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Clinton Off Breathing Tube, Resting; Hurricane, Frances Impact up to $40 Billion; Call Centers Changing Culture for Young Indians; ESPN Turns 25

Aired September 07, 2004 - 10:30   ET

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

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


BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, John Kerry's campaign had been expecting Bill Clinton to stump for him leading up to election day. But it's too early to tell how long before Clinton will be able to take on that role, due to his recovery.
Clinton's surgeons spoke on CNN's "LARRY KING LIVE" last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SMITH: Well, it depends a lot on the job and it depends on the individual. It's one of these things that we really have to individualize.

And it's very hard to know from where I sit or where Dr. Schwarz -- where Dr. Schwarz sits, what are the stresses of anybody's job. They know the job better than we do.

LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": Yes.

SMITH: I try to be relatively flexible with that. But how soon he can go back to work will have a lot to do with how well he can control the environment he's going into.

If he's going to step into a campaign scene where he's got to be 110 percent, 47 hours running, he's not going to be able to do that for awhile. If it's a thing that he can kind of glide into it and take it sort of halfway for a week or two, he might be able to do it sooner. But it's very hard to generalize.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: And we'll have more on this story, of course, throughout the day right here on CNN.

Shifting gears, insurance companies have dispatched armies of assessors who are now fanning out across Florida to survey the damage from hurricanes Charley and Frances. But both the damage and the estimates are all over the map, as we learn from financial news reporter Mary Snow.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Hurricane Frances didn't pack the winds many feared. But her slow churn through Florida dumped up to several feet of water in some regions. From homes to boats to businesses, Frances' fury was widely felt.

LT. GOV. TONI JENNINGS, FLORIDA: It's probably the largest storm we've ever had. It's engulfed the entire state. Fifty-seven of our 67 counties have been impacted by loss of power alone.

SNOW: Frances dealt a blow not only to Florida's residents, but to its economy, already reeling from Hurricane Charley just a few weeks ago.

Some economists estimate the double-fisted punch of both hurricanes could cost up to $40 billion in total economic damages. Estimated insured losses, however, are much less.

While still being tallied, the range of insured losses for Frances are from $2 to $10 billion. Hurricane Charley's insured damages were estimated to be roughly $7 billion.

Frances, though, did damage in areas even where she didn't hit.

ROBERT HARTWIG, INSURANCE INSTITUTE OF NEW YORK: The primary reason for that is the record evacuations ordered along the east coast of Florida, from Miami Beach to Jacksonville. That means tens of thousands of empty hotel rooms, restaurants and businesses.

SNOW: Florida's three main theme parks, including Disney World, had to close over the weekend, costing an estimated $41 million. And then there are small businesses that depend on tourism that lost income when forced to close over the Labor Day weekend.

ANDY FLEMING, SMALL BUSINESS OWNER: We've lost at least a week. My servers haven't been making any tips. My cooks haven't been making any wages. We're all going to be hurting for awhile. Probably won't make the rent this month.

SNOW: Florida's $9 billion citrus crop is also feeling the sting. Damages from Charley a few weeks ago and now Frances are expected to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SNOW: And there's some updated estimates this morning on damage to the citrus industry. Florida's agriculture department is saying that some citrus growers in central Florida reporting that 80 to 90 percent of their crops are on the ground.

And right now, it's estimated that between Charley and Frances that the damage to -- the Agricultural Department's estimates to the citrus crop could be as high as $200 million.

And Betty, Frances right now is on track to be the fifth costliest storm in U.S. history -- Betty.

NGUYEN: You can tell by the picture that you put up there with all those grapefruits on the ground.

SNOW: Yes. NGUYEN: OK. Thank you so much.

I want to talk about Frances now, and where she is and what kind of damage she's causing. We're going to do that with Orelon Sidney.

Hi, there, Orelon.

(WEATHER REPORT)

NGUYEN: Ivan on the map. OK, thank you, Orelon Sidney.

Now, for all the latest on Frances, Ivan or the weather in your horizon, turn to our continually updated web site. That address is CNN.com.

