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California Firefighters Attempt to Rescue Man Trapped on Overpass; New Orleanians Celebrate Mardi Gras; President Bush's Approval Ratings Hit All-Time Low
Aired February 28, 2006 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Putting down the grief, picking up the beads, taking off the worries, putting on the feathers and masks -- New Orleans may have lost levees, houses, hundreds of lives, but if there was any doubt, Mardi Gras proves it hasn't lost its spirit.
Our Sean Callebs once again live on Bourbon Street.
Hi, Sean.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon to you, Kyra.
And, boy, just an absolutely wonderful day out here -- the -- the conditions could not be better. We have a live picture looking down Bourbon Street. It has been jammed throughout the day, but not overly crowded.
We have seen the pictures in the past where people are packed shoulder to shoulder and simply can't move. It's not like that. There you see, just looking right down the heart of Bourbon Street, really a festive atmosphere. And I know you talked to the police superintendent about a half-hour ago. And we -- we chatted with him.
He said virtually no serious problems. That is great news. A lot of people wondered, you know, should they even have Mardi Gras this year, with the amount of money it would cost the city, a cash- strapped city that doesn't have two nickels to rub together, basically?
But let's look at the faces of the people today, looking at the Rex Parade, as it wound its way, first went to the corner of Napoleon and Saint Charles, down historic Saint Charles. Ducking under the various live oak trees and power lines, the float went -- people tossing beads down.
And it's amazing. I got the pleasure -- I had the pleasure, rather, of riding on one of these floats on Sunday. And, Kyra, you would think -- look -- just looking at all those people, that it would be almost impersonal. But, really, when you're standing up there, you make eye contact with the people sticking up their hands and screaming, you know, throw us something, throw us something, and you do, and they will -- you usually get a thank-you or a thumbs-up, really just a great time.
And, on the float that I was on -- or the parade, rather, there were 2,200, and about 10 percent of those people lost everything. They lost their homes. They're having to rebuild, start over from scratch -- so, really, a kind of a somewhat decent microcosm of what is going on inside this area.
But, right now, people are just simply having a great time, enjoying Fat Tuesday, a holiday here in this state. So, people are really just having a great time, going up and down Bourbon Street, two really radically different parties, as I'm sure you're aware, Kyra.
Out on Saint Charles, and Canal, a lot of families -- here, it gets a little more decadent. It's -- modesty goes out the window. You see all kinds of outfits, a lot of pirates. I'm kind of surprised at the number of pirates I have seen walking down through here today -- a lot of feathers, a lot of boas, and a lot of body paint, Kyra.
(LAUGHTER)
CALLEBS: So, something to see.
PHILLIPS: Any -- any highlight thus far for you? I mean, it doesn't even have to be there on Bourbon Street or -- or during the parades. But after -- you have been covering this for the past week. What sticks out?
CALLEBS: You know, what sticks out to me is how creative people can be in the face of just sheer disaster.
I saw people today dressed as white trash. Now, wait just a minute before you react.
(LAUGHTER)
CALLEBS: In fact, there was those people dressed as refrigerators or stoves, and things of that nature, all taped up with mold on the outside, that -- we saw a place on the corner throughout this area. I saw a number of people dressed as levee inspectors, and they would walk around with canes, as if they were blind.
And you can't count the number of people that have incorporated the tarp, that we call the blue roof, in their outfits. I even saw a person at a black-tie affair in one of these gowns that had been fashioned out of the blue tarp. So, people really are able to smile at this point.
And, boy, when you -- you know how things were here six months ago. It is hard to believe the transformation among the people that has gone on. Boy, the community, though, still radically different -- where it didn't flood, where the parade goes through, things look pretty normal.
But you get outside that area, Kyra, the debris fields are still there. The disaster is still there -- and, at this point, no real plan to rebuild this city.
PHILLIPS: Yes, truly a tale of two cities.
Sean Callebs, live on Bourbon Street, thanks, Sean. For six months now, life in the Big Easy has been anything but. A new CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll tells part of the story. Pollsters asked folks in New Orleans whether they're living the same houses they called home before Katrina. More than half, 55 percent, are. Twenty- three percent are not, but say they plan to move back eventually.
More than a fifth, 21 percent, say they can never move back -- stories the same, at best, next door in Mississippi, as CNN's Gary Tuchman reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Most people go elsewhere when their house is severely damaged in a hurricane. But there are those like 75-year-old Mary Parker, who, in essence, are trapped, because they don't have the means to leave.
(On camera): So, you get $535 a month Social Security, which is about $135 a week, and that's all the money you have to live on?
MARY PARKER, HURRICANE VICTIM: Yes.
TUCHMAN: Nothing else?
PARKER: No.
TUCHMAN (voice-over): When Hurricane Katrina walloped her hometown of Gulfport, Mississippi, 130-mile-per-hour winds tore through her house, ripping holes in the roof, in the walls, underneath, seemingly making it uninhabitable.
(On camera): So, this is your bedroom?
PARKER: Yes, it was mine.
TUCHMAN: Now, it feels like the house is slanted.
PARKER: Yes, it is.
TUCHMAN: But so it's off the foundation?
PARKER: Yes.
TUCHMAN: And you were living in here anyway?
PARKER: Yes.
TUCHMAN: And how come you were living in here anyway?
PARKER: Well, we didn't have no other place to go.
