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CNN Live Saturday
Deadly Storm Brings New Destruction To Southeast; Weather Key In Masters Tournament; Manhunt For Richard McNair Continues; Judge Rules "Da Vinci Code" Author Didn't Steal; The Rolling Stones In China; Bush Blames Democrats For Immigration Failure; More Brits Approve Of Camilla
Aired April 08, 2006 - 12:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICK WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Shiite mourners carry coffins throughout the streets of Baghdad. They are burying victims of Friday's massive suicide bombing at a mosque. At least 75 people are confirmed dead.
A suicide car bomb explodes outside a NATO compound in Afghanistan. It's the second such attack in two days. And coalition forces kill two suspected Taliban commanders in their ongoing offensive operations.
Three crew members at the International Space Station say goodbye before returning to earth on a Russian spacecraft. They include American astronaut Bill McArthur. He has been on the station at least six months and says he's looking forward to a hot cup of coffee and salad after he arrives.
From the CNN center in Atlanta, I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Welcome to CNN LIVE SATURDAY. Ahead this hour, an escaped killer is stopped by police and almost recaptured. We'll tell you how he got away again.
And the life of Jesus is a hot property, from "The Da Vinci Code" to the "Gospel of Judas," Jesus sells. And not all Christians are happy about that.
But first, it was a night of howling winds. It's a day of adding up, cleaning up and mourning. The deadly storm system that hit the Nashville area yesterday brought new destruction to other parts of the Southeast today. As cleanup efforts continued in Tennessee this morning, officials raised that state's death toll to 12. There are no report of any deaths outside Tennessee, but there was heavy damage in the Atlanta area.
Officials are reporting what they call tornado-like damage to a number of suburban homes and businesses. Trees and utility lines were down and tens of thousands of customers lost power. CNN meteorologist Reynolds Wolf has been watching the storm from the CNN Weather Center. And are there any parts of the Southeast still at risk?
(WEATHER REPORT)
WHITFIELD: Well, Tennessee is reeling from the storms, 36 people have been killed there during the entire week alone in weather-related incidents. CNN's Amanda Rosseter joins us live from Charlotte, Tennessee about 50 miles west of Nashville -- Amanda.
AMANDA ROSSETER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Fredricka. Let me set the scene for you here in Charlotte, Tennessee. We are about 45 miles west of Nashville and I'm standing on top of the hill where the tornado came right up this path.
It took out a huge swath of trees, came up this hill, took out this garage that you see over here, as well as the equipment that's in it. There were tractors inside, they're now on the other side of the building. This boat that you see here was here and, amazingly, it is still sitting here. So, there's no rhyme or reason to what this storm took out.
Now, the storm -- we want to show you some video of what the storm did when it went over the other side of the hill. It picked up a trailer and dropped it on top of one home owner's Ford truck. So, not only was he without a home, he was also without transportation. And you can see what the tornado did as it went down the hill, picking up, uprooting tree, uprooting homes, ripping off roofs. And the damage is widespread. We've seen -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Now Amanda, the storm or a lot of the tornadoes hit in central Tennessee around this time and a couple hours later than this time yesterday, so for the majority of the them in some of those neighborhoods, were a lot of them away from their homes at the time that the tornado touched down?
ROSSETER: Good question. You know, a lot of the people that we talked to knew they were coming after what happened last Sunday, they were aware. Emergency management and all the services were -- they were prepared. They knew it was coming. Many of the people were at home. They let out school early.
We spoke to one gentleman's who said his 13-year-old daughter had just been released early from school. She was at home by herself and they were hurrying home to get to her so she wouldn't be in the storm by herself. But many of these people were home and lots of eyewitness from this very neighborhood who saw the storm come up over the hill.
WHITFIELD: All right, Amanda Rosseter, thank you so much, from Charlotte, Tennessee.
A tornado cut a path at least 150 yards wide through Gallatin, Tennessee, as well, a suburb northeast of Nashville. One witness says the wind was blowing debris hundreds of feet into the air. CNN's Jonathan Freed has been looking over the destruction there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JONATHAN FREED, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We are about 25 miles north of Nashville and all around us are scenes of recovery. Just behind me over here is what's left of several car dealerships that were just pummeled by that storm yesterday afternoon.
