Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Today
Afghanistan Elections Will Go On, Despite Violence; Two Former U.N. Inspectors Earlier Warned of No Iraq WMDs; Eruption in Mount St. Helens' Future?; Volvo Dealers Sponsor Alex Scott's Cancer Fund
Aired October 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.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Afghanistan's president is shrugging off yesterday's failed assassination attempt on his running mate and vowing that Saturday's historic election will go on, despite Taliban threats against anyone who takes part.
CNN chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour sat down for an interview with Hamid Karzai and joins us from Kabul with more. Christiane, hello.
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, hello.
And I did, indeed, talk to him this afternoon. And it was after we received reports of yet more violence. For instance in Gardez, not too far from Kabul, we're told that there was an improvised explosive device that had exploded and that it wounded two Americans and an Afghan. So, this is just the latest.
But transitional President Hamid Karzai, who wants the country now to elect him the president, is saying that despite all the violence, he believes that an election could help tamp it down afterwards.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRESIDENT HAMID KARZAI, AFGHANISTAN: Right now, preparations are in place for the elections. I hope those preparations will be somehow enough to prevent whatever threats or attacks that may come against the Afghan people.
After the elections, there will be a drastic change in the Afghan environment. The Afghan people will psychologically feel much more stronger, much more empowered once they vote their president. This country will see an overnight change in terms of the psychological strength that it will have. And the enemies of Afghanistan will have suffered the most serious defeat so far in the hands of this election.
So, Afghanistan after the election will be a much more solid state, and on a much more stronger foundation, and moving forward towards the future with much more confidence.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AMANPOUR: And that is precisely how he's selling himself to the voters. He's saying, "Look, for the last three years you've had more peace and stability, attention from the international community than in the previous 25 years. And so, vote for me." And that's what he told us again today.
Now, there have been many, many preparations going on, and they have also been sending out the ballot boxes. There are so many far- flung remote parts of Afghanistan that it's almost medieval, really. Some of these ballot boxes are having to go out and return on donkeys and whatever can get through mountain passes and the kind of places which don't have any paved roads or any roads at all.
So, it is a complex process. It's a huge logistical process. But everybody who's organized it and who's involved in it and the voters themselves seem very, very excited about what will be really a historic first this Saturday.
KAGAN: So Christiane, if it's that difficult just to even get a ballot box out to these regions, how does a presidential candidate campaign in a country like that?
AMANPOUR: Well, not very easily at all, and they haven't really been able to go to the regions. Partly -- I mean, for many reasons, but obviously security has been a big issue, because the Taliban has not just threatened Karzai, but they've declared that all the candidates are enemies and all are targets.
So, it's been -- that has been a damper on it. But then, of course, you know, the inexperience of these candidates in voting -- as you say, the logistical hurdles of getting around, the unfamiliarity with actually campaigning and knowing that you need to go out and shake hands with the people, this is all really new.
You know, for the past many years, it's been war that's determined their future, the gun that has got them in power -- or in terms of tribal societies, you know, your basic, "I'm the tribal leader, this is who you're going to vote for." So, the entire process is new, and so has the campaigning been.
KAGAN: Which leads me to my next question: Just how much of the country will the next president really control? How much would that person be in charge of versus the warlords?
AMANPOUR: Well, that is going to be a huge challenge for whoever is the next president. And obviously, Karzai is the front-runner. He's already taken some action by removing one of the warlords, the Ismail Khan, who was the governor of the Herat province.
Now, you know, a lot of people have mixed opinions about that, because in fact, Herat was one of the most prosperous places in Afghanistan and the most stable place in Afghanistan. But they decided that Ismail Kahn was too independent. They accused him of keeping too much of the revenue, not giving it to the central government. They got rid of him.
But it's going to take a lot more effort to get rid of some of the much more dangerous warlords around the country. And I guess they're hoping that a successful election will give anybody who's president a mandate to go out and do that.
KAGAN: Christiane Amanpour from Kabul, Afghanistan. Fascinating. Thank you.
And for all the latest on Afghanistan's elections, visit our continually updated Web site. The address is cnn.com/world.
