Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Newsroom

Gulf Coast Braces For 13; Morning The Arlington Oak; No New Jobs In August; Texas Wildfire 50 Percent Contained; Fire Still Burns Around Oklahoma City; Turkey Expels Top Israeli Diplomats; Gulf States Prepare For Storm; Alabama Football Team Returns; Gibson Guitar Plant Raided By Feds; Libyans Suffer Long Lines For Gas

Aired September 02, 2011 - 13:00   ET

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

RANDI KAYE, CNN ANCHOR: You, too, as well, Suzanne. Thank you.

And we begin this hour with news from the U.S. state department as the 10th anniversary of 9/11 approaches. My colleague, Jill Dougherty, is there. Jill, what's happening with this new travel alert?

JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN FOREIGN AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Well Randi, this is a travel alert, and it is for U.S. citizens who are living abroad, traveling abroad. And it is important to say -- they're not saying there is a specific threat, but what they are saying is that there is a continued threat certainly from Al Qaeda and affiliate organizations. And it notes that previously Al Qaeda and those terrorists groups have linked their attacks to significant dates, and of course 9/11, there couldn't be any more specific or significant date than that.

And you know, I was just talking with a friend who said, is this something that we should really, really be worried about? The state department issues these, Randi, on a regular basis. In fact, this kind of supplements another caution that was issued. It's the responsibility of the State Department to warn Americans who are abroad about this. That said, it is, of course, 9/11, very significant and the State Department is saying there is a continuing threat out there.

KAYE: But it isn't a travel alert for those here at home, it's for those who are traveling abroad or residing abroad, right? I just wanted to make sure that's the --

DOUGHERTY: Yes, because that's what the State Department does for U.S. citizens abroad.

KAYE: OK. All right, Jill Dougherty, thank you very much for that.

Well, nobody wants a storm on a holiday weekend. We don't want to think about a tropical storm in New Orleans, but the whole Louisiana Gulf Coast and parts of the Texas and Mississippi coast are under a tropical storm warning this hour as tropical depression 13 meanders in that direction. It is drifting in the Gulf and dumping vast amounts of rain and with 10 or more inches of rain expected on land, Louisiana's governor has declared a state of emergency. Bobby Jindal briefed reporters just moments ago.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. BOBBY JINDAL, GOVERNOR, LOUISIANA: This is going to be a slow-moving storm, it's going to bring a lot of rain, and primary risks to Louisiana will involve the fact that the combination of the rising tides, title surge as well as a saturation of a slow moving storm bringing as much as 10 to 15 inches of rain in some areas, maybe even 20 inches in very isolated areas, will lead and can lead to flash flooding in certain areas.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: Oil workers are leaving Gulf rigs if they can fly out safely and shutting down some of their wells. But if it's any consultation, we're pretty sure this fire in New Orleans' march will not be burning much longer. Earlier in the week, New Orleans' mayor had declared an emergency over that.

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAYE: And in just a few minutes, I'll speak with a man who knows the Gulf Coast and natural disasters like nobody else. Retired lieutenant general Russell Andre joins me live from Baton Rouge in our next segment.

Well, we can't get Irene, the big storm from last weekend, is still causing misery in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic coast, but things are looking up on Hatteras Island on North Carolina's outer banks. The people who fled their Hatteras homes when Irene approached, had been told they can return starting Sunday. We're also getting word that Amtrak expects to have the East Coast rail service fully restored by Sunday.

Now as for Vermont, President Obama has now signed a federal disaster declaration making grants and aid available for temporary housing and repairs. He's done the same for North Carolina, New Jersey and New York. If you're counting, roughly a million homes and businesses that lost electricity five or six days ago still don't have it. The power companies say they are working as hard as they can but they haven't heard the last of angry customers or lawmakers. I'll speak with both next hour.

Finally, among the untold stories and the untold numbers of trees felled by hurricane. Then Topical Storm Irene, I want to bring one to your attention. This is what's left of the famous Arlington Oak. A tree estimated at 220 years old on the grounds of what's now Arlington National Cemetery. In the spring of 1963, President Kennedy so admired the view from this spot that he was buried nearby. The cemetery's forester calls the tree's demise "truly unfortunate."

