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CNN Live Saturday

World War II Memorial dedication ceremony. Severe weather breaking out all across the Midwest. A temporary government is beginning to shape in Iraq.

Aired May 29, 2004 - 18:00   ET

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

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


CAROL LIN, ANCHOR: CNN SATURDAY is just ahead, but first these headlines.
And we begin with some breaking news from Gaza City. Palestinian sources say an Israeli Apache helicopter fired two rockets at a motorcycle. Now so far, we're getting reports that three people have been killed, seven others wounded. The Israeli military had no comment on the report, but we are going to have more details later.

The greatest generation gets a long awaited honor. A memorial to the veterans of World War II just wrapped up in Washington. And you're looking right now at live pictures of that spectacular sight. The emotional ceremony brought together tens of thousands, aging soldiers, sailors and airmen.

President Bush said they gave the best years of their lives to the country's greatest mission.

The Army says NFL star turned war hero Pat Tillman was likely killed by another American soldier. Today, officials explained there was an ambush and bullets were flying. Tillman's death was a case of mistaken identity.

JACQUI JERAS, METEOROLOGIST: Numerous tornado warnings in effect right now across parts of Nebraska in Custer, Lincoln, Dawson and Gosper Counties. You need to hit the basement right now. Severe weather breaking out all across the Midwest. We'll have the latest threat area for your holiday weekend coming up.

LIN: And good evening, I'm Carol Lin. And welcome to CNN LIVE SATURDAY.

You're about to see the best of the best of today's World War Memorial dedication. Plus, a massacre in Saudi Arabia. At least 11 people are dead, including one American. Al Qaeda could be behind the attack.

You're not going to believe this. This is reality TV taking a step back about 400 years. No running water, no electricity. What does it take to survive the colonial house? I'm going to be talking with one of the producers of this new reality cult classic.

Well, their ranks are thinning. Their steps are slower, but veterans of World War II were standing tall and proud today. They were honored during the dedication of the World War II Memorial. And our Jamie McIntyre was there for the emotional ceremony - Jamie?

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, just about 50 minutes ago, there was an official announcement made that the national World War II memorial was open to visitors. And people began to stream in. That capped a day long dedication ceremony here on the mall.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MCINTYRE (voice-over): Under a cloudless blue sky, they filled the grassy expanse around Washington's newest monument. Veterans and their families gathered to dedicate the national World War II memorial.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: And it is a fitting tribute, open and expansive like America, grand and enduring like the achievements we honor.

MCINTYRE: Eleven years in the making, at a cost of $175 million, the memorial, a neo-classical array of arches and fountains, honors the more than 16 million Americans who served, the 400,000 who died, and the millions more who supported the war at home.

TOM BROKAW, NBC NEWS ANCHOR: You were the lucky ones. You came back. You survived. So many of your friends did not.

MCINTYRE: Of the more than 16 million Americans who served in World War II, fewer than five million are still alive. The youngest survivors are in their 70s, but many are in their 80s and 90s. And thousands packed the National Mall for their moment in the sun.

They danced to songs of the '40s. They laughed and took pictures and they shed tears as they remembered the sacrifice and sorrow of that perilous struggle against evil.

Steven Kanyusik still fits into his original uniform.

STEVE KANYUSIK, WORLD WAR II VETERAN: All these other veterans out here, you can feel so small, that you're a part of something so big.

MCINTYRE: Eighty-nine year old David Ellis served with the 82nd Airborne.

CAPT. DAVID ELLIS (RET.), WORLD WAR II VETERAN: Many of our troops landed on the cathedral in the squal of St. Baronlese (ph). I happened to be one of the lucky ones that landed in an open space in the mortar up to my armpits.

MCINTYRE: Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Lombardo was the first to bring an American flag across the Rhine River.

LT. COL. SAMUEL LOMBARDO (RET.), WORLD WAR II VETERAN: Pretty emotional. It's a great day for all of us, but mostly for the children so they can come back here and see what America's about and what we did to save the country and the future of America, because it's in their hands now.

MCINTYRE: For members of what has been dubbed the greatest generation, it was a stirring ceremony, but many expressed sadness that because the day was so long in coming, most of their contemporaries are no longer around to see it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MCINTYRE: Unlike one of Washington's other popular memorials here, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, there are no names at this memorial. But nevertheless, one of the traditions at the Vietnam Wall has apparently been brought here, because as we were walking through, I could see again people leaving mementos, reminders of people who didn't come back from the war, faded photographs, in some cases, a tattered cap, leaving them here at the memorial as a reminder of those folks who didn't come back - Carol?

LIN: Jamie, you've covered the Pentagon for more than a dozen years. I'm wondering share with us what one of your favorite moments was from today's ceremony?

MCINTYRE: Well, of course, I really enjoyed hearing all of the stories from the veterans. And they just seemed to be more people than you could possibly talk to. But it really did strike me when they began to sing "God Bless America" and I saw a few people begin to wave their little American flags that had been handed out. And the few became a few more, and then a few more. And soon, there was an ocean of little American flags being waved as they were singing "God Bless America." And at that moment, four F-16 fighter jets roared overhead. And I have to say, I felt a chill go up my spine at that point.

LIN: Spectacular. Thank you very much, Jamie McIntyre reporting live out there by the Memorial site.

Well, this occasion presented an opportune moment. President Bush compared the epic battle with the war on terror on his weekly radio address. And his Democratic opponent, John Kerry, also paid tribute to the men and women in uniform.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BUSH: Today, freedom faces new enemies. And a new generation of Americans has stepped forward to defeat them. Since the hour this nation was attacked on September the 11th, 2001, we have seen the character of the men and women who wear our country's uniform.

In places like Kabul and Kandahar, Mosul and Baghdad, we have seen their decency and brave spirit. And because of their fierce courage, America's safer. And two terror regimes are gone forever. And more than 50 million souls now live in freedom.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) SEN. JOHN KERRY (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: In America, we're blessed. This Memorial Day, when you stop and think about what it takes for our men and women in uniform to risk their lives, to say good-bye to their families, to go to the front lines half a world away, it's a profound gesture of honor. It symbolizes the spirit of America, that there are citizen soldiers ready to do what it takes to live and lead by our values.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: John Kerry says World War II veterans risked their lives for a history and a hope bigger than themselves.

Now some news out of Iraq. A temporary government is beginning to shape.

CNN's Harris Whitbeck reports in from Baghdad.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Iyad Allawi (ph), the man slated to become Iraq's interim prime minister, spent the day in meetings with members of the Iraqi Governing Council and with U.N. Special Envoy Lakdar Brahimi, trying to put together the new government that will take office on June 30th.

Some names of cabinet members have started to emerge much of the same way the name of Allawi himself emerged Friday evening. Allawi's nomination for the post caused some confusion as it was thought it would be the U.N. Special Envoy, and not the Iraqi Governing Council, who would choose the new government.

Allawi's ties to British and American intelligence services, and his past as a former Ba'athist have raised some eyebrows, but U.S. administration officials in Iraq have praised the choice of the former exile.

Security is, of course, one of the big issues Iyad Allawi will have to face and try to tackle, once he becomes Iraq's interim prime minister. Residents of Baghdad were reminded of that when two mortars were fired at the ministry of construction and housing in downtown Baghdad near CPA headquarters early Saturday morning.

Four people, including two security guards, were injured during the attack.

And there was more fighting in Kufa, near the holy city of Najaf two days after radical cleric Muqtata al-Satr pledged to withdraw his militia from the region, if U.S. troops did the same.

(on camera): Although the U.S. said it had halted its offensive operations in the area, it said it retained the right to self defense. And the coalition says it hopes to bolster the presence of Iraqi national police in that area, bringing it up to close to 1,000 in the weeks to come.

Harris Whitbeck, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: And on this Memorial Day Weekend, chilling new details about the death of former football star Pat Tillman in Afghanistan last month. The Army now says Tillman was probably killed by his fellow U.S. soldiers, a casualty of the fog of war.

CNN's Ryan Chilcote reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When Corporal Pat Tillman was killed in Afghanistan this April, the military said insurgents had killed him. Now they're blaming his death on the fog of war.

