, it's a long road ahead.

HARRIS: All right. This may be about second chances. This may be about personal redemption and giving someone an opportunity at personal redemption. This may be a story, ultimately, about a triumph over personal discretions, tragedy.

But let's be clear here. How old is Michael Vick and how much does he still have in the tank? Every bit of analysis I've heard on this young man suggests that he still has a lot of game in him.

SMITH: Well, he does. He's only 29 years old.

Keep in mind, when he was the number one overall pick in the NFL by the Atlanta Falcons, he was only 20 years old. He was a young player. He registered in one year, played two seasons at Virginia Tech, and so he is very young considering the number of years he's already played.

It's conceivable he could play at a high level for six or seven years. And he's a great athlete. You're going to see the Eagles use him not just at quarterback, but they're going to try to find ways to get the ball in his hands.

And I can tell you right now, defensive coordinators in the NFC East right now had a sleepless night last night trying to figure out late this season how they're going to stop Michael Vick, because he is that kind of player. Once he gets into game shape, which I doubt he is right now, but by the time his suspension is lifted in the fifth or sixth week of the season, he should step right in and start doing some things for this football team.

HARRIS: I think there are many people who are watching us who are going to say, you know what? This is really about -- this may not be as much about second chances as it is about being a player who can help this football team win.

Let's leave it there for now.

Larry Smith for us just outside of the Eagles training facility. Michael Vick holding a news conference at the news that he has been signed by the Philadelphia Eagles. And that news conference continues right now.

We want your thoughts on Michael Vick's return to the NFL. Let's do this a couple ways. Let's try it this way first. Do you believe everyone deserves a second chance or do you draw a line here? Should a convicted felon who tortured and killed dogs be given a second chance?

Pretty loaded, pretty provocative. But he's a provocative figure right now.

Go to our blog, CNN.com/Tony, and give us your opinion. We will share a few on the air a little later.

The images are disheartening. Entire villages washed away in Taiwan following a devastating typhoon. Tens of thousands have already been rescued, many more victims to be found.

We are live amid the devastation.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: President Obama back on the road and on the offensive today on health care reform. He is headed for a town hall meeting in Montana during this make-or-break month in this push for reform. The president could face a skeptical audience during the meeting in Belgrade, Montana.

White House Correspondent Ed Henry reports from a region weary of big government.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED HENRY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Spend a day in the tiny town of Livingston, Montana, and you quickly see why the president's health care push is facing big problems in Big Sky Country -- even from those he's trying to help.

SONJA MCDONALD, HOUSEWIFE: We've got two kids. And then my husband is the only one working.

HENRY: Sonja McDonald is uninsured, so she gets discounted dental work at a local clinic. She voted for the president and agrees there needs to be reform, but is worried about the details.

MCDONALD: I believe that there is a health care crisis, I really do. Do I believe that the government needs to be more involved? No, because I think whenever they get their fingers in the pot, it just kind of turns black.

HENRY: A common sentiment here where a second Obama voter told us government is too big.

DAVID LEWIS, PUBLISHER, "THE MONTANA PIONEER": We've just spent so much money on the stimulus and the TARP. Then we're going to add another huge entitlement in the form of the public option.

HENRY: The movie, "A River Runs Through It" was filmed near here, so people love their fly fishing, all part of the rugged individualism. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think the west is all about independence, and do it my way, and I don't need anybody to tell me what and how to do. And I think when government gets too involved in our lives, there is some discomfort.

HENRY: But they're comfortable with the federal government at that local clinic known as the Community Health Partners. Taxpayers pick up 50 percent of the $4 million annual budget.

DR. MARK SCHULEIN, FAMILY PHYSICIAN: We're able to provide health care to someone who walks through the door regardless of their ability to pay.

HENRY: Which brings us back to Sonya McDonald who wants more of these clinics around the country, even when we told her the feds pick up much of the tab.

MCDONALD: The government being involved is fine, it's just when they try and overstep. When they try to stay, no, this is what needs to be done.

