Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

'Extremely Active' Fire in Texas; Massive Mess in Vermont From Tropical Storm Irene; Vermont Towns Isolated by Floods; Accused of Being Gadhafi's Mercenaries; Amnesty International Torture Report on Syria; Much Ado About FEMA

Aired August 31, 2011 - 14:00   ET

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

RANDI KAYE, CNN ANCHOR: Floods from Irene and fires from a devastating drought. We're watching the impact of water and the absence of water in the New England countryside, in the parched plains of Texas.

We begin with the floods.

In New Jersey, they're still doing round-the-clock rescues along the surging Passaic River. People, families, pets picked up a few at a time, hundreds in all by first responders.

In Vermont, they're still trying to reach entire towns. You're looking at iReport photos of railroad tracks near the town of Braintree, where the ground washed out from underneath them.

Floods wiped out almost 300 roads and bridges in Vermont alone, isolating 13 communities. As of this morning, relief workers on four- wheel drive vehicles have made their way into 12 of them.

From North Carolina to Maine, more than 1.8 million homes and businesses still waiting for the power to come back. That's down from more than six million on Sunday.

Forty-three deaths are now blamed on the hurricane-turned- tropical-storm. One victim was a Holocaust survivor, 82 years old. At least two people died while trying to rescue others.

From one extreme to the other, they'd pay a lot for a good, hard rain in Texas these days, where drought conditions range from extreme to exceptional. Right now they're also battle a wildfire that destroyed at least 20 homes and threatens many more. It's near Possum Kingdom Lake in Palo Pinto County, due west of Dallas.

CNN's Jim Spellman is there now and joins us live.

Jim, tell us exactly what you're seeing.

JIM SPELLMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the first thing you notice is the smell of the smoke when you pull into this area. This is kind of a resort area. There's a lot of second homes here around a beautiful lake, and there's thick smoke. Not a lot of it, but thick smoke off of the fire. They feel like they have it well under control pretty much right now. Officially 25 percent contained, but not a lot of active fire right now. But we just got an update from the sheriff saying the flames are starting to kick up as it gets hotter here in the afternoon.

Now, what we heard from firefighters here earlier is that this really happened in the worst possible place. It broke out in these dry conditions near a populated area with the lake on one side which limits their options for coming in to respond to it. Just really the worst possible spot to have a fire like this with such dry conditions.

KAYE: And how are evacuations going, Jim?

SPELLMAN: About 125 people currently are evacuated. They don't have any more pending evacuations, and they hope to get a handle on this, this particular fire that broke out yesterday.

But I'll tell you, the real problem is, we have a thermometer near our satellite truck, and it's reading 103. And the grass that you walk on is crunching. It's so dry here, and the drought is so extreme and so widespread throughout this huge state, that what happened across the lake yesterday could happen pretty much anywhere in this state at any time.

So, even if they get this fire under control, this particular fire, this could literally happen anywhere in the state. It's going to be a continuing issue until these weather conditions change.

KAYE: Jim Spellman, there watching the flames for us.

Jim, thank you.

And now I want to turn back to Vermont. My colleague Amber Lyon is in the southern Vermont town of Wilmington.

Amber, tell us how the roads are there. What's it like getting around?

AMBER LYON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Randi, I've got to tell you, it's very difficult to get to some of these small mountain communities in Vermont because they are mountain communities. A lot of them had roads that were wiped out by the flooding waters.

Just to get here, we had to take a small side gravel road, a dirt road up the side of a mountain to get in and access this community. So, right now, emergency relief crews are out there trying to, as quickly as they can, open these roads so that people can easily travel between communities in Vermont.

And here, in the middle of Wilmington, Vermont, this is a town of about 1,800 people. And look at this. Today, out here, it really, Randi, I've got to tell you, looks like some type of a bomb went off in this city, because all of these shopkeepers are pulling out their flooded inventory, into the streets, to try to salvage these buildings any way they can. And I'm right in front of Bartleby's Books. This is a local bookstore in town. And there's about a couple hundred thousand dollars worth of books that are just covered in mud and damaged.

The owners had to pull them out of the store to try to dry out the inside, and the inside was also covered in water. The water came up to about five feet.

And throughout the town, people are very busy. You see a National Guard soldier right there helping a volunteer, and helping residents pull different types of supplies out into the street. They've had dump trucks coming up and down the road collecting this flood-damaged -- these flood-damaged tables, chairs, books, as we saw earlier. There's a county store down there where they have food supplies.