LT. GEN. PHILIP R. KENSINGER, U.S. ARMY: While there was no one specific finding of fault, the investigation results indicate that Corporal Tillman probably died as a result of friendly fire while his unit was engaged in combat with enemy forces.

CHILCOTE: The war against the Taliban and al Qaeda has been largely fought outside of the public eye since U.S. troops moved in late 2001.

The battles Tillman and the U.S. Army's elite and secret Ranger regiment got into in eastern Afghanistan, invisible, off limits to the media.

Unlike the football career Tillman left after September 11th to join the service. Saturday, the Army revised its account of an ambush that led to Tillman's death.

KENSINGER: The enemy ambush was immediately responded to by a coalition patrol, including Corporal Tillman will direct fire. And an intense fire fight lasting approximately 20 minutes ensued.

The ambush was conducted by 10 to 12 enemy personnel from multiple locations, over approximately one kilometer in very severe, and constricted terrain with impaired light conditions.

CHILCOTE: U.S. forces are working with Afghan soldiers to counter insurgents in Afghanistan.

(on camera): According to the investigation into Tillman's death and one Afghan fighter also killed that night, a U.S. soldier misidentified a friendly Afghan fighter and opened fire on him, triggering even more shooting in the chaos.

Ryan Chilcote, CNN, Kabul, Afghanistan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: A showdown over the Stars and Stripes tops our look at news across America. Omaha, Nebraska, since 9/11, 89-year old Donald Lamp has hung this American flag from his apartment balcony. Well, managers at his retirement community want it gone, saying it is a violation of the rules, but Lamp is standing his ground, saying he'd hate to get his son-in-law, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, involved in the flag flap.

Northern California, a field trip exploring caves turned into an adventure for two California fifth graders. They were lost for 24 hours. A search team found the pair late yesterday. Except for being cold and hungry, the children were OK.

In Kentucky, search crews are still looking for a woman missing since the truck she was riding in was swept off a bridge by heavy floodwaters. Three men in the truck were killed in the flooding.

(WEATHER REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Still to come on CNN LIVE SATURDAY, some of the sweeter memories of World War II.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) right around through here. Walked on a little bit further and did the same thing in the next one. Then we get back out on the floor just like nothing ever happened.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Next, how social smooches and fancy foot movements kept some soldiers afloat.

But first, a deadly standoff in Saudi Arabia. We're going to have the latest. And later, no TV, no computer games. Are you up for the colonial challenge? How modern day families survived the 1600s.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: All right, this just in from Gaza City. We've got some fresh pictures of the breaking news down there. Israeli Apache helicopters fired a rocket at a motorcycle, killing three people, including Wale (ph) Nasser, a senior leader of the military wing of Hamas. This information, according to our Palestinian sources.

Seven other people were also injured. We are staying on top of this story, but clearly, the Israeli military is continuing its pursuit of Hamas leaders whom they believe are involved in suicide attacks against its citizens.

Well at this very moment, at least 11 people are dead at an oil company compound in Saudi Arabia. Security forces are surrounding the building, holding the gunmen in a dramatic standoff. Between 20 and 50 hostages are still holed up inside. John Ray of London's ITN has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) JOHN RAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The bullet riddled wreckage of cars strewn across the road, the stains of another murderous al Qaeda attack. Gunmen stormed offices used by oil companies and a housing complex for foreign workers. Westerners were the prime target, but they fired on anyone in their way.

Among those cut down, an Egyptian security guard and his nine- year old son.

In one of the burnt out vehicles, the fragments of a book in English. The U.S. has confirmed one of its nationals is also amongst the dead, a toll that includes Filipinos, and Indian, a Pakistani, as well as Saudis.

KHALED AIMASENA, EDITOR, ARAB NEWS: They chose their target. They chose the people. And apparently, it was well very planned. These people have no - make no distinction between nationalities or religions or race.

RAY: But the terrorists' aim is to drive a wedge between the West and the Arab world. It is just four weeks since two Britons were killed in a raid in the west of the country.

A statement today from al Qaeda claimed, "The heroic mujahadeen in the Jerusalem squad were able to raid the locations of American companies...which are plundering the Muslim's resources. They have managed to kill or wound a number of crusaders, God's enemies."

Al Qaeda announced its intentions a year ago with a series of suicide bombs that claimed 50 lives in the capitol, Riyadh. Crown Prince Abdullah has pledged to hunt down militants. Eight ringleaders have been arrested or killed. The many more remain free.

Again, they are counting the bodies today. And again today, they are asking questions about security and the safety of Westerners in Saudi Arabia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: All right, that is the latest out of Saudi Arabia. We are going to stay on top of that story.

In the meantime, first heavy flood and now an earthquake. Still to come, devastating flooding in the Dominican Republic. Now nature hits the nation again. The latest from the region straight ahead.

Plus, dry air and dry land, bracing for disaster on the West coast. How to keep cool ahead of the fire.

And later, good memories from the days of war. We're going to show you what kept the World War II soldiers on an upbeat swing.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Another natural disaster hits the devastated Caribbean island of Hispaniola. Flooding has already killed some 900 people in Haitian and Dominican Republic villages.

Now a small earthquake has hit the southern border of both countries. Reporter Amy Braken with the Associated Press joins us live right now on the telephone from Port-Au-Prince, Haiti.

Amy, what happened? What time did this earthquake hit?

AMY BRAKEN, JOURNALIST: I actually - you know, the earthquake was unknown for some time after it hit. And it sounded like a nightmare on a nightmare. But it turns out that it was very far below ground. It was about 4.6 on the Richter scale, but unfelt by a lot of people in these devastated areas.

The fear was that it would break dams and let more water flow through to areas that were already vulnerable. But as far as I've heard, that hasn't happened yet.

When the rain continues, we will see...

LIN: Right.

BRAKEN: ...if there will be more fallout...

LIN: OK, Amy, we're taking a look at some devastating pictures. I mean, this - it looks like the islands are completely submerged, except for the treetops, maybe just a few rooftops. What is the situation there right now?

BRAKEN: Well I just got back from a hospital in Port au Prince, where there were a lot of survivors from the town of Mapu and the town of Tiyat (ph), which has just recently been reached by aid workers. And what they had to say was pretty much that they were amazed that they survived. I mean, their towns were just completely destroyed. And they sort of - several of them had been knocked unconscious and came to. And they looked around and there was water up to the roofs.

And right now today, a lot of the rescue - or a lot of the relief efforts involved bringing in food, but also taking out boat - shipping in boats by helicopter and going out and hacking up houses - some houses remaining to find cadavers to remove them.

LIN: Exactly, because there are those who died from the flood itself. What are the dangers of people now dying from either starvation or disease?

BRAKEN: It's - the dangers are very high. And so, time is of the essence. And the problem is that a lot of these areas are not going to be accessible by road for some time, or at least it's going to be very hard to reach by road.

And so, it's great that we have multinational forces, helicopters here, but there's only so much you can bring by helicopter. It's nothing like having trucks go in.

So each day, the helicopters start at daybreak and do as much as they can, while the weather holds. But unfortunately, we're at the start of the rainy season. And so, there's always the risk that they won't be able to bring enough food or shelter supplies in the afternoon.

LIN: Amy, looking at these pictures, it is hard to believe that the situation could get any worse. But the possibility still remains. Thank you, Amy Braken from the Associated Press, reporting in from Port au Prince.

Well, from floods to fires, forests in southern California are in danger this summer. Experts say drought conditions and a tree eating bug could make for a disastrous fire season.

CNN's Miguel Marquez shows us what's being done to prevent that from happening.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It is one of millions of dead and dying trees in just one forest.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now the work starts.

MARQUEZ: Southern California's San Bernardino National Forest was racked by fire last year. And with hot, dry weather approaching, it could be another season of fire.

MIKE DIETRICH, FIRE CHIEF SAN BERNARDINO NATIONAL FOREST: All the conditions are lined up in terms of extremely dry field moistures. Another year of drought.

MARQUEZ: Another year of drought, another year of the bark beetle, a miniscule bug, slowly devouring forests from Alaska to New Mexico.

An infrared image of just one section of the San Bernardino, shows just how much of the forest is damaged by fire and bugs.