HENRY (on camera): A top White House aide told me the president realizes that after the string of federal bailouts, this is a tough sell. Nevertheless, the aide said the president is determined to make the case that a limited federal role can make a positive difference. And he'll make that case not only here in Montana today, but tomorrow in Colorado, where he'll have yet another town hall.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: And you can see President Obama's town hall on health reform live, right here on CNN. It is set for 2:55 p.m. Eastern Time.

You know, one of the so-called Blue Dog Democrats, Mike Ross of Arkansas, is holding a town hall meeting today. Representative Ross says he is being criticized by both sides in the health care debate.

Our Brianna Keilar is in Arkadelphia for that gathering.

Brianna, good to see you.

You know, you're in -- let's be clear here. Yes, there's the map. You're in southern Arkansas following Ross. We know he's important. Tell us why.

BRIANNA KEILAR, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Tony, a lot of conservative Democrats are taking cues. Many of them are taking cues from Mike Ross when it comes to how to deal with the issue of health care.

He's a conservative Democrat. He's in a conservative district. For instance, this 4th Congressional District in Arkansas, overwhelmingly, the voters voted for John McCain and not President Obama in the last election. But at the same time, for, say, the office of governor, for U.S. Senate, for the House of Representatives, generally speaking, the voters here pick Democrats. So, it's a really interesting political climate. And these are the political crosshairs that Congressman Ross find himself in when it comes to the health care debate.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KEILAR (voice-over): Hope, Arkansas, the hometown of the last president who tried to reform health care, and of Congressman Mike Ross, a prominent member of the conservative Blue Dog Democrats. Ask folks here and they'll tell you, it's not easy being Mike Ross.

Concern the House of Representatives was rushing health care reform and that it cost too much, Ross and other Blue Dogs forced Democratic leaders to pare down their bill and delay a full House vote until September, something he frequently points out to constituents in his conservative district.

REP. MIKE ROSS (R), ARKANSAS: I'm the guy that led the charge in standing up and stopping tithing from a floor vote before August 1.

KEILAR: That move put Ross at odds with liberal Democrats. Well, his support for much of the Democratic plan also makes him a target for Republicans. The RNC is running this radio ad in his district...

NARRATOR: Mike Ross did exactly what Nancy Pelosi wanted him to.

NARRATOR: He caved in, he buckled.

KEILAR: Feeling the squeeze, Ross says he's right where his constituents want him to be.

ROSS: It's rare that you get both the extreme right and extreme left mad at you all at the same time. And that tells me that maybe we found the right balance here.

KEILAR: The balance, he tells more than 6,000 people on a telephone town hall, is simple. Slow down and do it right.

ROSS: You know, we have been trying to get this done since Harry Truman.

KEILAR: An hour and a half on the phone, no outbursts.

His next health care event, answering questions face to face.

ROSS: Say a prayer for me tonight for my town hall meeting in Arkadelphia tomorrow.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KEILAR: And that, of course, is where we are today, awaiting Congressman Mike Ross' town hall meeting. It's going to take place in this auditorium behind me here at Henderson State University. This auditorium, Tony, seats about 960 people.

Congressman Ross told me he's not expecting that many people will come, but we'll see, Tony. I think it will be interesting to see how many seats are full.

HARRIS: I love that line, "Pray for me" at the town hall meeting.

Brianna, what is he expecting?

KEILAR: Well, you know, he said that this is going to be his 37th town hall meeting on health care since April. So, he's given a lot of these town hall events, and he points out over and over that only one of them has really turned rowdy, has been disrupted.

So, certainly I can tell you that the folks here at Henderson State University are prepared. They put signs up outside of the auditorium saying no banners, no signs allowed inside. And if people want to protest with signs, they're going to have them outside here. At least that's the plan.

So, you know, we don't exactly know, but there are a lot of people, Tony. And I think with some of these bigger events, we've certainly seen some of the folks who are really upset finding this to be a type of venue where they can really voice that opinion. But we're really going to have to wait and see -- 3:00 P.M. Eastern, that's when this event begins. And we'll certainly be keeping our eye on it.