And another interesting thing we found is that if you see right behind these volunteers, there's that slab of cement right by that red barn. And that used to be an artist's gallery, but the entire gallery filled with the artists' work just flowed completely down this road and landed in front of a gas station.

We also have seen some people here that do not have flood insurance. They say they've been hit pretty hard by the rough economy.

We spoke with one woman who owns a carpet and tile shop that got flooded, and she says that she lost about 75 percent of her business, of her revenue in the past two years, due to the rough economy. She thought this year business would pick up, and now her place is flooded and she did not have flood insurance.

I want to introduce you to someone real quick. This is Lisa Sullivan. And Lisa owns Bartleby's Books.

And Lisa, what is it like to see your entire inventory just ruined out in front of your store?

LISA SULLIVAN, OWNER, BARTLEBY'S BOOKS: Well, obviously, it's devastating to see this, to see the tragedy for us, but for this entire town as well. And to see so many businesses ruined, and so many people who lived in the town as well who have been displaced to shelter.

LYON: And you guys were lucky enough to have flood insurance. But I was talking with your husband earlier, and he said that a lot of these shopkeepers don't.

SULLIVAN: No. A lot of people don't have flood insurance.

Flood insurance is very expensive and is a luxury that a lot of people do not have. And so we are really concerned about how people are going to be able to rebuild their businesses, because access to funding and capital is going to be crucial for that. And so we are looking for every way we can to help these businesses get back open.

LYON: All right. Thank you very much, Lisa. So sorry for your loss, again.

Just four months ago, Lisa's bookstore in another area of town burned down. So they had just renovated that store, and now, obviously, you saw earlier, Randi, the damage that's going on there.

We're also seeing some construction equipment coming through here to try to clear this road to make a clear path for cars to get in and out of town. There was a point right after the rains hit where this town of 1,800 was essentially isolated because both roads leading in and out of town were destroyed. However, they now have one of roads open and traffic is able to come through -- Randi.

KAYE: All right. Amber Lyon, a lot of people certainly pulling together there to try and right that situation. Thank you.

And in just a few minutes, we'll head to the town of Woodstock, Vermont. I'll Skype with a Vermonter who has opened his homes to his neighbors who have nowhere else to go.

I also want to update you on the tropical storm now gaining strength in the Atlantic. Katia could become a hurricane today. The storm has maximum sustained winds of 65 miles an hour and is about 1,000 miles west of the Cape Verde Islands.

The National Hurricane Center says Katia is expected to become a major hurricane with winds above 110 miles an hour by Sunday. Forecasters say it's too early to know if Katia will pose any real threat to land.

President Obama is saying the nation faces unprecedented economic challenges and is requesting time to deliver his long-awaited jobs speech to a joint session of Congress. In a letter to the Speaker of the House and the Senate Majority Leader, Mr. Obama said he would like to do it in prime time, one week from today, at 8:00 p.m. Eastern.

The president says he'll lay out a series of bipartisan proposals that lawmakers could act on immediately to continue to rebuild the economy. He says his plans would strengthen small businesses, help the unemployed get back to work, and put more money in the paychecks of middle class and working Americans. And he says his plans would still reduce the deficit.

And his speech couldn't come at a better time. Take a look at this, thousands of people lining up for a jobs fair in Los Angeles today. All of these people are waiting to get into an event organized by the Congressional Black Caucus, which offers help to unemployed members of the African-American community, one of the hardest-hit groups in this down economy.

The Justice Department is suing to block AT&T's deal to buy T- Mobile. The government says the proposed $39 billion merger would substantially reduce competition and increase costs.

Deputy Attorney General James Cole says the merger would result in tens of millions of consumers facing higher prices, fewer choices, and lower quality products for mobile wireless services. AT&T says the deal is needed to expand its fast 4G wireless network to compete with Verizon.

It's been days since Irene hit, but families are still stranded, their towns still cut off from supplies. We'll talk to a resident in Vermont about the situation there, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: The floodwaters from Irene have been ruthless, especially in Vermont. In Grafton, Vermont, alone, 800 hundred residents are stranded. Since this weekend, we've watched scenes like this play out across the state.

Floods are washing out countless roads and historic bridges. Emergency and road crews are scrambling to patch up key access points. But, still, several Vermont towns are isolated and inaccessible to supplies and aid residents desperately need.

One of those towns ravaged by flooding is Woodstock, Vermont. That's where Jim Bryant lives, and Jim joins us now from his home via Skype.

