Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Saturday

Are U.S Airports Safer? Interview with Loren Arrude of Sarah Lunde's Church Youth Team

Aired April 16, 2005 - 16:00   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.


ZAIN VERJEE, CNN ANCHOR: Billions of taxpayer dollars spent to improve security at U.S. Airports, but are we safer in the air than we were pre-9/11? New reports paint a disturbing picture.
Pain at the pump. We're all dealing with high gas prices, but for small businesses the extra expense could spell doom.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: For mom, it was beyond black and white or above black and white. She was really and truly the only color-blind person I've ever known.

VERJEE: Her desire for equality led her to the south in the 1960s, but the hatred of others cost her life. The story of two women of different races, and the friendship that lasted beyond a lifetime.

Hello and welcome to CNN LIVE SATURDAY. I'm Zain Verjee. All that and more after a check of the headlines.

Searchers looking for a missing 13-year-old Florida girl have made a grim discovery near her home. An unidentified body was found partially submerged in the waters of an abandoned fish farm. A live report from the scene in a moment.

Protesters called for debt relief for poor countries outside the meeting of the International Monetary Fund officials in Washington today. But the mood appeared more festive than combative. The crowd much smaller, several hundred people, compared to the thousands of protesters in past years. Police report no arrests.

More rattling near Indonesia's island of Sumatra. A 6.3 magnitude earthquake shook up residents this morning. No tsunamis were triggered and there's been no reports of injuries or damage. Seismologist have warned there would be more activity in the area ever since the December deadly tsunami.

Up first, heartbreak in Florida. A week after 13-year-old Sarah Lunde vanished without a trace, searchers hours ago found a body about half a mile from where she was last seen. While the body has not been identified this is certainly not the news Lunde's family and her friends had been hoping for.

CNN's Sarah Dorsey is live in Ruskin, Florida with the latest on what's going on -- Sarah.

SARA DORSEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Zain, I am at the First Apostolic Church. This is Sarah Lunde's church. And many of her friends and church friends are gathered here waiting to hear the news. And of course, many of them have their fingers crossed hoping indeed this body is not that of Sarah Lunde. Police officials tell us, that a body was found about 10:00 this morning by a search dog. It was found about a half mile from the home that Lunde is believed, her home, to have disappeared from.

They tell us that it was actually found in an abandoned fish farm, very near her house. We have some video of that, that was sent in from the sheriff's department. Many sheriffs officers responding to that. They're not telling us details at this time as to if it is a female or male body, if it indeed was found in any clothing. The sheriff is telling us, though, he does not believe it is a coincidence that it was found so close to the home where that little girl was missing from.

Joining me now is Loren Arruda. Loren, you are a youth team leader here at the church and you know Sarah Lunde very well. First of all, tell me, what has the news since hearing that a body was found, what has this been like for you all that know her?

LOREN ARRUDA, CHURCH YOUTH TEAM: Terrifying, almost a reality to us. We were still praying that she would walk through the doors, and just say, "Are you guys looking for me?" And this was a reality to us that, it might not be -- she might not do that.

DORSEY: Did you ever think at any point when she went missing that this may be -- may be what was going to happen? I mean, did you all even consider that thought?

ARRUDA: No, we didn't want to. No. No.

DORSEY: What is has the reaction been here among those of you in the church that know her? How is everyone handling this?

ARRUDA: They're sick. They really are. They're speechless. They don't know what to think, because it's hit home so much, and she was so close to everybody here that we still can't believe it.

DORSEY: I know many of you possibly watched the Jessica Lunsford case unfold, also a young girl, 9-years-old in that case that was killed, and now a 13-year-old.

What goes through your mind when you hear this stuff?

ARRUDA: That what's this world coming to? That we have to keep a close eye on our child. And it's not the way it should be. I don't know. We are so dumb-founded by it -- that when it happened, we were just hoping, like I said, she'd just come home.

DORSEY: Loren Arruda, thank you very much for joining us. We'll keep the hoping, and keep the hope alive with you all. As you can see, a very somber time here, as people wait to understand and learn more information about that body that was found -- Zain.

VERJEE: Sarah Dorsey reporting. CNN will bring you more on this developing story at 6:00 p.m.

In our security watch, investigators have reportedly come up with some shocking findings about security at the nation's airports. Soon after 9/11 the federal government took over responsibility for airport screening.

Now, billions of dollars later, are you any safer? Lets go live to Elaine Quijano in Washington -- Elaine.

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello to you, Zain.

Those reports are not due out until next week. But just a short time ago, I spoke to a lawmaker who was briefed then. Congressman Pete DaFazio, is the ranking Democrat on the House Aviation Subcommittee. And says the bottom line on these two reports, is that there has not been progress made in the last year or so, when the Homeland Security inspector general took a look at the airport screeners. Now, specificly what we are talking about is the ability of airport screeners to detect, what they call, threat objects, potential weapons, in other words.

The congressman thinks the problem has to do with the machines the screeners are using. In fact, in his words, he says, "They have 1980s technology for 21st century threats." And he believes that that system will never work. Now, his Republican colleague, Congressman John Mica, who chairs the House Aviation Subcommittee, he believes that the problem has to do more with the quality of the screeners themselves. He believes that private screeners might be doing, might do a better job. He told the Associated Press, "A lot of people will be shocked at the billions of dollars we've spent and the results they're going to see, which confirm previous examinations of the Soviet-style screening system we've put in place."

Now, according to Congressman DaFazio, though, again who has been briefed on the two reports as well as Congressman Mica, there's no significant difference, according to Congressman DaFazio, between the quality of private screeners and the performance of private screeners vs. the federal screeners. In fact, Congressman DaFazio also taking note it was private screeners who were on duty, who were in charge of airport screening security when the 9/11 hijackers carried out their attacks -- Zain.

VERJEE: CNN's Elaine Quijano reporting.

Has anything changed since the feds took over responsibility for airport screeners?

CNN's security analyst Clark Kent Ervin is former Homeland Security Department inspector general. And he joins me now from Washington D.C.

When I go to an airport, am I any safer than I was before 9/11 or not?

CLARK KENT ERVIN, CNN SECURITY ANALYST: Yes, certain things have been done by TSA since 9/11 that have made the traveling public safer. Cockpit doors are hardened, a number of pilots are armed, the number of air marshals has been dramaticly increased, and generally speaking screeners are better trained and more sensitized. But as the news reports have it, the latest inspector general report and GAO report will show that there's been no or little improvement if any in the ability of screeners to detect deadly weapons sneaked past the screeners by these government agents.

VERJEE: Why is that? You say they're better trained, shouldn't they be able to?

ERVIN: They certainly should be.

VERJEE: So, then they're not well trained?

ERVIN: They are better trained than they were on 9/11, but they're not trained well enough -- not trained well enough to detect these deadly weapons on the tests that were, apparently, conducted by the Office of Inspector General and the Government Accountability Office. So, more training needs to be done.

VERJEE: Well, why hasn't it been done already? I mean, is it just that qualified people were not hired or you pay them poor salaries and therefore, you get the quality of what you pay for? What's the problem?

ERVIN: That's part of it. The salaries are low. The quality of the people in certain cases hired is low. One of the problems that we noted when I was the inspector general was that background checks had not been completed on screeners before they were hired and subsequently, it was learned that relatively significant number of screeners actually had criminal backgrounds. We need better screeners. We need better trained screeners. We need equipment and technology that can increase the ability of human beings to detect these deadly weapons. We need certain changes in procedures that the screeners follow. And finally, managers and supervisors need to be vigilant. They need to watch the performance of screeners on a regular basis, correct any deficiencies that they see and ensure that the ability of screeners to detect these items is a factor in their evaluation in ultimately firing them if they continue to fail to detect such items.

VERJEE: It seems to me, though, years later, after billions of dollars have been spent, that this is quite unacceptable, and outrageous even, because this should have been handled properly and the screening processes should have been in place.

ERVIN: You're quite right, Zain. I couldn't agree with you more. This is unacceptable, if in fact the results are, as the reports have it, if there's been no change or no appreciable change since 9/11 in the ability of screeners to detect these deadly weapons in government tests, it's unsettling. Because we know that al Qaeda has done this once and they are determined to do it again.

