Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
Pope Expresses "Sorrow" for Scandal; Murkowski's Long Shot Bid; Bermuda Braces for Igor; Afghans Vote under Threat of Attack; Sarah Shourd Makes First Public Statement; Chilean Miners Celebrate, Wait; CarLashes: Accessory or Excess?
Aired September 18, 2010 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Now, from the CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING for this September the 18th. I am T.J. Holmes. I'm glad you are right here.
And Bermuda is bracing right now for that big sucker you see in the middle of your screen. That is Hurricane Igor. We will have a live report from Bermuda.
Also, Pope Benedict apologizing in Great Britain, for the church sex abuse scandal. We're also live in London for you this morning.
Give you a look at some of the other stories that are making headlines. Including out in Alaska's where after losing state's GOP primary, Alaska's incumbent U.S. Senator, Lisa Murkowski, announcing she'll start a write-in campaign, still trying to hold on to that seat.
We'll have more on this developing political story along with some analysis on her likelihood to succeed. That's coming your way in just a moment.
And also the polls now closed in Afghanistan; 2,500 candidates competing for 249 parliamentary seats in the country's fourth national election since 2004. Taliban militants called for a boycott of the election and in the first hours of voting, there were reports of scattered roadside bombings, and rocket attacks, including one right outside NATO headquarters in Kabul.
Nobody is hurt there. We'll have a live report from Afghanistan as well.
And BP's broken oil well in the Gulf of Mexico about to be dead for good. Today, BP officials pumped cement into the bottom of the well. Once the cement is set, the final pressure test will be conducted. If all is successful, the well will be officially declared dead. And we're done with this thing at least.
It ruptured five months ago as you know, causing the largest oil spill in U.S. history.
Well, Pope Benedict XVI expressing quote, "deep sorrow" for the child abuse scandal that rocked the Catholic Church. He talked about the controversy on the third day of his trip to Great Britain.
CNN's Phil Black is live for us in London.
Phil, hello to you once again, you're at the spot where a lot of people are coming to gather for his next public event.
PHIL BLACK, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Yes T.J., this is Hyde Park in London where the Pope's official day will end with a prayer vigil that is expected to be attended by around 80,000 people or so.
And I can tell you there are easily tens of thousands of people here already and the headliner, the Pope himself is still about three hours away or so away.
But it has been a busy day for the Pope. It started with a meeting with at -- a meeting with the British Prime Minister David Cameron, and other British political leaders then a mass at London's Westminster Cathedral. And it was there that he touched on that story that follows him everywhere, the child abuse scandal. He spoke of how everyone within the church feels shame and humiliation as what members of the clergy have done. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
POPE BENEDICT XVI: (INAUDIBLE) of the immense suffering caused by such abuse of children, especially (INAUDIBLE) the church by her ministers. Above all, I express my deep sorrow to the innocent victims of these unspeakable crimes along with my hope that the power of Christ, his sacrifice of reconciliation will bring deep healing and peace to their lives.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLACK: That's the Pope there speaking of his own sorrow at the abuse of children particularly within the church, being interpreted by some as an apology. But to the victims, some of them say, it's still not enough. And it hasn't had any effect on a big planned protest against the Pope today.
Currently, there are thousands of people marching through the streets of London protesting the church's response to the child abuse scandal but also other issues as well. Things like -- things like abortion, the church's opposition to that, contraception, female priests and so forth.
So thousands of people involved in that march. The organizers say around 10,000 or so. That's still perhaps a relatively small number compared to the 80,000 people we are expecting here in Hyde Park later today -- T.J.
HOLMES: All right, Phil Black covering things for us this morning. Phil, we appreciate you as always.
We want to turn now back to politics here in this country.
Alaska Senator, Lisa Murkowski, hopes to join the ranks. How are you doing there?
SHANNON TRAVIS, CNN POLITICAL PRODUCER: Hi there.
HOLMES: Shannon Travis, is standing in my camera shot. Now, this is Shannon Travis, one of our political producers here. I'll go ahead and bring you in because you are one who has covered this Lisa Murkowski story for some time.
You have covered what's happening in Alaska. You know a lot of people, I don't know, we kind of saw this coming but still a lot of people are still surprised. You lost the primary. They don't want you.
But now, she is trying another route to get on the ballot and get back her seat.
TRAVIS: Yes, Senator Murkowski seems to think that there are enough people who do want her which is exactly why she is mounting this write-in candidacy.
She conceded obviously a few weeks ago. I was there in Alaska, I've been covering that race then. And just the look of defeat that I saw on her face --
HOLMES: Yes.
TRAVIS: -- at the hands of conservatives at the hands of people, that -- who's ideals and ideology that she supported for a long time. But she said that -- since her concession, since her defeat in that primary that according to her, legions of Alaska voters have been contacting her and saying, "Lisa don't do it, get back in this race."
So she seems to think that there's a ground swell of support still out there for her, which is why she is doing this write-in candidacy.
