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Thousands of FEMA Mobile Homes Sit Vacant in Arkansas; Brian Boitano Provides Olympics Insight

Aired February 16, 2006 - 15:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: They've been the talk of Washington, not to mention Gulfport, Mississippi, and Hope, Arkansas. Hope is where thousands of FEMA mobile homes are neither mobile or homes, just lifeless shells supposedly sinking into the mud. Gulfport is just one of the places where emergency housing is still needed, five and a half months after Ksatrina. On Monday, FEMA refused to allow CNN on the lot where the mobile homes are parked. Yesterday we got in.
See for yourself with CNN's Susie Roesgen.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUSAN ROESGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): So we're going to see about how many of these 10,777 mobile homes today on this walking tour?

JOHN MCDERMOTT, FEMA SPOKESMAN: As many as you want to see. This whole side is open to you today. We're going to take you all out and you can look at each one of them or all of them or just a few of them. As many as you want to see.

ROESGEN (voice-over): FEMA rep John McDermott walked us to what had been the off limits to CNN, the FEMA lot where nearly 11,000 mobile homes sit empty near the Hope Municipal Airport. This week the inspector general for the Department of Homeland Security which oversees FEMA reported that the mobile homes had been damaged by sinking in the soft Arkansas soil and might have to be trashed.

GENERAL RICHARD SKINNER, DEPT. OF HOMELAND SECURITY INSP.: Insofar as many of these homes failed to meet FEMA specification requirements where FEMA has no qualified prearranged site location to place them, they may have to be disposed of.

ROESGEN (on camera): Since the inspector general for homeland security is the one who made these criticisms, shouldn't you be showing the folks from Homeland Security again what you're showing the media today? We just report what they report.

MCDERMOTT: Well, maybe they'll see it today.

ROESGEN (voice-over): This is what FEMA says it now wants everyone to see. Here are the mobile homes they showed us. In your opinion are these so bad by damaged they might have to be destroyed?

JERRY HALL, FEMA SITE MANAGER: There are no damaged trailers here. None. ROESGEN: FEA site manager Jerry Hall, says the homeland security inspectors spent half an hour on the 300 acre site and then went back to Washington with news that the mobile homes were in terrible shape. Hall says they are not in terrible shape but this group of 1,600 is a concerned. They're sagging if not sinking under their own weight. They're the largest mobile homes and FEMA is trying to prop them up. They brought in 6,5000 jacks to do just that.

But critics say why not just move them to the Gulf, their intended destination in the first place?

(on camera): When might we see some of these mobile homes moving out?

MCDERMOTT: Um, I don't know. I don't know. Largely depends on to find the sites to put them.

ROESGEN: Susan Roesgen, CNN, Hope, Arkansas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: Zydeco, crawfish and all kinds of other music. It's pretty amazing. New Orleans issues an open invitation for this year's Jazzfest, and planners promise to give the biggest names for the spring celebrations. Names include Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Keith Urban, the Dave Matthews Band, Jimmy Buffet, Elvis Costello, Lionel Richie. Local legend Fats Domino also set to perform at New Orleans' first big music event since Hurricane Katrina.

He's a three-time Olympian, a gold medalist with more than 50 U.S. and international titles to his credit. So who better to help us pre-judge the competition on ice than Brian Boitano? He's up next. Remember this song? (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: On the medal stand today, on her way home today, minus the medal. Russian biathlete Olga Pyleva is the first athlete expelled from Torino, having failed a drug test after winning silver in the 15 kilometers. Her coach blames a doctor back in Russia, who supposedly gave her some over-the-counter medicine that, unbeknowst to both of them, contained a banned stimulant. Olympic officials say rules are rules.

Norway still leads the medal count with 13, Germany and Russia tied with 10 medals apiece. The United States is right behind with nine and the most in gold, six.

Russia expects another medal in just a matter of hours. The gold all but awarded to figure skater Evgeni Plushenko. He grabbed a commanding lead Tuesday in the short program. His nearest competitor is Johnny Weir, the three-time U.S. champ, with Swiss and French skaters close on his heels.

In Torino to cheer them all on, the last American male skater to win the gold, Brian Boitano. I spoke with him earlier about the competitions on ice, starting with the men. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN BOITANO, 1988 OLYMPIC MEDALIST: Plushenko is so far ahead, I think I read earlier today unless there's an alien abduction and he is taken away by martians, that he's going to win no matter what happens. I mean he's so consistent and he's so on top of his game. I think he's at the peak of male figure skating and his physical prowess. So I think he's really the man to beat.

As far as Johnny Weir, he really has a chance to get one of the two other medals. And he'll be competing against Stephane Lambiel and Brian Joubert of France. I think it's going to be a real battle for bronze and silver medals.

