Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Saturday
Cayman Islands Brace For Hurricane Ivan; Nation Commemorates 3rd Anniversary of 9/11
Aired September 11, 2004 - 14:00 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.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN ANCHOR, CNN LIVE SATURDAY: It's 2:00 p.m. on the east coast, 1:00 p.m. in Kingston, Jamaica. Good afternoon, I'm Kelly Wallace at CNN Bureau in Washington in for Fredricka Whitfield. Ahead this hour, September 11th remembered. Three years later, the nation takes time to honor those lost in the terrorist attacks.
Also Homeland Security 101, we will find out how colleges and universities are applying many of the lessons learned from September 11th.
And bracing for Ivan. The hurricane ripped a deadly path through the Caribbean and could be taking aim at Florida. We've got the latest. Those stories in a moment but first stories now in the news.
In the news now, two Iraqis working for an American security company have been killed in Basra. A roadside bomb struck their vehicle according to British military officials. Britain's forces are based in southeastern Iraq.
Twelve religious officials are believed to have died when their helicopter went down off Greece. All were from the Christian Orthodox Church, Including the head of the congregation in Africa. Five crewmembers were also on board. Authorities do not expect to find any survivors.
And residents of Jamaica are enduring hurricane force winds and rains from Ivan at this hour. One woman is missing and the fear is that she has drowned. Up to a foot of rain is expected along with a storm surge eight feet above normal and Floridians are casting a wary glance toward Ivan. We will get the latest update on Ivan from Orelon Sidney in about 13 minutes.
Americans paused today; paying tribute to the memory of the nearly 3,000 people killed in the terror attacks of September 11th, 2001. Special ceremonies marked those sacrifices in Pennsylvania, in Washington, and in New York where two jets crashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Center. Our coverage includes White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux and at ground zero in New York City, Alina Cho.
ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It has been a long and emotional day here in lower Manhattan. The day began early this morning at 8:46 a.m. The first of four moments of silence. Twice to mark the times that the two planes hit the two towers and twice to mark the times that each tower fell. What was most memorable about today though was the reading of the names, all 2,749 of them read by the parents and the grandparents of the deceased. Last year, it was the children, this year the parents and the grandparents.
Of course, this is a day about remembering those who were lost but also about those who are left behind and hundreds of family members were here today, many of them as the names were read descended down to the lowest level of the World Trade Center site where there were two reflecting pools erected for today's ceremony. There, family members were able to lay flowers and leave messages for their loved ones, many of them were clutching photos of their loved ones and held them high as the names were read, many of them found comfort in each other.
While others found solace in being alone. This, of course, was the most important but one of many tributes to the third anniversary of the terrorist attacks going on throughout the city today. This morning, there was a mass at the famed St. Patrick's Cathedral for fallen firefighters. Later this afternoon, there will be a memorial dedicated to the Staten Island victims of the World Trade Center attacks and tonight, the tribute in light, those popular parallel beams of light that shine up from ground zero. Those lights will be turned on at sundown tonight and stay on till dawn tomorrow.
Alina Cho, CNN, New York.
WALLACE: And 184 lives were lost at the Pentagon on September 11th when one of the highjacked planes slammed into the building, a series of memorials were held in the Washington area to pay tribute to those killed. White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux joins us now with more on how the president is remembering September 11th. Good afternoon Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Kelly. They were quiet but touching observances earlier today, President Bush and the first lady attending a prayer service that began the day at St. John's Episcopal Church that is across from the White House with their top staff undergoing a prayer service there, and then following that, it was 8:46 in the morning.
That is exactly the time the first plane hit the World Trade Center. That is the time when the president, the first lady, the vice president and Mrs. Lynn Cheney all bowed their heads for a moment of silence and that is the time of course when it was followed by the call of the colors, the bugle playing and then following that was the president's radio address. This was a rare move.
He delivered it live at the oval office surrounded by family members of the 9/11 victims, firefighters, first responders, the president's message to the American people that he believes that they had hope and courage, those victims, on September 11th and that also the war on terror continues.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Time has passed, but the memories do not fade. We remember the images of fire and the final calls of love and the courage of rescuers who saw death and did not flee. We remember the cruelty of enemies who murdered the innocent and rejoiced in our suffering. We remember the many good lives that ended too soon. Which no one had the right to take?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Now facing increasing criticism by his political opponent, Senator Kerry about his Iraq policy, President Bush also using the radio address today to make the case that he has made the world safer when it comes to conducting the war on terror and he specifically linked the September 11th attacks to the broader war on terror overseas.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BUSH: And our nation accepted a mission. We will defeat this enemy. The United States of America is determined to guard our homeland against future attacks.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Now, President Bush spending the rest of the day at Camp David, he is going to have a quiet day we understand, both the president and Senator Kerry both saying they are not going to campaign today, they are going to put politics aside at least for the rest of the afternoon, this evening before tomorrow to pay their respects to those who lost their lives three years ago -- Kelly.
WALLACE: And Suzanne, how much did that campaign '04 play into the how White House, how White House advisers wanted the president to remember this day?
MALVEAUX: Well certainly if you listen to the radio address, there is -- specifically the beginning calls for condolences, for prayers, for acknowledgment, but certainly the second half of the radio address specifically talks about how the September 11th attacks are linked to the broader war on terror, also making the case here that Iraq policy was the right thing to do, that this has made the world safer and it has made America safer. So there definitely is a political aspect to the radio address, as well.
WALLACE: Suzanne thanks for the update. Suzanne Malveaux reporting from the White House.
A quick look at other September 11th remembrances across America. Democratic presidential candidate Senator John Kerry praised the spirit of America in the years following the attacks. During today's Democratic party radio address.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN KERRY, (D-MA) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I know that for those who lost loved ones that day, the past three years have been almost unbearable. Their courage and faith have been tested in a way that they never imagined. But day after day, they've held on and day after day, they and we have found hope and comfort and strength by the quiet grace of God.
(END VIDEO CLIP) WALLACE: Meantime, at Arlington National Cemetery, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld joined families of those killed in the Pentagon. He laid a wreath at a granite marker bearing the names of the 184 victims. Secretary Rumsfeld said the names are testimony to a country that is courageous, determined and resilient.
And in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, church bells rang and names were read in a solemn ceremony marking the spot where the fourth plane went down.
For some of the families, the pain and sorrow and grief today is nearly as intense as it was three years ago. One group trying to help, Tuesday's Children was founded by people directly affected by the tragedy, the families and friends of the victims. Chris Burke, the group's president lost his brother Tom on September 11th and he joins us now. Thanks so much for being with us.
CHRIS BURKE, PRESIDENT TUESDAY'S CHILDREN: Good afternoon.
WALLACE: How did the memory of your brother, what he did in his life inspire you to get involved and try and help other victims of September 11th?
BURKE: My brother was a caring guy. He was a vital guy, and he was a kids' guy. He was the dad on the soccer field or at the ice rink all weekend long. After September 11th, that was missing out of the lives of thousands and thousands of children. Many of these children, some were my nephews; many of these children were my friends' kids who are no longer with us.
That didn't do. So we needed to step up, someone needed to walk the path with these kids. Today, five years from today. That someone was Tuesday's Children. That's what we do. We have a series of programs that creates a circle of care for these kids as they march from infants to adulthood.
WALLACE: Talk specifically about the children. We know your brother left four young boys and his wife. I think estimates are nearly 3,000 kids are without a mom or dad after September 11th, in particular, what do you do to try and help these kids?
BURKE: These kids are a pretty resilient bunch. It's been a tough and rocky three years. But these kids are responding to our call to really take the reins of their own lives and to help themselves. These kids are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, they are seeing their future, and they are seeing their potential.
And through our programs, whether it be a mentoring program for our younger kids, injecting a positive role model into their lives or career paths which assist our teens, our older kids with college acceptance and summer internship, these are the things keeping these kids nose to the grindstone and their eye on the future. It's working.