The Bush administration is defending its decision to go to war in Iraq despite yesterday's report from its own chief weapons inspector. Charles Duelfer yesterday told the Senate panel that Iraq did not have biological or chemical stockpiles and was not pursuing nuclear weapons. President Bush has made both such claims in making his case for war nearly two years ago to the day. Members of the Bush White House say, with or without those weapons, the decision for war was sound and prudent.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: So, Duelfer did not find any stockpiles. We thought there were stockpiles. That was the judgment of the intelligence community of the United States and of many other nations. We've acted on that intelligence for a number of years.
But it turns out there were no active stockpiles that anyone has been able to find yet, but that does not take away from the fact that his intention was clear. The capability that he was going to make sure stayed intact was there. And if anybody wants to bet that when he finally got out from under those sanctions he would not have returned to development of weapons of mass destruction and their production, that's a bet that the president of the United States was not going to take.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: The report supported the administration's claim that Saddam Hussein planned to resume production of weapons once sanctions were lifted by the U.N.
But the issue of intent is not considered a credible argument by two men who once conducted those searches in Iraq. Both had earlier warned that Iraq did not possess the weapons, and both appeared last night on CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCOTT RITTER, FMR. U.N. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: I don't think we can afford to take at face value anything the Bush administration or Bush administration appointees say regarding weapons of mass destruction that paint the Bush administration's decision to go to war in a favorable light.
There is no substantive factually-based data that sustains the notion of intent. We have Charles Duelfer providing speculation, innuendo, hearsay, and rumor, but we don't have a confession from Saddam Hussein or his senior leadership. Void of that, I think we need to question this assertion. DAVID KAY, FMR. U.N. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: Charles Duelfer makes it clear in the report that indeed this is based on -- I don't know if you call it a confession -- a statement Saddam has made to his FBI interrogator and a number of statements which were made actually pre- January to our team from senior Iraqi officials who we interviewed, some of whom are in detention.
The issue is not really whether someone has said this. Saddam had a lot of intentions. Many were delusional. He wanted to become the Saladin of Arabia yet again. But he didn't have that capability. Intentions without capability is not a real threat.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: Don't miss tonight's edition of CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360." That is 7:00 Eastern, 4:00 Pacific right here on CNN.
How about taking a look inside Mount St. Helens? It's straight ahead for you, a view you can only see here on CNN.
And a little girl with cancer vowed to raise $1 million for other pediatric cancer patients. She lost her own battle, but her dream is about to be realized. Her story is straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: Let's take a look at other stories making news coast to coast.
In Baton Rouge, Louisiana, a man on trial for the alleged kidnapping and murder of a six-year-old leapt up in the court and slashed his attorney's face with a razor blade. Earlier in the week, Barbette Williams had threatened to shoot the judge. Williams has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the murder and kidnapping charges.
In Las Vegas, Nevada, a former pro football player is wanted in connection with a drive-by shooting at the home of entertainers Siegfried and Roy. Nevada Police are searching for Cole Ford, a one- time place kicker for the Oakland Raiders. Police have not suggested a motive for the September 21st shooting.
And from Dallas, Texas, plans are in the works to make the site where Lee Harvey Oswald was shot open to the public. The accused assassin of President Kennedy was killed by nightclub owner Jack Ruby in the basement of what was then Dallas Police Headquarters. That building has been closed to the public for decades.
The Mount St. Helens volcano is apparently taking a breather after blowing off some steam earlier this week. Geologists say that an eruption is no longer imminent. But as CNN's Miguel Marquez reports, recent activity at the volcano may only be a warm-up act. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The dome of the volcano -- it is the plug holding back another Mount St. Helens eruption. Studying it gives hints of what's happening below.
LARRY MASTIN, VOLCANOLOGIST: Under the best circumstances, it can tell us the approximate rate at which magma is rising toward the surface.
MARQUEZ: Bruce and Larry Bergman run an aerial mapping business in Portland, Oregon. They've photographed the dome from overhead. The pictures are so detailed, every crack can be measured.
LARRY BERGMAN, BERGMAN PHOTOGRAPHIC SERVICES: You can really see how there had been a lot of pressure pushing up in this area, breaking the ice.
MARQUEZ: Their photos give geologists a three dimensional look at the dome. When Mount St. Helens erupted last Friday, the Bergmans were over head.
BERGMAN: There were geysers of rocks and boulders shooting straight up in the air for about a two-minute period.
MARQUEZ: The pictures they captured that day illustrate the power of millions of pounds of pressure blasting through rock.
BERGMAN: We always have to remember that there's a kind of a time bomb down there.
MARQUEZ: Their office, a twin engine Cessna, offers spectacular views. The rim of the crater, razor sharp.
