Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
Finding a Senate Replacement for Ted Kennedy; South Lake Tahoe Holds Parade for Jaycee Dugard; Obama Adviser Resigns; Great White Shark Sightings
Aired September 06, 2009 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Straight ahead this hour, 18 years after she vanished, South Lake Tahoe celebrates the good news about Jaycee Dugard.
And they're off the race to replace a Senate legend. Who will succeed Edward Kennedy in Massachusetts?
And a race against time at the San Francisco/Oakland Bay Bridge. Can they finish emergency repairs before Tuesday morning's rush hour?
Hello, everyone. I'm Fredricka Whitfield and you're in the CNN NEWSROOM.
South Lake Tahoe, California might be a small town. But right now it's showing that it has a big heart for a girl who disappeared 18 years ago. They never forgot Jaycee Dugard. Let's get right to CNN's Kara Finnstrom. Kara, the town is really pulling together for Jaycee. What are they doing right now?
KARA FINNSTROM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes. This is wrapping up right now, Fredricka. But I can tell you that this community is swelled with pink joy today. More than a thousand people came out in pink t-shirts with dogs that had little pink scarves around their neck, carrying pink balloons, all of this to celebrate the safe return of Jaycee Dugard.
Now, for many of these people, this was a very familiar setting. Because eight years ago on the 10th anniversary of her disappearance, they walked this exact same parade route. Today what they walked is they walked it in reverse, to symbolize kind of a closing of the loop and a safe return of Jaycee Dugard.
Joining us live now is one of the folks who was out here 10 years ago and so happy to be back here today. Brooke is a mother as well. Tell us a little bit about the emotions out here? I saw tears. I saw hugs. It just was overwhelming.
BROOKE LAINE, RESIDENT: It is such an exciting day. We are ecstatic that we found Jaycee and that she's alive. This community never, ever gave up hope that we wouldn't find her. So in a way it's a dream come true because it's a dream that we have really hoped for and we're thrilled. There is tears of joy. But really joy. We're excited.
FINNSTROM: Thanks so much for joining us. LAINE: Thank you for coming
FINNSTROM: A really neat event here. Some fund raising going on as well. At the end a number of pink balloons were released, kind of symbolizing a show of support for both Jaycee Dugard and her young daughters.
WHITFIELD: And Kara, roughly or generally about how far is this South Lake Tahoe, California, to the place that Phillip Garrido, the suspected kidnapper, suspected rapists, place of residence?
FINNSTROM: That's about a three-hour drive away from here. So, you know, a pretty good distance.
WHITFIELD: All right. Kara Finnstrom, thanks so much. South Lake Tahoe, California. All right. Police are trying to figure out if Phillip Garrido is linked to 1989 kidnappings and murders of two young children in Reno, Nevada. That was two years before Garrido allegedly kidnapped Jaycee Dugard near the Nevada-California border. Police say they don't know yet whether Garrido is linked to the earlier case but they say they'd be crazy not to consider it.
After a summer of setbacks, President Obama is hoping to jump start his health care initiative this week with a high stakes speech to Congress. CNN's Kate Bolduan is at the White House.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): President Obama returned from vacation to face a crucial week ahead in the health care debate. Top White House aides insist the president will spell out his specifics for reform when he speaks Wednesday to a joint session of Congress.
ROBERT GIBBS, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: They'll leave that speech knowing exactly where the president stands, exactly what he thinks we have to do to get health care done.
BOLDUAN: At the same time, CNN has learned the White House is quietly talking about drafting its own health care bill, a kind of contingency legislation. And is leaning toward a plan that would trigger a public insurance option only if health care reforms failed to meet certain goals. White House officials dodged questions Sunday about whether the president would sign a bill that doesn't include a public option.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He believes the public option is a good tool. Now, it shouldn't define the whole health care debate, however.
BOLDUAN: It's a contentious issue that has the White House squeezed from the right and the left.
REP. MAXINE WATERS (D), CALIFORNIA: We need credible, comprehensive, universal health care with a good robust public option now. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think if the Democrats embrace the public option even in the form of the trigger they're going to shoot themselves in the foot.
BOLDUAN: Political analysts say there's a lot riding on the president's short visit this week to Capitol Hill.
STU ROTHERBERG, POLITICAL ANALYST: He can talk about, you know, various alternatives and ideas. But at the end of the speech, it seems to me folks on Capitol Hill and around the country have to have a much clearer idea what kind of a bill he feels he needs to sign.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
BOLDUAN: And recent numbers show that the president has some hard work ahead there. According to a CNN Opinion Research Corporation Poll, a majority of Americans say they feel more secure under the current health care system than with the president's proposal. Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Kate Bolduan at the White House. Thank you.
