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Sole Mine Disaster Survivor Fights for Life; Sharon's Declining Health to Cause Shifts in Israeli Politics; Both Sides Gearing Up for Battle in Alito Hearings
Aired January 06, 2006 - 14:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: This just in to CNN, we have the 911 tapes recorded before dawn on Monday just shortly after that explosion shook deep within the Sago mine in West Virginia. Adaora Udoji is in Tallmansville, West Virginia, near the Sago mine entrance.
Adaora, I don't think we want to hear them, but we don't want to hear them.
ADAORA UDOJI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Exactly. Kyra. It's really tough. I mean what they released this morning, what officials here released was a series of 911 calls made from first the mine and then between dispatchers and emergency crews that were on the ground here. Let's take a listen to the first call that was made at 7:54 on Monday morning, right after the explosion.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 911 emergency.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have a guy here at the mine that needs looked at, checked out.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stay on the line, please.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Emergency squad.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, ma'am, we need an ambulance at Sago mine.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: One up on the run.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, ma'am.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What is going on?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Something happened inside the mines here.
(END VIDEO CLIP) UDOJI: Now as you just heard, there was a lot of uncertainty in those first few moments of exactly what happened so emergency crews were immediately mobilized, dispatchers sent them down to the mine here, took them about 14 minutes and then the next series of conversations that were released. 911 calls were from Tuesday night. Now, this is around 11:55, 56, 57 when that was when families were thinking that perhaps 12 had actually survived. These are some conversations between not only the dispatchers but also some of the rescue workers who are actually on the ground. Listen to the confusion here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you're not real busy, which you probably are. Try to give us a call.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. What am I telling him?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There are 12 and they're bringing them out.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They are alive?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As far as I know.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. All right, bye.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go ahead.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You might as well stand still right where you are at, they did find them and they're all OK, I guess. I think we might be transporting I'm not exactly sure we're stuck right here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
UDOJI: Those were the 911 tapes, again, Kyra, at 11:54 they began on Tuesday night among various rescue workers and dispatchers in the area. At that point as we just heard they thought that 12 miners had been taken out of those mines alive. So, again, lots of questions as to exactly what made them believe those who were actually here doing some of the rescue work believe that that, indeed, was the case. Kyra.
PHILLIPS: So, OK, Adaora let me ask you about that second wave of 911 calls when you heard they are alive. Was that after rescue teams in the mine called the command center and then it was that same I guess communication that was picked up by the 911 operators?
UDOJI: I think, Kyra, obviously, things are still very sketchy right now. But if we think back to what we were initially told by company officials that it was somewhere around 11:50 that they were told by rescue workers that were somewhere along the mine shaft, again, they had on their breathing equipment, they were speaking on radios, it was very unclear, they were also speaking in some sort of code that had been set up between the company and the rescue workers so as not to alert anyone outside the operation as to exactly what they were finding. That conversation was, they were telling us it happened somewhere around 1 11:50. Those 911 calls we just heard, that was happening five, six, seven minutes later. Initially it would appear that we were talking about two separate communications that were happening. One between the command center and the rescue workers in the mine and the second was among the rescue workers who were talking to their dispatchers here in this area trying to alert them as to what to expect. Trying to round up I mean, there are some more conversations about winding up medical units and making sure that there is transportation for those miners. They were believing at that moment those 12 miners were coming out alive. So apparently we are talking about two separate and independent communications that were occurring at roughly the same time or at least one right after the other.
Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Wow, confusion continues. Adaora Udoji thank you very much.
Well, at least one West Virginia family now knows the last thoughts of a father and grandfather who perished in the Sago mine. It wasn't bad, just went to sleep Jr. I love you. Those words scrolled by Martin Toler Jr. on the back of an insurance application. Coroner's found the note on the 51-year-old section foreman and passed it to his family. The note illustrates the resolve of a man who knew he was about to die. Friends of the morning family say they take some comfort from Toler's final words. There are reports of other notes. We only know of this one at this time.
Well it's hard to read how the doctors feel about the chances for Randy McCloy's recovery. McCloy is the sole survivor of the Sago mine disaster in West Virginia. He is now at a Pittsburgh hospital still listed as critical getting specialized oxygen treatment. Against all odds he's hanging in there. CNN's Chris Huntington is live outside the hospital in Pittsburgh. Chris.
CHRIS HUNTINGTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi Kyra.
Well doctors here this morning at Allegheny General Hospital told us that they have put Randy McCloy back into a medically induced coma. They are giving him heavy sedations and other painkillers and other medications to keep him in, what one doctor described, as close to a state of instantiation. He is basically being kept asleep in order to rest his brain. Now, they have been able to measure and indeed see evidence of some brain damage in the rear portion of his brain from cat scans and MRIs. If there's any good news to be read into that, the doctors were saying that that portion of the brain is more for use in motor skills and not so much for thinking and other cognitive abilities.