VERJEE: But you are the former inspector general of the TSA. How do you explain it to people? ERVIN: It appears to me that these recommendations that we made two years ago were not fully implemented, that there wasn't this recurring training done, that enough equipment and technology was not deployed and utilized. That there weren't the changes in the standard operating procedures that we recommended. And that supervisors are not paying enough attention to what goes on on the line. I feared that this might be the case a couple of years ago. That's why we began a second round of testing just before I left. And it appears as though the second round of testing will shows that there's been no appreciable improvement.

VERJEE: CNN security analyst, Clark Kent Ervin, a former Homeland Security Department inspector general, thank you.

ERVIN: Thank you.

VERJEE: CNN is committed to providing the most reliable coverage of news that affects your security. So, stay tuned to CNN for the latest information, day and night.

Ahead this hour, bridging the gap between religions. Pope John Paul II did it well. Can his successor achieve the same?

Also, it's not often that religion and gambling mix, but tell that to the odds makers, who's favored to become the next pontiff.

First, though, violence in the streets of one Asian nation. The target, the Japanese. Why the past is causing problems today.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VERJEE: Security and stability remain major concerns in Iraq. A suicide bomber blew himself up in a crowded restaurant in Baqubah, where a group of policemen were having lunch. Seven people were killed, five were police officers, two civilians. Eleven Iraqis escaped from the largest U.S.-run prison today, in what's believed to be the first breakout of its kind. Camp Bucca is located near the counsel of Umqasar (ph). U.S. officials went on alert after finding a hole in a premier fence. Ten inmates were quickly recaptured. Authorities are still searching for the final escapee.

A U.S. Convoy averted disaster today in northern Baghdad. Iraqi police say a car bomb that was targeted at the convoy missed its mark, but it did blow up, wounding two Iraqis.

Another attack on American forces turned deadly. A U.S. soldier from the 42nd Military Police Brigade was killed today in a roadside bombing today in Taji. The soldier was the second soldier killed in Iraq in 24 hours.

Still no word on the fate of an American businessman taken hostage in Iraq. Jeffrey Ake was first seen in this video on Wednesday, surrounded by hooded gunmen. In the video Ake begged the U.S. government to negotiate with the Iraqi National Resistance and save his life. Ake is from Indiana. His company's involved in reconstruction work in Iraq. U.S. policy prohibits negotiations with insurgents, but the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad says a 25-member team is hard at work trying to secure his release.

Japan's foreign minister is heading for Beijing, where he plans to demand an apology for violent protests against his nation. Windows shattered at the Japanese consulate in Shanghai, where 20,000 protesters marched. Vandals also targeted Japanese restaurants. And (UNINTELLIGIBLE) news reports two Japanese were hurt in a crowd, another 12,000 marchers hit the streets in two other cities. They are furious over a textbook approved by Japan that describes World War II. Protesters think the book soft peddles war time -- war time atrocities. Police are keeping streets quiet in Beijing in advance of talks.

Back here in America, pain at the gas pump.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Breaking even about now. But if the gas prices go up, if our overhead goes up, then we will no longer be breaking even.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VERJEE: Higher gas prices are driving their small business profits to the dogs. We're going to have their story in our gas price watch straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VERJEE: Gas prices leveled off this week in some places, but it's still hovering near record highs nationwide. In his weekly radio address today President Bush acknowledged that Americans are feeling the pinch in family budgets and business payrolls. He urged Congress to back his energy policies.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The energy bill must encourage the use of technology to improve conservation. We must find smarter ways to meet our energy needs. And we must encourage Americans to make better choices about energy consumption. We must also continue to invest in research, so we'll develop the technologies that will allow to us conserve more and be better stewards of the environment.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

VERJEE: Gas prices hit a record $2.29 per gallon by the start of this week, but adjusted for inflation that figure doesn't come close to what Americans were paying in 1981 when oil markets were rocked by the Iranian revolution. For many Americans that pinch the president is talking about is turning into a squeeze. Among those hurting the most are people running small businesses that require a lot of driving.

CNN's Allan Chernoff introduces us to an entrepreneur near Chicago whose big is being dogged by high gas prices. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): If only Michael Brennan could tap his clients' energy to fuel his business.

MICHAEL BRENNAN, ENTREPRENEUR: I know, nobody likes this part that much.

CHERNOFF: Brennan runs a mobile dog grooming service. If your pup needs a wash, cut and style, perhaps even a toenail clipping, Michael's pet mobile will make a house call.

BRENNAN: There's a sort of pleasure in dealing with dogs all day long and dealing with owners of dogs. It's -- they're a remarkably pleasant group.

You're angry.

CHERNOFF: A retired nurse, Brennan got into the business a year and a half ago. He's had no problem finding clients, trouble is, the cost of getting to them. The pet mobile is a 3,500-pound converted horse trailer equipped with water, heater, pumps and generator. A Ford F-150 pulls the load. Combine truck with trailer, you get about eight miles a gallon by Brennan's estimate.

BRENNAN: It does eat gas remarkably well. Certainly a little troublesome that we have to drive big trucks in order to pull the trailers that we pull.

CHERNOFF: Now consider prices at the pump. Near a record high of $2.27 a gallon nationwide. And in Chicago's northern suburbs, Brennan's territory, $2.33 a gallon. Ouch! Brennan has two pet mobiles, his cost of gas has been averaging about $570 a month.

BRENNAN: Our most recent bill from Shell was on the order of $750. If you go back to October, it was about $450. So there is a substantial increase going on there.

CHERNOFF: That's why Brennan raised prices in October. The average groom is now $63. And he's planning another price hike. Well, aware it will likely cost him some customers.

BRENNAN: And we're breaking even about now. But if the gas price goes up, if our overhead goes up, then we will no longer be breaking even.

CHERNOFF: Brennan fears if gas prices keep soaring, he'll take such a bath that he'll no longer be able to afford giving them to Chicago's dogs.

(LAUGHTER)

BRENNAN: I'm on the lookout for technology that will turn dog hair into gasoline because I've got a whole lot of dog hair.

CHERNOFF: Allan Chernoff, CNN, New York. (END VIDEOTAPE)

VERJEE: Preparation for an historical gathering in Rome. Ahead on CNN LIVE SATURDAY, getting ready for the Conclave, and how the new pontiff can reach across religions.

Plus...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Of course she knew how dangerous it was, but that was her destiny, to go down there and be a part of something, to make somebody's life better.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VERJEE: Her children say she was color blind, a white woman, she gave her life for a cause, and the task of raising her kids went to her closest friend, a black woman.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VERJEE: Here are the latest developments. Authorities in Florida say they've found a body near the home of a missing 13-year- old girl. The search and rescue dog discovered the partially submerged body at an abandoned fish farm. They have not yet identified the body. Sarah Michelle Lunde has been missing since last week.

An earthquake rocked central California today. The 5.1 magnitude quake hit about an hour ago. It was centered near the town of Pine Mountain Club, that's about 85 miles from Los Angeles. There are no immediate reports of damages or injuries.

Security at U.S. airports is reportedly no better now than it was before September 11th. That's the expected finding of two new government reports. A key House member, who is being briefed on the report says privacy demands limiting the work of airport screeners.

Amid unprecedented precautions, the pre-conclave details have been ironed out, and the secret gathering to select the next pope is about to begin. Today, a final Mass was held at St. Peter's Basilica for Pope John Paul II, bringing the mourning period to an end. Cardinals destroyed his fisherman's ring and formal seal signaling the conclusion of his papacy.

Monday at 10:00 a.m. Rome time, that's 4:00 a.m. Eastern, a special Mass will be held. Later that afternoon, the Conclave actually begins its highly secretive task. Each of the 115 cardinals taking part will take an oath of secrecy. They're likely to conduct at least one vote on Monday. In the days that follow, the cardinals will begin each day with Mass, 90 minutes later they'll return to their work, two rounds of voting are expected to take place each morning and two rounds in the afternoon.

The next head of the Roman Catholic Church will face many challenges, among them, continuing Pope John Paul II's work, bridging the gap with other religions, like with Muslims and Jews. Earlier I spoke with the reverend Felix Macahado of the Vatican's Pontifical Office for Inter-religious affairs, about the task ahead.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

REV. FELIX MACHADO, VATICAN INTER-RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS: I think the Vatican will expand that dialogue, because Pope John Paul II only based himself, founded himself on the church's teaching which was promulgated in the Second Vatican Council, and so I have all the reasons to say that the Vatican and the Catholic Church will continue what Pope John Paul II has begun.