BOLDUAN: Of course.
WHITFIELD: And you can watch President Obama's address on health care reform before a joint session of Congress right here on CNN. Also get analysis from the best political team on television. 8:00 Eastern Wednesday night, right here on CNN.
Another test for the Obama White House. The president's televised message for school kids facing an angry backlash from many parents. The administration now plans to release the transcript of the planned speech tomorrow. Here is some of what people are saying.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE GUTMANN, JR., LAW & GOVERNMENT TEACHER: The president talking to students, you know, the embrace of technology as a young student, I would have been so excited as a kid to have the president talk to me. So I think it's a great opportunity for our students. And we're going to embrace it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Trying to bring his views all into the school. And, you know, with the school kids and things. So, no, I don't think it's a good idea for him to do that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: You don't have to be in school to see President Obama's speech to kids, who is tuned in to CNN. Again, we'll carry it live, noon Eastern, on Tuesday.
The announcement came in the middle of the night. In the middle of a holiday weekend. White House environmental adviser Van Jones has resigned. Jones insists that he's the victim of a vicious smear campaign, but he's quitting to avoid becoming a distraction. He was under heavy fire by conservatives who accused him of having extremist views. They point to a petition he signed back in 2004 suggesting that Bush administration officials may have allowed the 9/11 attacks. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs reacted to the Jones' resignation this morning.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GIBBS: What Van Jones decided was that the agenda of this president was bigger than any one individual. The president thanks Van Jones for his service in the first eight months and helping to coordinate renewable energy jobs that are going to lay the foundation for our future -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did the president want him to go?
GIBBS: Well, the president and the CEQ accepted his resignation because Van Jones, as he said in his statement, understood that he was going to get in the way of the president and ultimately this country moving forward on something as important as creating jobs in a clean energy economy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: And earlier today I talked with CNN's senior White House correspondent Ed Henry about the Jones' resignation.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Is this an indication that the White House is kind of acquiescing to pressure or did the White House asked Van Jones to resign?
ED HENRY, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think they pretty much did give into the pressure. It had been building for days. The White House hadn't really pushed back very hard. They kind of let this fester. And some of the comments have been that Van Jones had made were just kind of beyond the pale.
Even people in the White House privately acknowledge, especially signing on to that petition for this group that essentially was charging several years ago that Bush era officials knew about 9/11 and sort of let it happened and let this terror attacks happen for their own political reasons. People inside the White House very high up realized that this gentleman was not going to survive that and they didn't want the president being tied to that.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Ed Henry there.
The search for fraud in Afghanistan's presidential election leads to ballots being tossed. Maybe tens of thousands of votes simply thrown out.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) WHITFIELD: A bomb blast today in Afghanistan killed a U.S. service member. Six Americans have been killed in Afghanistan in the past six days alone. 51 lost their lives there last month. That's the highest monthly total since the war began nearly eight years ago. Afghan president Hamid Karzai is close to winning a second term. But Afghanistan's controversial election is still under a microscope as claims of election fraud continue.
CNN's Atia Abawi reports from Kabul.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ATIA ABAWI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on-camera): The IEC, the Independent Election Commission released more results today from August 20th presidential elections. They say they tallied around 74 percent of the country's votes. President Hamid Karzai, the incumbent has a comfortable lead of 48 percent of those votes counted has named rivals Dr. Abdullah Abdullah was around 32 percent of the votes. The IEC also stating that they had to throw out votes from 447 different polling stations because of fraud.
This has been an election marred with fraud even before Election Day. The ECC, the Electoral Complaints Commission, receiving over 2,000 complaints, nearly 600 considered priority a, meaning strong enough that they could actually effect the outcome.
DAOUD ALI NAJAFI, INDEPENDENT ELECTION COMM. (through translator): The Independent Election Commission has been completely impartial and neutral in activities and then fulfilling its duties throughout the process.
ABAWI: Just yesterday Dr. Abdullah held a press conference where he again was pointing the finger toward the Karzai campaign for fraud.
(on camera): This time also towards the IEC saying they were also engaged in fraud. The IEC has denied those allegations. So has President Karzai's campaign. President Karzai's campaign say that they're not speaking up at the moment because they would rather have the institutions handle the situation rather than interfering with democracy.
Atia Abawi, CNN, Kabul.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: CNN's Anderson Cooper takes you inside Afghanistan all this coming week. Reporting live from the battle zone. "AC 360" airs weeknights 10:00 Eastern.