HOLMES: And again, like you said, you -- you have talked to her or been around her, let me know if you recognize this woman. Let's play this for our audience here, a much different sounding Senator Murkowski from last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. LISA MURKOWSKI (R), ALASKA: We all know that I went back to Washington a couple of days ago. The land of negative nabobism, these outside interest groups like the Tea Party Express, the pundits, there's a lot of naysayers. All the political guys, some of my -- some of my fellow Republicans, they tell me that this can't be done, that this is a futile effort.
Well, perhaps it's one time that they met one Republican woman who won't quit on Alaska.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Now, is that the Lisa Murkowski you know -- talk about gloves coming off.
TRAVIS: That is not -- that is not the Lisa Murkowski that I have spoken with and probably not recognizable to a lot of other people but, hey, it's the Lisa Murkowski of now; this talk of fighting, fighting on, fighting for her seat to save her election.
You notice at the end of that sound bite --
HOLMES: Yes.
TRAVIS: -- that she said, I am going to be the one Republican woman who doesn't quit.
HOLMES: Yes.
TRAVIS: She didn't name names. But I should tell you --
HOLMES: She didn't have to.
TRAVIS: She didn't have to name names but she did say that back in 2009, when Governor Palin resigned -- or yes, resigned the governorship, that Murkowski said that she abandoned the state.
HOLMES: Yes.
TRAVIS: So was that a little dig at Palin? I'll let you --
HOLMES: I'll say it. Yes, I'll decide right now. Yes, of course it was.
TRAVIS: It could very well be. So it probably just bad blood that they have between them.
HOLMES: All right, now aside from all that, the trick here in trying to get on as a write-in candidate, people have to physically go in there and write down Murkowski.
TRAVIS: Yes.
It's really tricky, which is probably why it's only successfully been done once before --
HOLMES: Yes.
TRAVIS: -- back in 1954.
Her name won't be on the ballot. So people will literally have to write in Lisa Murkowski. Now, there is a little bit of latitude between maybe misspelling, if they misspell her name or if they write in Lisa M. The division of elections might say, OK, the intent was there for them to vote for her.
But if they just write L.M. or if the just write Lisa, will they rule out a ballot for her, this could get really messy I don't know if we'll being talking hanging chance (ph) like in Florida.
HOLMES: Oh, goodness.
TRAVIS: But this could get messy, but she is bringing her campaign back from the political dead because she feels like enough people will vote for her, will write in and fill in the bubble and that she can actually pull this off.
Will she split the Republican vote and hand it over to the Democrat? It's also a concern.
HOLMES: And they are hoping for it right now, the Democratic side, but you're right, this write-in part, you have to actually write the name and you have to fill in the oval next to it.
(CROSSTALK)
TRAVIS: That's right.
HOLMES: We -- oh man, you're going back to Alaska.
TRAVIS: Take your glasses if you are going to vote for Lisa Murkowski.
HOLMES: It's good to see you.
TRAVIS: All right.
HOLMES: Shannon Travis, it's good to have you this morning.
TRAVIS: Definitely.
HOLMES: Well, still on politics here. Is it the first step toward a presidential campaign? Sarah Palin gave a pretty fiery speech at a Republican Party fund-raiser in Iowa, the traditional first stop on the campaign trail.
She attacked the Obama administration as well as the news media and with the mid-term elections approaching, she called on the Republican establishment to join forces with Tea Party activists.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SARAH PALIN (R), FORMER VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: A time for unity now that's the time upon us because the time for choosing is near. In just 46 days, Republicans will put their ideas and their experience on the line and they will let the voters decide.
It is time to unite. If the goal really is to take away the gavel from Pelosi and Reid and to stop the Obama agenda and make government respect the will of the people and the wisdom of the people, then it is time to unite.
And congratulations --
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Well, of course we'll continue with updates from the mid-term election campaign. As always, go to CNN.com/politics.
Bermuda is now getting ready for a head-on collision with Hurricane Igor.
Our Reynolds Wolf is in Bermuda where a hurricane warning is in place. Reynolds, good morning once again to you.
REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, T.J.
Right now the breeze is picking up but the sun is out. But we're going to see a major transformation in our weather possibly in the next 12 to 24 to 36 hours. We're going to give you the full scoop on what we expect here in Bermuda. That's coming up.
You're watching CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Well, a hurricane warning is in effect right now for Bermuda as the island braces for Hurricane Igor. The U.S. East Coast is expecting rough surf from the storm and also tracking to other tropical system. We've got tropical storm Julia, the remnants of Hurricane Karl as well.
We're looking at -- our Reynolds Wolf is waiting for Igor's arrival, I should say. He's live for us in Bermuda. How much time do they have, do you have before it gets to you there -- Reynolds?
WOLF: Well, I'll tell you, parts of the storm actually here. Despite the sunshine, despite the light breeze that we have now, the waves are getting very, very big. I can tell you there are some people actually taking advantage of it. I am just going to pan over here very quickly.