VERJEE: Are there those in the Vatican, father, that would much rather focus efforts, time and money on reenergizing Christianity rather than spending that time, money, the effort on reaching out to Muslims and Jews?

MACHADO: Well, I think we cannot separate the two things. We cannot divide these two things. The dialogue, interfaith dialogue that the church, Catholic Church wants, is precisely founded on the faith of the Catholic Church. And so it's not like either/or, but it will be both always. It is more that the Catholic Church is founded on its own faith, that it will open up also in friendship and respect to people of other religions.

VERJEE: Do some in the church view Islam as a threat to Christianity?

For example, the church has never really had to deal with Islam as a new social and religious force in Europe. That's something that it's been confronted with now and over the past recent years. How is the Vatican going to approach it? How are you going to approach it?

MACHADO: Well, let me say that the Vatican or the Catholic Church never has viewed and never will view Islam as a threat. They are not a threat. Muslims are our friends, and that is what the Second Vatican Council has very clearly said in its document. We want to take collaboration of Muslims in order to establish peace in the world, which is Salam, which Halom, which is peace, so sacred to us is the gift of God. And in order to build this peace, we need the collaboration of all people, especially people of other religions. And so...

VERJEE: How do you go beyond, father, the talk, "Let's be good to one another," and reach true interfaith acceptance and understanding?

MACHADO: Let's take the example of Pope John Paul II, who really formed, built friendships with people of other religions. It was not mere talk, but it was kind of taking time and spending energies to form friendships and to deepen these friendships. And I think that's the way to go about. Once we become friends, we are then able to talk serious matters. We are able to talk matters that concern -- of mutual concern. VERJEE: But father, there's another very serious matter. There is a document that exists called Dominus Jesus, that was published five years ago by Cardinal Ratzinger, and it says essentially the Roman Catholic Church is the one true church of Jesus Christ. Doesn't the existence of a document like that make it harder to reach real interfaith acceptance, and doesn't it put the next pope in a diplomatically hard position, a tough spot?

MACHADO: No, because I think a genuine dialogue, an authentic dialogue must be built on truth, in a certain sense. Truth as is perceived, and understood by their respective partners in dialogue. The Catholic Church, through Dominus Jesus simply tried to tell people what we really believe. We don't want to impose our faith on anybody. And there is no question of imposition, but I think it is good to kind of draw our own parameters, and to tell people what exactly do we believe in.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VERJEE: That was Reverend Felix Machado of the Vatican's Pontifical Office for Inter-religious Affairs.

Well, with the papal election process so steeped in ritual and secrecy, if you want a clue who might be the next pope, ask the bookies. Book makers across the globe are looking at all the cardinals and tabulating the odds.

Our Matthew Chance visits a gambling parlor in Ireland.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They're both steeped in tradition and practiced by millions. But religion and gambling rarely mixed, until now.

He's an Irish bookie with odds on the next pope, risking Vatican scorn, and perhaps a bolt from the heavens.

PADDY POWER, BOOKMAKER: I don't believe it's in bad taste, to be honest with you. I think -- we took it down for 24 hours when the pope actually did die, as a mark of respect. But overall, it wasn't in bad taste six months ago; I don't think it's in bad taste now. I think it's OK.

Then we have Oscar Rodriguez. He's a 9-2, so a lot of people are tipping him off, because he's a real language buff. He speaks about six or seven languages. They say that will bring the Catholic Church to a wider community.

CHANCE: And it's not the holy spirits deciding the odds. Bookies seriously researched the papabile, cardinals that are likely to become pope. The chances of an Italian, a conservative, even a black pontiff carefully weighed.

POWER: We got about seven reasonable names, and said these guys have a chance. We put odds on them. And then, after that, the market has grown to about 40 names now. So -- and every single one of those, apart from the original seven, are from people calling us or e-mailing us, saying put odds on this guy, put odds on our guy from Australia, put odds on our guy from Honduras or whatever.

CHANCE: And with the papal conclave in Rome sworn to secrecy, there are few insider tips on the best bet.

(on camera): Well, these are the latest odds. Francis Arinze of Nigeria, a joint favorite with Dionigi Tettamanzi, the archbishop of Milan. They're both at 11-4. Followed closely by Cardinal Rodriguez Maradiaga of Honduras, at 9-2. Then comes Joseph Ratzinger of Germany. He's been placed at 7-1, followed by Claudio Hummes of Brazil. After that, the people with a more outside chance of becoming pope, at 14-1 and bigger.

(voice-over): But it is a gamble not everyone's prepared to take.

Well, I had a lot of respect for the pope. And I just won't bet on religion. Anything else, yeah.

CHANCE (on camera): Are you likely to have a flutter on the pope?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.

CHANCE: Why is that?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just too many other things to bet on, really. I think it would be hard to pick a winner.

CHANCE (voice-over): A winner the church's cardinals believe they'll have divine guidance in picking, whatever the odds.

Matthew Chance, CNN, Dublin.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VERJEE: The mere odds are you or someone you know is suffering from allergies this spring. Sniveling, sneezing, pollen, all over your home, and car. What can we do to reduce the misery?

Dr. Bill Lloyd.

DR. BILL LLOYD, SURGEON: We have surefire remedies to overcome the seasonal allergies when CNN LIVE SATURDAY continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VERJEE: Are you shoveling spring pollen off the sidewalk? Are your kids out in the yard building a pollenman? Do your springtime allergies make normal breathe nothing but a nostalgic memory? Well, if they are we're here to help is Dr. Bill Lloyd joins us from the University of California, Davis Medical Center with some tips on coping with the allergy season.

Doctor, you shouldn't have flower, for me?

LLOYD: Zain, I picked this bouquet just for you.

VERJEE: From the parking lot, right?

LLOYD: Some beautiful north California wildflowers, they're full of pollen. And there's pollen everywhere in the air, in the tree, in the plants and even in the lawn. So, if you're going to take care of your allergies this season, it's important you get the pollen outside of your house.

VERJEE: OK, so how do people do that? What should they do?

LLOYD: Well, the first thing, you simply close the windows. Springtime, everybody wants to open the window and get some fresh air in, but that fresh air is loaded with pollen. If somebody in your house is mowing the lawn in the back yard close the windows to keep the pollen from coming inside. And when you do your laundry, forget about hanging it outside, it's just a pollen magnet. Bring the laundry inside and keep doing it in the dryer.

VERJEE: What about spring cleaning, you know, just dusting and getting rid of the dust and the mold, something that I haven't done in a while but know that's important.

LLOYD: Certainly springtime is the collision between indoor winter pollen and dust problems, and springtime outdoor pollen problems. So, you might as well go ahead and change out those filters that you have, the ones you promised to do every month but get around to once or twice a year. This is the time to do it, to flip your mattresses, to vacuum them to get rid of the dust mites as well. And give that dog a bath, because pets can bring the pollen from the outside back inside your home.

VERJEE: Now, people planning their holidays, if they're severely allergic to pollen, would you recommend that they, say may go on holiday to the beach rather than the mountain?

LLOYD: Well, if you can stay away from the pollen this time of year and find a warm beach to go to, of course, that would be an ideal solution. If you're already on prescription medication for your allergies, always bring an extra copy of the written prescription in case you lose the original. And ask how your specific medication works. Zain, did you know, some of these allergy medicines work before you're exposed to the allergen. So, if the medicine is not already on board you're going to have an allergy attack. Other medications, a lot of over-the-counter pills work after you've been exposed to help you cope with your allergic reaction.

VERJEE: OK, like, which ones? Which ones would you recommend?

LLOYD: Well, one for example is called CHERNOFF: sodium, it's a very very, popular medication prescribed by allergy specialists. But crackdown sodium works before you're exposed, it prepares your cells to fight that allergic reaction so you don't get it in the first place. Other products like antihistamines work to help your body cope with your allergic reaction after you've already been exposed.

VERJEE: Are these sorts of treatments safe for kids as well as adults?

LLOYD: Well, that's an interesting point, because medications aren't tested on children, and many people are surprised to learn that. But there's no ethical way to test medications on children, because children can't give informed consent. So if you have a child with a severe allergy problem, you might want to consult a pediatric allergy specialist, who might use medications that have been in the market place a good long while, so they know they have a familiar track record.