We are seeing all kinds of activity with heavy equipment, moving cars around, trying to clean up the site as best they can. And over this way, down a couple of block is the edge of a subdivision that was hard hit. Some of the homes just pulverized, leveled, right to the ground yesterday. We can see power crews are here, trying to restore electricity to these neighborhoods.
People that saw this storm drop out of the sky yesterday afternoon say it was just a frightening experience. They say there were no tornado sirens that they heard here, at least not in and around the car dealership, when they saw the twister heading toward them, first destroying a home that was on the other side of the road from the car dealerships, they said that's enough and they ran inside to seek shelter.
And one man bent down and held on to a heavy tool box in the service area of the car dealership. And he said he felt his hat blow off, wasn't aware of anything else. The storm cleared. And then he looked up and realized the roof of the building he was in had been completely ripped away and he was seeing sky.
Jonathan Freed, CNN, Gallatin, Tennessee.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Now here's a look at the devastation in neighboring states. Alabama is reporting several injuries and widespread damage to homes and businesses in the Birmingham area. And several tornado sightings were reported around Huntsville. Same situation in Georgia; tornadoes reported, many homes damaged, power lines down, cleanup now getting underway. The storms left at least 44,000 Georgia power customers without power, most of them in the Atlanta area. You're looking at The Damage around the city right now, one of the suburbs of Atlanta.
All eyes are on the skies today at the Augusta National, as well, where the weather could be a key player on this third day of the Masters Tournament. CNN's Larry Smith is covering the action in Augusta and hopefully right now, no rain? You're not carrying an umbrella.
LARRY SMITH, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT: I've got an umbrella, but it's being held by our producer, John Macavee (ph), standing just off camera here to try to keep me dry during this live shot. Play began about 90 minutes ago and it has been a steady downpour ever since. The gates were supposed to open at 8:00 a.m. this morning, however that was delayed by an hour because of some very heavy thunderstorms in the area at that time.
In fact we went through about a 10-minute, very serious heavy downpour. That cleared up, the sun was out around 10:15 this morning and then the rains came. It's been raining, very cloudy. We are expecting some severe thunderstorms sometime this afternoon, possibly between 1:00 and 4:00 in the afternoon. So, they're watching that closely. They would need to clear the course at that point, you know, tens of thousands of spectator, as well as the players, as well.
You know, but it's one of those things, Fredricka, when you think about it the inclement weather has really become a staple just like pimento sandwiches and green jackets, here. It's not since 1999 we've had a masters that has not been affected by the weather. And by the way, we should mention Chad Campbell is the leader, he has a six under par, he will tee off at 2:50 Eastern Time if there are no weather delays. That's a big if at this point.
WHITFIELD: All right, we'll keep checking with you and hopefully the rain will finally let up. Larry Smith, thanks so much. Keeping dry so far.
SMITH: All right. All right.
WHITFIELD: Meantime, an escaped convict within arm's reach of the law. But guess what? He wasn't arrested. What's going on? That story straight ahead.
And the Rolling Stones are rocking Shanghai. Our very own Richard Quest is front and center at the show. CNN LIVE SATURDAY will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: A story you may have first seen on "PAULA ZAHN NOW." A prison escapee and a police officer, face to face. You think the story ends with the bad guy in cuffs and the officer getting a pat on the back. Well, not quite. Here's CNN's Susan Roesgen.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUSAN ROESGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Driving along a quiet country road in western Louisiana, a small-town policeman spotted a man jogging along the railroad tracks. A convicted killer had escaped from a nearby federal prison. And Officer Carl Bordalon (ph) wanted to know who this guy was.
RICHARD MCNAIR, PRISON ESCAPEE: I'm at the hotel. We're working on the houses and stuff like that and roofing.
OFFICER CARL BORDALON, BALL, LOUISIANA: What it is, we got an escapee.
MCNAIR: Oh. Where from?