If you happen to see, we have CNN photojournalist Steve Shore (ph) get behind the camera. I don't know if you folks can see it. It might be a little choppy with the satellite. But there is a red shape back there that shape happens to be a wind board. And there is a guy there with the swimming trunks. That guy is about to go out there and brave the surf.
Let me tell you, I hope it is not a suicide mission because those waves out there are getting very, very big. In fact, we've been told that some of them right beyond the coral reef are about 19 feet but with the wind really picking them up. Some of them getting up to 20 maybe even up to 25.
So we're expecting these waves to get even bigger. In fact, we are down by the beach itself just a short while ago to see some of the water firsthand. Pretty interesting to say the least.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WOLF: Here is another look at the deteriorating conditions on Elbow Beach here in Bermuda. You see the waves are coming in. Steve, watch your feet. I'm with CNN photo journalist, Steve Shore (ph). We're just trying to give you a better perspective of this.
The waves continue to come in. Some of these are just mammoth in size, off to the distance. As they get closer to shore, some of these, 5-7 feet. And as the winds continue to pick up these are going to get bigger.
High tide comes in early this evening and then again around dawn tomorrow. So that coupled with a storm surge, 5 to 7 feet could be very interesting.
You see some of the waves pounding up against these rocks over here in the distance. It's amazing to see the power of these things. And some of the waves have actually been coming right up against the structure here, against this part of the building. If you look at the building, itself, many of the windows have the hurricane shutters up, getting ready for what is at this time, the strongest storm in the planet.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WOLF: We have been told, T.J., that some of the waves, closer to the center of circulation, may be in excess of 50 feet; certainly not surprising with a storm like this, a storm which now is a Category 2 but may strengthen back to a Category 3 as it gets closer to Bermuda. A lot of changes are going to take place, no question, over the next couple of hour.
And we will be here to record every single bit of it. T.J. let's send it to you.
HOLMES: All right. Reynolds, you hang tight there. Hunker down like the rest of them. We will be checking in with you for your reporting plenty throughout the day and the weekend. Our -- CNN is your hurricane headquarters, of course.
And our meteorologist, Karen Maginnis, tracking all the other tropical trouble. How much more trouble are we talking about? Karl was an issue for quite some time. We are almost done with Karl.
KAREN MAGINNIS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Yes, it has fizzled out across extreme southern Mexico.
HOLMES: OK.
Maginnis: Yes.
HOLMES: And then, we have got Julia.
MAGINNIS: Julia is just a little petite storm.
HOLMES: She sounds so cute.
MAGINNIS: But we do -- we are still watching it. It is situated out into the Atlantic. But Igor is really the monster system that is going to be bearing down across Bermuda. We will start to see -- already have started to see -- some of those way outer bands associated with Igor.
Just to let you know, it is moving towards the northwest. But we think that turn north -- towards the north and northwest will occur later on. So here is Bermuda, you can see some of those bands already affecting this area.
And, towards the center -- National Hurricane Center just updated us on what's happening with Igor, still at a Category 2 hurricane. However, hurricane force winds extend further out from the center up to 105 miles from the center. You can see just the volume of the Atlantic that this is encompassing.
I want to show you what's happening with Karl. Karl really no longer exists. The National Hurricane Center says that they have quit issued advisories on Karl. It has wrung itself out across the mountains.
For the United States, the hot temperatures still bake across the southwestern U.S., south central United States in towards Atlanta. But if you head up towards Minneapolis, it should be about 61 degrees. Seattle, a comfortable 68; but Seattle, you're looking rain off and on for the next several days.
T.J., it doesn't look like summer is over just yet. It officially arrives on Wednesday.
HOLMES: Officially -- really?
MAGINNIS: Yes. Late Wednesday.
HOLMES: Summer is over on Wednesday -- late Wednesday.
MAGINNIS: Can't wait.
HOLMES: All right. Karen Maginnis. We appreciate you as always, thanks so much.
MAGINNIS: Thanks.
HOLMES: Well, 17 past the hour. Here now under a cloud of violence and corruption, Afghan voters cast their ballots in election today. We are going to take you live in just a moment. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Well, 21 past the hour. Let's give you a look at some of the stories that are making headlines this morning.
Alaska's Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski is attempting to do what's only been done once before in U.S. history, and that is, win a U.S. Senate seat as a write-in candidate. Murkowski is the incumbent; she's forced to take now this unlikely route for re-election after she lost in the state's GOP primary to a Tea Party backed candidate.
Also, two California families have reached a settlement with Toyota following a crash that killed four family members. The victims died when the Lexus sedan they were riding in accelerated uncontrollably and crashed in San Diego, this was last year.
An investigation revealed the accelerator pedal probably became trapped by an incorrectly installed floor mat. The amount of the settlement no revealed. The family attorney did say Toyota did not admit liability.