We have some breaking news to tell you about right now. More hostages taken in Iraq. According to an Italian intelligence source, two Italian humanitarian aide workers have been kidnapped from the organization Bridge to Baghdad. Those kidnappings occurred in Baghdad. Of course, we will continue to keep you updated on this story.

We'll be right back. You'd watching CNN LIVE TODAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Let's take a look at other stories making news coast to coast today.

Police believe one person is responsible for the killings of six people in Kansas City, Missouri. All of the bodies were found on vacant lots or near vacant dwellings in neighborhoods known for drug use and prostitution. Five bodies were discovered since Thursday. The first was found in July.

Firefighters in northern California hope to -- that a break in the weather today will help them control a 12,000-acre wildfire. Forecasters say moist air is expected in Sonoma County this morning. The fire has been feeding on dry brush and erratic winds. Full containment of the fire is not expected until tomorrow.

Lifeguards rescued around 50 people during a swimming race in Oceanside, California. Strong waves had pulled the swimmers too close to a pier. Now, no injuries were reported. About 430 people took part in a 75th annual Labor Day Pier Swim.

Time now for a check of the day on Wall Street. For that, we go to Rhonda Schaffler, who joins us from the New York Stock Exchange for the latest.

Hi, Rhonda.

(WEATHER REPORT)

NGUYEN: Back to business today on the street. Thank you, Rhonda. Well, birthday wishes go out this morning to ESPN. Coming up, we'll remember the early days of the cable sports network with one of the men who spent 25 years at the anchor desk.

And this is what we're working on for our next hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK

NGUYEN: Going nowhere and fast. That's the assessment released this hour of the nation's traffic congestion.

According to the Texas Transportation Institute, traffic jams in the nation's 85 largest cities account for 3.5 billion hours wasted each year. In fact, the average urban commuter squanders more than the equivalent of a workweek behind the wheel: 46 hours on average each year.

And Los Angeles -- big surprise -- drivers there spend most of their time stranded in traffic, an average of 93 hours a year, double the national average.

Outsourcing, and whether it's a positive or negative for the U.S. economy, is a hotly debated topic. But there is another side to outsourcing. Satinder Bindra looks at the effects on workers overseas.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SATINDER BINDRA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It sounds goofy, but these young Indian call center recruits are dead serious, intent on learning to speak English with an American accent.

Their coach is tough. She wants to neutralize her students' accents quickly so they can all be on the phone to the U.S., teaching Americans how to sort out computer and software bugs.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: California, a nice place.

BINDRA: Twenty-three-year-old Shivani Dar graduated accent school two years ago. Now, as the rest of India sleeps, she speaks to customers in the U.S.

Dar's been living on American time for two years. And says she's now become American herself.

SHIVANI DAR, CALL CENTER OPERATOR: We, of course, get that attitude also, because day in, day out for about 78 hours, we are speaking to Americans.

BINDRA: More and more women are becoming part of this 350,000- people-strong industry.

SANJAY KUMAR, V-CUSTOMER: India has been over the last decade or so absorbing western culture like a sponge.

BINDRA: On their breaks, women mingle with men. Hamburgers, donuts and fast food are freely available.

But everyone's favorite remains their paychecks. These call center rookies make $600 a month, ten times what most Indians make.

(on camera) With cash has come consumerism. Tens of thousands of younger Indians are now living life American style, splurging on coffee, clothes, and cars.

(voice-over) Upwardly mobile call center operator Shivani Dar spends her time in some of the hundreds of malls springing up across India, malls where she can buy the latest American jeans and hang out in public with her boyfriend.

Until just a few years ago, many Indians would have disapproved of such habits. But Dar says both the country and younger people like herself are changing.

DAR: I did not have this much confidence in myself and my career and my own abilities. Now I have.

BINDRA: Confidence in the outsourcing industry, too, is growing. Every day some of India's 50 million fluent English speakers are learning to speak with an American accent. For these Indians, being and sounding American is all part of their march towards what they see as a richer and better future.