VERJEE: What about senior, then? Some of these medications may cause dizziness or tiredness. How important is it for them to consider that and they might react with other medication if they're taking that.

LLOYD: It's a very good point. And many decongestants have active chemicals in it that can cause other important side effects like raising your blood pressure or for older adults, perhaps giving them a glaucoma attack. So, if you're prone to buy your medications over-the-counter like many seniors do, you have to be careful to read the label and fully understand it. And understand if there's a reaction between that product and perhaps some of the medications you're already taking.

VERJEE: Dr. Bill Lloyd, thanks a lot. You don't have allergies, do you?

LLOYD: Not too many. Have a wonderful weekend, Zain.

VERJEE: And you.

We're going to have a story you'll see only on CNN. Societies saw their own differences, but these two women saw only what they had in common. And formed a bond that even death couldn't break, a bond that helped a family get through one of the darkest chapters of America's last 40 years.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VERJEE: Welcome back.

Carol Lin's here with a preview of what's to come on her show at 6:00. Carol, good to see you.

CAROL LIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good to see you, too. We've got a forensic expert who is going to talk about how they can identify anything of this body that may or may not be this missing 13-year-old girl, given that she was found in a body of water. So, we're going to follow up on the breaking news that you've been covering this afternoon, as well as a doctor who's actually in charge of or at least part of the disposal of these 5,000 vials of deadly flu virus that were sent all over the world. And 10:00 tonight in our prime time shows, Zain, I'm not sure if you can relate to this, but imagine waiting for years to have a child. You finally hire a surrogate mother. You just want one baby, right? Just one healthy baby. They're going to get five!

VERJEE: Oh -- what? Five?

LIN: Five healthy embryos.

VERJEE: Wow.

LIN: So far I'm going to be interviewing the expectant parents.

VERJEE: That's fantastic.

LIN: Yes. Some good news we'll have tonight in our prime time show at 10:00.

VERJEE: OK, thanks Carol. See you then.

LIN: All right.

VERJEE: Bye.

The year the Voting Right Acts turns 40. The act outlawed practices like poll taxes, and literacy tests. But a lot of blood and tears were shed before the act became the law of the land. And no one knows that more than the families Viola Liuzzo and Sarah Evans. Beth Nissen has their story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BETH NISSEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They had both grown up poor in the South. Sarah Evans in Mississippi, Viola Liuzzo in Tennessee. Both women moved north to Detroit where, near the end of World War II, they met. Viola went into a store where Sarah was a clerk and asked the store owner for rationed black pepper.

MARY LIUZZO LILLEBOE, DAUGHTER OF VIOLA LIUZZO: Mom walked in and said, do you have any pepper and the woman said, oh, no, we don't, and Sarah said, oh, yes, you do. And my mom said, hey, you're my kind of people.

MONZIA WILLIAMS, DAUGHTER OF SARAH EVANS: From that they became good friends, and they started talking and got acquainted. And they was on the same page.

NISSEN: Viola had money to hire Sarah to help with housework and baby-sitting. But Viola's daughter says the two women would do the chores together, then sit talking over coffee for hours. A black woman and white woman, best friends.

LILLEBOE: For mom it was beyond black and white or above black and white. She was really and truly the only color-blind person I've ever known.

NISSEN: Vie's five children and Sarah's grandchildren were constant playmates despite stares from the neighbors. TYRONE GREENE, GRANDSON OF SARAH EVANS: I knew my mom would get strange looks and whatnot, but that's how Viola was. She was just -- she didn't have these old hang-ups that most people have.

NISSEN: Viola was dismayed by racism, horrified by what was happening down south. On March 7th, 1965, she watched in anger and sorrow TV scenes of police battling civil rights marchers in Selma.

PENNY LIUZZO HERRINGTON, DAUGHTER OF VIOLA LIUZZO: I remember her standing up and crying. I remember this so clear, in our living room.

NISSEN: When Viola heard Dr. Martin Luther King ask Americans of conscience to come to Alabama, join the march for change, Viola decided to go.

GREENE: Of course she knew how dangerous it was. But that was her destiny to go down there and be a part of something to make somebody's life better.

NISSEN: In a 2003 documentary, "Home of the Brave," filmmaker Paola di Florio spoke to Sarah Evans about a conversation the two women had just before Viola left for Alabama.

SARAH EVANS: Viola says to me, before she left, to promise her something: if anything happens, would I take care of her kids for her. And I told her I would.

NISSEN: Viola Liuzzo was among the thousands who walked from Selma to Montgomery in March of 1965. On March 25th, she called her family.

HERRINGTON: She said, the march is over. I'm going to be coming home. We were all really happy.

NISSEN: Viola Liuzzo would not make it home.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is where it happened, on Route 80, Lowndesboro, Alabama.

NISSEN: Viola's body was found in her car. She'd been shot in the head. Four men would later be charged in her death, three of them members of the Ku Klux Klan, one an FBI informant.

HERRINGTON: The phone rang at midnight, and my dad started screaming, mommy's dead, mommy's dead.

SALLY LIUZZO PRADO, DAUGHTER OF VIOLA LIUZZO: I just remember going out and dad was screaming and saying -- and all of you guys were on the couch crying. And the place was already full of reporters.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You think she would have wanted it this way?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Knowing my wife, yes. Knowing my wife, yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What do you think about that, Penny? UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's the way my mother was.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tommy?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She wanted equal rights for everybody no matter what the cost was.

NISSEN: Sarah came as soon as she heard.

HERRINGTON: Almost from the minute we knew, there was Sarah, loving us and taking care of us.

NISSEN: Sarah helped them through the blur of the next few days, through Viola's funeral, tended by Dr. King and other dignitaries. The family was devastated. Sarah was devastated.

LILLEBOE: The hurt that Sarah went through, losing her very best, dear -- I mean, they were so, so close.

WILLIAMS: I don't think she ever got over it. I don't think my mother ever got over it.

GREENE: She remembered what she had told her. I got to raise those kids.

NISSEN: After the funeral, Sarah moved in.

HERRINGTON: She spent five days a week with us, and the weekends with her family.

NISSEN: It was a terrible time for the Liuzzo's. Vicious rumors were spread that Viola had abandoned her family to consort with a black lover in Alabama, that Viola got what she deserved.

LILLEBOE: They quit delivering the mail to our house because the hate mail was so horrible.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You guys used to burn the hate mail before dad would see it, right, you and Sarah?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

NISSEN: Sarah would tell Viola's children, your mom is a hero. Trust that. You'll see. They did, in time. Outrage over Viola's death helped President Lyndon Johnson muster support in Congress for passage of the Voting Rights Act.

LILLEBOE: At that time, it took the murder of a white woman to really get the attention of our government and of our people.

NISSEN: Over the years, people forgot the name of that white woman who was killed in Alabama. Her children grew up with Sarah.

SARAH WILLIAMS, GRANDDAUGHTER OF SARAH EVANS: She was always a part of their life and giving them advice, the same advice that she would give us. M. WILLIAMS: She would always say pretty is as pretty does.

S. WILLIAMS: That was her famous saying. And you would...

PRADO: She would say, you're so pretty, Sally. You need to act pretty.

NISSEN: Sarah attended the Liuzzo's graduations, weddings, the christenings of their children, standing in for her friend Viola, keeping her promise.

PRADO: She was the mother figure to me. All the way up until she died.

NISSEN: Sarah Evans died in January at the age of 94.

LILLEBOE: We were sad for a moment, but then I think all three of us had this picture of that reunion in heaven. And I just was filled with such a joy that they -- my mom and Sarah -- were together again. They knew what was important in life. And they lived for what was important in life.

NISSEN: Fairness, justice, the courage to fight for both, and living a life of selfless love.

WILLIAMS: It is possible. Maybe not for the whole society. But, you know, one step here, one step there. But it is possible. And we know it's possible because we seen two women live that.

NISSEN: Sarah and Viola.

Beth Nissen, CNN, Detroit.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VERJEE: That's all for this hour of CNN LIVE SATURDAY.

Straight ahead, "PEOPLE IN THE NEWS" with a look at Lisa Marie Presley and two country crooners, Gretchen Wilson and Tim McGraw.

And then at 6:00 Eastern Carol Lin will be here with the latest developments in the search for the missing Florida girl and the body discovered just a few hours ago.

At 7:00 Eastern, it's the "CAPITAL GANG."