PHILLIPS: Well, let me ask you about Johnny Weir. I understand his quad is what is the most amazing thing that he does. Now, back in 1987 -- we did our homework. We found a picture of you actually attempting the quad. Now, you were able to have the triple axel right? You were famous for that.

BOITANO: Yes.

PHILLIPS: But just how hard is it to achieve a quad and is Johnny the guy to do it? Just tell us the significance and what makes it so tough and why it's so admirable.

BOITANO: Well, you know what, it's significant now because it's the next step up from the generation that I competed with. I didn't need a quadruple to win the Olympics. But nowadays you really do need a quad. It's pretty much essential for a man who's going to win the Olympics to do a quadruple. It's sort of the next evolution of the sport.

PHILLIPS: It's amazing how the sport has changed so much. Has it been amazing for you to watch and sort of sometimes sit back and think, wow, that is -- I never even thought it would come to this point?

BOITANO: Well, you know what, in some ways it's changed so much and in other ways, it's really stayed the same. I mean, when you go back into the world and meet all the other people and see what's happening behind the scenes, it's all the same game that it's always been. But like with a new judging systems and things like that, it's a whole different ball game than when we used to compete.

PHILLIPS: All right, let's talk women. Who are you watching?

BOITANO: Well, you know, I think our women are very strong. You know, with Michelle Kwan pulling out, I think that there's going to be a lot of focus on Sasha Cohen. And that's going to be a hard thing to do, because the media's going to really focus on her as the hope of getting a gold medal for America. And I think that she can do it.

It's going to be hard to overcome Slutskaya, who is basically what I said, the Plushenko of women's figure skating. She's 27 years old. She's a veteran. She's had a medal in the last Olympics. She's had a heart condition that has been affecting her, but she's so happy to just be back on the ice that I think all those things and how aggressive she is -- she really wants a gold medal. I think it's going to be hard to beat her.

But we have two skaters who could sneak in there, too. Kimmie Meissner is a very talented young girl from America. And also Emily Hughes, who, you know, I think will have no pressure on her because America's going to just be happy to see her going out there and representing our country. And I think that she's going to be prepared and come on and be aggressive.

PHILLIPS: And Emily Hughes, really the pressure, it's not -- don't you think she'll be a little more relaxed and kind of in a different mindset, considering how she got into the games?

BOITANO: Absolutely. I think that she's going to be in a perfect mindset. It's a perfect mindset for great winning performances, because America is going to encourage her and just be happy that she's here. And she's going to feel like, I'm so lucky to be at the Olympics, I've been training ever since the National Championships, I'm in good shape. She's doing the worlds in three weeks after this. So it's really an ideal situation. So you never know what's going to happen. Maybe she'll pull off something like her sister did four years ago.

PHILLIPS: Well, now let's have a little fun. We've talked about the serious stuff. This picture of you -- I want to say you look about 10 years old, out there practicing. Give me the background on this.

BOITANO: Doing my split jump.

PHILLIPS: Yes, doing your split jump. Give me the scoop on this.

BOITANO: My coach used to always take pictures of us so that we could use them in the programs for the club competitions every year. So this was outdoor in Palo Alto Winter Club, where I was doing one of the photo sessions. And it was my coach, actually, sitting down on the ice, taking pictures of all of her students. We used to look forward to it every year, because it was our favorite time. Because we didn't have to skate all day, we could outdoors and skate, and we got to take pictures.

PHILLIPS: Well, that's a pretty cool shot. And you know what, we -- during the Olympics, we sort of found a similar shot, but I must say, the move is much more perfected than when you were a young boy, it's pretty amazing. I don't know how you did this.

BOITANO: Yes, it's -- I think I know the shot you're talking about, the split jump. It's amazing to see through the years, like, where you begin and where you end up.

PHILLIPS: Wow. OK. So I had no idea about this "South Park" song. I'm going to play a little bit for our viewers. I know you know definitely what I'm talking with. And then I have a question about this.

BOITANO: OK.

(SINGING)

PHILLIPS: All right, be honest to me, when you first heard this and found out about this, did you laugh?

BOITANO: I was frightened. I was frightened. Because I wanted them to be nice. So I had a friend at Disney say, hey, there's -- the soundtrack from the new "South Park" movie is out, you better go get it, there's a song about you. And I'm like, oh, my God, so I got it, and it was fine.

I've never met the guys, but I really think what they do is funny, and it's nice. I have this whole new set of fans of boys, you know, 16 to 17 years old or, you know, 25 years old that don't watch ice skating, but they know "South Park."