HARRIS: Yes, OK. Brianna Keilar for us. Briana, appreciate it. Thank you.

And CNN has comprehensive coverage of the health care debate and town hall meetings at CNN.com/healthcare. As part of this make-or- break month for health care reform and our in-focus coverage, we've added several features. You can learn where the closest town hall meeting is being held, the key players in the debate, the different plans and the controversial sticking points. It is all there at CNN.com/healthcare.

And we are doing all we can in the CNN NEWSROOM to cut through the rhetoric and the rumors to address your concerns about the future of your health care and where this debate is leading our country. Do you fear a big government takeover? Does the prospect does the prospect of doing nothing scare you even more? Most people agree something has to be done, but what?

Please tell us what you think. Send us your comments and questions. Just send them to my blog at CNN.com/tony. To get you answers to your questions, we will pull together the really smart, informed people in our shop, from Elizabeth Cohen to Dr. Sanjay Gupta to the CNN Money Team, our Capitol Hill and White House correspondents. We'll go beyond, if we need to.

Our expectation is that most of your questions will take a little time to research, so we won't be able to get back to you right away. Once we put it all together and we can answer your specific concerns, we will bring that entire package together on the air for you. Once again at CNN.com/tony.

Take a look at this picture. Boy -- oh, live pictures now of the wildfires close to Bonny Doon. That is just south of San Francisco. We're talking about the wildfires, of course. Our meteorologist Bonnie Schneider following developments. We'll talk to her in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: More firefighters are headed to northern California's Santa Cruz Mountains today. The wildfire has forced thousands to evacuate. Winds coming off the ocean are pushing flames closer to the town of Bonny Doon.

The fire is nowhere near contained. More than 3,000 acres have burned. The incoming firefighters will join about 675 or so now on the firelines. The fire about 60 miles south of San Francisco, threatening about 250 homes.

And Bonnie Schneider is following all of this for us in the weather center. And Bonnie, you were telling me earlier that we're going to see some winds later in the day that will probably pose some problems for firefighters.

BONNIE SCHNEIDER, AMS METEOROLOGIST: That's right because even though the winds are fairly light now, Tony, they will pick up later this afternoon, and not just this afternoon, but tomorrow, as well. The winds a huge factor because they not only spread the fires closer to the town, but they also can create brand-new fires.

Take a look at this explainer, and you'll see what I'm talking about. I'm going to put this into play, and watch the action of the flames as the wind pushes them up into the trees, and then we see the trees kind of create little sparks, and they jump on to a new tree.

This is known as spotting, and firefighters find this particularly challenging because it's difficult to know which way these fires will spot, whether or not we'll get new fires in a certain direction or not because it really does depend on which way the wind is coming from and the direction at which these fires actually re- create themselves and new fires. It's very hard to get ahead of the fire line for that reason.

Another factor we're watching, of course, is the temperature. Right now, it's in the low 50s in and around the Bonny Doon area. Yesterday the high climbed to 79 degrees, but we're going to see temperatures cooler coming up. Only about 74 today. So, perhaps that will be a better factor.

Well, stay tuned. Coming up, we'll have a closer look at the devastation in Taiwan after Typhoon Morakot. A live report is coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: The rising death toll in Taiwan. One-hundred eighteen people are confirmed killed in last weekend's typhoon. Officials now say that number could triple. Entire villages are still inundated by mudslides and floodwaters. Live now to CNN's John Vause. He is in a hard-hit village in Taiwan. And John, if you would, let's start with this. Explain to us exactly where you are because we've had a difficult time finding you on a map.

JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Well, right now we're in actually a city, Gaushon (ph). It's one of the biggest cities here in Taiwan. We've actually relocated here.

But we did spend most of the day up in a village called Shing Ki. It's in a remote mountainous part of Taiwan, and what we found there was pretty much typical of many of these villages. It's cut off, it's remote and when you go through this town you're pretty much waist-deep in mud. And in many other places in this small town of only 300 people, it's a lot worse than that.