TUCHMAN (voice-over): After living in her damaged home for six months, Mary this week has started sleeping in a relative's house. But it's only temporary. And she's realizing, with no home insurance, her options are extremely limited.
(on camera): Did you ask the government for help, for a FEMA trailer?
PARKER: Well, they turned us down, you know, because we didn't have no flood damage and stuff.
TUCHMAN (voice-over): To make matters worse, Mary's niece and nephew, who lived nearby, died in the hurricane.
PARKER: They drowned in -- in their home. It was an awful death, they say.
TUCHMAN: A despondent Mary called a church group that's helping to fix homes devastated by the hurricane. But after cleaning her home of black mold, the director of the group, sadly, told her the house would have to be completely rebuilt, and the group can't afford to do that.
JUDY BULTMAN, DIRECTOR, LUTHERAN EPISCOPAL DISASTER RESPONSE: It broke my heart.
TUCHMAN: Director Judy Bultman says Mary's situation is not unusual in storm-ravaged Mississippi.
BULTMAN: This is very common. Our elderly population are the people that are really suffering. This has been something that has been on my mind.
TUCHMAN: Mary Parker lived in her damaged house with her son and daughter-in-law, who have also now found temporary shelter. They're all aware they have been pressing their luck by staying here.
(on camera): Were you afraid something bad would happen?
PARKER: Yes.
TUCHMAN: What -- what did you think could happen?
PARKER: That, if they fall, we would all be dead.
TUCHMAN: You're afraid the house could fall on you...
PARKER: Yes.
TUCHMAN: ... while you were inside of it?
PARKER: Yes.
TUCHMAN (voice-over): Mary's lifelong belongings are now in sheds behind her damaged home. When and if they are put in a new place she can call home is, for now, out of her control.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Well, nasty weather in Southern California. The big concern today is new rainstorms that could trigger flooding, maybe even mudslides. Warnings are posted in Orange, San Diego, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties, with areas stripped by wildfires, as always, especially vulnerable. In the Bay Area, they're filling sandbags and lighting candles. Eighteen thousand people still don't have electricity, down from 100,000 at the height of yesterday's windstorm.
In Bakersfield, the problem is blowing dust. It's reducing visibility for drivers and prompting health warnings for most everybody.
Let's check in with meteorologist Jacqui Jeras for more -- Jacqui.
JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, Kyra, the rain is starting to dwindle down a little bit now across central and southern parts of California.
There, you can see the little bit of a spin. This is kind of our last hurrah, with this latest storm, as it pushes on through. This will trigger some showers, maybe even some isolated thunderstorms with it, and this will wind down by later on tonight.
But check out what's going on out here in the Pacific, another storm system just waiting in the wings. The good news is that we think this one is going to miss you in Southern California, where you have already had copious amounts of rainfall.
In fact, the highest number that I could find was over there towards Nordhoff Ridge. That was in the Ventura County Mountains, 6.65 inches of rainfall for you. But we are expecting to pick up a good 'nother couple of inches, we think, into Northern California by late tomorrow, and extending into your Thursday.
There, you see the showers which continue to come down. We're still seeing some development offshore right now across the San Francisco Bay area, but it is going to be spotty. So, the consistent rainfall is certainly over and done with right now.
This our future-cast, our forecast precip totals we think over the next 24 hours. And, there, you can see that second wave as it pushed on through. We think that the snow levels will be much lower this go-around, in fact, between 3,000 and 5,000 feet. So, we will see this more of a cold storm, more of a winter event.
The wind will remain very strong. And our system will move inland. I know there are some places here in the Southwest that have been so dry. They're hoping they're going to get in on some of this action here. Well, Phoenix, potentially, could get a little bit of rain tomorrow. We think it is going to be more clouds than anything else.
I believe it's been 132 consecutive dry days now -- so, really hoping that we might squeeze out just a little bit to help them out. Elsewhere across the country, very nice conditions here across the South -- we saw Sean Callebs there in New Orleans for the Mardi Gras celebration. It just doesn't get better than this, pushing 80 degrees there tomorrow as well, for those of you who are going to be cleaning up or trying to travel a little bit.
And, then, we also have a little clipper-type system dropping through parts of Upper Midwest, a little bit of a rain/snow mix here into the Great Lakes, with just rain into the Ohio River Valley -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Jacqui Jeras, thanks.
A day of carnage in Iraq gives way to a night of more carnage -- at least 25 people killed, more than 40 wounded, in a car bombing near a Shiite mosque in Baghdad around 8:00 p.m. Earlier today, three bomb attacks in the capital killed at least 30 people, wounded 130 more -- one of the targets, a small market across from a Shiite mosque. People in that neighborhood rushed to the scene, some of them helping to douse the burning cars with buckets of water.
North of Baghdad, nine bodies turned up today near the city of Baquba, scene of several sectarian attacks. In the city itself, attackers killed two policemen and wounded two civilians. The government now says about 400 people have died in violence triggered by last week's bombing of a major Shiite mosque.
Today's violence reached far and wide, including the burial place of Saddam Hussein's father. A bomb badly damaged the mosque built over his grave in Hussein's hometown of Tikrit.
One thing the violence didn't do was stop the ex-Iraqi dictator's crimes-against-humanity trial. For a change, today, Saddam Hussein was calm, even subdued, as prosecutors showed purported death sentences signed by Hussein for more than 100 villagers killed after a failed assassination attempt in 1982. Court resumes tomorrow.