China says people convicted of syringe attacks could face the death penalty. Police arrested 21 people last week in western China on suspicion of stabbing others with hypodermic needles. Five people have died in recent protests separately when demonstrators clashed with police. The protesters were demanding more police protection, and a crackdown on the native Muslim Uighurs. Protesters blame them for the attack. This part of China has been wracked by ethnic violence between the Uighurs and millions of Chinese Hun who have moved there from other parts of the country.
Remember the 1970s blockbuster movie "Jaws" ? Well, we'll tell you why some beaches in New England are closed this weekend.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: The beaches of Chatham, Massachusetts, are quieter than usual this Labor Day weekend. It's not because of the weather. It's the recent great white shark sightings off the coast of Cape Cod.
Amalia Barreda with CNN affiliate WCVB has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
AMALIA BARREDA, WCVB REPORTER: Environmental police had a busy day in the waters off Chatham, patrolling the area where sharks have been spotted since Thursday. The state's top shark expert had what he calls one of the best days in his career, tagging two great white sharks with a modified harpoon dart. The first ever tagged in the Atlantic. Greg Skomal says the tags that use satellite-based technology will reveal crucial information in the coming months.
GREG SKOMAL, MASS. SHARK RESEARCH PROGRAM: The behavior, the ecology of these sharks is information we need in order to adequately manage them, conserve them, set up rules and regulations as a fisheries agency.
BARREDA: One of the great whites was tagged within 75 yards of a popular Chatham beach, prompting town officials to close all beaches.
SKOMAL: It's a common occurrence for these sharks to be in our waters. Swimmers should be aware of that. And that they should use appropriate caution.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What did you do?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Shark?
BARREDA: Throughout the Cape meanwhile, there's been no shortage of shark jokes.
(on camera): Do you know what the danger is to be wearing that cap in shark-infested waters in Massachusetts?
BRIAN PATRICK FAGIN, TOURIST: Well, we have sharks in New Jersey, too. The ones that can really hurt you are the loan sharks.
BARREDO (voice-over): The sightings have even helped businesses like Monomoy Island Excursions out of Harwich Port. The captain says people are calling, asking not only about seeing seals, which are a favorite shark meal, but about being taken to the area where the sharks have been spotted.
PETER SPALT, BOAT CAPTAIN: Shark sightings have helped our business. More people are asking about it and they do come out to see if they can see a great white. (END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: It's too bad, Jacqui Jeras at the weather center because the weather has been beautiful there but -
JACQUI JERAS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: I know.
WHITFIELD: Oh, boy. There's that music.
JERAS: We had Yani and we had Bill. So you didn't get the beaches, like, the last two weekends.
WHITFIELD: I know, and sometimes you don't even need to see the shark, but just hear that music and you don't want to get in the water.
JERAS: Does it make you shiver a little bit?
WHITFIELD: "Jaws," yes.
JERAS: Isn't it like everybody's greatest fear?
WHITFIELD: I know. It really is. We're going to talk some more about "Jaws" and this sighting in New England a little bit later on in our chat room of what's going on in Chatham, Massachusetts.
JERAS: You know, I'm going to have a hard time getting in the water anywhere after your story.
WHITFIELD: You know, they're always out there. It's just the differences when they are seen and when caught on videotape or, you know, then people realize, oh, yes, this is the ocean.
JERAS: Yes.
WHITFIELD: It's where they are.
JERAS: Uh-huh. That's their home, not ours, right.
WHITFIELD: That's right.
JERAS: something to think about. Anyway, if you're thinking about going on the beach and out in the water across the northeast. We have some really very beautiful conditions really overall, here. I want to go ahead and show you what the temperatures have been doing. It's almost a little on the cool side. Look at that. We're still looking at 60s.
WHITFIELD: Yes. That's too cool for me.
JERAS: Boston. New York City, 72 degree. It's not too terrible, right? Philadelphia, about 71 there. You head up into Maine, and we're still looking at some 60s, too. So, you know, a little bit on the chilly side. You don't want to complain -
WHITFIELD: Just a little too cool to get into the water. JERAS: Exactly.
WHITFIELD: That's what I'm saying but otherwise that still feels good.
JERAS: So have your backyard barbecue, instead. That's what I'm saying, you know, make the best of it. Do what you got to do. All right. We do have some showers and thundershowers going on the coast of the Carolinas, North Carolina in particular. A little wet and into South Carolina. We've also been seeing some occasional showers and thunderstorms along the beaches, especially along the Atlantic coast here in Florida. Stormy weather on occasion along the I-10 corridor.