Jim, thank you so much for coming on the show. I know you're having a tough time there.

I know you also sent us some pretty dramatic pictures. As we take a look at those, describe the scene around your neighborhood. We understand that it's pretty tough to get around there with the main route washed out.

JIM BRYANT, WOODSTOCK, VERMONT, RESIDENT: The main route heading west is washed out right now. It is possible to get out to the east. Unknown whether you can get out to the north or to the south.

Woodstock is actually faring much better, I think, right now than some of the other smaller communities in the picturesque valleys north and south of us, including towns like Stockbridge and Gaysville, where we have friends who are stranded.

KAYE: And you've actually taken people into your home? Can you talk about that a little bit? I mean, how many people do you have there? And how desperate are they?

BRYANT: This is kind of a Katrina deja vu. And it was kind of ironic it happened on the anniversary of it. But during Katrina, my family from New Orleans came in, and we had 20 people then.

Right now, we're the only town -- only house in town, I believe, that has running water. We have two wells on our property, and we've been allowing people to come in and encouraging them to come in and take showers and fill up their buckets.

The last two nights we've had potluck dinners for neighbors whose refrigerators were not connected to electricity. And it was actually a real good community-building event. And we're happy to be able to do that here.

KAYE: Well, every town needs a Jim Bryant, I'll tell you. That sounds pretty nice of you.

Listen, is it possible at all for you to show us around there? Is there anything to see where you are? Or as you continue to describe it -- I know you've been struggling a bit with water there. I want to hear about that. But can you show us anything?

BRYANT: There really isn't a lot to show from here. We don't have -- Mount Tom is directly behind me right now. And the Adequichi (ph) River which flooded and contained all those propane tanks, is located just across the street over there.

KAYE: Well, tell me about the water situation. How tough is it to get clean water there?

BRYANT: That's undetermined right now. And the people in town are probably a bit more anxious about that than anything else.

Electricity came back on for most of the town last night, but the water situation is a big unknown. As you can imagine, the water is maintained by a small company. It's probably maintained it for a hundred years. And I think they're struggling to come to grips with a situation they may not have anticipated.

KAYE: So how are the rescue efforts going for people there in terms of getting them supplies and getting them out?

BRYANT: That's a good question. I think the first step was trying to assess what the needs were. And there were a group of very engaged citizens who stepped forward and went door to door asking if people needed help.

There are people with special needs, there's a need for volunteers. There is also a very compelling need for a group to organize volunteers.

We've had requests from all over the country from people who are trying to help out in one way or another. And they just need to find a way to be directed and to have their efforts land on the right doorstep.

KAYE: You mentioned these propane tanks. Is that one of your biggest concerns? And what else is a big challenge there?

BRYANT: Right. I mean, the propane tanks were -- it's amazing that none of them took out our bridges, but there were probably a thousand propane tanks that washed down river, some of them hissing propane and oil.

We were given orders to evacuate at one point because of the gas cloud that had formed over -- between the river and the mountain. Many of those tanks still remain in our neighbors' back yards. And the name of the company that was responsible for this is aptly named Dead River.

KAYE: Well, we're watching -- we're looking at the pictures you sent us of those propane tanks just floating there in the flooded waters.

So, are town officials or state officials helping there? Are you getting what you need do you think?

BRYANT: Well, there's a town meeting this evening. We haven't seen any state or federal vehicles here in town.

I believe the local town officials today came together and tried to assess the situation, specifically the water. And I know they're working hard on trying to get the water back on line. And I think they -- there are people in the world who could certainly help out if they could only get in touch with the people who are going to solve the problem for us.

KAYE: Dos this feel like Katrina to you? Is that what you had said earlier, just in terms of being cut off and not getting what you need?

BRYANT: You know, it sure does. It sure does.

In Katrina, we -- there were a lot of things that we realized that could be changed with our local, state, and federal government in terms of getting information to people right away. And the startling thing here is that up until yesterday afternoon, there really was no communication from -- direct communication from the local or state government that was reaching people at least in my neighborhood.

And there are opportunities today with the social media. You imagine Twitter and Skype, those work great internationally on reporting. But we weren't getting the word -- word wasn't getting out.

Yesterday afternoon, though, some volunteers came by with a hand- printed list of numbers that people could call if they need clothing or needed medical help or special needs. And so it's a grassroots community effort.

KAYE: Well, at least something is being done. And certainly, you're helping by opening up your home. Very admirable of you to do that.