BORDALON: Prison.
MCNAIR: You got a prison here?
BORDALON: Yes.
ROESGEN: The man the officer stopped gave his name as Robert Jones. In fact, his real name was Richard McNair. McNair had been serving a life sentence for killing a man in Minot, North Dakota, during a burglary in 1987. He had broken out of prison twice before and on Wednesday; he escaped in a mail van. But Bordalon said he had seen only seen a fuzzy fax of an older picture of McNair, so he calls the dispatcher to ask for a description and McNair plays along.
BORDALON: Hey this is Carl. Subject wear glasses? What color eyes you got?
MCNAIR: Green. Well, kind of a turquoise blue.
BORDALON: Turquoise blue?
MCNAIR: Yes.
BORDALON: You want to give me some more?
ROESGEN: Officer Bordalon tells McNair that the description matches him, and McNair laughs it off, fooling the cop into letting him go.
BORDALON: When I crossed the tracks down there, I saw you running. I said, well, how lucky can I be?
MCNAIR: Nope, nope, nope, I'm not no prison escapee.
BORDALON: Just call 911, is all you got to do and they'll get a hold of us. That's our quick line.
MCNAIR: All right, have a good day now.
BORDALON: Be careful, buddy.
MCNAIR: Thank you.
BORDALON: All right.
ROESGEN: Now officers armed with machine guns are combing the woods to find the convict who got away. And the local mayor says he made the decision to release this video, as embarrassing as it is, hoping someone might see him.
MAYOR ROY HEBRON, BALL LOUISIANA: To make sure no doubt that if you have seen this individual, our video -- you seen him on our video, then you knew what he looked like. And that way it helps all of us catch this individual a whole lot quicker.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: That report from CNN's Susan Roesgen. The manhunt for Richard McNair continues. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the U.S. Marshals Service. To catch more stories on "PAULA ZAHN NOW" every week night beginning at 8:00 p.m. Eastern.
A look "Across America" now. A U.S. Airways pilot suspected of drinking alcohol before a flight will not face charges. Los Angeles Airport police say they gave the pilot a sobriety test and determined he was not legally intoxicated. The pilot was not allowed to fly, however the airline says it is still investigating.
It looks like the Denver transit strike is over. Bus driver, train operators, and mechanics overwhelmingly approve a new contract yesterday and the transit board OK'd the deal today. Denver area buses and trains are expected to be operating Monday morning. And you won't be able to find a space for your car at this Orlando parking garage, and that explains why. Demolition experts imploded it this morning. The garage was demolished to make way for the expansion of the interstate highway system.
Straight ahead, the growing popularity with stories about the life of Jesus and why it's taking center stage in pop culture.
And later, Charles and Camilla, one year after they tied the knot. Have the British warmed up to the Charles' wife? CNN LIVE SATURDAY will be right back.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GERRI WILLIS, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): Spring is here and before you know it summer heat will be on your doorstep. Be ready for that first heat wave with an energy efficient air-conditioner. The first step, clean or replace the filter. ]
Dirty filters will block the airflow and cause the compressors to run hotter and longer. If you're buying a new air-conditioner, make sure that it's the right size for your room. A bigger AC won't cool your room faster and you'll spend more on electricity. Use a fan with your air-conditioner to spread cool air throughout your home.
(on camera): And keep lamps and TVs away from your thermostat. The heat they produce will cause your air-conditioner to run longer than it needs to.
I'm Gerri Willis with "Your Energy Tip."
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: It started with "The Passion of the Christ." Now the movie "The Da Vinci Code" promises to be another blockbuster with the life of Jesus the central focus. A British judge has ruled the author of "The Da Vinci Code" did not steal his idea from two other writers. CNN's Mary Snow reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MARY SNOW, CNN NEWS CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With millions at stake at the heart of the lawsuit, a fight over the rights to a theory that Jesus married Mary Magdalene and had children. The fiction book has sold more than 40 million copies. Authors of the 1982 "Holy Blood, Holy Grail" lost their copyright infringement claim, but saw sales of their book increase during the trial and that's just the warm-up.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Witness the biggest cover-up in human history.