Satinder Bindra, CNN, Bargou (ph), North India.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WILL FERRELL, COMEDIAN: Around the clock, sports all the time. That's the concept of the news.

That's never going to work. That's ridiculous. I mean, that's like -- that's like a 24-hour cooking network, or an all music channel. Ridiculous. That's really dumb.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: Fictional 1970s anchor man Ron Burgundy echoed the skepticism of many inside the industry and out when something called ESPN debuted 25 years ago today.

Burgundy presumably retired his cheesy mustache and wardrobe years ago, but the cable sports king still rules the throne. In fact, ESPN may be the only sports figure to still defy age a quarter century later.

Joining us are two veterans who have matured with it. George Bodenheimer is now the president of ESPN, and anchor Bob Ley, who first sat at the anchor desk on the network's third day on the air.

Good morning to you both.

BOB LEY, ESPN ANCHOR: Good morning.

GEORGE BODENHEIMER, PRESIDENT, ESPN: Good morning, Betty.

NGUYEN: Well, George, let's start with you. We saw the clip. A lot of people thought this wasn't going to fly. But you guys did it. How did you do it?

BODENHEIMER: Well, we've, from the first night, we've been about fans. And we've had a passion to deliver sports to sports fans. Our company is filled with 3,500 sports fans. And we focus on doing that the best we can every day.

And it's really needless to say, struck a nerve with fans, and not only in the United States, but around the world.

NGUYEN: No doubt. Bob, let's talk to you, because you joined on its third day on the air. It had to have been a bit of a gamble for you, because in those early days, you guys were covering the men's slow-pitch softball and dart tournaments?

LEY: It wasn't too much of a gamble for someone in my particular situation, 24 years old at the time with no family responsibilities. But it was -- it was a shot in the dark.

And I think over the years, just the great energy of the people involved in this network have propelled it forward from -- we started with slow-pitch softball and carting and Australian rules football to the point where now we cover all, and have agreements with all four of the major sporting leagues.

NGUYEN: I'm looking at some of this video. Boy, the styles sure have changed.

And ESPN, in fact, has launched a lot of careers. You guys have some big names because of it.

LEY: It's -- it's been a marvelous ride. It's a testament, I think, to two things: the hard work of everybody behind the scenes, and also I think a testament to the affinity people feel with our network. A lot of networks have viewers. Our network has fans. And I think we're very fortunate in that regard.

NGUYEN: George, what do you think is the one thing that put ESPN on the map, that made it such a success?

BODENHEIMER: Well, two things: one, it was clearly unique. There was nothing else like it anywhere on the sports landscape.

And then secondly, I think it was, we decided to have fun in doing what we were doing. Sports should be fun. They're the entertainment side of the business. Every town in America considers themselves a sports -- a sports town. And we just decided to have a good time with it. And I think our fans like that, and it comes across in everything we do. NGUYEN: You also collaborated with players, the NBA, with all different as expects of sports. That kind of helped you, didn't it?

BODENHEIMER: Yes. Absolutely. We're involved in virtually every angle of sports: professional, collegiate, amateur.

In fact, just today we announced a new television network, ESPNU, which will launch this March and be totally devoted to college sports. It will have a web site in addition to TV in our print and in our radio efforts, as well. So we're expanding again today.

NGUYEN: Bob, I want to ask you, what are some of the most memorable moments? Because you have seen it all there at ESPN.

LEY: You scared me with a piece of that footage you just showed from 1979.

NGUYEN: The hair.

LEY: Yes. A lot of it. And a lot less lines on the face.

I think the moment -- the moment that really, I think, encapsulates why our network has been a success really had very little to do with sports and a lot to do with news.

And it was the 1989 World Series earthquake. And George and I were talking about this just a few minutes ago.

When that happened, we had a lot of people at the site, at the Candlestick Park. But instinctively people spread out all over that arena, and not in touch with each other. This was before the age of cell phones. Instinctively knew that we went from reporting sports at that moment to reporting news.

And without being asked or told, all assembled back at the production truck and asked, "What can we do? What can we do?"

And we're on in the air within 17 minutes.

