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Florida Panhandle Braces for Frances; Clinton Still in Surgery
Aired September 06, 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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Bracing for another hit from Frances, devastation in central Florida, now, the Panhandle hunkers down for another round.
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Tom Foreman, live on the Florida Gulf Coast, where people are hoping the wind, and the rain, and Frances will finally make a last stand. We'll have that coming up.
PHILLIPS: In the operating room, former President Clinton undergoes heart bypass surgery. Our Dr. Sanjay Gupta live on that story.
Kerry campaign staff change and a Bush push through Missouri. Both campaigns get ready to hit the final stretch hard.
From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Kyra Phillips. Miles is off this Labor Day. CNN's LIVE FROM starts right now.
Same storm, same state, two different scenarios. Today, the east coast of Florida is getting its first good look at the effects of Hurricane Frances, a huge and lumbering storm that spent all weekend approaching, crossing, and clearing the peninsula. Now, the peninsula is clear, but the end is not in sight. Not so in the panhandle, where Tropical Storm Frances will crawl onshore anytime now, after a brief stint in northeast Gulf of Mexico.
Even on Florida's Mid Atlantic coast, it's far too early to know just how bad Frances was. But we do know more than 3 million utility customers don't have power, and some 90,000 people are still in shelters. Three deaths are blamed on the storm in Florida, two in the Bahamas. Recovery efforts are already under way, and officials are expecting the worst.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL BROWN, FEMA DIRECTOR: Well, the estimates are just going to be through the roof, if there is a roof out there for it to go through, because there's just been so much water and wind associated with this storm, and it's been moving so slowly, that I'm very concerned about getting into the middle part of the state, into the rural areas, where the flooding's going to be an incredible hazard.
We're going to have a lot of structural damage that may not be readily visible to people as they go back in, who are going to have washouts and debris all over roads. So it's going to be a very time consuming effort for us to get relief in there. It's going to be a very time consuming effort to get power restored. But we have to do that as quickly as possible to get these folks some relief.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Now, in just a moment, I'm going to give you some phone numbers to call if you'd like to help. So grab a pencil and come right back to LIVE FROM for that in just a moment. Now, the panhandle town of Carrabelle is smack dab in the middle of the latest hurricane warning zone. CNN's Tom Foreman is there to give us an update. Tom...
FOREMAN: You wouldn't know that we were smack dab in the middle of it right now. Basically, what we've had here this morning is some gusty wind, not much of it, and a lot of this... just gray, wet weather. And people, frankly, are very tired of waiting. We spent the past few days moving all along the north edge of this storm, and everywhere, that's what you hear from people who have been running from the storm all up and down the coast of Florida, trying to get away from it, and people who have been waiting for it.
They're tired of this, more than anything because they just want to get it over with. The good part about the slow moving nature of the storm, however, is that it's allowed people to get fully ready -- and I just spoke to the Tallahassee police a short while ago. They were saying one of the nice things is that because the damage has been very limited here so far, and it's moving slowly, they've been able to move with utility crews and with road clearing crews to get branches off, power lines repaired, from early damage from this early wind... get that done early so it doesn't build up on them.
If it keeps going this way, chances are good they will continue working as the storm comes through, and maybe keep this area from having those giant power outages and the huge problems that, of course, the rest of Florida is not trying to deal with.
PHILLIPS: Tom, give us a little perspective. Carrabelle... what type of area is this? Do people come here to vacation? Is there a large community that lives there on a regular basis?
FOREMAN: It's not a big town. There's about 1,300 people in the town itself. People are spread all along the coast down here. About 20 miles that way is Appalachia Cola (ph). People here largely make a living from the water, from either chartering boats, fishing -- oystering is still a big thing here, and that's a big issue, interestingly enough.
When a big storm comes in, it churns up the oyster beds. And on one of the last huge storms they had here, the oyster beds were then closed for a year and a half, because that's how long it takes for, sometimes, the sand to move off the oysters again, for the sediment to be moved out, which can make the oysters toxic so they can't be eaten.
The health department takes it very seriously. And, of course, the people here who make their living from it take it very seriously. This would have been a big weekend for tourism here, for charter boats, for people coming in and out. Of course, that's gone away. But they're hoping that in the end, that's a small price to pay for this storm not hitting them hard, if it turns out that way.
PHILLIPS: Wow, orange juice to oysters. Tom Foreman, thanks so much. We'll check back with you. Tampa Bay is finally on Frances' good side, meaning the storm is finally moving away. But the floods will be around for days to come. More on that now from Emily Maza of CNN affiliate Bay News 9. She joins us from Anna Maria Island. A little bit of better news, I guess, Emily.
EMILY MAZA, CNN AFFILIATE BAY NEWS 9 CORRESPONDENT: Well, actually, we thought today was going to be better, but actually, it is worse. We are here on Anna Maria Island. It's in the Sarasota- Bradenton area. Earlier today, we were on the beach, but it was just too dangerous. We were being whipped around, so we had to find a safer place.
We're at a marina, and right now, the water at the marina, at the docks, it's almost over the docks. They had to move the boats to a safer place, because the water was just too choppy. A lot of other things we saw -- power lines are down, and people are driving, so people must stay off the roads.