But they were very careful to say that they don't know the extent of the damages of whether this is as bad as the damage can get or whether it will get worse. And the fact that he has in his medically induced coma means that they're denied the opportunity to get any response from him to give them further evidence. Here's what the doctors had to say. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. JAMES VALERIANO, ALLEGHENY GENERAL HOSPITAL: Neurologically I think there's a very wide gamut of what could happen. Again, given his age, there is a chance that he could make a very good recovery, given what we've seen on the scans. There is a chance that the recovery could be more limited. It helps you as you would expect, it helps you a lot if you can examine someone and try to interact, but we just don't have that available to us right now.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNTINGTON: Now, the one thing Randal McCloy does have available to him right now is his family. They've been as close to him at his side as they could be. Particularly his wife, Anna, and their two small children. Earlier this morning on CNN's "AMERICAN MORNING," Anna spoke about talking to her children and taking them into to see their father.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ANNA MCCLOY, WIFE OF RANDY MCCLOY: My little boy when I took him in to see his dad I told him his dad was sick. He had worked very long hours and right now he need time to get better and to rest and he told me that, mommy, my daddy's going to get better. And my little girl just keeps calling dada.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNTINGTON: Kyra, I have to tell you, Kyra, personally as a father of two children under the age of age, I can tell you what that means, it's phenomenal what she must be going through. As you mentioned Randy McCloy here is here at this hospital in Pittsburgh for specialized treatment in pressurized oxygen chambers. He's undergoing two such treatments and he'll undergo another one this evening. They ramp up the pressure of oxygen. This is an attempt to try to drive out the remaining effects of carbon monoxide poisoning in his blood stream.
Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Chris you are right. Anna has to be strong for her husband and those two kids. Chris Huntington, thank you so much.
Significant improvement, critical but stable, two verbal snapshots of the health of Ariel Sharon after his third emergency operation to curb the bleeding and the pressure inside his brain. A little less than 48 hours after the Israeli prime minister suffered a major cerebral hemorrhage his doctors are publicly encouraged by his latest post-op test results but they also point out they won't know anything for sure until they try to start lifting Sharon's drug- induced coma, possibly sometime Sunday.
CNN's Fionnuala Sweeney joins me now from Jerusalem with the latest. Has anything changed, Fionnuala? FIONNUALA SWEENEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: No, just after 9:00 in the evening here, Kyra, and it was a few hours ago that we last heard from the director of the medical center here behind me. He said, indeed, that there had been that third operation on Ariel Sharon, that following a brain scan immediately afterward that had been determined that the bleeding has stop and that the pressure on his brain had also been reduced following that operation.
He then went on to say perhaps somewhat surprisingly that this last brain scan actually showed, significant improvement on the previous brain scans. It has been the best of brain scans so far since Ariel Sharon entered this hospital two nights ago. This really should not be overestimated because the 77-year-old prime minister remains in a very critical condition.
All they know is that he's in a deep coma, which is being medically induced. They know that the bleeding has stopped, but they do not know the prognosis. They will keep him in that coma for the next 24 to 48 hours. During which time they'll determine when is the best time to try and resuscitate him to waking up very slowly and cautiously and it will be then and only then, Kyra, that they will be able to make an assessment as to his prognosis. But I think it's generally agreed among most independent observers here that the days of Ariel Sharon on the political stage are over.
PHILLIPS: That brings us into the next question that I have for you. You're covering every moment of his condition and monitoring the situation outside the hospital. At the same time, you know, you cover the politics, the Israeli politics and what's taking place. I'm assuming there are a lot of shuffling going on and a lot of people wondering about what's at stake at these upcoming elections.
SWEENEY: Well yes. There are elections due to be held here on March the 28th. These were elections that Ariel Sharon had been widely expected to win. He has his left his own party to find a new party that could deem a party, known as the Future Party in English. He brought with him a significant number of loyalists and also from the opposition Labor party.
But there are many people here questioning whether or not the party can survive without him. And (INAUDIBLE), as we know has been tracked back to his deputy Ehud Olmert. He is now the acting prime minister and we are hearing from local media that there have been meetings between him and the other man who may be more pivotal than anyone else to the immediate direction of Israeli politics.
That is Shimon Peres, a former prime minister himself, also perhaps the last person along with Ariel Sharon of his generation. A man of considerable experience and it's understood that talks took place earlier this Friday and also yesterday between Olmert and Peres, because he is now the man who is very much in demand by his former Labor party. The man who defeated him for the leadership of that party, Peretz (ph), would like to see Peres back in the wings of the Labor party. But, also, Olmert wanting to see Peres very much remain within the party that he decided to join once Ariel Sharon founded it. He is really the man to watch at the moment to see what he does. But the talks have been suspended, pending the outcome of this operation and any further prognosis on Ariel Sharon's health. But, it's one to watch - Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Fionnuala Sweeney live from Jerusalem. Thanks, Fionnuala.
