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Deadly Twisters Leave Widespread Damage Across Midwest; Bush Observes Memorial Day

Aired May 31, 2004 - 12:58   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.


BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Deadly twisters leave widespread damage across the Midwest.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We heard debris flying, and it was like the air was just sucked out of the whole apartment. .

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEITH OPPENHEIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A community gets hit by a tornado, and a community comes together to clean up. I'm Keith Oppenheim in Marengo, Indiana. I will have that for you coming up.

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A weekend to honor those who served and died for their country. At this hour, a memorial at the Vietnam Memorial. I'm Sean Callebs. We will have that story coming up.

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN ANCHOR: No breaking of the bread, no drinking of the wine. Why some gays and lesbians were denied Sunday morning communion.

From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I am Drew Griffin. Miles O'Brien has the day off.

NGUYEN: And I am Betty Nguyen in for Kyra Phillips. It is Monday, May 31, 2004, Memorial Day. CNN's LIVE FROM... starts right now..

GRIFFIN: You just heard it from somebody who was there, everything going up in the air, that's how one person described the violent storm striking the Midwest this weekend. Thunderstorms and tornadoes leveled house, uprooted trees, ripped mobile homes right off the ground. The storms killed at least eight people, three in the past 24 hours alone and left many more injured. In all, an incredible 176 tornadoes were reported, if confirmed, that would the largest outbreak ever.

In Northern Indiana, the town of Marengo looks like a war zone. One person there was killed in the storms, and dozens of buildings are no more. We go to Keith Oppenheim with the aftermath -- Keith.

OPPENHEIM: Hi, Drew, and boy, what a powerful tornado it was out of all of those that hit. You can see that the rooftop of this home got sheared off. Behind me, we have another live camera perspective just to show you all the debris that has been strewn around as a result of this tornado.

You have at least 50 homes that are severely damaged here in Marengo and you also have lots of power lines that are down as a result of the tornado hitting, as well. You have utility crews out here that are extremely busy, and you also have a community that is really coming together.

As we take a look again on our other live camera, we can see that there are all kinds of folks out here who are busy, trying to clean up after the storm. They are going from home to home and doing all that they can to help. The emergency managers and utility crews do what they have to do.

There was one fatality as a result of this tornado. It was a gentleman who was inside his mobile home. According to one neighbor we spoke to, that mobile home got turned over and the man died as a result. But so far, there have been no other people found who have died here in Marengo, although there have been emergency crews out here with cadaver dogs trying to make sure there aren't any more people who died in this disaster.

Drew, back to you.

GRIFFIN: Incredible images, Keith, thank you for that -- Betty.

NGUYEN: For a look at what's next with this storm system, we want to go now to meteorologist Jacqui Jeras who's in the CNN Weather Center. It has been rough, Jacqui.

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, it has, Betty. And more rough weather ahead. We still have that same system plaguing parts of the eastern and southern parts of the United States. A tornado watch has been issued along the I-10 corridor here and it does include some big cities, New Orleans, over towards Mobile, into Pensacola, Tallahassee, into southwestern parts of Georgia until 4:00 local time here.

So far, no reports of tornadoes and very little in the way of even severe thunderstorms, but at this whole area starts to move southward, wind in the upper levels more favorable for rotation. So it's certainly something we're going to have to keep a very close eye on into the afternoon hours. And I know a lot of you have your barbecues and planned picnics for later on today, make sure you have got your NOAA weather radio with you.

Across the Carolinas, one watch box ending, next one just picking up, includes Myrtle Beach, down in towards Charleston. And this is Savannah, large and damaging winds will be possible with those thunderstorms as they push on through.

And (UNINTELLIGIBLE) making it up a little bit with the temperatures. And we'll likely see some thunderstorms beginning to develop across the mid-Atlantic states, maybe even into parts of the Great Lakes. And there is a light risk all in this red area of severe thunderstorms. We are not expecting the major tornado outbreak that we had over the weekend, but isolated tornadoes are going to be possible.

For today, we've got travel problems already out of Atlanta, and also out of O'Hare, windy. You're going to be white-knuckling here on steering wheel across the Dakotas, into parts of Nebraska, even into Wyoming and Colorado.

Best travel weather for today is going to along the West Coast. We had a little fog this morning around San Diego, that's clearing up right now, expecting mostly dry conditions here and plenty of sunshine. One other thing to think about this holiday weekend is the heat. We've got plenty of it in south Texas, also into central parts of Florida. And use that sun screen -- Betty.

NGUYEN: Keeping an eye on it for us, Jacqui Jeras, thank you.

With the nation fighting on two fronts, Americans today are pausing to remember all of their war dead. At the traditional ceremonies at Arlington, the president said veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan should be proud because they made the world safer. CNN's Frank Buckley has the details.

