Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

Bush Meets with Homeland Security Council; Mandatory Evacuation in Florida Keys

Aired September 19, 2005 - 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: Welcome back. I'm Daryn Kagan.
Once again, we want to call your attention to the left side of your screen. CNN has teamed up with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to bring you the faces of children that are still missing or displaced in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. And since we've launched this initiative on Saturday morning, calls to the center have tripled. Even more importantly, 23 cases have been resolved.

Let's take a look at what's happening "Now in the News."

Hurricane shelters are opening today in Key West and Miami-Dade County. Tropical Storm Rita gathering strength and bearing down on the Florida Keys. Forecasters say it's likely to be a Category 1 hurricane later today. The big fear looms later this week. Rita appears headed down the storm-ravaged Gulf Coast, and could be a Category 3 hurricane by then.

In world news, North Korea says it will stop building nuclear weapons and vows to allow international inspectors to confirm that pledge. In return, the U.S. and other countries are promising energy assistance and economic cooperation. The deal was hammered out after two years of talks involving six nations.

Two former executives with Tyco International face up to 30 years in prison as their sentencing hearing gets under way in New York City. In June, Dennis Kozlowski and Mark Swartz were found guilty of stealing millions of dollars from the company to finance their lavish lifestyles. Lawyers predict neither man will be given leniency.

American motorists welcome some more good news at the pumps this weekend. AAA Motor Club saying today's average price for self-serve unleaded is down eight cents from Friday. The national average now stands at $2.81 a gallon.

Well, this is just what the hurricane-battered Gulf Coast does not need, another big storm to worry about. Updating our top story, hurricane warnings are up and mandatory evacuation orders are now in place in the Florida Keys, as Tropical Storm Rita churns toward that area. Authorities ordered tourists out of the island chain yesterday. As a precaution. Governor Jeb Bush has declared a state of emergency. That gives the state authority to oversee evacuations and to activate the National Guard.

Rita, by the way, is the 17th named storm of this year's Atlantic hurricane season, and it's third tropical system to emerge in the Atlantic in the last two weeks.

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: Katrina slammed into New Orleans and the Mississippi and Alabama Gulf Coast three weeks ago today. The latest now on the aftermath. The federal official leading hurricane relief efforts in New Orleans says he is worried about bringing so many people back into the city right now, but Mayor Ray Nagin is allowing people to return to parts of New Orleans.

Coast Guard Vice Admiral Thad Allen is urging Nagin not to rush people back into areas where basic services -- we're talking things like clean water, telephone, 911 service -- are not in place. Allen and Nagin do plan on meeting later today.

Three weeks after Katrina struck, troops are going house to house in New Orleans to find out more about the looting that took place right after the storm. Among things that they have found -- automatic teller machines, bags of ammunition and car parts. A church-run assisted living home was full of bicycles, stereos and clothing.

All week long, we're focusing on parts of the New Orleans area where victims of the storm are getting a chance to go home. The Algiers section. It is zip code 70114. It's our focus today. It's on the West Bank of the Mississippi River, across from the famed French Quarter. In Algiers, damage from Hurricane Katrina came from the storm's winds, not the water. The area did not flood like the rest of New Orleans.

And we are now standing by -- we are now standing by for a tape. President Bush today meeting with his Homeland Security Council in the cabinet room. Some tapes shot in that. And we are going to be getting that any minute. We understood that President Bush addressed and answered questions about North Korea, which is definitely in the news today. Hurricane Katrina, the aftermath. Also about Afghanistan.

All right. And most importantly, off the top there, North Korea -- we haven't talked a lot about that today, but making news today. North Korea in negotiations with number of countries, including the United States, agreeing, at least for now, to suspend its nuclear operations. But there is not a timetable on that and still some measures to be negotiated.

Let's go ahead and listen to the tape. This is President Bush at the White House.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Just met with my Homeland Security Council to discuss ongoing relief efforts in the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina.

I have made it clear that I believe it's a national security matter for people to review emergency plans. And so therefore I've instructed Secretary Chertoff and folks around this table to work with our local counterparts to make sure that we've got emergency plans in place that will deal with significant disaster. And for the local folks, I urge them to cooperate in the review of these plans. It's important.

Secondly, one of the things that I heard loud and clear on my travels down there was that people are concerned about red tape. And one of the big concerns for the mayors and the governor of Mississippi in particular and the mayors along the Gulf Coast was this issue about debris removal. Who's responsible? How can we get it done in an effective way?

And I want to thank the secretary for working with Governor Barbour on this issue to expedite a process by which we can start getting some of this debris removed from a part of our country that was just wiped out by this storm. I mean, there are piles and piles of homes and buildings just in rubble.

And in order to help this region get rebuilt, first things first, and that's to get rid of the debris. And so we have a plan in place to cut through the red tape and get this done in an effective way.