SNOW: Next month in theaters worldwide, "The Da Vinci Code" movie. MARVIN MEYER, CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY: I would have to say it is an incredible time. Who could have imagined that Jesus would be as hot as Jesus is?
SNOW: Religion professor, Marvin Meyer, just helped on earth ancient documents being called the "Gospel of Judas." The National Geographic Society is publishing them and they re-examine the relationship between Jesus and the disciple Judas. Since the 2004 movie "The Passion of the Christ," which made $370 million in the United States alone, some see a growing fascination with stories based on the life of Jesus. Paul Lauer helped market the movie.
PAUL LAUER, MOVIE MARKETING: Post "Passion," there is certainly more of awareness, there's an interest, and we've been approached by a lot of people asking if we can essentially do that "Passion" thing.
SNOW: However popular these Jesus-themed projects may be, they don't come without controversy. Critics saw "The Passion of Christ" having anti-Semitic themes. Many Catholic Church leaders are not happy about "The Da Vinci Code." And some frown on what's being touted as secret writings about Christ, much like the "Gospel of Judas." But some see a collective soul searching at the root of the appeal.
MEYER: People are trying to find something there, to find some kind of guidance, some kind of leadership, I believe.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: And "The Da Vinci Code" is due to open in theaters in May.
Oh, yes, the Rolling Stones in Shanghai. Straight ahead, we hear from one very lucky concertgoer, our very own Richard Quest. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: A look again at our top stories. These pictures speak to the intensity of the storms that swept through the Southeast, fallen tree, wrecked home, twisted power lines. The cleanup is just beginning, after tornadoes and rain pummeled the region. The storms killed at least 12 people in Tennessee alone.
Afghan and coalition forces say they captured three Taliban insurgents in Kandahar province, today. Earlier, they reported killing two Taliban commanders in southern Afghanistan.
Three of the astronauts aboard the International Space Station are scheduled to return to earth today. American commander big McArthur, the Russian flight engineer, and the first Brazilian astronaut will land in Kazakhstan.
And progress in Pakistan. Thousands of earthquake victims are heading home, six months after a powerful quake killed 73,000 people and left millions homeless. The U.N. Refugee Agency says more than 64,000 survivors have already left relief camps now that the harsh winter is over.
And now the cleanup begins. The assessment still beginning, but the wacky weather is still not over. Our Reynolds Wolf is in the Weather Center.
WOLF: Well, you're right about that, Fredricka. We still have a tornado watch that is in effect for parts of southern Alabama, still in effect for parts of southwestern Georgia and parents of the Panhandle. The Storm Prediction Center is giving us a slight risk area. We need to be on our toes. There's still the potential for tornadoes to form.
More than anything, just seeing strong storms that are popping up. Not a great deal of rotation with these at the time. Hail is going to be a possibility, some strong damaging winding, also will be a possibility, so we have to advised on that. Still a very dangerous situation. Sill not quite as rough as what we had last night, and certainly not quite as rough as what we had yesterday morning.
(WEATHER REPORT)
WHITFIELD: All right, thanks so much, Reynolds.
WOLF: You bet.
WHITFIELD: The death toll from Friday's storms in Tennessee has now risen to 12. The state got a one-two punch. It was first hit yesterday by tornadoes, then again today with more storms. CNN's Amanda Rosseter has the latest from Charlotte, Tennessee, about 50 miles west of Nashville.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROSSETER (voice-over): This aerial video north of Nashville says it all. Houses obliterated by the power of the storm. An area church was badly damaged. There were people inside when the storm hit.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: She thought maybe she could get her purse. She just left her purse and started running and the building began to collapse behind her.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And a tornado.
ROSSETER: Two construction workers were inside this new home when it collapsed. One of them got out, the other had to be rescued.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The wind started to pick up.
ROSSETER: This couple moved to middle Tennessee after Hurricane Katrina.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was more frightening than any hurricane I've ever lived through. Because I run from hurricanes and I had no place to run.
