Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Petraeus Takes Command; "A Whale" to Help; Star-Spangled Celebration in D.C.

Aired July 04, 2010 - 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: It is official, General David Petraeus formally assumes command in Afghanistan and today he talked about strategy, challenges and his controversial predecessor.

And surviving a bad economy, people across the country are doing it in some pretty innovative ways. We will tell you how they're building up America.

And a July 4th tradition, Nathan's famous hot dog eating contest, well, find out who won and why a former champion was hauled off by police.

You are in the CNN NEWSROOM where the news unfold live this Sunday, July 4th. I'm Fredricka Whitfield.

All right. They are trying out a new weapon in the fight to control the BP oil spill. It's a ship called the "A Whale" and true to its name, it is said to be the world's largest skimming vessel. It can reportedly skim 21 million gallons of oil a day and it is being tested in the gulf this weekend.

CNN producer was Paul Vercammen was on board the skimmer and he joins us now from Houma, Louisiana where it's very rainy and quite miserable.

PAUL VERCAMMEN, CNN PRODUCER: Well, basically, we were able to get up in the air before the skies opened up here in Houma and take an aerial tour of that skimmer called "A Whale." We had been on that vessel earlier in the week and let me tell you, it's massive, Fredricka.

It's 3 1/2 football fields long and one football field wide. The reason they are pinning so much hope on "A Whale," this is what they are testing right now. It is so utterly massive that they think that near the source of the leak, "A Whale" can go in there and they say skim up to possibly 400,000 barrels of oil a day. It is that big of a ship.

Quite an international spirit of cooperation here. Because this ship is owned by a Taiwanese shipping magnet. The crew is from India and it's registered to Liberia. It was retro fitted to try to skim oily water in Portugal. So indeed it was built in South Korea and you have a lot of countries with a vested interest and hoping that "A Whale" works. And the strategy again would be to put it very close to the source of the leak and grab as much oil as it can before any of that oil can get anywhere near shore and shore birds and into, of course, the marine life in the surface below. So this is something they are testing this weekend. Trying to make sure they can do it. The biggest concern is maneuverability. Can "A Whale" navigate in and around all those other operations that BP ongoing to clean up the spill?

Most notably, of course, they are burning off a lot of oil. The folks who are "A Whale" think they can do it because the ship has these super thrusters. It was built just this year and they say the super thrusters will increase its maneuverability, Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: And so Paul, when will the actual determination be made?

VERCAMMEN: They have not set a time table for that. The seas are a little rough out there and the Coast Guard has said that the testing is not complete. I would imagine it would be later sometime this week. But for the most part, what they are doing is that they're making progress on this and making sure that "A Whale" won't be more cumbersome than it is to help.

WHITFIELD: Got you. All right. Paul Vercammen, CNN producer joining us from Houma, Louisiana. Thanks so much. A very rainy, miserable weekend there.

All right. Let's go overseas now. Taking over in Afghanistan, General David Petraeus is officially in charge. At a ceremony this morning, he assumed command of the NATO-led international security force. He also offered this reminder of the mission at hand.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEN. DAVID PETRAEUS, CMDR., NATO FORCES AFGHANISTAN: As each of you knows well, we are engaged in a tough fight. After years of war, we have arrived at a critical moment. We must demonstrate to the Afghan people and to the world that Al Qaeda and its network of extremist allies will not be allowed to once again establish sanctuaries in Afghanistan from which they can launch attacks on the Afghan people and on freedom-loving nations around the world.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: ISAF boasts around 120,000 international troops, but the majority are from the U.S. and CNN's Atia Abawi caught up with some of those U.S. troops as they celebrated the fourth at Bagram Air Base, outside Kabul.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): General David Petraeus official took command of ISAF forces on the fourth of July in a ceremony held in Kabul, but independence day celebrations are here at Bagram Air Field where service members are trying to have a little fun with a dunk tank, a barbecue, music, and this. It's a little bit of fun for the troops here in Afghanistan having a little piece of America in Afghanistan.

CAPT. BRIDGETTE SCOTT, U.S. ARMY: It feels different. We are aware that there is a war going on. At the same time, we are all here serving the same thing. I mean, we deserve to celebrate too. So, but it's fun. We're having a great time.

MASTER SGT. MICHAEL VARNO, U.S. AIR FORCE: We can't really do live fireworks here. So we're not going to see a fireworks show, but I hope we don't see a fireworks show. But I'm going to miss hanging out with my family and watching fireworks and having a good time, watching parades and stuff. So my family most.