Jim Bryant, thank you. And we're going to continue to check back in with you.

BRYANT: Great.

KAYE: Let us know how you're doing, how the supplies are coming, and if any folks have permanently moved into your home. Thank you very much.

BRYANT: Great. Bye-bye.

KAYE: Up next, some well-known superheroes are getting some new costumes today. We'll let you know what they look like.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) KAYE: Faced with declining sales, DC Comics, which is owned by CNN's parent company, Time Warner, is unveiling new costumes for many of its iconic characters and boosting its Internet presence.

Felicia Taylor speaks to publisher and artist Jim Lee, as well as some of D.Sc.'s diehard fans.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FELICIA TAYLOR, CNN BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: I'm in Midtown Manhattan, where there are many fans that have been lining up since about 11:00 on Tuesday morning for the release at midnight, August 31st, of this comic book. I happened to get my hands on one.

But what's important is that it's also going on the Web. And that's going to attract a whole new line of readers for the "Justice League" and other comic books by DC Comics. It's a multi-hundred- million-dollar business that's just about to expand.

I'm with a real comic book fan. He's gone to such lengths, that he's actually tattooed himself all over with different characters.

How many do you have?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: About nine tattoos.

TAYLOR: Nine?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes. Here's Batman. I've got the Cat Woman down here.

TAYLOR: Ooh, that's my favorite. I like the Cat Woman.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've got Ninja Turtles on my legs.

(LAUGHTER)

TAYLOR: Tell me how long you've been out here.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: My husband and I arrived around noon today.

TAYLOR: And you're going to stay here until midnight tonight?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are, yes.

TAYLOR: Why are you such avid fans of comic books?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can't say that I'm a fan, but my husband is a huge DC Comics fan, and especially Jim Lee. And he needed a companion to run and get his food and, like, relieve him. So --

TAYLOR: Oh, you're the gopher.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I kind of am, yes.

CHRISTOPHER MURPHY, EDITOR, WRITER, COMICSALLIANCE.COM: This is huge. Comics readership is going down. People aren't buying comics as much. They've been jumping off because they're not happy with the story or because they've been (INAUDIBLE) in comics.

So this is do or die. This is either change or the industry could collapse.

TAYLOR (voice-over): It's large comic book stores just like this one that have been on the decline over the last few years, with only about 2,000 left across the entire United States. And it's that lost audience, in addition to a new audience, that DC Comics is hoping to capture on the Web.

JIM LEE, CO-PUBLISHER, DC COMICS: Well, it's the first book of a huge initiative that we're doing in September. Right? So it's 52 books that we're re-launching, renumbering, with new costumes and new storylines.

TAYLOR (on camera): Do you think this is going to revolutionize the comic book industry?

LEE: It works.

TAYLOR: Well, but this is sort of what it is.

LEE: Well, I think it definitely is going to change things. It's a game-changer, because not only are we changing the content, but we're also changing some of the delivery.

We're doing digital day and date, so that means you can download this comic book digitally the same day you can go into a shop and buy it in print. So that's a big change for us, because it allows us to tap into new markets, hopefully find new readers.

We want the comic books to really reflect the society that we live in. So we have lesbian characters, we have other gay characters that are members of a team called Storm Watch. We have a lot of different ethnicities. So we're really trying to mix things up and keep things as fresh and modern as possible.

TAYLOR: So if you were to draw me as a superhero, what would it look like?

LEE: Oh, it would be On the Spot Woman, right?

(LAUGHTER)

LEE: So that would be her power.

TAYLOR: That would be my power, yes.

(voice-over): Felicia Taylor, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAYE: Looking pretty good there.

With the skyrocketing cost of college and the dim job market, is college worth the money? CNN goes in-depth next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: It is that time of year when students head off to college. CNN is taking an in-depth look at higher education.

Enrollment is up at schools across the country, but so is tuition. And with unemployment over 9 percent, college grads have fewer job opportunities after they get their degrees.

CNN's Carl Azuz is joining us now in studio here.

And I guess the question is, is it worth it, right? That's what a lot of people are asking. Should they go and spend all that money on tuition?

CARL AZUZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: And you could say it's the $24,000 question, Randi, because that's the average student loan debt in the United States.

The folks at the Pew Research Center got together. They did a survey earlier this year asking more than 2,000 Americans what they thought about the value of college. And there were some interesting things that came out of that survey.

A majority of the people asked, 57 percent, said college provided only a fair or poor value for the money paid. It was 40 percent that said it was a good or excellent value.