Ms. Smith goes to Washington, Anna Nicole, that is. Is Washington ready? -- LIVE FROM on the case.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: About a month ago, President Bush may have wondered whether his job approval ratings could get much lower. Today, we have an answer. It's yes. Just 34 percent approve of Mr. Bush's job performance in a new poll conducted by CBS News. That's a new low for that poll and a drop of eight points from January. Fifty-nine percent say they disapprove.
Joining us with his take, CNN senior political analyst Bill Schneider. He is in Los Angeles, on assignment. We will talk about that in a minute. That's the tough stuff.
But, Bill, let's talk about these numbers. What do they mean for the president?
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: It means the wheels are coming off, because the administration -- the administration is in trouble on a wide range of issues.
Iraq seems to be on the brink of civil war. His numbers on Iraq are very low. They're very low on the progress of hurricane recovery and Katrina. They're very low on energy. They're very low on the economy.
And, perhaps most ominous -- ominously -- he gets negative ratings now, for the first time in a long time, on his handling of terrorism. That's bad news, indeed, because, in 2002 and in 2004, the administration relied on the terrorism issue to save the president and the Republican Party.
And they indicated -- Karl Rove indicated in January that he expects that -- to do that again. But now it looks like that issue may not pay off for the president and his party at the midterm election, the way it has in the past.
PHILLIPS: Well, Bill, another issue, of course, we have been talking a lot about is this ports deal, this Dubai company possibly taking over operating a number of these U.S. ports. What are the polls saying?
SCHNEIDER: Very negative view of that. This is the first national poll to ask about that issue.
And 70 percent of Americans -- that's seven-zero -- say that they do not believe that a company owned by an Arab government, in this case the United Arab Emirates, should be operating United States ports. That's about -- more than a 3-1 negative margin.
And what's particularly surprising here is that nearly 60 percent of Republicans also believe that an Arab-owned company should not be operating U.S. ports. On this issue, Kyra, the president may be losing his Republican base.
PHILLIPS: All right. I know you're tracking congressional elections as well. What are you hearing?
SCHNEIDER: Well, we're hearing the Republicans are very nervous.
The president could be on his way, or already achieved lame-duck status. That's why a lot of them distanced themselves from their own president on the issue of the management of U.S. ports. The poll indicates that the rating for the way Congress is handling its job is even lower than the president's rating, 28 percent.
But that's, of course, no consolation to President Bush, because the Congress is controlled by Republicans. And if Americans vote against incumbents in Congress, the Republicans are going to be in very serious trouble this fall.
PHILLIPS: Now, Bill, we always depend on you for politics, but what is this I hear about you covering the Oscars...
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: ... going to the Oscars? Give me the scoop.
SCHNEIDER: Well... (LAUGHTER)
SCHNEIDER: Well, you know, we have an awful lot of political movies this year. That's why I'm out here.
PHILLIPS: Oh, OK.
SCHNEIDER: A lot of the movies nominated have political themes. They're trying to make a political statement, whether it's "Crash," about race relations, or "Munich," about the Middle East, or issues relating to gay rights.
A lot of those issues are being raised by these movies. And look who's hosting the Oscars, Jon Stewart, who is a political commentator, a comedian and a political commentator. So, something political is happening out here this year. And I'm here to find out what it is.
PHILLIPS: Outstanding. All right. I look forward to another report with you, then, on that issue.
(LAUGHTER)
PHILLIPS: All good movies, I must say, very interesting.
All right. Thanks, Bill.
SCHNEIDER: Sure.
PHILLIPS: Safe harbor or troubled waters? You will hear both assessments of the Dubai ports deal on Capitol Hill today.
Live video now from senator hearings on whether to put operations for six U.S. ports in the hands of a company based in and owned by the United Arab Emirates. D.P. World is asking for a 45-day federal review, in light of the outcry over Homeland Security. But the White House still sees no reason not to go through with that takeover.
You have heard plenty from the U.S., but what do you think about the port debate in the UAE?
CNN's Kevin Flower hit the streets of Dubai to find out.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KEVIN FLOWER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In an increasingly competitive marketplace, Dubai Ports World saw it as the next logical move, buy one of its competitors, P&O. The deal promised to move the Dubai-owned company from the ranks of regional operators to global port players, a strategy outlined by the company's vice chairman late last year, when the transaction was announced.
JAMAL MAJID BIN THANIAH, VICE CHAIRMAN, DUBAI PORTS WORLD: The competition is there. And we have agreed that this is the only way forward for us.
FLOWER: Little did he or the residents of the United Arab Emirates know what a firestorm the takeover of P&O would eventually create.
In a country with a rapidly expanding economy, where commerce, tourism and construction compete with religion for dominance, there is bewilderment at American opposition to the deal.
MOHAMMED AL MEZEL, EDITOR, "GULF NEWS": We were surprised by the reaction.
FLOWER: Newspaper editor Mohammed Al Mezel says the anxiety stems from a lack of American knowledge about the United Arab Emirates.
AL MEZEL: We have more than 180 nationalities who live in this country, because they believe, rightly, it is a very safe country. And we have safe airports and safe port.
FLOWER: A point proven, Emiratis, say, by the presence of American Naval vessels and customs inspectors in Dubai ports. At this popular cafe, some Dubai residents see more sinister motivations for the controversy.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it's a phobia. It's a phobia against Arabs, against an Islamic country, which is totally unfounded, unnecessary.
