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CNN Live Saturday

How Are Americans Dealing With Heightened Alert?

Aired September 14, 2002 - 12:38   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: This is the end of a very tense week that included the 9/11 anniversary and the code orange terror alert. How are Americans dealing with the heightened state of alert? CNN's Patty Davis is in Washington getting reaction.
Hi there, Patty.

PATTY DAVIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredricka.

Well, pretty busy down here at the Washington Mall. In fact, there's some flag football games going on behind us. And some of the people involved said they did not even think about canceling those games with the increase in the terror threat alert. One person told me that would mean the terrorists had won.

Well, just how are tourists as well as Washingtonians dealing with this increased terror threat alert? We have two tourists here, who are visiting from Media (ph), Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia. This weekend is your anniversary, is that right? How many years?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's correct, 31 years, this coming Tuesday.

DAVIS: And it's John and Barbara Bodhry (ph). Now, the color code system is in effect. That increased on last Tuesday. Do you have any idea what the color code is now, what did it move to?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Since Tuesday? I know on Tuesday it was orange.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Orange.

DAVIS: Yes, it did move to orange, meaning we are on high alert. What, if anything, has that meant to you in terms of increased vigilance, or what you're seeing here in Washington?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think we thought about coming down here. But once we thought about it, we were real comfortable with it. We don't really have any concerns -- I don't. In fact, I haven't even thought of it since I've been down here. I think they have done a good job. I see more barricades and stuff. But it's not fear for us at all.

DAVIS: Now, Barbara, you said, though that when you went into the Washington Monument this morning you had a few second thoughts. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Well, we did not go in. But I did not want to go in. Just to go all the way up, it seems like such a target for a plane, that that made me a little nervous, I wouldn't want to go today.

DAVIS: What about when you're home in Philadelphia, near Philadelphia? Any increased vigilance you're noticing there or that you're doing while going about your work?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm sure -- the city government's doing a lot of things. And they're doing a good job. As a citizen, I have no fear. I don't even think about it.

I think part of it is, I'm kind of a scientist mathematician and the percentages just aren't there. You know, it's what 500 terrorists, al Qaeda terrorists, I should say. I just don't think they're going to pick on me.

DAVIS: Thank you so much for joining us. Appreciate it.

Now, we did a rather unscientific survey today. About half of the people that we've talked to here on the Washington Mall, in fact, say that they do know that the code is code orange. They really kept on top of the news. They all say they do feel safe enough to come out here. In fact, the U.S. Park Police have upped the number of officers that they have guarding the monuments. That is double the number since that terror threat level increased on Tuesday -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right. Thanks very much, Patty Davis from the nation's capitol. Appreciate it.

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