On a couple other matters, one, I want to congratulate the people of Afghanistan for showing up at the polls and defying the Taliban and those who threaten their lives and say, look, you know, these people supported democracy. And it's just another step on their road toward a stable democracy, and we congratulate them.

And as well, I want to welcome the comments of OPEC and non-OPEC nations talking about making sure they get enough supply on the markets to help, hopefully, affect the world price of crude oil. I have been concerned about the price at the pump that our folks are paying.

Part of that was caused by the disruptions of Hurricane Katrina. We dealt with that by suspending rules and regulations that enabled us to import more gasoline. But part of the cost of gasoline is a result of high crude oil prices, and one way to affect those prices is to conserve, and the other way is to encourage increased supply. And so I want to thank those countries that are trying to figure out how to get more supply on the market to help relieve some of the pressure.

I'd be glad to answer some questions.

QUESTION: Mayor Nagin in New Orleans has invited the people to start returning to that city, and there are lots of federal officials who feel that it's not safe to do so. Do you feel like you need to step in?

BUSH: Well, we have made our position very clear. Admiral Allen has made the position very clear of this government. And that is, we share the goal of the mayor but we have got concerns. There are environmental concerns, which Administrator Johnson shared with us today.

Let me give you a real concern that I think everybody ought to pay attention to and that is this Tropical Storm Rita, which now looks like it's going to head out into the Gulf and could track Katrina or it could head further to the west. But nevertheless, there is deep concern about this storm causing more flooding in New Orleans. And so Admiral Allen has reflected the concerns of this administration.

And we want to work with the mayor. The mayor is working hard. The mayor -- you know, he's got this dream about having a city up and running, and we share that dream. But we also want to be realistic about some of the hurdles and obstacles that we all confront in repopulating New Orleans.

QUESTION: Have you expressed that concern yourself to the mayor?

BUSH: Well, I just did -- as well. Absolutely.

Secretary -- "secretary," I'm calling him -- Andy Card, former secretary and now Chief of Staff Card is reaching out to him -- has reached out to him earlier.

But listen, Admiral Allen is our man on the ground. Admiral Allen speaks for the administration. And he is -- and the mayor knows our position. But I repeat: The mayor needs to hear him. So do the people of New Orleans.

Our objective -- listen, I went there and stood in Jackson Square to say, "We want this city to reemerge." As I said, I can't imagine America without a vibrant New Orleans. It's just a matter of timing. And there's issues to be dealt with.

And again, if it were to rain a lot, there is concern from the Army Corps of Engineers that the levees might break. And so, therefore, we're cautious about encouraging people to return at this moment of history, you know.

QUESTION: Given what you've said in the past on North Korea's record of noncompliance, what makes you think that this time North Korea will abandon its pursuit of nuclear weapons?

BUSH: Five nations in working with North Korea have come up with a formula which we all hope works. Five nations have spoken and said it is not in the world's interests that North Korea have a nuclear weapon.

And now there's a way forward. And part of the way forward is for the North Koreans to understand that we're serious about this and that we expect there to be a verifiable process.

In other words, they have said, in principle, that they will abandon their weapons programs. And what we have said is, "Great. That's a wonderful step forward. But now we've got to verify whether or not that happens."

It was a positive step yesterday. I mean, it was a step forward in making this world a more secure place. And I want to thank our other partners in the six-party dialogue about working together.

The question is, over time, will all parties adhere to the agreement?

Thank you.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: President Bush answering questions at the White House just a few minutes ago, talking about a breakthrough in talks over nuclear arms with the North Koreans, also talking about his fears about what is now Tropical Storm Rita if it comes as a hurricane, possibly slamming into the Gulf Coast, which of course has already been devastated by Hurricane Katrina.

Much more on North Korea ahead, by the way.

KAGAN: Their home turf was wiped out. Their spirit certainly wasn't. Up next, we're going to look at the NFL's New Orleans Saints. Their the home team tonight, against the New York Giants, but you're not going to find them at the Superdome. We're going to tell you where, coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: So stay with me here, even if you're not a sports fan. This is interesting. The New Orleans Saints are on the road and in transition. They're playing their scheduled Sunday home game a day late and a half country away because of Hurricane Katrina. Tonight's matchup with the New York Giants is the first time the NFL has played two Monday night games, and the league will use extraordinary circumstances for a telethon, with Hall-of-Famers answering the phones.

Our Senior correspondent Allan Chernoff outside the stadium in Eat Rutherford, New Jersey, Giants Stadium.

Good morning.

ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN SR. CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Daryn.

And if you ever wanted the chance to talk to Bart Starr or John Elway, this is the chance to have that possibility. They'll be among the Hall-of-Famers answering the telephones tonight during the telethon. This is all the culmination of the NFL's hurricane relief weekend. Among the performers tonight also will be Harry Connick Jr. and Branford Marsalis, the natives of New Orleans. The NFL owners and players have already contributed $10 million, and they've hoping that fans will chip in with millions more.