And so, this is the kind of clean-up effort that the government has now confronted here. There's one report today saying that the government has pretty much come to the point where they now believe that the number of people who needed to get out have got out. They say 31,000 people have been displaced because of this typhoon and the mudslides that followed.

As you say, the death toll is at 118, but we heard from Taiwan's president, President Ma Ying-jeou, today saying that he believes it could triple. That, according to a lot of people here, is on the -- an understatement. Really, they believe it's going to be a lot more than that.

But the big problem, Tony, just getting into these villages, trying to get some heavy earth-moving equipment, trying to recover all of those bodies is going to be incredibly difficult. And so, getting a precise death toll may never even happen. They may never get all the bodies out -- Tony.

HARRIS: Well, John, you're talking about the difficulty of getting heavy equipment into some of these areas. Explain to us how difficult it's been for you and your team to get around.

VAUSE: Well, Shing Ki is up in the mountains, as I said. It's a pretty difficult drive. We went up in a couple of SUVs. And we made it to where there was a bridge, but the typhoon had washed that bridge out, and so the emergency crews there had set up a harness with ropes and pulleys. And about 300 residents of the village were coming out, and the rescue crews were going in the other way. We went in the other way...

HARRIS: Is that you in the harness?

VAUSE: ... to get a closer look. It's about -- sadly, yes. It's about a 30-second trip to get across, but it's an incredibly long time to be suspended up there, basically just by a hook and three cleats. It's a 200-foot -- I reckon about a 200-foot drop straight down on to jagged rocks.

And as you go across that valley with that river below, there's a sign up that says, SOS, 32 people died here. So, there is a reminder that there has been so much death and destruction here. And then to get over to the other side, it's a pretty big relief once those guys grab you and you get on to the other side there. But then you've got to walk into the village. And it's a schlep. And this is what the emergency crews are finding, not just in this one little village, but in so many of these towns in this mountainous region of Taiwan -- Tony.

HARRIS: All right. John Vause for us following developments in the aftermath of this horrible typhoon. John, appreciate it. Thank you.

HARRIS: We want to get to new developments in the story of Colonial Bank. The southern regional bank very much on the verge of collapse, closure, whatever the proper terminology is. At moments like this, I turn to Susan Lisovicz. She's at the New York Stock Exchange with new information. And Susan, I just got this prompt over the wires just a moment ago, but I'll let you explain it.

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: OK, Tony, well, first of all, shares of Colonial Bank are still halted here. They opened for two minutes this morning before they were halted pending news.

And now the news, which CNN has not confirmed, Dow Jones is reporting that BB&T will buy this regional bank, Colonial Bank. The reports from Dow Jones say that it would buy all of its branches and take it into receivership. As you mentioned, BB&T is a southern bank. It's a big bank. It covers the South like kudzu, according to one of the profiles I'm reading. Has over 1,400 branches in 11 states and the District of Columbia.

Colonial bank, the regional bank, has approximately 350 branches, mostly in Georgia, but also in Florida, Nevada, Alabama, and I think I've got it. Yes. And Texas. And Texas. It's had a lot of problems. The stock has actually been trading under $1 since mid- June. So, investors saw the problems here, Tony. Go ahead.

HARRIS: Yes, yes, that's what I was about to ask you. I mean, this is not a new situation. We saw this developing. What has changed from the beginning of the year? And granted, that's a nice chunk of time that we're talking about here that has led to these developments today.

LISOVICZ: Well, first of all, this is a bank that has troubled mortgages...

HARRIS: Right.

LISOVICZ: ... like many other banks. And we've seen 73 of them -- 72 of them fail this year. But it also is suspected of criminal doing in terms of irregular accounting.

So, this is a bank that has problems for a couple of reasons. A federal judge in a ruling that favored Bank of America said that Colonial was on the brink of collapse. Its shares dropped like a stone. They were already selling under $1, dropped like a stone, then we hear -- it was halted for trading pending news.

If, in fact, this news is true that BB&T will buy it -- not yet confirmed -- it will never reopen because it will be owned by another company. But again, I just want to mention something that we mentioned and we should mention it again, if this bank does fail, the FDIC will insure...