That is a paradigm, I think, for the spirit that has built and sustained this network.

NGUYEN: Absolutely. All right, George Bodenheimer and Bob Ley, here's to another 25 years. Thanks for joining us.

LEY: Our pleasure.

BODENHEIMER: Thank you, Betty.

NGUYEN: One more sports note. A Tiger is now tamed, and a competitor steps out of his shadow. Golfer Vijay Singh won a toe-to- toe match up with Tiger Woods yesterday and won not only the competition but the top ranking among the world's golfers.

Woods had held that No. 1 spot for more than five years, dating back to mid-August in 1999. Well, first, Florida, now Frances, fury is being felt all across the southeast. The latest forecast and a live report. That's straight ahead.

Plus, bidding on a new career. We'll show you how online auctions could help you pick up some extra cash.

The second hour of CNN LIVE TODAY begins right now.

Now in the news: in Moscow, Red Square is aglow with anger. Thousands of protesters have gathered for a march to condemn terrorism. The rally comes after a school siege that killed more than 330 people, many of them children. We'll have a live report in about 15 minutes.

In Iraq, U.S. troops are clashing with Iraqi insurgents in a new burst of violence in Sadr City. American forces are battling supporters of radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. At least one American was killed in the fighting, bringing the American death toll to 998 since the war began.

Meanwhile, there is word that two Italian humanitarian workers have been kidnapped in Iraq. An Italian news agency intelligence source says the two women worked for a group called Bridge to Baghdad and were taken captive in Baghdad.

Four hundred twenty-two billion dollars. A new report projects that will be the size of this year's federal deficit. Now, if correct, it will be the highest federal shortfall ever. The number comes from a soon to be released annual forecast from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

During this year's heated presidential campaign Democrats charge the deep deficit takes money away from domestic priorities, while Republicans argue that it's the result of the ongoing war on terror.

And Senator John Kerry is stumping in the south before heading to the Midwest. The presidential hopeful is in Greensboro, North Carolina, this hour for a rally. Later today he'll travel to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he'll spend the night.

Keeping you informed, CNN, the most trusted name in news.

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


Aired September 7, 2004 - 10:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, John Kerry's campaign had been expecting Bill Clinton to stump for him leading up to election day. But it's too early to tell how long before Clinton will be able to take on that role, due to his recovery.
Clinton's surgeons spoke on CNN's "LARRY KING LIVE" last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SMITH: Well, it depends a lot on the job and it depends on the individual. It's one of these things that we really have to individualize.

And it's very hard to know from where I sit or where Dr. Schwarz -- where Dr. Schwarz sits, what are the stresses of anybody's job. They know the job better than we do.

LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": Yes.

SMITH: I try to be relatively flexible with that. But how soon he can go back to work will have a lot to do with how well he can control the environment he's going into.

If he's going to step into a campaign scene where he's got to be 110 percent, 47 hours running, he's not going to be able to do that for awhile. If it's a thing that he can kind of glide into it and take it sort of halfway for a week or two, he might be able to do it sooner. But it's very hard to generalize.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: And we'll have more on this story, of course, throughout the day right here on CNN.

Shifting gears, insurance companies have dispatched armies of assessors who are now fanning out across Florida to survey the damage from hurricanes Charley and Frances. But both the damage and the estimates are all over the map, as we learn from financial news reporter Mary Snow.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Hurricane Frances didn't pack the winds many feared. But her slow churn through Florida dumped up to several feet of water in some regions. From homes to boats to businesses, Frances' fury was widely felt.

LT. GOV. TONI JENNINGS, FLORIDA: It's probably the largest storm we've ever had. It's engulfed the entire state. Fifty-seven of our 67 counties have been impacted by loss of power alone.

SNOW: Frances dealt a blow not only to Florida's residents, but to its economy, already reeling from Hurricane Charley just a few weeks ago.

Some economists estimate the double-fisted punch of both hurricanes could cost up to $40 billion in total economic damages. Estimated insured losses, however, are much less.