ROSSETER: A man used his cell phone's camera to record a tornado in the Nashville suburb of Gallatin and it was there, at this Nissan dealership, that 250 cars on the lot were totaled. The roof of the building was torn off and windows were blown out.
One day after storms pounded Tennessee, the Southeast got more severe weather. Tornadoes touched down from Mississippi to Georgia. Just north of Atlanta, you can see how the powerful storm ripped apart this building and turned over the trailer of an 18-wheeler.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: And that report from CNN's Amanda Rosseter in Charlotte, Tennessee.
A tornado cutting a 150-yard-wide and 10-mile-long swath also meant that it passed right through the town of Gallatin, Tennessee. And in its path, the Volunteer State College.
On the phone with us right now, the community -- or, rather, the communications director, Eric Melcher, of the Volunteer State college. He's with us on the phone now.
Now, your college sustained some damage and it also resulted in some injuries for some of your students.
ERIC MELCHER, VOLUNTEER STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE: Yes there were, luckily, very minor injury, some flying glass and debris. You know, it seemed to me that wasn't students so much as people from the community that were trying desperately to get in, away from the tornado to the college. So there was a couple of folks that were taken to the hospital, but as far as we know it was just cuts and abrasions and minor injuries.
WHITFIELD: So, in a way, Eric, when this storm passed through yesterday, it meant that a lot of people in the area took refuge, thought that your campus was a safe place to be?
MELCHER: Well, I think people that were just in the area all of a sudden said, we better take cover. And they tried. We really -- we had a few hundred people on campus at the time. Our folks did a great job of getting them to safe places.
I was actually standing in the hallway that I shouldn't have been and one of the building coordinators -- one of our emergency folks -- said no, you have to stand over here. And at the time that she said that, I sat down and the tornado hit and it was just like a bomb blast went down the hallway. So I was very lucky to be listening to them and they did a great job. And I think that's a big reason why we had so few injuries here.
WHITFIELD: So you described it being like a bomb blast. What else did you hear or what did you even see when you were in that hallway in that building?
MELCHER: Well, you know, first, you're everyone else, saying, you know, we're in Tennessee, it's not going to hit us, whatever. And now all of a sudden you realize, you hear the traditional roar and you realize this is for real. And we all sat down, and put bags over our heads, you know, whatever we were carrying with us over our heads.
And yes, it was just a blast, you know, down the hallway, just a blast of debris and dirt. We were breathing dirt. And that's when we realized that this is pretty serious. So that happened. It lasted maybe about 20 seconds.
The worst part of that, after that is there was tornadoes that were in the area. And we were quite concerned about moving people to safety. So we moved to safer buildings and after about an hour, and luckily nothing else hit.
WHITFIELD: So, instinctively, did a lot of you kind of have a contingency plan in place, you know, look to for that small room or something in the center of the building, a safe place in which to hunker down?
MELCHER: Well, absolutely. In fact, the president -- we had a fire -- a minor fire, about six months ago that didn't go well. And he's been grilling the campus now for -- we've had drilled probably six or seven of them since then.
And I think that really made the difference, because everyone was just completely tuned up. They know just where to stand. And if you stood in the wrong place, I mean, 10 feet from where I was, the roof fell in. And so, you know, it really made a difference.
WHITFIELD: Wow. Frightening moments. So we're glad you and everybody else fared well there. Eric Melcher, the communications director at the community college, Volunteer State College there in Gallatin, Tennessee. Thank you very much.
MELCHER: Thank you.
WHITFIELD: Ponchos and umbrellas line the fairways right now at Augusta National. Day three of the Masters is off to a rather soggy start. More thunderstorms are expected to roll through the area this afternoon. And we have another live report from the tournament coming up in the 2:00 hour of CNN LIVE SATURDAY coming up.
"Going Global" now, Nepal's government is extending a curfew in Katmandu for a second day following violent demonstrations across the country against Nepal's monarchy. Reports say security forces fired on protesters, killing one of them and wounding five.
And that, right there, is the U.S. ambassador's convoy getting pelted with eggs and tomatoes in Caracas, Venezuela. And the State Department says local officials were in on it. Venezuela's ambassador in Washington was told there would be, quote, "severe diplomatic consequences if something like this happens again."