I'll be back in just a couple of minutes with the hours headlines. Stay with 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 April 16, 2005 - 16:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ZAIN VERJEE, CNN ANCHOR: Billions of taxpayer dollars spent to improve security at U.S. Airports, but are we safer in the air than we were pre-9/11? New reports paint a disturbing picture.
Pain at the pump. We're all dealing with high gas prices, but for small businesses the extra expense could spell doom.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: For mom, it was beyond black and white or above black and white. She was really and truly the only color-blind person I've ever known.

VERJEE: Her desire for equality led her to the south in the 1960s, but the hatred of others cost her life. The story of two women of different races, and the friendship that lasted beyond a lifetime.

Hello and welcome to CNN LIVE SATURDAY. I'm Zain Verjee. All that and more after a check of the headlines.

Searchers looking for a missing 13-year-old Florida girl have made a grim discovery near her home. An unidentified body was found partially submerged in the waters of an abandoned fish farm. A live report from the scene in a moment.

Protesters called for debt relief for poor countries outside the meeting of the International Monetary Fund officials in Washington today. But the mood appeared more festive than combative. The crowd much smaller, several hundred people, compared to the thousands of protesters in past years. Police report no arrests.

More rattling near Indonesia's island of Sumatra. A 6.3 magnitude earthquake shook up residents this morning. No tsunamis were triggered and there's been no reports of injuries or damage. Seismologist have warned there would be more activity in the area ever since the December deadly tsunami.

Up first, heartbreak in Florida. A week after 13-year-old Sarah Lunde vanished without a trace, searchers hours ago found a body about half a mile from where she was last seen. While the body has not been identified this is certainly not the news Lunde's family and her friends had been hoping for.

CNN's Sarah Dorsey is live in Ruskin, Florida with the latest on what's going on -- Sarah.

SARA DORSEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Zain, I am at the First Apostolic Church. This is Sarah Lunde's church. And many of her friends and church friends are gathered here waiting to hear the news. And of course, many of them have their fingers crossed hoping indeed this body is not that of Sarah Lunde. Police officials tell us, that a body was found about 10:00 this morning by a search dog. It was found about a half mile from the home that Lunde is believed, her home, to have disappeared from.

They tell us that it was actually found in an abandoned fish farm, very near her house. We have some video of that, that was sent in from the sheriff's department. Many sheriffs officers responding to that. They're not telling us details at this time as to if it is a female or male body, if it indeed was found in any clothing. The sheriff is telling us, though, he does not believe it is a coincidence that it was found so close to the home where that little girl was missing from.

Joining me now is Loren Arruda. Loren, you are a youth team leader here at the church and you know Sarah Lunde very well. First of all, tell me, what has the news since hearing that a body was found, what has this been like for you all that know her?

LOREN ARRUDA, CHURCH YOUTH TEAM: Terrifying, almost a reality to us. We were still praying that she would walk through the doors, and just say, "Are you guys looking for me?" And this was a reality to us that, it might not be -- she might not do that.

DORSEY: Did you ever think at any point when she went missing that this may be -- may be what was going to happen? I mean, did you all even consider that thought?

ARRUDA: No, we didn't want to. No. No.

DORSEY: What is has the reaction been here among those of you in the church that know her? How is everyone handling this?

ARRUDA: They're sick. They really are. They're speechless. They don't know what to think, because it's hit home so much, and she was so close to everybody here that we still can't believe it.

DORSEY: I know many of you possibly watched the Jessica Lunsford case unfold, also a young girl, 9-years-old in that case that was killed, and now a 13-year-old.

What goes through your mind when you hear this stuff?

ARRUDA: That what's this world coming to? That we have to keep a close eye on our child. And it's not the way it should be. I don't know. We are so dumb-founded by it -- that when it happened, we were just hoping, like I said, she'd just come home.

DORSEY: Loren Arruda, thank you very much for joining us. We'll keep the hoping, and keep the hope alive with you all. As you can see, a very somber time here, as people wait to understand and learn more information about that body that was found -- Zain.

VERJEE: Sarah Dorsey reporting. CNN will bring you more on this developing story at 6:00 p.m.

In our security watch, investigators have reportedly come up with some shocking findings about security at the nation's airports. Soon after 9/11 the federal government took over responsibility for airport screening.

Now, billions of dollars later, are you any safer? Lets go live to Elaine Quijano in Washington -- Elaine.

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello to you, Zain.

Those reports are not due out until next week. But just a short time ago, I spoke to a lawmaker who was briefed then. Congressman Pete DaFazio, is the ranking Democrat on the House Aviation Subcommittee. And says the bottom line on these two reports, is that there has not been progress made in the last year or so, when the Homeland Security inspector general took a look at the airport screeners. Now, specificly what we are talking about is the ability of airport screeners to detect, what they call, threat objects, potential weapons, in other words.

The congressman thinks the problem has to do with the machines the screeners are using. In fact, in his words, he says, "They have 1980s technology for 21st century threats." And he believes that that system will never work. Now, his Republican colleague, Congressman John Mica, who chairs the House Aviation Subcommittee, he believes that the problem has to do more with the quality of the screeners themselves. He believes that private screeners might be doing, might do a better job. He told the Associated Press, "A lot of people will be shocked at the billions of dollars we've spent and the results they're going to see, which confirm previous examinations of the Soviet-style screening system we've put in place."

Now, according to Congressman DaFazio, though, again who has been briefed on the two reports as well as Congressman Mica, there's no significant difference, according to Congressman DaFazio, between the quality of private screeners and the performance of private screeners vs. the federal screeners. In fact, Congressman DaFazio also taking note it was private screeners who were on duty, who were in charge of airport screening security when the 9/11 hijackers carried out their attacks -- Zain.

VERJEE: CNN's Elaine Quijano reporting.

Has anything changed since the feds took over responsibility for airport screeners?

CNN's security analyst Clark Kent Ervin is former Homeland Security Department inspector general. And he joins me now from Washington D.C.

When I go to an airport, am I any safer than I was before 9/11 or not?

CLARK KENT ERVIN, CNN SECURITY ANALYST: Yes, certain things have been done by TSA since 9/11 that have made the traveling public safer. Cockpit doors are hardened, a number of pilots are armed, the number of air marshals has been dramaticly increased, and generally speaking screeners are better trained and more sensitized. But as the news reports have it, the latest inspector general report and GAO report will show that there's been no or little improvement if any in the ability of screeners to detect deadly weapons sneaked past the screeners by these government agents.

VERJEE: Why is that? You say they're better trained, shouldn't they be able to?

ERVIN: They certainly should be.

VERJEE: So, then they're not well trained?

ERVIN: They are better trained than they were on 9/11, but they're not trained well enough -- not trained well enough to detect these deadly weapons on the tests that were, apparently, conducted by the Office of Inspector General and the Government Accountability Office. So, more training needs to be done.

VERJEE: Well, why hasn't it been done already? I mean, is it just that qualified people were not hired or you pay them poor salaries and therefore, you get the quality of what you pay for? What's the problem?

ERVIN: That's part of it. The salaries are low. The quality of the people in certain cases hired is low. One of the problems that we noted when I was the inspector general was that background checks had not been completed on screeners before they were hired and subsequently, it was learned that relatively significant number of screeners actually had criminal backgrounds. We need better screeners. We need better trained screeners. We need equipment and technology that can increase the ability of human beings to detect these deadly weapons. We need certain changes in procedures that the screeners follow. And finally, managers and supervisors need to be vigilant. They need to watch the performance of screeners on a regular basis, correct any deficiencies that they see and ensure that the ability of screeners to detect these items is a factor in their evaluation in ultimately firing them if they continue to fail to detect such items.

VERJEE: It seems to me, though, years later, after billions of dollars have been spent, that this is quite unacceptable, and outrageous even, because this should have been handled properly and the screening processes should have been in place.

ERVIN: You're quite right, Zain. I couldn't agree with you more. This is unacceptable, if in fact the results are, as the reports have it, if there's been no change or no appreciable change since 9/11 in the ability of screeners to detect these deadly weapons in government tests, it's unsettling. Because we know that al Qaeda has done this once and they are determined to do it again.