Well in the Arab world, Sharon's almost certain absence from the political stage is prompting celebrations, apprehension, heartfelt concern and genuine fear over who or what comes first.
CNN's senior Arab affairs editor Octavia Nasr joins me now live with some insight. It's interesting to see all the various headlines, and all the various newspapers across the Middle East.
OCTAVIA NASR, SR. ARAB AFFAIRS EDITOR: All kinds as you said, you know some are celebrating, others really fearing for the life of the Israeli prime minister and others who say that life will be better without him. So a mix of reactions. None of them really surprising. But, take a look at some of them. We check the Web sites yesterday to see what people are saying. This is just a normal person responding to the news, just the facts of the health of the prime minister.
This man says, "If we put all personal reactions aside, Sharon's death may lead Netanyahu to power and that would turn everything to hell in Israel and the Palestinian territories." Really a view that is echoed across the Middle East.
Yesterday a new story. We're searching to see who is reporting it. One paragraph here, a few paragraphs there. But, today, a huge story and editorials is on it and people looking at the future, saying the neighbors of Israel are looking at the story with intensity and not the same intensity but with intensity more so than yesterday. That is for sure.
PHILLIPS: You looked at a Lebanese newspaper, right?
NASR: We looked at Lebanese newspapers, Jordanian, Egyptians and all kinds. This one, this is a headline from "As-Safir" (ph) newspaper that says "Sharon on the edge of death and Israel on the edge of political turmoil." Of course, this Lebanese paper is expecting turmoil in Israel. But today from which is a Pan-Arab, London based newspaper, the editor in chief in his editorial talked about pessimism. He said that nothing is new in the Middle East when he talked about pessimism. This is a staple of daily life, but he said the pessimism that we're watching today is a lot worse than any pessimism we saw before.
This one here that we're looking at is from another "Asharq Al- Awsat" (ph), another London-based Pan-Arab newspaper and this person is also responding to the news. He said, "Sharon never killed anyone from his own people and that's why he's their hero. Look at how many Arabs were killed by Arab leaders. May we see an Arab Sharon one of these days." Basically a little bit of admiration in the voices of some moderates for the man who is, Sharon, the leader. The man who believes in his cause and fought for it.
And, basically, the idea of Ariel Sharon being killed, one of his own. Many Arabs especially those who live in exile, like this person who wrote this comment from Denmark a lot of them are in Europe or else where in the world because of persecution. Because they were persecuted by their own leaders and, of course you know, we all know the lack of freedom of speech, the expression and freedom of the media in most of the Arab world. So, it's interesting to see people reacting in this way to the situation, to help the situation of the Israeli prime minister.
Here's another example. This one taken from "Egyptian Political Weekly." The editor there says "We want him healthy not because we like him but because we believe he can make peace." So again you know people say well does this mean that people like Ariel Sharon all of a sudden, not really. They still make it very clear, they don't like him, they don't appreciate him, they don't agree with him. Some of them hate him, but at the end of the day he is seen on Arab media, especially now that he's going through the health problems.
PHILLIPS: And they are looking into the past. What have other prime ministers done, what has this prime minister done? And, to them, well...
NASR: You're absolutely right. They say he's the only Israeli leader that gave the Palestinians something. He's the only Israeli leader that pulled out of Palestinian land. They talk about how he dismantled the settlements. The settlements that he himself championed. Him leaving the party that he himself, established. And forming a new party because he had a different vision for the future. So, all that, if you read Arab media and listen to the commentaries that you're hearing that people already miss Ariel Sharon which is something that would have been almost impossible just a few months ago.
PHILLIPS: Octavia Nasr, thank you so much.
Well, straight ahead, is it possible that lightning caused the Sago mine explosion? We're going to look at the science behind the theory. It could have major implications for everyone touched by this disaster. CNN's LIVE FROM continues in just a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Investigators are still unclear as to what started the tragic chain of events at the Sago mine whether conditions at the time of the explosion appear for now to give the most likely explanation.
CNN's Tom Foreman has been looking into it.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A fierce lightning storm was pounding the hills of West Virginia when the Sago mine exploded. Federal investigators now put the time of the blast officially at approximately 6:30 a.m. That time matters, because CNN has learned that at precisely 6:26:35, remote sensors detected two lightning bolts hitting the ground above the Sago mine complex. One somewhere in this area, very close to the explosion itself. From the start, authorities had been wondering if lightning might be to blame.
ROGER NICHOLSON, GEN COUNSEL FOR ICG: The incident coincided with a local thunderstorm, but we do not know at this time whether those events were related.
FOREMAN: Suspicion that lightning ground strikes might trigger explosions far below, drove this study four years ago by the National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety and a researcher at the University of Alabama. The report found that this could happen, especially if the lightning bottled a metal conductor.