We did see a transformer blow up before our eyes. I've never seen anything quite like that before. And that made our crews realize that this is a very dangerous situation. Now, a lot of people are still without power. There's about 48,000 people without power in this immediate area. But slowly but surely, things have gone back on, but now, they're going back off again.
Also, a lot of the areas, the roadways are flooded, and some of the canals are so high, it looks like it's a roadway, but actually, it's a canal. So it's a scary situation here, and there's been a lot of sightseers. And the sheriff deputies want us to let people know that people should stay indoors. It is just too dangerous to be outside.
PHILLIPS: Boy, that switched gears. All right, we'll follow the latest, then, from Anna Maria Island. Emily Maza with Bay News 9, thank you so much. And the east coast city of Ft. Pierce took a frontal assault from Frances on Saturday. Today, the new marina is a total loss. CNN's Sean Callebs has more on that -- Sean.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra. Indeed, this marina took a tremendous hit. If you look down here, you can just see some of the damage to yachts and boats like this one. We're told that the people of this, the Talani Kai (ph), actually lived on this. And you can see they kind of taped up their windows, doing everything they could.
They were moored. But when the winds came ripping in, it devastated this marina. And actually, the marina extended several hundred yards out, had about 200 slips. When Frances came roaring in, there were about 100 ships in here at that time, 20 of them simply destroyed, sunk, gone.
Of the 80 ships that are remaining, many of them have suffered just devastating damage. A lot of them are going to be beyond repair. As you can imagine, a lot of people wanted to come down and take a look at this area today. They were able to this morning walk out on the docks, get a close up look. But then, authorities were concerned about their safety.
Police and National Guard troops came to this area. They cordoned it off, and they are prohibiting anybody from going out there. A certain degree of frustration for some people, because a lot of boaters, for them, this is a passion, a very expensive... they've invested a lot of time. They want to see that. This is something we're seeing playing out throughout the aftermath of this disaster.
Joining us, one gentleman, Bill Mulhern (ph)-- you had a ship, a boat out here. You had a look at it... a total loss. You must be devastated.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am devastated. It is a total loss. It's a shame. It was a beautiful marina, a great place to stay and have fun. As a matter of fact, we lived on our boat while our condominium was being completed for five weeks and just totally enjoyed ourselves.
And I feel really bad for our neighbors. There were a fair amount of live-aboards here, and from what I understand, some of them simply had the minimal liability coverage, and basically, they're out of a place to live right now.
CALLEBS: That's got to be tough. You told me that you were fully covered, but you're still going to have a big deductible coming your way. We've had a lot of people say, 'Isn't there something else people could have done to protect these boats?" But if the entire dock blows in, no matter how much you try and tie off, I mean, some people tried to get their boats out down to the Keys, but a lot of people did exactly what they were supposed to do by the book, and ended up losing everything.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I was here Thursday afternoon till noontime and pretty much got everything tied down. Everybody had multiple lines tied, and everything was secure, and they had just finished putting plywood on the marina office, windows. And you know, I hoped for the best. I turned my fuel lines off.
CALLEBS: Bill, we know it's a very difficult situation. We wish you the best of luck, and to all the people out here in Ft. Pierce, and everyone coping with this. And Kyra, one other thing we know... that the police say that they are simply overwhelmed. They've been so busy. They say there are reports of looting. They can't get officers everywhere.
The National Guard troops are helping, but the frustration is really starting to boil over here in this county.
PHILLIPS: And I understand a lot with the supplies too. All right, CNN's Sean Callebs, thanks, we'll see you next hour. CNN meteorologist Jacqui Jeras also watching Frances from many different angles. That's not the only storm on our radar screen, right, Jacqui?
(WEATHER REPORT) PHILLIPS: All right, Jacqui, thanks so much. Well, if you'd like to help Frances' victims, here's how. We told you we'd give you a name and a number. The Salvation Army can take donations over the phone at 1-800-SAL-ARMY, or online at www.1-800/SAL/ARMY, or actually hyphen, dot, hyphen, org. You can see it right here on your screen. I apologize.
And the Red Cross would love for you to call at 1-800-HELP-NOW, or if you just need information 1-866-GET-INFO. All right, and keep on top of the big storms anytime with CNN.com. You're going to find safety tips, links to all the best resources, and of course, the latest forecast, watches, and warnings all around the clock.
Now to New York, where we expect to hear momentarily that a VIP has left the O/R for ICU. The very important patient, of course, is Bill Clinton. The O/R at New York Presbyterian Hospital is the site of a coronary bypass operation that Clinton learned he needed only last Friday. Keeping track of the former president's condition is CNN medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta. What do you know, Sanjay?
SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SR. MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: That's a lot of acronyms there, Kyra. Looks like it's going pretty well so far. It's hard to say whether or not he's actually finished up with his operation, although timing wise, it's just about the time where we think he might be finishing up. Got a message from Senator Clinton's office recently, saying that things were going along very smoothly.
She also said that she probably would not be coming out to talk to reporters, but that the doctors probably would. We can expect that in a little while. No doubt, for sure, Kyra, it's been a busy weekend for the Clintons, a whirlwind of a weekend. They've been here since Friday. But it's also worth remembering at times like this that it's heart disease that begins long ago.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: He has collard greens, the chicken, the barbecue ribs.