LIZ HARRIS, MAYOR, BIG BEAR LAKE, CALIFORNIA: There is a certain amount of fear because we know that we're sitting on a tinderbox.

MARQUEZ: Last year's fire never reached the resort town of Big Bear, but the bark beetle infests trees that surround it.

HARRIS: Everybody's working to remove dead trees and to manage the fire situation, but the worst case scenario, of course, would be another fire forest.

MARQUEZ: Researchers say one fire at the right time and the right place could wipe out entire forests.

THOMAS BONNICKSEN, PROFESSOR, TEXAS A&M AND UC DAVIS: The people who live in our forests are endangered, because we have not been good land stewards.

MARQUEZ: Too many years, say researchers, of not allowing the forest to burn and regrow naturally. So the idea now, return forests to a more natural state, by reducing trees in some cases from as many as 2,000 per acre to about 50.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is probably quite a bit closer to what was here several hundred years ago.

MARQUEZ: The cost is staggering. $16 million is being spent in the San Bernardino National Forest this year to cult trees. But the Forest Service estimates the cost at about $300 million over 10 years. Multiply that over the entire Western United States...

BONNICKSEN: It would cost about $60 billion over the next 15 years just for the initial restoration of 73 million acres of land.

MARQUEZ (on camera): Researchers say it would take billions more to maintain the forests. And with little to no profit to be made from dead trees, most the tab would have to be picked up by the taxpayer.

Miguel Marquez, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Still to come, grab your partner and hit the floor. It's a modern day swing dancing. Find out who's got the beat.

Plus, can you survive without a toothbrush? No running water, no deodorant? Some families are signing up for the challenge.

Plus, how much is it costing you to fill up? An arm, a leg, or your first born child? Coming up later, the pain to pump.

(WEATHER REPORT)

LIN: And now you are looking at live pictures of the World War II Memorial in Washington. Tens of thousands of veterans gathered for the dedication ceremony honoring the 16 million men and women who served in the war. President Bush addressed the crowd, saying World War II veterans showed the finest qualities of our nation, and of humanity.

Four U.S. troops were killed today in action in southern Afghanistan. They were all members of the Special Forces. They were killed in the Zabul province, which has been a hotbed of Taliban led resistance.

Well, the former chief counsel in the Watergate hearings has died. Sam Dash became a household name in the '70s - 1970s, for his intense interrogations into President Nixon's secret taping system at the White House. He died today at the age of 79 after a long illness.

Homeland security, it's a campaign issue ripe for debate this election season. The government issued a warning this week about a possible, possible upcoming al Qaeda terror attack. Democratic candidate John Kerry and President Bush are touting their plans to keep the nation safe.

CNN's Kelly Wallace has details on both.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I fought hard to put those cops on the streets...

KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Listen to John Kerry and President Bush, and you'll hear two candidates saying they will keep America safe.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: And I can assure you I will use every asset at my disposal, to make sure the American homeland is safe and secure.

KERRY: We need a president who understands that homeland security is not something to talk about. It's something to do something about.

WALLACE: Kerry says the president has not done enough or spent enough to prevent another attack. Counterpoint.

BUSH: Since 2001, we've tripled funding for Homeland Security.

WALLACE: Kerry says he would hire an additional 100,000 firefighters, speed up funding, and devote more resources to first responders, and make Homeland Security a central mission of the National Guard.

KERRY: I think I can do a better job.

WALLACE: The president's plan, continue to beef up the Department of Homeland Security, calling for a 10 percent increase in Homeland Security funding, and making the Patriot Act, which gives law enforcement more power, permanent.

BUSH: My most solemn duty is to protect America from the enemy.

WALLACE: Homeland Security experts say the two plans share more similarities than differences. What sets them apart?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Kerry is more focused on the cities and the first responders. President Bush is more focused on using the states as a method of bureaucracy of getting to the cities.

WALLACE (on camera): But even as John Kerry travels the country touting his Homeland Security plans, President Bush continues to get higher marks in the polls when it comes to who would do a better job fighting terrorism.

(voice-over): Point, Kerry says as more people get to know him and his plan, the polls will move in his direction.

KERRY: I have more experience today as a senator in foreign affairs in making our country stronger than George Bush does in his four years as president.

WALLACE: Counterpoint.

BUSH: I have spoken clearly to the American people and to the world. And when I say something, I mean it.

WALLACE: Who voters trust more to keep America safe may well be the victor in November.

Kelly Wallace, CNN, Green Bay, Wisconsin.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: So is the government's terror warning just part of a bigger political campaign strategy? CNN's senior political analyst Bill Schneider got the word in Washington.

Hi there, Bill.

BILL SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST: Hi, Carol.

LIN: What do you make of the terror warning? Do you think there's going to be political fallout from it?

SCHNEIDER: Well, you know, the terror warning to a lot of Americans sounded vague and non-specific. You don't want to downplay these things. They claim it was based on intelligence. But the fact is most Americans have responded with some confusion. When, where, what are we supposed to do? Run, hide, go to the basement, do what?

The result is that there's been some political criticism of this. You put together vague terrorist warnings, some confusion in - within the administration between the Department of Homeland Security and the Justice Department about how serious the threat is, plus a supercharged political atmosphere this early in the campaign year, and you've got all the ingredients for political controversy.

So Democrats are saying you know we suspect there might be politics at work. Bush's poll numbers are dropping. And maybe, just maybe, someone in the administration thought a terror warning could help the president politically.

LIN: You know, and after this controversy - the debate all week about this, and you take a look at the events at today's war memorial, it was so incredibly touching. And you talk about that generation and what they endured, it really puts all this campaign strategizing into some perspective.

SCHNEIDER: Yes, it certainly does. Americans look on that experience, that memorial, the whole of World War II as a - with a great nostalgia, sometimes even affection particularly for those who didn't go through it, because they see it as a time of national unity. Some people call it the last good war, because Americans were united.

Of course, the nation had been attacked. And Americans were united in that war. There was very little polarization or controversy.

And look at the event today. You had President Bush speaking. John Kerry attended with his fellow veterans from other wars. You had previous presidents of both political parties.

It was literally a symbol of a unity that Americans fear the United States has lost in the current political atmosphere.

What Americans may be looking for in this election, at least a lot of Democrats think, is someone who can deliver the promise that George Bush made as a candidate in 2000, when he said America wants a uniter, not a divider. That's a promise many people think he failed to deliver.

LIN: Which - and that is one of the reasons why you think all the rumors about the possibility of John Kerry asking John McCain, a Republican, to join the Democratic ticket might be so intriguing to people.

SCHNEIDER: It's the speculation that will not die. John McCain keeps trying to say no, no, no. What do - you know, how else can I say it? The answer is no. But yet the speculation persists. Why? Because a lot of Americans say you want a symbol, a ticket that will capture the political moment that will embody the desire for national unity? How about a Republican and a Democrat on the same ticket?

John McCain is the most unifying, bipartisan figure in the country. So the idea is what a sensational statement it would be for Kerry to put in McCain or another Republican on the ticket with him.

LIN: Do you really think that if John Kerry asked John McCain to join the ticket, John McCain would say no, refuse the opportunity?

SCHNEIDER: I don't know. My feeling is it would make a dynamic statement. It would electrify the campaign. And you know what? It doesn't hurt to ask. If McCain says I don't want it, don't ask me, ask. See what happens.

LIN: Yes. See what happens. And we sure will. Thanks so much, Bill. Bill Schneider.

SCHNEIDER: Sure.

LIN: Senior political analyst.

Not all from the memories from World War II can be summed up at the National Memorial in Washington. For some, the best memories are traced back to a little amusement park dance hall.

Jeanne Meserve reports about how spirits were lifted on the homefront.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They're still swinging in the Spanish Ballroom, just like they did during World War II. When he was home on leave from the Navy, John Matwey remembers dancing there four or five nights in a row.

JOHN MATWEY, WORLD WAR II VETERAN: Basically, we tried to have a good time, those of us who had been in action or were going to go into action. We wanted to enjoy ourselves.

MESERVE: Enjoy themselves they did throughout the Glen Echo Amusement Park, but particularly in the ballroom, where John Matwey says you could escape the sometimes gruesome, often difficult war.