WALLACE: As Americans are watching and paying tribute on this the third anniversary, what do you encourage Americans to do to help after this, the September 11th attacks? BURKE: Today was a gut-wrenching day. Just as the previous two anniversaries. The reading of the names is wonderful, but we feel that there's a better way to honor our loved ones lost. Yesterday, the Senate passed a resolution marking September 11th as a national day of service. We're urging not only our families but families from across the country to keep that spirit, that rose up in the wake of September 11th, that spirit of community, that spirit of kindness, that spirit of giving, keep it alive by turning to your -- into your community, to your neighbors, to those in need and doing just a little act of kindness, giving back.
WALLACE: And specifically again about your brother, Tom and his four young boys, how are the boys doing today?
BURKE: Every day is different. It's tough to generalize. They're doing as good as they're going to be fine. They're going to have a full life.
WALLACE: And how are you and other family members of your brother Tom doing?
BURKE: Today's not my best day, but I too, I'm lucky. I have -- I'm on a first name basis with 1,100 widows I didn't know before September 11th. I have 3,600 new friends, all these little kids who I get to help, my organization gets to be involved with. It's very catholic for me, it is very healing, and again, I'm lucky.
WALLACE: You are indeed. What is the Web side sir for any viewers who want to get involved?
BURKE: www.tuesdayschildren.org. There is many ways to get involved. Please have a look.
WALLACE: Chris Burke, founder of Tuesday's Children. We thank you very, very much for being with us today.
BURKE: Thanks so much for having me.
WALLACE: And we'll be back right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: Hard to believe, but Florida is bracing for its third hurricane in just a month. This one called Ivan. Already people in the Florida Keys are evacuating and that's where we find CNN's Susan Candiotti. Susan what is the -- I see there the situation. What's the situation there, Susan?
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kelly an estimated 80,000 people live here year round in the Florida Keys and they had hoped that about 60,000 of those 80 would have left by now, but authorities estimate about half as many as they expected had left the Florida Keys. Traffic is very light. We do however see some people still slowly making their way north.
But just to give you an idea of what they are estimating, they say on a normal Friday night, they would count about 48 or 50 cars per hour. Last night they counted about 260 cars per hour. So as you can see, a huge difference. Again, last minute preparations still underway and down in -- or up north of where we are in Key Largo, they are even preparing the safest way to keep comfortable, I guess you could say, dolphins.
This is part of a company called Dolphins Plus where you have an opportunity to swim with dolphins. And of course, the dolphins are in a restricted area. They will probably go to deeper water but they are making sure that they -- for the normal (INAUDIBLE).
MARYLOU WRIGHT, DOLPHIN TRAINER: The most important thing in our lives are these guys and I would rather these guys be safe than for our own personal safety. So that's why some of us will stay here and keep an eye on things. If it gets too bad for us to come out and feed them, then we won't.
(AUDIO GAP)
WALLACE: We apologize. We have lost CNN's Susan Candiotti, mother nature stepping in there, she will be following the update on the Florida Keys for us through out the day and we will get back to her when we can.
Mean time Orelon Sidney has been tracking Ivan's path. She is now in the CNN Weather Center with the latest update. Orelon what is the situation now?
ORELON SIDNEY, METEOROLOGIST: Well, one thing I want to emphasize is that where Susan Candiotti was, that's not an influence from Ivan yet. That's a whole different system that is causing the rain there. So I don't want anybody to think that Ivan is knocking on the door already. If you're in Jamaica, of course that's different ball games. If you're in the Cayman Islands, it's headed in your direction.
This is what we see right now Jamaica is here. Of course the storm took just a bee line like a buzz saw right to the south of Jamaica and now it is continuing a west northwest ward drift towards the Cayman Islands, Grand Cayman here, Cayman Brac off to the upper part of the screen here. We expect it to move to the west-northwest again about eight miles an hour or so later. Here are the very latest coordinates; it is 170 miles east southeast of Grand Cayman. That's also 40 miles west southwest of the western tip of Jamaica.
So for Jamaica, the worst is over but they're not totally out of the woods yet. The winds now 145 miles an hour. It looks like an eye wall replacement cycle has just gotten itself underway. So we'll expect some strengthening actually later on today and perhaps tonight.
Here's what we think the track will do. The storm will continue through the Cayman Islands by 8:00 a.m. tomorrow. By 8:00 a.m. Monday, the storm is still on the northern coast of Cuba and then look, it looks like a track right through the eastern part of the Gulf of Mexico making landfall somewhere on the big bend of Florida, but remember, there is a very large area of several hundred miles of possibility either side of that.
So you could that we could see affecting the Keys as early as 8:00 a.m. Monday if it tends to pull off to the right a bit more or if it wants to go off to the west, you can see it out in the Gulf of Mexico. So just remember that Florida, you're not out of the woods yet. It looks like the storm may stay to the west of the Peninsula, but the Panhandle then of course becomes a major concern. And of course with that potential error, we definitely don't want to let our guard down just yet -- Kelly.
WALLACE: And Orelon what are the factors that could affect the tracking of hurricane Ivan?
SIDNEY: Well there is a couple of things, it's going to be a little difficult for me to show you here. I'll switch to another map quickly and show you that there's a trough of low pressure right across the eastern United States. That's one of the factors.
There's also a big high-pressure system sitting back in the Atlantic and that's what's taking the storm and pushing it westward. The question becomes will this trough be able to take the storm and pull it off to the north and west across the eastern United States. A couple other things play into it. But that's what the major factors are right now -- Kelly.
WALLACE: Thanks Orelon, and we'll be checking in with you throughout this day. Orelon Sidney reporting from the CNN Weather Center. And of course we're continuing to keep an eye on Ivan. As Orelon was mentioning the island nation of Jamaica was getting ripped by Hurricane Ivan and faced sustained winds of at least 145 miles per hour.
We're going to get the latest live by the phone from CNN's Karl Penhaul in Kingston. Karl what's the situation there? According to Orelon, the worst may be behind.
KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): That certainly seems to be the case right now, Kelly. The hurricane winds have definitely subsided. Even the storm force winds have probably dropped quite a lot. It is still very windy. A lot of rain being dumped on the island right now as well. But Jamaicans are beginning to venture out of their homes and start to assess the damage. There are a lot of pylons down, a lot of trees down, a lot of debris in the streets and also a lot of mud.
That mud has been dragged along in gullies and riverbeds and down from some of the mountains but it's one of the areas in Kingston at least that has been hardest hit is the area that butts onto the ocean there. We went down there this morning picking our way through the debris, and there the scene is pretty devastating. A number of homes have been washed into the sea. We saw at least three or four that were hanging in the ocean with waves still battering at the door of those homes.
We also went into the home of one man. It looked like a very modest house but he told us it was three times the size before yesterday's hurricane. He says that three bedrooms and a toilet and another bathroom and a living room have been washed completely into the sea. He and others of his neighbor who's lived on the ocean side are now very much looking for someplace to live, Kelly.
WALLACE: Karl thanks for that. We will continue to check in with you, Karl Penhaul reporting from Kingston, Jamaica.
Evoking memories of the September 11th attacks on the campaign trail. Up next we'll examine the strategy with political analyst Ron Brownstein and later, Scott Peterson's father takes the witness stand in his son's double murder trial. What impact, if any, will his testimony have the jurors? We'll find out in our "Legal Roundtable." CNN LIVE SATURDAY continues. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: We have special programming throughout the day as we remember the September 11th attacks three years ago. A new "Time" poll shows terrorism is now the top issue on voter's minds. It is also one of President Bush's greatest strengths and Vice President Dick Cheney was accused this week of using the threat of a terrorist attack as a tactic in the campaign.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DICK CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It's absolutely essential that eight weeks from today on November 2nd, we make the right choice. Because if we make the wrong choice, then the danger is that we'll get hit again, that we'll be hit in a way that will be devastating from the standpoint of the United States and then we'll fall back into the pre-9/11 mind-set, if you will, that in fact, these terrorist attacks are just criminal acts and that we're not really at war.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: And joining me now for our weekly political roundup is CNN political analyst Ron Brownstein. Ron great to see you as always. The vice president though yesterday tried to clarify his remarks didn't he?
RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: He did. I think his original comments made sub text unfortunately text. The sub text of this campaign really is who will keep the country safer in the post 9/11 period. I mean that really is the dominant issue and certainly it has been an argument of the Bush campaign that John Kerry as Dick Cheney said represents a pre-9/11 mindset, that he pursues policies that have not adapted to the change in the world, the change in the threat that 9/11 posed.
Dick Cheney said that I think uncomfortably directly and overtly for them, but that basic argument which Kerry obviously refutes is central to their campaign.
WALLACE: Could the White House though see any damage to this even though the vice president clarifying it, any damage if voters think they're trying to play politics with something like a terrorist attack?
BROWNSTEIN: Well I think it was -- I think he did go too far in the way he framed it, but the argument that they would keep the country safer and that Kerry's direction represents a less secure future for America is integral to their argument, the core strength of the president all the way through this year, even when his ratings were much lower than they are today on Iraq and the economy, faith in him for prosecuting the war on terror was the one, the core strength that he had that has held him up and something we saw clearly Kelly at the convention that they want to emphasize in every way possible.
WALLACE: And as we were saying if you look at the "Time" poll, which issue is most important, terrorism now at 26 percent, the economy 24 percent, Iraq 17 percent. Are you picking up anything with in the Kerry campaign about a division how much to sort of go on the attack against the president over this whole issue terrorism?
BROWNSTEIN: Well look I think they've made their basic choice. The -- from the period from April, May, June, July right through the Democratic Convention, their strategy was assuming there was a majority in the country ready for change and they had to reassure people that John Kerry was an acceptable vehicle for change.
Then they have to persuade him to fire President Bush. They have now rejected that strategy and with good reason. After the reversal in the raise we saw in August. They are now out there making a case everyday against President Bush. There are debates about how far to go. But they have crossed a Rubicon and they are out there doing what really is the indispensable job of a challenger, trying to challenge the record of the incumbent.
WALLACE: A story we've been seeing this week, questions about the authenticity of these documents, CBS News reporting earlier in the week talking about questions about President Bush's service record and the National Guard during the Vietnam era. Is this an issue in terms of the authenticity of the documents that could end up hurting Democrats more than it could end up hurting the Bush-Cheney team?
BROWNSTEIN: Well in the near term and probably in the long-term, the questions about the authenticity of the documents probably does help to stir up the Republican base which doesn't like the mainstream media, many of them, especially as had negative views about CBS and "60 Minutes" and so forth. In that sense, it is probably going to help stir up the Republican base. But it's important to understand that the threat to President Bush on this issue or the challenge to him goes beyond this individual report.
There is a group now Texans for Truth which is emerging as kind of a liberal counterpart to Swift Vote Veterans for Truth which is running the ads attacking the president over his record and has raised enough money to keep doing that, the Democrats are piling on more aggressively. I think this is going to be with us for quite a while as sort of a parallel to the Kerry challenges on Vietnam.
WALLACE: All right Ron we have to leave it there. You'll be watching it all, Ron Brownstein CNN political analyst, thanks so much. Remembering September 11th around the world. We will show you how people in other countries took time to honor those killed three years ago and the story of two families and two fathers dramatically changed by the events of September 11th, that's coming up. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: A check of stories now in the news. Americans remember September 11th. Families gathered at ground zero in New York City to mark the terror attacks three years ago today. Many placed flowers on two small reflecting pools representing the lost twin towers. Remembrances were also held in the Washington area and in Pennsylvania.
A military intelligence analyst plans to appeal his sentencing today in the Abu Ghraib Prison abuse scandal. Army specialist Arman Cruz pleaded guilty in the court martial but disagreed with the bad conduct discharge. A judge also sentenced Cruz to eight months confinement and demoted his rank.
A 65-year-old man accused of defecting the U.S. army to live in North Korea is back on active duty. Sergeant Charles Robert Jenkins surrendered at an army base in Japan. Jenkins disappeared from his unit in 1965. He faces charges that include aiding the enemy.
Keeping you informed, CNN the most trusted name in news.
And other nations are pausing with the United States to remember the tragic events of three years ago today. We take a look at September 11th ceremonies around the world, in Afghanistan, U.S. forces and their allies gathered for observances. Somber memorials were held at military bases in the nation where the U.S. still continues its fight against terror.
In Tokyo, some 2,000 people held a candle light vigil. Organizers of the event called for an end to the war in Iraq and all violence worldwide. Over 1,600 candles were used to form the symbol of peace and in London, members of British families who lost loved ones on September 11th placed flowers at a memorial garden outside the U.S. Embassy, a twisted metal girder from one of the twin towers is buried beneath the garden.
September 11th has definitely changed the way the U.S. government protect the homeland. With the increased importance of homeland security, some institutions of higher education are now offering courses in the science of terrorism. CNN's Sean Callebs is live from Washington with details on this new discipline.
Good afternoon Sean.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi Kelly. Indeed, protecting the United States, its people, its infrastructure, its economic hubs is a growing business. Hundreds of colleges and universities around the nation are now offering degrees and certificates in homeland security. Among those schools, Johns Hopkins, administrators say homeland security will be among the largest government employers over the next decade, a growing field that needs graduates.
In part the instructors say, the government was simply unprepared for the fall out from 9/11 and in other cases government is being forced to changes to deal with the threat.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEVEN DAVID, JOHN HOPKINS UNIVERSITY: This is a subject that is not going to go away. We will never totally defeat terrorism in the same way that we will never totally defeat crime. Threats to America will, unfortunately, continue to exist in my lifetime and my children's lifetime and my grandchildren's lifetime.
It's unfortunate that this is the case. But given the fact that America is the leading country in the western world, we are always going to be a target of those who are not only upset with what we do but what we are.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CALLEBS: Now students at John Hopkins follow three specialized tracks while pursuing the Homeland Security certificate, the scientific science of terrorism, for example, the difference between chemical, biological and nuclear weapons, domestic administrative, how the U.S. government is organized to deal with attacks and international relations.
Policies affecting relationships between the U.S., other nations and other factions. Right now John Hopkins does not offer a graduate degree in homeland security, but rather a certificate. However, administrators there say a masters degree could be in the offing Kelly in part because demand right now is simply so high.
WALLACE: I was going to ask you Sean how popular and you answered it with demand being so high. So who is takes these classes?
CALLEBS: It's interesting. What they tell us there, a lot people who are taking these classes are people who are interested in government, perhaps people who are interested in working for the FBI, the CIA, or the foreign service. Really chiefly those are the people who are taking the class. Some who believe the certificate can really add to their resume and help them get a job either with the government or the private sector in the coming years.
WALLACE: Really interesting Sean, life has changed. Homeland Security 101 might be on the syllabus of many colleges and universities in the years ahead. Sean Callebs reporting from Washington thanks so much.
Three years ago, today, as we've been telling you, some family members still struggling to cope with the losses of that day and make sense of their own lives. CNN's Brian Todd introduces us to two men whose wives were killed in the attack on the Pentagon.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): For Abe Scott and Tom Heidenberger, the need to stay busy is just one thing they share.
ABE SCOTT, WIFE DIED AT PENTAGON: I'll be going a mile a minute.
TOM HEIDENBERGER, WIFE DIED ON AA FLIGHT 77: Do your homework.
TODD: These two men didn't have much in common three years ago, but when a plane slammed into the Pentagon, their lives became eerily similar. Each man in an instant turned widower after long loving marriages.
SCOTT: I was walking around like a zombie. I also was thinking about what, you know, what I was going to do without her.
TODD: Each man thrust into single parenthood in mid life. Each with children in their teens and 20s. Each with a sudden crisis they couldn't comprehend, let alone explain to their children.
HEIDENBERGER: I had about an hour to get myself together.
TODD: Tom Heidenberger is a pilot for US Airways. His wife Michele was a flight attendant aboard American Airlines flight 77. He received the news relatively early that morning. Then he had to tell his son.
