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CNN Live Today
Candidates Gearing Up for First Debate; Concern About Election Day Terror Attack; Cleaning Up and Rebuilding after Hurricane Jeanne
Aired September 28, 2004 - 10:00 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: And good morning from the CNN Headquarters in Atlanta. I'm Betty Nguyen in for Daryn Kagan. Here are the stories now in the news.
U.S. warplanes have struck a suspected terrorist site in the Iraqi city of Fallujah, in what is becoming an almost daily offensive. The U.S. military says two laser-guided bombs targeted a site confirmed to be linked to mastermind Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Fallujah police said three people were killed and at least nine others wounded in the overnight air strikes.
Florida Power and Light says it's taking the unprecedented move of flying in electrical workers from California to help restore power across the state. Thousands from other states and Canada are already there. The state has been pounded by four major hurricanes in six weeks, and officials warn it will take weeks to fully restore power. President Bush is asking Congress for more than $7 billion in additional aid for hurricane victims.
Now to Capitol Hill. This hour, lawmakers study the issue of background checks for teachers. The House Education and Workforce Committee is considering giving the Department of Education power to collect and share information on teachers with criminal records. Advocates say sharing the information among districts could weed out potential dangers to students.
Scientists in Washington State are trying to determine if Mount St. Helens is rumbling back to life. Small earthquakes occurred once or twice a minute yesterday. It's some of the most intense seismic activity in nearly 20 years. The volcano erupted in 1980, as you recall, killing 57 people.
Well, it's just five weeks until the general election. And poll numbers out this morning suggest John Kerry faces an uphill struggle to win the White House. A CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll of likely voters shows President Bush with an eight percentage point lead on his challenger. Among registered voters, that margin, well, it widens to 11 percentage points. New poll numbers are out as the Bush and Kerry camps are gearing up for Thursday's debate.
And CNN's Suzanne Malveaux is at the White House with the latest on all of this.
Good morning, Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Betty. Well, President Bush is hunkered down at his Crawford ranch. We're told by Bush aides that he's simply crystallizing his thoughts. They said that he has completed these mock debate sessions. He's simply honing his message. And that message, of course, the president has taken to those battleground states for the last couple of months. Just yesterday, he was in Ohio making two stops there.
The debates, of course, come at a time when the Kerry-Edwards camp has really stepped up their attacks against Mr. Bush on his domestic, as well as his foreign policy. It was just yesterday that the vice presidential challenger, Senator John Edwards, said of a Bush campaign TV ad, he said they will absolutely lie about anything. Well, today, Bush senior advisor Karen Hughes, traveling with the president at the Crawford ranch, fired back.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAREN HUGHES, BUSH SR. ADVISOR: We can disagree on issues, but I don't think we need to run around using words like "lie" and things like that. I think what you're seeing is a little bit of increasing desperation on the part of the Democratic candidates as the polls show that President Bush continues to be in the lead. I know that there's a new CNN poll shows that shows that President Bush is on the lead.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Now that CNN poll she's referring to CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll for September 24 to the 26, showing that 52 percent believe that President Bush has a clear plan for Iraq, compared to 30 percent for Kerry. And interestingly enough, looking ahead at that debate, the first debate on Thursday, 52 percent believe that President Bush is going to come out the winner, as opposed to 39 percent for Kerry.
But an interesting note here, a figure is the fact that if you ask those voters whether or not they even care about the debates, whether or not it's going to impact their vote, some 80 percent of them, Betty, say no they don't think so. But still many people have not yet made up their minds -- Betty.
NGUYEN: Wow. That is surprising. Suzanne Malveaux, thank you.
And like President Bush, John Kerry is staying off the campaign trail to bone up for the debates. Kerry did make an appearance at a town hall style meeting in Spring Green, Wisconsin yesterday. He rejected criticism that he's changed his position on Iraq.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This president and the Republicans have tried to make it look as if John Kerry has this position or that position. I've had one position steady all the way, folks. That I thought we ought to stand up and hold Saddam Hussein accountable but I thought we ought to do it the right way.