Coming widespread across southern Mississippi right now. So you're having a little bit of trouble there. Things are kind of popping up in the nation's midsection. But it's really hit or miss. Not everybody's getting it. Denver Metro area looking at some light rain showers coming into your neighborhood. And then the real steady rain where some of the worst weather in the country is for the weekend, unless you like to stay indoors and get the fireplace going instead of the grill, right?
Seattle and down into the Portland area, we got a live picture to show you from KING TV, our affiliate in Seattle. And there you see the overcast skies. Rain expected today. Temperatures lucky to get into the mid-60s. Probably going to be about 61 this afternoon. And snow in the higher elevations. We did get a couple of feet.
WHITFIELD: oh, my gosh.
JERAS: I know.
WHITFIELD: It's going to be a long winter there, something tells me.
JERAS: You know, it's kind of always that way.
WHITFIELD: Oh, OK.
JERAS: Isn't it?
WHITFIELD: Yes, I don't know. I'm thinking Labor Day?
JERAS: Well, it's September. It is a little more indicative of winter, certainly in the Pacific northwest. Tomorrow, of course, Labor Day. A lot of parades, a lot of celebrations and things like that taking place. We're going to see more widespread showers and thundershowers here across the Ohio River Valley. Still looking good in the northeast. Gulf Coast hit and miss again. So you should get the beach. But if you do see any of those thunderstorms make sure you go inside. And into the Pacific northwest, you're going to stay on the cool side and get a little breezy, too. Tropics. Just taking a peek at what's been going on here. We got a new wave coming off the coast of Africa. National Hurricane Center has put a medium probability of development on this. Saying, hey Fred, if it happens - WHITFIELD: I know.
JERAS: Do you know?
WHITFIELD: Well, I'm thinking about what you're going to say.
JERAS: What's the name?
WHITFIELD: Oh, wait a minute.
JERAS: Where are we?
WHITFIELD: Fred. That's it.
JERAS: Believe it or not. Fred would be the next one.
WHITFIELD: What was the last one? Oh, yes. Erika.
JERAS: Models are doing pretty good in pictures in terms of developing it but bringing it on a more northerly track. So as things continue with that wave, it could be Fred eventually. We'll let you know.
WHITFIELD: A force to be reckoned with.
JERAS: Stay away from us.
WHITFIELD: All right. Thank you, Jacqui. See you again in the chat room a little bit later.
Right now, time for some top stories.
San Diego chargers star linebacker Shawne Merriman is probably wishing Sunday was game day instead of jail day. The 25-year-old was arrested earlier this morning after his girlfriend, reality TV star Tila Tequila claimed that he attacked her. Merriman was booked into the San Diego County Jail on charges of battery and false imprisonment.
This Labor Day weekend is a working holiday for two of the astronauts aboard the International Space Station. Among the items on their to-do list today, installing some new station antennas.
And firefighters say they're making considerable progress in that massive wildfire that's been charring the hills above Los Angeles. The 11-day-old blaze is half contained now. It has blackened more than 250 square miles and made cash strapped California burn through more than $40 million. Trying to pull it out of this fire. Two firefighters have died.
All right. Let the battle begin. The battle to put a new senator in a spot that hadn't changed hands in some 47 years.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: A week after Senator Ted Kennedy's funeral, there's plenty of jockeying, but no real front-runner in the Senate race to replace him, or is there? Let's talk to - there we go. Let's talk to Hillary Chabot there about some Massachusetts politics. Good to see you. She's a "Boston Herald" state house bureau chief. OK. I wonder if people have been a little reluctant to throw their hat in the ring, express, you know, real interest in this given that Senator Kennedy was buried just a week ago?
HILLARY CHABOT, "BOSTON HERALD": Well, I think - I think to some extent, yes. To another extent, because this special election is so short, many of them are going right ahead, certainly local attorney General Martha Coakley has already announced and she's in. Because she really needs to raise some money for this race. But you're right. It's a very delicate political situation for many of the candidates. They've got to decide how quickly they want to get in and they've also got to decide whether they want to contend with potentially another Kennedy.
WHITFIELD: OK. So Coakley's in. U.S. congressman Steven Lynch, conservative, possibly in, too. And then there's talk of Joe Kennedy.
CHABOT: Right.
WHITFIELD: How serious might he be about this?
CHABOT: Well, it's really hard to know. Pretty much he's talked to lots of former colleagues and friends throughout this entire week. It's sort of been Joe Kennedy watch for all the local newspapers. And as he calls them and figures out what exactly he wants to do. He's obviously got a lot going for him. He's got the name. He's got a good amount of money. But when he left Congress about 10 years ago, he sort of seemed like he didn't want to come back. So he's got to deal with that and answer some questions about that if he does decide to jump back in.