VERJEE: But you are the former inspector general of the TSA. How do you explain it to people? ERVIN: It appears to me that these recommendations that we made two years ago were not fully implemented, that there wasn't this recurring training done, that enough equipment and technology was not deployed and utilized. That there weren't the changes in the standard operating procedures that we recommended. And that supervisors are not paying enough attention to what goes on on the line. I feared that this might be the case a couple of years ago. That's why we began a second round of testing just before I left. And it appears as though the second round of testing will shows that there's been no appreciable improvement.

VERJEE: CNN security analyst, Clark Kent Ervin, a former Homeland Security Department inspector general, thank you.

ERVIN: Thank you.

VERJEE: CNN is committed to providing the most reliable coverage of news that affects your security. So, stay tuned to CNN for the latest information, day and night.

Ahead this hour, bridging the gap between religions. Pope John Paul II did it well. Can his successor achieve the same?

Also, it's not often that religion and gambling mix, but tell that to the odds makers, who's favored to become the next pontiff.

First, though, violence in the streets of one Asian nation. The target, the Japanese. Why the past is causing problems today.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VERJEE: Security and stability remain major concerns in Iraq. A suicide bomber blew himself up in a crowded restaurant in Baqubah, where a group of policemen were having lunch. Seven people were killed, five were police officers, two civilians. Eleven Iraqis escaped from the largest U.S.-run prison today, in what's believed to be the first breakout of its kind. Camp Bucca is located near the counsel of Umqasar (ph). U.S. officials went on alert after finding a hole in a premier fence. Ten inmates were quickly recaptured. Authorities are still searching for the final escapee.

A U.S. Convoy averted disaster today in northern Baghdad. Iraqi police say a car bomb that was targeted at the convoy missed its mark, but it did blow up, wounding two Iraqis.

Another attack on American forces turned deadly. A U.S. soldier from the 42nd Military Police Brigade was killed today in a roadside bombing today in Taji. The soldier was the second soldier killed in Iraq in 24 hours.

Still no word on the fate of an American businessman taken hostage in Iraq. Jeffrey Ake was first seen in this video on Wednesday, surrounded by hooded gunmen. In the video Ake begged the U.S. government to negotiate with the Iraqi National Resistance and save his life. Ake is from Indiana. His company's involved in reconstruction work in Iraq. U.S. policy prohibits negotiations with insurgents, but the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad says a 25-member team is hard at work trying to secure his release.

Japan's foreign minister is heading for Beijing, where he plans to demand an apology for violent protests against his nation. Windows shattered at the Japanese consulate in Shanghai, where 20,000 protesters marched. Vandals also targeted Japanese restaurants. And (UNINTELLIGIBLE) news reports two Japanese were hurt in a crowd, another 12,000 marchers hit the streets in two other cities. They are furious over a textbook approved by Japan that describes World War II. Protesters think the book soft peddles war time -- war time atrocities. Police are keeping streets quiet in Beijing in advance of talks.

Back here in America, pain at the gas pump.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Breaking even about now. But if the gas prices go up, if our overhead goes up, then we will no longer be breaking even.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VERJEE: Higher gas prices are driving their small business profits to the dogs. We're going to have their story in our gas price watch straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VERJEE: Gas prices leveled off this week in some places, but it's still hovering near record highs nationwide. In his weekly radio address today President Bush acknowledged that Americans are feeling the pinch in family budgets and business payrolls. He urged Congress to back his energy policies.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The energy bill must encourage the use of technology to improve conservation. We must find smarter ways to meet our energy needs. And we must encourage Americans to make better choices about energy consumption. We must also continue to invest in research, so we'll develop the technologies that will allow to us conserve more and be better stewards of the environment.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

VERJEE: Gas prices hit a record $2.29 per gallon by the start of this week, but adjusted for inflation that figure doesn't come close to what Americans were paying in 1981 when oil markets were rocked by the Iranian revolution. For many Americans that pinch the president is talking about is turning into a squeeze. Among those hurting the most are people running small businesses that require a lot of driving.

CNN's Allan Chernoff introduces us to an entrepreneur near Chicago whose big is being dogged by high gas prices. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): If only Michael Brennan could tap his clients' energy to fuel his business.

MICHAEL BRENNAN, ENTREPRENEUR: I know, nobody likes this part that much.

CHERNOFF: Brennan runs a mobile dog grooming service. If your pup needs a wash, cut and style, perhaps even a toenail clipping, Michael's pet mobile will make a house call.

BRENNAN: There's a sort of pleasure in dealing with dogs all day long and dealing with owners of dogs. It's -- they're a remarkably pleasant group.

You're angry.

CHERNOFF: A retired nurse, Brennan got into the business a year and a half ago. He's had no problem finding clients, trouble is, the cost of getting to them. The pet mobile is a 3,500-pound converted horse trailer equipped with water, heater, pumps and generator. A Ford F-150 pulls the load. Combine truck with trailer, you get about eight miles a gallon by Brennan's estimate.

BRENNAN: It does eat gas remarkably well. Certainly a little troublesome that we have to drive big trucks in order to pull the trailers that we pull.

CHERNOFF: Now consider prices at the pump. Near a record high of $2.27 a gallon nationwide. And in Chicago's northern suburbs, Brennan's territory, $2.33 a gallon. Ouch! Brennan has two pet mobiles, his cost of gas has been averaging about $570 a month.

BRENNAN: Our most recent bill from Shell was on the order of $750. If you go back to October, it was about $450. So there is a substantial increase going on there.

CHERNOFF: That's why Brennan raised prices in October. The average groom is now $63. And he's planning another price hike. Well, aware it will likely cost him some customers.

BRENNAN: And we're breaking even about now. But if the gas price goes up, if our overhead goes up, then we will no longer be breaking even.

CHERNOFF: Brennan fears if gas prices keep soaring, he'll take such a bath that he'll no longer be able to afford giving them to Chicago's dogs.

(LAUGHTER)

BRENNAN: I'm on the lookout for technology that will turn dog hair into gasoline because I've got a whole lot of dog hair.

CHERNOFF: Allan Chernoff, CNN, New York. (END VIDEOTAPE)

VERJEE: Preparation for an historical gathering in Rome. Ahead on CNN LIVE SATURDAY, getting ready for the Conclave, and how the new pontiff can reach across religions.

Plus...

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Of course she knew how dangerous it was, but that was her destiny, to go down there and be a part of something, to make somebody's life better.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VERJEE: Her children say she was color blind, a white woman, she gave her life for a cause, and the task of raising her kids went to her closest friend, a black woman.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VERJEE: Here are the latest developments. Authorities in Florida say they've found a body near the home of a missing 13-year- old girl. The search and rescue dog discovered the partially submerged body at an abandoned fish farm. They have not yet identified the body. Sarah Michelle Lunde has been missing since last week.

An earthquake rocked central California today. The 5.1 magnitude quake hit about an hour ago. It was centered near the town of Pine Mountain Club, that's about 85 miles from Los Angeles. There are no immediate reports of damages or injuries.

Security at U.S. airports is reportedly no better now than it was before September 11th. That's the expected finding of two new government reports. A key House member, who is being briefed on the report says privacy demands limiting the work of airport screeners.

Amid unprecedented precautions, the pre-conclave details have been ironed out, and the secret gathering to select the next pope is about to begin. Today, a final Mass was held at St. Peter's Basilica for Pope John Paul II, bringing the mourning period to an end. Cardinals destroyed his fisherman's ring and formal seal signaling the conclusion of his papacy.

Monday at 10:00 a.m. Rome time, that's 4:00 a.m. Eastern, a special Mass will be held. Later that afternoon, the Conclave actually begins its highly secretive task. Each of the 115 cardinals taking part will take an oath of secrecy. They're likely to conduct at least one vote on Monday. In the days that follow, the cardinals will begin each day with Mass, 90 minutes later they'll return to their work, two rounds of voting are expected to take place each morning and two rounds in the afternoon.

The next head of the Roman Catholic Church will face many challenges, among them, continuing Pope John Paul II's work, bridging the gap with other religions, like with Muslims and Jews. Earlier I spoke with the reverend Felix Macahado of the Vatican's Pontifical Office for Inter-religious affairs, about the task ahead.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

REV. FELIX MACHADO, VATICAN INTER-RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS: I think the Vatican will expand that dialogue, because Pope John Paul II only based himself, founded himself on the church's teaching which was promulgated in the Second Vatican Council, and so I have all the reasons to say that the Vatican and the Catholic Church will continue what Pope John Paul II has begun.