Hi, Frank.

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi Betty, the president recognized those soldiers still in combat zones today in Iraq and Afghanistan. He also recognized all those veterans who have given their lives in the service of their nation. The ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery marking the 136th time that the observance of Memorial Day has taken place there.

During his remarks that followed the laying of the wreath ceremony, President Bush quoted from letters sent home from soldiers before they died in Afghanistan and Iraq. Here's one from Private First Class Jesse Givens of Springfield, Missouri, that was sent to his family in the event of his death.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: He wrote this to his son Dakota: "You taught me that life isn't so serious and sometimes you just have to play. You have a big, beautiful heart. Through your life, you need to keep it open and follow it. I will always be there in our park when you dream so we can play."

To his wife, Melissa. Private Givens wrote: "Do me a favor after you tuck the children in, give them hugs and kisses from me. Go outside and look at the stars and count them. Don't forget to smile."

This is the quality of the people in our uniform.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BUCKLEY: The remarks there on Memorial Day following the president's appearance over the weekend at the dedication of the World War II Memorial also here in Washington -- Betty.

NGUYEN: Frank, what else is on the agenda as Americans pause to remember today?

BUCKLEY: Well, here in Washington there's a parade that has taken place. With this rain, as you can see, falling down, the president himself has scheduled -- has no other public schedule, but he has a very busy week including a trip abroad where he will be going to Italy and France and then returning to Sea Island, Georgia, later in the week for the G-8 summit.

NGUYEN: CNN's Frank Buckley at the White House, thank you.

Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry pays a solemn visit to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. He was accompanied by the parents of William Bronson, who died a few years the after from problems related to his injuries. Kerry, himself, a decorated Vietnam vet, worked to have Bronson's name added to the wall.

GRIFFIN: Generations have been coming together all weekend in the nation's capital, bound by having served in war or remembering somebody who did. CNN's Sean Callebs is on the Mall and brings the scene on this Memorial Day -- Sean.

CALLEBS: Good day, Drew, what has been an off and on rain throughout the day has now turned into a pretty steady rain and certainly affected the crowds that have been out here throughout the day. Not terribly far from where we are to my left right now, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge is overseeing a tribute at the Vietnam Memorial.

Ridge, of course, serving in Vietnam. They expected a crowd of some 10,000, they would be hard pressed to actually attract that many. We had a look just a short while ago. Certainly the adverse weather conditions affecting the crowds here somewhat.

The day started off, however, not with a somber tribute, but more of a celebration, a parade that wound its way through the nation's capital honoring World War II. There were a number of vintage cars from the World War II era, with a number of bands as well as World War II veterans. Clearly, the focus this Memorial Day weekend on those who served in World War II. We talked to some who talked about what they thought of the new memorial.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This memorial is everything. Everything. This is the best memorial they have ever built. I don't think they can ever beat this memorial. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) for all the people of World War II. Long time coming, but we got it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CALLEBS: A good crowd showing up for good weather. Some 150,000. A lot of them World War II vets themselves. They said they've waited a lifetime for this actual planning and construction. Something like 16 years, about four times as long the U.S. involvement in the war. Built at a cost of $195 million. President Bush, his father, former President Bush, and former President Clinton on hand for the dedication this weekend. Also, we should tell you about Rolling Thunder, another event going on this weekend to honor those who served or are currently serving their country. Rolling Thunder, of course, a number of motorcycles, some 2600 coming to the nation's capital. They say they're really charged with focusing attention on the POW/MIA issue. It was quite a sight, something this city always embraces. And this holiday weekend they did have a chance to chat with President Bush, voicing their concerns about POWs and MIAs.

Back to you guys.

GRIFFIN: Sean Callebs, a soggy but spirited Memorial Day in Washington, thanks for that.

NGUYEN: And on this Memorial Day, CNN is gathering stories from D-Day veterans. If you were there, you can e-mail your story to us by clicking on cnn.com/d-day. We'll be contacting some veterans to share their memories on CNN as part of our D-Day 60th anniversary coverage.

GRIFFIN: And ahead on LIVE FROM, was the attack on Westerners in Saudi Arabia too easy? And were the hostage takers al Qaeda? A search for answers next.