DAMON: The festivities ended with good food and good company. And although the troops do miss their family and friends, they say they are proud to be serving their country on their independence day.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: In the meantime, General Petraeus backed President Obama's plans to start drawing down troops in Afghanistan by this time next year, but he also says the plan depends on conditions on the ground. Afghanistan's ambassador to the U.S. talked about the time table this morning on CNN's "STATE OF THE UNION WITH CANDY CROWLEY."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN ANCHOR: Is the U.S. deadline of beginning to pull out troops in July of next year helpful to Afghanistan?

SAID JAWAD, AFGHAN AMBASSADOR TO THE U.S.: No. Frankly not, for two reasons. First, if you over emphasize the deadline that is not realistic, you are making the enemy a lot more, you are prolonging the war. That deadline should be realistic and the deadline should be based on the reality on the ground. And we should give a clear message to the enemy, to the terrorist who are a threat to everyone that the United States, NATO and Afghans are there to finish this job.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Vice president Joe Biden is spending the fourth in Iraq. He is meeting with Iraqi officials to discuss the country's political future. Biden met with party leaders who are vying to run the new Iraqi government. He also found time to have a little holiday lunch with the U.S. troops there. A burger and fries for the VP. It is Biden's second straight fourth of July holiday in Iraq.

All right. Meantime, a very festive fourth in the nation's capital, of course, complete with a concert featuring that superstar right there. Reba McEntire. And I had a chat with her in between rehearsals before the big show and you want to hear what she has to say.

First, but first some U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan are, of course, sharing some heartfelt greetings for their families on this fourth of July weekend.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CPL. MATTHEW MILES, U.S. MARINES: Hi, everybody. I'm Corporal Matthew Miles from (INAUDIBLE) Wisconsin, here in Afghanistan and doing good. I just want to say happy fourth of July for everybody at home. Drink some beer and have a good time. Talk to you guys later.

SPEC. JIM MOORE, U.S. ARMY: Greetings from (INAUDIBLE), this is Specialist Jim Moore and I just want to say happy fourth of July to all my friends and family back home, my little girl, Shelby Lee and my girlfriend (INAUDIBLE) and her son, Adam. I love you guys, have a good one.

CAPT. NATHANIEL MINOTT, U.S. ARMY: Hi. I'm Captain Nathan Minott with 24480A. I'm here in Kabul, Afghanistan wishing my family back in Clarksville, Tennessee a happy fourth of July.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: On this fourth of July, as we celebrate in this country and we also understand that Vice president Joe Biden is in Iraq visiting with U.S. troops there. We understand this information just in. Three mortar rounds struck inside the green zone there in Baghdad. We understand no one has been hurt. The green zone, as you know, houses Iraqi government offices as well as the U.S. embassy.

The district was a frequent target of rocket and mortar attacks during the war that followed the U.S. invasion there back in 2003. But this just happening now. We don't know any of the circumstances surrounding the mortar attacks, just that it has happened there inside the green zone in Baghdad. We will keep you posted on that.

In the meantime, here in this country, a star spangled celebration in the nation's capital in particular. A parade, concert and fireworks all of that was on tap for this fourth of July, on the national mall.

Our Sandra Endo is there enjoying the festivities, you've got big crowds there, people have been pouring out all day long. And I know it's really hot and that has not kept people away.

SANDRA ENDO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I know, Fred, look at this, I'm in the thick of it all right now and this is where people have staked out their position to get a good look at the fireworks show later tonight. We are just steps away from the Washington Monument and you can see there and that is where all the fireworks will be set off later this evening.

As you mentioned there's going to be a concert headlined by Reba McEntire who you spoke with yesterday as well as hosted by Jimmy Smith. So a lot of entertainment here for a lot of people who have come out to celebrate the nation's birthday today and to be honest, it is blazing hot. So I've hung out with a family with the best spot here. Check this out. Red, white and blue picnic blanket, a tent, the Candida (ph) family, originally from San Diego, the first time though that you've been really camping out. Here to watch the fireworks. Why did you decide guys to come out here today? You came out pretty early to get this prime spot, right?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, we have been out here since 10:30 this morning. And we decided to be out here because we are usually on the West Coast for the summers and what better place to do this on the East Coast than here.

ENDO: Yes, how are you handling the heat?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's not a problem for me. I'm enjoying it out here with my son. So it can't get better than this. So I'm loving it.