VERJEE: Are there those in the Vatican, father, that would much rather focus efforts, time and money on reenergizing Christianity rather than spending that time, money, the effort on reaching out to Muslims and Jews?

MACHADO: Well, I think we cannot separate the two things. We cannot divide these two things. The dialogue, interfaith dialogue that the church, Catholic Church wants, is precisely founded on the faith of the Catholic Church. And so it's not like either/or, but it will be both always. It is more that the Catholic Church is founded on its own faith, that it will open up also in friendship and respect to people of other religions.

VERJEE: Do some in the church view Islam as a threat to Christianity?

For example, the church has never really had to deal with Islam as a new social and religious force in Europe. That's something that it's been confronted with now and over the past recent years. How is the Vatican going to approach it? How are you going to approach it?

MACHADO: Well, let me say that the Vatican or the Catholic Church never has viewed and never will view Islam as a threat. They are not a threat. Muslims are our friends, and that is what the Second Vatican Council has very clearly said in its document. We want to take collaboration of Muslims in order to establish peace in the world, which is Salam, which Halom, which is peace, so sacred to us is the gift of God. And in order to build this peace, we need the collaboration of all people, especially people of other religions. And so...

VERJEE: How do you go beyond, father, the talk, "Let's be good to one another," and reach true interfaith acceptance and understanding?

MACHADO: Let's take the example of Pope John Paul II, who really formed, built friendships with people of other religions. It was not mere talk, but it was kind of taking time and spending energies to form friendships and to deepen these friendships. And I think that's the way to go about. Once we become friends, we are then able to talk serious matters. We are able to talk matters that concern -- of mutual concern. VERJEE: But father, there's another very serious matter. There is a document that exists called Dominus Jesus, that was published five years ago by Cardinal Ratzinger, and it says essentially the Roman Catholic Church is the one true church of Jesus Christ. Doesn't the existence of a document like that make it harder to reach real interfaith acceptance, and doesn't it put the next pope in a diplomatically hard position, a tough spot?

MACHADO: No, because I think a genuine dialogue, an authentic dialogue must be built on truth, in a certain sense. Truth as is perceived, and understood by their respective partners in dialogue. The Catholic Church, through Dominus Jesus simply tried to tell people what we really believe. We don't want to impose our faith on anybody. And there is no question of imposition, but I think it is good to kind of draw our own parameters, and to tell people what exactly do we believe in.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VERJEE: That was Reverend Felix Machado of the Vatican's Pontifical Office for Inter-religious Affairs.

Well, with the papal election process so steeped in ritual and secrecy, if you want a clue who might be the next pope, ask the bookies. Book makers across the globe are looking at all the cardinals and tabulating the odds.

Our Matthew Chance visits a gambling parlor in Ireland.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): They're both steeped in tradition and practiced by millions. But religion and gambling rarely mixed, until now.

He's an Irish bookie with odds on the next pope, risking Vatican scorn, and perhaps a bolt from the heavens.

PADDY POWER, BOOKMAKER: I don't believe it's in bad taste, to be honest with you. I think -- we took it down for 24 hours when the pope actually did die, as a mark of respect. But overall, it wasn't in bad taste six months ago; I don't think it's in bad taste now. I think it's OK.

Then we have Oscar Rodriguez. He's a 9-2, so a lot of people are tipping him off, because he's a real language buff. He speaks about six or seven languages. They say that will bring the Catholic Church to a wider community.

CHANCE: And it's not the holy spirits deciding the odds. Bookies seriously researched the papabile, cardinals that are likely to become pope. The chances of an Italian, a conservative, even a black pontiff carefully weighed.

POWER: We got about seven reasonable names, and said these guys have a chance. We put odds on them. And then, after that, the market has grown to about 40 names now. So -- and every single one of those, apart from the original seven, are from people calling us or e-mailing us, saying put odds on this guy, put odds on our guy from Australia, put odds on our guy from Honduras or whatever.

CHANCE: And with the papal conclave in Rome sworn to secrecy, there are few insider tips on the best bet.

(on camera): Well, these are the latest odds. Francis Arinze of Nigeria, a joint favorite with Dionigi Tettamanzi, the archbishop of Milan. They're both at 11-4. Followed closely by Cardinal Rodriguez Maradiaga of Honduras, at 9-2. Then comes Joseph Ratzinger of Germany. He's been placed at 7-1, followed by Claudio Hummes of Brazil. After that, the people with a more outside chance of becoming pope, at 14-1 and bigger.

(voice-over): But it is a gamble not everyone's prepared to take.

Well, I had a lot of respect for the pope. And I just won't bet on religion. Anything else, yeah.

CHANCE (on camera): Are you likely to have a flutter on the pope?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.

CHANCE: Why is that?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just too many other things to bet on, really. I think it would be hard to pick a winner.

CHANCE (voice-over): A winner the church's cardinals believe they'll have divine guidance in picking, whatever the odds.

Matthew Chance, CNN, Dublin.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VERJEE: The mere odds are you or someone you know is suffering from allergies this spring. Sniveling, sneezing, pollen, all over your home, and car. What can we do to reduce the misery?

Dr. Bill Lloyd.

DR. BILL LLOYD, SURGEON: We have surefire remedies to overcome the seasonal allergies when CNN LIVE SATURDAY continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VERJEE: Are you shoveling spring pollen off the sidewalk? Are your kids out in the yard building a pollenman? Do your springtime allergies make normal breathe nothing but a nostalgic memory? Well, if they are we're here to help is Dr. Bill Lloyd joins us from the University of California, Davis Medical Center with some tips on coping with the allergy season.

Doctor, you shouldn't have flower, for me?

LLOYD: Zain, I picked this bouquet just for you.

VERJEE: From the parking lot, right?

LLOYD: Some beautiful north California wildflowers, they're full of pollen. And there's pollen everywhere in the air, in the tree, in the plants and even in the lawn. So, if you're going to take care of your allergies this season, it's important you get the pollen outside of your house.

VERJEE: OK, so how do people do that? What should they do?

LLOYD: Well, the first thing, you simply close the windows. Springtime, everybody wants to open the window and get some fresh air in, but that fresh air is loaded with pollen. If somebody in your house is mowing the lawn in the back yard close the windows to keep the pollen from coming inside. And when you do your laundry, forget about hanging it outside, it's just a pollen magnet. Bring the laundry inside and keep doing it in the dryer.

VERJEE: What about spring cleaning, you know, just dusting and getting rid of the dust and the mold, something that I haven't done in a while but know that's important.

LLOYD: Certainly springtime is the collision between indoor winter pollen and dust problems, and springtime outdoor pollen problems. So, you might as well go ahead and change out those filters that you have, the ones you promised to do every month but get around to once or twice a year. This is the time to do it, to flip your mattresses, to vacuum them to get rid of the dust mites as well. And give that dog a bath, because pets can bring the pollen from the outside back inside your home.

VERJEE: Now, people planning their holidays, if they're severely allergic to pollen, would you recommend that they, say may go on holiday to the beach rather than the mountain?

LLOYD: Well, if you can stay away from the pollen this time of year and find a warm beach to go to, of course, that would be an ideal solution. If you're already on prescription medication for your allergies, always bring an extra copy of the written prescription in case you lose the original. And ask how your specific medication works. Zain, did you know, some of these allergy medicines work before you're exposed to the allergen. So, if the medicine is not already on board you're going to have an allergy attack. Other medications, a lot of over-the-counter pills work after you've been exposed to help you cope with your allergic reaction.

VERJEE: OK, like, which ones? Which ones would you recommend?

LLOYD: Well, one for example is called CHERNOFF: sodium, it's a very very, popular medication prescribed by allergy specialists. But crackdown sodium works before you're exposed, it prepares your cells to fight that allergic reaction so you don't get it in the first place. Other products like antihistamines work to help your body cope with your allergic reaction after you've already been exposed.

VERJEE: Are these sorts of treatments safe for kids as well as adults?

LLOYD: Well, that's an interesting point, because medications aren't tested on children, and many people are surprised to learn that. But there's no ethical way to test medications on children, because children can't give informed consent. So if you have a child with a severe allergy problem, you might want to consult a pediatric allergy specialist, who might use medications that have been in the market place a good long while, so they know they have a familiar track record.

VERJEE: What about senior, then? Some of these medications may cause dizziness or tiredness. How important is it for them to consider that and they might react with other medication if they're taking that.

