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CNN Live Today

Mobile Bay Braces for Ivan; Talk with Mayor of Biloxi, Mississippi; Kitty Kelley's Bush Family Book; First Day of School in Beslan, Russia

Aired September 15, 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.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's go for more on Hurricane Ivan. I want to head back to Mobile, Alabama, Bill Hemmer watching the winds, bill, there, still a little calm for now -- Bill.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, for now. Exactly right, Daryn.

And you're also exactly right about reflecting what Chad was trying to show you about moving away from that line to New Orleans, which means the storm is taking more of a northern track, and possibly even a northeastern track. But where it goes from there is what everybody up and down the Gulf Coast is now waiting to see, where Ivan goes and where Ivan makes landfall.

Now we're in Mobile, Alabama, but up and down the coast here, we canvassed the area from Panama City Beach in the east, all the way to New Orleans in the west, and Biloxi, Mississippi. This is an area, Daryn, that has put about $3 billion of investments in the Gulf shore area for Biloxi over the past dozen years. And to take a direct hit would be just -- the financial impact of a direct hit on Biloxi right now would be substantial.

Kathleen Koch is posted there. Here's Kathleen filing this report just a few moments ago.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Mr. Mayor, there's a mandatory evacuation for anyone in low-lying areas, especially south of I-10, but you're staying in your home, a block and a half from the beach. Is that wise?

MYR. A.J. HOLLOWAY, BILOXI, MISSISSIPPI: Well, I was there during Camille, and my wife wouldn't leave. She wanted to be by those grandbabies, and so we'll all be there, hunkered down. Of course I'll be at the EOC office quite a bit also, so...

KOCH: But isn't that, Mr. Mayor, a little bit dangerous, this veteran hurricane survivor mentality that pervade this area because of Camille in '69?

HOLLOWAY: Yes, it does. It really does. A lot of people are not going to leave, they just won't leave. What can I say? I won't leave either, so...

KOCH: But you're making people, I understand, the officers are going in some cases door to door making people sign a people giving the names of next of kin. Are you doing that?

HOLLOWAY: No, no, we aren't not doing that. That's the Harrison County Civil Defense has been requesting that.

Now, we will go -- once the storm hits, that's when people get panicky and try to get out. We have two large (INAUDIBLE). The National Guard will be out, and we'll be patrolling the east Biloxi area. That's the lowest part of our city, and those people down there are old-timers, most of them, and they're going to stay there till the bitter end, and we will be down there helping them get out, as we always do.

KOCH: But, Mr. Mayor, isn't there going to be a certain point, especially if this, say, remains a category four, when it comes in, isn't there going to be a point where, as there is with most storms, where you're just going to have to bring your people in, and everyone else as citizens will have to manage?

HOLLOWAY: Yes, we will -- it will come a time if it gets that bad, that we'll have to stay in, true, particularly -- but most of the time, the National Guard and the police are out on the streets.

KOCH: Even in a bad -- even in 100 mile-an-hour winds, they stay out?

HOLLOWAY: Yes.

KOCH: That's unique. You don't see that in other areas. Again, that's veteran hurricane mentality you've got.

HOLLOWAY: They were out in Camille with 200 mile-an-hour winds, taking people out of trees and rooftops, so they'll be out there, putting their lives on the line.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HEMMER: Again, Kathleen Koch, Kathleen Koch with the mayor, A.J. Holloway, in Biloxi, Mississippi. That's to our west. Now to our east and Panama City Beach, Rick Sanchez is there on the shore.

Rick, good morning.

RICK SANCHEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Bill. We've been gauging things here, and we have seen things pick up, certainly on the surf, which the waves have changed over the last couple of hours.

Also, we've acquired this wind change that we've been using to unscientifically monitor the winds, because actually true winds can't be obstructed. They also have to be at least 33 feet in the air to get a true measurement.

But we've been noticing already that we've seen an increase in about 10 miles per hour since this morning. You know, it may be as a result of Charley, and the fact that a lot of people presumed that the course of Charley deviated somewhat. Although folks in the National Hurricane Center would certainly argue with that. It may also be that a lot of people saw what Frances did to the center of the state, or it may just be that people are watching on television, and seeing this huge category-four storm, coming in what they presume to be their direction.

But I'll tell you this, I have seen a lot of people in this area, like perhaps not in the past, really heeding the warnings and getting out of town.