There are more ominous signs today of a stagnant economy. The U.S. added no new jobs in August as the unemployment rate held steady at 9.1 percent. And the news sent markets plunging more than 200 points during morning trading. President Obama set to unveil a new jobs plan in a speech before Congress next week, but Republicans say the poor jobs report is further indication of the president's failed economic policies. Chief Business Correspondent Ali Velshi digs deeper into the numbers and explains just how bad they are, coming up in ten minutes.

Firefighters are gaining ground on a wildfire near a resort in northern Texas, and residents forced to flee the blaze could return home sometime today. The fire at Palo Pinto county has scorched more than 62 acres in the job stricken area, some 40 homes and nine RVs have also been destroyed, but authorities now say the fire is 50 percent contained.

Meanwhile in neighboring Oklahoma, firefighters are still battling hot spots from a massive wildfire. The blaze was one of two large brush fires that covered more than 16 square miles in and around Oklahoma City this week.

News developing overseas right now. Turkey is expelling Israel's ambassador and several other senior diplomats. It is the latest, (although), in Turkey's growing dispute with Israel. It began over a deadly raid last year when a Turkish flotilla headed to Gaza. Nine people were killed when Israeli commandos clashed with the Turks on one of the flotilla vessels in May 2010. Istanbul's action (plan) of the U.N. is set to release a report today about that raid. According to the "New York Times," the report criticizes Israel's actions in the raid, but says the Gaza blockade was a legitimate security measure.

And as we've been reporting, the Gulf Coast is on alert over this storm, its heat and the threat of flooding it brings are major concern. Up next, we talk to the man who led the military ops during Katrina. About what this storm could mean for the Gulf Coast.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: From Irene along the East Coast to the new threat of a huge storm along the Gulf Coast, this is what we are looking at, a slow-moving tropical depression is brewing in the Gulf of Mexico that's packing a whole lot of moisture. You can see from this satellite image, it is churning towards Louisiana. Tropical storm warnings are in place from Mississippi to Texas. The storm could unload up to 20 inches of rain over parts of the region.

A threat had Louisiana's governor declare a state of emergency ahead of this weekend. Some oil rigs are being evacuated and preparations across the area are already under way. General Russell Honore, who played a role in the response to Hurricane Katrina, joins me now from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to talk about these preparations.

General, good to have you on the program today. You know firsthand, of course, what could happen to New Orleans and the Gulf. What is the biggest area of concern right now would you say?

LT. GEN. RUSSELL HONORE, (RET.), CNN CONTRIBUTOR: The low-lying areas along the coast of Grand Isle, which will be taking on surge water constantly and is taking on some higher tides now in the lower part of Plaquemines Parish as well as the city of New Orleans in the low lying areas, to be able to get pumped out if we get a large deluge of water in a short period of time. Those are the areas that are concerned the most.

KAYE: The storm's path though, as you might have seen, is still so unpredictable. We were just showing -- shown the math by Karen there, I mean there's a whole spaghetti of all kinds of different ways this thing can go. What kind of preparations can you make when it looks like that? We're looking at it right there, I mean, just look at that. If we don't know where it's going, how do you prepare with sandbags and evacuations and any other preparations?

HONORE: Well, just with this prediction of rain, there are certain gates on the flood system in New Orleans that have already been closed and there's preparations on Grand Isle to close portions of Highway 1 because we know it's going to get overtopped. In those cases, evacuation centers are being opened to deal with people who may need shelter in the next couple days on Grand Isle. But the New Orleans water system has been totally reengineered since Katrina.

KAYE: Is the speed of this storm a concern at all for you?

HONORE: The rate of the rainfall. The pumps have been designed to be able to pump out one inch of water in the first hour, then a half inch of rainfall every subsequent hour. So, if you get more rainfall than that in a given part of the city that could be a challenge for the pumps, because you know we use pumps to take the water out of the city, and we have floodgates to keep the water from coming into the city -- Randi.

KAYE: What about the levees? Are you confident that the levees can hold a storm like this one?

HONORE: Don't see the levees as being an issue in this one. The issues will be the title surge, and how much of a surge we get in the low-lying areas, and if that water can push its way in to Lake Bore and get into Lake Pontchartrain. The difference is, as opposed to what we had at Katrina, we have gates now that can close those canals that come into the city, and we have brand-new bumps that can pump the water out of the city.