(END VIDEO CLIP) NGUYEN: And you'll want to watch the debate right here on CNN, as part of our prime-time coverage that begins at 8:00 p.m. We'll use a real-time meter to gauge the reaction of a group -- a focus group of undecided voters. Now, the debate, as a reminder, is on Thursday night, 9:00 p.m. Eastern.
The Department of Homeland Security is urging state elections officials to keep their lines of communication open. The latest bulletin comes as concerns grow about a possible terrorist attack linked to the November 2 vote.
And CNN's Kelli Arena reports on this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's now mandatory for some police officers guarding the Capitol Building in Washington to wear for some police officers to wear special vests, meant to protect them from a biological or chemical attack. As the window between now and Election Day narrows, counter terrorism officials are growing more anxious.
ASA HUTCHINSON, UNDERSECY., HOMELAND SECURITY: Really, in every area of concern, we have enhanced, ratcheted up the security measures that are in place.
ARENA: Last spring, senior officials said intelligence suggested that al Qaeda wanted to not only attack the United States, but to disrupt the November elections. Senior administration officials say new intelligence continues to suggest the same. But there are still no specifics.
TOM RIDGE, SECRETARY, HOMELAND SECURITY: We still don't have any specific information as to who, what, when, where. If we did there'd be an effort to interdict and we'd prevent the attacks.
ARENA: As elections day nears, officials say they are redoubling security efforts. For example, increasing the number of ships boarded by Coast Guard inspectors, patting down some passengers at airport checkpoints, and interviewing in some cases, re-interviewing individuals who may have information about a possible attack. What's more, state and election officials have set up a task force to encourage jurisdiction to have contingency plans in place if al Qaeda strikes.
REBECCA VIGIL-GIRON, NAT'L. ASSOC. OF SECYS. OF STATE: We just want people to think about it. We don't want to scare anyone. This is not about scaring anyone to move in placing officers in front of polling places.
ARENA (on camera): Charges of scare mongering for political gain are difficult to counter, especially because there's no specific intelligence to offer the public. But officials insist the concern is real and that they are merely acting responsibly.
Kelli Arena, CNN, Washington. (END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Now, a report in today's "New York Times" suggests a lack of interpreters and computer problems at the FBI are stalling the war on terror. "The Times" cited a declassified summary of a Justice Department probe into the agency. Investigators found that more than 120,000 hours of audio recordings have not been translated since the 9/11 attacks.
Well, the remnants of Hurricane Jeanne made a mess in South Carolina and Georgia. The tropical depression spawned an apparent tornado in South Carolina, killing one person and destroying five homes. Check out this video. A highway fatality in the state is also being blamed on Jeanne.
That storm brought heavy rains and flooding to parts of Georgia, which is still recovering, from Tropical Storm Frances and Ivan. A state of emergency is in effect for Georgia until midnight Thursday. State officials say it is too early for damage estimates linked to Jeanne. But I can imagine that damage is going to be pretty high. Looking at the pictures that we've seen over the weekend and throughout the week so far.
Well, in Florida, Jeanne's passing means the return of what has become a miserable routine for many residents. The state's fourth hurricane in six weeks has left more people out of power, provisions and patience.
CNN's Ed Lavandera is in Melbourne, Florida this morning with the latest on the recovery efforts there.
Good morning to you.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Betty. Well, there's still about less than a million -- fewer less than a million people without power. But you know, the sun is out. The temperature is rising. Patience is wearing thin. In times like these, it's all about friends.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PATRICIA GREELEY (ph), HURRICANE VICTIM: This is the worst room. Everything was destroyed in here.
LAVANDERA (voice-over): Patricia Greeley (ph) was forced out of her home in Micco, Florida, about three weeks ago, after Hurricane Frances tore apart the roof and mold started infesting the walls. She looked for a motel to live in, when her best friend decided that was a bad idea.
GREELEY (ph): Thank God I have her. I mean, she let me stay with her.
LAVANDERA: So, Patricia moved in with Beverly Peza (ph), who lives just a few blocks away. But then, Hurricane Jeanne struck.