And gay Catholics and protesters denied communion in the Midwest. That story when LIVE FROM... continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: The fight for Iraq isn't taking the holiday off. Two U.S. troops were killed in a clash with Shiite militiamen in the holy city of Kufa. A commander with the unit says about 45 insurgents were also killed. The city is supposed to be included in the cease-fire deal made with maverick cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. CNN's Harris Whitbeck is in Baghdad to bring us up to date on the developments there -- Harris.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A powerful car bomb exploded outside the Green Zone perimeter on Monday afternoon. Four people were killed and 25 were injured in that blast. The explosion shattered glass in nearby buildings and damaged vehicles that were parked nearby. It occurred on a road commonly used by Coalition Provisional Authority officials and members of the Iraqi Governing Council as they go to and from the CPA. And it occurred as members of the Iraqi Governing Council met to try to break a deadlock over who will become Iraq's new interim president.

Although it is largely a ceremonial post, it is expected that the interim president would be involved in long-term planning. The council wants to appoint its current leader, Ghazi Yawer, a prominent tribal leader, with support from several ethnic and religious groups. But according to council members, the U.S. and U.N. special envoy, Lakhdar Brahimi, were pressuring them to back Adnan Pachachi, who was foreign minister in the 1960s before Saddam Hussein took power. Some council members expressed concern that the new interim government might not enjoy as much legitimacy as it could because of the perception that it was formed under U.S. pressure.

Harris Whitbeck, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: Back here in the U.S., Vice President Cheney's office is flatly denying he had anything to do with Halliburton's lucrative contract to rebuild Iraq's oil industry. A report in "TIME" magazine suggests Cheney's office helped coordinate a plan to award the multibillion dollar contract to Halliburton. The "TIME" report is based upon a March 2003 Pentagon e-mail obtained by Judicial Watch. Cheney was the head of Halliburton before becoming vice president.

GRIFFIN: In Saudi Arabia, authorities search for three escaped gunmen in a weekend siege on the headquarters of an oil company there. The attackers reportedly killed 22 people, threatened to kill more than 200 others they held hostage. CNN's senior international editor, David Clinch, has the report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID CLINCH, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL EDITOR (voice-over): The aftermath of a rampage, blood-stained floors, horrific reports of gunmen going room to room in search of Westerners to kill, some victims having their throats slit. Witnesses say the body of a British oil executive was dragged through the streets behind a car. For more than 24 hours, Islamic militants terrorized this compound for overseas oil workers. Saudi securities forces stormed the building where they had taken hostages.

The Saudis say the group's leader was wounded and captured but three others escaped. The human toll from this weekend's hostage taking is clear, the political and economic effect not yet so obvious. The statement from the al Qaeda-linked group claiming responsibility warns their fight to rid the gulf of "crusaders" will continue. The British ambassador in Saudi Arabia warns more terror attacks may be in the final planning stages. Saudi officials acknowledge the difficulty of fighter terror, but they say they have the situation under control.

NAIL AL-JUBEIR, SAUDI EMBASSY SPOKESMAN: The intent of al Qaeda from the beginning was to go after the Saudi state and the United States. That was the first intent, they almost succeeded and now they're trying to cripple the world economy by trying to send a message that foreigners are not safe in Saudi Arabia. It is the message that is broadcast around the world and that's what they're going for. I think they are safe, but it is a decision that each individual has to make.

CLINCH: After the attack, Saudi Arabia promised oil exports would not be affected in an effort to calm nervous markets. And OPEC ministers say the Saudis will go ahead with their promise to raise production next month. With the price of crude oil hovering around $40 a barrel. Markets in London and New York have the Monday holiday to adjust to the news from Saudi Arabia.

David Clinch, CNN.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GRIFFIN: Militant Islamic Web sites claiming victory for this attack. Is it possible Osama bin Laden's network is now looking to disrupt the world's economy as David Clinch? CNN military intelligence analyst Ken Robinson sheds some light on this for us.

And Ken, I want to begin with what the Saudis are saying, that the situation is under control. But we have a situation where, basically, a bunch of guys jumped a fence and were able to kill 22 people and hold 200 hostage. Is it under control in Saudi Arabia?

KEN ROBINSON, CNN MILITARY INTELLIGENCE ANALYST: No, it is not. The Saudis have enormous internal domestic problems and what we're seeing represented and played out in these attacks, and remember, this isn't the first one, there has been approximately 13 in the last few months, these attacks are significant because the world economy is tied to the production of oil and if the al Qaeda or other like-minded groups can force the kingdom to reduce oil production because it can't defend everywhere, it can't defend all their pipelines or, worse, foreign workers stop coming to Saudi Arabia, then they will succeed in a strategy that will make the world sit up and notice.

GRIFFIN: Ken, when this was playing out, we got video of what was supposed to be a special forces attack on the situation. You looked at that video with some skepticism, and now we learn that some of these hostage takers got away. Were you surprised by the whole scenario?