WHITFIELD: OK. And just pull that screen back up again. Because we saw two other figures. You just mentioned the first two. But is it Capuano?
CHABOT: Yes, Capuano. Michael Capuano. Yes. He would probably defer to Kennedy. So I think there's a lot of waiting to see what Joe Kennedy is going to do. Also, another U.S. representative Ed Marquee is also waiting to see.
WHITFIELD: And Schilling?
CHABOT: Say again?
WHITFIELD: And Schilling?
CHABOT: Yes. Curt Schilling. Well, I think he -
WHITFIELD: But I thought he already kind of took himself out before he put himself in?
CHABOT: Exactly. Yes, Schilling is not waiting for Kennedy, he is just sort of I think he likes to see his name out there. I certainly think he likes to discuss his own politics. But I think most people get the sense that he's probably not going to be running.
WHITFIELD: And so what about people in general? Are they anxious to get this horse race going? Massachusetts, a big political state. Folks usually salivate over a good race. But in this case is it a little difficult for people to be excited about someone who might - who would be replacing Senator Kennedy?
CHABOT: Well, I think everybody who runs has to walk this delicate line. But I do think that everybody admits, they can't fill Senator Kennedy's shoes. It's just impossible. But I know because the senator had such a long illness, he was diagnosed over a years ago, a lot of candidates unfortunately, as much as they wouldn't like to admit, has been looking at this seat for over a year. And so they sort of are able to say where they're coming from. I think they're very eager to get this race under way and get going and try and get some work done, I guess, for the people of Massachusetts.
WHITFIELD: And it's still unclear whether it will be a special election. That's not until, what, January? Or if the governor might be able to be a little convincing and be really serious about maybe an interim appointment?
CHABOT: Well, it will be a special election. The final day will be January 19th. No matter what, we will have the special election. What they're looking at is to have a temporary appointment. Somebody who can sit in there until we choose and the voters have their say. So that is still what's up in the air. They're going to be having a public hearing on Beacon Hill this week about that and they're going to have all sorts of heavy hitters, National, Senator Kerry is going to be there to come in and talk about it and support it.
WHITFIELD: Any leanings toward that temporary appointment?
CHABOT: Yeah. It seems as though folks on Beacon Hill are warming up to it. I think a lot of lawmakers are reluctant because they sort of voted to do something very different only four years ago or a little bit over four years. So that's what's making -- you know, keeping them indecisive. But it looks more and more like they're going to go ahead and have the temporary appointment.
WHITFIELD: Hillary Chabot, sorry to cough in your ear. But I couldn't suppress that cough. Thanks so much. Appreciate it. Of course, we'll be talking again over the coming weeks to see exactly what happens.
CHABOT: Thanks for having me.
WHITFIELD: All right. Washington State University is dealing with a nasty dose of the swine flu. More than 2,000 students got sick with the h1n1 virus during the first two weeks of school. No deaths have been reported. And no students have actually been hospitalized. The school is dulling out free flu kits. There's also free hand sanitizer at the concession stands during yesterday's Stanford Washington State football game.
The head for Centers of Disease Control and Prevention is confident in the safety of the new swine flu vaccine. He said his kids will get a shot when the vaccine is available come this fall.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. THOMAS FRIEDEN, CDC DIRECTOR: This is a flu vaccine that is made in the same way the flu vaccine is made every year. It's a new strain. Every year we add new strains into the flu vaccine. The way it's being made, the content of it is similar to the flu vaccine that literally hundreds of millions of doses have been given. My kids are going to get this vaccine when it becomes available. We have very high confidence in the safety of influenza vaccination.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: All right. Countless volunteers took part in clinical trials of the swine flu vaccine. Among them with the Hendi children of Frederick, Maryland. Their father is a pediatrician. I spoke with the entire family about what it was like preparing to test the unknown.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD (voice over): Dr. Hendi, let me begin with you. You're a pediatrician. I'd like to know, was the family influenced by your point of view on whether the h1n1 vaccine, the trial, was something to take part in or was this an independent decision that your children, Sarah and Josh, made?
DR. NIMA HENDI, PEDIATRICIAN: I think we all made the decision together. Of course, me being a pediatrician did help influence it. You know, unfortunately, I'm one of the people that have to see all the children that get really sick from even the seasonal flu. One of the most important things that we do as pediatricians and primary care doctors is preventative care. Probably the most effective part of that is vaccines. I was very happy to be able to enroll my children in this vaccine study to get them protected as soon as possible.
WHITFIELD: I can't wait to talk to Sarah and Josh. But Jamie, let me speak with you real quick about your concerns. Did you have any trepidation about your kids being part of a clinical trial?