GUPTA (voice-over): Former President Bill Clinton is famous for his diet -- the stress of being one of the most recognized men in the world, and now, heart disease.
SEN. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON, (D), NEW YORK: He went to our local hospital complaining of some chest pains and shortness of breath.
GUPTA: Like many of the approximately 400,000 patients who get bypass surgery each year -- also called CABYG, or coronary artery bypass grafting -- his symptoms really seemed to come out of nowhere. Even Bill Clinton, who exercised, started eating a healthier diet, took Statin medications, and got presidential level medical care for eight years, can fall prey to relentless arteriosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries.
BILL CLINTON, FMR. PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I just had a feeling a couple of days ago, I had to have it checked, when I finally got some tightness in my chest, and I hadn't done any exercise. It's the first time that ever happened to me. And we did this angiogram and found out I had blockage that was too significant to open and put a stent in.
GUPTA: When President Clinton left office, he had an elevated cholesterol at 233. The upper edge of normal is 200. Most doctors recommend even lower. His so-called bad cholesterol, or LBL, was 177. It had jumped 40 points in his last year of presidency alone. Normal is less than 130.
Now, he has to have the operation, which typically involves opening the chest, stopping his heart from beating, taking healthy blood vessels from the chest wall itself, as well as leg vein, and stitching these new blood vessels in to bypass the diseased ones, and then restarting his heart.
He might also have something known as keyhole surgery, which involves putting small endoscopes in the heart and doing the same operation while the heart is still beating.
DR. HARVEY HECHT, BETH ISRAEL MEDICAL CENTER: This is still an ongoing debate. The off (UNINTELLIGIBLE) procedures have a lower frequency of some of the other complications of bypass surgery, such as the mental problems, the depression.
GUPTA: Either way, the odds are in his favor, with less than a few percent complication rate. But he will need several weeks of rehabilitation for his body and his mind.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GUPTA: Still, his recovery is probably going to be remarkable quick. I think people are going to be surprised that he gets out of the ICU within a day, probably back to the general care floor within a couple of days, and then home within less than a week... probably just a few weeks of care, rehabilitative care after that. I think he's going to do very well -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, we'll check back in with you, Dr. Sanjay Gupta.
GUPTA: Kyra, I have lost you. I cannot hear you, so...
PHILLIPS: Don't ask a question...
GUPTA: ... I will keep you posted on any further details regarding the president.
PHILLIPS: Perfect. Thanks, Sanjay. Straight ahead, deadly blasts in Iraq. Marines killed by a car bomb, a live report from Baghdad straight ahead. And Russia mourns those killed in a school terror attack. Details emerge about the plot that was apparently weeks in the making.
And we're keeping an eye on Frances while keeping order in the areas already hit hard. We're going to talk with a National Guardsman about that later on LIVE FROM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Of course, we've been reporting on former President Bill Clinton's coronary bypass surgery that he's undergoing. And I'm being told now, in about 10 minutes or so, there will be a news conference live from the hospital. Our Dr. Sanjay Gupta is there. We'll take it as soon as doctors step up to the podium.
Now, in Iraq, seven U.S. Marines are killed in a massive car bombing on the outskirts of Fallujah. We get the latest from CNN's Walter Rodgers. He's in Baghdad. Walter...
WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Kyra. With this latest tragedy, the number of Americans killed in Iraq is now judging up to just about a thousand since the war began. Seven U.S. Marines killed, a number of Iraqi national guardsmen. They were traveling in transport vehicles on a road just north of Fallujah. That, of course, is a hotbed of hatred toward the United States, where the insurgents are deeply entrenched.
The soldiers were traveling along the road. A vehicle approached their vehicles as if to pass, and then, suddenly, there was a huge explosion, killing, as I say, seven U.S. Marines. It was the largest number of U.S. soldiers or marines killed in a single day since last May 2nd. And it underlines the fact that the guerrillas are still operating here in a target-rich environment.
Still, when I interviewed the theater commander, General John Abizaid, just a day or so ago, he denied any suggestion that the United States might be losing in Iraq.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEN. JOHN ABIZAID, CMDR., U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND: The truth of the matter is that we've been fighting in this part of the world now for nearly three years, and we haven't lost a single military engagement, at the platoon level and above, anywhere, ever. And so, it's difficult for me to give any credence to the notion that we're losing militarily, because we're not, and we can't be defeated militarily.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RODGERS: The difficulty, of course, for the Americans in a situation like this is that a single attack like this can create the impression, or at least the perception, that the Americans are stumbling. Marry that to reporters kidnapped, contract workers having their throats slit, and you'll find that the Americans are fighting perceptions here. And the difficulty, of course, for the Americans is that perceptions sometimes become reality -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Walter Rodgers with the latest from Baghdad, thank you. Well, medical testing shows Iraq's reports of a high level captured turnout is wrong. The Iraqi interim government had reported the arrest of Izzad al-Douri, the number two military commander under Saddam Hussein. But now, it says the man is really one of al-Douri's relatives.