The pope is going to Poland. A spokesman says Pope Benedict will visit Warsaw as well as his predecessor's hometown, and the Auschwitz concentration camp there. The pontiff's visit is scheduled to take place around the end of the month.
East met west today as America's Harley-Davidson opened its first dealership in, of all places, China. It's a sign of changing times in the communist-led country. One Harley-Davidson official says his product is synonymous with freedom.
Straight ahead, President Bush's take on what's blocking a compromised immigration bill in Congress. We'll have the highlights of his radio address.
Plus, another weather update and the latest on the severe storms that tore across parts of the Southeast. CNN's LIVE SATURDAY will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Well, the Chinese are said to have great respect for age. So maybe it's very appropriate that The Rolling Stones are bringing the western sound of rock 'n' roll to Mainland China. After all, at age 62, Mick Jagger is just a year younger than China's president.
CNN's Richard Quest had one of the hot tickets and he enjoyed the concert, even talked to some of the rockers himself. And now he's on the line with us, on the phone, all the way from Shanghai.
Richard, how was the show?
RICHARD QUEST, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on phone): Well, from "Start Me Up" to "Satisfaction" with all points in between, it was a tour de force. You talk about Mick Jagger, sort of a 60-year-old rocker. Frankly, with a live body and an athletic build, he strutted, he moved, he pouted, he screamed, and he basically held that 8,500 audience in the palm of his hands, Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Wow. So, and everyone understand, even if they didn't necessarily understand what he was saying, they just enjoyed the show?
QUEST: Well, there was a couple children who had been brought dragging, screaming, by their parents. I actually saw one nod off on a chair in the corner. But that was the exception.
What was interesting about tonight was those who had come from Shanghai, those Chinese who had either been brought as guests or could afford the ticket price. They left saying things like, awesome, why can't Chinese bands be more like it? Never seen anything like it in my life.
Frankly, I must say, I have seen The Rolling Stones perform before. And they were on their best behavior. And they were determined to give a tour de force.
WHITFIELD: Wow. And so two things. Even though folks really enjoyed what they saw, they didn't get to hear everything because censorship was involved. And then you mentioned big ticket price. So how much were the tickets?
QUEST: Well, you know, they were about 601 Renminbi, which is -- I would say they ranged from about $50 to $60, all the way up to 600 or 700, about $150.
What was interesting, here I am in communist China, standing in Shanghai and there are ticket scalpers everywhere trying to flog tickets at twice the price. And even worse than that, I met one couple who had flown in, who had bought their tickets from the scalpers and they were fakes. So in the land of the piracy, even The Rolling Stones found that their tickets had been copied, and fraudulently sold.
WHITFIELD: Wow. Well, I guess no surprise there. You've seen that everywhere no matter where they seem to appear. All right. Well, you did get a chance to talk to Mick Jagger and even Keith Richards. And what did they have to say about their experience performing in China?
QUEST: We spoke to them before the concert. And basically, they both were desperately keen to do this concert. Keith Richards described himself as being like Marco Polo on a voyage of discovery and Mick Jagger talked about having -- you know, interestingly, Fredricka, he used exactly the same defense for the censorship and for playing here as Google used, which is basically, it is better to be here, open the door a crack, make strides and advances then just to turn your back on China.
That's a bit, I think, pushing it too far. The fact is, China, the television program broadcast later this week, will all be a huge benefit for The Rolling Stones and they're savvy businesspeople and they know it.
WHITFIELD: Wow. Well, Richard, you talk about having enjoyed watching them in concert in other places. I've had a chance to enjoy them in concert as well. And just looking at the tape, a lot of this tape comes from their performance when they were in Rio, at that big outdoor concert. Were we seeing the big jumbotron, were we seeing, you know, the magnificent stage setting in Shanghai, just like you've seen in other tours?
QUEST: It was a much smaller auditorium. There was a jumbotron was behind them, and there was a seven-camera feed of the pictures. There was 1.4 million people at that concert in Rio. There was only 8,500 here in Shanghai.