FLOWER: A double standard practiced by the United States, says this businessman.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They are the ones who are being racist in a case like that. You know, when a European country is running it, they feel secure.
FLOWER: This Emirati man offers a more upbeat analysis.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They are jealous. They said, oh, why Arabs take this? Why, you know, small city from United Arab Emirates take big control like this contract? They are jealous. Nothing like this. And, you know, I thank them, because, you know, they make advertisement for our city, free.
FLOWER: Whether the publicity is good or not is open to debate, but bun thing residents here agree on is their desire for the story to end.
Kevin Flower, CNN, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.
He calls it quite a story. And Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer wasn't talking about Anna Nicole Smith's reality TV show. Smith, along with the usual paparazzi and hangers-on, were at the high court for Marshall v. Marshall -- at issue, whether state or federal courts have jurisdiction in complicated probate cases, such as the one pitting Smith against the family of her late billionaire husband.
Smith married J. Howard Marshall, 63 years her senior, in 1994. He died in 1995. Smith said he promised her half of his estate, but one of Marshall's sons says, he should get everything. Lower courts came to different conclusions.
From he to she, at the tender age of 70 -- a transgender teacher gives some parents a headache in New Jersey.
LIVE FROM dives into the controversial career of Ms. McBeth straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Straight to Tony Harris, working on a story for us in the newsroom -- Tony.
TONY HARRIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Kyra.
Let's take you to Santa Ana, California, right now. And we are watching Santa Ana Fire attempt a -- a river rescue of a guy from a pylon under a bridge.
We are going to show you the firefighter, just moments ago, rappelling down the side, over the bridge, and down the side of it here. He's going to eventually make his way to that ledge. And you see the guy there, who is trapped, who is posing a bit, not offering his hand to get the firefighter onto that ledge.
The fire department says, the man may be homeless and he might have slept under that bridge overnight and been a bit caught off guard by all the water.
You were talking about to Jacqui Jeras a short time ago about the recent rains in California.
We believe we have got Ben Gonzalez on the line now with Santa Ana Fire.
Ben, are you there?
BEN GONZALEZ, SANTA ANA FIRE DEPARTMENT: Yes, I am.
HARRIS: Hey, Ben. Good to talk to you. And thanks for taking the time.
I have got to tell you, I have been watching this unfold over the last 20 minutes or so. And it doesn't appear that this guy has been particularly cooperative. Have you been able to communicate with him?
GONZALEZ: Yes, we have.
We have communicated since we have got on scene. He is very cooperative. We dropped down a vest to him. He put that on immediately. He's understands that is going on. He has been following all -- all our commands, and he's just waiting to be removed.
HARRIS: OK, Ben. I -- I -- I mention that because, just a moment ago, we saw the firefighter rappelling down. And -- and there was a moment where it seemed to me where the guy on the bridge might have been a little more helpful, and he had his hand up against the wall there, and -- and -- but you're telling me he has been cooperative?
GONZALEZ: He has been cooperative.
And -- and I can't see where I'm at my location. But, under the circumstances, he could have been instructed to stay where he's at, not to move. That may have been the circumstances in that case.
HARRIS: OK.
And when did you get this call that he was in trouble?
GONZALEZ: We received the call about 10:55 this morning through our 911 dispatch, and are saying that there was somebody at the base of the bridge support.
HARRIS: Is he a homeless man?
GONZALEZ: You know, I don't have that information. I'm not sure how long or who he is.
HARRIS: And how deep is that water in that river now?
GONZALEZ: Right now, we're estimating the -- the -- it's about three to five feet, moving somewhere about 10 to 12 miles an hour.
And our concern is that -- what's underneath the water, debris, etcetera, moving very quickly. It could injure a firefighter if we made an attempt to go across the river. That's the reason why...
HARRIS: I see.
GONZALEZ: ... we're coming from what we are calling a high-angle rescue down to him.
HARRIS: And you have got the -- obviously, you have got the bridge blocked off, a lot of traffic in that area pretty tied up...
GONZALEZ: I...
HARRIS: ... at this point?
GONZALEZ: Yes. We have got traffic diverted at both ends of the bridge.
That way, it gives us complete access to work here, and keeps everybody safe.
HARRIS: OK. So, Ben, I don't know if you can see -- can you see these pictures that we're watching right now? GONZALEZ: Right now, I can't from my location.
HARRIS: OK. Well, it looks like he's being harnessed up right now. And will he...
GONZALEZ: Right.
HARRIS: ... go up by himself, or will the firefighter take the ride up with him?
GONZALEZ: The firefighter will take off.
What they're going to do is hook him up into a class-three harness. He will be secured to the firefighter. And, then, we will -- we will pull them up together at the same time.
HARRIS: It sounds like you had a couple of options. You could have gone in from this side of the bridge or the other side of the bridge.
Maybe you can tell us why you went in from this side of the bridge. From what I have able to see, it -- that ledge there is little wider from the area that you actually approached from.
GONZALEZ: Right.
The reason -- part of the reason is, as you -- I'm not sure if you have a shot of the other side. We have lowered a three-inch hose line full of air as a flotation device, in the case the gentleman did fall off into the water.