ROBINSON: No, we weren't surprised because one of the first rules of taking a building, if you want to take it successfully, is to start at the top and work your way down. And as was reported from the region, the first attempts were made to go into the building from the ground up, in which they encountered booby traps. The second attempt, which you would normally expect special forces to use fast ropes, a technique that allows them to put an enormous amount of people on the top of a building in an incredibly short period of time, was not utilized either as the aircraft simply hovered and people hopped off.

The aim of the attackers, according to an al Qaeda spokesperson, who's being quoted on Al Jazeera, is to get, as we have been reporting for a long time, foreigners off the peninsula and take down the House of Saud. They appear to be winning. Is this going to have an affect, number one, on the foreign workers there? And number two, on the world oil supply?

ROBINSON: I think it's going to cause many foreign workers to pull their families and to make a determination whether they want to stay or not. The interesting thing domestically about Saudi Arabia is the crown prince, Abdullah, puts a very warm face toward the West. However, his counterpart is Prince Nayef, who is responsible for the interior ministry and the secret police who are responsible for routing out these insurgents or these terrorists. And Prince Nayef has been in bed for years with the Wahabiists, the very tightly controlled religious group that dominates all of Saudi society. And this is the big angst for Osama bin Laden and others is the fact that they believe that the western culture, specifically the United States, and our use of their oil, erodes their society. And so we are ground zero in their sights. They want us off of their land.

GRIFFIN: Osama bin Laden, of course, is a Saudi. Is this al Qaeda tied to Osama or is this a fraction group?

ROBINSON: You know, it's going to be hard to determine that. After we attacked -- the United States attacked Afghanistan, the al Qaeda network bifurcated and it went into Iran, it went into Pakistan and it has spread throughout the world to approximately 60 countries. However, if you look at al Qaeda appropriately and don't think of them as an organization like IBM, but think of them more as an idea and a Salapis (ph) movement, a Sunni movement, then it makes sense that this group may represent the same ideals and motivations of the larger al Qaeda.

GRIFFIN: Ken Robinson, thank you for that. Al Qaeda is taking credit for this attack. This just came out a few hours ago. Thanks, Ken.

NGUYEN: Are you really prepared to spend your summer at the beach or your days by the pool?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

: I never would have thought a kid would have it. I thought maybe when I was an old man I'd get it, that type of thing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: It doesn't discriminate against age. Coming up, protecting your kids from the deadly rays of the sun.

Plus, seeking understanding, but separated from Christ. How colorful stripes made them Sunday morning outcasts.

And later, grab your guitar, we're taking you to the mountains to hear the plucking of the strings.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Millions of kids are spending Memorial Day at the beach or in a pool, a fact that has medical experts who are seeing an alarming skin cancer trend in children very concerned.

CNN medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is the story of a 15-year-old boy and the sunburns that nearly killed him. ALEX LEVINE, SKIN CANCER SURVIVOR: I really spend just as much time as any other kid would spend. I went to the beach, every summer I was always in the pool. I just wasn't very careful. My mom would always ask me to put the sun screen on, but I really never knew why. I didn't care if I got a sunburn every once in while back then.

COHEN: Two years ago when he was 13, doctors found a mole on Alex Levine's back. It turned out to be melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, and the cancer had already spread to one of his lymph nodes.

LEVINE: I never would have thought a kid would have it. I thought maybe when I was an old man I'd get it, that type of thing, but never even fazed my mind that it could happen to me.

COHEN: Apparently most teens feel the same way. According to a new report from the American Cancer Society, only one-third of teenagers use any sun protection at all, and when they do use sun screen, most use it only when they go to the beach or the pool. Doctors say kids almost never used to get melanoma but now they are and doctors aren't sure why.

DR. CHARLES BALCH, JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY: I'm really alarmed that today we are regularly seeing young people with melanoma, including children and teenagers.

COHEN: And he's frustrated because skin cancer is often so preventable.

BALCH: You know, it makes no more sense to have a sunburn, which is an injury to your skin, than it is to put your hand in scalding water.

COHEN: Alex's surgical scars are now barely visible. He's cancer free, but has to get checked regularly. His doctors told him he doesn't avoid the sun entirely, so he still spends time outside playing with his friends, walking his dogs, but now he is a lot smarter about it.

LEVINE: The only thing you can tell people is to give them the advice that all they -- they have just got to put sun screen on.

If you can protect yourself from one sunburn, you can protect yourself from so much later in life.

COHEN: Sage advice from a young cancer survivor.

Elizabeth Cohen, CNN, reporting.

GRIFFIN: And as we remember those who gave their lives in battle, we're also remembering those who had to fight for their right just to do that. The struggle of African-American veterans of World War II is next.

And interrogating a terror henchman. That's the name of an American allegedly connected to al Qaeda. More LIVE FROM... after this.