So far, they witnessed the dome grow, seen a lake spring up as heat from below melts a slice of the glacier surrounding the dome, and they've seen vents break open.
BERGMAN: It's majestic. It's a show of nature's power.
MARQUEZ (on camera): A show of nature's power so far has been a warm-up act. Based on the dome's growth, the main event is expected to be explosive.
Miguel Marquez, CNN, near Mount St. Helens, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: Coming up, you're going to learn about a very little girl who had an amazingly big heart. Just ahead, the legacy of Alex Scott. She worked to raise $1 million for sick children, even as she was losing her own battle with cancer. We'll tell you about an effort to keep her memory and her dream alive.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) KAGAN: You're going to want to learn about today's "Everyday Hero." She's Alexandra Scott, a little girl with lofty goals and an amazing lemonade stand.
She was diagnosed with a rare cancer before her first birthday. Alex opened a lemonade stand at the age of four. Her goal was to raise $1 million to fight childhood cancer. She gained national attention through television appearances, and enlisted children worldwide to join her effort.
Four years later, Alex had amassed $750,000. Sadly, Alex died in August. She was only eight years old. But her amazing dream is living on. She has been named one of Volvo's four life top 10 heroes.
Her mother, Liz Scott, is joining us from New York. Liz, good morning. Thanks for being here with us.
LIZ SCOTT, ALEX'S MOTHER: Good morning, Daryn. Thank you for having me.
KAGAN: The story of your daughter is of a young person, a little person, with a huge spirit and a big heart.
SCOTT: It certainly is. And I mean, I'm just so proud of her and I'm just so honored that she has left this wonderful legacy for us to continue and hopefully help other kids who have cancer.
KAGAN: You have to tell me about the day when she's four years old. Now, a lot of four year olds go to mom and say, "Let's do a lemonade stand," but none -- very few would come up with the kind of goals that she had.
SCOTT: Yeah. She really did come to us and say, "I want to do a lemonade stand. And instead of keeping the money, I'm going to give it to my hospital, because I think it might help them find a cure." And it just was that simple idea that really turned out to be a very profound idea and has turned into a national movement.
KAGAN: And how does one little girl's lemonade stand turn into a national movement?
SCOTT: Through word of mouth, through media. You know, the TV has embraced her story and really helped us spread the word about the cause, raising awareness, raising funds, and keeping her memory alive.
KAGAN: As we mentioned, she passed away just this summer, August 1st, and had accomplished so much in her young life. And yet, there's still more work, according to her dream, that needs to be done.
SCOTT: Yeah. As a matter of fact, her goal this year was to raise $1 million for pediatric cancer research. And shortly before she died, Volvo cars contacted us and told us that they wanted her to know that she would reach that goal.
And this weekend, they're sponsoring a Drive for Life, in conjunction with lemonade stands in all of their retail locations across the country, as a fulfillment of that promise to her. So, it really is a very special weekend for us. We're hoping people will come out and make a donation to the lemonade stands at the Volvo dealers. They can go to volvoforlifeawards.com to find a dealer near them and learn all about it.
KAGAN: And aren't they also doing a deal if you do a test drive, they donate $10?
SCOTT: Yes. In the true Alex spirit, they are having test drives for charity, local charities. So, the lemonade stand funds will go to Alex's Fund, and then each dealership gets to decide who in their community, what charities they want to benefit from test drives. So, it's really going to be special.
KAGAN: And so, the money stays in the community and helps kids there?
SCOTT: Absolutely.
KAGAN: Well, thank you so much for sharing Alex's memory and letting us know exactly how the memory goes on, as well.
SCOTT: Well, thank you for having me.
KAGAN: And good luck with all of that.
SCOTT: Thanks a lot.
KAGAN: Liz Scott, Alex's mom, something -- I'm sure you're proud to have that tag line.
SCOTT: Absolutely.
KAGAN: Absolutely. Thank you so much for joining us.
SCOTT: Thanks.
KAGAN: And we'll take a break. We're back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: It was a moment of grace under pressure during last week's presidential debate. First Lady Laura Bush and Teresa Heinz Kerry checking each other out after showing up in remarkably similar outfits. Last night on "The Tonight Show," Mrs. Bush spoke with Jay Leno about meeting Heinz Kerry.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAY LENO, HOST, "THE TONIGHT SHOW": You've met Teresa Kerry?