As a matter of fact, we're finding out that it's not just people that are evacuating.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ (on camera): State officials say that some 500,000 people are going to be evacuated here in the state of Florida. But what about animals? Zookeepers that we talked to say they've got to be evacuated as well.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She would normally have free access, in and out, all day long every day.

SANCHEZ: So she's in lockdown now?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She's in lockdown.

SANCHEZ: Tigers, cubs, smaller -- perhaps some of the more delicate animals you've taken out of this facility?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. Well, we still have them here on property. Everybody's still here on property right now. But we've considered before taking some of the bigger animals off property, the more dangerous ones.

SANCHEZ: They look a little apprehensive. Do they sense that something is going on?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Animals definitely can sense. They can sense, you know, something not right with the weather. They see us scrambling doing things out of the ordinary. They know if they see nets, and carriers and things like that, that's something's not right. You know, they can definitely sense the drop in pressure, too.

SANCHEZ: Yes?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You know, they can tell a storm's coming way before we can.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: Two things to worry about, at least in this area. Of course it all depends on what the hurricane does. But one is the surf itself, and possibility that because this area has so many inlets and there's so many bays that a lot of people would be affected by a shift in the tides. And if it happens to come at the same time when the tide is up, certainly that would be more difficult for the people of this region. And the other one is the wind. And the bottom line with hurricanes is anyone who has spent time in Florida will tell you, you've got to keep the wind from getting inside your house, not because of what it does getting in, but because of what it does getting out. It tries to find an exit point, and all too often that exit point could be people's roofs.

Bill, back to you.

HEMMER: Rick, thanks. Rick Sanchez, watching it there from Panama City Beach. Back here in Mobile, getting a bit of a gust now. But again, nothing like what we expect about 10, 12, maybe 14 hours from now.

From the Coast Guard with us now, Commander Gary Croot is my guest now in Mobile, Alabama. I know you guys been very active over the past two days. Your concern at this point is what?

COMMANDER GARY CROOT, MARINE SAFETY, U.S. COAST GUARD: We want to make sure all the recreational boaters and all the mariners are off the water at this point. At 10:00 last night, we shut down all the ports from St. Marks to Gulfport, Mississippi. And we required all oceangoing ships to depart our ports. We've allowed some to remain in port for various reasons. We'll have some of the tugs and barges to remain in port.

HEMMER: At this point, commander, is anyone from the Coast Guard out here in the Gulf?

CROOT: We've got people prepositioned throughout our area of responsibility. All of our boats have been taken out of the water or put in safe harbors, so they will be immediately available for any post-hurricane operation, and they'll be able to get out as quickly as possible.

HEMMER: When you say preposition, does that mean they're on water, or their on land?

CROOT: Both. Some of them we have in safe harbor, some of them we have on land in cradles. Our major concern after the hurricane is to get our vessels out as quickly as possible, to do some damage assessments, along with the Army corps of engineers. We want to be able to reconstitute our ports and waterways as quickly as possible to reopen them to commercial traffic.

HEMMER: We are sitting here right on the Mobile River. It was late yesterday afternoon a lot of vessels going up the river in a northward direction, trying to get away from Ivan. We've seen people in cars going west to north, trying to get away as well. The Coast Guard put how many vessels up that river?

CROOT: We put -- a couple of our major buoy tenders are upriver, and just north of the port of Mobile, we've got a couple of our 55- foot navigation boats, that will be up there with them as well. That way, as soon as the hurricane does pass, they'll be able to steam down river and start doing our assessments, both land side and shore side. HEMMER: Listen, good luck to you. It's Going to be a busy day tomorrow once the storm comes and then passes, on then of course on Friday and whatever happens after that.

Commander Gary Croot, U.S. Coast Guard, thank you for your time.

CROOT: Thank you.

HEMMER: Daryn, here we go again, 140 miles an hour sustained winds, gusts higher than that, mover ever so closer to the Gulf Coast.

Live in Mobile. Back to you now at the CNN Center with more.

KAGAN: All right, back to you in just a few moments, Bill.

Another, well, way to look at how fierce Ivan is, a detached view, courtesy of NASA. This image from space showing just how massive the storm is and how well defined the storm is. The storm is about 200 miles wide, and it's uncertain path creates a danger zone that stretches some 330 miles across four states.

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: All right, Chad. Never far from your forecast. In just a bit, we'll be back to you.

Today's hot political topic: a new book about the Bush family. Hear what the controversial author is saying and how the White House is reacting.