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


Aired May 31, 2004 - 12:58   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Deadly twisters leave widespread damage across the Midwest.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We heard debris flying, and it was like the air was just sucked out of the whole apartment. .

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KEITH OPPENHEIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A community gets hit by a tornado, and a community comes together to clean up. I'm Keith Oppenheim in Marengo, Indiana. I will have that for you coming up.

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A weekend to honor those who served and died for their country. At this hour, a memorial at the Vietnam Memorial. I'm Sean Callebs. We will have that story coming up.

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN ANCHOR: No breaking of the bread, no drinking of the wine. Why some gays and lesbians were denied Sunday morning communion.

From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I am Drew Griffin. Miles O'Brien has the day off.

NGUYEN: And I am Betty Nguyen in for Kyra Phillips. It is Monday, May 31, 2004, Memorial Day. CNN's LIVE FROM... starts right now..

GRIFFIN: You just heard it from somebody who was there, everything going up in the air, that's how one person described the violent storm striking the Midwest this weekend. Thunderstorms and tornadoes leveled house, uprooted trees, ripped mobile homes right off the ground. The storms killed at least eight people, three in the past 24 hours alone and left many more injured. In all, an incredible 176 tornadoes were reported, if confirmed, that would the largest outbreak ever.

In Northern Indiana, the town of Marengo looks like a war zone. One person there was killed in the storms, and dozens of buildings are no more. We go to Keith Oppenheim with the aftermath -- Keith.

OPPENHEIM: Hi, Drew, and boy, what a powerful tornado it was out of all of those that hit. You can see that the rooftop of this home got sheared off. Behind me, we have another live camera perspective just to show you all the debris that has been strewn around as a result of this tornado.

You have at least 50 homes that are severely damaged here in Marengo and you also have lots of power lines that are down as a result of the tornado hitting, as well. You have utility crews out here that are extremely busy, and you also have a community that is really coming together.

As we take a look again on our other live camera, we can see that there are all kinds of folks out here who are busy, trying to clean up after the storm. They are going from home to home and doing all that they can to help. The emergency managers and utility crews do what they have to do.

There was one fatality as a result of this tornado. It was a gentleman who was inside his mobile home. According to one neighbor we spoke to, that mobile home got turned over and the man died as a result. But so far, there have been no other people found who have died here in Marengo, although there have been emergency crews out here with cadaver dogs trying to make sure there aren't any more people who died in this disaster.

Drew, back to you.

GRIFFIN: Incredible images, Keith, thank you for that -- Betty.

NGUYEN: For a look at what's next with this storm system, we want to go now to meteorologist Jacqui Jeras who's in the CNN Weather Center. It has been rough, Jacqui.

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Yes, it has, Betty. And more rough weather ahead. We still have that same system plaguing parts of the eastern and southern parts of the United States. A tornado watch has been issued along the I-10 corridor here and it does include some big cities, New Orleans, over towards Mobile, into Pensacola, Tallahassee, into southwestern parts of Georgia until 4:00 local time here.

So far, no reports of tornadoes and very little in the way of even severe thunderstorms, but at this whole area starts to move southward, wind in the upper levels more favorable for rotation. So it's certainly something we're going to have to keep a very close eye on into the afternoon hours. And I know a lot of you have your barbecues and planned picnics for later on today, make sure you have got your NOAA weather radio with you.

Across the Carolinas, one watch box ending, next one just picking up, includes Myrtle Beach, down in towards Charleston. And this is Savannah, large and damaging winds will be possible with those thunderstorms as they push on through.

And (UNINTELLIGIBLE) making it up a little bit with the temperatures. And we'll likely see some thunderstorms beginning to develop across the mid-Atlantic states, maybe even into parts of the Great Lakes. And there is a light risk all in this red area of severe thunderstorms. We are not expecting the major tornado outbreak that we had over the weekend, but isolated tornadoes are going to be possible.

For today, we've got travel problems already out of Atlanta, and also out of O'Hare, windy. You're going to be white-knuckling here on steering wheel across the Dakotas, into parts of Nebraska, even into Wyoming and Colorado.

Best travel weather for today is going to along the West Coast. We had a little fog this morning around San Diego, that's clearing up right now, expecting mostly dry conditions here and plenty of sunshine. One other thing to think about this holiday weekend is the heat. We've got plenty of it in south Texas, also into central parts of Florida. And use that sun screen -- Betty.

NGUYEN: Keeping an eye on it for us, Jacqui Jeras, thank you.

With the nation fighting on two fronts, Americans today are pausing to remember all of their war dead. At the traditional ceremonies at Arlington, the president said veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan should be proud because they made the world safer. CNN's Frank Buckley has the details.

Hi, Frank.