Plus, we have firefighters along the side of the riverbank and also downstream, using other companies from other agencies to help us. So, we're using that as a -- one side of the bridge as our safety device. That's the reason why we came off the other side.
HARRIS: And you lowered that ladder.
Tell us about the rig that you're using, because we saw that the -- the ladder was lowered, and that the firefighter rappelled from rope -- a rope line from that ladder.
GONZALEZ: Right.
What -- what we have done is, we hooked him up to two lines, a working line and a safety line. And we have lowered him using mechanical advantage, a pulley system, down to the bottom. And then we will do the same thing pulling the gentleman up.
HARRIS: You have got to be a little bit concerned about this. You mentioned that that water is moving at a pretty quick pace. Are you concerned that you will be able to get these guys up, and that this guy will cooperate and -- and -- and be as helpful as he can be in this rescue?
GONZALEZ: Yes. I -- I believe so. I -- like I said, he has followed our communications, our commands, since we have been here. I think he's just a little overwhelmed by the whole circumstances.
HARRIS: Yes. Yes.
GONZALEZ: But he will -- he will be very cooperative and come up with no problem.
HARRIS: Once again, what did you say, three to five feet is how deep that -- that river is right now?
GONZALEZ: Yes. We're estimating about three to five feet of water.
HARRIS: Hey, have you -- has it -- is it swollen, more swollen than usual, because of all the rains in the area?
GONZALEZ: No. It's -- it's about normal for about this time. We have seen it deeper than this. So, we're glad that he has a place to, if you will, stand on, which has made, definitely, the rescue a little easier for us.
HARRIS: Well, I will tell you this. You have -- you have really sort of managed this situation well. I mean, you -- you haven't seemed, appeared to be rushing. You have taken your time to make this rescue.
GONZALEZ: No, that's definitely the key to any -- any rescue that we make, is safety first, and the safety of ourself and definitely the safety of the victim.
And we're going to be very methodical and -- and make sure everything goes correctly.
HARRIS: So, you mentioned two lines on the firefighter. Are you going to be attaching two lines to this guy as well?
GONZALEZ: Yes. He will -- he will be secured in the same manner directly to the firefighter that has been lowered down to him via a harness strap. And he will be in a strap himself, with lines to both of them.
HARRIS: And I guess the -- you have got a lot of bystanders on the side as well. You have attracted a bit of a crowd out there.
GONZALEZ: Yes.
(LAUGHTER)
GONZALEZ: It looks like the circumstance has attracted quite a few people. So, that's -- we want to -- we're here to do a safe job and make sure we get him out. That's the most important thing.
HARRIS: OK. Ben, stay with me here, as we sort of reset this situation here, as we see them sort of making their way to the edge of this ledge, this pylon under this bridge.
Where exactly is this overpass?
GONZALEZ: This is on 1st Street at the Santa Ana Riverbed, basically between Fairview and Harbor here in the city of Santa Ana.
HARRIS: OK.
And you got the call, oh, in -- inside the hour that -- that he was in some trouble here. And -- and like I said a moment ago, you have really done a great job of sort of managing this scene. You have taken your time. You have lower...
GONZALEZ: I'm sorry, sir. Are you still there?
HARRIS: Yes, I'm still here. Are you with me, Ben?
GONZALEZ: OK. There you are. I'm sorry.
HARRIS: OK.
I was just -- just resetting the situation here and -- and just remarking that you guys have done a really good job sort of handling this situation. You have blocked off that bridge. You have lowered the ladder. You have got two lines on your firefighter there. And -- and he made a -- did a nice job of rappelling down over the side of that bridge. And then the next thing to down was this harness. Can you describe that harness for us?
GONZALEZ: Basically the harness is -- it's basically a full body harness that covers him basically from the shoulder to the groin area, that's a full and cast-type harness that will secure him.
Once he's hooked in, he had will not be able to slip out in any manner. This is part of the equipment that here in Santa Ana, we have a urban search and rescue team, and that's again the members who are -- one of the members who we've lowered down into the riverbed.
HARRIS: Well, Ben, here we go. It looks like they're taking up the slack in this rope, and just stay with us as we watch this. Yes, they're taking the slack out.
GONZALEZ: Yes, I can see him.
HARRIS: You can see it?
GONZALEZ: I'm trying to look over the riverbed here.
HARRIS: OK.
GONZALEZ: What they're doing now, is they are -- I'm not sure from your cameras you can see, they're using hand signals on the bridge. We have people on the other side of our truck company working the hand lines, the pulley system, the mechanical advantage to pull him up. Once they get the lines tight, then they'll work him up very, very slowly, again, being very methodical. We don't want any further injuries.
HARRIS: So you have got an operator who is actually on the controls of this line to bring him up?
GONZALEZ: Yes, we have one captain who's standing on the end of the bridge using hand signals and then we have other firefighter individuals who are pulling the ropes, following his hand signals.
HARRIS: And you need this guy to cooperate. You need him to be calm at this point, you don't need him flopping around at this point.
GONZALEZ: Exactly. The most important thing for him is to stay secure to the firefighter, follow the firefighters commands and then this whole operation will go very, very smoothly.
HARRIS: And, you know what, Ben, I don't want to make too much of this, but we can see in the upper right-hand corner of the picture here -- and you can see from your vantage point a little better -- that is a swift current in that river right now.
GONZALEZ: Exactly. That is exactly what our concern is. That is the reason why we came from the river -- top of the river bed bridge, if you will, down to him because again the water is moving fairly swiftly during a rainstorm like this.