Plus, the days after the Russian school siege, one mother's difficult choice and the memory that she'll carry for the rest of her life.

We'll have that. Plus, as you see, live pictures from the Gulf of Mexico. More on Ivan just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK MARKET UPDATE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Senator John Kerry is spending his day in three different cities. Kerry travels to Madison, Wisconsin, for an afternoon rally. And this evening, he addresses the Congressional Hispanic Caucus in Washington. The presidential hopeful started the day in Detroit, focusing on the U.S. economy and blasting President Bush for what he says is a lack of accountability.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This president has created more excuses than jobs. His is the excuse presidency. His is the excuse presidency: never wrong, never responsible, never to blame. President Bush's desk isn't where the buck stops, it's where the blame begins. He's blamed just about everybody but himself and his administration for America's economic problems.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: President Bush also has a busy schedule today. This, the day after he addressed a gathering of National Guardsmen and Guardswomen in Las Vegas. The president's own time in the Guard during Vietnam has come under renewed scrutiny.

In his speech, Bush said that he is proud of his service and proud to be among 19 individuals who were Guardsmen before winning the White House. He also praised the sacrifice of members serving right now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH (R), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're grateful for your families who share in your sacrifice. There are few things more difficult in life than seeing a loved one go off to war. When the call to duty comes, your families miss you and they worry about you.

By standing behind you, they also serve our country. America is grateful for the service and sacrifice of our Guard families.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Meanwhile, a new book about the Bush family is flying off the presses and igniting controversy. It's called "The Family: The Real Story of the Bush Dynasty." It's an unauthorized biography of the powerful political clan.

In it, author Kitty Kelley charges that the current President Bush used cocaine at Camp David while his father was president. Kelley says that Sharon Bush, who is now divorced from the president's brother Neil, confirmed that story. Sharon Bush denies that confirmation, by the way. The author appeared on CNN last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KITTY KELLEY, AUTHOR, "THE FAMILY": Well, she can't deny the conversation, because it took place. It took place April 1st, 2003. It took place in front of another person, Lou Colasuonno. Took place at a restaurant in New York City. I didn't go to Sharon Bush; she came to me.

I then confirmed my quotes the next day with Sharon Bush in front of my editor, Peter Gethers. And later, I took her to the William Morris Agency to see my agent, because she wanted to give speeches.

So, on the two occasions where substantial information was exchanged, I have two independent witnesses.

And it wasn't just the current president's drug use that she talked about. She talked about her father-in-law, his infidelity. She talked about her mother-in-law, Barbara Bush. She had spent 23 years in that family, and she knew an awful lot. AARON BROWN, HOST, "NEWSNIGHT": Why do you think she has walked away from the quotes?

KELLEY: Oh, I think she's scared. I mean, this is a very, very powerful family. I had trouble getting a lot of people to go on the record. People are frightened.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: The White House has denounced claims made by the author and says the book is, quote, "filled with garbage."

Well, it's every mother's worst fear. A woman recalls being held hostage with her children by terrorists in the Beslan school, and the unthinkable choice she had to make.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: A sinking feeling caused by fears of terror: Russian children are back in school today. In Beslan, this is the first time since terrorists massacred some 300 hostages at that school in Beslan two weeks ago. Some students said they were afraid to return to classes.

The survivors of the siege have not yet gone back.

And as some try to move on, one mother, though, still haunted by a decision no mother would ever want to face. Here now is CNN's Ryan Chilcote.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): After more than 24 hours in captivity with her two daughters, Anetta Gadiava had to make the choice.

ANETTA GADIAVA, BESLAN MASSACRE SURVIVOR: Terrorists came and said, "Only one woman and only one baby come out."

CHILCOTE: The hostage-takers had struck a deal with a Russian negotiator to let a small group of mothers leave the school with their infants, but any older children would have to stay.

Anetta pleaded with the terrorists to leave her behind, and let her nine-year-old take one-year-old Milena out instead.

GADIAVA: I say, "It is my other daughter. Maybe she take my baby, and she come out."

CHILCOTE: There was to be no compromise. Either she went with the infant, or no one would be released.

GADIAVA: My bigger daughter look me, and I -- every time, every time I see her eyes.

CHILCOTE: Her elder daughter, Alana, started to cry. (on camera): This is your daughter.

GADIAVA Yes.

CHILCOTE: And she -- how old is she here?

GADIAVA: Nine-and-a-half.