BEVERLY PEZA (ph), HURRICANE VICTIM: This was the garage.
LAVANDERA: This time, it was Beverly's home that took the destructive lashing.
PEZA (ph): It's all water damaged all the way through.
LAVANDERA: These women met two years ago while walking their dogs. At the time, their husbands had just passed away. A friendship is what they desperately needed in life, just like they need now.
GREELEY (ph): The problem is here with these storms people are getting very, very depressed. Very depressed. I know I am. I'm depressed. I mean, even though I know we're -- our lives are here. But it's just getting everything together is the worst part.
LAVANDERA: After two hurricanes and two destroyed homes, they couldn't imagine getting though this ordeal alone.
PEZA (ph): We made it.
GREELEY (ph): We made it!
PEZA (ph): ... two years.
GREELEY (ph): We made it.
PEZA (ph): It just goes to show you, old broads make it.
GREELEY (ph): Speak for yourself.
PEZA (ph): Old broads make it!
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LAVANDERA (on camera): Well, they're laughing but Patricia and Beverly slept actually in Beverly's house last night. They're worried about looters, and that's why they're going to do it. But they're still trying to figure out what they're going to do next, how they're going to rebuild and get that process moving forward. And they say that they expect it's going to take a really long time -- Betty.
NGUYEN: Yes. No doubt. Ed, Florida Power and Light is flying in crews from California to help restore some of the power in that area. I know yesterday, what? Seventy-five percent of Melbourne was without power. Are the lights starting to come back on there?
LAVANDERA: You do see it popping up in a lot of places. We heard from officials here this morning that there's still almost a million people without power. That's down; it was almost 2 million yesterday. So that's down quite a bit. However, the remaining power that still needs to be turned on, we're told, could take as long as three weeks to get back on. So that's, you know, kind of bad news for a lot of the folks who still don't have any.
NGUYEN: Need some good friends to stay with. Thank you, Ed.
LAVANDERA: Sure.
NGUYEN: Well, logon to cnn.com/hurricanes for animation showing how hurricanes form. While there, you can check out pictures of the top 10 hurricanes and a map showing the areas most-hit in the U.S.
What would you do if you had five minutes with the president? Well, coming up, we'll tell you what some top celebrities say they'd do if they got some face time with the president.
Also ahead, the battle over a brain-damaged woman. Terri Schiavo's parents sat down with our Larry King to talk about the latest court ruling impacting their daughter's life.
And later, potential trouble on the mountain. We'll tell you why scientists are keeping a close watch on Mount St. Helens.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Now to our "Situation Report" from Iraq. U.S. warplanes launched air strikes on at least two terror targets overnight. One targeted a suspected terror site in Fallujah, the other a pocket of insurgent resistance in Baghdad's Sadr City.
In the southeastern city of Basra, insurgents ambushed a military convoy earlier today and killed two British soldiers. Also in Basra, government officials say gunmen killed five members of Iraq's Intelligence Agency.
Also this morning, three civilians were wounded in a roadside bombing in Baghdad's main shopping area. It's not clear if there was a specific target, or if the bomb was intended to indiscriminately hit passersby.
The war in Iraq has been a defining and very controversial issue for British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(BOOING)
TONY BLAIR, PRIME MINISTER, U.K.: That's fine, sir. You can make your protest. Just thank goodness we live in a democracy and you can.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Anti-war protesters interrupted Blair just a little while ago. He is seeking a third term, and within the last hour, addressed the annual conference for his Labor Party. Mr. Blair has been trying to shift focus away from Iraq. But found it nearly impossible because of the abduction of British engineer Kenneth Bigley 12 days ago. The prime minister has said he is doing everything possible for his release, but will not negotiate with terrorists. This is what he had to say just minutes ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BLAIR: I want to express our condolences to the latest British casualties in Iraq. And I want on behalf of all of us to express our support and solidarity to Ken Bigley and all the Bigley family. They are in our thoughts and prayers.
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Meanwhile, Bigley's brother has voiced outrage over the government's refusal to intervene and has called on the prime minister to resign.