HEIDENBERGER: You know, he then fell on the floor with the dog and just cried his heart out. And you know, I was there with him. And then when my daughter came home, you know, her first words were, you know, mom's not going to be at my wedding. You know, for any parent to have to tell that they lost either a mother, a spouse or a fellow sibling and to have to tell that and to see your children's pain and agony, I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.
TODD: For Abe Scott, no quick certainty. His wife Janice, a civilian budget analyst at the Pentagon was designated as missing for weeks. How do explain this to 15 and 23-year-old daughters.
SCOTT: It was very hard for me to talk to them about it. About the situation. But they knew. They knew.
TODD: For both men, the female buffer to their daughters was gone. They tried to cope. Sought psychological help, went through awkward, sometimes excruciating periods, but also found a certain place with their children.
HEIDENBERGER: She will ask me questions she would normally ask her mother. About dating or you know, what to wear or should I go to this event or shouldn't I go to this event.
TODD: All four of their children have either graduated or are in college or will be soon, but with that success, you sense in each man a certain happiness framed only in the past.
SCOTT: I try to not think about the present. Try to think about the past. When she was alive. Good things that we had that we did together. HEIDENBERGER: I never really got to tell my wife what a wonderful person she was. I mean she knew it. But it would make me feel better you know, if I could have told her again and again and again. And I don't have that chance.
TODD: Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: On the docket now, the Scott Peterson double murder trial. Peterson is accused of killing his pregnant wife and their unborn son. The prosecution this week called Peterson's father to the stand. But by the time Lee Peterson finished telling the jury about his son's love of fishing, the defense team had plenty to smile about.
Two of our favorite attorneys are back for today's "Legal Roundtable," in Cleveland, Ohio, civil rights attorney Avery Friedman and in New York, criminal defense attorney Richard Herman. Welcome to you both.
AVERY FRIEDMAN, CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY: Hi Kelly.
RICHARD HERMAN, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Good afternoon.
WALLACE: Richard, let me start with you. What does the defense have to smile about, about Lee Peterson on the stand?
HERMAN: It's -- you know, the prosecution has fallen into a preemptive posture here because they've been totally destroyed by Geragos cross examination of their witnesses and after 15 weeks of trial, we don't know the day Laci was killed, we don't know how she was killed, we don't know where she was killed. There are so many unanswered questions here, and the detective Brocchini has alone committed four instances of obstruction of justice and in a circumstantial case if the police work is not pristine there is no way any rational jury can convict someone.
WALLACE: Richard let bring Avery in. Avery did the prosecution gain any ground by bringing Lee Peterson to the stand this week?
FRIEDMAN: You know I'm wondering if we're talking about the same case. I think the testimony of Scott Peterson's father Lee Peterson, was very powerful for the prosecution and I'll tell you why. Lee Peterson said that he spoke with his son virtually everyday. You know what?
There were two calls on December 24th the day that Laci was missing. He never told his dad that he was 80 miles away. He never told his dad that he bought the new boat. What the prosecution is doing right now, Kelly, is putting the case together and we're seeing Mark Geragos, no more wise crack he's tightening up his case, he is tightening up his cross-examination.
Richard's right on one point, you've got to keep the attention of the jury and now we're at the point where the prosecution is ready to wrap up.
HERMAN: Kelly, 15 weeks of trial. I know a judge in the middle district of Florida who would have tried this whole case soup to nuts in 30 days.
FRIEDMAN: I know the same judge.
HERMAN: It is outrageous.
WALLACE: Avery what are you saying about that though? Some critics will say that 15 weeks for the prosecution and it isn't even done is somewhat ridiculous.
HERMAN: It is ridiculous. And it's lost the interest of this jury. I believe this jury has already made up their mind at worst-case scenario for Peterson; it's a hung jury. Best case, he's going to be acquitted. There's no way he could be convicted in this particular case.
FRIEDMAN: Well --
WALLACE: Go ahead Avery.
FRIEDMAN: Here's the reality, if I may Kelly. The reality is that this jury gets it. The primary issue in the case and it's what the prosecution is going to close with, it will be that Scott Peterson was 80 miles away from home on the day she was missing and guess what, several months later, they found Conner, they found Laci, 80 miles away from home. It's a common sense case and they're in reasonably good shape at this point.
WALLACE: And Richard, we did see some neighbors of Scott and Laci Peterson, neighbors who were pregnant talking about walking their dogs, taking the stand this week. That seems like it could be damaging for the defense.
HERMAN: No, it was another preemptive move by the prosecution, which ended up blowing up in their face. On cross-examination, Geragos enlisted the fact that some of these people were not pregnant in December. Some of these people did not have a golden retriever. Some of these people looked absolutely nothing like Laci. I mean it just another blunder by a prosecution that has no idea how to try a case.
FRIEDMAN: Seven witnesses came out, some women were pregnant, some had the same kind of dog. I think it's important evidence, and we're going to have to see because the prosecution will be wrapping up in the next week or so. Let's see how good Mark Geragos is in defending Scott Peterson.
WALLACE: Gentlemen, we have to leave it there. We'll bring you back when the prosecution wraps up to see what you think. Avery Friedman, civil rights attorney. Richard Herman, criminal defense attorney. Thanks gentleman for joining us today.
HERMAN: Nice to see you Kelly.
FRIEDMAN: Thank you Kelly. Take care.
WALLACE: Moving ahead to our coverage of September 11th from New York to hour nation's capital to the plains of Pennsylvania, we will show you some of the sights and sounds from today's events honoring those lost exactly three years ago.
Also, we'll take an even closer look at the positive changes worldwide since September 11th. That's all ahead. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: It has certainly been a somber day throughout the country from New York to Washington to Pennsylvania, emotional remembrances today for the victims of the September 11th attacks. Here now some of the sights and sounds from today's ceremonies.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(SINGING NATIONAL ANTHEM)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Neil O. Heinz.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sheldon Robert Cantor.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Norbert P. Zurcowski (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Edward P. York.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Frankie Sarano (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: John Wosher (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Paul G. Ruback (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I pray that our heavenly father may a sage the anguish of your bereavement and leave you only the cherished memory of the love and loss and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the alter of freedom.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And my son, Ronald Phillip Clipfer (ph) who we love and miss dearly.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And my wonderful beautiful daughter, Renay Tetrel (ph) Newell.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: The September 11th attacks definitely changed America and the world, in many ways, the changes are for the worse, but many good things have happened as well, things many of us may take for granted.
Here's CNN's Tom Foreman.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Almost any day for three years now, the reminders have been there. The attacks, the losses, the frightened faces. Since that September, it has seemed sometimes the world will never be quite right again. But painted by numbers, so much in America has been right.
Twenty five million planes have taken off and landed safely, carrying a billion and a half passengers to every state and the world beyond. The world has come here too, more than a million legal immigrants have established American homes and hopes. Fourteen million people took wedding vows; 49 million children attended public schools.
Twelve million young Americans arrived to a one-day say that day happened before they were born. Inside and out, Americans reveled in their country. A quarter billion visits were made to national monuments and parks. We strolled beaches, played games, ran through sunshine, walked in rain. America sent young people off to war. Some came back.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I love you.
FOREMAN: Some did not. We shared our burdens and our fears, our laughter, our tears. Americans have faced uncertainty before. In the early 1900s, anarchists believed working people were being victimized by the rising power of corporations.
They called for violence and Americans feared chaos, the collapse of society. It did not happen then, and it has not happened this time. Instead, 1,095 times, the sun has risen and set. Twelve times the seasons have shifted. Three times the harvest has come and once we thought our world would never change. We were wrong. And we were right.
Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WALLACE: The resilient sea of Mother Nature and human beings. We certainly thank Tom Foreman for that report on this very difficult anniversary of the September 11th attacks. There is much more ahead here on CNN SATURDAY. At 3:00 p.m., Eastern, it is "NEXT@CNN." At 4 Eastern, "CNN Live Saturday" continuing.
"IN Dollar Signs" how to save to be a millionaire no matter what you make right now and at 5:00 p.m. Eastern, "People in the News" and the life of Osama Bin Laden. But first Daniel Sieberg with a preview of "Next@CNN."