LLOYD: It's a very good point. And many decongestants have active chemicals in it that can cause other important side effects like raising your blood pressure or for older adults, perhaps giving them a glaucoma attack. So, if you're prone to buy your medications over-the-counter like many seniors do, you have to be careful to read the label and fully understand it. And understand if there's a reaction between that product and perhaps some of the medications you're already taking.

VERJEE: Dr. Bill Lloyd, thanks a lot. You don't have allergies, do you?

LLOYD: Not too many. Have a wonderful weekend, Zain.

VERJEE: And you.

We're going to have a story you'll see only on CNN. Societies saw their own differences, but these two women saw only what they had in common. And formed a bond that even death couldn't break, a bond that helped a family get through one of the darkest chapters of America's last 40 years.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VERJEE: Welcome back.

Carol Lin's here with a preview of what's to come on her show at 6:00. Carol, good to see you.

CAROL LIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good to see you, too. We've got a forensic expert who is going to talk about how they can identify anything of this body that may or may not be this missing 13-year-old girl, given that she was found in a body of water. So, we're going to follow up on the breaking news that you've been covering this afternoon, as well as a doctor who's actually in charge of or at least part of the disposal of these 5,000 vials of deadly flu virus that were sent all over the world. And 10:00 tonight in our prime time shows, Zain, I'm not sure if you can relate to this, but imagine waiting for years to have a child. You finally hire a surrogate mother. You just want one baby, right? Just one healthy baby. They're going to get five!

VERJEE: Oh -- what? Five?

LIN: Five healthy embryos.

VERJEE: Wow.

LIN: So far I'm going to be interviewing the expectant parents.

VERJEE: That's fantastic.

LIN: Yes. Some good news we'll have tonight in our prime time show at 10:00.

VERJEE: OK, thanks Carol. See you then.

LIN: All right.

VERJEE: Bye.

The year the Voting Right Acts turns 40. The act outlawed practices like poll taxes, and literacy tests. But a lot of blood and tears were shed before the act became the law of the land. And no one knows that more than the families Viola Liuzzo and Sarah Evans. Beth Nissen has their story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BETH NISSEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They had both grown up poor in the South. Sarah Evans in Mississippi, Viola Liuzzo in Tennessee. Both women moved north to Detroit where, near the end of World War II, they met. Viola went into a store where Sarah was a clerk and asked the store owner for rationed black pepper.

MARY LIUZZO LILLEBOE, DAUGHTER OF VIOLA LIUZZO: Mom walked in and said, do you have any pepper and the woman said, oh, no, we don't, and Sarah said, oh, yes, you do. And my mom said, hey, you're my kind of people.

MONZIA WILLIAMS, DAUGHTER OF SARAH EVANS: From that they became good friends, and they started talking and got acquainted. And they was on the same page.

NISSEN: Viola had money to hire Sarah to help with housework and baby-sitting. But Viola's daughter says the two women would do the chores together, then sit talking over coffee for hours. A black woman and white woman, best friends.

LILLEBOE: For mom it was beyond black and white or above black and white. She was really and truly the only color-blind person I've ever known.

NISSEN: Vie's five children and Sarah's grandchildren were constant playmates despite stares from the neighbors. TYRONE GREENE, GRANDSON OF SARAH EVANS: I knew my mom would get strange looks and whatnot, but that's how Viola was. She was just -- she didn't have these old hang-ups that most people have.

NISSEN: Viola was dismayed by racism, horrified by what was happening down south. On March 7th, 1965, she watched in anger and sorrow TV scenes of police battling civil rights marchers in Selma.

PENNY LIUZZO HERRINGTON, DAUGHTER OF VIOLA LIUZZO: I remember her standing up and crying. I remember this so clear, in our living room.

NISSEN: When Viola heard Dr. Martin Luther King ask Americans of conscience to come to Alabama, join the march for change, Viola decided to go.

GREENE: Of course she knew how dangerous it was. But that was her destiny to go down there and be a part of something to make somebody's life better.

NISSEN: In a 2003 documentary, "Home of the Brave," filmmaker Paola di Florio spoke to Sarah Evans about a conversation the two women had just before Viola left for Alabama.

SARAH EVANS: Viola says to me, before she left, to promise her something: if anything happens, would I take care of her kids for her. And I told her I would.

NISSEN: Viola Liuzzo was among the thousands who walked from Selma to Montgomery in March of 1965. On March 25th, she called her family.

HERRINGTON: She said, the march is over. I'm going to be coming home. We were all really happy.

NISSEN: Viola Liuzzo would not make it home.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is where it happened, on Route 80, Lowndesboro, Alabama.

NISSEN: Viola's body was found in her car. She'd been shot in the head. Four men would later be charged in her death, three of them members of the Ku Klux Klan, one an FBI informant.

HERRINGTON: The phone rang at midnight, and my dad started screaming, mommy's dead, mommy's dead.

SALLY LIUZZO PRADO, DAUGHTER OF VIOLA LIUZZO: I just remember going out and dad was screaming and saying -- and all of you guys were on the couch crying. And the place was already full of reporters.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You think she would have wanted it this way?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Knowing my wife, yes. Knowing my wife, yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What do you think about that, Penny? UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That's the way my mother was.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tommy?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She wanted equal rights for everybody no matter what the cost was.

NISSEN: Sarah came as soon as she heard.

HERRINGTON: Almost from the minute we knew, there was Sarah, loving us and taking care of us.

NISSEN: Sarah helped them through the blur of the next few days, through Viola's funeral, tended by Dr. King and other dignitaries. The family was devastated. Sarah was devastated.

LILLEBOE: The hurt that Sarah went through, losing her very best, dear -- I mean, they were so, so close.

WILLIAMS: I don't think she ever got over it. I don't think my mother ever got over it.

GREENE: She remembered what she had told her. I got to raise those kids.

NISSEN: After the funeral, Sarah moved in.

HERRINGTON: She spent five days a week with us, and the weekends with her family.

NISSEN: It was a terrible time for the Liuzzo's. Vicious rumors were spread that Viola had abandoned her family to consort with a black lover in Alabama, that Viola got what she deserved.

LILLEBOE: They quit delivering the mail to our house because the hate mail was so horrible.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You guys used to burn the hate mail before dad would see it, right, you and Sarah?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

NISSEN: Sarah would tell Viola's children, your mom is a hero. Trust that. You'll see. They did, in time. Outrage over Viola's death helped President Lyndon Johnson muster support in Congress for passage of the Voting Rights Act.

LILLEBOE: At that time, it took the murder of a white woman to really get the attention of our government and of our people.

NISSEN: Over the years, people forgot the name of that white woman who was killed in Alabama. Her children grew up with Sarah.

SARAH WILLIAMS, GRANDDAUGHTER OF SARAH EVANS: She was always a part of their life and giving them advice, the same advice that she would give us. M. WILLIAMS: She would always say pretty is as pretty does.

S. WILLIAMS: That was her famous saying. And you would...

PRADO: She would say, you're so pretty, Sally. You need to act pretty.

NISSEN: Sarah attended the Liuzzo's graduations, weddings, the christenings of their children, standing in for her friend Viola, keeping her promise.

PRADO: She was the mother figure to me. All the way up until she died.

NISSEN: Sarah Evans died in January at the age of 94.

LILLEBOE: We were sad for a moment, but then I think all three of us had this picture of that reunion in heaven. And I just was filled with such a joy that they -- my mom and Sarah -- were together again. They knew what was important in life. And they lived for what was important in life.

NISSEN: Fairness, justice, the courage to fight for both, and living a life of selfless love.

WILLIAMS: It is possible. Maybe not for the whole society. But, you know, one step here, one step there. But it is possible. And we know it's possible because we seen two women live that.

NISSEN: Sarah and Viola.

Beth Nissen, CNN, Detroit.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VERJEE: That's all for this hour of CNN LIVE SATURDAY.

Straight ahead, "PEOPLE IN THE NEWS" with a look at Lisa Marie Presley and two country crooners, Gretchen Wilson and Tim McGraw.

And then at 6:00 Eastern Carol Lin will be here with the latest developments in the search for the missing Florida girl and the body discovered just a few hours ago.

At 7:00 Eastern, it's the "CAPITAL GANG."

I'll be back in just a couple of minutes with the hours headlines. Stay with 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