JAMIE HENDI, CHILDREN IN H1N1 VACCINE TRIAL: Not really. I thought that the risk of them getting the swine flu would far outweigh the risk of the shot. It was really a no brainier for me. Also the fact that my husband, because he is a pediatrician and he was really urging for the kids to do it, that also made the decision much easier.
WHITFIELD: Were there kids in your kids' schools, say, last year, when h1n1 was introduced to a lot of us for the first time, were any of them infected last year? Any friends of your kids? Or schoolmates of your kids?
J. HENDI: We did know two kids this summer that probably had it from a summer camp. And the one friend that went to camp with my kids was out for about a week. So my kids did get to see that firsthand. It was really, really sick. And his brother was really sick, too.
WHITFIELD: OK. So, Sarah, let me begin with you, 9 years old. Give me an idea of what the trials have been like so far. What have you had to do? Did you get a shot already?
SARAH HENDI: Yeah. I only got one shot.
WHITFIELD: And did you feel anything afterwards? Did you feel sick or did you feel just fine? Do you feel any differently?
S. HENDI: No.
WHITFIELD: Were you nervous about taking this, being part of a trial?
S. HENDI: No.
WHITFIELD: Really? And so, Josh, what do you know about this h1n1 virus. Josh, you're 7. I'm wondering from you, do you know what's going on here, why you got another inoculation, why you got another shot?
JOSH HENDI: I only got one.
WHITFIELD: You got one. Do you have a pretty good understanding about why? What you're protecting yourself from?
JOSH HENDI: I don't know.
WHITFIELD: Well, as long as you're feeling OK now, right? And so Dr. Hendi, as long as the kids feel pretty at ease about this, they're not expressing that they feel discomfort at all, we are talking about a clinical trial, and a lot of folks who are waiting for this vaccine to be available in mid-October are saying they need the time to think about it. They're afraid they might get sick from the vaccine as opposed to being protected.
DR. HENDI: You know, it's an inactivated vaccine just like the seasonal flu shot. It's being made the same way, same side effect profile. Josh actually played football the night he got his first shot and he did pretty good. So, you know, it's no different. Parents should think of it no different than the seasonal flu shot. There'll just be two strains, two different types of flu going around this winter, seasonal flu and the swine flu.
WHITFIELD: Will they also get the regular flu shot, too, in addition to the clinical trial, the h1n1?
DR. HENDI: You can want get it at the same time they're going through their trials. The soonest possible time they can get it after the trial, they will. We've been giving it out at our practice the last three weeks at a pretty good rate. Those people getting their flu shot like they should.
WHITFIELD: I guess I should be asking, maybe I should ask first, you and your wife, have you both been part of the trials, too, or are you poised to get the vaccine?
DR. HENDI: I wanted to. Unfortunately, for the kids they come up to our practice, University of Maryland comes up to our practice to run the trials. For the adult studies you had to drive down to Baltimore five separate days and we just couldn't do it. Otherwise I would have loved to and I would have participated. One of our nurses --
WHITFIELD: Come October Jamie, are you planning on getting it or convincing your husband to?
J. HENDI: Absolutely. Absolutely will get the swine flu shot. No reservations at all.
WHITFIELD: OK. All right. Dr. Nima Hendi, Jamie Hendi, Sarah and Josh Hendi as well, thanks to all of you for participating in our conversation. Making us all a little smarter and getting a better understanding of what to expect if we so choose to get that vaccine come mid-October when it's available to everybody.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Despite some scary projections, most Americans think the U.S. has a handle on the h1n1 virus. In a new CNN opinion research poll, 59 percent say the government can stop an h1n1 epidemic, 40 percent don't agree, 66 percent plan to get vaccinated, and 32 percent say they'll skip the shot altogether.
CNN.com has a special section devoted to h1n1, included is Dr. Sanjay Gupta's guide for parents on how to deal with a child who has the virus and how to protect them. Go to CNN.com and click on h1n1. What started as a missing boy case in Pennsylvania is being treated like a homicide case now. The body of 4-year-old Wyatt Smitsky was found Saturday in a septic tank near his home. An autopsy was done today, but the coroner says more tests are needed to determine exactly how the boy died. Police say they expect to file charges once final results are in.
And a young boy who was missing for two years in a child custody case has turned up. Illinois police say he has been hiding with his mother in a tiny secret room in his grandmother's house. The boy's mother is charged with felony child abduction and the grandmother is charged with aiding and abetting. Authorities don't think the boy or his mother left the house during those two years at all.