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 September 11, 2004 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN ANCHOR, CNN LIVE SATURDAY: It's 2:00 p.m. on the east coast, 1:00 p.m. in Kingston, Jamaica. Good afternoon, I'm Kelly Wallace at CNN Bureau in Washington in for Fredricka Whitfield. Ahead this hour, September 11th remembered. Three years later, the nation takes time to honor those lost in the terrorist attacks.
Also Homeland Security 101, we will find out how colleges and universities are applying many of the lessons learned from September 11th.
And bracing for Ivan. The hurricane ripped a deadly path through the Caribbean and could be taking aim at Florida. We've got the latest. Those stories in a moment but first stories now in the news.
In the news now, two Iraqis working for an American security company have been killed in Basra. A roadside bomb struck their vehicle according to British military officials. Britain's forces are based in southeastern Iraq.
Twelve religious officials are believed to have died when their helicopter went down off Greece. All were from the Christian Orthodox Church, Including the head of the congregation in Africa. Five crewmembers were also on board. Authorities do not expect to find any survivors.
And residents of Jamaica are enduring hurricane force winds and rains from Ivan at this hour. One woman is missing and the fear is that she has drowned. Up to a foot of rain is expected along with a storm surge eight feet above normal and Floridians are casting a wary glance toward Ivan. We will get the latest update on Ivan from Orelon Sidney in about 13 minutes.
Americans paused today; paying tribute to the memory of the nearly 3,000 people killed in the terror attacks of September 11th, 2001. Special ceremonies marked those sacrifices in Pennsylvania, in Washington, and in New York where two jets crashed into the twin towers of the World Trade Center. Our coverage includes White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux and at ground zero in New York City, Alina Cho.
ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It has been a long and emotional day here in lower Manhattan. The day began early this morning at 8:46 a.m. The first of four moments of silence. Twice to mark the times that the two planes hit the two towers and twice to mark the times that each tower fell. What was most memorable about today though was the reading of the names, all 2,749 of them read by the parents and the grandparents of the deceased. Last year, it was the children, this year the parents and the grandparents.
Of course, this is a day about remembering those who were lost but also about those who are left behind and hundreds of family members were here today, many of them as the names were read descended down to the lowest level of the World Trade Center site where there were two reflecting pools erected for today's ceremony. There, family members were able to lay flowers and leave messages for their loved ones, many of them were clutching photos of their loved ones and held them high as the names were read, many of them found comfort in each other.
While others found solace in being alone. This, of course, was the most important but one of many tributes to the third anniversary of the terrorist attacks going on throughout the city today. This morning, there was a mass at the famed St. Patrick's Cathedral for fallen firefighters. Later this afternoon, there will be a memorial dedicated to the Staten Island victims of the World Trade Center attacks and tonight, the tribute in light, those popular parallel beams of light that shine up from ground zero. Those lights will be turned on at sundown tonight and stay on till dawn tomorrow.
Alina Cho, CNN, New York.
WALLACE: And 184 lives were lost at the Pentagon on September 11th when one of the highjacked planes slammed into the building, a series of memorials were held in the Washington area to pay tribute to those killed. White House correspondent Suzanne Malveaux joins us now with more on how the president is remembering September 11th. Good afternoon Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Kelly. They were quiet but touching observances earlier today, President Bush and the first lady attending a prayer service that began the day at St. John's Episcopal Church that is across from the White House with their top staff undergoing a prayer service there, and then following that, it was 8:46 in the morning.
That is exactly the time the first plane hit the World Trade Center. That is the time when the president, the first lady, the vice president and Mrs. Lynn Cheney all bowed their heads for a moment of silence and that is the time of course when it was followed by the call of the colors, the bugle playing and then following that was the president's radio address. This was a rare move.
He delivered it live at the oval office surrounded by family members of the 9/11 victims, firefighters, first responders, the president's message to the American people that he believes that they had hope and courage, those victims, on September 11th and that also the war on terror continues.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Time has passed, but the memories do not fade. We remember the images of fire and the final calls of love and the courage of rescuers who saw death and did not flee. We remember the cruelty of enemies who murdered the innocent and rejoiced in our suffering. We remember the many good lives that ended too soon. Which no one had the right to take?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Now facing increasing criticism by his political opponent, Senator Kerry about his Iraq policy, President Bush also using the radio address today to make the case that he has made the world safer when it comes to conducting the war on terror and he specifically linked the September 11th attacks to the broader war on terror overseas.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BUSH: And our nation accepted a mission. We will defeat this enemy. The United States of America is determined to guard our homeland against future attacks.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Now, President Bush spending the rest of the day at Camp David, he is going to have a quiet day we understand, both the president and Senator Kerry both saying they are not going to campaign today, they are going to put politics aside at least for the rest of the afternoon, this evening before tomorrow to pay their respects to those who lost their lives three years ago -- Kelly.
WALLACE: And Suzanne, how much did that campaign '04 play into the how White House, how White House advisers wanted the president to remember this day?
MALVEAUX: Well certainly if you listen to the radio address, there is -- specifically the beginning calls for condolences, for prayers, for acknowledgment, but certainly the second half of the radio address specifically talks about how the September 11th attacks are linked to the broader war on terror, also making the case here that Iraq policy was the right thing to do, that this has made the world safer and it has made America safer. So there definitely is a political aspect to the radio address, as well.
WALLACE: Suzanne thanks for the update. Suzanne Malveaux reporting from the White House.
A quick look at other September 11th remembrances across America. Democratic presidential candidate Senator John Kerry praised the spirit of America in the years following the attacks. During today's Democratic party radio address.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN KERRY, (D-MA) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I know that for those who lost loved ones that day, the past three years have been almost unbearable. Their courage and faith have been tested in a way that they never imagined. But day after day, they've held on and day after day, they and we have found hope and comfort and strength by the quiet grace of God.
(END VIDEO CLIP) WALLACE: Meantime, at Arlington National Cemetery, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld joined families of those killed in the Pentagon. He laid a wreath at a granite marker bearing the names of the 184 victims. Secretary Rumsfeld said the names are testimony to a country that is courageous, determined and resilient.
And in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, church bells rang and names were read in a solemn ceremony marking the spot where the fourth plane went down.
For some of the families, the pain and sorrow and grief today is nearly as intense as it was three years ago. One group trying to help, Tuesday's Children was founded by people directly affected by the tragedy, the families and friends of the victims. Chris Burke, the group's president lost his brother Tom on September 11th and he joins us now. Thanks so much for being with us.
CHRIS BURKE, PRESIDENT TUESDAY'S CHILDREN: Good afternoon.
WALLACE: How did the memory of your brother, what he did in his life inspire you to get involved and try and help other victims of September 11th?
BURKE: My brother was a caring guy. He was a vital guy, and he was a kids' guy. He was the dad on the soccer field or at the ice rink all weekend long. After September 11th, that was missing out of the lives of thousands and thousands of children. Many of these children, some were my nephews; many of these children were my friends' kids who are no longer with us.
That didn't do. So we needed to step up, someone needed to walk the path with these kids. Today, five years from today. That someone was Tuesday's Children. That's what we do. We have a series of programs that creates a circle of care for these kids as they march from infants to adulthood.
WALLACE: Talk specifically about the children. We know your brother left four young boys and his wife. I think estimates are nearly 3,000 kids are without a mom or dad after September 11th, in particular, what do you do to try and help these kids?
BURKE: These kids are a pretty resilient bunch. It's been a tough and rocky three years. But these kids are responding to our call to really take the reins of their own lives and to help themselves. These kids are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, they are seeing their future, and they are seeing their potential.
And through our programs, whether it be a mentoring program for our younger kids, injecting a positive role model into their lives or career paths which assist our teens, our older kids with college acceptance and summer internship, these are the things keeping these kids nose to the grindstone and their eye on the future. It's working.