MATWEY: That was your release. That took you away from everything. You forgot about these things. And you enjoyed yourself.

MESERVE: Enjoyed yourself with young women like Irene Hurley, who worked in the war department. She remembers not just dancing, but smooching.

IRENE HURLEY, WORLD WAR II DANCER: Feel a little kiss about right around through here. Waltz on a little bit further and do the same thing in the next one. And then we'd get back out on the floor just like nothing ever happened.

MESERVE: And how many guys did you do this with?

HURLEY: Lost count.

MESERVE: In retirement, Irene Hurley has returned to this park, just outside Washington, selling tickets to ride the antique carousel. She says her life, like the merry-go-round, has come full circle.

When you look around this ballroom...

HURLEY: Oh, my.

MESERVE: ...what comes flooding back?

HURLEY: Oh, what comes flooding back to me? Well, the good times I had, I guess. Just the good times.

MESERVE: The good times continue at Glen Echo, where some World War II veterans still join Saturday night swing dances.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My cardiologist told me, well, what you've been doing? I said dancing. He says don't stop. He says keep it up.

MESERVE: And the younger dancers, they think it's swell.

UNIDENTIFED FEMALE: Some of the best dancers that I have are with people that could be my grandfather. And they can do all these awesome moves that the younger guys, you know, they're learning how to do.

MESERVE: A ballroom, where anyone can step in time. And some can step back in time.

Jeanne Meserve, CNN, Glen Echo, Maryland.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sorry, that wasn't it. Church time!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: It's been called the reality television show for people who hate reality TV. Imagine giving up your car, your computer, and even showers to live in an authentic colonial village circa 1628, complete with indentured servitude and public punishment.

That is the basis for the hit PBS show, "Colonial House." Kristi Jacobson is a producer and director of "Colonial House." And she joins us now from New York.

Kristi, what a great idea. How did you get it?

KRISTI JACOBSON, PRODUCER/DIRECTOR, COLONIAL HOUSE: Well, it was - it sort of came - it grew out of the house series, which started with 1900 House and then went into Frontier House. And the producers just wanted to take on a more ambitious time period. So we went back to 1628.

LIN: And ambitious it was. How did you find these people? You had such an incredibly diverse cast. I mean, some people who were shy, some people who were incredibly outspoken and cranky and complaining.

I mean, did they have to go through some sort of psychological testing to make sure that they could endure the experience?

JACOBSON: Yes, they did have to go through psychological testing. We had over 5,000 applicants. And ultimately, we wanted to find people who were really committed to this period. But also, they need to understand what they were going to have to give up and what they were going to have to endure.

And so, they went through some serious psychological testing and also some pretty rigorous training before hitting life on the colony.

LIN: Right. And you actually had to deal with some issues, like some basic hygiene issues. I mean, they tried to live authentically for a while, right?

JACOBSON: Yes, the goal was for them to live as authentically as possible. But of course, when they were brushing their teeth with licorice sticks that would have been used in the period, after a couple of weeks, we noticed the brown spots on their teeth and were informed from dentists that this damage could become permanent. And we sort of had to bring in the toothpaste and help them out a little bit with some of the hygiene.

LIN: And the toothbrushes. And you had to fudge on some other things, too, right?

JACOBSON: Yes. Well, there was of course sunblock, because of the damaging effects of the sun. And also, bug spray. The mosquitoes there were just out of control. In fact, back in the 17th century, some colonists allegedly went mad because of all the mosquitoes.

LIN: OK. Well, you couldn't possibly have that - you know, happen to your contestants. Now they - is this a competition? I mean, do they get a prize at the end of this? What do they get out of this?

JACOBSON: No prize at the end. This is not a competition. And that's what makes it different from other reality TV.

What do they get out of it? I think they got a real sense of accomplishment from having come together as a community and really sort of experiencing what their - you know, the people that came before us, might have experienced.

LIN: Because if you're really an individualist, an independent sort of person, I can go it alone, I like to be alone, that isn't the person that's going to do really well in "Colonial House," is it?

JACOBSON: No. This show was not about the individual competing against another. It was much more about the greater good of the community. And these were people with different goals, different reasons for coming here, different political and religious and social beliefs. And they've sort of had to come together and work it out to come together as a community. And that really was one of the things that makes this show different from others.

LIN: Well, we're going to get to talk to the Wire family at 10:00 tonight. You know, they have their own personal drama that they had to deal with during this reality show. So I want to thank you, Kristi, for sharing your story. What a great show. And it was a pleasure to watch Oprah pick eggs out of the chicken coop.

JACOBSON: That was fun.

LIN: That was a good moment. Yes, that's how popular your show has come to be. Thanks very much, Kristi Jacobson.

JACOBSON: Thank you.

LIN: Well, gas prices continue to soar. And now one of our own is throwing in her two cents. Still to come on CNN LIVE SATURDAY, Jeannie Most tries her hand at a new job. But she doesn't get much fan support. We're going to back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Despite some record high gas prices, travelers are still hitting the roads this holiday weekend. In fact, AAA says it expects the number of Memorial Day travelers to hit an all-time high this year.

Now according to AAA, 36.9 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more. And that's up 3.6 percent from 2003. This is despite higher gas prices averaging about $2.00 or $2.03 a gallon. And that is 50 cents higher than this time last year. If high prices at the pump may have you suffering from the gassing up blues, you are not alone. CNN's Jeanne Most looks at some motorists who are really going the extra mile to fill her up.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When it comes to gas prices, there is no escape. Listen to the sound of money flowing out of your pocket.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Gas prices are ridiculous.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Getting outrageous.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're insane right now.

MOOS: With the screws tightening, it helps to have a strategy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I drive an SUV. And my strategy is to turn this car in for a four cylinder car.

MOOS: A worthy thought befitting a guy who asked the gas station attendant if he could pluck roses for this mom.

Smell the roses and gas prices, huh?

Even a few gas stations themselves are making fun of their own prices. New Yorkers, who don't want to pay say $2.47 for regular can tunnel through to New Jersey and save 10 to 40 cents a gallon. Drivers are deserting familiar brand name gas and fleeing to so-called no names.

As for those accustomed to nothing but the best...

JAMIE CARACAPPA, GAS STATION OWNER: People who use premium are backing down and they're going for the regular.

MOOS: When you come to a place like this where there's like six stations, do you go to the cheapest one? Obviously not.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You really want to know something? I own stock in Exxon. So I go to Exxon.

MOOS: Exxon stock, by the way, is up about 20 percent from last year. Some folks don't worry about gas prices.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I figure I'm getting hosed either way.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: God bless Bush, you know.

MOOS: And God bless those gas saving tips, such as keep tires properly inflated. Use less air conditioning. Fat chance.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm a big guy. I don't like to be warm.

MOOS: With prices this high, station owners get some odd requests.

CARACAPPA: Give me a dollar's worth. I'm like where are you going with a dollar's worth?

MOOS: And just when you think you've stumbled upon a miracle, gas at $1.05 a gallon? Don't get too pumped up. $1.05 is just a rusty weed choked memory. Here's reality.

What's the most time today you've had to change...

CARACAPPA: Three times.

MOOS: Three times.

CARACAPPA: On Friday, yes.

MOOS: Imagine the thrill when station owner Jamie Caracappa let me personally raise gas prices.

CARACAPPA: You're going to be an expert by the time I get done with you. Slap this on. It's just a suction cup. Then in at the top.

MOOS: So what if bystanders boo'd.

CARACAPPA: You're on a little bit of a wrong angle.

MOOS: It's not every day I get to throw in my two cents.

Jeanne Moos, CNN, Union City, New Jersey.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: And that's all the time we have for now. Cap Gang is up next. And then at 8:00 Eastern, "CNN PRESENTS" looks back at November 22nd, 1963 through the eyes of the journalist who covered the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

At 9:00 Eastern, Dr. Phil McGraw joins Larry King. And I'm going to be back at 10:00 Eastern, "CNN SATURDAY NIGHT." We're going to have all the highlights from today's dedication of the World War II Memorial, plus a conversation with presidential historian Douglas Brinkley about the greatest generation and what makes a hero today.