Life and death again in a court battle over Terri Schiavo. Her husband says she would not want to live this way. But her parents, they don't agree.
And $50 and higher? Ahead, we are checking the markets and the price of crude oil.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Here's what's on the docket today in our look at "Legal Briefs." Legendary music producer Phil Spector leaned on the arm of his attorney, as a formal murder indictment was read against him in a Los Angeles courtroom. The 63-year-old Spector is accused of shooting actress Lana Clarkson to death in his mansion a year and a half ago. Prosecutors are not seeking the death penalty against Spector. His trial will begin sometime after mid-December. After the proceeding, though, Spector lashed out at prosecutors.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PHIL SPECTOR, MURDER SUSPECT: The actions of the Hitler-like district attorney and his storm-trooping henchmen to seek an indictment against me, and sensor all means of me getting my evidence, and the truth out, are reprehensible, unconscionable and despicable.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Meanwhile defense attorneys in the Scott Peterson murder trial yesterday, called a detective to the stand to recount the eerie phone call to police. Now, it's from a woman who had been threatened after prosecuting a case. She feared that she may have been the intended target and that Laci could have been killed by mistake. The woman said she looked like Laci, also had been pregnant, and even has an identical breed of dog. Peterson's defense has claimed that police ignored leads that did not support their case against Scott Peterson.
And attorneys for NBA star Kobe Bryant have pulled an abrupt reversal in legal strategy. They're no longer asking that evidence remain sealed in the rape case, saying, instead, that a full release of documents will expose the unprofessional conduct of prosecutors. The district attorney's office dropped its prosecution of that criminal case at the request of the alleged victim.
Turning now to the ongoing dispute over the life of Terri Schiavo. Schiavo, said to be in a persistent vegetative state, has been hospitalized for 14 years after a damaging accident at home. The woman's husband says she should be allowed to die, but her parents say she can be helped with therapy.
Recently the Florida Supreme Court struck down a state law ordering the woman's feeding tube be reconnected. With that legal setback, her parents now say they'll fight for a new trial to keep her alive. They spoke about their anguish on CNN's "LARRY KING LIVE" last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARY SCHINDLER, MOTHER OF TERRI SCHIAVO: Never seen anything like it, Larry, in your life, as a mother watching a child starve to death.
ROBERT SCHIAVO, FATHER OF TERRI SCHIAVO: We went through that two times.
SCHINDLER: Two times.
LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": When they stopped food.
SCHINDLER: Both times.
KING: How long? How many days?
SCHINDLER: First time was 60 days.
SCHIAVO: No. No. No.
KING: 60 days?
SCHINDLER: I'm sorry. Sixty hours. The second time was seven days.
SCHIAVO: And the...
SCHINDLER: And she is a strong girl.
KING: Did she nearly die, seven days?
SCHINDLER: Well, yes. She was close to it.
SCHIAVO: Yes. But they wouldn't let us in the room by ourselves with her. There were police outside of her room. There were police in her room.
SCHINDLER: There was Michael's representatives in her room. I only had one second alone with her while she was dying.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Now, you can watch Larry King weeknights at 9:00 p.m. Eastern and 6:00 Pacific.
Could you make a difference in just five minutes? Say you had five minutes with the president? Straight ahead, some celebrities writing about what they would do with that five minutes.
And pages and pages of rules; we'll take a closer look at the fine print agreed upon by both candidates ahead of Thursday's presidential debate. Some of the details, well, they may surprise you.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRISTY FEIG, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Duke University researchers have found that people who are prone to anger and hostility have an increased risk of heart disease. The study found that the angry, but otherwise healthy patients, produced more of a substance called C-Reactive protein, which is known to promote heart disease and stroke.
And the air you breathe in a smoky bar or casino may have 50 times more cancer-causing pollutants than the air on a dirty city street says a new study. Researchers blame cigarette smoke for the indoor pollution. And found that bars with strict anti-smoking rules had very few contaminants in the air, putting workers and customers at a lower risk.