For example, if lightning hit a natural gas well on the ground above the Sago mine and followed the steel casing on the drill hole below the well, the electrical charge could ride the metal through the ground to the abandoned and sealed part of the mine where explosive gases might have collected, possibly touching off an explosion that could blow out into the working mine.
We do know that the fatal Sago explosion erupted out of a closed portion of the mine. That report on lightning and mines says the presence of a steel case borehole dramatically enhances the possibility of lightning initiating an explosion in a mine. And the state mining official told CNN there are gas wells above this mine, with pipes running right through the Sago coal scene.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Once again, that was our Tom Foreman. You know the tragedy at the Sago mine has many people asking how it could have been prevented. Nobody argues that mining isn't dangerous, but is there a difference between safe and safe enough?
Joe Main is a long time coal miner and recently retired as the health and safety director the for the United Mine Workers Union. He is in Pittsburgh.
Great to see you again Joe, many more questions for you. First of all, the theory of lightning causing this horrific accident, what do you think?
JOE MAIN, FMR. UNITED MINE WORKERS OFCL: Well, I think there are a lot of things that need to be on the table to examine to determine what went wrong here and, of course, lightning is one of those, yes, we had experience with those in the past, but there's a wide variety of other issues that needs to be on the table. I should first point out that I just recently read the announcement by the fellow Mine and Safety Health Administration on their purpose for this investigation and it is to determine the cause of the, determine the cause of the explosion.
That should not be the purpose of this investigation or reason for that. Explosions occur in coal mines, they should not happen. When they do occur there is a wide variety of safety nets that need to be in place, by law and by a good safety practice to help miners cope and get through those. When you look at this tragedy, it is just similar to the one that had happened, number five mine on September 23rd, 2001, where 13 miners perished in an explosion and we saw the same kind of limited investigation take place where the focus was really, as, for the largest part on the centering cause of the explosion.
PHILLIPS: Why was that, Joe? The explosion that you're talking about in Alabama. I remember because you were part of this. We talked about in the past. You felt there were a lot of secrets and a lot of things were shoved under the table and that there really was, there weren't enough advocates for the miners and what went wrong and what happened. What was it that happened then that you're afraid is going to happen this time around?
MAIN: I think two important things that happened. And I'm going to start with the first. These investigations should not center on the point of the epicenter of the problem, they should look at the whole picture. We should be asking, what all went wrong at the Sago mine that led to the deaths of those miners and what all needs to be done to correct those conditions and build a safety net for miners.
PHILLIPS: So, Joe, you mean like the violations. You're saying, let's go back and look at all the violations that were reported last year, the year before and why you were telling me that violations were increasing toward the end of last year and if that plays a part in what happened.
MAIN: Well, I think it's a lit built bigger than that. You need to look at the violation history and the role of the federal agency whether or not they aggressively and effectively enforced the mine law, but you also need to look at the safety net issues. I'm going to give you a couple examples.
The miners, the rescue attempts failed, did not reach the miners except for one and why did that happen? Why did the structure that is under the mine act not work? Why did the miners not communicate to the outside? Why are we using archaic communication systems in coal mines where state of the art systems would provide better emergency phone system than was in place here.
PHILLIPS: All right. So Joe, let's tackle that. Let's start right there. Because you are bringing up some pretty incredible points. Rescue teams - I'm hearing you bring up why aren't there enough rescue teams? Why weren't they there quicker? You are bringing up breathing apparatus. Why is that technology not more advanced? Lets just start with those two things. Are the numbers of rescue teams shrinking? Are there not enough out there?
MAIN: Yes. There has been a concern raised by myself as head of the United Miners at the time and various industry officials over the shrinking number of rescue teams in this country. It has been a recognized problem for quite some time and it had evolved into a rule making over the past few years to try to figure out a way to solve this
. The bigger mines that used to be in existence in this country, many closed down. You have more smaller mines open up and instead of rescue teams at these mines that were there, trained and prepared to immediately respond, we now have a much reduced number of rescue teams with not that mining experience capability that we once had.
That's one issue and this is an issue that came up in Alabama. We were concerned about the shortage of rescue teams. The communication systems came up in Alabama, as well, where miners phones went out right after first initial explosion and miners could not communicate effectively throughout that mine or to the outside to relate what the conditions were in the mine. That created the situation where confusion ensued and we believe it placed miners in greater peril. That problem was never fixed and it was not one of the things that was the center of the agency's focus. It should have been.
PHILLIPS: Well, you would think, Joe, that would have been fixed by now. I mean there have been plenty of explosions and deaths of miners. I mean it's pretty shocking that communication systems have not been developed. And, like you said, rescue teams. Now, what about breathing apparatus. I was shocked to find out that they did have, each of them had breathing apparatuses but they only would last like an hour or maybe two hours. I mean, what are the odds of a trapped miner getting out in just an hour or two hours in a situation like that? I mean, they're miles down under ground.