But right now, Mark Shields has a look at what's coming up next on "THE CAPITAL GANG."

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com


Aired May 29, 2004 - 18:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, ANCHOR: CNN SATURDAY is just ahead, but first these headlines.
And we begin with some breaking news from Gaza City. Palestinian sources say an Israeli Apache helicopter fired two rockets at a motorcycle. Now so far, we're getting reports that three people have been killed, seven others wounded. The Israeli military had no comment on the report, but we are going to have more details later.

The greatest generation gets a long awaited honor. A memorial to the veterans of World War II just wrapped up in Washington. And you're looking right now at live pictures of that spectacular sight. The emotional ceremony brought together tens of thousands, aging soldiers, sailors and airmen.

President Bush said they gave the best years of their lives to the country's greatest mission.

The Army says NFL star turned war hero Pat Tillman was likely killed by another American soldier. Today, officials explained there was an ambush and bullets were flying. Tillman's death was a case of mistaken identity.

JACQUI JERAS, METEOROLOGIST: Numerous tornado warnings in effect right now across parts of Nebraska in Custer, Lincoln, Dawson and Gosper Counties. You need to hit the basement right now. Severe weather breaking out all across the Midwest. We'll have the latest threat area for your holiday weekend coming up.

LIN: And good evening, I'm Carol Lin. And welcome to CNN LIVE SATURDAY.

You're about to see the best of the best of today's World War Memorial dedication. Plus, a massacre in Saudi Arabia. At least 11 people are dead, including one American. Al Qaeda could be behind the attack.

You're not going to believe this. This is reality TV taking a step back about 400 years. No running water, no electricity. What does it take to survive the colonial house? I'm going to be talking with one of the producers of this new reality cult classic.

Well, their ranks are thinning. Their steps are slower, but veterans of World War II were standing tall and proud today. They were honored during the dedication of the World War II Memorial. And our Jamie McIntyre was there for the emotional ceremony - Jamie?

JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Carol, just about 50 minutes ago, there was an official announcement made that the national World War II memorial was open to visitors. And people began to stream in. That capped a day long dedication ceremony here on the mall.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MCINTYRE (voice-over): Under a cloudless blue sky, they filled the grassy expanse around Washington's newest monument. Veterans and their families gathered to dedicate the national World War II memorial.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: And it is a fitting tribute, open and expansive like America, grand and enduring like the achievements we honor.

MCINTYRE: Eleven years in the making, at a cost of $175 million, the memorial, a neo-classical array of arches and fountains, honors the more than 16 million Americans who served, the 400,000 who died, and the millions more who supported the war at home.

TOM BROKAW, NBC NEWS ANCHOR: You were the lucky ones. You came back. You survived. So many of your friends did not.

MCINTYRE: Of the more than 16 million Americans who served in World War II, fewer than five million are still alive. The youngest survivors are in their 70s, but many are in their 80s and 90s. And thousands packed the National Mall for their moment in the sun.

They danced to songs of the '40s. They laughed and took pictures and they shed tears as they remembered the sacrifice and sorrow of that perilous struggle against evil.

Steven Kanyusik still fits into his original uniform.

STEVE KANYUSIK, WORLD WAR II VETERAN: All these other veterans out here, you can feel so small, that you're a part of something so big.

MCINTYRE: Eighty-nine year old David Ellis served with the 82nd Airborne.

CAPT. DAVID ELLIS (RET.), WORLD WAR II VETERAN: Many of our troops landed on the cathedral in the squal of St. Baronlese (ph). I happened to be one of the lucky ones that landed in an open space in the mortar up to my armpits.

MCINTYRE: Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Lombardo was the first to bring an American flag across the Rhine River.

LT. COL. SAMUEL LOMBARDO (RET.), WORLD WAR II VETERAN: Pretty emotional. It's a great day for all of us, but mostly for the children so they can come back here and see what America's about and what we did to save the country and the future of America, because it's in their hands now.

MCINTYRE: For members of what has been dubbed the greatest generation, it was a stirring ceremony, but many expressed sadness that because the day was so long in coming, most of their contemporaries are no longer around to see it.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MCINTYRE: Unlike one of Washington's other popular memorials here, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, there are no names at this memorial. But nevertheless, one of the traditions at the Vietnam Wall has apparently been brought here, because as we were walking through, I could see again people leaving mementos, reminders of people who didn't come back from the war, faded photographs, in some cases, a tattered cap, leaving them here at the memorial as a reminder of those folks who didn't come back - Carol?

LIN: Jamie, you've covered the Pentagon for more than a dozen years. I'm wondering share with us what one of your favorite moments was from today's ceremony?

MCINTYRE: Well, of course, I really enjoyed hearing all of the stories from the veterans. And they just seemed to be more people than you could possibly talk to. But it really did strike me when they began to sing "God Bless America" and I saw a few people begin to wave their little American flags that had been handed out. And the few became a few more, and then a few more. And soon, there was an ocean of little American flags being waved as they were singing "God Bless America." And at that moment, four F-16 fighter jets roared overhead. And I have to say, I felt a chill go up my spine at that point.

LIN: Spectacular. Thank you very much, Jamie McIntyre reporting live out there by the Memorial site.

Well, this occasion presented an opportune moment. President Bush compared the epic battle with the war on terror on his weekly radio address. And his Democratic opponent, John Kerry, also paid tribute to the men and women in uniform.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BUSH: Today, freedom faces new enemies. And a new generation of Americans has stepped forward to defeat them. Since the hour this nation was attacked on September the 11th, 2001, we have seen the character of the men and women who wear our country's uniform.

In places like Kabul and Kandahar, Mosul and Baghdad, we have seen their decency and brave spirit. And because of their fierce courage, America's safer. And two terror regimes are gone forever. And more than 50 million souls now live in freedom.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) SEN. JOHN KERRY (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: In America, we're blessed. This Memorial Day, when you stop and think about what it takes for our men and women in uniform to risk their lives, to say good-bye to their families, to go to the front lines half a world away, it's a profound gesture of honor. It symbolizes the spirit of America, that there are citizen soldiers ready to do what it takes to live and lead by our values.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: John Kerry says World War II veterans risked their lives for a history and a hope bigger than themselves.

Now some news out of Iraq. A temporary government is beginning to shape.

CNN's Harris Whitbeck reports in from Baghdad.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Iyad Allawi (ph), the man slated to become Iraq's interim prime minister, spent the day in meetings with members of the Iraqi Governing Council and with U.N. Special Envoy Lakdar Brahimi, trying to put together the new government that will take office on June 30th.

Some names of cabinet members have started to emerge much of the same way the name of Allawi himself emerged Friday evening. Allawi's nomination for the post caused some confusion as it was thought it would be the U.N. Special Envoy, and not the Iraqi Governing Council, who would choose the new government.

Allawi's ties to British and American intelligence services, and his past as a former Ba'athist have raised some eyebrows, but U.S. administration officials in Iraq have praised the choice of the former exile.

Security is, of course, one of the big issues Iyad Allawi will have to face and try to tackle, once he becomes Iraq's interim prime minister. Residents of Baghdad were reminded of that when two mortars were fired at the ministry of construction and housing in downtown Baghdad near CPA headquarters early Saturday morning.

Four people, including two security guards, were injured during the attack.

And there was more fighting in Kufa, near the holy city of Najaf two days after radical cleric Muqtata al-Satr pledged to withdraw his militia from the region, if U.S. troops did the same.

(on camera): Although the U.S. said it had halted its offensive operations in the area, it said it retained the right to self defense. And the coalition says it hopes to bolster the presence of Iraqi national police in that area, bringing it up to close to 1,000 in the weeks to come.

Harris Whitbeck, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: And on this Memorial Day Weekend, chilling new details about the death of former football star Pat Tillman in Afghanistan last month. The Army now says Tillman was probably killed by his fellow U.S. soldiers, a casualty of the fog of war.

CNN's Ryan Chilcote reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When Corporal Pat Tillman was killed in Afghanistan this April, the military said insurgents had killed him. Now they're blaming his death on the fog of war.

LT. GEN. PHILIP R. KENSINGER, U.S. ARMY: While there was no one specific finding of fault, the investigation results indicate that Corporal Tillman probably died as a result of friendly fire while his unit was engaged in combat with enemy forces.