The Pentagon expressed doubts when the capture was announced yesterday. Now, it's been confirmed: indeed, it is not al-Douri.
Retiring Florida Senator Bob Graham is raising new criticisms of the Iraq war. In his upcoming book, the Democratic senator cites a 2002 conversation with then CENTCOM Commander, General Tommy Franks. Now, according to Graham, Franks says that preparations for Iraq were draining resources from the war on terror in Afghanistan.
Franks praised President Bush at the RNC last week, and made no mention of this in his own book. Graham also accuses the administration of covering up reported ties between the September 11th hijackers and Saudi Arabia. He cites a portion of the 9/11 Commission's report that was blacked out. And the Bush-Cheney campaign calls the cover-up claim baseless. Democrat John Kerry is calling for an independent investigation.
John Kerry is making some more staff moves again as the campaign season gets into high gear. And the latest poll shows him lagging behind George Bush. Among those changes, he's hired the man who managed Michael Dukakis' 1988 presidential bid. This Labor Day, Kerry is focusing on jobs, campaigning in the hard hit Ohio Valley. And he told a front porch gathering in Pennsylvania that Bush policies have hurt workers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN KERRY, (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The problem is very clear, isn't it? Wages going down, the cost of living going up, jobs that replace them pay less, standard of living goes down. John Edwards and I believe we can raise the standard of living in America again, and raise the ability of Americans to make money.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Kerry is also attending Labor Day celebrations with West Virginia coalminers and Cleveland union members. Well, after a brief rest, meanwhile, George Bush heads back on the campaign trail, hoping that the "Show Me" state will show him lots of support. He's going to spend about 24 hours stumping for votes in the battleground state of Missouri. In West Virginia yesterday, Bush says that John Kerry's plan to roll back his tax cuts would hurt small business and keep them from creating jobs.
Running mates are also, well, off and running, fanning out in search of Midwestern votes this Labor Day. In fact, they're crossing paths today in Minnesota. Dick Cheney tells crowds at the state fair how the Bush tax cuts have worked for them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DICK CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT: The key decision was the one the president made at the very outset, which was he believed that the best thing we could do to stimulate the economy and get it back on track, headed towards growth, and creating the maximum opportunity for people, was to let the American taxpayers keep more of what they earned. And that's exactly what he did.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: While Kerry made a front porch appearance, John Edwards was in the backyard of a Wisconsin family this morning. He talked up Kerry's plan for jobs and healthcare.
Live pictures now outside of New York's Presbyterian Hospital, where we are awaiting a news conference. As you know, former President Bill Clinton has been undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery. Dr. Craig Smith, he's the chairman of the department there. He's the head surgeon for the operation.
As you know, preparations for that surgery began about 6:45 AM this morning. As soon as either the head surgeon or one of the doctors, or possibly, a public relations representative from the hospital steps to the podium, we'll take it live. Our Dr. Sanjay Gupta is there.
Hit by a hurricane. How is Florida's tourism industry weathering the loss of a big holiday weekend? Later on LIVE FROM, former President Bill Clinton undergoing surgery. A heart surgeon tells us what's ahead for the president's recovery. Tomorrow on LIVE FROM, less than two months to election day. John Kerry promises to get tough, while President Bush is leading in the polls. A look at strategy in the home stretch.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: We're going to take you now live to New York Presbyterian Hospital, where you know former President Bill Clinton has been undergoing a coronary artery bypass surgery. The preparations began about 6:45 AM this morning. Our Dr. Sanjay Gupta has been monitoring every minute, every second. He joins us now. What do you know, Sanjay?
GUPTA: Well, we just got a statement now from the Clinton Foundation. This is the statement: "Former President Bill Clinton underwent bypass surgery this morning. The surgery was successful. The president is now resting comfortably." The president's medical team will conduct a briefing at 4 PM today in the hospital right behind me.
That's the latest. The operation is over. The operation was successful. Plan on a press briefing about two and a half hours from now.
PHILLIPS: OK, Sanjay, I know you're having some problems with the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) feed. Can you hear me OK?
GUPTA: I can hear you barely, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Barely, OK. You're saying a news conference at 4 PM. Surgery is over. You're a surgeon. Can you tell us how critical the time is from the end of surgery till, say, the next 24 hours? GUPTA: Yeah, absolutely. It's considered a critical time, there's no question. He's going to be in the intensive care unit most likely, monitoring his heart, monitoring his other vital functions, things like that. Most likely, though, again -- you and I have talked about this already today -- things are mostly likely, statistically, the odds are very much in his favor for things going very smoothly.
Most likely, he'll be out of the intensive care unit within a day, perhaps even less than that, out on the general care floor. Not to undermine any possibilities. I mean, every contingency is going to be accounted for by these doctors, by this hospital. But again, the statistics are very much in his favor, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, we'll check back in with you. Once again, 4 PM Eastern time. We're expecting a news conference from New York Presbyterian Hospital. We are told the coronary artery bypass surgery on former President Bill Clinton is over. And according to doctors, it has been very successful. We'll bring you an update. We'll bring you that live news conference at 4 PM. We're going to take a quick break. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Aired September 6, 2004 - 12:58 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Bracing for another hit from Frances, devastation in central Florida, now, the Panhandle hunkers down for another round.