Now of course, the Saints were supposed to have played their game against the Giants yesterday at the Superdome. It was the NFL commissioner that made the decision to move the game up here, and the Saints actually were not very happy about that at all. In fact, they rejected the request by the commissioner to address the team just before last week's game against Carolina. The Saints ended up winning that game in the final minute, 23-20, on a field goal. So very exciting and very inspired victory for the team. They are now pumped up, and they're being talked up now as America's team, sort of taking over that mantle from the Dallas Cowboys, which was certainly how they were known during the '80s.

The Giants here, they're going to do whatever they can to make the Saints feel at home, at least until kickoff. The logo of the team is being painted on the field. They've brought over about 600 victims to watch the game. So certainly they're trying to make this a little bit of a French Quarter here in the Meadowlands, which is really a swamp area of New Jersey, but it certainly is not home for the Saints. They'll be playing the rest of their home games either in Baton Rouge or in San Antonio -- Daryn.

KAGAN: But when most folks turn on Monday Night Football tonight, they're going to see Cowboys/Redskins?

CHERNOFF: First, they'll see this game. This game is going to start early, at 7:30. So until that later game, they'll be watching this one and, of course, here in the New York region, around New Orleans, they'll stick with this game, but later on, they'll switch to the originally scheduled Monday night game.

KAGAN: All right. Well, let's hope a lot of folks are ready for football, and some football after that as well.

Allan Chernoff, thank you.

After the break, reporting amongst the ruin. It was the only New Orleans television station not knocked off the air after Hurricane Katrina. Today it's still going strong, but it has taken a toll. WWL's story of covering the story. That's next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: As New Orleans rode out Hurricane Katrina, television station WWL was able to stay on the air around the clock. The station and staff were heavily impacted by the storm, but they're not letting that interfere with their mission, despite being away from the city they serve.

Our Alina Cho has that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): On this day...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean, city hall is high and dry.

CHO: ... New Orleans' TV situation WWL is marking its 48th birthday.

SANDY BRELAND, WWL NEWS DIRECTOR: We would set for -- to city hall.

CHO: Though she'll tell you she's far younger, it's news director Sandy Breland's birthday, too, and she's celebrating with it with her other family, her staff.

BRELAND: I think it's because when we're working, we know it's due. And when we're not working, it's like, where do you start? We're just like everyone else.

CHO: Three quarters of the WWL staff lost everything during Hurricane Katrina, yet no one here is thinking about that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've got a crew headed down to Saint Bernard this morning.

CHO: WWL was on the air 24/7 during the storm and immediately after, the only media outlet to broadcast. Its competitors were knocked off the air but WWL had an emergency broadcasting facility in a high and dry area.

BRELAND: Our building, our facility is in the heart of the French Quarter. And we knew that if New Orleans took a direct hit, we couldn't operate out of that building.

CHO: When the levees broke, that building was immersed in four feet of water, but WWL planned for that, too, moving the staff for the foreseeable future to Baton Rouge, where it now operates out of the public broadcasting facility.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Roll four, track four.

CHO: Breland calls this the story of their lives.

BRELAND: We've covered so many stories, so many hurricanes, and so many storms, but it was always someone else. This time it was us. It was our city. It was our homes. It was our families.

CHO: Many staffers are native to New Orleans, like assignment manager Greg Phillips.

GREG PHILLIPS, WWL ASSIGNMENT MANAGER: I mean, I have a very close relationship to the city. Like it's -- I mean, it's a big part of me. And -- sorry.

CHO: A big reason why this staff continues to work without sleep, without knowing when they'll be able to go home again. Breland says, these days she's not just a boss, she's a counselor.

BRELAND: We hug and we cry, I have never cried with so many people and hugged so many people. And they're my family and I just tell them it's going to be better.

CHO: For now the WWL staff continues to do what it does best. And Breland says the city of New Orleans has never needed them more.

Alina Cho, CNN, Baton Rouge.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: We wish you well in continuing that mission, WWL. Ahead in our next hour of CNN LIVE TODAY, we're going to get an update on Max Mayfield at the National Hurricane Center on the path of Tropical Storm Rita and find out what role Hurricane Katrina played at last night's Emmy awards. The second hour of CNN LIVE TODAY will begin after the quick break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Let's a take a look at what's happening right "Now in the News."

It is a busy day for President Bush. He has held a Homeland Security Council meeting at the White House cabinet room. We saw tape from this just a few minutes ago. Among the key items on the agenda, Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts. Mr. Bush is attending a meeting on federal election reform. And later today at the White House, Mr. Bush meets with the prime minister of Thailand.

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