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi Betty, the president recognized those soldiers still in combat zones today in Iraq and Afghanistan. He also recognized all those veterans who have given their lives in the service of their nation. The ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery marking the 136th time that the observance of Memorial Day has taken place there.

During his remarks that followed the laying of the wreath ceremony, President Bush quoted from letters sent home from soldiers before they died in Afghanistan and Iraq. Here's one from Private First Class Jesse Givens of Springfield, Missouri, that was sent to his family in the event of his death.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: He wrote this to his son Dakota: "You taught me that life isn't so serious and sometimes you just have to play. You have a big, beautiful heart. Through your life, you need to keep it open and follow it. I will always be there in our park when you dream so we can play."

To his wife, Melissa. Private Givens wrote: "Do me a favor after you tuck the children in, give them hugs and kisses from me. Go outside and look at the stars and count them. Don't forget to smile."

This is the quality of the people in our uniform.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BUCKLEY: The remarks there on Memorial Day following the president's appearance over the weekend at the dedication of the World War II Memorial also here in Washington -- Betty.

NGUYEN: Frank, what else is on the agenda as Americans pause to remember today?

BUCKLEY: Well, here in Washington there's a parade that has taken place. With this rain, as you can see, falling down, the president himself has scheduled -- has no other public schedule, but he has a very busy week including a trip abroad where he will be going to Italy and France and then returning to Sea Island, Georgia, later in the week for the G-8 summit.

NGUYEN: CNN's Frank Buckley at the White House, thank you.

Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry pays a solemn visit to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. He was accompanied by the parents of William Bronson, who died a few years the after from problems related to his injuries. Kerry, himself, a decorated Vietnam vet, worked to have Bronson's name added to the wall.

GRIFFIN: Generations have been coming together all weekend in the nation's capital, bound by having served in war or remembering somebody who did. CNN's Sean Callebs is on the Mall and brings the scene on this Memorial Day -- Sean.

CALLEBS: Good day, Drew, what has been an off and on rain throughout the day has now turned into a pretty steady rain and certainly affected the crowds that have been out here throughout the day. Not terribly far from where we are to my left right now, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge is overseeing a tribute at the Vietnam Memorial.

Ridge, of course, serving in Vietnam. They expected a crowd of some 10,000, they would be hard pressed to actually attract that many. We had a look just a short while ago. Certainly the adverse weather conditions affecting the crowds here somewhat.

The day started off, however, not with a somber tribute, but more of a celebration, a parade that wound its way through the nation's capital honoring World War II. There were a number of vintage cars from the World War II era, with a number of bands as well as World War II veterans. Clearly, the focus this Memorial Day weekend on those who served in World War II. We talked to some who talked about what they thought of the new memorial.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This memorial is everything. Everything. This is the best memorial they have ever built. I don't think they can ever beat this memorial. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) for all the people of World War II. Long time coming, but we got it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CALLEBS: A good crowd showing up for good weather. Some 150,000. A lot of them World War II vets themselves. They said they've waited a lifetime for this actual planning and construction. Something like 16 years, about four times as long the U.S. involvement in the war. Built at a cost of $195 million. President Bush, his father, former President Bush, and former President Clinton on hand for the dedication this weekend. Also, we should tell you about Rolling Thunder, another event going on this weekend to honor those who served or are currently serving their country. Rolling Thunder, of course, a number of motorcycles, some 2600 coming to the nation's capital. They say they're really charged with focusing attention on the POW/MIA issue. It was quite a sight, something this city always embraces. And this holiday weekend they did have a chance to chat with President Bush, voicing their concerns about POWs and MIAs.

Back to you guys.

GRIFFIN: Sean Callebs, a soggy but spirited Memorial Day in Washington, thanks for that.

NGUYEN: And on this Memorial Day, CNN is gathering stories from D-Day veterans. If you were there, you can e-mail your story to us by clicking on cnn.com/d-day. We'll be contacting some veterans to share their memories on CNN as part of our D-Day 60th anniversary coverage.

GRIFFIN: And ahead on LIVE FROM, was the attack on Westerners in Saudi Arabia too easy? And were the hostage takers al Qaeda? A search for answers next.

And gay Catholics and protesters denied communion in the Midwest. That story when LIVE FROM... continues.

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NGUYEN: The fight for Iraq isn't taking the holiday off. Two U.S. troops were killed in a clash with Shiite militiamen in the holy city of Kufa. A commander with the unit says about 45 insurgents were also killed. The city is supposed to be included in the cease-fire deal made with maverick cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. CNN's Harris Whitbeck is in Baghdad to bring us up to date on the developments there -- Harris.