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Tom Foreman, live on the Florida Gulf Coast, where people are hoping the wind, and the rain, and Frances will finally make a last stand. We'll have that coming up.
PHILLIPS: In the operating room, former President Clinton undergoes heart bypass surgery. Our Dr. Sanjay Gupta live on that story.
Kerry campaign staff change and a Bush push through Missouri. Both campaigns get ready to hit the final stretch hard.
From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Kyra Phillips. Miles is off this Labor Day. CNN's LIVE FROM starts right now.
Same storm, same state, two different scenarios. Today, the east coast of Florida is getting its first good look at the effects of Hurricane Frances, a huge and lumbering storm that spent all weekend approaching, crossing, and clearing the peninsula. Now, the peninsula is clear, but the end is not in sight. Not so in the panhandle, where Tropical Storm Frances will crawl onshore anytime now, after a brief stint in northeast Gulf of Mexico.
Even on Florida's Mid Atlantic coast, it's far too early to know just how bad Frances was. But we do know more than 3 million utility customers don't have power, and some 90,000 people are still in shelters. Three deaths are blamed on the storm in Florida, two in the Bahamas. Recovery efforts are already under way, and officials are expecting the worst.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL BROWN, FEMA DIRECTOR: Well, the estimates are just going to be through the roof, if there is a roof out there for it to go through, because there's just been so much water and wind associated with this storm, and it's been moving so slowly, that I'm very concerned about getting into the middle part of the state, into the rural areas, where the flooding's going to be an incredible hazard.
We're going to have a lot of structural damage that may not be readily visible to people as they go back in, who are going to have washouts and debris all over roads. So it's going to be a very time consuming effort for us to get relief in there. It's going to be a very time consuming effort to get power restored. But we have to do that as quickly as possible to get these folks some relief.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Now, in just a moment, I'm going to give you some phone numbers to call if you'd like to help. So grab a pencil and come right back to LIVE FROM for that in just a moment. Now, the panhandle town of Carrabelle is smack dab in the middle of the latest hurricane warning zone. CNN's Tom Foreman is there to give us an update. Tom...
FOREMAN: You wouldn't know that we were smack dab in the middle of it right now. Basically, what we've had here this morning is some gusty wind, not much of it, and a lot of this... just gray, wet weather. And people, frankly, are very tired of waiting. We spent the past few days moving all along the north edge of this storm, and everywhere, that's what you hear from people who have been running from the storm all up and down the coast of Florida, trying to get away from it, and people who have been waiting for it.
They're tired of this, more than anything because they just want to get it over with. The good part about the slow moving nature of the storm, however, is that it's allowed people to get fully ready -- and I just spoke to the Tallahassee police a short while ago. They were saying one of the nice things is that because the damage has been very limited here so far, and it's moving slowly, they've been able to move with utility crews and with road clearing crews to get branches off, power lines repaired, from early damage from this early wind... get that done early so it doesn't build up on them.
If it keeps going this way, chances are good they will continue working as the storm comes through, and maybe keep this area from having those giant power outages and the huge problems that, of course, the rest of Florida is not trying to deal with.
PHILLIPS: Tom, give us a little perspective. Carrabelle... what type of area is this? Do people come here to vacation? Is there a large community that lives there on a regular basis?
FOREMAN: It's not a big town. There's about 1,300 people in the town itself. People are spread all along the coast down here. About 20 miles that way is Appalachia Cola (ph). People here largely make a living from the water, from either chartering boats, fishing -- oystering is still a big thing here, and that's a big issue, interestingly enough.
When a big storm comes in, it churns up the oyster beds. And on one of the last huge storms they had here, the oyster beds were then closed for a year and a half, because that's how long it takes for, sometimes, the sand to move off the oysters again, for the sediment to be moved out, which can make the oysters toxic so they can't be eaten.
The health department takes it very seriously. And, of course, the people here who make their living from it take it very seriously. This would have been a big weekend for tourism here, for charter boats, for people coming in and out. Of course, that's gone away. But they're hoping that in the end, that's a small price to pay for this storm not hitting them hard, if it turns out that way.
PHILLIPS: Wow, orange juice to oysters. Tom Foreman, thanks so much. We'll check back with you. Tampa Bay is finally on Frances' good side, meaning the storm is finally moving away. But the floods will be around for days to come. More on that now from Emily Maza of CNN affiliate Bay News 9. She joins us from Anna Maria Island. A little bit of better news, I guess, Emily.
EMILY MAZA, CNN AFFILIATE BAY NEWS 9 CORRESPONDENT: Well, actually, we thought today was going to be better, but actually, it is worse. We are here on Anna Maria Island. It's in the Sarasota- Bradenton area. Earlier today, we were on the beach, but it was just too dangerous. We were being whipped around, so we had to find a safer place.
We're at a marina, and right now, the water at the marina, at the docks, it's almost over the docks. They had to move the boats to a safer place, because the water was just too choppy. A lot of other things we saw -- power lines are down, and people are driving, so people must stay off the roads.