Also, recently freed American hiker, Sarah Shourd, is expected to speak in a few moments before she gets on a plane in imam headed back to the U.S. What you are looking at here is a gathering of reporters at the airport, a lounge there. This is a live look.
We are expecting her to speak in just a short time. Of course, she was freed after being held in Iran for over a year. She is expected to come out, be introduced by a family member and make a short statement but not expected to take any questions just yet.
We will keep a close eye on this. When that happens, we will bring that to you live.
Well, the voting is over. The counting now needs to begin in Afghanistan's fourth national election. Afghans cast ballots for hundreds of parliamentary seats under the threat of attack by Taliban militants.
I want to head now live to CNN's Ivan Watson; he's live for us in Kabul. Ivan, always good to have you. The Taliban said they wanted to keep people away with the threat of violence. Did that work?
IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, we did see here in Kabul lines, long lines of women and men going to the polls to cast their ballots. I have to say, these people braved an earthquake that struck this city before dawn this morning -- 6.3 magnitude. They braved threats from the Taliban, a series of grenade and rocket attacks across the country and widespread allegations coming from some of the 2,500 plus candidates for parliament themselves that there was fraud at the polls.
We did see a number of arguments breaking out at some of the polling stations here between people accusing each other of cheating, of using false documents to vote. More disturbingly, there were a number of security incidents, at least 160, according to the United Nations, across the country. At least 12 civilians killed in what Afghan officials say were Taliban-related clashes.
I asked one candidate whether he thought this was a good day for democracy. Take a listen to what he had to say, T.J.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ABDUL QADER ZAZAI WATANDOST, PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATE: Yes, it is a good day for democracy. But unfortunately, in Afghanistan, it is not a good democratic (INAUDIBLE) -- you know the process of election and it's not the real election.
(END VIDEO CLIP) WATSON: And T.J., despite the fact that many Afghans admitted, yes, our elections are not perfect, many said they were going to go to the polls despite that to try to vote for people that they trust in hopes that maybe this country could get a little more peaceful and certainly a lot more prosperous -- T.J.
HOLMES: Did you know that was going to be my follow-up. You kind of hit on there -- remind us all what's at stake in these elections.
WATSON: Well, I mean this is a country that's faced 30 years of war. It is being supported by 150,000 international troops. The raging Taliban insurgency is worse now than ever since it was overthrown some nine years ago.
The people here are voting for 249 parliament members in the Afghan parliament and for many of these people, the parliament members are their only real chance to reach out to the Afghan president, Hamid Karzai. Many observers I talk to here say he and his government, their credibility is at an all-time low here in Afghanistan -- T.J.
HOLMES: All right. Ivan Watson for us in Kabul. Ivan always good to have you. Thank you so much.
For the first time in nearly 100 years, Virginia may put a woman to death. We'll tell you about her crime and why her lawyers say she needs to be spared.
It's 26 minutes past the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Coming up on the bottom of the hour now. The tragedy we saw last night under Friday night lights. This happened in a state where high school football is king. This happened in the small town of West Orange, Texas and it has left the town in a state of shock.
The star quarterback of the high school football team died during last night's game. Witnesses say the quarterback, Reginald Garrett collapsed shortly after throwing his second touchdown pass of the night. He was quickly rushed to the hospital where fans, teenage friends and family all gathered where doctors tried but could not save him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SUSAN COURTNEY, BAPTIST HOSPITAL: The paramedics did everything possible in the field. We did -- we worked with him for well over an hour. We did everything possible, including our physician getting on the line to a local cardiologist to see if there was anything else we could do but we just simply couldn't get a heartbeat back.
HOLMES: What was that hospital like and was it full of people at the time when -- just trying to check on him?
COURTNEY: His family was all there, of course. And they - it was very devastating. Oh, lots of crying, and - but then, shortly after the game ended, the - my parking lot completely filled with people.
The waiting room was full. The parking lot was full. There was cheerleaders. There was band members. All the coaches were there. It was just the entire community - it's like the entire football stadium came to the hospital to check on him. We were trying our best to give them good news and comfort them, but it was - it was impossible.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Susan Courtney you're hearing there. She went on to add that Garrett was a senior, said he was a straight-A student at West Orange-Stark High School and was being courted by a number of colleges.
Just want to give you a reminder that we're - we're keeping an eye on - over in Oman right now. We're standing by to hear from Sarah Shourd. Of course, she is the American woman, the hiker, who was released not long ago.
You're seeing this start right now. This is her uncle, we're told, or another family member who is at the podium. This is at the airport at a lounge there. He's actually going to introduce her to make a statement.
I want to just go ahead and listen. We're expecting her to step up, not take questions but to make a statement. Let's listen.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
SARAH SHOURD, FREED HIKER: Welcome, everyone, and thank you for coming.