ENDO: So, Vincent, this is your first time watching the fireworks from here. You're nine years old, here in the nation's capital. What does the fourth of July mean to you?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To me, it's just normal.

ENDO: A normal day.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just a normal fourth day of the month.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a special day.

ENDO: It's special, right? You get to see the fireworks. What are you looking forward to?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mostly the fireworks and I get to light these things up.

ENDO: Yes, nice. They have their snacks, drinks, keeping hydrated in this heat and honestly the best spots, I'm going to hang out here, Fred, until the show begins.

WHITFIELD: You got a good spot there. That's perfect and perfect vantage point. Well, happy fourth to everybody there.

ENDO: All right. You got it.

WHITFIELD: Of course, Sandra mentioned that one of the headliners for tonight's big concert there on the mall is Reba McEntire and she took time out in between her rehearsals to talk with me about her decades long career.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

REBA MCENTIRE, SINGER: I get to sing two of my most favorite ballads "God Bless America" and "O Beautiful."

WHITFIELD: Oh, fantastic. And at the same time, during the festivities, you're going to be awarded this National Artistic Achievement Award, is that right.

MCENTIRE: Yes.

WHITFIELD: What's that going to feel like?

MCENTIRE: Well, it's a real heavy bowl. I did get to see it already and it's a huge honor for me, you know, to be here in Washington, D.C., to be performing on the capitol lawn on the fourth of July and then to receive an award for the things that we have done for the arts, it's a very special day for me tomorrow.

It will be also be a very emotional one. The band told me when they rehearsed earlier, they said get ready. Because when you sing the patriotic songs and you're looking up at the capitol, the tears are going to be just streaming.

WHITFIELD: You're so diverse and varied in your talents. And you have shared that with the public for decades now. That's sounds pretty astounding to hear that, for decades. How do you keep yourself so relevant?

MCENTIRE: Well, I do enjoy what I love to do. I'm so thankful that the fans have allowed me to be doing this for so many years. I like to stay busy. I love what I do and I like to be diversified, you know, to go to New York for "Annie Get Your Gun," doing the Broadway play, to do television, and then singing. It just - it keeps me out of trouble. That's the best thing to say.

I enjoy doing different things. A while back I did Aretha Franklin's "Respect." And everybody said, weren't you nervous doing that? I said, no, it's a great song. Why would anybody be nervous singing a great song? To go do Annie Oakley in "Annie Get Your Gun," I guess ignorance is bliss because I absolutely could not wait to get on stage. I wasn't nervous. I was anticipating every minute. Couldn't wait to get on stage. So it's just, I guess, it's curiosity that keeps me going, hanging out with my 20-year-old son, my stepchildren, my nieces and nephews. They're always keeping me up to date on what's going on.

WHITFIELD: So there is some collaboration there going on?

MCENTIRE: With the kids and everybody?

WHITFIELD: Yes, yes. They're telling you, you know what, you've got to do this. You know -

(CROSSTALK)

MCENTIRE: It does help, yes.

WHITFIELD: Maybe make suggestions.

MCENTIRE: They do. And I listen.

WHITFIELD: Before I let you go, I do want to ask you about comedy and what it feels like to be the subject of an "SNL" skit. It seems you have a great sense of humor about it with Kenan Thompson actually taking to the CMT Awards, they announced, you know, Reba McEntire. We actually have the videotape for that.

He steps out and you can kind of see the reaction of some people in the audience was like, "wait a minute. Am I supposed to laugh? Is this funny? What is this?" But then you showed up and you showed them you got a great sense of humor about all these.

MCENTIRE: Well, thank you very much. It was fun. Kenan was a blast to hang out with. He's such a gentleman. And it was just a little spoof. They had done it two, three times him impersonating me on "Saturday Night Live." We thought it would be great to bring it to my territory, on the CMT Awards. And just kind of acknowledge it. And I think it turned out great. I hope the fans understand that it was all done in fun. My feelings weren't hurt. Or I wasn't embarrassed by. It was all done in fun.

WHITFIELD: Oh, fantastic. Well, Reba McEntire, we know you have arrived a long time ago, but everybody else also knows when you're spoofed on "SNL" then you really have really arrived, right?

MCENTIRE: That's true.

WHITFIELD: Great. We'll be watching Capitol 4th. Thanks so much for your time in between rehearsals. And break a leg, as they say.