Then, following up, they asked, "Is college to expensive? Does it place a burden on American families?" Seventy-five percent, an overwhelming majority, saying yes. But even with those two things established, that most people don't think it's a great value, they think it's too expensive, 94 percent of the parents surveyed said, my kid is still going, and 86 percent of college students said it was a good value.

KAYE: So, in terms of the earning potential, is there a payoff there to go to college?

AZUZ: About a $20,000 payoff per year. It's generally been thought that if you have a college degree, versus a high school diploma, you'll make around $20,000 more per year.

The U.S. Census Bureau confirms that. And the advantage also seems to spill over into unemployment.

I want to take you back exactly one year, August, 2010, when the unemployment rate, a little higher than it is now. It was 9.6 percent then.

At that time, American workers who were 25 years old or older with a college degree had an unemployment rate of significantly lower, only 4.6 percent, versus those who just had a high school diploma. Look at the number for them, 10.3 percent. And unemployment duration, it paralleled these numbers. Unemployment duration for people who have that college degree, 18.4 weeks. It was significantly longer for people who just had a high school diploma.

So, the general takeaway being, a college degree, a trade, associate degree, any form of higher education, is still valuable, but it makes sense why people are asking about that value at a time of high unemployment and student loans, student loan debt always on the up and up, Randi.

KAYE: Yes, money is tight and the job market isn't very good. Big question.

So, thank you for sorting it out for us. Appreciate that.

AZUZ: Thank you.

KAYE: Well, AT&T says its merger with T-Mobile is great news for the consumer, but the Justice Department says not so fast. We'll tell you why, next.

But, first, guitars have been around for centuries. And musicians have been trying to keep them in tune for just as long. Now, a new invention is saving time and saving your ears. Reynolds Wolf has more in this week's "Technovations."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Guitars are one of the most loved instruments in modern music -- unless, of course, they're out of tune.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In music, the tuning is very important. Anybody can tune a guitar, but keeping it in tune is the problem.

All of a sudden, you're dancing in front of the audience -- you're like, hey, how is everybody doing? OK, I'm tuning. How is the world? It's a process that can take away from the rhythm of the show.

WOLF: That led to EverTune, a device that will keep your guitar in tune forever.

(on camera): In some ways, it's a simple design, isn't it?

MARK CHAYET, CEO, EVERTUNE: It's very. It's all mechanical. It's based on a spring technology and constant tension. And that's the beauty of EverTune. We're not adding bells and whistles and blinking lights to a guitar.

WOLF (voice-over): The EverTune is now being used by some of the biggest names on stage. And it's just the beginning.

(on camera): So, we're talking pianos, violins. We're taking bass. We're talking everything.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Any string strung between two points works on the same prince-les. So, if there's a spring, we can keep it in tune.

WOLF (voice-over): Which means you've run out of excuses for why you're off key.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: It is about 34 minutes past the hour -- time to update headlines and some other news that you may have missed.

In a letter sent to leaders of the House and Senate, President Obama has requested a joint session of Congress on September 7th for his long awaited jobs speech. The president says he intends on laying out a series of bipartisan proposals to help strengthen the American economy. The president goes on to say his plan includes strengthening small businesses, helping Americans get back to work, and putting more money in the paychecks of the middle class while still reducing the deficit.

The U.S. Department of Justice filed an antitrust lawsuit against AT&T today in an effort to block its $39 billion merger with T-Mobile. AT&T says the merger is necessary to expand its 4G network to compete with Verizon. But the Justice Department doesn't buy it. They say if the merger goes ahead, consumers would feel, quote, "higher prices, fewer choices and lower quality products for wireless services."

The man who served as the top U.S. commander in Iraq and Afghanistan has stepped down to take the head position at the CIA. At a ceremony earlier today, U.S. Army General David Petraeus ended his military career. Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn sang Petraeus praises during that ceremony.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WILLIAM LYNN, DEPUTY DEFENSE SECRETARY: It is rare for a leader to have both the endurance and charisma, to lead troops in war, and the force of mind to shape the strategy for that war. But David Petraeus has distinguished himself at each.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: Petraeus assumes his new role at the CIA on September 6th.

The start of college football season is just around the corner. But Texas A&M University is seeking a new conference to play under. Today, the university announced it will conditionally withdraw from the Big 12 Conference if they're able to join the SEC for the 2012 season. A&M officials reached out to the SEC in late July and met with them a week later.