LAURA BUSH, FIRST LADY: We met at the debate.
LENO: That was the first time you ever met?
BUSH: That was the first time we've met. LENO: Oh, OK.
BUSH: And I could tell we had a lot in common. We even chose the same color suits to wear for that night.
LENO: That's right. I had a joke, but I didn't do it. I can't remember what it was. But that's right. You had the same outfit?
BUSH: Yeah, exactly. So, now I just want to announce today, let people know I'm going to be wearing a blue suit on Friday night.
LENO: Blue.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: OK. We'll be watching. Mrs. Bush has claimed the blue. We'll be watching on Friday night.
(WEATHER REPORT)
KAGAN: All right, Orelon, thank you for that.
If you have taken a hard look at Senator John Kerry lately, you might be asking what's that yellow bracelet the senator's wearing? In our next hour, we'll tell you why it is all the rage.
And an independent film that's creating its own craze. I'll talk to the director of "What the Bleep Do We Know?" Trust me, you have never seen a movie like this one.
The second hour of CNN LIVE TODAY begins right now.
We kick off the hour with a look at what is happening now in the news.
Oil prices hit the $53 a barrel mark today for the first time. U.S. light crude future spiked to the record level as trading opened this morning. Concern about tight supplies of heating oil this winter contributing to the price spike.
Vice President Dick Cheney had to contend with protesters during a campaign event in Miami this morning. The protesters were supporters of Ralph Nader. Here's how Vice President Cheney responded to the disruption.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DICK CHENEY (R), VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Treat them with kindness, maybe we can convert them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
U.S. and Iraqi forces say they've arrested 20 people in the northern city of Mosul. Iraqi police also said they foiled a roadside bomb attack after finding explosive devices under a police vehicle. The raids are part of a larger effort to root out insurgents. State police in New Jersey say a car explosion this morning does not appear to be linked to terrorism. They suspect it stemmed from a domestic dispute. One person was killed in the blast in Weehawken, New Jersey. Police say the car apparently contained some kind of explosive device.
We are just seconds away from 11:00 a.m. on the east coast and 8:00 a.m. on the west coast. From the CNN Center in Atlanta, good morning, once again. I'm Daryn Kagan.
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 October 7, 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: Afghanistan's president is shrugging off yesterday's failed assassination attempt on his running mate and vowing that Saturday's historic election will go on, despite Taliban threats against anyone who takes part.
CNN chief international correspondent Christiane Amanpour sat down for an interview with Hamid Karzai and joins us from Kabul with more. Christiane, hello.
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, hello.
And I did, indeed, talk to him this afternoon. And it was after we received reports of yet more violence. For instance in Gardez, not too far from Kabul, we're told that there was an improvised explosive device that had exploded and that it wounded two Americans and an Afghan. So, this is just the latest.
But transitional President Hamid Karzai, who wants the country now to elect him the president, is saying that despite all the violence, he believes that an election could help tamp it down afterwards.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRESIDENT HAMID KARZAI, AFGHANISTAN: Right now, preparations are in place for the elections. I hope those preparations will be somehow enough to prevent whatever threats or attacks that may come against the Afghan people.
After the elections, there will be a drastic change in the Afghan environment. The Afghan people will psychologically feel much more stronger, much more empowered once they vote their president. This country will see an overnight change in terms of the psychological strength that it will have. And the enemies of Afghanistan will have suffered the most serious defeat so far in the hands of this election.
So, Afghanistan after the election will be a much more solid state, and on a much more stronger foundation, and moving forward towards the future with much more confidence.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AMANPOUR: And that is precisely how he's selling himself to the voters. He's saying, "Look, for the last three years you've had more peace and stability, attention from the international community than in the previous 25 years. And so, vote for me." And that's what he told us again today.
Now, there have been many, many preparations going on, and they have also been sending out the ballot boxes. There are so many far- flung remote parts of Afghanistan that it's almost medieval, really. Some of these ballot boxes are having to go out and return on donkeys and whatever can get through mountain passes and the kind of places which don't have any paved roads or any roads at all.
So, it is a complex process. It's a huge logistical process. But everybody who's organized it and who's involved in it and the voters themselves seem very, very excited about what will be really a historic first this Saturday.
KAGAN: So Christiane, if it's that difficult just to even get a ballot box out to these regions, how does a presidential candidate campaign in a country like that?