I want to begin by thanking His Majesty, the Sultan Qaboos bin Said, for welcoming me to this beautiful country (INAUDIBLE). I also want to extend my gratitude to the American ambassador, Richard Schmierer, and his wife, Sandy (ph), for hosting my family and I during our unfortunately brief stay.
I have a deep appreciation for (INAUDIBLE) for bringing me from Tehran, for the honor of his friendship and most importantly, for his continued engagement in my life and the life of my fiancee, Shane Bauer, and my dear friend, Josh Fattal, during the past 13 and a half months.
It would be a pleasure to return to Oman and it is my deepest, deepest hope that I would be able to show Shane and Josh the Grand Mosque soon, one of the most peaceful and powerful places of worship I have ever seen.
I will always associate this country with the first breath of my freedom, the sweet (ph) smell of sandalwood and the chance to stand by the ocean listening to the waves. I thank the good, hospitable people of Oman for your support and ask you to please, please extend your prayers to my fiancee, Shane, and my friend, Josh. Insha'Allah, they will soon be free.
Thank you.
HOLMES: Well, we were told it was going to be a short statement, and it was a short statement, just about a minute or so, making comments. Kind of difficult to - to make it out. It wasn't the best - forgive us - the best connection, but we were at the mercy of the technology there in the airport.
But, still, to hear from her. She made several comments about the people of Oman, thanking them for their hospitality. She has been there for the past several days. That's where she went after she was released.
Now, from there, she is going to come back to the U.S. We're expecting to hear from her again tomorrow. They've already set up a news conference that's going to take place in New York tomorrow. We'll bring that to you as well.
But here, she made several comments, thanking the people there and also extended prayers, hoping people will extend their prayers to the two she had to leave behind. They weren't released. She talked about her fiancee, that Shane Bauer. The two got engaged while she was in prison there. And Josh Fattal, their other friend.
But these three hikers, you know the story and know it well by now. They were taken by Iran after they - they say, accidentally crossed into the border. But Iran accused them of being spies.
She was allowed to leave on $500,000 in bail, and she also had some medical issues, that she needed to get out of there. So, as a humanitarian gesture, according to the Iranian officials, they let her go for this $500,000 in bail.
So, she now appears, is on her way home, on her way back to the U.S., should be here at some point, the end of the day today, if not, sometime early tomorrow morning. Don't know exactly when the flight is going to arrive. But we do know they have already set up a press conference for tomorrow.
Again, there she was, Sarah Shourd, on her way back home after her year-long ordeal, but still kept the names Josh Fatal and Shane Bauer, the two, one her fiancee, Shane, still in captivity, keeping the intention and the prayers for them right now.
We will move on here at 34 minutes past the hour. We've got to tell you about the Chilean miners. A new bore hole has reached those trapped miners, the 33 who have been trapped for some time now. But much more work still has to be done before they actually get rescued. There is some good news. This is great. But still, it doesn't mean they're coming out any time soon.
Stay with us on this CNN SATURDAY MORNING. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Thirty-seven minutes past the hour now.
Today - here I am. Today is Independence Day in Chile. Thirty- three trapped miners. You know the story by now. They're sharing a celebration feast thanks to a special meal that was sent down to them. They're getting all kinds of stuff down there.
A new bore hole reached the miners yesterday. Our Karl Penhaul tells us what that means now.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KARL PENHAUL, CNN VIDEO CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Mid-morning, and a breakthrough in the rescue effort.
BRANDON FISHER, DRILLING COMPANY PRESIDENT: Communication started happening with the miners. They were a big part of that process, letting us know how far we were from them. They were able to pull the plug out and what we call sound or measure where our bit is so we could mark the - the point on the drill pipe and then break through.
PENHAUL: Fisher's U.S.-based company owns the drill bit that has punched a 12-inch or 30-centimeter shaft through almost half a mile of rock down to where the 33 miners are trapped. The rig, known as Plan B, is owned by a Chilean company. It is one of three trying to save the miners. It began drilling just two weeks ago.
FISHER: Beamed at the rabbit (ph). It was - we've kind - we had a late start and we come out of the gate rather fast and -
PENHAUL: But the hardest job may still lie ahead. Rescuers must drill down again to make the hole more than twice as wide, big enough to reach the men back to the surface.
PENHAUL (on camera): I mean, the million dollar question, I guess, is how long is it going to take to widen this hole, to punch (ph) to make a big enough hole?
RICHARD SOPPE, DRILLING COMPANY EXECUTIVE: Oh, man, how high is up? That's - that's hard to predict.
PENHAUL (voice-over): Chile's Mine Minister, Laurence Golborne, said it could still take at least six weeks.
LAURENCE GOLBORNE, CHILE MINING MINISTER: If you can imagine this as - that - as we are eating here doughnuts, and, in this part, we are eating the center part of the doughnut, which is smaller. And now, we have to eat the whole part of the doughnut.