There was one thing they did have. They had the two blowup dolls from "Honky Tonk Woman." Now, you know, the fact is, Fredricka, the song may have been banned but the subtlety of blowing those dolls up wasn't lost on many people in the audience.
The Rolling Stones are masters of their audience, whether it's a million at Copacabana or 8,500 in Shanghai. As Mick Jagger said to me, "you can't choose your audience, you have to take who turns up."
WHITFIELD: Wow. Well, that's why they've been rocking for so long. They know what they're doing, and that's why they seem to fill up the stands every time, everywhere they go.
Richard Quest, thanks so much. And you lucky dog, for getting tickets to there be and travel along with The Stones in Shanghai.
QUEST: Someone had to do it, Fredricka. Someone had to do it.
WHITFIELD: Yes, all right, you certainly didn't pull the short straw. Thanks so much, Richard.
All right, on to immigration, a very serious story. President Bush took on the immigration debate in his weekly radio address today. The Senate adjourned for its Easter recess without even taking a vote and the president is blaming the Democrats.
CNN's White House correspondent Elaine Quijano joins us now with more on this story -- Elaine.
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon to you, Fredricka.
That's right, one day after the Senate failed to come up with an immigration deal, President Bush, in his weekly radio address today, did place the blame squarely on Democrats.
Now, the president noted that this week, that there was in fact a bipartisan compromise that was reached, the president calling that compromise promising. But after some partisan sniping among senators, that deal fell apart yesterday. And this morning, the president says that the Democratic Senator Harry Reid, the Senate minority leader, was to blame for the deal's failure.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Unfortunately, this compromise is being blocked by the Senate Democratic leader, who has refused to allow senators to move forward and vote on amendments to this bill. I call on the Senate minority leader to end his blocking tactics, and allow the Senate to do its work and pass a fair effective immigration reform bill.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUIJANO: Now for his part, Senator Reid yesterday put the blame on Republican Senator Bill Frist, saying that the Senate majority leader needed, quote, "the courage to move forward on the issue."
Meantime, as for President Bush, he once again today reiterated his position that he wants lawmakers to send to his desk a comprehensive immigration reform bill, one that includes three things: border security, interior enforcement, and also that controversial temporary guest worker provision.
But, of course, Fredricka, it is that last point that continues to be the main sticking point dividing even some members of the president's own party who say that a guest worker program amounts to amnesty -- Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: So, Elaine, Congress on a two-week recess now. Any idea or any timetable as to when they might be able to tackle this again?
QUIJANO: You know, that's a really good question. What's interesting to note, as you point out, the president just a couple of days ago called on Congress, and the Senate specifically, to come up with a deal before this two-week recess.
And there was the thought that perhaps they would see that. In fact, the president on Thursday saying that he was encouraged by the fact that it seemed lawmakers understood the importance to him of having a guest worker provision. But after all of this happened now, certainly some indication of where the president's political capital -- how much he might have left, or as his critics might say, how little he might have left.
It's unclear whether or not they're going to be able to come together and put something together that will satisfy the very vehement opponents of the president's idea of having a temporary guest worker program.
WHITFIELD: All right, Elaine Quijano, thanks so much, from the White House.
Still ahead, Charles and Camilla, they've been married nearly a year now. Do most Brits embrace that union now? Don't miss our report from Windsor.
WOLF: Hi, everyone. I'm meteorologist Reynolds Wolf, and this is a quick check on your allergy report. And if you're suffering from hay fever, you've got the pollen blues, chances are you may be living right along the Gulf Coast, in parts of Florida, Alabama, even Georgia, Mississippi, and into Louisiana.
However, up in the northern tier states, all the way from the Dakotas, back over to Montana, clear up into the Great Lakes, conditions are not quite that bad for you. That's a look at your allergy report.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Let's get another look outside with Reynolds Wolf in the Weather Center.