CHILCOTE: The war against the Taliban and al Qaeda has been largely fought outside of the public eye since U.S. troops moved in late 2001.

The battles Tillman and the U.S. Army's elite and secret Ranger regiment got into in eastern Afghanistan, invisible, off limits to the media.

Unlike the football career Tillman left after September 11th to join the service. Saturday, the Army revised its account of an ambush that led to Tillman's death.

KENSINGER: The enemy ambush was immediately responded to by a coalition patrol, including Corporal Tillman will direct fire. And an intense fire fight lasting approximately 20 minutes ensued.

The ambush was conducted by 10 to 12 enemy personnel from multiple locations, over approximately one kilometer in very severe, and constricted terrain with impaired light conditions.

CHILCOTE: U.S. forces are working with Afghan soldiers to counter insurgents in Afghanistan.

(on camera): According to the investigation into Tillman's death and one Afghan fighter also killed that night, a U.S. soldier misidentified a friendly Afghan fighter and opened fire on him, triggering even more shooting in the chaos.

Ryan Chilcote, CNN, Kabul, Afghanistan.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: A showdown over the Stars and Stripes tops our look at news across America. Omaha, Nebraska, since 9/11, 89-year old Donald Lamp has hung this American flag from his apartment balcony. Well, managers at his retirement community want it gone, saying it is a violation of the rules, but Lamp is standing his ground, saying he'd hate to get his son-in-law, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, involved in the flag flap.

Northern California, a field trip exploring caves turned into an adventure for two California fifth graders. They were lost for 24 hours. A search team found the pair late yesterday. Except for being cold and hungry, the children were OK.

In Kentucky, search crews are still looking for a woman missing since the truck she was riding in was swept off a bridge by heavy floodwaters. Three men in the truck were killed in the flooding.

(WEATHER REPORT)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Still to come on CNN LIVE SATURDAY, some of the sweeter memories of World War II.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) right around through here. Walked on a little bit further and did the same thing in the next one. Then we get back out on the floor just like nothing ever happened.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Next, how social smooches and fancy foot movements kept some soldiers afloat.

But first, a deadly standoff in Saudi Arabia. We're going to have the latest. And later, no TV, no computer games. Are you up for the colonial challenge? How modern day families survived the 1600s.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: All right, this just in from Gaza City. We've got some fresh pictures of the breaking news down there. Israeli Apache helicopters fired a rocket at a motorcycle, killing three people, including Wale (ph) Nasser, a senior leader of the military wing of Hamas. This information, according to our Palestinian sources.

Seven other people were also injured. We are staying on top of this story, but clearly, the Israeli military is continuing its pursuit of Hamas leaders whom they believe are involved in suicide attacks against its citizens.

Well at this very moment, at least 11 people are dead at an oil company compound in Saudi Arabia. Security forces are surrounding the building, holding the gunmen in a dramatic standoff. Between 20 and 50 hostages are still holed up inside. John Ray of London's ITN has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) JOHN RAY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The bullet riddled wreckage of cars strewn across the road, the stains of another murderous al Qaeda attack. Gunmen stormed offices used by oil companies and a housing complex for foreign workers. Westerners were the prime target, but they fired on anyone in their way.

Among those cut down, an Egyptian security guard and his nine- year old son.

In one of the burnt out vehicles, the fragments of a book in English. The U.S. has confirmed one of its nationals is also amongst the dead, a toll that includes Filipinos, and Indian, a Pakistani, as well as Saudis.

KHALED AIMASENA, EDITOR, ARAB NEWS: They chose their target. They chose the people. And apparently, it was well very planned. These people have no - make no distinction between nationalities or religions or race.

RAY: But the terrorists' aim is to drive a wedge between the West and the Arab world. It is just four weeks since two Britons were killed in a raid in the west of the country.

A statement today from al Qaeda claimed, "The heroic mujahadeen in the Jerusalem squad were able to raid the locations of American companies...which are plundering the Muslim's resources. They have managed to kill or wound a number of crusaders, God's enemies."

Al Qaeda announced its intentions a year ago with a series of suicide bombs that claimed 50 lives in the capitol, Riyadh. Crown Prince Abdullah has pledged to hunt down militants. Eight ringleaders have been arrested or killed. The many more remain free.

Again, they are counting the bodies today. And again today, they are asking questions about security and the safety of Westerners in Saudi Arabia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: All right, that is the latest out of Saudi Arabia. We are going to stay on top of that story.

In the meantime, first heavy flood and now an earthquake. Still to come, devastating flooding in the Dominican Republic. Now nature hits the nation again. The latest from the region straight ahead.

Plus, dry air and dry land, bracing for disaster on the West coast. How to keep cool ahead of the fire.

And later, good memories from the days of war. We're going to show you what kept the World War II soldiers on an upbeat swing.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Another natural disaster hits the devastated Caribbean island of Hispaniola. Flooding has already killed some 900 people in Haitian and Dominican Republic villages.

Now a small earthquake has hit the southern border of both countries. Reporter Amy Braken with the Associated Press joins us live right now on the telephone from Port-Au-Prince, Haiti.

Amy, what happened? What time did this earthquake hit?

AMY BRAKEN, JOURNALIST: I actually - you know, the earthquake was unknown for some time after it hit. And it sounded like a nightmare on a nightmare. But it turns out that it was very far below ground. It was about 4.6 on the Richter scale, but unfelt by a lot of people in these devastated areas.

The fear was that it would break dams and let more water flow through to areas that were already vulnerable. But as far as I've heard, that hasn't happened yet.

When the rain continues, we will see...

LIN: Right.

BRAKEN: ...if there will be more fallout...

LIN: OK, Amy, we're taking a look at some devastating pictures. I mean, this - it looks like the islands are completely submerged, except for the treetops, maybe just a few rooftops. What is the situation there right now?

BRAKEN: Well I just got back from a hospital in Port au Prince, where there were a lot of survivors from the town of Mapu and the town of Tiyat (ph), which has just recently been reached by aid workers. And what they had to say was pretty much that they were amazed that they survived. I mean, their towns were just completely destroyed. And they sort of - several of them had been knocked unconscious and came to. And they looked around and there was water up to the roofs.

And right now today, a lot of the rescue - or a lot of the relief efforts involved bringing in food, but also taking out boat - shipping in boats by helicopter and going out and hacking up houses - some houses remaining to find cadavers to remove them.

LIN: Exactly, because there are those who died from the flood itself. What are the dangers of people now dying from either starvation or disease?

BRAKEN: It's - the dangers are very high. And so, time is of the essence. And the problem is that a lot of these areas are not going to be accessible by road for some time, or at least it's going to be very hard to reach by road.

And so, it's great that we have multinational forces, helicopters here, but there's only so much you can bring by helicopter. It's nothing like having trucks go in.

So each day, the helicopters start at daybreak and do as much as they can, while the weather holds. But unfortunately, we're at the start of the rainy season. And so, there's always the risk that they won't be able to bring enough food or shelter supplies in the afternoon.

LIN: Amy, looking at these pictures, it is hard to believe that the situation could get any worse. But the possibility still remains. Thank you, Amy Braken from the Associated Press, reporting in from Port au Prince.

Well, from floods to fires, forests in southern California are in danger this summer. Experts say drought conditions and a tree eating bug could make for a disastrous fire season.

CNN's Miguel Marquez shows us what's being done to prevent that from happening.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It is one of millions of dead and dying trees in just one forest.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Now the work starts.

MARQUEZ: Southern California's San Bernardino National Forest was racked by fire last year. And with hot, dry weather approaching, it could be another season of fire.

MIKE DIETRICH, FIRE CHIEF SAN BERNARDINO NATIONAL FOREST: All the conditions are lined up in terms of extremely dry field moistures. Another year of drought.

MARQUEZ: Another year of drought, another year of the bark beetle, a miniscule bug, slowly devouring forests from Alaska to New Mexico.

An infrared image of just one section of the San Bernardino, shows just how much of the forest is damaged by fire and bugs.

LIZ HARRIS, MAYOR, BIG BEAR LAKE, CALIFORNIA: There is a certain amount of fear because we know that we're sitting on a tinderbox.