KAYE: This is labor day weekend, a holiday weekend, probably a lot of folks heading to New Orleans to enjoy the holiday. They may not be familiar with what it means to evacuate and make those preparations, so what would you tell those visitors who may be heading to New Orleans this weekend?

HONORE: Watch the news closely and stay informed. The local governments are doing periodic news updates, stay informed because things could change quickly if we were to get a large amount of rain in a short amount of time that could cause some major streets in New Orleans to flood.

KAYE: General Russell Honore, we appreciate your insight and your advice there. Thank you very much.

Up next, why an economic recovery is slipping even further out of reach.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: More troubling news for our economy in today's "Your Money." The latest jobs report reveals that hiring slammed to a complete halt in August without a single new job being created. The unemployment rate remains at 9.1 percent. Earlier today, Ali Velshi asked Ken Rogoff, Harvard professor and former chief economist for the International Monetary Fund, what this meant for the economy.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KEN ROGOFF, FORMER CHIEF ECONOMIST, IMF: Well, clearly we're stagnating. I mean the employment numbers have been getting weaker and weaker for a while. And I think what it really underscores is that the recession never ended. We have not got back to where we started on output. We're not close (ph) unemployment. We're still very much crawling our way out of the recession. And, right now, nothing.

ALI VELSHI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: All right, Gloria Borger is our chief political analysts.

Gloria, we're going to get in a moment to find out about whether we are still in a recession or whether we're in danger of getting into another one. But a CNN/ORC poll shows that just 37 percent of Americans approve of how President Obama is handling unemployment, or the employment situation. On Thursday night, the president gives his jobs speech. Politically, what can he possibly say that will convince Americans that his administration at least has some idea or answer to fixing this chronic and dire unemployment situation?

GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: Well, he's got to go out there and tell the American people that he's got proposals to try and fix this unemployment problem. So you're probably going to hear some things from him, Ali, that people will like, such as a payroll tax cut extension, for employees, maybe even for employers. Tax credits for employers who hire new employees. Those kinds of things that he believes that Republicans will sign on to.

The question is, how big is this package going to be. Because if it's too big, you know Republicans will not go for it. So he's got a decision he's got to make and he's got to get something passed, but he also has an election coming up, right?

VELSHI: Yes.

BORGER: And so he's got to say, I tried to get us in the right direction. And if they didn't follow me, they're pushing us in the wrong direction.

VELSHI: All right. So that's the political prescription. Lakshman Achuthan is the managing director of the Economic Cycle Research Institute, who, Lakshman, you have -- you predict these economic cycles, and sometimes you say that it's not about what government does, it is an economic cycle. Let me ask you this, first of all, are we in a recession? LAKSHMAN ACHUTHAN, MANAGING DIRECTOR, ECONOMIC CYCLE RESEARCH INSTITUTE: No, the recession did end. I would respectfully disagree. The recession ended in the summer of '09. And, since then, we've had cycles in the growth rate. So we've been growing, the economy's been growing, but we've had speedups and slowdowns. So we had a speedup coming out of the recession, we had a slowdown in 2010. We are starting -- we're in a new slowdown now. And every time you slow down, the risk of a new recession goes up by definition, because you're going in the wrong direction. And here and now I think we're skating on very, very thin ice. The chance of a new recession in front of us I think is quite high.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAYE: And for much more on this story and all the latest financial news you need, be sure to join Ali Velshi for "Your Money" Saturday at 1:00 Eastern and Sunday at 3:00.

It's time right now, 20 minutes past the hour, let's check on some top stories that we're following today.

In response to the poor jobs report, stocks tumbled. All three indices fell more than 2 percent this morning. The Dow now sits down about 211 points.

A slow-moving tropical system with the potential to bring up to 20 inches of rain and flooding to parts of the Gulf Coast continues to drift northward toward land. The system has not yet been declared a tropical storm. But tropical storm force gusts are being reported and Louisiana has already declared a state of emergency. We'll keep you posted as we get additional updates.

AAA says fewer Americans will be hitting the road this Labor Day weekend. They expect the number of people traveling at least 50 miles from home will be down 2.4 percent from last year to about 31.5 million. Experts are blaming general nervousness about the economy, trouble finding seats on crowded airlines and expensive gasoline. A gallon of gas cost about a dollar more than last year. So if you decide to stay home, I highly recommend watching CNN all day.