A look at other top stories now. Health care, education, and 9/11 figure prominently in President Obama's agenda this week. He'll push health care reform at a rally in Cincinnati tomorrow and in a joint session of Congress on Wednesday. Tuesday he'll stress the importance of education to the nation's school kids. On Friday he'll pay a visit, a special visit, to the Pentagon for a 9/11 memorial. Saying he's a victim of a vicious smear campaign, White House environmental adviser Van Jones has resigned. His exit comes after controversies over comments that he made about Republicans and a petition he signed suggesting the government may have allowed the 9/11 attacks.
At least nine people are dead after a ferry sank in the southern Philippines. Dozens more are missing. The Philippines Coast Guard transferred more than 900 people to safety on nearby ships. One passenger says he saw parents talking to children, to people on life boats when the ferry began to sink.
This coming Friday marks the eighth anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks. If it happens again, is the U.S. prepared? How safe are we? We're taking an in-depth look next Saturday, September 12th, during the 4:00 pm Eastern hour of the "CNN Newsroom" and we want to hear from you. Send us your questions, your comments to my Facebook page at Fredricka Whitfield CNN or Weekends@CNN.com or you can also leave a comment on my blog at CNN.com/fredricka. We want to hear from you about what you think the state of U.S. security is.
All right. You may look at hand washing a little differently after this. How common liquid soap that may be in your own cupboard is helping to repair the Bay Bridge.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Crews on the Bay Bridge have some tough work ahead. Take a look at live pictures right now from San Francisco/Oakland Bay area as the bridge gets a seismic retrofit. Workers are rushing to repair a significant crash in the steel link that helps hold up the eastern span of that bridge. They're trying to get it fixed before the Labor Day holiday is actually over and people get back to work.
So these time lapse photos right here that were taken as work crews discovered the crack in a steel support bar on the side of the bridge, if you look right there, traffic was halted Thursday as repair work got into full swing. A CalTran's spokesman describes that crack.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE FORNER, PRINCIPAL CONSTRUCTION ENGINEER, CALTRANS: The question is how big the crack is. The crack is significant, enough that you could see it from the ground. Its 120 feet in the air.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: So you might be surprised about one of the materials actually being used to get the Bay Bridge back in working order. Engineers are relying on gallons of Dove liquid soap. Dial Lynn (ph) with CNN's San Francisco affiliate KRON explains.
DIAL LYNN (ph), KRON (voice over): It's perhaps the biggest engineering feat for CalTran. Replacing a section of the Bay Bridge midair that weighs about 7,000 tons. Among the million dollar gadgets used, this is one of the major tools. That's right. Dove dish washing soap. A common household product that may be sitting near your kitchen sink. CalTrans engineers say liquid soap is cheap and it makes a great lubricant.
BART NEY, CALTRANS SPOKESMAN: These jacks they run on Teflon pads instead of wheels. They lubricate it with dish soap. So it's really slippery and slick, and there's no friction and it can move.
LYNN: The soap is being used to lubricate these two rails. Less friction means workers have an easier time sliding the old section out and rolling the new section in. CalTrans workers say the soap has been working like magic so far.
NEY: There are plenty of Dove dish washing soap to go around.
LYNN: Why Dove and not the other brand? Just like you it shopped around. Dove gave the agency the best deal. Workers say really any soap would do the trick. Not only is the soap soft on your hands, but engineers say it's also gentle on their rail system.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: That was Dial (ph) Lynn from KRON reporting. Some of the replacement sections that engineers will have to roll into place on the 70-year-old bridge weigh 3,600 tons.
Parts of busy Ventura Boulevard under water, take a look after a huge water main break in L.A.'s Studio City. Several homes had to be evacuated as thousands of gallons of gushing water flooded the strip there. It was several feet deep in some stretches. The water flow was stopped in the end after about four hours. The section of the Boulevard will be closed for at least a couple of days now.
No school on Monday for some kids in Georgia. We're not just talking about Labor Day. A growing list of schools where the three Rs are taught in just four days.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: A school superintendent in Georgia came up with a novel solution to a budget crisis. Instead of handing out pink slips to teachers, she decided to go to a four-day school week.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SUSAN CLARK, PEACH COUNTY, GEORGIA SCHOOL SUPT: I was devastated. I'm sure I speak probably for every superintendent in the state of Georgia.
WHITFIELD (voice over): Susan S. Clark is school superintendent in Rural Peach County, Georgia. In July, public schools in Georgia got some bad news. As the state grappled with a budget crisis, they were told to cut spending. Peach County suddenly had a shortfall of nearly $800,000.
CLARK: Do I want to shut the buildings down and take the bulk of my savings and energy and transportation, or do I want to lay off 39 people.