While still being tallied, the range of insured losses for Frances are from $2 to $10 billion. Hurricane Charley's insured damages were estimated to be roughly $7 billion.

Frances, though, did damage in areas even where she didn't hit.

ROBERT HARTWIG, INSURANCE INSTITUTE OF NEW YORK: The primary reason for that is the record evacuations ordered along the east coast of Florida, from Miami Beach to Jacksonville. That means tens of thousands of empty hotel rooms, restaurants and businesses.

SNOW: Florida's three main theme parks, including Disney World, had to close over the weekend, costing an estimated $41 million. And then there are small businesses that depend on tourism that lost income when forced to close over the Labor Day weekend.

ANDY FLEMING, SMALL BUSINESS OWNER: We've lost at least a week. My servers haven't been making any tips. My cooks haven't been making any wages. We're all going to be hurting for awhile. Probably won't make the rent this month.

SNOW: Florida's $9 billion citrus crop is also feeling the sting. Damages from Charley a few weeks ago and now Frances are expected to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SNOW: And there's some updated estimates this morning on damage to the citrus industry. Florida's agriculture department is saying that some citrus growers in central Florida reporting that 80 to 90 percent of their crops are on the ground.

And right now, it's estimated that between Charley and Frances that the damage to -- the Agricultural Department's estimates to the citrus crop could be as high as $200 million.

And Betty, Frances right now is on track to be the fifth costliest storm in U.S. history -- Betty.

NGUYEN: You can tell by the picture that you put up there with all those grapefruits on the ground.

SNOW: Yes. NGUYEN: OK. Thank you so much.

I want to talk about Frances now, and where she is and what kind of damage she's causing. We're going to do that with Orelon Sidney.

Hi, there, Orelon.

(WEATHER REPORT)

NGUYEN: Ivan on the map. OK, thank you, Orelon Sidney.

Now, for all the latest on Frances, Ivan or the weather in your horizon, turn to our continually updated web site. That address is CNN.com.

We have some breaking news to tell you about right now. More hostages taken in Iraq. According to an Italian intelligence source, two Italian humanitarian aide workers have been kidnapped from the organization Bridge to Baghdad. Those kidnappings occurred in Baghdad. Of course, we will continue to keep you updated on this story.

We'll be right back. You'd watching CNN LIVE TODAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Let's take a look at other stories making news coast to coast today.

Police believe one person is responsible for the killings of six people in Kansas City, Missouri. All of the bodies were found on vacant lots or near vacant dwellings in neighborhoods known for drug use and prostitution. Five bodies were discovered since Thursday. The first was found in July.

Firefighters in northern California hope to -- that a break in the weather today will help them control a 12,000-acre wildfire. Forecasters say moist air is expected in Sonoma County this morning. The fire has been feeding on dry brush and erratic winds. Full containment of the fire is not expected until tomorrow.

Lifeguards rescued around 50 people during a swimming race in Oceanside, California. Strong waves had pulled the swimmers too close to a pier. Now, no injuries were reported. About 430 people took part in a 75th annual Labor Day Pier Swim.

Time now for a check of the day on Wall Street. For that, we go to Rhonda Schaffler, who joins us from the New York Stock Exchange for the latest.

Hi, Rhonda.

(WEATHER REPORT)

NGUYEN: Back to business today on the street. Thank you, Rhonda. Well, birthday wishes go out this morning to ESPN. Coming up, we'll remember the early days of the cable sports network with one of the men who spent 25 years at the anchor desk.

And this is what we're working on for our next hour.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK

NGUYEN: Going nowhere and fast. That's the assessment released this hour of the nation's traffic congestion.

According to the Texas Transportation Institute, traffic jams in the nation's 85 largest cities account for 3.5 billion hours wasted each year. In fact, the average urban commuter squanders more than the equivalent of a workweek behind the wheel: 46 hours on average each year.

And Los Angeles -- big surprise -- drivers there spend most of their time stranded in traffic, an average of 93 hours a year, double the national average.