Tomorrow, the University of Alabama football team plays its first game since that devastating tornado hit the city of Tuscaloosa. Can the new season help the community heal? We'll go live to the University of Alabama campus, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: When tornadoes ripped through Alabama in April, the University of Alabama campus was mostly spared, but much of the community surrounding the university was devastated. Since the storm, university students and athletes have helped recovery efforts, but many believe that when the Alabama football team gets back onto the field on Saturday, it will go a long way in helping people get back to normal. Sports Illustrated senior writer, Lars Anderson, reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) LARS ANDERSON, SENIOR WRITER, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: A deadly tornado twisted and turned through Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on April 27th and changed things forever. The destruction left behind was unfathomable and touched nearly every resident in this town of 90,000. Four months later, the community continues to rebuild.

MAYOR WALTER MADDOX, TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA: In Layman's terms, it's like taking Bryant-Denny Stadium and filling up debris from the football field to the top of the lights three times. And we still probably have another Bryant-Denny Stadium left to go before we're finally clear of what happened on April 27th.

ANDERSON (voice-over): That afternoon, Carson was in his house with his girlfriend, Ashley Harrison. The house was in the direct line of that tornado. When the tornado hit the house, both Ashley and Carson were thrown 50 yards into a field across the street. That field happened to be one of Carson's favorite places in Tuscaloosa. Just hours earlier, he had been hitting golf balls in that field. Ashley did not survive. Carson survived minor injuries.

CARSON TINKER, ALABAMA LONG SNAPPER: I woke up that morning and it was just another day. And, I mean, it wasn't even raining outside, you know. And just like that, I mean, everything changed.

BRANDON GIBSON, ALABAMA WIDE RECEIVER: Just being in his presence, it gives you this -- you know, it gets you through tough times because, I mean, you definitely could experience worse things. And he definitely did. And he's kind of an example of, you know, coming back and being strong and having a positive attitude every day.

ANDERSON: Right since April 27th, the football players have been on the front lines in helping to rebuild the community. Rebuilding houses, picking up debris. But they've also been there really to listen to people tell their stories. Their stories of loss. Their stories of tragedy. And this has had a positive, uplifting, psychological impact on Tuscaloosa.

NICK SABAN, ALABAMA HEAD COACH: We have to be a team not just in the best of times when we're playing games and there's 100,000 people supporting us, but in the worst of time when the people who support us need our help. And I was really, really pleased with the way our players have responded to that and continued to respond to it.

ANDERSON: The images don't do justice to the breathe and scope that the damage and destruction the tornado left behind in its wake. And so when people come here for the first time for the home opener against Kent State, Nick Saban is hoping that it will generate awareness and, therefore, more resources will poor into Tuscaloosa to help rebuild the city.

GIBSON: We've got a lot weight on our shoulders. I think, you know, by us being a huge part of this community, they're looking for us to come out and kind of, you know, give a little more back to the town of Tuscaloosa. So, I can't wait. It's a long time coming.

TINKER: We're coming back and that is very exciting and very uplifting for those who come and, you know, they'll look at this town and in the Forest Lake Community over on 15th Street, I mean there is nothing there and there's just banners that say, "we're coming back," "we're coming back." And, I mean, for me, I mean that -- I just got chill bumps right now talking about it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAYE: And to help take the pulse of the city, Reynolds Wolf joins us now from Tuscaloosa, on the Alabama campus.

Hi there, Reynolds.

You covered this story for CNN in the spring. So what's the mood there now four months later or so?

REYNOLDS WOLF, AMS METEOROLOGIST: They're ready to get it started. You know, they've -- bits and pieces they've helped reconstruct part of the community. I mean, as we mentioned all morning long, the campus, for the most part, was spared. But there's still a footprint from this massive tornado that ripped through parts of the community, especially along McFarland Boulevard, which is the main thoroughfare that people will take to make their way to Bryant-Denny Stadium, that you see behind me, on game days.

So you have things that are still esthetically warn in terms of the tornado, but there have been many things rebuilt. One thing they really need, one thing they definitely need to have as a crowning piece is to bring back the games. They're ready to have the game atmosphere. It's basically like, I said earlier, like rocket fuel for the space shuttle. You have to have that game-time atmosphere to really restore much of the spirit of the people here in Tuscaloosa, certainly the students, and they're ready for it.