So it's a lot of - more material that we have to remove. It will take more time. PENHAUL (on camera): But it's still far from clear that Plan B will be the plan that actually rescues the miners. Over there, an oil rig now known as Plan C. That, in theory, can drill much faster than the other two options, but it's unlikely to be fired up until probably Monday.
PENHAUL (voice-over): As the drills grind away, families camped out at the mine are preparing the cookout for Chile's Independence Day celebrations this weekend.
For the trapped miners, chefs prepare a treat of empanadas, pastries stuffed with meat, onions and olives. They'll get a barbecued fillet steak underground, too.
Minister Golborne says he's bet rescue workers another barbecue, depending which team can pull the miners back to earth quickest.
GOLBORNE: No matter which man arrives earlier, I will be very happy if we can pay that debt as soon as possible.
PENHAUL: Karl Penhaul, CNN, San Jose Mine, Northern Chile.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: And as you saw here live just a moment ago, Sarah Shourd, one of the three released hikers that have been held in Iran for the past year, she's now on her way back home after being released last week. She made it to Oman, and now she is set to come home.
We heard from her just a moment ago as she made a statement before leaving the airport. Our international correspondent - our senior international correspondent, Nic Robertson, is there - Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, T.J., she looked like she had caught a little bit of sun. She seemed to be fairly relaxed when she came to meet the press. The ground rules were no questions.
She thanked the Sultan. She has done that before the Sultan of Oman.
What I've also found very interesting, she described her stay as unfortunately short. An impression have been created here that she would liked to have stayed longer to do more for the release of her - of her fiancee, Shane Bauer, and of her friend, Josh Fattal. However, she said that she had enjoyed the hospitality here, that she would always remember the smell of the sandalwood, of enjoying her first few days of freedom here.
Today, she went to see the Sultan Qaboos Mosque, the Grand Mosque here, and she said she looked forward to taking Shane and Josh to see it when - when they get their freedom. She also talked about how she'd enjoyed walking on the beach, getting those first few moments of freedom.
But the sense I took from her here in this brief statement is she is looking forward to going back home to the United States but, at the same time, she - she knows she's moving further away from her - from her boyfriend, from her fiancee, from her friends who's still in captivity, and there's this real sense that she really doesn't want to leave, only she knows she must to continue the process of trying to win their freedom, T.J.
HOLMES: All right. Our Nic Robertson.
And Nic, I was wondering if you - I think you are able to hear me now that you have that phone up to your ear. When - do we know when she is supposed to head back to the U.S.? We understand she has a press conference scheduled for New York some time tomorrow. But is she now about to get on a plane and - and head for home?
ROBERTSON: She is - she is quite literally, T.J. She's going to get on a flight from here we understand within the next hour. She will stop off in Dubai, and then we understand though don't know the details for sure, then she will take a connecting flight to New York.
It's going to be a long, overnight hold for her. She's going to arrive probably midmorning tomorrow morning in New York, and then she has that press conference at 3:00 in the afternoon. So we're - we're eight hours ahead of Eastern time here, so, no doubt, by the time she arrives in New York at that press conference tomorrow afternoon, she's going to be quite tired.
But this is a lady, we've seen, who's full of energy, full of determination, and she showed that again today. The - the Omani officials here wanted to present her with a small gift before she left. They gave her uncle and her mother a - a small gift. They also gave her a bouquet of flowers.
It was a very touching moment, and this is a lady who's - who is only going to become more used to the media. She was almost not sure exactly what to do. The ground rules were no questions, but she stayed for a few more photographs with those roses.
But - but, clearly, this is a lady we're going to see a lot more of. She says she's absolutely determined to get her fiancee and her boy friend free from jail in Tehran, T.J.
HOLMES: All right. Our Nic Robertson for us. Nic, we appreciate you, as always. Thank you so much.
But you heard it there from Nic. Sarah Shourd, who was held in an Iranian prison for over a year, is now literally about to get on her plane and be on her way back home.
Stay with us here. Quarter to the top of the hour.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: All right. Quarter to the top of the hour. We are your hurricane headquarters, and, right now, our eyes on the Bermuda, where Igor is heading that way. Tropical storm Julia, as Karen told me earlier, is just a - a petite little thing right now and then what was tropical storm Karl is fizzling out. So it sounds like, Karen, Igor is - should be the focus right now.
KAREN MAGINNIS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Igor is the focus. It is massive. It encompasses a very broad area. It is situated over the Atlantic so it's not really affecting any land masses just yet.
Now, they are picking up the wind a little bit more around Bermuda. And you'll see - well, as a matter of fact, I'll go ahead and show it to you. We'll zoom in on this, if you would, and I'll tell you what's happening.
As we look right towards the center, this is Bermuda. Here you can see some of the outer bands just at the periphery. This comes from weather.bm and this is directly out of Bermuda, so they're picking up just a couple of little showers here and there but really nothing very dramatic right now.