MAIN: Let's face it, if you get in a poisonous atmosphere and you have a one-hour device, when that device exhausts itself, what do you do? This is a critical part of the whole emergency respond plan that had been under review, and under investigation and we were looking for self-rescuers deployed throughout the mine. There was a regulation moving forward, actually, just prior to the time of the number five disasters that was going to fix some of these problems.
One we had a lot of defects in some of these self-rescuers that had to be with drawn from the mine. We put in place temporary fixes to accommodate that. But we needed regulations to make sure that didn't happen again. But the key thing was to make sure that miners had a number of rescuers strategically placed throughout that mine to let them get out.
What you have in a situation when that don't happen, a miner caught in a situation where they look at that rescuer as the only air they have to get to safety. They have to make a judgment. Am I going to have enough air to reach the safety of this mine, fresh air or is it better for me to take this only one I have and barricade myself in an environment that maybe deadly. It is not a fair choice for miners to make.
PHILLIPS: That's true, Joe. I mean, that -- it's mind-blowing that they would only have an hour or two of clean air. I mean, that's just --that's ludicrous considering the circumstance.
Well, I want to ask you another point, too. I was reading that the top job at the Mine Safety Health Administration is vacant. Is that true? There's been no one to fill that one position? One of the most important organizations to fight for the right of miners?
MAIN: That's true.
PHILLIPS: Why? Why isn't there someone in that top job? That's the advocate, right?
MAIN: Yes. I think there's a number of questions that's going to raised about the performance of MSHA before this is over with. And I think those who called for public hearings and for hearings separate than the agency's own investigations, where you may have culpability here and they're, you know, self-investigating, it's not a proper way to take care of business.
But I think a failure to have leadership at the top. In a recent explosion we had in that very district a couple years ago where three miners were killed, evidence surfaced that the agency was short of inspection personnel. The top official had called on their superiors for help, they needed more man power. And, based on the evidence and information I looked at, that explosion occurred short of the help that was asked for. And we later found out that the mine area was not inspected, according to the standards.
So, you know, those things came out in large part because I got a brown envelope on my desk that provided the document on one. It didn't come through the investigative process. I'm not saying that this stuff is going on here. But I'm saying those things have happened in the past to raise all these questions of credibility of about these investigations that MSHA conducts for their own culpability may be part of the problem here.
PHILLIPS: Well, these miners need the technology, they need a voice, they need legislation, they need somebody the head of the Mine Safety and Health Administration to be a voice.
Joe, there -- on a personal level, I want to ask you a question. I can't stop looking at this letter that we have now seen, this letter written by Martin Toler, Jr., obviously, as he was dying. His nephew said it's the most precious possession that the family has now. And it says "Tell all I see them on the other side -- J.R. " And then on another side it says, "It was not bad, just went to sleep. I love you."
I'm curious if you have ever had to write a letter like that. And if not -- this is a part of the training, right? I mean, miners are told, look, this may be the last thing a family member ever sees, considering the job that you're in. And it's true. That is really the last, I mean, it's got to be one of the most precious things a family member could receive in a time where they just wanted to talk with that individual one last time.
MAIN: I could tell you this. I have investigated mine accidents, explosions, disasters for over a quarter of a century. I have been involved in some of the nastiest ones that's happened in this country. And I've had to look the families in the face and explain to them what happened to their loved ones. And it's probably the worst thing you have to do when one of these happens.
I think everyone should take note of that message and think about what if that was their son or their daughter, what would they be doing differently here to protect all these miners in these coal mines?
PHILLIPS: Amen.
MAIN: And I think that people don't look at it that way. It was somebody else's son or daughter. And I think when the general public starts thinking in that light, there's going to be a major shake-up with mine safety in this country and people are going to start, again, demanding that these miners have a safe workplace.
PHILLIPS: Well, they need to have a safe workplace. Final question, Joe, because this came up in our meeting this morning. And I wanted to ask you if it's true that miners, the mindset is that when they are in a situation like that, they usually pass clean air to the individual or individuals that they feel have more at stake or more to live for, i.e. someone as young as Randal McCloy with two kids. He's only 27 years old. Is that true?
MAIN: I think when you get into situations like this, that humanity comes into the picture. And I would have to say that coal miners are the most caring people that I have ever met in my life. And I think when the going gets tough, they all look out for each other and do what they can to protect each other. It's not an individual issue. They try to take care of all.
So, you know, whatever happened in this situation, I don't know. I wouldn't be surprised if they all tried to work together to figure out a way to keep everybody or keep, you know, those that they could on a path of life.
PHILLIPS: Joe, you've been an incredible advocate for miners. You continue to do so. I thank you so much for your time today, Joe Main.