WHITFIELD: So Peach County decided to try something new to Georgia a four day school week. For all 4,000 students in Peach County, no school on Monday. The county estimates it will save $400,000 by closing school buildings and parking school buses. It's saving a similar amount with a three-day furlough for all staff.
NANCY HARPER, PARENT: When they first said that we were going to a four day week, I thought this is crazy.
WHITFIELD: Nancy Harper whose daughter is a third grader at Byward (ph) Elementary wasn't happy.
HARPER: I planned out what I was going to do. When you make a budget and you've got your finances in a budget and you've got it fixed, all of a sudden they threw a monkey wrench in it.
WHITFIELD: Parents are now left trying to keep their kids occupied or cared for on Mondays. Some got lucky. Thanks to Jesse Fortson the pastor of Byron Baptist Church.
RE#V. JESSE FORTSON, BYRON BAPTIST CHURCH: We sat down and decided to put together a program on Mondays. It's extremely low cost. We just don't want to do child care.
WHITFIELD: That helps a few dozen students. A group of moms came up with another plan.
MITZI MCDANIEL, PARENT: Several of us are getting together, getting our children together on Mondays and letting the children experience things they sometimes can't learn in school. We're just making the best out of a delicate situation right now. We talk about anything from the seven continents to the five oceans, counting, anything that are age appropriate exercises.
WHITFIELD: Susan Clark says there are no easy options. She believes she took the least damaging course.
CLARK: Are you willing to take the risk to do what you believe is in the best interest of the children or not?
WHITFIELD: There may be more tough choices ahead. The county expects further budget cuts in January.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Four day school weeks were introduced in the 1970s. They've been pretty popular in rural areas where long bus routes result in high transportation costs. In Colorado alone about 60 districts are on a four-day school schedule.
All right. What in the world and why are they dressed up? It's not even Halloween.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: All right. This is when the NEWSROOM becomes the "Chat Room." Jacqui and I talk about all kinds of interesting things. What's more interesting than "Jaws"?
JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Sharks in the water.
WHITFIELD: Or a great white.
It is serious. Thankfully, folks are staying out of the water. They're heeding the warning. Seeing that big great white, that's convincing enough to me, I'm out.
JERAS: Yeah.
WHITFIELD: It makes us all think about "Jaws," that 1970s movie. It's classic. It's great.
JERAS: Not too far from where this actually is happening.
WHITFIELD: You told me that yesterday. I was thinking the New Jersey coast. But you were absolutely right.
JERAS: Martha's Vineyard.
WHITFIELD: Martha's Vineyard. I couldn't wait to look up a little bit more after you said that. So the extras in that movie, how much do you think they were paid?
JERAS: When was it filmed? '74.
WHITFIELD: Yeah. How much do you think?
JERAS: $65,
WHITFIELD: $65. A lot of folks who were on the beach and the boat house, the famous boat house where they were talking about how we're going to get this shark and all that. The town said, OK. You can build that boat house. They wanted it there particularly because the water was about 35 feet deep. Spielberg and others who were part of the movie, they knew that was shallow enough for the mechanical shark. They said you can build the boat house, but you have to dismantle it when the movie's gone.
JERAS: So it's not there anymore.
WHITFIELD: Right.
JERAS: We just hope we don't have real life "Jaws."
WHITFIELD: You walk around Atlanta this weekend and start thinking about other movies like "Star Wars." Why? Dragoncon, a festival or conference, sci-fi --
JERAS: It's crawling with people all over the place.
WHITFIELD: People are into it. It's serious. Not even Halloween. They dress up in all sorts of --
JERAS: They're into it.
WHITFIELD: But the cool thing, it really is a family affair. People of all ages who are into it.
JERAS: My 5-year-old likes to dress up.
WHITFIELD: Maybe next year.
JERAS: Maybe not. It's more than just dressing up, right? It's huge for gaming and sci-fi and fantasy. They've got comics and a lot of authors come to this.
JERAS: A lot of fun. Especially on the holiday weekend.
WHITFIELD: OK, this was a lot of fun, too. Take a look right now. Take a look at these nuptials. The bride gets the giggles here. Why?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): I've been scared of this all my life.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: It's a good thing everybody had a great sense of humor about it. This is Andrew and his bride Melissa, well, he forgot his, you know, apparently he was trying to say.
JERAS: My lawfully wedded wife and ended up saying my waffley wedded wife.
WHITFIELD: Maybe she was nervous, too. She gets the giggles, and it's all over.
JERAS: You can see it on YouTube.
WHITFIELD: We're all over, too. Thanks a lot, Jacqui. And I'm Fredricka Whitfield.