We did see a transformer blow up before our eyes. I've never seen anything quite like that before. And that made our crews realize that this is a very dangerous situation. Now, a lot of people are still without power. There's about 48,000 people without power in this immediate area. But slowly but surely, things have gone back on, but now, they're going back off again.
Also, a lot of the areas, the roadways are flooded, and some of the canals are so high, it looks like it's a roadway, but actually, it's a canal. So it's a scary situation here, and there's been a lot of sightseers. And the sheriff deputies want us to let people know that people should stay indoors. It is just too dangerous to be outside.
PHILLIPS: Boy, that switched gears. All right, we'll follow the latest, then, from Anna Maria Island. Emily Maza with Bay News 9, thank you so much. And the east coast city of Ft. Pierce took a frontal assault from Frances on Saturday. Today, the new marina is a total loss. CNN's Sean Callebs has more on that -- Sean.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra. Indeed, this marina took a tremendous hit. If you look down here, you can just see some of the damage to yachts and boats like this one. We're told that the people of this, the Talani Kai (ph), actually lived on this. And you can see they kind of taped up their windows, doing everything they could.
They were moored. But when the winds came ripping in, it devastated this marina. And actually, the marina extended several hundred yards out, had about 200 slips. When Frances came roaring in, there were about 100 ships in here at that time, 20 of them simply destroyed, sunk, gone.
Of the 80 ships that are remaining, many of them have suffered just devastating damage. A lot of them are going to be beyond repair. As you can imagine, a lot of people wanted to come down and take a look at this area today. They were able to this morning walk out on the docks, get a close up look. But then, authorities were concerned about their safety.
Police and National Guard troops came to this area. They cordoned it off, and they are prohibiting anybody from going out there. A certain degree of frustration for some people, because a lot of boaters, for them, this is a passion, a very expensive... they've invested a lot of time. They want to see that. This is something we're seeing playing out throughout the aftermath of this disaster.
Joining us, one gentleman, Bill Mulhern (ph)-- you had a ship, a boat out here. You had a look at it... a total loss. You must be devastated.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am devastated. It is a total loss. It's a shame. It was a beautiful marina, a great place to stay and have fun. As a matter of fact, we lived on our boat while our condominium was being completed for five weeks and just totally enjoyed ourselves.
And I feel really bad for our neighbors. There were a fair amount of live-aboards here, and from what I understand, some of them simply had the minimal liability coverage, and basically, they're out of a place to live right now.
CALLEBS: That's got to be tough. You told me that you were fully covered, but you're still going to have a big deductible coming your way. We've had a lot of people say, 'Isn't there something else people could have done to protect these boats?" But if the entire dock blows in, no matter how much you try and tie off, I mean, some people tried to get their boats out down to the Keys, but a lot of people did exactly what they were supposed to do by the book, and ended up losing everything.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I was here Thursday afternoon till noontime and pretty much got everything tied down. Everybody had multiple lines tied, and everything was secure, and they had just finished putting plywood on the marina office, windows. And you know, I hoped for the best. I turned my fuel lines off.
CALLEBS: Bill, we know it's a very difficult situation. We wish you the best of luck, and to all the people out here in Ft. Pierce, and everyone coping with this. And Kyra, one other thing we know... that the police say that they are simply overwhelmed. They've been so busy. They say there are reports of looting. They can't get officers everywhere.
The National Guard troops are helping, but the frustration is really starting to boil over here in this county.
PHILLIPS: And I understand a lot with the supplies too. All right, CNN's Sean Callebs, thanks, we'll see you next hour. CNN meteorologist Jacqui Jeras also watching Frances from many different angles. That's not the only storm on our radar screen, right, Jacqui?
(WEATHER REPORT) PHILLIPS: All right, Jacqui, thanks so much. Well, if you'd like to help Frances' victims, here's how. We told you we'd give you a name and a number. The Salvation Army can take donations over the phone at 1-800-SAL-ARMY, or online at www.1-800/SAL/ARMY, or actually hyphen, dot, hyphen, org. You can see it right here on your screen. I apologize.
And the Red Cross would love for you to call at 1-800-HELP-NOW, or if you just need information 1-866-GET-INFO. All right, and keep on top of the big storms anytime with CNN.com. You're going to find safety tips, links to all the best resources, and of course, the latest forecast, watches, and warnings all around the clock.
Now to New York, where we expect to hear momentarily that a VIP has left the O/R for ICU. The very important patient, of course, is Bill Clinton. The O/R at New York Presbyterian Hospital is the site of a coronary bypass operation that Clinton learned he needed only last Friday. Keeping track of the former president's condition is CNN medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta. What do you know, Sanjay?
SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SR. MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: That's a lot of acronyms there, Kyra. Looks like it's going pretty well so far. It's hard to say whether or not he's actually finished up with his operation, although timing wise, it's just about the time where we think he might be finishing up. Got a message from Senator Clinton's office recently, saying that things were going along very smoothly.
She also said that she probably would not be coming out to talk to reporters, but that the doctors probably would. We can expect that in a little while. No doubt, for sure, Kyra, it's been a busy weekend for the Clintons, a whirlwind of a weekend. They've been here since Friday. But it's also worth remembering at times like this that it's heart disease that begins long ago.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: He has collard greens, the chicken, the barbecue ribs.