AMANPOUR: Well, not very easily at all, and they haven't really been able to go to the regions. Partly -- I mean, for many reasons, but obviously security has been a big issue, because the Taliban has not just threatened Karzai, but they've declared that all the candidates are enemies and all are targets.
So, it's been -- that has been a damper on it. But then, of course, you know, the inexperience of these candidates in voting -- as you say, the logistical hurdles of getting around, the unfamiliarity with actually campaigning and knowing that you need to go out and shake hands with the people, this is all really new.
You know, for the past many years, it's been war that's determined their future, the gun that has got them in power -- or in terms of tribal societies, you know, your basic, "I'm the tribal leader, this is who you're going to vote for." So, the entire process is new, and so has the campaigning been.
KAGAN: Which leads me to my next question: Just how much of the country will the next president really control? How much would that person be in charge of versus the warlords?
AMANPOUR: Well, that is going to be a huge challenge for whoever is the next president. And obviously, Karzai is the front-runner. He's already taken some action by removing one of the warlords, the Ismail Khan, who was the governor of the Herat province.
Now, you know, a lot of people have mixed opinions about that, because in fact, Herat was one of the most prosperous places in Afghanistan and the most stable place in Afghanistan. But they decided that Ismail Kahn was too independent. They accused him of keeping too much of the revenue, not giving it to the central government. They got rid of him.
But it's going to take a lot more effort to get rid of some of the much more dangerous warlords around the country. And I guess they're hoping that a successful election will give anybody who's president a mandate to go out and do that.
KAGAN: Christiane Amanpour from Kabul, Afghanistan. Fascinating. Thank you.
And for all the latest on Afghanistan's elections, visit our continually updated Web site. The address is cnn.com/world.
The Bush administration is defending its decision to go to war in Iraq despite yesterday's report from its own chief weapons inspector. Charles Duelfer yesterday told the Senate panel that Iraq did not have biological or chemical stockpiles and was not pursuing nuclear weapons. President Bush has made both such claims in making his case for war nearly two years ago to the day. Members of the Bush White House say, with or without those weapons, the decision for war was sound and prudent.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
COLIN POWELL, SECRETARY OF STATE: So, Duelfer did not find any stockpiles. We thought there were stockpiles. That was the judgment of the intelligence community of the United States and of many other nations. We've acted on that intelligence for a number of years.
But it turns out there were no active stockpiles that anyone has been able to find yet, but that does not take away from the fact that his intention was clear. The capability that he was going to make sure stayed intact was there. And if anybody wants to bet that when he finally got out from under those sanctions he would not have returned to development of weapons of mass destruction and their production, that's a bet that the president of the United States was not going to take.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: The report supported the administration's claim that Saddam Hussein planned to resume production of weapons once sanctions were lifted by the U.N.
But the issue of intent is not considered a credible argument by two men who once conducted those searches in Iraq. Both had earlier warned that Iraq did not possess the weapons, and both appeared last night on CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SCOTT RITTER, FMR. U.N. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: I don't think we can afford to take at face value anything the Bush administration or Bush administration appointees say regarding weapons of mass destruction that paint the Bush administration's decision to go to war in a favorable light.
There is no substantive factually-based data that sustains the notion of intent. We have Charles Duelfer providing speculation, innuendo, hearsay, and rumor, but we don't have a confession from Saddam Hussein or his senior leadership. Void of that, I think we need to question this assertion. DAVID KAY, FMR. U.N. WEAPONS INSPECTOR: Charles Duelfer makes it clear in the report that indeed this is based on -- I don't know if you call it a confession -- a statement Saddam has made to his FBI interrogator and a number of statements which were made actually pre- January to our team from senior Iraqi officials who we interviewed, some of whom are in detention.
The issue is not really whether someone has said this. Saddam had a lot of intentions. Many were delusional. He wanted to become the Saladin of Arabia yet again. But he didn't have that capability. Intentions without capability is not a real threat.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: Don't miss tonight's edition of CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360." That is 7:00 Eastern, 4:00 Pacific right here on CNN.
How about taking a look inside Mount St. Helens? It's straight ahead for you, a view you can only see here on CNN.
And a little girl with cancer vowed to raise $1 million for other pediatric cancer patients. She lost her own battle, but her dream is about to be realized. Her story is straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(STOCK MARKET REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: Let's take a look at other stories making news coast to coast.