KAYE: And Alabama plays Kent State this weekend. And Kent State also has a connection to this storm.

WOLF: They really do. And the amazing thing about Kent state is, on paper, it doesn't look like it's much of a matchup. I mean we're not talking about two top five teams. We're not talking about two major powerhouses. We're talking about the powerhouse of Alabama. We're talking about a team that's just helping start out the season in Kent State.

But Kent State has done something more than just help play a game to get things started. Their players have actually been here to this community, to this university, to this town to really help things out. They've actually worked on a project here to help restore parts of the community. So it's funny, they're going to be combatants on the field in the stadium behind me by tomorrow, but certainly linking arm in arm to do what they can to help a wonderful cause.

KAYE: And on a lighter note, I know you're a big Auburn fan, but I also noticed you're not wearing your Auburn colors on the Alabama campus there.

WOLF: You know, there are things we do for safety. You know, that's what you have to do in a situation like this.

To be honest with you, we actually had some Alabama fans that came by and stopped by for pictures, and I admit, I told them I was an Auburn fan, but growing up in the state of Alabama as an Auburn fan, yes, there is the tremendous rivalry, but there's also a great deal of respect.

And you have to, as a fan -- I don't care who you pull for, even in college football, if you're a Texas Longhorn fan, if you're an Ohio State Buckeye, if you're a Florida Gator, doesn't matter, everyone realizes that the significant of football to the university of Alabama, we're talking about a tradition that has been here for ages, and you actually have to have spring games that will in many colleges will only have a small matter of people that will be in the stadium, they filled this thing to capacity with a spring scrimmage.

So -- and here in Alabama, you know, they cover football not just during the regular season, but of course during spring and during then recruiting. It just never ends. It's a 365-day obsession, no question about it. And a healthy one, I think. Back to you.

KAYE: Still, smart man not wearing the colors there. Reynolds Wolf, thank you very much.

Well, Hurricane Katrina showed us what can happen to New Orleans during a big storm. And it looks like another one is on the way. So what is the city doing to get ready? We'll check in with the New Orleans mayor in just 90 seconds.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: As states along the East Coast recover from Irene, the Gulf Coast is getting ready for -- take a look. This storm. That's now about 190 miles south of the Mississippi River. You're looking at the storm's projected path. It's a tropical depression, but could strengthen into a tropical storm at any moment.

States from Mississippi to Texas are under a tropical storm warning, that includes Louisiana which is already under a state of emergency. But as Lieutenant General Russell Henry (ph) pointed out when I spoke with him earlier, New Orleans and the surrounding river Parishes are potentially most vulnerable to flooding.

New Orleans mayor, Mitch Landrieu, joins now us on the phone. Mayor, thank you for taking the time to speak with us. You could be looking at up to 20 inches of rain in some areas there. What are you most concerned?

MAYOR MITCH LANDRIEU, NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA: Well, anytime we have a potential heavy rainfall over a short period of time that turns into a potential water event for us. So it there could potentially be some flooding. And of course one of the things that's of most concern is that this particular depression is for the most part unformed, but it's very close to us. And so, the governor and the Parrish presidents of the surrounding Parishes, and me and some other folks have been leaning forward for the past couple of days, we're in full operation mode, all of the emergency operation centers. Open operating and prepared -- of course, you talked a little bit earlier to Colonel Flemming from the Corps of Engineers, and the levee districts. And we're just getting ready -- again, it's not a time to panic, it's just the time for everybody to get prepared, because when it gets wet in a very short period of time down here the water events can become pretty significant.

KAYE: And with the governor there, Bobby Jindal declaring a state of emergency, what specific preparations can you do right now? What is under way?

LANDRIEU: Well, first of all, of course, we have been through this many times and we learned a lot from Katrina, from Rita, from Ike, from Gustav and so the first thing is to get in full operational mode. All of the EOC's are up and operating. We have very specific protocols that we follow, storm gates are being closed, sandbags are being filled, we're making sure that we're in full communication with each other. Citizens are being advised so that they can, again, prepare themselves in the event that this turns into something else.