We're not sure what type of debris may be in the water, it might undermine the firefighters' attempt to cross the river or cause injury. So this is the safest bet to bring him up via the rope.
HARRIS: Hey, Ben, how long did it take to you make that assessment that the best approach to this was to come from the bridge side as opposed to something closer to the water's edge?
GONZALEZ: It was pretty immediate due to the circumstances where we could see the water. When we got on the scene, we evaluated very quickly and determined that the water was moving too quickly and this would be the safest alternative to get him out.
HARRIS: All right. So this is the moment now. They're off the ledge and they're airborne. So this the moment to watch here.
GONZALEZ: OK. As you can see, the gentleman is staying very still, he's doing a great job. The firefighter -- I'm not sure if you can see him -- he's signaling.
HARRIS: Yes.
GONZALEZ: ... he's moving his hand in a circular motion which is signaling to the gentleman up on the bridge to raise him. So he's signaling to the firefighters to pull the rope and start pulling him up slowly. So the best thing is, as you can see, staying calm.
HARRIS: It's a little shaky at this moment -- a little shaky at this moment.
GONZALEZ: Yes, he might be getting a little nervous. So we're going to ...
HARRIS: So, Ben, this is just what we talked about a moment ago.
GONZALEZ: He may -- this whole thing may be getting a little bit too much for him, so what we'll do, is we'll reset, reassure him and make sure that he comes up very, very safely. We're not going to force him to do anything until he's ready to do it. The last think we want to do is cause any further injury to him or a firefighter.
HARRIS: Yes, I mean, I think you've got it right on the head here. This a situation where this guy once airborne clearly got a little nervous. And at that moment, I was about to ask you, should the firefighters sort of wrap his legs around him? Looks like we're going to get another attempt here.
GONZALEZ: Yes, I think he may not have felt secure. So what the firefighter is going to do is wrap himself even more around him. Make him feel more comfortable, if you will, give him a nice little hug there and bring him up safely.
HARRIS: OK. Hey, Ben, thanks for your time, and if you wouldn't mind just stay close. We're going to toss it over to Kyra here, but we'll certainly come back to this when the next attempt is made. But Ben, thanks for your time.
GONZALEZ: OK, thank you.
HARRIS: OK, Kyra, back to you. We'll watch it.
PHILLIPS: Tony, thanks.
HARRIS: Sure.
PHILLIPS: Keep us posted as you watch those live pictures.
HARRIS: No problem.
PHILLIPS: Well, straight ahead, she can sing and dance you right under the table and she'll tell you for herself. She's been strutting her stuff on Bourbon Street since the 1960s and it takes more than a hurricane to slow her down. Ahead on LIVE FROM, Bourbon Street's premiere entertainer, Chris Owens. You won't want to miss her.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Before we get back to Bourbon Street, you got a little action there on the rescue?
HARRIS: Yes. Yes, let's go to these live pictures from KTTV. I got to tell you, Kyra, I've been watching this during the break, and the firefighter down here on that ledge with that man has done a wonderful job of just trying to calm him and talk him through this process.
Now clearly what's going on now, the first attempt, the firefighter was above and kind of hanging onto the guy and that wasn't working out too well. So now what has happened is they've sort of changed positions a bit, and not quite sure yet if the firefighter is going to actually go up with this guy.
But you'll recall that first attempt, the guy who the firefighters believe is homeless and just spent the night under that bridge and woke up this morning to find -- here we go, here's the attempt. And this is the moment, just a couple of minutes ago when things got a little dicey.
As you can see in the upper right-hand portion of the screen there, this river is moving at quite a quick clip. And so this was the moment just a couple of minutes ago when things got a little dicey and the man started to flop around a little bit and he was lowered back to the ledge.
So they are already, at this point, a lot farther along than they were just a few moments ago. And at this point, things are looking pretty good, but I tell you, this -- boy, Kyra, this is pretty precarious right now.
PHILLIPS: Yes, they're dealing with a lot of issues. You can see the -- looks like cables.
HARRIS: Yes, they have guide lines and wires of some sort, yes.
PHILLIPS: Exactly. You've got to take it real slow because with the wind ...
HARRIS: Right.
PHILLIPS: ... and then of course the helicopter in the air. That's -- you know ...
HARRIS: Right, pictures are not always helpful.
PHILLIPS: Exactly. Creates sort of a -- now, it's still connected to the crane, right? It's not a helo?
HARRIS: Yes, it's -- yes, there you go.
PHILLIPS: There we go? We got a wider shot.
HARRIS: Yes, there you go. It is connected to the ladder there, and there is a captain that's actually at the controls of the guide lines that are bringing them back in. And as we heard just a couple of moments ago from Ben Gonzales with the Santa Ana Firefighters, they're going to go very slowly with this.
But boy, the longer you're over the edge there, the more perilous it feels. It just feels like, you know, slow going, obviously. You have to be careful, but as you can see, that river is no joke underneath them.
PHILLIPS: Yes, they're pretty well-trained, you know, with this type of rescue, whether it be from the crane or from the helicopters. And it's true -- I'm surprised though. It is going a little slower than usual. It actually -- it looks like they've sort of stopped for a moment.
HARRIS: Right.