In Baton Rouge, Louisiana, a man on trial for the alleged kidnapping and murder of a six-year-old leapt up in the court and slashed his attorney's face with a razor blade. Earlier in the week, Barbette Williams had threatened to shoot the judge. Williams has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the murder and kidnapping charges.
In Las Vegas, Nevada, a former pro football player is wanted in connection with a drive-by shooting at the home of entertainers Siegfried and Roy. Nevada Police are searching for Cole Ford, a one- time place kicker for the Oakland Raiders. Police have not suggested a motive for the September 21st shooting.
And from Dallas, Texas, plans are in the works to make the site where Lee Harvey Oswald was shot open to the public. The accused assassin of President Kennedy was killed by nightclub owner Jack Ruby in the basement of what was then Dallas Police Headquarters. That building has been closed to the public for decades.
The Mount St. Helens volcano is apparently taking a breather after blowing off some steam earlier this week. Geologists say that an eruption is no longer imminent. But as CNN's Miguel Marquez reports, recent activity at the volcano may only be a warm-up act. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The dome of the volcano -- it is the plug holding back another Mount St. Helens eruption. Studying it gives hints of what's happening below.
LARRY MASTIN, VOLCANOLOGIST: Under the best circumstances, it can tell us the approximate rate at which magma is rising toward the surface.
MARQUEZ: Bruce and Larry Bergman run an aerial mapping business in Portland, Oregon. They've photographed the dome from overhead. The pictures are so detailed, every crack can be measured.
LARRY BERGMAN, BERGMAN PHOTOGRAPHIC SERVICES: You can really see how there had been a lot of pressure pushing up in this area, breaking the ice.
MARQUEZ: Their photos give geologists a three dimensional look at the dome. When Mount St. Helens erupted last Friday, the Bergmans were over head.
BERGMAN: There were geysers of rocks and boulders shooting straight up in the air for about a two-minute period.
MARQUEZ: The pictures they captured that day illustrate the power of millions of pounds of pressure blasting through rock.
BERGMAN: We always have to remember that there's a kind of a time bomb down there.
MARQUEZ: Their office, a twin engine Cessna, offers spectacular views. The rim of the crater, razor sharp.
So far, they witnessed the dome grow, seen a lake spring up as heat from below melts a slice of the glacier surrounding the dome, and they've seen vents break open.
BERGMAN: It's majestic. It's a show of nature's power.
MARQUEZ (on camera): A show of nature's power so far has been a warm-up act. Based on the dome's growth, the main event is expected to be explosive.
Miguel Marquez, CNN, near Mount St. Helens, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KAGAN: Coming up, you're going to learn about a very little girl who had an amazingly big heart. Just ahead, the legacy of Alex Scott. She worked to raise $1 million for sick children, even as she was losing her own battle with cancer. We'll tell you about an effort to keep her memory and her dream alive.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) KAGAN: You're going to want to learn about today's "Everyday Hero." She's Alexandra Scott, a little girl with lofty goals and an amazing lemonade stand.
She was diagnosed with a rare cancer before her first birthday. Alex opened a lemonade stand at the age of four. Her goal was to raise $1 million to fight childhood cancer. She gained national attention through television appearances, and enlisted children worldwide to join her effort.
Four years later, Alex had amassed $750,000. Sadly, Alex died in August. She was only eight years old. But her amazing dream is living on. She has been named one of Volvo's four life top 10 heroes.
Her mother, Liz Scott, is joining us from New York. Liz, good morning. Thanks for being here with us.
LIZ SCOTT, ALEX'S MOTHER: Good morning, Daryn. Thank you for having me.
KAGAN: The story of your daughter is of a young person, a little person, with a huge spirit and a big heart.
SCOTT: It certainly is. And I mean, I'm just so proud of her and I'm just so honored that she has left this wonderful legacy for us to continue and hopefully help other kids who have cancer.
KAGAN: You have to tell me about the day when she's four years old. Now, a lot of four year olds go to mom and say, "Let's do a lemonade stand," but none -- very few would come up with the kind of goals that she had.
SCOTT: Yeah. She really did come to us and say, "I want to do a lemonade stand. And instead of keeping the money, I'm going to give it to my hospital, because I think it might help them find a cure." And it just was that simple idea that really turned out to be a very profound idea and has turned into a national movement.
KAGAN: And how does one little girl's lemonade stand turn into a national movement?