MARQUEZ: Last year's fire never reached the resort town of Big Bear, but the bark beetle infests trees that surround it.

HARRIS: Everybody's working to remove dead trees and to manage the fire situation, but the worst case scenario, of course, would be another fire forest.

MARQUEZ: Researchers say one fire at the right time and the right place could wipe out entire forests.

THOMAS BONNICKSEN, PROFESSOR, TEXAS A&M AND UC DAVIS: The people who live in our forests are endangered, because we have not been good land stewards.

MARQUEZ: Too many years, say researchers, of not allowing the forest to burn and regrow naturally. So the idea now, return forests to a more natural state, by reducing trees in some cases from as many as 2,000 per acre to about 50.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is probably quite a bit closer to what was here several hundred years ago.

MARQUEZ: The cost is staggering. $16 million is being spent in the San Bernardino National Forest this year to cult trees. But the Forest Service estimates the cost at about $300 million over 10 years. Multiply that over the entire Western United States...

BONNICKSEN: It would cost about $60 billion over the next 15 years just for the initial restoration of 73 million acres of land.

MARQUEZ (on camera): Researchers say it would take billions more to maintain the forests. And with little to no profit to be made from dead trees, most the tab would have to be picked up by the taxpayer.

Miguel Marquez, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Still to come, grab your partner and hit the floor. It's a modern day swing dancing. Find out who's got the beat.

Plus, can you survive without a toothbrush? No running water, no deodorant? Some families are signing up for the challenge.

Plus, how much is it costing you to fill up? An arm, a leg, or your first born child? Coming up later, the pain to pump.

(WEATHER REPORT)

LIN: And now you are looking at live pictures of the World War II Memorial in Washington. Tens of thousands of veterans gathered for the dedication ceremony honoring the 16 million men and women who served in the war. President Bush addressed the crowd, saying World War II veterans showed the finest qualities of our nation, and of humanity.

Four U.S. troops were killed today in action in southern Afghanistan. They were all members of the Special Forces. They were killed in the Zabul province, which has been a hotbed of Taliban led resistance.

Well, the former chief counsel in the Watergate hearings has died. Sam Dash became a household name in the '70s - 1970s, for his intense interrogations into President Nixon's secret taping system at the White House. He died today at the age of 79 after a long illness.

Homeland security, it's a campaign issue ripe for debate this election season. The government issued a warning this week about a possible, possible upcoming al Qaeda terror attack. Democratic candidate John Kerry and President Bush are touting their plans to keep the nation safe.

CNN's Kelly Wallace has details on both.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I fought hard to put those cops on the streets...

KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Listen to John Kerry and President Bush, and you'll hear two candidates saying they will keep America safe.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: And I can assure you I will use every asset at my disposal, to make sure the American homeland is safe and secure.

KERRY: We need a president who understands that homeland security is not something to talk about. It's something to do something about.

WALLACE: Kerry says the president has not done enough or spent enough to prevent another attack. Counterpoint.

BUSH: Since 2001, we've tripled funding for Homeland Security.

WALLACE: Kerry says he would hire an additional 100,000 firefighters, speed up funding, and devote more resources to first responders, and make Homeland Security a central mission of the National Guard.

KERRY: I think I can do a better job.

WALLACE: The president's plan, continue to beef up the Department of Homeland Security, calling for a 10 percent increase in Homeland Security funding, and making the Patriot Act, which gives law enforcement more power, permanent.

BUSH: My most solemn duty is to protect America from the enemy.

WALLACE: Homeland Security experts say the two plans share more similarities than differences. What sets them apart?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Kerry is more focused on the cities and the first responders. President Bush is more focused on using the states as a method of bureaucracy of getting to the cities.

WALLACE (on camera): But even as John Kerry travels the country touting his Homeland Security plans, President Bush continues to get higher marks in the polls when it comes to who would do a better job fighting terrorism.

(voice-over): Point, Kerry says as more people get to know him and his plan, the polls will move in his direction.

KERRY: I have more experience today as a senator in foreign affairs in making our country stronger than George Bush does in his four years as president.

WALLACE: Counterpoint.

BUSH: I have spoken clearly to the American people and to the world. And when I say something, I mean it.

WALLACE: Who voters trust more to keep America safe may well be the victor in November.

Kelly Wallace, CNN, Green Bay, Wisconsin.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: So is the government's terror warning just part of a bigger political campaign strategy? CNN's senior political analyst Bill Schneider got the word in Washington.

Hi there, Bill.

BILL SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST: Hi, Carol.

LIN: What do you make of the terror warning? Do you think there's going to be political fallout from it?

SCHNEIDER: Well, you know, the terror warning to a lot of Americans sounded vague and non-specific. You don't want to downplay these things. They claim it was based on intelligence. But the fact is most Americans have responded with some confusion. When, where, what are we supposed to do? Run, hide, go to the basement, do what?

The result is that there's been some political criticism of this. You put together vague terrorist warnings, some confusion in - within the administration between the Department of Homeland Security and the Justice Department about how serious the threat is, plus a supercharged political atmosphere this early in the campaign year, and you've got all the ingredients for political controversy.

So Democrats are saying you know we suspect there might be politics at work. Bush's poll numbers are dropping. And maybe, just maybe, someone in the administration thought a terror warning could help the president politically.

LIN: You know, and after this controversy - the debate all week about this, and you take a look at the events at today's war memorial, it was so incredibly touching. And you talk about that generation and what they endured, it really puts all this campaign strategizing into some perspective.

SCHNEIDER: Yes, it certainly does. Americans look on that experience, that memorial, the whole of World War II as a - with a great nostalgia, sometimes even affection particularly for those who didn't go through it, because they see it as a time of national unity. Some people call it the last good war, because Americans were united.

Of course, the nation had been attacked. And Americans were united in that war. There was very little polarization or controversy.

And look at the event today. You had President Bush speaking. John Kerry attended with his fellow veterans from other wars. You had previous presidents of both political parties.

It was literally a symbol of a unity that Americans fear the United States has lost in the current political atmosphere.

What Americans may be looking for in this election, at least a lot of Democrats think, is someone who can deliver the promise that George Bush made as a candidate in 2000, when he said America wants a uniter, not a divider. That's a promise many people think he failed to deliver.

LIN: Which - and that is one of the reasons why you think all the rumors about the possibility of John Kerry asking John McCain, a Republican, to join the Democratic ticket might be so intriguing to people.

SCHNEIDER: It's the speculation that will not die. John McCain keeps trying to say no, no, no. What do - you know, how else can I say it? The answer is no. But yet the speculation persists. Why? Because a lot of Americans say you want a symbol, a ticket that will capture the political moment that will embody the desire for national unity? How about a Republican and a Democrat on the same ticket?

John McCain is the most unifying, bipartisan figure in the country. So the idea is what a sensational statement it would be for Kerry to put in McCain or another Republican on the ticket with him.

LIN: Do you really think that if John Kerry asked John McCain to join the ticket, John McCain would say no, refuse the opportunity?

SCHNEIDER: I don't know. My feeling is it would make a dynamic statement. It would electrify the campaign. And you know what? It doesn't hurt to ask. If McCain says I don't want it, don't ask me, ask. See what happens.

LIN: Yes. See what happens. And we sure will. Thanks so much, Bill. Bill Schneider.

SCHNEIDER: Sure.

LIN: Senior political analyst.

Not all from the memories from World War II can be summed up at the National Memorial in Washington. For some, the best memories are traced back to a little amusement park dance hall.

Jeanne Meserve reports about how spirits were lifted on the homefront.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They're still swinging in the Spanish Ballroom, just like they did during World War II. When he was home on leave from the Navy, John Matwey remembers dancing there four or five nights in a row.

JOHN MATWEY, WORLD WAR II VETERAN: Basically, we tried to have a good time, those of us who had been in action or were going to go into action. We wanted to enjoy ourselves.

MESERVE: Enjoy themselves they did throughout the Glen Echo Amusement Park, but particularly in the ballroom, where John Matwey says you could escape the sometimes gruesome, often difficult war.

MATWEY: That was your release. That took you away from everything. You forgot about these things. And you enjoyed yourself.