Outsourcing, and whether it's a positive or negative for the U.S. economy, is a hotly debated topic. But there is another side to outsourcing. Satinder Bindra looks at the effects on workers overseas.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SATINDER BINDRA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It sounds goofy, but these young Indian call center recruits are dead serious, intent on learning to speak English with an American accent.

Their coach is tough. She wants to neutralize her students' accents quickly so they can all be on the phone to the U.S., teaching Americans how to sort out computer and software bugs.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: California, a nice place.

BINDRA: Twenty-three-year-old Shivani Dar graduated accent school two years ago. Now, as the rest of India sleeps, she speaks to customers in the U.S.

Dar's been living on American time for two years. And says she's now become American herself.

SHIVANI DAR, CALL CENTER OPERATOR: We, of course, get that attitude also, because day in, day out for about 78 hours, we are speaking to Americans.

BINDRA: More and more women are becoming part of this 350,000- people-strong industry.

SANJAY KUMAR, V-CUSTOMER: India has been over the last decade or so absorbing western culture like a sponge.

BINDRA: On their breaks, women mingle with men. Hamburgers, donuts and fast food are freely available.

But everyone's favorite remains their paychecks. These call center rookies make $600 a month, ten times what most Indians make.

(on camera) With cash has come consumerism. Tens of thousands of younger Indians are now living life American style, splurging on coffee, clothes, and cars.

(voice-over) Upwardly mobile call center operator Shivani Dar spends her time in some of the hundreds of malls springing up across India, malls where she can buy the latest American jeans and hang out in public with her boyfriend.

Until just a few years ago, many Indians would have disapproved of such habits. But Dar says both the country and younger people like herself are changing.

DAR: I did not have this much confidence in myself and my career and my own abilities. Now I have.

BINDRA: Confidence in the outsourcing industry, too, is growing. Every day some of India's 50 million fluent English speakers are learning to speak with an American accent. For these Indians, being and sounding American is all part of their march towards what they see as a richer and better future.

Satinder Bindra, CNN, Bargou (ph), North India.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

WILL FERRELL, COMEDIAN: Around the clock, sports all the time. That's the concept of the news.

That's never going to work. That's ridiculous. I mean, that's like -- that's like a 24-hour cooking network, or an all music channel. Ridiculous. That's really dumb.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

NGUYEN: Fictional 1970s anchor man Ron Burgundy echoed the skepticism of many inside the industry and out when something called ESPN debuted 25 years ago today.

Burgundy presumably retired his cheesy mustache and wardrobe years ago, but the cable sports king still rules the throne. In fact, ESPN may be the only sports figure to still defy age a quarter century later.

Joining us are two veterans who have matured with it. George Bodenheimer is now the president of ESPN, and anchor Bob Ley, who first sat at the anchor desk on the network's third day on the air.

Good morning to you both.

BOB LEY, ESPN ANCHOR: Good morning.

GEORGE BODENHEIMER, PRESIDENT, ESPN: Good morning, Betty.

NGUYEN: Well, George, let's start with you. We saw the clip. A lot of people thought this wasn't going to fly. But you guys did it. How did you do it?

BODENHEIMER: Well, we've, from the first night, we've been about fans. And we've had a passion to deliver sports to sports fans. Our company is filled with 3,500 sports fans. And we focus on doing that the best we can every day.

And it's really needless to say, struck a nerve with fans, and not only in the United States, but around the world.

NGUYEN: No doubt. Bob, let's talk to you, because you joined on its third day on the air. It had to have been a bit of a gamble for you, because in those early days, you guys were covering the men's slow-pitch softball and dart tournaments?

LEY: It wasn't too much of a gamble for someone in my particular situation, 24 years old at the time with no family responsibilities. But it was -- it was a shot in the dark.

And I think over the years, just the great energy of the people involved in this network have propelled it forward from -- we started with slow-pitch softball and carting and Australian rules football to the point where now we cover all, and have agreements with all four of the major sporting leagues.

NGUYEN: I'm looking at some of this video. Boy, the styles sure have changed.

And ESPN, in fact, has launched a lot of careers. You guys have some big names because of it.