GUPTA (voice-over): Former President Bill Clinton is famous for his diet -- the stress of being one of the most recognized men in the world, and now, heart disease.
SEN. HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON, (D), NEW YORK: He went to our local hospital complaining of some chest pains and shortness of breath.
GUPTA: Like many of the approximately 400,000 patients who get bypass surgery each year -- also called CABYG, or coronary artery bypass grafting -- his symptoms really seemed to come out of nowhere. Even Bill Clinton, who exercised, started eating a healthier diet, took Statin medications, and got presidential level medical care for eight years, can fall prey to relentless arteriosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries.
BILL CLINTON, FMR. PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I just had a feeling a couple of days ago, I had to have it checked, when I finally got some tightness in my chest, and I hadn't done any exercise. It's the first time that ever happened to me. And we did this angiogram and found out I had blockage that was too significant to open and put a stent in.
GUPTA: When President Clinton left office, he had an elevated cholesterol at 233. The upper edge of normal is 200. Most doctors recommend even lower. His so-called bad cholesterol, or LBL, was 177. It had jumped 40 points in his last year of presidency alone. Normal is less than 130.
Now, he has to have the operation, which typically involves opening the chest, stopping his heart from beating, taking healthy blood vessels from the chest wall itself, as well as leg vein, and stitching these new blood vessels in to bypass the diseased ones, and then restarting his heart.
He might also have something known as keyhole surgery, which involves putting small endoscopes in the heart and doing the same operation while the heart is still beating.
DR. HARVEY HECHT, BETH ISRAEL MEDICAL CENTER: This is still an ongoing debate. The off (UNINTELLIGIBLE) procedures have a lower frequency of some of the other complications of bypass surgery, such as the mental problems, the depression.
GUPTA: Either way, the odds are in his favor, with less than a few percent complication rate. But he will need several weeks of rehabilitation for his body and his mind.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
GUPTA: Still, his recovery is probably going to be remarkable quick. I think people are going to be surprised that he gets out of the ICU within a day, probably back to the general care floor within a couple of days, and then home within less than a week... probably just a few weeks of care, rehabilitative care after that. I think he's going to do very well -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, we'll check back in with you, Dr. Sanjay Gupta.
GUPTA: Kyra, I have lost you. I cannot hear you, so...
PHILLIPS: Don't ask a question...
GUPTA: ... I will keep you posted on any further details regarding the president.
PHILLIPS: Perfect. Thanks, Sanjay. Straight ahead, deadly blasts in Iraq. Marines killed by a car bomb, a live report from Baghdad straight ahead. And Russia mourns those killed in a school terror attack. Details emerge about the plot that was apparently weeks in the making.
And we're keeping an eye on Frances while keeping order in the areas already hit hard. We're going to talk with a National Guardsman about that later on LIVE FROM.
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PHILLIPS: Of course, we've been reporting on former President Bill Clinton's coronary bypass surgery that he's undergoing. And I'm being told now, in about 10 minutes or so, there will be a news conference live from the hospital. Our Dr. Sanjay Gupta is there. We'll take it as soon as doctors step up to the podium.
Now, in Iraq, seven U.S. Marines are killed in a massive car bombing on the outskirts of Fallujah. We get the latest from CNN's Walter Rodgers. He's in Baghdad. Walter...
WALTER RODGERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Kyra. With this latest tragedy, the number of Americans killed in Iraq is now judging up to just about a thousand since the war began. Seven U.S. Marines killed, a number of Iraqi national guardsmen. They were traveling in transport vehicles on a road just north of Fallujah. That, of course, is a hotbed of hatred toward the United States, where the insurgents are deeply entrenched.
The soldiers were traveling along the road. A vehicle approached their vehicles as if to pass, and then, suddenly, there was a huge explosion, killing, as I say, seven U.S. Marines. It was the largest number of U.S. soldiers or marines killed in a single day since last May 2nd. And it underlines the fact that the guerrillas are still operating here in a target-rich environment.
Still, when I interviewed the theater commander, General John Abizaid, just a day or so ago, he denied any suggestion that the United States might be losing in Iraq.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEN. JOHN ABIZAID, CMDR., U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND: The truth of the matter is that we've been fighting in this part of the world now for nearly three years, and we haven't lost a single military engagement, at the platoon level and above, anywhere, ever. And so, it's difficult for me to give any credence to the notion that we're losing militarily, because we're not, and we can't be defeated militarily.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
RODGERS: The difficulty, of course, for the Americans in a situation like this is that a single attack like this can create the impression, or at least the perception, that the Americans are stumbling. Marry that to reporters kidnapped, contract workers having their throats slit, and you'll find that the Americans are fighting perceptions here. And the difficulty, of course, for the Americans is that perceptions sometimes become reality -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Walter Rodgers with the latest from Baghdad, thank you. Well, medical testing shows Iraq's reports of a high level captured turnout is wrong. The Iraqi interim government had reported the arrest of Izzad al-Douri, the number two military commander under Saddam Hussein. But now, it says the man is really one of al-Douri's relatives.