(WEATHER REPORT)
WHITFIELD: Well, less than two months away from the start of the Atlantic hurricane season, but don't look for certain names to be on the roster. This "Fact Check" explains why.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD (voice-over): The World Meteorological Organization began retiring the names of select hurricane back in 1954 with Hurricanes Carol and Hazel. Since then, 67 names have been retired. Any country affected by a deadly or damaging hurricane may request the name be retired. The reasons are twofold: sensitivity to victims of the storm, as well as historic reference and clarity. Retiring a particular hurricane name is not forever. In fact, retirement means the name cannot be used for at least 10 years. But some names simply aren't used again.
For instance, in 1966, the name Fern was substituted for Frida with no reason given. In 1979, equality came to the naming of hurricanes with men's names added to the list of storms. Previously, only women's names were used.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Here's a match made in heaven or in a lettuce field. What? We'll explain coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: It was an affair to remember. Now Britain's Prince Charles and wife Camilla will celebrate their first wedding anniversary on Monday. And while Camilla may not be the queen of hearts, more Brits seem to approve of her now.
CNN's Paula Newton reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PAULA NEWTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Technically, they're still newlyweds, and what a honeymoon it's been. Their latest foreign trip was dubbed "The Togetherness Tour." How far they've come or, rather, how far she's come, full circle from mistress to duchess.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Lord bless you and watch over you.
NEWTON: And blessed they have been. One year of marriage seems to have erased more than 30 of scandal and gossip.
ROBERT JOBSON, ROYAL AUTHOR: At that moment, all the controversy that surrounded this affair, all the turbulence, and all the problems that went on around it, disappeared. And I think people accept her fully.
NEWTON: Even Camilla didn't see that coming, convinced it would take years.
(on camera): And royal watchers say Camilla didn't even want to get out of bed on her own wedding day, she was that terrified that the public wouldn't accept her.
(voice-over): A year ago, who could blame her? The road to the altar was rocky. The British public was hardly enthusiastic and could be even, well, cruel. But the marriage has made life much smoother for both of them. A recent poll showed more than two-thirds of Britons now approve of the royal marriage.
PENNY JUNOR, ROYAL AUTHOR, "THE FIRM": The reason for the success is quite simply Camilla. She's natural, she's friendly, she's funny. She's relaxed. And she's terrific. She's supportive of him. She's a great wife, a great consort.
HILARY ALEXANDER, STYLE EDITOR, DAILY TELEGRAM: This, I think, is great. This is when, I think, you see her really, really at home with herself.
NEWTON: Style editor Hilary Alexander agrees. She's seen a dignified, older woman who is kind of hip.
ALEXANDER: I think she's an inspiration to women of over 50, to say hey, not only can you find and marry the love of your life and have a wonderful, you know, romantic happy ending, but you can look good.
NEWTON: Camilla has clearly changed people's minds, but maybe she hasn't won their hearts. The tabs may be getting ahead of themselves by imagining Queen Camilla.
(on camera): Queen Camilla or Duchess of ...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, no, definitely not.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don't think she should have the title.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, not yet.
NEWTON (voice-over): Better luck next year, Camilla.
Paula Newton, CNN, Windsor, England.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Ouch. And maybe this crowd may have been a little kinder at this wedding. We couldn't let this wedding go unannounced. The question is, did this couple toast their nuptials with a little bubbly in the form of maybe some frothy carrot juice?
Well, these wascally wabbits tied the knot in Somerset, England. The bunny bride, named Amy, and her betrothed Roberto weigh about 40 pounds each. They're pretty healthy. And father O'Hare -- no kidding, that's really his name -- joined the pair in holy matrimony and we know all took in a little carrot cake later.
A look at the top stories straight ahead. First, here's CNN's Jack Cafferty with a preview of "IN THE MONEY."
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Thanks.
Coming up on "IN THE MONEY," who needs Washington anyway? Massachusetts has its own fix for the health insurance crisis. We're going to talk to the state's governor, Mitt Romney.
Plus, poverty calling. Find out about the forces that keep pushing your phone bill up, up and up. And you can quit feeling jealous now. We'll tell you why your real estate agent probably did not get rich off of the recent housing boom.
All that and more right after a quick check of the headlines.
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