As for who replace A&M, a few schools have been mentioned, such as Notre Dame and Arkansas.

The Libyan rebels call them Gadhafi's hired guns. Now held as POWs, they tell a very different story. A live report from Nic Robertson you do not want to miss coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: In Libya, the hunt continues for Moammar Gadhafi. His whereabouts is still unknown.

At the same time, rebel forces are gearing up for major battles if the remaining Gadhafi troops don't surrender by Saturday. But for the first time in more than 40 years, the Libyan people are celebrating the end of the Muslim holy month free from Gadhafi's one- man rule.

As the celebrations play out, we're hearing stories of the war from those now held as POWs. They're accused of being Gadhafi's mercenaries.

CNN's Nic Robertson spoke to some of them.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice- over): They're frightened. Up to 15 crammed to a cell. The stifling heat amplifying their fear. They are Libya's new despised African migrants rounded up in their droves, accused of being Gadhafi loyalists.

In this rebel jail, they have disproportionately represented -- the vast majority of 300 inmates.

This Ghanaian prisoner says he was on his way to his day laboring job when he was picked up.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I'm afraid because they say we are working with Gadhafi. We are not working with Gadhafi. We are here struggling to get money. And go back to our country.

ROBERTSON: They all have similar stories.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I feel sad. I feel sad every day. I look at my voice, I cried. I don't want too much sympathy, that's all. (INAUDIBLE) it is not fair. (INAUDIBLE) as if we are animals.

ROBERTSON: To Ali, a Nigerian, says her husband was arrested a week ago and she was picked up because she went out to buy food.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They took everything from us. They collected everything from us. I had my money inside my palm. They removed the money. They take everything from us.

ROBERTSON: The man in charge of the jail, a computer science graduate, with no experience at managing inmates, admits half the prisoners are probably innocent.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm not allowed to because I didn't bring them here. Someone else bring them here and he signed for this. So, that's the one is responsible about to release them or not. ROBERTSON: A few hours later, he's replaced by professional jailers. But prisoners say nothing else changes.

(on camera): The shambolic situation here is symptomatic of the chaotic transfer of power across the country. But amidst it, there is an undercurrent of retribution that runs rife. Many believe the Africans here are Gadhafi's mercenaries, were in reality, hundreds of thousands in the country before the war working as simple day laborers.

You only have to look at how the Libyans are being treated to see the difference.

(voice-over): Their conditions, almost luxurious by comparison. Fewer to a cell. More space to move around. Better access to the scant water supplies.

This Libyan prisoner picked up when he went to see his family.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right now, it's good. But some people come here and they call us names. You work for Gadhafi or something. But most of us don't.

ROBERTSON: Regardless of nationality, what unites the prisoners here, however, is fear.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't have that -- I don't know what's going to happen. They might shoot me. I don't know what's going on.

ROBERTSON: Their jailers promise justice. But amidst the appearance of prejudice, it may be hard to find.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAYE: Nic Robertson joins us now from Tripoli.

Nic, what do you make of what these prisoners told you?

ROBERTSON: Well, it very much seems to be -- the prison borders were saying as well. The vast majority of people being turned over to them, picked up on the streets, accused of being Gadhafi loyalists are Africans, people from Mali, Nigeria, you know, other -- Chad, other sort of North African nations who just because they're black and just because there were so many rumors and reports that Gadhafi was hiring mercenaries from these countries, that's why they're being arrested.

I mean, there certainly is evidence, I've talked to other prisoners who have admitted to being from a Chad -- actually a Chadian and a Sudanese who admitted to being hired mercenaries by Gadhafi's forces. So, it's not untrue that some were.

But now, there's so much panic, fear and now a chance at retribution here that they're all being -- so many of them are being picked up.

I went over to the Mali embassy. The caretaker there told me he doesn't dare go out in the shop. And he said he believes that there are thousands of other Africans who are just literally hunkering down like him and hiding in the city. So, it's a very real situation right now, Randi.

KAYE: And just very quickly -- what do you think ultimately will happen to them?

ROBERTSON: You know, I think eventually, the rebels will begin to sort of move the wheels on their justice system. And I suspect a lot of people will be released over a period of time. But the rebels have so many other things going on. This is sort of low down on the list of priorities.

The prisoners, however, told me today that they were going to go on hunger strike if things didn't improve for them as early as tomorrow. Their conditions, really, are just appalling. I mean, to get close to those cells, you really have to take a deep breath. It's very unsanitary conditions there, Randi.