Christy Feig, CNN.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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Aired September 28, 2004 - 10:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning from the CNN Headquarters in Atlanta. I'm Betty Nguyen in for Daryn Kagan. Here are the stories now in the news.
U.S. warplanes have struck a suspected terrorist site in the Iraqi city of Fallujah, in what is becoming an almost daily offensive. The U.S. military says two laser-guided bombs targeted a site confirmed to be linked to mastermind Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. Fallujah police said three people were killed and at least nine others wounded in the overnight air strikes.
Florida Power and Light says it's taking the unprecedented move of flying in electrical workers from California to help restore power across the state. Thousands from other states and Canada are already there. The state has been pounded by four major hurricanes in six weeks, and officials warn it will take weeks to fully restore power. President Bush is asking Congress for more than $7 billion in additional aid for hurricane victims.
Now to Capitol Hill. This hour, lawmakers study the issue of background checks for teachers. The House Education and Workforce Committee is considering giving the Department of Education power to collect and share information on teachers with criminal records. Advocates say sharing the information among districts could weed out potential dangers to students.
Scientists in Washington State are trying to determine if Mount St. Helens is rumbling back to life. Small earthquakes occurred once or twice a minute yesterday. It's some of the most intense seismic activity in nearly 20 years. The volcano erupted in 1980, as you recall, killing 57 people.
Well, it's just five weeks until the general election. And poll numbers out this morning suggest John Kerry faces an uphill struggle to win the White House. A CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll of likely voters shows President Bush with an eight percentage point lead on his challenger. Among registered voters, that margin, well, it widens to 11 percentage points. New poll numbers are out as the Bush and Kerry camps are gearing up for Thursday's debate.
And CNN's Suzanne Malveaux is at the White House with the latest on all of this.
Good morning, Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Betty. Well, President Bush is hunkered down at his Crawford ranch. We're told by Bush aides that he's simply crystallizing his thoughts. They said that he has completed these mock debate sessions. He's simply honing his message. And that message, of course, the president has taken to those battleground states for the last couple of months. Just yesterday, he was in Ohio making two stops there.
The debates, of course, come at a time when the Kerry-Edwards camp has really stepped up their attacks against Mr. Bush on his domestic, as well as his foreign policy. It was just yesterday that the vice presidential challenger, Senator John Edwards, said of a Bush campaign TV ad, he said they will absolutely lie about anything. Well, today, Bush senior advisor Karen Hughes, traveling with the president at the Crawford ranch, fired back.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
KAREN HUGHES, BUSH SR. ADVISOR: We can disagree on issues, but I don't think we need to run around using words like "lie" and things like that. I think what you're seeing is a little bit of increasing desperation on the part of the Democratic candidates as the polls show that President Bush continues to be in the lead. I know that there's a new CNN poll shows that shows that President Bush is on the lead.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MALVEAUX: Now that CNN poll she's referring to CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup poll for September 24 to the 26, showing that 52 percent believe that President Bush has a clear plan for Iraq, compared to 30 percent for Kerry. And interestingly enough, looking ahead at that debate, the first debate on Thursday, 52 percent believe that President Bush is going to come out the winner, as opposed to 39 percent for Kerry.
But an interesting note here, a figure is the fact that if you ask those voters whether or not they even care about the debates, whether or not it's going to impact their vote, some 80 percent of them, Betty, say no they don't think so. But still many people have not yet made up their minds -- Betty.
NGUYEN: Wow. That is surprising. Suzanne Malveaux, thank you.
And like President Bush, John Kerry is staying off the campaign trail to bone up for the debates. Kerry did make an appearance at a town hall style meeting in Spring Green, Wisconsin yesterday. He rejected criticism that he's changed his position on Iraq.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: This president and the Republicans have tried to make it look as if John Kerry has this position or that position. I've had one position steady all the way, folks. That I thought we ought to stand up and hold Saddam Hussein accountable but I thought we ought to do it the right way.