You saw with some of the storms in the northeast that in some instances it was a water event, some it was a flood event, for some it was an electrical event. So we have to prepare for all of those. And we're in the process of doing that right now.

KAYE: When you hear storm and you think of New Orleans everybody right away thinks of the levees. Do you have any concerns about the levees this time around?

LANDRIEU: Well, the Corps of Engineers has done a good job of preparing. We're not at 100-year flood protection. Their indications to us that the levees are very strong and robust. The flood gates that have been constructed in the last five years are operational. They're now being closed at where we think the appropriate points are. And we feel fairly good about where we are.

But, you know, weather is very unpredictable. And again, you always want to lean very forward and prepare for the worst, hope for the best I think is a good motto that we have been following for some time. And so we're all on it with 24/7 now. The Parrish presidents in the nine surrounding Parishes are all working in concert. We just had a conference call to make sure that we're well coordinated, and of course the governor's team has been working very closely with all of us which we are very thankful.

So we feel very good about. But again, it's all about preparation. It's all about making sure we stay coordinated. And at the end of the day, it's about citizens taking responsibility and making sure that you have a plan. So it's not too soon just to get ready. We have been through it before. Everybody knows where the low-lying areas are and what precautions we have to take and we'll hope for the best.

KAYE; All right. Mayor Mitch Landrieu, appreciate your time. And certainly we will be keeping an eye on your city as this storm approaches. Thank you very much.

LANDRIEU: Great, we appreciate the attention. Thanks so much.

KAYE: And we also should tell our viewers that Governor Barbour has declared a state of emergency in Southern Mississippi. We're just getting that alert right now. Governor Haley Barbour today declared a state of emergency to several Mississippi counties that could be impacted by severe tropical weather in the Gulf of Mexico, that is just coming in to CNN.

Up next, Maggie gets picked on. Maggie doesn't have friends. Why? Because Maggie is fat. So, what does Maggie need to do? Go on a diet. At least that's the message of a controversial children's book. The author joins us live next to explain.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: This four-letter word is constantly stirring up controversy, and we're talking about the word "diet." Just being in the title of this upcoming kid's book "Maggie Goes on a Diet" has attracted negative attention. Critics calling it, quote, dangerous. Customers on Amazon.com where the book is being sold say reading the book will cause kids to have eating disorders and low self-esteem. One person even wrote that it is an abomination.

Paul Kramer, author of the book "Maggie Goes on a Diet" joins us now from Maui to defend his case.

Paul, thank you for coming on the show today. If the book promotes a healthy lifestyle and not dieting, why use the word diet in the title? Why not call it Maggie gets healthy or something like that?

PAUL KRAMER, AUTHOR: Well, I have been asked this question before, and Maggie did go on a exercise and healthy eating program. And I will say that Maggie did not have to go on a diet, Maggie chose to go on a diet in this book. And Maggie -- Maggie's purpose of going on a diet as was reported earlier was not so she go get more friends, she really wanted to go on a diet so she could run easily, run faster, bend easily, and mainly so she could play sports. She loved to play sports.

And she just wasn't fit and she was determined to be lean and fit, which is what I write in the book.

KAYE: In the book, though, when she does get thin, she's instantly popular. She also wants to get thin for this fancy pair of jeans. So, what do you say to the critics that say maybe that is sending the wrong message?

KRAMER: I say to them read the book. You can't judge a book by its cover. And that's what all of these critics who have given me negative feedback have done. If you read the book, you will see that Maggie is a very modest person who is not looking for any kind of fame, and she does become happy about what she accomplished. She should become happy. She accomplished a lot. She lost a lot of weight. She became fit.

She loved to play sports and she was able to do it well. She should be rewarded.

KAYE: Let me ask you, do you have kids?

KRAMER: I do.

KAYE: And have they looked at this book and what do they think of it? Are they young enough to understand?

KRAMER: They think it's great.

KAYE: They think it's great.

KRAMER: Well, they think it's great.

KAYE: What age --

KRAMER: Everybody who reads the book --

KAYE: What age is it targeted for?

KRAMER: May I say this?

KAYE: Sure.

KRAMER: It's 6 to 12. That's the audience that I believe the book was appropriate for. But that does not say that I am advocating in any way that a 6-year-old actually go on a diet.