CHILCOTE (voice-over): The last time she saw Alana alive was as she left the school with a group of other mothers, many of whom had to make the same choice.

Twenty-four hours later, Alana was still a hostage, sleeping, a survivor said, when one of the terrorists' bombs went off.

Anetta loses her English when she tells the rest. "When the blast went off, she must have gotten up and started running away," she tells me, "because she had a bullet here in her neck."

Every morning, Anetta goes to the memorial cemetery. Every morning, she seeks forgiveness.

"Mommy didn't protect you. Mommy didn't save you. I left you there. I thought all three of us would die if we stayed. Why don't you come to me in my dreams?"

This was Alana two years ago, star of her class. She spoke to graduating students. Her words then now have new meaning.

"This is the last time I will sing for you," she says. "I will remain in the school to live, and for you, I will remain in the past."

From her apartment's balcony view of the school, Anetta struggles with the decision that freed two lives, but forever made her a hostage of her choice.

Ryan Chilcote, CNN, Beslan, Russia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Let's take a look at the stories now in the news.

We, of course, begin with Ivan, nearing landfall along the gulf coast of the U.S. The storm is predicted to slam ashore early tomorrow across Mobile Bay in Alabama. New Orleans is also bracing fro Ivan's arrival.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR RAY NAGIN, NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA: As of today, between the hours of 11:00 to 1:00 p.m., we should start to experience tropical storm winds. And the hurricane -- the national hurricane advisory is basically saying that we could be a -- most likely will be grazed by hurricane-force winds -- grazed by hurricane-force winds. (END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: We're going to have extensive live coverage of Ivan's approach. That is just ahead.

Also, Martha Stewart holds a news conference this hour to discuss her sentencing. Stewart was convicted of lying about her sale of ImClone stock. In July, she was sentenced to five months in prison and five months of home confinement.

An Afghan court today convicted three Americans of torturing Afghans held at a private jail in Kabul. Two of the men were sentenced to 10 years; the third was given an eight-year sentence. Lawyers for the men say they plan to appeal.

Secretary of State Colin Powell releases the annual report on international religious freedom. In remarks about 30 minutes ago, the State Department cited the countries of particular concern for violating religious freedom -- among them, China, North Korea, Burma, Iran, and Saudi Arabia.

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Aired September 15, 2004 - 10:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's go for more on Hurricane Ivan. I want to head back to Mobile, Alabama, Bill Hemmer watching the winds, bill, there, still a little calm for now -- Bill.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, for now. Exactly right, Daryn.

And you're also exactly right about reflecting what Chad was trying to show you about moving away from that line to New Orleans, which means the storm is taking more of a northern track, and possibly even a northeastern track. But where it goes from there is what everybody up and down the Gulf Coast is now waiting to see, where Ivan goes and where Ivan makes landfall.

Now we're in Mobile, Alabama, but up and down the coast here, we canvassed the area from Panama City Beach in the east, all the way to New Orleans in the west, and Biloxi, Mississippi. This is an area, Daryn, that has put about $3 billion of investments in the Gulf shore area for Biloxi over the past dozen years. And to take a direct hit would be just -- the financial impact of a direct hit on Biloxi right now would be substantial.

Kathleen Koch is posted there. Here's Kathleen filing this report just a few moments ago.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KATHLEEN KOCH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): Mr. Mayor, there's a mandatory evacuation for anyone in low-lying areas, especially south of I-10, but you're staying in your home, a block and a half from the beach. Is that wise?

MYR. A.J. HOLLOWAY, BILOXI, MISSISSIPPI: Well, I was there during Camille, and my wife wouldn't leave. She wanted to be by those grandbabies, and so we'll all be there, hunkered down. Of course I'll be at the EOC office quite a bit also, so...

KOCH: But isn't that, Mr. Mayor, a little bit dangerous, this veteran hurricane survivor mentality that pervade this area because of Camille in '69?

HOLLOWAY: Yes, it does. It really does. A lot of people are not going to leave, they just won't leave. What can I say? I won't leave either, so...

KOCH: But you're making people, I understand, the officers are going in some cases door to door making people sign a people giving the names of next of kin. Are you doing that?

HOLLOWAY: No, no, we aren't not doing that. That's the Harrison County Civil Defense has been requesting that.