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HARRIS WHITBECK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A powerful car bomb exploded outside the Green Zone perimeter on Monday afternoon. Four people were killed and 25 were injured in that blast. The explosion shattered glass in nearby buildings and damaged vehicles that were parked nearby. It occurred on a road commonly used by Coalition Provisional Authority officials and members of the Iraqi Governing Council as they go to and from the CPA. And it occurred as members of the Iraqi Governing Council met to try to break a deadlock over who will become Iraq's new interim president.

Although it is largely a ceremonial post, it is expected that the interim president would be involved in long-term planning. The council wants to appoint its current leader, Ghazi Yawer, a prominent tribal leader, with support from several ethnic and religious groups. But according to council members, the U.S. and U.N. special envoy, Lakhdar Brahimi, were pressuring them to back Adnan Pachachi, who was foreign minister in the 1960s before Saddam Hussein took power. Some council members expressed concern that the new interim government might not enjoy as much legitimacy as it could because of the perception that it was formed under U.S. pressure.

Harris Whitbeck, CNN, Baghdad.

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NGUYEN: Back here in the U.S., Vice President Cheney's office is flatly denying he had anything to do with Halliburton's lucrative contract to rebuild Iraq's oil industry. A report in "TIME" magazine suggests Cheney's office helped coordinate a plan to award the multibillion dollar contract to Halliburton. The "TIME" report is based upon a March 2003 Pentagon e-mail obtained by Judicial Watch. Cheney was the head of Halliburton before becoming vice president.

GRIFFIN: In Saudi Arabia, authorities search for three escaped gunmen in a weekend siege on the headquarters of an oil company there. The attackers reportedly killed 22 people, threatened to kill more than 200 others they held hostage. CNN's senior international editor, David Clinch, has the report.

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DAVID CLINCH, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL EDITOR (voice-over): The aftermath of a rampage, blood-stained floors, horrific reports of gunmen going room to room in search of Westerners to kill, some victims having their throats slit. Witnesses say the body of a British oil executive was dragged through the streets behind a car. For more than 24 hours, Islamic militants terrorized this compound for overseas oil workers. Saudi securities forces stormed the building where they had taken hostages.

The Saudis say the group's leader was wounded and captured but three others escaped. The human toll from this weekend's hostage taking is clear, the political and economic effect not yet so obvious. The statement from the al Qaeda-linked group claiming responsibility warns their fight to rid the gulf of "crusaders" will continue. The British ambassador in Saudi Arabia warns more terror attacks may be in the final planning stages. Saudi officials acknowledge the difficulty of fighter terror, but they say they have the situation under control.

NAIL AL-JUBEIR, SAUDI EMBASSY SPOKESMAN: The intent of al Qaeda from the beginning was to go after the Saudi state and the United States. That was the first intent, they almost succeeded and now they're trying to cripple the world economy by trying to send a message that foreigners are not safe in Saudi Arabia. It is the message that is broadcast around the world and that's what they're going for. I think they are safe, but it is a decision that each individual has to make.

CLINCH: After the attack, Saudi Arabia promised oil exports would not be affected in an effort to calm nervous markets. And OPEC ministers say the Saudis will go ahead with their promise to raise production next month. With the price of crude oil hovering around $40 a barrel. Markets in London and New York have the Monday holiday to adjust to the news from Saudi Arabia.

David Clinch, CNN.

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GRIFFIN: Militant Islamic Web sites claiming victory for this attack. Is it possible Osama bin Laden's network is now looking to disrupt the world's economy as David Clinch? CNN military intelligence analyst Ken Robinson sheds some light on this for us.

And Ken, I want to begin with what the Saudis are saying, that the situation is under control. But we have a situation where, basically, a bunch of guys jumped a fence and were able to kill 22 people and hold 200 hostage. Is it under control in Saudi Arabia?

KEN ROBINSON, CNN MILITARY INTELLIGENCE ANALYST: No, it is not. The Saudis have enormous internal domestic problems and what we're seeing represented and played out in these attacks, and remember, this isn't the first one, there has been approximately 13 in the last few months, these attacks are significant because the world economy is tied to the production of oil and if the al Qaeda or other like-minded groups can force the kingdom to reduce oil production because it can't defend everywhere, it can't defend all their pipelines or, worse, foreign workers stop coming to Saudi Arabia, then they will succeed in a strategy that will make the world sit up and notice.

GRIFFIN: Ken, when this was playing out, we got video of what was supposed to be a special forces attack on the situation. You looked at that video with some skepticism, and now we learn that some of these hostage takers got away. Were you surprised by the whole scenario?