MAIN: Thank you.
PHILLIPS: Well, coming up at 3:30 -- actually where Joe is, we are waiting for doctors to come forward and hold a press conference on the condition of that sole survivor that we've been talking about, Randy McCloy. So we will wait for that. Hopefully 3:30 it will happen and we'll bring it to you live.
Meanwhile, we're moving on to other news now. And that's a new videotape showing al Qaeda's number two man surfacing today. We've got the details. The news keep coming and we're going to keep bringing it to you. More LIVE FROM right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: After the fourth deadliest day in Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein, Shiites today accused the U.S. of holding back the fight against insurgents. Thousands of Shiite demonstrators gathered in Baghdad Sadr City in the wake of attacks that killed 140 people or more. They say that the U.S. effort to pull disaffected Sunnis into Iraq's political process is allowing free rein to Sunni politicians who advocate violence. One Shiite leader says that United States pressure has tempered efforts by the interim government to pursue Sunni insurgents.
Also today in Iraq, the military said that yesterday's attacks killed 11 American soldiers, not five as first reported. The additional six dead included two Americans killed in the suicide bombing at a police recruitment center in Ramadi. After the newly- reported death, the current U.S. death toll in Iraq stands at 2,193. That number includes 470 deaths classified as non-hostile.
Well, the number two man in Al Qaeda was heard from today. Egyptian terrorist Ayman al Zawahiri surfaced in the form of a videotape that aired on Al Jazeera. The date of the message isn't certain, but in it, al Zawahiri makes reference the earthquake in Pakistan October 8th and he appears to refer to President Bush's speech in Iraq, delivered on November 30th. Al Zawahiri says that America has lost the war in Iraq and he called on Mr. Bush to concede defeat both in Iraq and in Afghanistan.
Confirmation hearings begin Monday for Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito and both sides are gearing up for a fight. Alito's nomination has drawn applause from conservative groups, but is opposed by many liberal. Battle lines are being drawn today.
And CNN congressional correspondent Ed Henry joins us live now from Capitol Hill. It's starting to heat up, Ed.
ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Kyra. What's very interesting is that a lot of people expected that abortion and other social issues would really be the dominant issue next week and, make no mistake, those kinds of issues -- including affirmative action -- will certainly be a big part of this debate. But those battle lines now being drawn, surprisingly, about the NSA domestic spying story.
And what does Samuel Alito have to do with that? The Democrats are pointing to a 1984 memo he wrote back when he was working in the Reagan Justice Department, where he basically said he believed that the attorney general should not be held accountable, even if he authorized illegal wiretaps. This was dating back from a Watergate- era case. Democrats are now saying, look, this is somebody who was arguing that there really wasn't a problem with illegal wiretaps, for the Justice Department to authorize that.
And also, somebody who consistently throughout his career, -- not just as a young lawyer, but as a judge, a federal judge over the last 15 years -- has been very assertive about saying he believes there should be a strong executive branch. That is something Vice President Cheney has been pushing for, and something that the White House has now come under fire for. So you're going to see the NSA domestic spying story, of all things, front and center next week, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: So, Ed, do you think that is going to be even bigger than the abortion issue? This has been the hot agenda item for months, and many people coming forward saying this is the man that is going to overturn Roe versus Wade.
HENRY: I think they'll probably get something close to equal billing. It's going to be a whole host of issues, but I think the NSA domestic spying story -- partly because the Democrats don't really seem like they're getting very much traction on abortion and other social issues with Alito, because even though he has written memos suggesting that he's against Roe v. Wade and there is some debate about whether he would actually push to overturn it or not, the Democrats not really getting traction on that debate.
And they think this NSA domestic spying story is so explosive, I just think you are going to see them not just going after Alito, but this is a chance for them to beat up on the president. Because, truth be told, the Democrats are looking at the votes right now, and it looks like Alito is in pretty good shape.
So if he's going to get through anyway -- and that's not a certainty -- but if it looks like he's going to get through, they would rather score some points against the president along the way to at least get some shots in now, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: When it comes to the hearings, as we watched Harriet Miers, that didn't necessarily play out so well. Then you had John Roberts, that really came out shining. How do you think Samuel Alito is going to do? What's the talk?
HENRY: Somewhere in the middle, frankly. As you say, Harriet Miers never even got to a hearing because they had to pull the plug. She didn't seem qualified, even amongst some of her supporters. John Roberts on the complete opposite side -- a lot of senators literally referred to him as Elvis, the guy who sort of wowed them, and was so polished that it's going to be a tough act, frankly, for Samuel Alito to follow.
So, you are seeing the White House trying to downplay expectations and say, He is no John Roberts. I think he does fall somewhere in the middle. He is somebody who is a tough customer. I think he might surprise some people, but clearly not as polished. When you see him in the hallways on the Hill doing his courtesy calls, he's somebody who wears these suits that are not very expensive and ties that might not exactly be pulled all the way up to his neck, and that's fine.