(END VIDEO CLIP) NGUYEN: And you'll want to watch the debate right here on CNN, as part of our prime-time coverage that begins at 8:00 p.m. We'll use a real-time meter to gauge the reaction of a group -- a focus group of undecided voters. Now, the debate, as a reminder, is on Thursday night, 9:00 p.m. Eastern.
The Department of Homeland Security is urging state elections officials to keep their lines of communication open. The latest bulletin comes as concerns grow about a possible terrorist attack linked to the November 2 vote.
And CNN's Kelli Arena reports on this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KELLI ARENA, CNN JUSTICE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's now mandatory for some police officers guarding the Capitol Building in Washington to wear for some police officers to wear special vests, meant to protect them from a biological or chemical attack. As the window between now and Election Day narrows, counter terrorism officials are growing more anxious.
ASA HUTCHINSON, UNDERSECY., HOMELAND SECURITY: Really, in every area of concern, we have enhanced, ratcheted up the security measures that are in place.
ARENA: Last spring, senior officials said intelligence suggested that al Qaeda wanted to not only attack the United States, but to disrupt the November elections. Senior administration officials say new intelligence continues to suggest the same. But there are still no specifics.
TOM RIDGE, SECRETARY, HOMELAND SECURITY: We still don't have any specific information as to who, what, when, where. If we did there'd be an effort to interdict and we'd prevent the attacks.
ARENA: As elections day nears, officials say they are redoubling security efforts. For example, increasing the number of ships boarded by Coast Guard inspectors, patting down some passengers at airport checkpoints, and interviewing in some cases, re-interviewing individuals who may have information about a possible attack. What's more, state and election officials have set up a task force to encourage jurisdiction to have contingency plans in place if al Qaeda strikes.
REBECCA VIGIL-GIRON, NAT'L. ASSOC. OF SECYS. OF STATE: We just want people to think about it. We don't want to scare anyone. This is not about scaring anyone to move in placing officers in front of polling places.
ARENA (on camera): Charges of scare mongering for political gain are difficult to counter, especially because there's no specific intelligence to offer the public. But officials insist the concern is real and that they are merely acting responsibly.
Kelli Arena, CNN, Washington. (END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Now, a report in today's "New York Times" suggests a lack of interpreters and computer problems at the FBI are stalling the war on terror. "The Times" cited a declassified summary of a Justice Department probe into the agency. Investigators found that more than 120,000 hours of audio recordings have not been translated since the 9/11 attacks.
Well, the remnants of Hurricane Jeanne made a mess in South Carolina and Georgia. The tropical depression spawned an apparent tornado in South Carolina, killing one person and destroying five homes. Check out this video. A highway fatality in the state is also being blamed on Jeanne.
That storm brought heavy rains and flooding to parts of Georgia, which is still recovering, from Tropical Storm Frances and Ivan. A state of emergency is in effect for Georgia until midnight Thursday. State officials say it is too early for damage estimates linked to Jeanne. But I can imagine that damage is going to be pretty high. Looking at the pictures that we've seen over the weekend and throughout the week so far.
Well, in Florida, Jeanne's passing means the return of what has become a miserable routine for many residents. The state's fourth hurricane in six weeks has left more people out of power, provisions and patience.
CNN's Ed Lavandera is in Melbourne, Florida this morning with the latest on the recovery efforts there.
Good morning to you.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Betty. Well, there's still about less than a million -- fewer less than a million people without power. But you know, the sun is out. The temperature is rising. Patience is wearing thin. In times like these, it's all about friends.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
PATRICIA GREELEY (ph), HURRICANE VICTIM: This is the worst room. Everything was destroyed in here.
LAVANDERA (voice-over): Patricia Greeley (ph) was forced out of her home in Micco, Florida, about three weeks ago, after Hurricane Frances tore apart the roof and mold started infesting the walls. She looked for a motel to live in, when her best friend decided that was a bad idea.
GREELEY (ph): Thank God I have her. I mean, she let me stay with her.
LAVANDERA: So, Patricia moved in with Beverly Peza (ph), who lives just a few blocks away. But then, Hurricane Jeanne struck.