WALLACE: As Americans are watching and paying tribute on this the third anniversary, what do you encourage Americans to do to help after this, the September 11th attacks? BURKE: Today was a gut-wrenching day. Just as the previous two anniversaries. The reading of the names is wonderful, but we feel that there's a better way to honor our loved ones lost. Yesterday, the Senate passed a resolution marking September 11th as a national day of service. We're urging not only our families but families from across the country to keep that spirit, that rose up in the wake of September 11th, that spirit of community, that spirit of kindness, that spirit of giving, keep it alive by turning to your -- into your community, to your neighbors, to those in need and doing just a little act of kindness, giving back.
WALLACE: And specifically again about your brother, Tom and his four young boys, how are the boys doing today?
BURKE: Every day is different. It's tough to generalize. They're doing as good as they're going to be fine. They're going to have a full life.
WALLACE: And how are you and other family members of your brother Tom doing?
BURKE: Today's not my best day, but I too, I'm lucky. I have -- I'm on a first name basis with 1,100 widows I didn't know before September 11th. I have 3,600 new friends, all these little kids who I get to help, my organization gets to be involved with. It's very catholic for me, it is very healing, and again, I'm lucky.
WALLACE: You are indeed. What is the Web side sir for any viewers who want to get involved?
BURKE: www.tuesdayschildren.org. There is many ways to get involved. Please have a look.
WALLACE: Chris Burke, founder of Tuesday's Children. We thank you very, very much for being with us today.
BURKE: Thanks so much for having me.
WALLACE: And we'll be back right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: Hard to believe, but Florida is bracing for its third hurricane in just a month. This one called Ivan. Already people in the Florida Keys are evacuating and that's where we find CNN's Susan Candiotti. Susan what is the -- I see there the situation. What's the situation there, Susan?
SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Kelly an estimated 80,000 people live here year round in the Florida Keys and they had hoped that about 60,000 of those 80 would have left by now, but authorities estimate about half as many as they expected had left the Florida Keys. Traffic is very light. We do however see some people still slowly making their way north.
But just to give you an idea of what they are estimating, they say on a normal Friday night, they would count about 48 or 50 cars per hour. Last night they counted about 260 cars per hour. So as you can see, a huge difference. Again, last minute preparations still underway and down in -- or up north of where we are in Key Largo, they are even preparing the safest way to keep comfortable, I guess you could say, dolphins.
This is part of a company called Dolphins Plus where you have an opportunity to swim with dolphins. And of course, the dolphins are in a restricted area. They will probably go to deeper water but they are making sure that they -- for the normal (INAUDIBLE).
MARYLOU WRIGHT, DOLPHIN TRAINER: The most important thing in our lives are these guys and I would rather these guys be safe than for our own personal safety. So that's why some of us will stay here and keep an eye on things. If it gets too bad for us to come out and feed them, then we won't.
(AUDIO GAP)
WALLACE: We apologize. We have lost CNN's Susan Candiotti, mother nature stepping in there, she will be following the update on the Florida Keys for us through out the day and we will get back to her when we can.
Mean time Orelon Sidney has been tracking Ivan's path. She is now in the CNN Weather Center with the latest update. Orelon what is the situation now?
ORELON SIDNEY, METEOROLOGIST: Well, one thing I want to emphasize is that where Susan Candiotti was, that's not an influence from Ivan yet. That's a whole different system that is causing the rain there. So I don't want anybody to think that Ivan is knocking on the door already. If you're in Jamaica, of course that's different ball games. If you're in the Cayman Islands, it's headed in your direction.
This is what we see right now Jamaica is here. Of course the storm took just a bee line like a buzz saw right to the south of Jamaica and now it is continuing a west northwest ward drift towards the Cayman Islands, Grand Cayman here, Cayman Brac off to the upper part of the screen here. We expect it to move to the west-northwest again about eight miles an hour or so later. Here are the very latest coordinates; it is 170 miles east southeast of Grand Cayman. That's also 40 miles west southwest of the western tip of Jamaica.
So for Jamaica, the worst is over but they're not totally out of the woods yet. The winds now 145 miles an hour. It looks like an eye wall replacement cycle has just gotten itself underway. So we'll expect some strengthening actually later on today and perhaps tonight.
Here's what we think the track will do. The storm will continue through the Cayman Islands by 8:00 a.m. tomorrow. By 8:00 a.m. Monday, the storm is still on the northern coast of Cuba and then look, it looks like a track right through the eastern part of the Gulf of Mexico making landfall somewhere on the big bend of Florida, but remember, there is a very large area of several hundred miles of possibility either side of that.
So you could that we could see affecting the Keys as early as 8:00 a.m. Monday if it tends to pull off to the right a bit more or if it wants to go off to the west, you can see it out in the Gulf of Mexico. So just remember that Florida, you're not out of the woods yet. It looks like the storm may stay to the west of the Peninsula, but the Panhandle then of course becomes a major concern. And of course with that potential error, we definitely don't want to let our guard down just yet -- Kelly.
WALLACE: And Orelon what are the factors that could affect the tracking of hurricane Ivan?
SIDNEY: Well there is a couple of things, it's going to be a little difficult for me to show you here. I'll switch to another map quickly and show you that there's a trough of low pressure right across the eastern United States. That's one of the factors.
There's also a big high-pressure system sitting back in the Atlantic and that's what's taking the storm and pushing it westward. The question becomes will this trough be able to take the storm and pull it off to the north and west across the eastern United States. A couple other things play into it. But that's what the major factors are right now -- Kelly.
WALLACE: Thanks Orelon, and we'll be checking in with you throughout this day. Orelon Sidney reporting from the CNN Weather Center. And of course we're continuing to keep an eye on Ivan. As Orelon was mentioning the island nation of Jamaica was getting ripped by Hurricane Ivan and faced sustained winds of at least 145 miles per hour.
We're going to get the latest live by the phone from CNN's Karl Penhaul in Kingston. Karl what's the situation there? According to Orelon, the worst may be behind.
KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (via telephone): That certainly seems to be the case right now, Kelly. The hurricane winds have definitely subsided. Even the storm force winds have probably dropped quite a lot. It is still very windy. A lot of rain being dumped on the island right now as well. But Jamaicans are beginning to venture out of their homes and start to assess the damage. There are a lot of pylons down, a lot of trees down, a lot of debris in the streets and also a lot of mud.
That mud has been dragged along in gullies and riverbeds and down from some of the mountains but it's one of the areas in Kingston at least that has been hardest hit is the area that butts onto the ocean there. We went down there this morning picking our way through the debris, and there the scene is pretty devastating. A number of homes have been washed into the sea. We saw at least three or four that were hanging in the ocean with waves still battering at the door of those homes.
We also went into the home of one man. It looked like a very modest house but he told us it was three times the size before yesterday's hurricane. He says that three bedrooms and a toilet and another bathroom and a living room have been washed completely into the sea. He and others of his neighbor who's lived on the ocean side are now very much looking for someplace to live, Kelly.
WALLACE: Karl thanks for that. We will continue to check in with you, Karl Penhaul reporting from Kingston, Jamaica.
Evoking memories of the September 11th attacks on the campaign trail. Up next we'll examine the strategy with political analyst Ron Brownstein and later, Scott Peterson's father takes the witness stand in his son's double murder trial. What impact, if any, will his testimony have the jurors? We'll find out in our "Legal Roundtable." CNN LIVE SATURDAY continues. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: We have special programming throughout the day as we remember the September 11th attacks three years ago. A new "Time" poll shows terrorism is now the top issue on voter's minds. It is also one of President Bush's greatest strengths and Vice President Dick Cheney was accused this week of using the threat of a terrorist attack as a tactic in the campaign.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DICK CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: It's absolutely essential that eight weeks from today on November 2nd, we make the right choice. Because if we make the wrong choice, then the danger is that we'll get hit again, that we'll be hit in a way that will be devastating from the standpoint of the United States and then we'll fall back into the pre-9/11 mind-set, if you will, that in fact, these terrorist attacks are just criminal acts and that we're not really at war.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: And joining me now for our weekly political roundup is CNN political analyst Ron Brownstein. Ron great to see you as always. The vice president though yesterday tried to clarify his remarks didn't he?
RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN POLITICAL ANALYST: He did. I think his original comments made sub text unfortunately text. The sub text of this campaign really is who will keep the country safer in the post 9/11 period. I mean that really is the dominant issue and certainly it has been an argument of the Bush campaign that John Kerry as Dick Cheney said represents a pre-9/11 mindset, that he pursues policies that have not adapted to the change in the world, the change in the threat that 9/11 posed.
Dick Cheney said that I think uncomfortably directly and overtly for them, but that basic argument which Kerry obviously refutes is central to their campaign.
WALLACE: Could the White House though see any damage to this even though the vice president clarifying it, any damage if voters think they're trying to play politics with something like a terrorist attack?
BROWNSTEIN: Well I think it was -- I think he did go too far in the way he framed it, but the argument that they would keep the country safer and that Kerry's direction represents a less secure future for America is integral to their argument, the core strength of the president all the way through this year, even when his ratings were much lower than they are today on Iraq and the economy, faith in him for prosecuting the war on terror was the one, the core strength that he had that has held him up and something we saw clearly Kelly at the convention that they want to emphasize in every way possible.
WALLACE: And as we were saying if you look at the "Time" poll, which issue is most important, terrorism now at 26 percent, the economy 24 percent, Iraq 17 percent. Are you picking up anything with in the Kerry campaign about a division how much to sort of go on the attack against the president over this whole issue terrorism?
BROWNSTEIN: Well look I think they've made their basic choice. The -- from the period from April, May, June, July right through the Democratic Convention, their strategy was assuming there was a majority in the country ready for change and they had to reassure people that John Kerry was an acceptable vehicle for change.
Then they have to persuade him to fire President Bush. They have now rejected that strategy and with good reason. After the reversal in the raise we saw in August. They are now out there making a case everyday against President Bush. There are debates about how far to go. But they have crossed a Rubicon and they are out there doing what really is the indispensable job of a challenger, trying to challenge the record of the incumbent.
WALLACE: A story we've been seeing this week, questions about the authenticity of these documents, CBS News reporting earlier in the week talking about questions about President Bush's service record and the National Guard during the Vietnam era. Is this an issue in terms of the authenticity of the documents that could end up hurting Democrats more than it could end up hurting the Bush-Cheney team?
BROWNSTEIN: Well in the near term and probably in the long-term, the questions about the authenticity of the documents probably does help to stir up the Republican base which doesn't like the mainstream media, many of them, especially as had negative views about CBS and "60 Minutes" and so forth. In that sense, it is probably going to help stir up the Republican base. But it's important to understand that the threat to President Bush on this issue or the challenge to him goes beyond this individual report.
There is a group now Texans for Truth which is emerging as kind of a liberal counterpart to Swift Vote Veterans for Truth which is running the ads attacking the president over his record and has raised enough money to keep doing that, the Democrats are piling on more aggressively. I think this is going to be with us for quite a while as sort of a parallel to the Kerry challenges on Vietnam.
WALLACE: All right Ron we have to leave it there. You'll be watching it all, Ron Brownstein CNN political analyst, thanks so much. Remembering September 11th around the world. We will show you how people in other countries took time to honor those killed three years ago and the story of two families and two fathers dramatically changed by the events of September 11th, that's coming up. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: A check of stories now in the news. Americans remember September 11th. Families gathered at ground zero in New York City to mark the terror attacks three years ago today. Many placed flowers on two small reflecting pools representing the lost twin towers. Remembrances were also held in the Washington area and in Pennsylvania.
A military intelligence analyst plans to appeal his sentencing today in the Abu Ghraib Prison abuse scandal. Army specialist Arman Cruz pleaded guilty in the court martial but disagreed with the bad conduct discharge. A judge also sentenced Cruz to eight months confinement and demoted his rank.
A 65-year-old man accused of defecting the U.S. army to live in North Korea is back on active duty. Sergeant Charles Robert Jenkins surrendered at an army base in Japan. Jenkins disappeared from his unit in 1965. He faces charges that include aiding the enemy.
Keeping you informed, CNN the most trusted name in news.
And other nations are pausing with the United States to remember the tragic events of three years ago today. We take a look at September 11th ceremonies around the world, in Afghanistan, U.S. forces and their allies gathered for observances. Somber memorials were held at military bases in the nation where the U.S. still continues its fight against terror.
In Tokyo, some 2,000 people held a candle light vigil. Organizers of the event called for an end to the war in Iraq and all violence worldwide. Over 1,600 candles were used to form the symbol of peace and in London, members of British families who lost loved ones on September 11th placed flowers at a memorial garden outside the U.S. Embassy, a twisted metal girder from one of the twin towers is buried beneath the garden.
September 11th has definitely changed the way the U.S. government protect the homeland. With the increased importance of homeland security, some institutions of higher education are now offering courses in the science of terrorism. CNN's Sean Callebs is live from Washington with details on this new discipline.
Good afternoon Sean.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi Kelly. Indeed, protecting the United States, its people, its infrastructure, its economic hubs is a growing business. Hundreds of colleges and universities around the nation are now offering degrees and certificates in homeland security. Among those schools, Johns Hopkins, administrators say homeland security will be among the largest government employers over the next decade, a growing field that needs graduates.
In part the instructors say, the government was simply unprepared for the fall out from 9/11 and in other cases government is being forced to changes to deal with the threat.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STEVEN DAVID, JOHN HOPKINS UNIVERSITY: This is a subject that is not going to go away. We will never totally defeat terrorism in the same way that we will never totally defeat crime. Threats to America will, unfortunately, continue to exist in my lifetime and my children's lifetime and my grandchildren's lifetime.
It's unfortunate that this is the case. But given the fact that America is the leading country in the western world, we are always going to be a target of those who are not only upset with what we do but what we are.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CALLEBS: Now students at John Hopkins follow three specialized tracks while pursuing the Homeland Security certificate, the scientific science of terrorism, for example, the difference between chemical, biological and nuclear weapons, domestic administrative, how the U.S. government is organized to deal with attacks and international relations.
Policies affecting relationships between the U.S., other nations and other factions. Right now John Hopkins does not offer a graduate degree in homeland security, but rather a certificate. However, administrators there say a masters degree could be in the offing Kelly in part because demand right now is simply so high.
WALLACE: I was going to ask you Sean how popular and you answered it with demand being so high. So who is takes these classes?
CALLEBS: It's interesting. What they tell us there, a lot people who are taking these classes are people who are interested in government, perhaps people who are interested in working for the FBI, the CIA, or the foreign service. Really chiefly those are the people who are taking the class. Some who believe the certificate can really add to their resume and help them get a job either with the government or the private sector in the coming years.
WALLACE: Really interesting Sean, life has changed. Homeland Security 101 might be on the syllabus of many colleges and universities in the years ahead. Sean Callebs reporting from Washington thanks so much.
Three years ago, today, as we've been telling you, some family members still struggling to cope with the losses of that day and make sense of their own lives. CNN's Brian Todd introduces us to two men whose wives were killed in the attack on the Pentagon.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): For Abe Scott and Tom Heidenberger, the need to stay busy is just one thing they share.
ABE SCOTT, WIFE DIED AT PENTAGON: I'll be going a mile a minute.
TOM HEIDENBERGER, WIFE DIED ON AA FLIGHT 77: Do your homework.
TODD: These two men didn't have much in common three years ago, but when a plane slammed into the Pentagon, their lives became eerily similar. Each man in an instant turned widower after long loving marriages.
SCOTT: I was walking around like a zombie. I also was thinking about what, you know, what I was going to do without her.
TODD: Each man thrust into single parenthood in mid life. Each with children in their teens and 20s. Each with a sudden crisis they couldn't comprehend, let alone explain to their children.
HEIDENBERGER: I had about an hour to get myself together.
TODD: Tom Heidenberger is a pilot for US Airways. His wife Michele was a flight attendant aboard American Airlines flight 77. He received the news relatively early that morning. Then he had to tell his son.