Now, we will go -- once the storm hits, that's when people get panicky and try to get out. We have two large (INAUDIBLE). The National Guard will be out, and we'll be patrolling the east Biloxi area. That's the lowest part of our city, and those people down there are old-timers, most of them, and they're going to stay there till the bitter end, and we will be down there helping them get out, as we always do.

KOCH: But, Mr. Mayor, isn't there going to be a certain point, especially if this, say, remains a category four, when it comes in, isn't there going to be a point where, as there is with most storms, where you're just going to have to bring your people in, and everyone else as citizens will have to manage?

HOLLOWAY: Yes, we will -- it will come a time if it gets that bad, that we'll have to stay in, true, particularly -- but most of the time, the National Guard and the police are out on the streets.

KOCH: Even in a bad -- even in 100 mile-an-hour winds, they stay out?

HOLLOWAY: Yes.

KOCH: That's unique. You don't see that in other areas. Again, that's veteran hurricane mentality you've got.

HOLLOWAY: They were out in Camille with 200 mile-an-hour winds, taking people out of trees and rooftops, so they'll be out there, putting their lives on the line.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HEMMER: Again, Kathleen Koch, Kathleen Koch with the mayor, A.J. Holloway, in Biloxi, Mississippi. That's to our west. Now to our east and Panama City Beach, Rick Sanchez is there on the shore.

Rick, good morning.

RICK SANCHEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Bill. We've been gauging things here, and we have seen things pick up, certainly on the surf, which the waves have changed over the last couple of hours.

Also, we've acquired this wind change that we've been using to unscientifically monitor the winds, because actually true winds can't be obstructed. They also have to be at least 33 feet in the air to get a true measurement.

But we've been noticing already that we've seen an increase in about 10 miles per hour since this morning. You know, it may be as a result of Charley, and the fact that a lot of people presumed that the course of Charley deviated somewhat. Although folks in the National Hurricane Center would certainly argue with that. It may also be that a lot of people saw what Frances did to the center of the state, or it may just be that people are watching on television, and seeing this huge category-four storm, coming in what they presume to be their direction.

But I'll tell you this, I have seen a lot of people in this area, like perhaps not in the past, really heeding the warnings and getting out of town.

As a matter of fact, we're finding out that it's not just people that are evacuating.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ (on camera): State officials say that some 500,000 people are going to be evacuated here in the state of Florida. But what about animals? Zookeepers that we talked to say they've got to be evacuated as well.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She would normally have free access, in and out, all day long every day.

SANCHEZ: So she's in lockdown now?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She's in lockdown.

SANCHEZ: Tigers, cubs, smaller -- perhaps some of the more delicate animals you've taken out of this facility?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. Well, we still have them here on property. Everybody's still here on property right now. But we've considered before taking some of the bigger animals off property, the more dangerous ones.

SANCHEZ: They look a little apprehensive. Do they sense that something is going on?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Animals definitely can sense. They can sense, you know, something not right with the weather. They see us scrambling doing things out of the ordinary. They know if they see nets, and carriers and things like that, that's something's not right. You know, they can definitely sense the drop in pressure, too.

SANCHEZ: Yes?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You know, they can tell a storm's coming way before we can.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: Two things to worry about, at least in this area. Of course it all depends on what the hurricane does. But one is the surf itself, and possibility that because this area has so many inlets and there's so many bays that a lot of people would be affected by a shift in the tides. And if it happens to come at the same time when the tide is up, certainly that would be more difficult for the people of this region. And the other one is the wind. And the bottom line with hurricanes is anyone who has spent time in Florida will tell you, you've got to keep the wind from getting inside your house, not because of what it does getting in, but because of what it does getting out. It tries to find an exit point, and all too often that exit point could be people's roofs.

Bill, back to you.

HEMMER: Rick, thanks. Rick Sanchez, watching it there from Panama City Beach. Back here in Mobile, getting a bit of a gust now. But again, nothing like what we expect about 10, 12, maybe 14 hours from now.

From the Coast Guard with us now, Commander Gary Croot is my guest now in Mobile, Alabama. I know you guys been very active over the past two days. Your concern at this point is what?

COMMANDER GARY CROOT, MARINE SAFETY, U.S. COAST GUARD: We want to make sure all the recreational boaters and all the mariners are off the water at this point. At 10:00 last night, we shut down all the ports from St. Marks to Gulfport, Mississippi. And we required all oceangoing ships to depart our ports. We've allowed some to remain in port for various reasons. We'll have some of the tugs and barges to remain in port.