MCENTIRE: Thank you so much. Nice visiting with you. Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right. Thank you so much.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

Reba McEntire among others at the nation's capital tonight. Capital Fourth celebrations, fourth of July with the beautiful fireworks as the backdrop. All right. If you think today is hot, just wait. We will see how much longer the northeast heat wave will roll on and we will find out why a former champ was hauled off the hot dog eating stage today on Coney Island.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: A look at our latest headlines right now. A New York fisherman is recovering today from a shark bite. U.S. Coast Guard said the man was bitten on the arm yesterday while trying to remove a fishing hook from the shark's mouth. He had been fishing for blue sharks off of New York's Long Island.

And the second time proved to be the charm for a Russian cargo ship in outer space today, after overshooting the international space station by two miles on Friday. Today, the vessel docked with apparent ease. The progress is a resupply ship taking fuel, oxygen, scientific and photographic equipment to the floating observatory.

And back here on earth, about 55,000 runners battled against gravity and each other in the 41st Annual Peach Tree Road Race. An Ethiopian runner won beating a competitor from Kenya by just a half a step. Look at all those people there. Both finished the 6.2 mile race in under 28 minutes.

All right. Karen Maginnis in the weather center, it wasn't incredibly hot in the Atlanta are for that peach tree road race, was it today?

KAREN MAGINNIS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: No, it wasn't. It has been kind of cool. Mild actually. With temperatures overnighter in the 60s, that's very cool in Atlanta. Typically overnight lows are in the low to mid 70s. But take a look at this. And I don't know if you have been to see the ceremonial guard at the Tomb of the Unknown at Arlington, but it is amazing to see and it is done with such precision. They are wearing wool uniforms.

The temperature in Washington, D.C. is unbearable. It's 94 degrees and the next three days, Fred. the temperature is expected to be in the triple-digits each day.

WHITFIELD: Oh, my gosh.

MAGINNIS: New York City may come close to those triple digits. Boston simmering right now with 90 degrees and St. Louis is reporting 88 degrees. But yes, we saw several years ago when those temperatures were in the triple-digits all across the southeast. Now, the beaches are a different story. Look at this, specifically across Alabama. Orange Beach, no swimming. Gulf shores. Significant oiling. But we saw Ed Lavandera who reported that they went into a restaurant and there was a two-hour wait, at the beach, if you can imagine.

WHITFIELD: They've been thinking, if you can't go swimming, you might as well eat.

MAGINNIS: Exactly. Wow, that sounds like a good pastime to me. All right. One more thing I want to point out to you. And that is this forecast coming up for Washington, D.C., as I mentioned, triple- digits in the next several days and Thursday we are looking at 99. But I wouldn't be surprised. These are very close, Fred, to being record high temperatures. Low triple-digits and it's unbearable and it got watering restrictions around the area. It's a little insufferable during the month of July.

WHITFIELD: It really is. Those are the kind if temperatures that I mean, if you are in the Washington, D.C., area, people are used to them in August because August is sweltering. It's humid. It's unbearable but this is kind of early, I think.

MAGINNIS: And for it to last three to five day event is definitely a heat wave. differently. A five-day event is a heat wave.

WHITFIELD: Miserable. I know my family will stay inside with the AC. There you go. All right. Thanks so much. A surprising turn of events at the annual hot dog eating contest on Coney Island. This you couldn't have expected. A former champion, you see him there in the crowd, well, guess what, he got arrested. We will explain in a live report.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: Who knew there would be unexpected drama today at the annual fourth of July hot dog eating contest in New York's Coney Island. Well, Joey Chestnut won for the fourth year in a row. That part may not be a huge of a surprise. The man who usually is his closest competitor, Takeru Kobayashi was sidelined by a contract dispute this year, but guess what, he was in the crowd. There he is. Right there.

Then the crowd and police say - this is where the problem ensued. Kobayashi apparently tried to get on stage after the contest ended after Chestnut won. Kobayashi reportedly wanted to get on stage to show everybody how a true champion eats hot dogs. So guess what, he was arrested. He never got a chance to eat the dogs.

He faces charges now of resisting arrest, interfering with a police officer and disorderly conduct. So who is the hot dog now?

All right. Inspiring wounded troops just by being himself. Former Senator Bob Dole is on duty at Walter Reed. We will take a look at his influence next hour.

But up next, CNN's Tom Forman goes across the country to show us how regular people are finding innovative ways to survive the struggling economy. I will see you in about 30 minutes from now with more of the NEWSROOM.

So right now, let's begin "BUILDING UP AMERICA."