He thinks -- his supporters think he's more of an average guy. And even though he's not so polished, that kind of a persona, that kind of a style might actually connect with average people across the country, rather than this smooth-talking lawyer who seems perfect. We'll have to see how it plays out -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Ed Henry, our perfect correspondent. Thank you so much, Ed.
HENRY: Thanks.
PHILLIPS: Jose Padilla is due back in court today. He's scheduled to enter a plea to charges that he conspired to murder U.S. citizens and provide support to terrorists. When Padilla was arrested nearly four years ago, he was accused of plotting to detonate a radioactive dirty bomb and was held by the U.S. Navy as an enemy combatant. Critics challenged the government's power to keep Padilla, a U.S. citizen, in military custody. Last year the Bush administration took steps to move his case to the civilian court system. He was indicted in November on charges that do not include the dirty bomb accusation.
We'll have live coverage from Miami, where today's hearings will take place, in the next hour of LIVE FROM.
News keeps coming. We're going to keep bringing it to you. More LIVE FROM right after a quick break.
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PHILLIPS: Well, it might be a little smaller this year, and it will certainly have a different look. But carnival starts today in New Orleans. Beginning the twelfth day of Christmas, it leads up to Mardi Gras. New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin kicked things off today, but because of the city's post-Katrina cash crunch, expect fewer, shorter parades. What's he cutting into? You know what that is -- it's a King Cake. King Cake season is already underway, but expect changes with that, too.
Our Susan Roesgen live at a bakery that puts together the purple, green and gold concoctions. It's a local business that is learning how to function in a post-Katrina New Orleans. And Susie, I know the both of us have ordered many King Cakes from that Kenner (ph) bakery.
SUSAN ROESGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Many times, Kyra. This bakery, in a good year before the hurricane, would put out between 120 and 140,000 King Cakes that go not only around the city of New Orleans and the surrounding area, but also around the country and around the world.
But Hurricane Katrina knocked out two of this company's fours bakeries, and about half of the people who normally work here haven't been able to come back yet either. So, Kyra, I decided I would help them out here today at Gambino's (ph) and make a King Cake just for you. Do you remember what goes in these things?
PHILLIPS: Yes, I do. I always go for the basic just regular cream cheese. I know they get really fancy, right, with chocolate and all kinds of different flavors.
ROESGEN: They do, they get fancy. But this is a simple one, Kyra. This is the one -- you take the rich dough that has been brushed with a little bit of oil, then some brown sugar. Then you tuck in the baby, which of course represents the Baby Jesus for part of the carnival season -- you tuck it in. Whoever finds the baby in their slice has to buy the King Cake next year.
Kyra, I don't know how this one will turn out.
PHILLIPS: It's looking good.
ROESGEN: I am doing my best. I haven't worn an apron in a long time, my friend. I'm trying to make it just -- PHILLIPS: I know you're a good cook.
ROESGEN: I'm really not. But you know, these are so popular. Just about every office in the city will have King Cakes until Mardi Gras day. Just about every home has King Cakes. We all love King Cakes in all their varieties.
Oh, for heaven's sake, Kyra. Listen, I'm going to get this in the oven for you. And in an hour I promise it will be looking better. And I'll decorate it for you.
PHILLIPS: He's laughing over your shoulder. Herbert's laughing over your shoulder. While he helps you, let's give our viewers a little history. Let's talk about why it's called a King Cake.
Look at how fast he does that. That is unbelievable. He's a pro.
ROESGEN: This is a pro. This is a pro. This one is going to be so nice for you. I promise not to mess it up. Yes, today is King's Day. It's also known as the Feast of the Epiphany. This was the day on the church calendar that say the three kings, the three wise men, left their gifts for Baby Jesus. That's why we tuck in a little baby in each of our King Cakes.
And you know a lot of people think Carnival is just Mardi Gras, or as we say here, sort of redundantly, Mardi Gras Day, but, actually, the season starts today and goes all the way through until Fat Tuesday. And after we've eaten enough King Cakes to kill ourselves, then we go through Lent. We have Ash Wednesday, starts right after Mardi Gras.
PHILLIPS: Yeah, a lot of beautiful cultural and spiritual traditions, that is for sure. All, right, so Susie, we're going to see you again in the next hour, right?
ROESGEN: You bet, Kyra. We'll see you then, and also we'll talk about how this is sort of a different carnival, as you mentioned, going into this story. A different carnival this year, a smaller carnival, perhaps not as celebratory this year, but it's going on. And we'll celebrate as best we can.
PHILLIPS: A lot of changes just for you.
All right, Susie. We have got the music going. Can you hear the music?
ROESGEN: I love it. I love it.