BEVERLY PEZA (ph), HURRICANE VICTIM: This was the garage.
LAVANDERA: This time, it was Beverly's home that took the destructive lashing.
PEZA (ph): It's all water damaged all the way through.
LAVANDERA: These women met two years ago while walking their dogs. At the time, their husbands had just passed away. A friendship is what they desperately needed in life, just like they need now.
GREELEY (ph): The problem is here with these storms people are getting very, very depressed. Very depressed. I know I am. I'm depressed. I mean, even though I know we're -- our lives are here. But it's just getting everything together is the worst part.
LAVANDERA: After two hurricanes and two destroyed homes, they couldn't imagine getting though this ordeal alone.
PEZA (ph): We made it.
GREELEY (ph): We made it!
PEZA (ph): ... two years.
GREELEY (ph): We made it.
PEZA (ph): It just goes to show you, old broads make it.
GREELEY (ph): Speak for yourself.
PEZA (ph): Old broads make it!
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LAVANDERA (on camera): Well, they're laughing but Patricia and Beverly slept actually in Beverly's house last night. They're worried about looters, and that's why they're going to do it. But they're still trying to figure out what they're going to do next, how they're going to rebuild and get that process moving forward. And they say that they expect it's going to take a really long time -- Betty.
NGUYEN: Yes. No doubt. Ed, Florida Power and Light is flying in crews from California to help restore some of the power in that area. I know yesterday, what? Seventy-five percent of Melbourne was without power. Are the lights starting to come back on there?
LAVANDERA: You do see it popping up in a lot of places. We heard from officials here this morning that there's still almost a million people without power. That's down; it was almost 2 million yesterday. So that's down quite a bit. However, the remaining power that still needs to be turned on, we're told, could take as long as three weeks to get back on. So that's, you know, kind of bad news for a lot of the folks who still don't have any.
NGUYEN: Need some good friends to stay with. Thank you, Ed.
LAVANDERA: Sure.
NGUYEN: Well, logon to cnn.com/hurricanes for animation showing how hurricanes form. While there, you can check out pictures of the top 10 hurricanes and a map showing the areas most-hit in the U.S.
What would you do if you had five minutes with the president? Well, coming up, we'll tell you what some top celebrities say they'd do if they got some face time with the president.
Also ahead, the battle over a brain-damaged woman. Terri Schiavo's parents sat down with our Larry King to talk about the latest court ruling impacting their daughter's life.
And later, potential trouble on the mountain. We'll tell you why scientists are keeping a close watch on Mount St. Helens.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Now to our "Situation Report" from Iraq. U.S. warplanes launched air strikes on at least two terror targets overnight. One targeted a suspected terror site in Fallujah, the other a pocket of insurgent resistance in Baghdad's Sadr City.
In the southeastern city of Basra, insurgents ambushed a military convoy earlier today and killed two British soldiers. Also in Basra, government officials say gunmen killed five members of Iraq's Intelligence Agency.
Also this morning, three civilians were wounded in a roadside bombing in Baghdad's main shopping area. It's not clear if there was a specific target, or if the bomb was intended to indiscriminately hit passersby.
The war in Iraq has been a defining and very controversial issue for British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(BOOING)
TONY BLAIR, PRIME MINISTER, U.K.: That's fine, sir. You can make your protest. Just thank goodness we live in a democracy and you can.
(CHEERING)
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Anti-war protesters interrupted Blair just a little while ago. He is seeking a third term, and within the last hour, addressed the annual conference for his Labor Party. Mr. Blair has been trying to shift focus away from Iraq. But found it nearly impossible because of the abduction of British engineer Kenneth Bigley 12 days ago. The prime minister has said he is doing everything possible for his release, but will not negotiate with terrorists. This is what he had to say just minutes ago.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BLAIR: I want to express our condolences to the latest British casualties in Iraq. And I want on behalf of all of us to express our support and solidarity to Ken Bigley and all the Bigley family. They are in our thoughts and prayers.
(APPLAUSE)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Meanwhile, Bigley's brother has voiced outrage over the government's refusal to intervene and has called on the prime minister to resign.