MESERVE: Enjoyed yourself with young women like Irene Hurley, who worked in the war department. She remembers not just dancing, but smooching.

IRENE HURLEY, WORLD WAR II DANCER: Feel a little kiss about right around through here. Waltz on a little bit further and do the same thing in the next one. And then we'd get back out on the floor just like nothing ever happened.

MESERVE: And how many guys did you do this with?

HURLEY: Lost count.

MESERVE: In retirement, Irene Hurley has returned to this park, just outside Washington, selling tickets to ride the antique carousel. She says her life, like the merry-go-round, has come full circle.

When you look around this ballroom...

HURLEY: Oh, my.

MESERVE: ...what comes flooding back?

HURLEY: Oh, what comes flooding back to me? Well, the good times I had, I guess. Just the good times.

MESERVE: The good times continue at Glen Echo, where some World War II veterans still join Saturday night swing dances.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My cardiologist told me, well, what you've been doing? I said dancing. He says don't stop. He says keep it up.

MESERVE: And the younger dancers, they think it's swell.

UNIDENTIFED FEMALE: Some of the best dancers that I have are with people that could be my grandfather. And they can do all these awesome moves that the younger guys, you know, they're learning how to do.

MESERVE: A ballroom, where anyone can step in time. And some can step back in time.

Jeanne Meserve, CNN, Glen Echo, Maryland.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sorry, that wasn't it. Church time!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: It's been called the reality television show for people who hate reality TV. Imagine giving up your car, your computer, and even showers to live in an authentic colonial village circa 1628, complete with indentured servitude and public punishment.

That is the basis for the hit PBS show, "Colonial House." Kristi Jacobson is a producer and director of "Colonial House." And she joins us now from New York.

Kristi, what a great idea. How did you get it?

KRISTI JACOBSON, PRODUCER/DIRECTOR, COLONIAL HOUSE: Well, it was - it sort of came - it grew out of the house series, which started with 1900 House and then went into Frontier House. And the producers just wanted to take on a more ambitious time period. So we went back to 1628.

LIN: And ambitious it was. How did you find these people? You had such an incredibly diverse cast. I mean, some people who were shy, some people who were incredibly outspoken and cranky and complaining.

I mean, did they have to go through some sort of psychological testing to make sure that they could endure the experience?

JACOBSON: Yes, they did have to go through psychological testing. We had over 5,000 applicants. And ultimately, we wanted to find people who were really committed to this period. But also, they need to understand what they were going to have to give up and what they were going to have to endure.

And so, they went through some serious psychological testing and also some pretty rigorous training before hitting life on the colony.

LIN: Right. And you actually had to deal with some issues, like some basic hygiene issues. I mean, they tried to live authentically for a while, right?

JACOBSON: Yes, the goal was for them to live as authentically as possible. But of course, when they were brushing their teeth with licorice sticks that would have been used in the period, after a couple of weeks, we noticed the brown spots on their teeth and were informed from dentists that this damage could become permanent. And we sort of had to bring in the toothpaste and help them out a little bit with some of the hygiene.

LIN: And the toothbrushes. And you had to fudge on some other things, too, right?

JACOBSON: Yes. Well, there was of course sunblock, because of the damaging effects of the sun. And also, bug spray. The mosquitoes there were just out of control. In fact, back in the 17th century, some colonists allegedly went mad because of all the mosquitoes.

LIN: OK. Well, you couldn't possibly have that - you know, happen to your contestants. Now they - is this a competition? I mean, do they get a prize at the end of this? What do they get out of this?

JACOBSON: No prize at the end. This is not a competition. And that's what makes it different from other reality TV.

What do they get out of it? I think they got a real sense of accomplishment from having come together as a community and really sort of experiencing what their - you know, the people that came before us, might have experienced.

LIN: Because if you're really an individualist, an independent sort of person, I can go it alone, I like to be alone, that isn't the person that's going to do really well in "Colonial House," is it?

JACOBSON: No. This show was not about the individual competing against another. It was much more about the greater good of the community. And these were people with different goals, different reasons for coming here, different political and religious and social beliefs. And they've sort of had to come together and work it out to come together as a community. And that really was one of the things that makes this show different from others.

LIN: Well, we're going to get to talk to the Wire family at 10:00 tonight. You know, they have their own personal drama that they had to deal with during this reality show. So I want to thank you, Kristi, for sharing your story. What a great show. And it was a pleasure to watch Oprah pick eggs out of the chicken coop.

JACOBSON: That was fun.

LIN: That was a good moment. Yes, that's how popular your show has come to be. Thanks very much, Kristi Jacobson.

JACOBSON: Thank you.

LIN: Well, gas prices continue to soar. And now one of our own is throwing in her two cents. Still to come on CNN LIVE SATURDAY, Jeannie Most tries her hand at a new job. But she doesn't get much fan support. We're going to back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Despite some record high gas prices, travelers are still hitting the roads this holiday weekend. In fact, AAA says it expects the number of Memorial Day travelers to hit an all-time high this year.

Now according to AAA, 36.9 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more. And that's up 3.6 percent from 2003. This is despite higher gas prices averaging about $2.00 or $2.03 a gallon. And that is 50 cents higher than this time last year. If high prices at the pump may have you suffering from the gassing up blues, you are not alone. CNN's Jeanne Most looks at some motorists who are really going the extra mile to fill her up.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): When it comes to gas prices, there is no escape. Listen to the sound of money flowing out of your pocket.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Gas prices are ridiculous.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Getting outrageous.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They're insane right now.

MOOS: With the screws tightening, it helps to have a strategy.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I drive an SUV. And my strategy is to turn this car in for a four cylinder car.

MOOS: A worthy thought befitting a guy who asked the gas station attendant if he could pluck roses for this mom.

Smell the roses and gas prices, huh?

Even a few gas stations themselves are making fun of their own prices. New Yorkers, who don't want to pay say $2.47 for regular can tunnel through to New Jersey and save 10 to 40 cents a gallon. Drivers are deserting familiar brand name gas and fleeing to so-called no names.

As for those accustomed to nothing but the best...

JAMIE CARACAPPA, GAS STATION OWNER: People who use premium are backing down and they're going for the regular.

MOOS: When you come to a place like this where there's like six stations, do you go to the cheapest one? Obviously not.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You really want to know something? I own stock in Exxon. So I go to Exxon.

MOOS: Exxon stock, by the way, is up about 20 percent from last year. Some folks don't worry about gas prices.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I figure I'm getting hosed either way.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: God bless Bush, you know.

MOOS: And God bless those gas saving tips, such as keep tires properly inflated. Use less air conditioning. Fat chance.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm a big guy. I don't like to be warm.

MOOS: With prices this high, station owners get some odd requests.

CARACAPPA: Give me a dollar's worth. I'm like where are you going with a dollar's worth?

MOOS: And just when you think you've stumbled upon a miracle, gas at $1.05 a gallon? Don't get too pumped up. $1.05 is just a rusty weed choked memory. Here's reality.

What's the most time today you've had to change...

CARACAPPA: Three times.

MOOS: Three times.

CARACAPPA: On Friday, yes.

MOOS: Imagine the thrill when station owner Jamie Caracappa let me personally raise gas prices.

CARACAPPA: You're going to be an expert by the time I get done with you. Slap this on. It's just a suction cup. Then in at the top.

MOOS: So what if bystanders boo'd.

CARACAPPA: You're on a little bit of a wrong angle.

MOOS: It's not every day I get to throw in my two cents.

Jeanne Moos, CNN, Union City, New Jersey.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: And that's all the time we have for now. Cap Gang is up next. And then at 8:00 Eastern, "CNN PRESENTS" looks back at November 22nd, 1963 through the eyes of the journalist who covered the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

At 9:00 Eastern, Dr. Phil McGraw joins Larry King. And I'm going to be back at 10:00 Eastern, "CNN SATURDAY NIGHT." We're going to have all the highlights from today's dedication of the World War II Memorial, plus a conversation with presidential historian Douglas Brinkley about the greatest generation and what makes a hero today.

But right now, Mark Shields has a look at what's coming up next on "THE CAPITAL GANG."

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