But, I want to tell you the latest from the National Hurricane Center. And here we go. And as we go to air, right now, 11:00 A.M., the National Hurricane Center updated their information regarding what's happening with Igor. And Igor is still moving off towards the northwest, but we think it will start to curve more toward the north/northwest as we go into the next 12 to 24 hours.
So here sits Bermuda. Now, they're saying, instead of a Cat 3 hurricane, they're keeping it - it looks like at a Category 2 hurricane. Still very substantial, still can produce quite a bit of damage, still the possibility of loss of life, power outages. So this is going to be a real big burden as we go into the next 12 to 24 hours.
But, T.J., it looks like it could make landfall sometime around late Sunday going into early Monday.
HOLMES: All right. So we'll start seeing some of this stuff show up throughout the day tomorrow. All right.
MAGINNIS: If that hits (ph).
HOLMES: Karen, we appreciate you as always.
MAGINNIS: Right.
HOLMES: And thanks for being here with us -
MAGINNIS: Thank you.
HOLMES: -- this morning. We appreciate it.
Well, coming up here, Natalee Holloway's mother confronting Joran Van Der Sloot in prison. Our Fredricka Whitfield will join us just ahead with a look ahead at that story and what else just coming up throughout the day. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: All right. I've got some company here now. FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello.
HOLMES: Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Although you've had company all morning long.
HOLMES: Have I really?
WHITFIELD: Yes. Just staying (ph) busy.
HOLMES: (INAUDIBLE). Shannon Travis, our political producer.
WHITFIELD: Right.
HOLMES: And he's not the same.
WHITFIELD: It's good to see him in the house.
HOLMES: It's not the same, though.
Fredricka here with us now. Hey! What you've got coming up at the top of the hour?
WHITFIELD: Hey. We've got a lot coming up. Of course, we always have a boatload of great legal cases to dissect.
HOLMES: Of course, we've got -
WHITFIELD: And this weekend we're going to be joined by Sunny Hostin.
HOLMES: Oh, you've got her.
WHITFIELD: Yes. She's going to be with us with "In Session." She'll be joining us from New York. We've got a lot of interesting cases involving, of course, the Natalee Holloway case.
HOLMES: Just a weird -
WHITFIELD: It's getting weirder all the time, isn't it?
Well, of course, you know, the mother went to Peru to come face- to-face with the man that she is very much convinced that he took the life of Natalee Holloway. She did it in Peru, got in this prison.
So now the questions arise, what exactly was said? And in any way did she jeopardize as the continued investigation into the death of Natalee Holloway by coming face-to-face, and what does this mean about the security. This is a man who supposedly was in isolation. No one was to be able to have contact with him. What happened here?
HOLMES: Yes.
WHITFIELD: And then we're also talking about the case in Washington - Vancouver, Washington. This is a young woman who alleged that a woman approached her, a complete stranger, threw acid in her face. Well, now the story has taken an incredible turn. She apparently has told police that this was self-inflicted.
So, now what? Are there charges that she's going to be facing, including falsifying a police report? And a lot of money was expended in this case.
HOLMES: And people raised money for her -
WHITFIELD: Might she be fined?
HOLMES: -- as well.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
HOLMES: I wonder what happened to that money?
WHITFIELD: Good question.
HOLMES: It's a good - I'm sure the - your legal - you ask Sunny.
WHITFIELD: I'll ask Sunny about that.
HOLMES: Always good to see Sunny.
WHITFIELD: Yes. She's always fantastic.
HOLMES: I don't see her enough.
WHITFIELD: I know.
HOLMES: (INAUDIBLE) - are there legal cases with her?
WHITFIELD: Are there?
HOLMES: Are there others?
WHITFIELD: Yes. There are others. Of course.
HOLMES: Oh, you have more to tell me about? How much of these -
WHITFIELD: We do. But I've got a whole, you know, a huge day that I want to tell you about.
HOLMES: Oh - oh, please. I'm sorry.
WHITFIELD: And - but we can talk about Sunny all day, if you want. Sunny, do you mind?
HOLMES: I love Sunny. Sunny (INAUDIBLE).
WHITFIELD: OK. We're also going to have a -
HOLMES: Sure.
WHITFIELD: -- new interesting segment about travel. You know, every day -
HOLMES: Yes?
WHITFIELD: -- people are either on the road or in the plane.
Well, we've got an interesting travel segment that's going to begin today in the noon Eastern hour. George Barris is going to be joining us. We're talking about rental car companies.
You know what happens when you go to the airport, now you're charged for your luggage, right?
HOLMES: Yes.
WHITFIELD: So there's going to be some -
HOLMES: Uh-oh.
WHITFIELD: -- charges imposed on you as you rent a car, everything from the GPS to snow tires.
HOLMES: OK, wait. That's (ph) -
WHITFIELD: Pay extra for that, for your safety when you rent a car.
It's not going to be a debate. It's going to be an informative kind of question.
HOLMES: OK.
WHITFIELD: But I know we can debate on this, couldn't we?