HARRIS: Steps in, sure.

LISOVICZ: ... private deposits, personal deposits up to $250,000 -- Tony.

HARRIS: OK. That's an important point. Is this a bank that received any -- applied for, received any financial assistance from bailout dollars from the government? Do we know that?

LISOVICZ: I don't know that. I know that it did not undergo the stress test. Remember, you know, they...

HARRIS: That was my next question.

LISOVICZ: Yes. TARP really went to the big banks that were so important to the structure of the financial system in the United States. Citigroup, Gold -- well, there were plenty of them that did not want it, but received it anyway.

Did not undergo a stress test because this was reserved, again, for larger banks. And, so, this is something that investors have known for some time that this bank was in trouble. But this was just yet another sign that -- actually, I'm just told by my producer that it did actually receive some money from the federal government, $550 million. So, actually, half a billion dollars from the government.

HARRIS: From the TARP funds. OK, so, and just to be clear about this, this is a pattern when we've seen so many of these smaller banks. You mentioned 72 of them that have actually closed. But the pattern has been that these banks are bought by other banks, correct?

LISOVICZ: That's right.

HARRIS: So, if this turns out to be true, and BB&T buys Colonial, this will be carrying on a familiar pattern that we've seen.

LISOVICZ: That's right. And you know, while it is a tragedy that a company will fail and certainly for investors who will lose basically everything.

For customers of the bank, these things happen to work pretty seamlessly. That is that their deposits are protected, that there may be a new name attached to it, but otherwise things should be the same. That's why the FDIC is there. It is to protect...

HARRIS: Got you.

LISOVICZ: ... it's to protect deposits. And the FDIC, by the way, who has been contacted by CNN, is not confirming this story -- Tony.

HARRIS: Got you. All right, so, Susan, we're going to get to a break here, but when we come back, let's talk to you about Cash for Clunkers. And there have been...

LISOVICZ: The new improved.

HARRIS: New improved.

LISOVICZ: New improved Cash for Clunkers, Tony.

HARRIS: There have been some changes. And maybe we can talk about what's driving the markets down. Maybe we've hit on a bit of it here. All right, let's take a break, Susan. See you in a little bit.

LISOVICZ: See you in a few minutes.

HARRIS: You're in the CNN NEWSROOM.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Now our "Hero of the Week," New York-based chemistry teacher Jude Ndambuki. He saves computers from America's landfills and ships them to Kenya. And as he sows the seeds for a nation's prosperity, students in turn plant seeds of their own.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: This is "CNN Heroes."

JUDE NDAMBUKI, DEFENDING THE PLANET: I was coming from college at night, and I see these computers thrown out. I found everything was perfect. So many computers are thrown out, and so much computers are needed where I grew up in Kenya. So, I decided I must do something.

My name is Jude Ndambuki. I refurbish discarded computers and send them to schools in Kenya. The children in Kenya, they have very few resources. Even a pencil is very hard to get. Any part that I can play to make the life of kids better, it's great.

The computers are tested to make sure they are working. Then, we label the name of the school on each box. And then we ship it to Kenya. The computers are saved from poisoning the environment. And they're going to be used for 20 years by some schools.

Every school is going to plant 100 trees for every computer. We are planting a seed, teaching the kids to conserve the environment and be engines of change.

TEXT: Since 2001, Jude has provided more than 2,000 refurbished computers to Kenyan students. And more than 150,000 trees have been planted.

NDAMBUKI: It's, like, we are giving the kids a new life, computers are getting a new life and trees are being planted to bring a new life, too. It's all connected.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: And looking ahead now to the noon hour of CNN NEWSROOM, four minutes from now. While more firefighters pour into northern California, residents of some of the areas are headed the other way. No containment yet. We have got a live report from the fire lines.

And he is riding the CNN Express. Our chief business correspondent, Ali Velshi, convening his own town halls as he takes it to the streets. Today, it's on health care and the economy. He is asking, do you think we are nearing the end of this recession?

We're back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)