HEIDENBERGER: You know, he then fell on the floor with the dog and just cried his heart out. And you know, I was there with him. And then when my daughter came home, you know, her first words were, you know, mom's not going to be at my wedding. You know, for any parent to have to tell that they lost either a mother, a spouse or a fellow sibling and to have to tell that and to see your children's pain and agony, I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.
TODD: For Abe Scott, no quick certainty. His wife Janice, a civilian budget analyst at the Pentagon was designated as missing for weeks. How do explain this to 15 and 23-year-old daughters.
SCOTT: It was very hard for me to talk to them about it. About the situation. But they knew. They knew.
TODD: For both men, the female buffer to their daughters was gone. They tried to cope. Sought psychological help, went through awkward, sometimes excruciating periods, but also found a certain place with their children.
HEIDENBERGER: She will ask me questions she would normally ask her mother. About dating or you know, what to wear or should I go to this event or shouldn't I go to this event.
TODD: All four of their children have either graduated or are in college or will be soon, but with that success, you sense in each man a certain happiness framed only in the past.
SCOTT: I try to not think about the present. Try to think about the past. When she was alive. Good things that we had that we did together. HEIDENBERGER: I never really got to tell my wife what a wonderful person she was. I mean she knew it. But it would make me feel better you know, if I could have told her again and again and again. And I don't have that chance.
TODD: Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: On the docket now, the Scott Peterson double murder trial. Peterson is accused of killing his pregnant wife and their unborn son. The prosecution this week called Peterson's father to the stand. But by the time Lee Peterson finished telling the jury about his son's love of fishing, the defense team had plenty to smile about.
Two of our favorite attorneys are back for today's "Legal Roundtable," in Cleveland, Ohio, civil rights attorney Avery Friedman and in New York, criminal defense attorney Richard Herman. Welcome to you both.
AVERY FRIEDMAN, CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY: Hi Kelly.
RICHARD HERMAN, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Good afternoon.
WALLACE: Richard, let me start with you. What does the defense have to smile about, about Lee Peterson on the stand?
HERMAN: It's -- you know, the prosecution has fallen into a preemptive posture here because they've been totally destroyed by Geragos cross examination of their witnesses and after 15 weeks of trial, we don't know the day Laci was killed, we don't know how she was killed, we don't know where she was killed. There are so many unanswered questions here, and the detective Brocchini has alone committed four instances of obstruction of justice and in a circumstantial case if the police work is not pristine there is no way any rational jury can convict someone.
WALLACE: Richard let bring Avery in. Avery did the prosecution gain any ground by bringing Lee Peterson to the stand this week?
FRIEDMAN: You know I'm wondering if we're talking about the same case. I think the testimony of Scott Peterson's father Lee Peterson, was very powerful for the prosecution and I'll tell you why. Lee Peterson said that he spoke with his son virtually everyday. You know what?
There were two calls on December 24th the day that Laci was missing. He never told his dad that he was 80 miles away. He never told his dad that he bought the new boat. What the prosecution is doing right now, Kelly, is putting the case together and we're seeing Mark Geragos, no more wise crack he's tightening up his case, he is tightening up his cross-examination.
Richard's right on one point, you've got to keep the attention of the jury and now we're at the point where the prosecution is ready to wrap up.
HERMAN: Kelly, 15 weeks of trial. I know a judge in the middle district of Florida who would have tried this whole case soup to nuts in 30 days.
FRIEDMAN: I know the same judge.
HERMAN: It is outrageous.
WALLACE: Avery what are you saying about that though? Some critics will say that 15 weeks for the prosecution and it isn't even done is somewhat ridiculous.
HERMAN: It is ridiculous. And it's lost the interest of this jury. I believe this jury has already made up their mind at worst-case scenario for Peterson; it's a hung jury. Best case, he's going to be acquitted. There's no way he could be convicted in this particular case.
FRIEDMAN: Well --
WALLACE: Go ahead Avery.
FRIEDMAN: Here's the reality, if I may Kelly. The reality is that this jury gets it. The primary issue in the case and it's what the prosecution is going to close with, it will be that Scott Peterson was 80 miles away from home on the day she was missing and guess what, several months later, they found Conner, they found Laci, 80 miles away from home. It's a common sense case and they're in reasonably good shape at this point.
WALLACE: And Richard, we did see some neighbors of Scott and Laci Peterson, neighbors who were pregnant talking about walking their dogs, taking the stand this week. That seems like it could be damaging for the defense.
HERMAN: No, it was another preemptive move by the prosecution, which ended up blowing up in their face. On cross-examination, Geragos enlisted the fact that some of these people were not pregnant in December. Some of these people did not have a golden retriever. Some of these people looked absolutely nothing like Laci. I mean it just another blunder by a prosecution that has no idea how to try a case.
FRIEDMAN: Seven witnesses came out, some women were pregnant, some had the same kind of dog. I think it's important evidence, and we're going to have to see because the prosecution will be wrapping up in the next week or so. Let's see how good Mark Geragos is in defending Scott Peterson.
WALLACE: Gentlemen, we have to leave it there. We'll bring you back when the prosecution wraps up to see what you think. Avery Friedman, civil rights attorney. Richard Herman, criminal defense attorney. Thanks gentleman for joining us today.
HERMAN: Nice to see you Kelly.
FRIEDMAN: Thank you Kelly. Take care.
WALLACE: Moving ahead to our coverage of September 11th from New York to hour nation's capital to the plains of Pennsylvania, we will show you some of the sights and sounds from today's events honoring those lost exactly three years ago.
Also, we'll take an even closer look at the positive changes worldwide since September 11th. That's all ahead. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: It has certainly been a somber day throughout the country from New York to Washington to Pennsylvania, emotional remembrances today for the victims of the September 11th attacks. Here now some of the sights and sounds from today's ceremonies.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
(SINGING NATIONAL ANTHEM)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Neil O. Heinz.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sheldon Robert Cantor.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Norbert P. Zurcowski (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Edward P. York.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Frankie Sarano (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: John Wosher (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Paul G. Ruback (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I pray that our heavenly father may a sage the anguish of your bereavement and leave you only the cherished memory of the love and loss and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the alter of freedom.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And my son, Ronald Phillip Clipfer (ph) who we love and miss dearly.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And my wonderful beautiful daughter, Renay Tetrel (ph) Newell.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: The September 11th attacks definitely changed America and the world, in many ways, the changes are for the worse, but many good things have happened as well, things many of us may take for granted.
Here's CNN's Tom Foreman.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Almost any day for three years now, the reminders have been there. The attacks, the losses, the frightened faces. Since that September, it has seemed sometimes the world will never be quite right again. But painted by numbers, so much in America has been right.
Twenty five million planes have taken off and landed safely, carrying a billion and a half passengers to every state and the world beyond. The world has come here too, more than a million legal immigrants have established American homes and hopes. Fourteen million people took wedding vows; 49 million children attended public schools.
Twelve million young Americans arrived to a one-day say that day happened before they were born. Inside and out, Americans reveled in their country. A quarter billion visits were made to national monuments and parks. We strolled beaches, played games, ran through sunshine, walked in rain. America sent young people off to war. Some came back.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I love you.
FOREMAN: Some did not. We shared our burdens and our fears, our laughter, our tears. Americans have faced uncertainty before. In the early 1900s, anarchists believed working people were being victimized by the rising power of corporations.
They called for violence and Americans feared chaos, the collapse of society. It did not happen then, and it has not happened this time. Instead, 1,095 times, the sun has risen and set. Twelve times the seasons have shifted. Three times the harvest has come and once we thought our world would never change. We were wrong. And we were right.
Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WALLACE: The resilient sea of Mother Nature and human beings. We certainly thank Tom Foreman for that report on this very difficult anniversary of the September 11th attacks. There is much more ahead here on CNN SATURDAY. At 3:00 p.m., Eastern, it is "NEXT@CNN." At 4 Eastern, "CNN Live Saturday" continuing.
"IN Dollar Signs" how to save to be a millionaire no matter what you make right now and at 5:00 p.m. Eastern, "People in the News" and the life of Osama Bin Laden. But first Daniel Sieberg with a preview of "Next@CNN."
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