But Maggie is a good role model for a young girl for the future if this young girl or boy -- doesn't have to be a girl, decides when they're ready mentally to pursue changing their lifestyle. Maggie is a great role model. And Maggie was supposed to be a role model.

So I was going to say before that I will challenge anybody to get a group of kids together and -- or not together, just a group of kids and different ages and let them read the book and I will guarantee that most of the reactions would be extremely positive, and the book would be enjoyed by probably every one of them, and I think they would understand the message. And I am sure they wouldn't see any of the controversy that most of the critics have said is controversial.

KAYE: And you are not at all concerned that it could lead some kids to want to stop eating and get skinny and have possible have an eating disorder? KRAMER: Absolutely not, because I don't advocate that kids stop eating. I don't advocate that they go on a diet and have x amount of calories. In this book it actually promotes not only healthy eating, but it promotes eating as much as you want, but only of healthy foods. And it also promotes exercise.

So together, that is as good as it can get. And it's up to a child to make this decision. If a parent tries to push a child to do something, they are probably going to do the opposite.

So when the child is ready, the role model, which is Maggie, I think would be a wonderful thing for them to inspire to achieve as well. And it doesn't mean that they have to be starved.

KAYE: Right. But I think at age 6 to 12 the parents are still in control there of what the children are taking in. But Paul Kramer, appreciate your time, and the book is certainly interesting. Thank you.

KRAMER: My pleasure.

KAYE: Lining up for fuel and desperate for water. The struggle to survive in war-torn Libya. We'll take you to Tripoli next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: And welcome back.

That depression that we have been telling you about making its way through the Gulf of Mexico there and threatening Louisiana and many other states there in the Gulf is now a tropical storm. It's no longer just a depression, it is officially Tropical Storm Lee. We will keep an eye on it for you and let you know where it's headed.

Now to Libya where the National Transitional Council is struggling to form an interim government while the people there struggle to find water and fuel. In Tripoli alone, 60 percent of the 1.6 million people are without water. The U.N. is stepping in. A half million liters of bottled water arrived there yesterday with more to come in the days ahead.

There is also a desperate shortage of fuel in oil rich Libya. People are lining up for miles just to gas up their cars.

Dan Rivers shows where the lines begin and end in Tripoli.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAN RIVERS, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well the fuel situation in Tripoli is still pretty bad. There are still incredibly long queues. It's better than it used to be, but check it out, this is the back of the queue for gas.

And I want to show you just how long it is. This queue just goes on and on and on. It's ironic because Libya actually has the largest oil supply in the whole of Africa, the 9th largest in the world. Experts say it has some 23 years of oil reserves.

And before the war, it used to pump about 1.3 million barrels a day. But now all the people in line care about is when these petrol queues are going to subside. Some of them say they have been waiting in the scorching heat for hours.

And finally this is the front of the queue. The coastal road is open so it means some supplies are coming in. But you get the idea of just what an agonizing wait it is simply to fill up your car.

Dan Rivers, CNN, Tripoli.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAYE: It's about ten minutes before the hour. Let's check some other top stories.

Turkey is expelling Israel's ambassador and several other senior diplomats. It is the latest salvo in Turkey's growing dispute with Israel over a deadly raid last year on a Turkish flotilla headed to Gaza. Nine people were killed when Israeli commandoes clashed with Turks on one of the flotilla vessels in May of 2010.

Istanbul's action comes as the UN is set to release a report today about the raid.

And in Syria, the European Union imposes a ban on the import of Syrian oil. It's the latest move against President Bashar al Assad. The EU is the top market for Syrian oil. This comes as Syrian security forces open fire yet again on anti-government demonstrators.

Unrest in Syria has been going on now for months.

Meanwhile in the United Kingdom, the phone hacking scandal surrounding News of the World continues. A parliament committee is set to question former executives of News International, which is the British arm of Rupert Murdoch's News Corps. This comes as a 34-year- old man is being held on suspicion of conspiring to intercept voice messages.

Feds raid the Gibson guitar factory. And if you own one, you may be holding illegal contraband. We'll explain why, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: A lot of famous guitarists, like BB King and Lenny Kravitz have one thing in common: they play a Gibson guitar. Meet Lucille, she is BB King's custom, handcrafted Gibson.