Life and death again in a court battle over Terri Schiavo. Her husband says she would not want to live this way. But her parents, they don't agree.
And $50 and higher? Ahead, we are checking the markets and the price of crude oil.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Here's what's on the docket today in our look at "Legal Briefs." Legendary music producer Phil Spector leaned on the arm of his attorney, as a formal murder indictment was read against him in a Los Angeles courtroom. The 63-year-old Spector is accused of shooting actress Lana Clarkson to death in his mansion a year and a half ago. Prosecutors are not seeking the death penalty against Spector. His trial will begin sometime after mid-December. After the proceeding, though, Spector lashed out at prosecutors.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PHIL SPECTOR, MURDER SUSPECT: The actions of the Hitler-like district attorney and his storm-trooping henchmen to seek an indictment against me, and sensor all means of me getting my evidence, and the truth out, are reprehensible, unconscionable and despicable.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Meanwhile defense attorneys in the Scott Peterson murder trial yesterday, called a detective to the stand to recount the eerie phone call to police. Now, it's from a woman who had been threatened after prosecuting a case. She feared that she may have been the intended target and that Laci could have been killed by mistake. The woman said she looked like Laci, also had been pregnant, and even has an identical breed of dog. Peterson's defense has claimed that police ignored leads that did not support their case against Scott Peterson.
And attorneys for NBA star Kobe Bryant have pulled an abrupt reversal in legal strategy. They're no longer asking that evidence remain sealed in the rape case, saying, instead, that a full release of documents will expose the unprofessional conduct of prosecutors. The district attorney's office dropped its prosecution of that criminal case at the request of the alleged victim.
Turning now to the ongoing dispute over the life of Terri Schiavo. Schiavo, said to be in a persistent vegetative state, has been hospitalized for 14 years after a damaging accident at home. The woman's husband says she should be allowed to die, but her parents say she can be helped with therapy.
Recently the Florida Supreme Court struck down a state law ordering the woman's feeding tube be reconnected. With that legal setback, her parents now say they'll fight for a new trial to keep her alive. They spoke about their anguish on CNN's "LARRY KING LIVE" last night.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MARY SCHINDLER, MOTHER OF TERRI SCHIAVO: Never seen anything like it, Larry, in your life, as a mother watching a child starve to death.
ROBERT SCHIAVO, FATHER OF TERRI SCHIAVO: We went through that two times.
SCHINDLER: Two times.
LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": When they stopped food.
SCHINDLER: Both times.
KING: How long? How many days?
SCHINDLER: First time was 60 days.
SCHIAVO: No. No. No.
KING: 60 days?
SCHINDLER: I'm sorry. Sixty hours. The second time was seven days.
SCHIAVO: And the...
SCHINDLER: And she is a strong girl.
KING: Did she nearly die, seven days?
SCHINDLER: Well, yes. She was close to it.
SCHIAVO: Yes. But they wouldn't let us in the room by ourselves with her. There were police outside of her room. There were police in her room.
SCHINDLER: There was Michael's representatives in her room. I only had one second alone with her while she was dying.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Now, you can watch Larry King weeknights at 9:00 p.m. Eastern and 6:00 Pacific.
Could you make a difference in just five minutes? Say you had five minutes with the president? Straight ahead, some celebrities writing about what they would do with that five minutes.
And pages and pages of rules; we'll take a closer look at the fine print agreed upon by both candidates ahead of Thursday's presidential debate. Some of the details, well, they may surprise you.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRISTY FEIG, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Duke University researchers have found that people who are prone to anger and hostility have an increased risk of heart disease. The study found that the angry, but otherwise healthy patients, produced more of a substance called C-Reactive protein, which is known to promote heart disease and stroke.
And the air you breathe in a smoky bar or casino may have 50 times more cancer-causing pollutants than the air on a dirty city street says a new study. Researchers blame cigarette smoke for the indoor pollution. And found that bars with strict anti-smoking rules had very few contaminants in the air, putting workers and customers at a lower risk.
Christy Feig, CNN.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
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