HOLMES: I'm ready to debate, yes. We do.
WHITFIELD: We're ready to have it out with some of the car rental places.
And then later on, the 2:00 Eastern hour, a lot of women in the Catholic Church are rather angry at the Catholic Church, not just because of the pedophilia cases, but also because of the hierarchy, the women in leadership roles or lack thereof.
Well, we're going to be joined by a number of women who are in Chicago this weekend. They're holding a huge conference saying - some are saying, I'm ready to excommunicate - be excommunicated from the Catholic Church -
HOLMES: Wow.
WHITFIELD: -- because the Catholic Church needs to go through some changes. We're going to see how that goes.
And then, of course, it's a movie weekend.
HOLMES: OK.
WHITFIELD: Time to talk movies, too. HOLMES: You've been up to a lot. I'm sorry.
WHITFIELD: I know we're running out of time, but I'm trying to get a lot in.
HOLMES: Yes. It was -- I was stuck along Sunny there for a while.
WHITFIELD: So we want you to hang out with us all day long.
HOLMES: Yes - yes, and they should. And, again, you got Sunny today, right?
WHITFIELD: And Sunny.
HOLMES: And Sunny.
All right. Fredricka, we will see you -
WHITFIELD: Starting with noon Eastern hour.
HOLMES: -- in just a minute.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
HOLMES: Just about five minutes from now.
Well, coming up here, does your car have eye lashes yet? Yes. Jeanne Moos looked into the latest trend in automobile -
WHITFIELD: Latisse for cars?
HOLMES: -- fashion. Yes. See, I wouldn't know what that means.
WHITFIELD: You've seen the commercials. Come on.
I don't have them, but want them.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: All right, everybody. You want your car to look good, right? But Jeanne Moos has now her eye on a hot new auto fashion accessory that you're not going to believe.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JEANNE MOOS, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Careful when you go through the car wash that you don't scrub off your car's eye lashes?
CarLashes, the latest automotive accessory, flexible plastic lashes you attach above your headlights, $24.99 a pair.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's adorable and very whimsical, but I don't know that I would put it on my car.
MOOS (on camera): Would you put lashes on your car?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, I would. It's a little girly.
MOOS (voice-over): CarLashes are aimed at women, not men.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: BMW - oh, please. You're messing up the car.
MOOS: But on a pink caddy?
CarLashes are the brainchild of a Utah couple, Robert Small and his wife, Dottie.
VOICE OF DOTTIE SMALL, CARLASHES CO-CREATOR: They really do spread joy in - in the world.
MOOS: Dottie dreamed up a second accessory, crystal eyeliner. But not everyone is seeing rainbows.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Unnecessary. A little - might appeal to my children.
MOOS: Like the Pixar movie "Cars" or Disney animation.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Isn't she a beauty?
MOOS: Creator Robert Small says -
VOICE OF ROBERT SMALL, CARLASHES CO-CREATOR: I always thought that cars had personalities, that the - that the headlights looked like eyes.
MOOS: They had friends like this one test market their CarLashes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I am getting the most attention I've ever got in my whole life. It's bloody hilarious.
MOOS: As for whether fake eye lashes -
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And then press the ends in.
MOOS: -- or CarLashes are easier to put on.
D. SMALL: CarLashes.
MOOS: It takes about 15 minutes. You attach them with automotive trim tape that comes with the lashes.
(on camera): Unlike fake eye lashes, CarLashes can even help you park by providing a mark so you know where the end of the car is.
(voice-over): CarLashes already have a male competitor, the Carstache.
OK. Maybe you'll never see CarLashes on Danica Patrick's race car or the presidential limousine. But Robert and Dottie have sold almost 2,000 CarLashes since June and have ordered another 10,000.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are they just cute or they're functional too?
MOOS (on camera): Well, what would you like them to do?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I thought they were little windshield wipers that would go bat their eyelashes as they clean.
MOOS (voice-over): Dotty says men may not put CarLashes on their cars, but they like seeing women driving by with them.
D. SMALL: They feel like they're being flirted with a little bit when they see them.
MOOS: Will CarLashes give the guys whiplash? Put a little hussy in your headlights.
Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: All right, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Love that.
HOLMES: Our makeup room downstairs, I've seen some of the women's fake eyelashes in there that could probably fit on cars.
(LAUGHTER)
WHITFIELD: I know. I think you're right about that. I've -- I've seen them, too.
HOLMES: Yes, well, I'm going to go drive away --
WHITFIELD: Some nice lashes, though, on a ride? I don't know. I'm not seeing that on your car.
HOLMES: I'm going to give mine a goatee, probably, in the front.
WHITFIELD: That will work.
HOLMES: How about that?
WHITFIELD: Yes. I think that works.
HOLMES: Thanks, Fredricka. Good to see you.
WHITFIELD: Thanks so much, you have a great day.
HOLMES: I sure will. See you.