SCOTT: Through word of mouth, through media. You know, the TV has embraced her story and really helped us spread the word about the cause, raising awareness, raising funds, and keeping her memory alive.
KAGAN: As we mentioned, she passed away just this summer, August 1st, and had accomplished so much in her young life. And yet, there's still more work, according to her dream, that needs to be done.
SCOTT: Yeah. As a matter of fact, her goal this year was to raise $1 million for pediatric cancer research. And shortly before she died, Volvo cars contacted us and told us that they wanted her to know that she would reach that goal.
And this weekend, they're sponsoring a Drive for Life, in conjunction with lemonade stands in all of their retail locations across the country, as a fulfillment of that promise to her. So, it really is a very special weekend for us. We're hoping people will come out and make a donation to the lemonade stands at the Volvo dealers. They can go to volvoforlifeawards.com to find a dealer near them and learn all about it.
KAGAN: And aren't they also doing a deal if you do a test drive, they donate $10?
SCOTT: Yes. In the true Alex spirit, they are having test drives for charity, local charities. So, the lemonade stand funds will go to Alex's Fund, and then each dealership gets to decide who in their community, what charities they want to benefit from test drives. So, it's really going to be special.
KAGAN: And so, the money stays in the community and helps kids there?
SCOTT: Absolutely.
KAGAN: Well, thank you so much for sharing Alex's memory and letting us know exactly how the memory goes on, as well.
SCOTT: Well, thank you for having me.
KAGAN: And good luck with all of that.
SCOTT: Thanks a lot.
KAGAN: Liz Scott, Alex's mom, something -- I'm sure you're proud to have that tag line.
SCOTT: Absolutely.
KAGAN: Absolutely. Thank you so much for joining us.
SCOTT: Thanks.
KAGAN: And we'll take a break. We're back after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KAGAN: It was a moment of grace under pressure during last week's presidential debate. First Lady Laura Bush and Teresa Heinz Kerry checking each other out after showing up in remarkably similar outfits. Last night on "The Tonight Show," Mrs. Bush spoke with Jay Leno about meeting Heinz Kerry.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAY LENO, HOST, "THE TONIGHT SHOW": You've met Teresa Kerry?
LAURA BUSH, FIRST LADY: We met at the debate.
LENO: That was the first time you ever met?
BUSH: That was the first time we've met. LENO: Oh, OK.
BUSH: And I could tell we had a lot in common. We even chose the same color suits to wear for that night.
LENO: That's right. I had a joke, but I didn't do it. I can't remember what it was. But that's right. You had the same outfit?
BUSH: Yeah, exactly. So, now I just want to announce today, let people know I'm going to be wearing a blue suit on Friday night.
LENO: Blue.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KAGAN: OK. We'll be watching. Mrs. Bush has claimed the blue. We'll be watching on Friday night.
(WEATHER REPORT)
KAGAN: All right, Orelon, thank you for that.
If you have taken a hard look at Senator John Kerry lately, you might be asking what's that yellow bracelet the senator's wearing? In our next hour, we'll tell you why it is all the rage.
And an independent film that's creating its own craze. I'll talk to the director of "What the Bleep Do We Know?" Trust me, you have never seen a movie like this one.
The second hour of CNN LIVE TODAY begins right now.
We kick off the hour with a look at what is happening now in the news.
Oil prices hit the $53 a barrel mark today for the first time. U.S. light crude future spiked to the record level as trading opened this morning. Concern about tight supplies of heating oil this winter contributing to the price spike.
Vice President Dick Cheney had to contend with protesters during a campaign event in Miami this morning. The protesters were supporters of Ralph Nader. Here's how Vice President Cheney responded to the disruption.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DICK CHENEY (R), VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Treat them with kindness, maybe we can convert them.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
U.S. and Iraqi forces say they've arrested 20 people in the northern city of Mosul. Iraqi police also said they foiled a roadside bomb attack after finding explosive devices under a police vehicle. The raids are part of a larger effort to root out insurgents. State police in New Jersey say a car explosion this morning does not appear to be linked to terrorism. They suspect it stemmed from a domestic dispute. One person was killed in the blast in Weehawken, New Jersey. Police say the car apparently contained some kind of explosive device.
We are just seconds away from 11:00 a.m. on the east coast and 8:00 a.m. on the west coast. From the CNN Center in Atlanta, good morning, once again. I'm Daryn Kagan.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