ROBINSON: No, we weren't surprised because one of the first rules of taking a building, if you want to take it successfully, is to start at the top and work your way down. And as was reported from the region, the first attempts were made to go into the building from the ground up, in which they encountered booby traps. The second attempt, which you would normally expect special forces to use fast ropes, a technique that allows them to put an enormous amount of people on the top of a building in an incredibly short period of time, was not utilized either as the aircraft simply hovered and people hopped off.

The aim of the attackers, according to an al Qaeda spokesperson, who's being quoted on Al Jazeera, is to get, as we have been reporting for a long time, foreigners off the peninsula and take down the House of Saud. They appear to be winning. Is this going to have an affect, number one, on the foreign workers there? And number two, on the world oil supply?

ROBINSON: I think it's going to cause many foreign workers to pull their families and to make a determination whether they want to stay or not. The interesting thing domestically about Saudi Arabia is the crown prince, Abdullah, puts a very warm face toward the West. However, his counterpart is Prince Nayef, who is responsible for the interior ministry and the secret police who are responsible for routing out these insurgents or these terrorists. And Prince Nayef has been in bed for years with the Wahabiists, the very tightly controlled religious group that dominates all of Saudi society. And this is the big angst for Osama bin Laden and others is the fact that they believe that the western culture, specifically the United States, and our use of their oil, erodes their society. And so we are ground zero in their sights. They want us off of their land.

GRIFFIN: Osama bin Laden, of course, is a Saudi. Is this al Qaeda tied to Osama or is this a fraction group?

ROBINSON: You know, it's going to be hard to determine that. After we attacked -- the United States attacked Afghanistan, the al Qaeda network bifurcated and it went into Iran, it went into Pakistan and it has spread throughout the world to approximately 60 countries. However, if you look at al Qaeda appropriately and don't think of them as an organization like IBM, but think of them more as an idea and a Salapis (ph) movement, a Sunni movement, then it makes sense that this group may represent the same ideals and motivations of the larger al Qaeda.

GRIFFIN: Ken Robinson, thank you for that. Al Qaeda is taking credit for this attack. This just came out a few hours ago. Thanks, Ken.

NGUYEN: Are you really prepared to spend your summer at the beach or your days by the pool?

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: I never would have thought a kid would have it. I thought maybe when I was an old man I'd get it, that type of thing.

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NGUYEN: It doesn't discriminate against age. Coming up, protecting your kids from the deadly rays of the sun.

Plus, seeking understanding, but separated from Christ. How colorful stripes made them Sunday morning outcasts.

And later, grab your guitar, we're taking you to the mountains to hear the plucking of the strings.

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NGUYEN: Millions of kids are spending Memorial Day at the beach or in a pool, a fact that has medical experts who are seeing an alarming skin cancer trend in children very concerned.

CNN medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen explains.

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ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is the story of a 15-year-old boy and the sunburns that nearly killed him. ALEX LEVINE, SKIN CANCER SURVIVOR: I really spend just as much time as any other kid would spend. I went to the beach, every summer I was always in the pool. I just wasn't very careful. My mom would always ask me to put the sun screen on, but I really never knew why. I didn't care if I got a sunburn every once in while back then.

COHEN: Two years ago when he was 13, doctors found a mole on Alex Levine's back. It turned out to be melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, and the cancer had already spread to one of his lymph nodes.

LEVINE: I never would have thought a kid would have it. I thought maybe when I was an old man I'd get it, that type of thing, but never even fazed my mind that it could happen to me.

COHEN: Apparently most teens feel the same way. According to a new report from the American Cancer Society, only one-third of teenagers use any sun protection at all, and when they do use sun screen, most use it only when they go to the beach or the pool. Doctors say kids almost never used to get melanoma but now they are and doctors aren't sure why.

DR. CHARLES BALCH, JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY: I'm really alarmed that today we are regularly seeing young people with melanoma, including children and teenagers.

COHEN: And he's frustrated because skin cancer is often so preventable.

BALCH: You know, it makes no more sense to have a sunburn, which is an injury to your skin, than it is to put your hand in scalding water.

COHEN: Alex's surgical scars are now barely visible. He's cancer free, but has to get checked regularly. His doctors told him he doesn't avoid the sun entirely, so he still spends time outside playing with his friends, walking his dogs, but now he is a lot smarter about it.

LEVINE: The only thing you can tell people is to give them the advice that all they -- they have just got to put sun screen on.

If you can protect yourself from one sunburn, you can protect yourself from so much later in life.

COHEN: Sage advice from a young cancer survivor.

Elizabeth Cohen, CNN, reporting.

GRIFFIN: And as we remember those who gave their lives in battle, we're also remembering those who had to fight for their right just to do that. The struggle of African-American veterans of World War II is next.

And interrogating a terror henchman. That's the name of an American allegedly connected to al Qaeda. More LIVE FROM... after this.

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