PHILLIPS: But you can see they both are harnessed up and that firefighter is not going to let go of him, of course. He's probably still a little nervous, and he's trying to keep him pretty calm as they bring him up slowly. And then as soon as they reach the top, they'll pull him right over the edge there.
HARRIS: Right, right. They spent a lot of time in the last break, Kyra -- the firefighter that's on this ride with him spent a lot of time instructing him. We saw arms flying just a bit, just to be as graphic as possible with this guy to indicate what he needed to do in order to make this thing go as smoothly as possible. And, as you can see, they're moving -- they're just within just a couple of feet -- well, they're very close now to the bridge.
And any moment now, I suspect we'll see folks reaching over to grab ahold of him and pull him over the edge here. But this is a lot -- this is moving a lot more smoothly than what we saw just a few moments ago. I think we were a little worried that this guy might start kicking and really cause some problems for this rescue.
PHILLIPS: Well, it's going to be interesting to find out how he got there and who he is and what his back story is. There was talk that possibly he was a homeless man that had spent the night under there, and then those high waters started to rise and he got caught. These live pictures coming to us from KTTV, right?
HARRIS: Here we go, yes. KTTV. And he's certainly at the top at the railing there.
PHILLIPS: Talking him to the whole entire way.
HARRIS: Yep, that's it. That's it. And there you go, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Excellent. Perfect rescue. Standard operating procedure, perfectly done.
HARRIS: Yes. Take your time, talk him through it and use all of your training and expertise and there it is.
PHILLIPS: Keeping everybody calm, right?
HARRIS: Yes. Good stuff to see and a nice rescue.
PHILLIPS: All right, Tony. Thanks so much.
HARRIS: OK, Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Well, always fanciful, often bizarre, sometimes pointedly political. The costumes tell the story in New Orleans, a story of bitter loss and tireless hope for rebirth. Here's a look at the sight and sounds of Fat Tuesday.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) MAYOR RAY NAGIN, NEW ORLEANS; As I ride through the crowds, everybody is so excited. They're cheering, they're thanking us for putting on Mardi Gras. And know, having the families back, it puts a different picture on Mardi Gras, that it's not just the craziness that you would see. It's a family event and everybody's having a good time.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's been great. I'm glad that we're having Mardi Gras this year.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Coming her to support -- the Mardi Gras is helping to try to help that city. So that's one of the reasons I come back. And another reason is Mardi Gras.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALES (singing): Sometimes I feel like a nut, sometimes I don't.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are the Zulus all over the world. We've got white Zulus, we've got all the nations.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't miss Mardi Gras. I don't think I've missed five in my lifetime.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is the culmination of carnivals. Mardi Gras is the last day before Ash Wednesday and it is the celebration of life and of exuberance, the joy of the moment. And it is the spirit of New Orleans.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: Well, Walter Winchell once said that Chris Owens had the rhythm of Rita Hayworth. See what you think.
Well, I don't know if I ever saw Rita Hayworth do anything like that. Chris has been strutting her stuff at a her Burboun Street club for more than 30 years. She's a local legend, matter of fact, and she joins us live on this Mardi Gras.
Hi, Chris.
CHRIS OWENS, ENTERTAINER: Hi, Kyra, how are you?
PHILLIPS: Good. Good to see you. Look, I got to ask you -- you know, Pete Fountain no longer there. Al Hurt gone. You are still there and you're performing every weekend. What keeps you going?
OWENS: Well, you know, I love this city. New Orleans is the soul of this country and I do love this city. And this Mardi Gras is the most important Mardi Gras of all, bringing us back from the disaster of Katrina. And it's so great to see people here from all over the world. They've been coming in to see the show. And the disco has been going very well and the crowds have been phenomenal, surprisingly. And they're coming from all over the world to -- I just thank them so much for supporting our city.
PHILLIPS: Well, you come from a musical family. Eight kids. You lived on the a ranch outside of Abilene, Texas. How did you make your way to New Orleans?
OWENS: Well, I -- the oldest of all the eight children was living here in New Orleans and she invited me to come down and visit her when I was 15 years old. And I fell in love with it so much that after college I decided to come back and live with her.
And then I met Sal Owens, my late husband who was then in the automobile business. And then we decided to buy our own night club at 809 St. Louis Street. That was our first club and then it took off from there. And Walter Winchell saw me dancing (INAUDIBLE) in New York. And then we had a two page "Face of America" feature in "The Saturday Evening Post," and it just took off from there.
And then I took singing lessons and dancing and then I started recording. And I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. Even though I perform in Acapulco, Las Vegas -- but still, you know, you need a home base. And what better than New Orleans?
PHILLIPS: Well, you had quite a time in Havana, Cuba, too, performing at the Tropicana.
OWENS: Yes.
PHILLIPS: You learned all those Latin moves, didn't you?
OWENS: That was my training ground. That was my first introduction into show business, was Havana, Cuba, at the Tropicana and the Momant (ph). And from there, you know, I carried it forward into New Orleans. But you know, New Orleans alive and well. We're going to have the French Quarter Festival. I'm going to be in the jazz fest. I'm being honored for the musical legends park, and that will be in April. And then I lead the 23rd annual Easter parade every year, so I want to let everybody know that New Orleans is alive and a well and to come on down and see us.
PHILLIPS: Now, Chris, I just want to -- I want to just show a little videotape from inside your club. This is one of your performances. And then I want to ask you about this, all right? We're going to roll a little tape here.