HEMMER: At this point, commander, is anyone from the Coast Guard out here in the Gulf?

CROOT: We've got people prepositioned throughout our area of responsibility. All of our boats have been taken out of the water or put in safe harbors, so they will be immediately available for any post-hurricane operation, and they'll be able to get out as quickly as possible.

HEMMER: When you say preposition, does that mean they're on water, or their on land?

CROOT: Both. Some of them we have in safe harbor, some of them we have on land in cradles. Our major concern after the hurricane is to get our vessels out as quickly as possible, to do some damage assessments, along with the Army corps of engineers. We want to be able to reconstitute our ports and waterways as quickly as possible to reopen them to commercial traffic.

HEMMER: We are sitting here right on the Mobile River. It was late yesterday afternoon a lot of vessels going up the river in a northward direction, trying to get away from Ivan. We've seen people in cars going west to north, trying to get away as well. The Coast Guard put how many vessels up that river?

CROOT: We put -- a couple of our major buoy tenders are upriver, and just north of the port of Mobile, we've got a couple of our 55- foot navigation boats, that will be up there with them as well. That way, as soon as the hurricane does pass, they'll be able to steam down river and start doing our assessments, both land side and shore side. HEMMER: Listen, good luck to you. It's Going to be a busy day tomorrow once the storm comes and then passes, on then of course on Friday and whatever happens after that.

Commander Gary Croot, U.S. Coast Guard, thank you for your time.

CROOT: Thank you.

HEMMER: Daryn, here we go again, 140 miles an hour sustained winds, gusts higher than that, mover ever so closer to the Gulf Coast.

Live in Mobile. Back to you now at the CNN Center with more.

KAGAN: All right, back to you in just a few moments, Bill.

Another, well, way to look at how fierce Ivan is, a detached view, courtesy of NASA. This image from space showing just how massive the storm is and how well defined the storm is. The storm is about 200 miles wide, and it's uncertain path creates a danger zone that stretches some 330 miles across four states.

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: All right, Chad. Never far from your forecast. In just a bit, we'll be back to you.

Today's hot political topic: a new book about the Bush family. Hear what the controversial author is saying and how the White House is reacting.

Plus, the days after the Russian school siege, one mother's difficult choice and the memory that she'll carry for the rest of her life.

We'll have that. Plus, as you see, live pictures from the Gulf of Mexico. More on Ivan just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK MARKET UPDATE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Senator John Kerry is spending his day in three different cities. Kerry travels to Madison, Wisconsin, for an afternoon rally. And this evening, he addresses the Congressional Hispanic Caucus in Washington. The presidential hopeful started the day in Detroit, focusing on the U.S. economy and blasting President Bush for what he says is a lack of accountability.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This president has created more excuses than jobs. His is the excuse presidency. His is the excuse presidency: never wrong, never responsible, never to blame. President Bush's desk isn't where the buck stops, it's where the blame begins. He's blamed just about everybody but himself and his administration for America's economic problems.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: President Bush also has a busy schedule today. This, the day after he addressed a gathering of National Guardsmen and Guardswomen in Las Vegas. The president's own time in the Guard during Vietnam has come under renewed scrutiny.

In his speech, Bush said that he is proud of his service and proud to be among 19 individuals who were Guardsmen before winning the White House. He also praised the sacrifice of members serving right now.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH (R), PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We're grateful for your families who share in your sacrifice. There are few things more difficult in life than seeing a loved one go off to war. When the call to duty comes, your families miss you and they worry about you.

By standing behind you, they also serve our country. America is grateful for the service and sacrifice of our Guard families.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Meanwhile, a new book about the Bush family is flying off the presses and igniting controversy. It's called "The Family: The Real Story of the Bush Dynasty." It's an unauthorized biography of the powerful political clan.

In it, author Kitty Kelley charges that the current President Bush used cocaine at Camp David while his father was president. Kelley says that Sharon Bush, who is now divorced from the president's brother Neil, confirmed that story. Sharon Bush denies that confirmation, by the way. The author appeared on CNN last night.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KITTY KELLEY, AUTHOR, "THE FAMILY": Well, she can't deny the conversation, because it took place. It took place April 1st, 2003. It took place in front of another person, Lou Colasuonno. Took place at a restaurant in New York City. I didn't go to Sharon Bush; she came to me.

I then confirmed my quotes the next day with Sharon Bush in front of my editor, Peter Gethers. And later, I took her to the William Morris Agency to see my agent, because she wanted to give speeches.