PHILLIPS: They know "South Park," and they also know the T-shirt you just came out with. I love it. But you're doing a good cause with it. You took the "what would Brian Boitano do" T-shirt. But the money goes to a really special program, Youth Skate. Tell us about that, Brian.

BOITANO: Yes, Youth Skate is a program I started with the San Francisco Unified School District. We introduce inner-city youths to figure skating. We bring a different school in every month. I have a staff of coaches that teach them lessons, and they get passes to come back, they get a lunch and they get an experience at the rink. It's all in an attempt to keep kid office the streets.

PHILLIPS: Well, it's great to see what you're doing.

Brian Boitano, thank you so much for joining us. It was fun.

BOITANO: Thank you very much.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: When something's not right, it's wrong. We quote Bob Dylan in today's outrage segment. You see, it's one thing to steal a teenage girl's prosthetic leg once, but twice? It's exactly what happened to Melissa Huff. The Temple City, California teen lost a leg in a car accident a few years ago. Her prosthetic helps her play softball, lived pretty much like everybody else.

Well back in November, her cosmetic leg was lifted, and her bedroom ransacked. Some big-hearted locals donated a snazzy new sporty new leg worth about 16 grand. Now, that leg is on the lam. But Melissa's not in a huff about it.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MELISSA HUFF, LEG STOLEN TWICE: They probably think it's funny that they're being able to take it away from me, but it's not taking anything away from me. I know I have strong family, strong back support. And I'll be on the softball field, no matter what.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Of course, she had to clean up her room post-robbery. And maybe now the family will get an alarm system along with a new leg for that little spunky softballer.

Well P.E. must be even tougher now than when LIVE FROM cringed through dodge ball. Some Pensacola, Florida, middle schoolers gladly forked over lunch money to gym teacher Terence Braxton. Why? Allegedly, to sit out of his class. Cops say Braxton may have made thousands of dollars, though the charges only mention about 230 bribed bucks.

Straight ahead, a true sign that spring is near. We'll explain.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: It's a sure sign of spring. The boys of summer heading back to work, if you can call it work. Baseball pitchers and catchers report to training camps in Florida and Arizona this week. Other players are due in next week.

The regular season opens April 2nd with the Cleveland Indians playing the World Series champs Chicago White Sox. There's a new wrinkle this year though. The first-ever 16-team World Baseball Classic interrupts training for some players for a couple of weeks in March.

Checking in with CNN's Wolf Blitzer. He is standing by in THE SITUATION ROOM to tell us what's coming up at the top of the hour. Wolf, have you been to a Nationals game yet?

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Of course. Everybody in Washington's been to a Nationals game. I hope to go to many more. But right now we're all focusing in, Kyra, on the Washington Wizards. That's a big NBA team.

Coming up at the top of the hour, Kyra, President Bush speaking right now over at the White House. Will he say something about the vice president's shooting accident? We're waiting for the videotape to come in. We're going to bring it to you when we get it.

Plus, the vice president's police report released just a couple hours or so ago. No charges will be filed, but are there still any unanswered questions?

And al Qaeda -- get this -- job benefits, seized documents that show how much they're paid and how much vacation time terrorists get. You've got to see it to believe it. All that coming up, Kyra, right at the top of the hour.

PHILLIPS: So, I hear that you kind of hang out in the Wizards box, you know, working it with the celebs. Is that true?

BLITZER: A little bit. PHILLIPS: Really?

BLITZER: Yes.

PHILLIPS: Who do you hang with?

BLITZER: You'll have to come to a game with me and see.

PHILLIPS: Oh, that's a deal. You're inviting me?

BLITZER:: Yes.

PHILLIPS: Is there free food?

BLITZER: Yes.

PHILLIPS: I'm in.

BLITZER: All right. Thanks, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: All right, Wolf. I'll see you later.

Well, a new way to beat the blues. Maybe so. LIVE FROM has all the details, and it's not just watching Wolf Blitzer. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Eternal sunshine, maybe not. But a spotless mind may be the key to beating depression. It turns out that removing a memory molecule from the brains of depressed, loner mice may make them more sociable.

A report in the journal "Science" says the find could one day help treat people suffering from social phobia or post traumatic stress. The researchers found the molecule removal worked as well as traditional antidepressants.

All right. Let's go straight to Susan Lisovicz live from the New York Stock Exchange as we get ready for the closing bell. Hi, Susan.

SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN ANCHOR: And Kyra, some news from the "Wall Street Journal" reporting right now that activist shareholder Carl Icahn is giving up his fight to take over Time Warner, the world's largest media company.

Carl Icahn has been trying to take over the board, and recently recommended that Time Warner be split into four companies, this all coming from the "Wall Street Journal." A settlement, according to the "Journal," may be coming.

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

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