The guitars are known for their signature sound, heavy tones and their versatility. Musical greats from Carlos Santana and Sheryl Crow to past legends like Bob Marley and Jimi Hendrix have all crafted their unique sounds by strapping on a Gibson.

Like them, if you're a guitar enthusiast and you have a Gibson, well, you may be the proud owner of illegal contraband. The guitar manufacturer's Memphis plant was raided by federal authorities last week. That's right, raided. And it's not even the first time.

A law to curb black market trade is at the heart of the matter. CNN's David Mattingly has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: He makes guitars that make America sound cool. But Gibson's CEO Henry Juszkiewicz is being ordered to change his tune.

Sounds almost ironic playing the blues right now.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I got the blues.

MATTINGLY: That's because in late August, armed federal agents raided his Tennessee factories for the second time in two years, alleging the illegal importation of rare protected wood in this case, ebony and rosewood from India.

An affidavit filed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service alleges Gibson falsely labeled the wood shipment to make it sound legal and suspiciously omitted the company's name as the recipient.

But so far, no charges have been filed.

It almost sounds like this company was engaged in smuggling these raw materials into the country.

HENRY JUSZKIEWICZ, CEO, GIBSON: Well, we were not engaged in smuggling. We have been buying finger board stock on a regular basis from India for 17 years.

MATTINGLY: On the neck of a guitar the tropical hardwood is prized for its look and durability. But it's subject to a law called the Lacey Act aimed to fighting black market trade of protected animal parts and plants and anything made from them.

But the material that came in the box from India looks just like this?

JUSZKIEWICZ: Looks very similar.

MATTINGLY: Juszkiewicz says the finger boards Gibson imported from India were confiscated as illegal wood by the federal government.

JUSZKIEWICZ: The law says that if a guitar or an instrument of any kind crosses a border, you have to know the specie of wood that every component is made of and where it came from. MATTINGLY: If this is true, could hundreds of international stars like Paul McCartney and BB King risk seeing their Gibsons confiscated at the border?

JUSZKIEWICZ: Michelle Obama gave a Gibson guitar to the wife of the president -- or prime minister of France just a year ago.

MATTINGLY: The first lady may have broken the law?

JUSZKIEWICZ: Yes.

MATTINGLY: The Lacy Act does give federal agents broad authority to pursue smugglers. But if you own a Gibson, don't worry. When we asked the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for clarification, it released this brief statement.

"We target corporations and individuals who are removing protected species from the wild and making a profit by trafficking in them."

And right now, in spite of Juszkiewicz's strong claim of innocence, Gibson is a target.

JUSZKIEWICZ: Nightmare. It's a nightmare.

MATTINGLY: It took almost a week before Gibson got back into full operation. But the damage had already been done. Just the shutdown of that one day with the materials that were taken cost the company over a million dollars.

And now, the maker of the guitars that have commanded the spotlight for over a hundred years has no choice but to play on and wait for its day in court.

David Mattingly, CNN, Nashville.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAYE: Coming up, an ugly August jobs report came out today and Republicans were quick to respond. All the details, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAYE: Time now to check in and say hello to our friend Paul Steinhauser who is in Washington today. Paul, I guess the Republicans really didn't need any more ammunition when it comes to the economy. But with this August jobs report, I guess they got a little bit more.

PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: They sure do. And they didn't waste much time at all. You know, that report came out at 8:30 am Eastern, from the Labor Department. And just a few minutes later Republican National Committee and House Speaker John Boehner put out statements, Randi. It didn't take long to put out statements to criticize the president and what he's doing on jobs pegged off that report. And also the presidential candidates jumped in as well. Most of them put out statements. The first to have come out, at least in my e-mail box, was Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor is making a second bid for the White House. And he also spoke about that at an event in Florida. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MITT ROMNEY, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Obama is not working. And he is disappointing the American people. And this morning, very bad news. Did you see the numbers that came out on job growth? Look, there is zero faith in Barack Obama because he's created zero jobs last month.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

STEINHAUSER: You're going to hear a lot more about jobs next week. In fact, Romney has a big jobs speech Tuesday in Nevada. And of course two days later, the president goes before Congress on Thursday to give an address on jobs -- Randi.

KAYE: All right. Paul Steinhauser, thank you very much.