PHILLIPS: There you go. That will get you going. You'll be able to do it now a lot better. All right, Susie, we'll see you in a little bit.
Well, when is a $20 bill worth $20,000? When it comes with something extra, of course. Look at this. This double buck is being auctioned on eBay today. Notice something different? The seller hopes that because of that Del Monte sticker on it, it could sell for up to 1,000 times face value. Now are you wondering how the Del Monte sticker got on the dollar? We are wondering too. Somebody was eating lunch while printing the 20's.
Anyway, look closely. The bill's serial number and the Department of Treasury stamp are on top of the sticker, which means it got on the bill during the printing process. The current owner bought the bill on eBay for $10,000.
Job creation slowed down last month with the economy adding just 108,000 new jobs in December. Let's get Wall Street's reaction. Of course, we go to Susan Lisovicz at the New York Stock Exchange.
The president coming out with a big speech today. We're talking about jobs, tax cuts, all that stuff, Susan.
SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right. And in terms of jobs, it's interesting, Kyra, the reaction on Wall Street. I mean, the number, 108,000 was about half of the estimates what we expected. So you would think that the market would sell-off, right?
No, not a chance. Because what a lot of folks here were hoping for was a lukewarm number so that the Federal Reserve wouldn't be inspired to keep raising interest rates. You sort of want that Goldie Locks scenario where the market or, rather the economy continues to grow but not overheat.
In addition, the Labor Department said the economy added 90,000 more jobs in November than originally reported bringing the two-month average to about 200,000.
So, how's the reaction here? Broadly higher. Yet again, we are four for four in the first four trading days of 2006. In fact, the Dow Industrials right now up 74 points, three quarters of a percent.
Look at the level there, 10,956, getting close to 11,000. We haven't seen that in four years. The Nasdaq and the S&P 500 are already trading at their highest levels in four and a half years-- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Now, Susan, I hope you don't mind. It's a little business oriented, but you were telling me about your grandfather. He was a coal miner. So I'm just curious. I know it's sort of tied into business and what you're covering, but has this made you think about him and his job and the life that you grew up with just watching him do that type of work?
LISOVICZ: You bet, Kyra. When I heard these people say, especially children of these miners, say that my daddy did this job to put food on our table and a roof over our heads. You bet.
Because my grandfather immigrated to the United States in search of a better life. He was a trained violinist, and he did hard work, dangerous work in eastern Pennsylvania. And he lived the American dream.
And I think that's what so many of these mining families do. They are thinking of their families, sending their children to college and it certainly happened in my family. God bless them.
PHILLIPS: Well, you inherited so many of his qualities. Susan Lisovicz, thanks so much.
LISOVICZ: My pleasure.
PHILLIPS: We are going to take a quick break. More LIVE FROM right after this.
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PHILLIPS: We're not jive talking but one of the Bee Gees just bought Johnny Cash's long-time home. Cash and his wife, June Carter- Cash, lived in this 13,000 square-foot home for 35 years before both of them died in 2003.
Barry Gibb, the oldest of the Australian brothers, who made up the Bee Gees, says it will always be the spiritual home of the Cashs. That house, on nearly five acres of Old Hickory Lake near Nashville, went on the market this year and he got it.
Many people would consider it an honor, but Jon Stewart says he thinks it's just like a ploy to smoke out Billy Crystal. The Daily Show's demagogue of deadpan has been tapped for one of Tinseltown's top honors and biggest risks hosting the Oscars.
Oscar telecast producer, Gil Cates, says that Stewart is the epitome of a perfect host, smart, engaging, irreverent, funny, which casts our vote to put our close, personal friend, Lewis Black, out on the red carpet for the pre-show. We'll see what happens.
The 78th annual Academy Awards will be handed out March 5th in Hollywood. Jon Stewart hosting the Oscars would put another first timer in that legendary role.
Here's a quick look back at who's done it in the past.
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PHILLIPS (voice-over): Chris Rock hosted the Academy Awards last year. After the ceremony he said he'd do it again.
CHRIS ROCK, COMEDIAN: Yes, I would do it again. I mean, who knows if they would want me again.
PHILLIPS: It won't be happening at least not this year. Before Chris Rock came a series of regulars, Billy Crystal,...
BILLY CRYSTAL, ACTOR: Hello, boys.
PHILLIPS: ...Steve Martin and Whoopi Goldberg. Billy Crystal has hosted the Oscars eight times now. Few others can claim that honor. Johnny Carson has hosted five times during the 70's and 80's, but Bob Hope can boast the record. He hosted the Oscars 18 times over four decades.
If you're wondering who hosted the first Academy Awards. The envelope please. It was silent film star Douglas Fairbanks Sr. And director William C. DeMille, that's Cecil B. DeMille's older brother, of course. That pair hosted the first Academy Awards in 1929.
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