LEY: It's -- it's been a marvelous ride. It's a testament, I think, to two things: the hard work of everybody behind the scenes, and also I think a testament to the affinity people feel with our network. A lot of networks have viewers. Our network has fans. And I think we're very fortunate in that regard.

NGUYEN: George, what do you think is the one thing that put ESPN on the map, that made it such a success?

BODENHEIMER: Well, two things: one, it was clearly unique. There was nothing else like it anywhere on the sports landscape.

And then secondly, I think it was, we decided to have fun in doing what we were doing. Sports should be fun. They're the entertainment side of the business. Every town in America considers themselves a sports -- a sports town. And we just decided to have a good time with it. And I think our fans like that, and it comes across in everything we do. NGUYEN: You also collaborated with players, the NBA, with all different as expects of sports. That kind of helped you, didn't it?

BODENHEIMER: Yes. Absolutely. We're involved in virtually every angle of sports: professional, collegiate, amateur.

In fact, just today we announced a new television network, ESPNU, which will launch this March and be totally devoted to college sports. It will have a web site in addition to TV in our print and in our radio efforts, as well. So we're expanding again today.

NGUYEN: Bob, I want to ask you, what are some of the most memorable moments? Because you have seen it all there at ESPN.

LEY: You scared me with a piece of that footage you just showed from 1979.

NGUYEN: The hair.

LEY: Yes. A lot of it. And a lot less lines on the face.

I think the moment -- the moment that really, I think, encapsulates why our network has been a success really had very little to do with sports and a lot to do with news.

And it was the 1989 World Series earthquake. And George and I were talking about this just a few minutes ago.

When that happened, we had a lot of people at the site, at the Candlestick Park. But instinctively people spread out all over that arena, and not in touch with each other. This was before the age of cell phones. Instinctively knew that we went from reporting sports at that moment to reporting news.

And without being asked or told, all assembled back at the production truck and asked, "What can we do? What can we do?"

And we're on in the air within 17 minutes.

That is a paradigm, I think, for the spirit that has built and sustained this network.

NGUYEN: Absolutely. All right, George Bodenheimer and Bob Ley, here's to another 25 years. Thanks for joining us.

LEY: Our pleasure.

BODENHEIMER: Thank you, Betty.

NGUYEN: One more sports note. A Tiger is now tamed, and a competitor steps out of his shadow. Golfer Vijay Singh won a toe-to- toe match up with Tiger Woods yesterday and won not only the competition but the top ranking among the world's golfers.

Woods had held that No. 1 spot for more than five years, dating back to mid-August in 1999. Well, first, Florida, now Frances, fury is being felt all across the southeast. The latest forecast and a live report. That's straight ahead.

Plus, bidding on a new career. We'll show you how online auctions could help you pick up some extra cash.

The second hour of CNN LIVE TODAY begins right now.

Now in the news: in Moscow, Red Square is aglow with anger. Thousands of protesters have gathered for a march to condemn terrorism. The rally comes after a school siege that killed more than 330 people, many of them children. We'll have a live report in about 15 minutes.

In Iraq, U.S. troops are clashing with Iraqi insurgents in a new burst of violence in Sadr City. American forces are battling supporters of radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. At least one American was killed in the fighting, bringing the American death toll to 998 since the war began.

Meanwhile, there is word that two Italian humanitarian workers have been kidnapped in Iraq. An Italian news agency intelligence source says the two women worked for a group called Bridge to Baghdad and were taken captive in Baghdad.

Four hundred twenty-two billion dollars. A new report projects that will be the size of this year's federal deficit. Now, if correct, it will be the highest federal shortfall ever. The number comes from a soon to be released annual forecast from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

During this year's heated presidential campaign Democrats charge the deep deficit takes money away from domestic priorities, while Republicans argue that it's the result of the ongoing war on terror.

And Senator John Kerry is stumping in the south before heading to the Midwest. The presidential hopeful is in Greensboro, North Carolina, this hour for a rally. Later today he'll travel to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he'll spend the night.

Keeping you informed, CNN, the most trusted name in news.

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