KAYE: In Tripoli, Nic Robertson -- Nic, appreciate it. Thank you.

And to Syria now, where a bloody crackdown against anti- government protestors shows no sign of ending. If anything, it's actually getting worse. Based on accounts by witnesses and human rights groups in Syria, the brutality is beyond comprehension.

In a report released today, Amnesty International paints a horrifying picture of what it says is routine torture carried out by the government of President Bashar al Assad. Amnesty says some of the victims are as young as 13.

An Amnesty researcher says the situation now in Syria is like, quote, "hell on earth."

CNN's Ivan Watson is following developments in Syria from his base in Istanbul, Turkey. He joins us now.

Ivan, what do you make of this Amnesty report?

IVAN WATSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: These are gruesome revelations, Randi, coming from Amnesty International. It describes at least 88 Syrian males who have all died over the last five months after being taken into detention by Syrian security forces. Fifty-two of the cases that Amnesty documented, these victims showed signs of torture.

Take a listen to what one Amnesty researcher had to say about the conclusions here. And I have to warn the viewers that this includes a graphic description of genital mutilation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NEIL SAMMONDS, RESEARCHER, AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL: The kind of incidence of torture which have been seen and the injuries which are visible on the bodies, including bruises, electrocution, including of genitalia, severed penises in several cases. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Gosh.

SAMMONDS: Suspected broken necks, incredible bruising all over the body from severe beatings from fists, planks, cables and so on.

I mean, I've seen 45 videos of corpses over the last couple of months working on this report. It is beyond belief. It's absolutely disgusting.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WATSON: Randi, at least ten of the 88 cases that Amnesty described here involve children, some as young as 13 years old. What's also important here is some of these conclusions dovetail with the reports from the United Nations who have documented what they say is widespread systematic abuse carried out by the Syrian security forces that could amount to crimes against humanity -- Randi.

KAYE: And, Ivan, what about the pressure that seems to be mounting on President Bashar al Assad. Does any of it seem to be having an effect?

WATSON: Hard to tell from our vantage point since we're not allowed into the country. What is clear is that the U.S. Treasury Department has added three more names to its list of Syrian officials that are facing sanctions. Some of these are the faces of the regime, the foreign minister that goes by the last name of Moallem, the presidential advisor, the immediate advisor who's appeared in interviews with CNN -- her name is Bouthaina Shaaban.

And there's a bit of a cold war going on inside Damascus meanwhile between the Syrian government and the U.S. embassy on the ground there. Look at this Syrian state TV report from last week. It shows supporters of the government chasing the U.S. ambassador to Damascus, Robert Ford, down the street. He actually had to runaway with help from his security guards and jump into his car as people tried to hang portraits of Bashar Assad on his back.

Syrian state TV alleging that the U.S. ambassador was trying to foment protests against the Syrian government.

The French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, just came out today. He said that Bashar al Assad and his crimes have done irreparable damage with relations to the West -- Kaye.

KAYE: Ivan Watson, watching it for us from Istanbul, Turkey -- Ivan, thank you.

For decades, America has spelled disaster relief F-E-M-A. But one of America's leading champions of limited government thinks FEMA does more harm than good. We will hear from Ron Paul when we come back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: Hurricanes and earthquakes, tornadoes and fires, when disasters strike America, FEMA is there. But like all federal agencies, it has only so much money and so many people. And like all federal agencies, it has plenty of critics. Ron Paul for one.

Even in the wake of Irene, the longtime Texas congressman and Republican presidential candidate says we'd all be better off if FEMA never existed. Paul spoke last night with my colleague Anderson Cooper.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. RON PAUL (R-TX), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Create more hazard by the government by saying, well, the government, you pay this and the government will be there. They'll always be there to take care of you and pay your bills. Well, they're broke they can't pay their bills.

But the worst part is an economic consequence of saying, well, I can't afford my insurance. These are usually -- a lot of them are middle class people who have their beach houses. And they -- they don't -- they can't get their insurance because it's costly. So the government guarantees it.

So, they give it a reason for people to do dumb things. They build into places that the market says don't build here. It's too dangerous.

ANDERSON COOPER, HOST, "ANDERSON COOPER 360": So, you don't think there's any role for the federal government in disaster response -- or do you?

PAUL: Rescue operations, I think so. As a matter of fact, my approach I think was a very modest and reasonable approach when they came for funds. Even today or back in the -- you know, when we got hit at Galveston. I said, I will vote for the funds, but you got to cut it. We're broke. The economic condition in this country is dire.