OWENS: OK.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OWENS: Everybody, ole!
(singing): Ole, ole, ole, ole.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PHILLIPS: All right, now, I know our viewers are taking a look at this outfit, not to mention that incredible body in that outfit. I just want my photographer now to get a shot of this costume that you are wearing from head to toe. Oh my goodness, Chris Owens. Now I know you've been going since the '60s. I know not to dare ask your age, right? OWENS: I'm old enough in do what I want to do and young enough to do it.
PHILLIPS: I knew you wouldn't tell me. I've been trying for years. All right, at least tell me, how do you come up with the costumes? Who makes them for you?
OWENS: I design my own costumes. And through the years, I've had different ones to, you know, to make them for me, from Japan. I had a lady from Russia. Now I have a very talented young lady, Domi (ph) that does my costumes, and she lives here in the city. I do the designing and I buy all the fabric and the beads out of New York. And then it depends on what numbers I'm doing, what costumes I design.
PHILLIPS: All right, well, you won't dare tell me your age, but will you tell me your beauty secrets?
OWENS: Well, I think that -- you know, you think about age, I think you've got to, of course, eat right, get plenty of rest and exercise. And I did this very high energy show during the week and on weekends. And of course you know, you keep your weight down. And that's an incentive. You know, when you perform before the public, that's an incentive to do that.
PHILLIPS: Chris Owens, I tell what you what. All right, as we move on here to go to break, give me a little move, Chris. Give me a little something.
OWENS: OK.
PHILLIPS: There it is. She's still got it going from the 1960s, all the way to 2006, Chris Owens!
OWENS: Yes!
PHILLIPS: Yes, baby!
OWENS: Happy Mardi Gras, everybody.
PHILLIPS: Happy Mardi Gras. You don't want to miss her show, right there on Bourbon. Well, if you're not your television, you can watch, of course, Chris Owens, all the Mardi Gras festivities this right there at your desk. You can go to CNN Pipeline. We'll have a live Web cam on Bourbon Street, and it's free all day today. Thanks to Chris Owens. It's definitely a Mardi Gras to remember. Coverage you'll only find on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Now to the South Side of Chicago for our video of the day: a home on fire and a quick thinking pooch out on the roof, calmly awaiting the rescue. As the flames raged, a news chopper circled, firefighters finally got him by getting the extra large mastiff back into the window -- it took some doing. The extra large effort paid off when the happy hound tooted out to greet his grateful owners. Happy reunion, but no word yet on what caused that fire. LIVE FROM has all the news you need all day long. Don't go away -- we're going to take a quick break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Ever since it opened, baseball's Hall of Fame has been a men's club. Well, move over, boys, here comes Effa Manley. Before baseball was integrated, Manley and her husband owned a Negro League team, the Newark Eagles. Here she is with one of her former players, Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Don Newcombe. Manley was an influential owner and a champion of civil rights. She died in 1981 but yesterday she became the first woman ever elected to the Hall of Fame.
Time to check in with CNN's Wolf Blitzer in "THE SITUATION ROOM." What's coming up at the top of the hour, Wolf?
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Congratulations to Effa Manley.
Coming up in "THE SITUATION ROOM," port insecurity. Did Customs officials, in addition to the Coast Guard, also warn Homeland Security about the deal? We're covering all the angles.
Plus, sinking in the polls. President Bush hits a brand new low. Find out what's dragging him into a second term slump.
And a CNN exclusive. Afghan prison riot -- an American inside the prison describes the situation as it unfolds.
And Supreme battle. Anna Nicole Smith takes her legal fight to the highest court in the land. Find out why millions of dollars are at stake right now.
All that, Kyra, coming up right at the top of the hour.
PHILLIPS: All right, Wolf, thanks.
IPod, therefore I am. The company that changed the world's philosophy about downloads is promising fun new products to whet your imagination. What's Apple up to? You'll find out.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
PHILLIPS: Market's dropping -- let's find out why. CNN's Ali Velshi may have a few answers for us. You don't even want to talk about the iPod stuff, right?
ALI VELSHI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I won't talk about that -- big disappointment.
PHILLIPS: You're not even excited.
VELSHI: I'm going to wait until next time. When they've got something fancy to show me, I'll be there.
PHILLIPS: When they can download the movies. VELSHI: Take a look at the big board for a second. It's all psychological right now, but it's trading below 11,000 right now -- 10,995: a hundred-point-drop. We'll come back and look at that in a second.
The issue here, Kyra, is that there was a consumer confidence survey out that showed that American consumers are a little bit worried about the economy. And when they worry about the economy, as you know, they pull back on their spending, so companies have been selling out of those stocks. That's what's driving the markets lower today, in large part.
PHILLIPS: All right. Well, have a great rest of the day. You're taking it from here, "Opening Bell" (sic), right?
VELSHI: You have a fantastic rest of the day. I'll see you tomorrow.
PHILLIPS: See you tomorrow. Happy Fat Tuesday!
VELSHI: Thanks you so much.
PHILLIPS: "Closing Bell!"
VELSHI: Did you just call me fat?
PHILLIPS: Opening bell, closing bell -- I did not call you fat! Just bald.
VELSHI: She just called me fat -- 103 points lower on the Dow -- 10,994 -- the Nasdaq's down 26 to 2280.
Let's take it over to Wolf Blitzer in "THE SITUATION ROOM."
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