So, on the two occasions where substantial information was exchanged, I have two independent witnesses.

And it wasn't just the current president's drug use that she talked about. She talked about her father-in-law, his infidelity. She talked about her mother-in-law, Barbara Bush. She had spent 23 years in that family, and she knew an awful lot. AARON BROWN, HOST, "NEWSNIGHT": Why do you think she has walked away from the quotes?

KELLEY: Oh, I think she's scared. I mean, this is a very, very powerful family. I had trouble getting a lot of people to go on the record. People are frightened.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: The White House has denounced claims made by the author and says the book is, quote, "filled with garbage."

Well, it's every mother's worst fear. A woman recalls being held hostage with her children by terrorists in the Beslan school, and the unthinkable choice she had to make.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: A sinking feeling caused by fears of terror: Russian children are back in school today. In Beslan, this is the first time since terrorists massacred some 300 hostages at that school in Beslan two weeks ago. Some students said they were afraid to return to classes.

The survivors of the siege have not yet gone back.

And as some try to move on, one mother, though, still haunted by a decision no mother would ever want to face. Here now is CNN's Ryan Chilcote.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): After more than 24 hours in captivity with her two daughters, Anetta Gadiava had to make the choice.

ANETTA GADIAVA, BESLAN MASSACRE SURVIVOR: Terrorists came and said, "Only one woman and only one baby come out."

CHILCOTE: The hostage-takers had struck a deal with a Russian negotiator to let a small group of mothers leave the school with their infants, but any older children would have to stay.

Anetta pleaded with the terrorists to leave her behind, and let her nine-year-old take one-year-old Milena out instead.

GADIAVA: I say, "It is my other daughter. Maybe she take my baby, and she come out."

CHILCOTE: There was to be no compromise. Either she went with the infant, or no one would be released.

GADIAVA: My bigger daughter look me, and I -- every time, every time I see her eyes.

CHILCOTE: Her elder daughter, Alana, started to cry. (on camera): This is your daughter.

GADIAVA Yes.

CHILCOTE: And she -- how old is she here?

GADIAVA: Nine-and-a-half.

CHILCOTE (voice-over): The last time she saw Alana alive was as she left the school with a group of other mothers, many of whom had to make the same choice.

Twenty-four hours later, Alana was still a hostage, sleeping, a survivor said, when one of the terrorists' bombs went off.

Anetta loses her English when she tells the rest. "When the blast went off, she must have gotten up and started running away," she tells me, "because she had a bullet here in her neck."

Every morning, Anetta goes to the memorial cemetery. Every morning, she seeks forgiveness.

"Mommy didn't protect you. Mommy didn't save you. I left you there. I thought all three of us would die if we stayed. Why don't you come to me in my dreams?"

This was Alana two years ago, star of her class. She spoke to graduating students. Her words then now have new meaning.

"This is the last time I will sing for you," she says. "I will remain in the school to live, and for you, I will remain in the past."

From her apartment's balcony view of the school, Anetta struggles with the decision that freed two lives, but forever made her a hostage of her choice.

Ryan Chilcote, CNN, Beslan, Russia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Let's take a look at the stories now in the news.

We, of course, begin with Ivan, nearing landfall along the gulf coast of the U.S. The storm is predicted to slam ashore early tomorrow across Mobile Bay in Alabama. New Orleans is also bracing fro Ivan's arrival.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR RAY NAGIN, NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA: As of today, between the hours of 11:00 to 1:00 p.m., we should start to experience tropical storm winds. And the hurricane -- the national hurricane advisory is basically saying that we could be a -- most likely will be grazed by hurricane-force winds -- grazed by hurricane-force winds. (END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: We're going to have extensive live coverage of Ivan's approach. That is just ahead.

Also, Martha Stewart holds a news conference this hour to discuss her sentencing. Stewart was convicted of lying about her sale of ImClone stock. In July, she was sentenced to five months in prison and five months of home confinement.

An Afghan court today convicted three Americans of torturing Afghans held at a private jail in Kabul. Two of the men were sentenced to 10 years; the third was given an eight-year sentence. Lawyers for the men say they plan to appeal.

Secretary of State Colin Powell releases the annual report on international religious freedom. In remarks about 30 minutes ago, the State Department cited the countries of particular concern for violating religious freedom -- among them, China, North Korea, Burma, Iran, and Saudi Arabia.

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