So, you cut $2 billion from overseas. Put $1 billion against the deficit. Put $1 billion into helping the people that we taught to be dependent on the federal government. So, I think that's very reasonable.

But to say, oh, it's endless, the government will take care of us and we're broke and we're in the midst of this economic crisis, which is going to get a lot worse and not be concerned about it and say, oh, well the people need it. Well, I mean, from the start of FEMA being involved and taking over land control and over this management, they aren't very efficient.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: Well, you won't be surprised to hear that's not a popular view in the Northeast this week. The Democratic governor of Connecticut was a guest on CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING."

Here's what Dan Malloy thinks of Ron Paul.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. DAN MALLOY (D), CONNECTICUT: I think he's an idiot.

CHRISTINE ROMANS, CNN ANCHOR: That's blunt. That's quite blunt. You're saying you need --

MALLOY: Let me -- you know, we're spending $900 million a week in wars and he's arguing about whether we should spend some amount of money. FEMA now has currently $900 million budget available to it.

This is a ridiculous conversation. Really, don't understand what he's talking about. I'm not sure he does.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: Now, for the record, FEMA says it is running short on money after disaster-filled year, but won't skimp on aid to victims of Irene. It will delay long-term rebuilding plans in places hit by those earlier disasters.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has new followers on Twitter -- well, sort of. He's gaining popularity, so to speak, because of his attempts to speak Spanish. We will explain next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: During all of hurricane Irene coverage, you may have heard New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg warning residents of the upcoming storm in both English and Spanish. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(MAYOR BLOOMBERG SPEAKING SPANISH)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: OK. So not the best Spanish that we've heard. In fact, his broken Spanish caught the attention of Rachel Figueroa-Levin who has created a lighthearted Twitter handle called El Bloombito. And she takes Mayor Bloomberg's Spanglish to a whole new level.

This was the first tweet that she sent out. "Hola Newo Yorko! El stormo grande is mucho dangerouso!"

And that's only the beginning. El Bloombito now has more than 17,000 followers and has caught the attention of Mayor Bloomberg himself.

Listen to what he has to say about this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, NEW YORK: My Spanish skills. (SPEAKING SPANISH).

(END VIDEO CLIP) KAYE: All right. Basically he said his Spanish is getting better little by little. He says he's 69 years old and it's difficult for him to learn a new language. He thanked everybody, thanked the firefighters for their help and then he asked, is that enough?

Well, Mayor Bloomberg, we'll let you slide by with your marginal Spanish and thank you for trying. I think personally it's fabulouso.

All right. Let's check in now with Lisa Desjardins.

Lisa, I'm not going to try to toss to you in Spanish. So, let's talk about Sarah Palin. I understand her trip to New Hampshire is back on?

LISA DESJARDINS, CNN RADIO CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Right. I guess I have to say hola at this point.

KAYE: Hola.

DESJARDINS: I speak Russian. Not Spanish. But don't start a Twitter handle on me.

But, yes. Let's go to Sarah Palin. Is she in? Is she out? Of course, we still don't know if she's running for president or not. But we know she will be in Iowa this weekend, and the first in a nation caucus. She'll be speaking at a Tea Party event. We just got that information in a little while ago.

It's interesting, because, Randi, as a lot of your viewers know, she will also be in New Hampshire for Labor Day, speaking at a different Tea Party event. So, she is certainly getting out there.

Also, I want to talk about the bigger event, though, I think this week for Republicans, Randi. It's going to be the Republican presidential debate, right? That's going to be on Wednesday. Now, this debate has been planned for a while, for the Reagan Library in California.

And it's going to be interesting. This will be the first time we'll see Rick Perry going head to head -- first of all, first time as a front-runner, we'll see him really out on a stage like this. But the first time he'll be head to head against his competition. We'll see how he does.

We're also going to see exactly when that will happen because, right now, that debate is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time. But here's the other political topic we're going to hit on. President Obama has asked to speak to Congress at 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday night. The exact time of the Republican debate. Coincidence? Well, his spokesperson says yes, it is.

And our live producer Virginia Nicolides (ph) says, hey, let's make this more interesting. Let's make it like a live session of parliament where Congress can interact with the president. What do you think?

KAYE: I think that's a great idea. I'm not so sure it's a coincidence. But, you know, we'll take whatever they tell us.

All right. Lisa, appreciate that. Thank you.

CNN NEWSROOM continues right now with Brooke Baldwin.

Hi, Brooke.