The Pentagon expressed doubts when the capture was announced yesterday. Now, it's been confirmed: indeed, it is not al-Douri.
Retiring Florida Senator Bob Graham is raising new criticisms of the Iraq war. In his upcoming book, the Democratic senator cites a 2002 conversation with then CENTCOM Commander, General Tommy Franks. Now, according to Graham, Franks says that preparations for Iraq were draining resources from the war on terror in Afghanistan.
Franks praised President Bush at the RNC last week, and made no mention of this in his own book. Graham also accuses the administration of covering up reported ties between the September 11th hijackers and Saudi Arabia. He cites a portion of the 9/11 Commission's report that was blacked out. And the Bush-Cheney campaign calls the cover-up claim baseless. Democrat John Kerry is calling for an independent investigation.
John Kerry is making some more staff moves again as the campaign season gets into high gear. And the latest poll shows him lagging behind George Bush. Among those changes, he's hired the man who managed Michael Dukakis' 1988 presidential bid. This Labor Day, Kerry is focusing on jobs, campaigning in the hard hit Ohio Valley. And he told a front porch gathering in Pennsylvania that Bush policies have hurt workers.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN KERRY, (D), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The problem is very clear, isn't it? Wages going down, the cost of living going up, jobs that replace them pay less, standard of living goes down. John Edwards and I believe we can raise the standard of living in America again, and raise the ability of Americans to make money.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: Kerry is also attending Labor Day celebrations with West Virginia coalminers and Cleveland union members. Well, after a brief rest, meanwhile, George Bush heads back on the campaign trail, hoping that the "Show Me" state will show him lots of support. He's going to spend about 24 hours stumping for votes in the battleground state of Missouri. In West Virginia yesterday, Bush says that John Kerry's plan to roll back his tax cuts would hurt small business and keep them from creating jobs.
Running mates are also, well, off and running, fanning out in search of Midwestern votes this Labor Day. In fact, they're crossing paths today in Minnesota. Dick Cheney tells crowds at the state fair how the Bush tax cuts have worked for them.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DICK CHENEY, VICE PRESIDENT: The key decision was the one the president made at the very outset, which was he believed that the best thing we could do to stimulate the economy and get it back on track, headed towards growth, and creating the maximum opportunity for people, was to let the American taxpayers keep more of what they earned. And that's exactly what he did.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: While Kerry made a front porch appearance, John Edwards was in the backyard of a Wisconsin family this morning. He talked up Kerry's plan for jobs and healthcare.
Live pictures now outside of New York's Presbyterian Hospital, where we are awaiting a news conference. As you know, former President Bill Clinton has been undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery. Dr. Craig Smith, he's the chairman of the department there. He's the head surgeon for the operation.
As you know, preparations for that surgery began about 6:45 AM this morning. As soon as either the head surgeon or one of the doctors, or possibly, a public relations representative from the hospital steps to the podium, we'll take it live. Our Dr. Sanjay Gupta is there.
Hit by a hurricane. How is Florida's tourism industry weathering the loss of a big holiday weekend? Later on LIVE FROM, former President Bill Clinton undergoing surgery. A heart surgeon tells us what's ahead for the president's recovery. Tomorrow on LIVE FROM, less than two months to election day. John Kerry promises to get tough, while President Bush is leading in the polls. A look at strategy in the home stretch.
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PHILLIPS: We're going to take you now live to New York Presbyterian Hospital, where you know former President Bill Clinton has been undergoing a coronary artery bypass surgery. The preparations began about 6:45 AM this morning. Our Dr. Sanjay Gupta has been monitoring every minute, every second. He joins us now. What do you know, Sanjay?
GUPTA: Well, we just got a statement now from the Clinton Foundation. This is the statement: "Former President Bill Clinton underwent bypass surgery this morning. The surgery was successful. The president is now resting comfortably." The president's medical team will conduct a briefing at 4 PM today in the hospital right behind me.
That's the latest. The operation is over. The operation was successful. Plan on a press briefing about two and a half hours from now.
PHILLIPS: OK, Sanjay, I know you're having some problems with the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) feed. Can you hear me OK?
GUPTA: I can hear you barely, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Barely, OK. You're saying a news conference at 4 PM. Surgery is over. You're a surgeon. Can you tell us how critical the time is from the end of surgery till, say, the next 24 hours? GUPTA: Yeah, absolutely. It's considered a critical time, there's no question. He's going to be in the intensive care unit most likely, monitoring his heart, monitoring his other vital functions, things like that. Most likely, though, again -- you and I have talked about this already today -- things are mostly likely, statistically, the odds are very much in his favor for things going very smoothly.
Most likely, he'll be out of the intensive care unit within a day, perhaps even less than that, out on the general care floor. Not to undermine any possibilities. I mean, every contingency is going to be accounted for by these doctors, by this hospital. But again, the statistics are very much in his favor, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: All right, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, we'll check back in with you. Once again, 4 PM Eastern time. We're expecting a news conference from New York Presbyterian Hospital. We are told the coronary artery bypass surgery on former President Bill Clinton is over. And according to doctors, it has been very successful. We'll bring you an update. We'll bring you that live news conference at 4 PM. We're going to take a quick break. We'll be right back.
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