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Homecoming Day for Some New Orleans Residents; General Richard Myers Retires

Aired September 30, 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: We are right at the half hour. Good morning once again. I'm Daryn Kagan. Here's a look what's happening "Now in the News."
Live pictures from Fort Myer, Virginia. A farewell tribute going on right now for retiring General Richard Myers in Fort Myer, Virginia. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is hosting the ceremony for the outgoing chief's chairman. President Bush also attending there. Myers is retiring after 40 years in military. Marine General Peter Pace is replacing Myers as joint chief chairman. And at this part in the ceremony, that transition of power has just taken place.

Also in the news today, gas prices are on the rise again. The numbers may be a little different where you live, but AAA reports the average price of a gallon of average price, about $2.84. That Thursday price is three cents a gallon higher than Wednesday. The increase may be due to concern over hurricane damage to Gulf Coast refineries.

The Senate wants $4 billion to thwart a potential threat of avian flu in humans. The amendment passed unanimously Thursday. Three billion dollars will be used to stockpile the anti-viral drug Tamaflu. The rest of the money would go to resources for the Centers for Disease Control. The amendment was added to a defense funding bill that is making its way through Congress.

It is homecoming today for residents of a number of New Orleans neighborhoods. Under Mayor Ray Nagin's plan, residents of eight zip codes are allowed to return today. Business owners in those zip codes were let in Thursday.

CNN's Dan Lothian is in New Orleans with more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (on camera): As people return to their homes today, they will not only find differences from zip code to zip code, but also within the same zip code. For example, on this street here, you do see a lot of debris, but the homes appear to be intact. Just go across the street. This home, which we're told was being renovated, it was gutted, it collapsed during the storm.

And we were talking the some people who actually returned before they were given permission to return. They said they wanted to sneak back in to check on their properties. One man told us that he has a lot of roof damage and he's concerned that his roof could collapse. Now, officials are very concerned about the health and the safety of the residents who are returning, not only from the structure point of view -- there will be tags on structures -- so if they have any problems with roof, potential roof collapse or also structural problems where the foundation may have shifted, they're warned that they have to make those houses sound before they can move back in.

Also, the health concerns from the point of view that the water, what's in the ground, what's in the air. Right now we know that you can take a shower with the water, but residents are being advised that they should not drink the water. And, of course, a lot of concern about what is in the soil, what is in the air, what's in that dust that's being kicked up throughout the clean-up process.

Some 200,000 or so residents expected to return to their homes. The mayor warning all of those residents that they should return at their own risk.

Dan Lothian, CNN, New Orleans.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Now a story you're going to hear a lot of folks talking about today. A member of the Bush cabinet has sparked outrage with comments that he made about the future racial makeup of New Orleans. According to "The Houston Chronicle," housing secretary Alfonso Jackson says he believes New Orleans may never again have an African- American majority. Jackson said since many of the displaced black residents are poor, they have little reason to return. Jackson also took issue with comments made by Jesse Jackson and other black leaders, saying they unnecessarily injected race into the heavily criticized government response to the crisis.

Now, here's a pledge from the man they call Mr. Mardi Gras: the show will go on. Blaine Kern says his five decades of experience assure that the colorful floats will be ready to roll for the February celebration. But he says he can't vouch for the readiness of parade organizers and costume makers. Many have scattered because their homes were damaged or destroyed in the storm.

Beginning today, residents can return to their homes in Calcasieu Parish. They have to leave before nightfall. The so-called look and leave plan allows storm victims to assess damage and gather some belongings. Anyone staying past 7:00 p.m. curfew risks up to six months in jail. There still is no water, electricity or gas service in that parish.

It will be a grim bottom line for Louisiana lawmakers today. A combined House and Senate budget panel will be briefed on Katrina and Rita's impact on state coffers and the current budget that's only three months old. Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco says 41 percent of the state's companies are closed or displaced and not funneling tax revenue into the government.

FEMA has scrapped its controversial plan to distribute $2,000 debit card plans -- cards to Katrina victims. Instead, the federal agency this week started doling out housing allocations of $2,358. Unlike the debit cards, which could be spent on virtually anything, this new program can only be used for housing. Federal officials say they're hoping it will speed victim's transitions from temporary shelters to more permanent housing.

As for Hurricane Rita, the preliminary death toll in Texas has topped 100. That's an unofficial Associated Press count, and it shows more than half were killed before the storm made landfall. An estimated 60 people died while evacuating the Texas coast. That includes the 23 senior citizens who died on a bus that exploded outside of Dallas.

We're going to head back to Virginia in just a minute as the farewell ceremony for the Joint Chiefs Chairman Richard Myers -- you see Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld speaking at that. We will have more from there. President Bush will also be speaking. All of that is just ahead after this break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: We've been watching a ceremony taking place at Fort Myer, Virginia. It is the farewell ceremony for Richard Myers, the outgoing chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. It's also a hail (ph) ceremony for Peter Pace, who will be stepping into that job. And in fact, as we saw earlier, that transition of power has already taken place.

Before he took place in the ceremony, General Myers had a talk with our Miles O'Brien. Let's listen to a little bit of that from earlier today.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: I got to say, I'm having a hard time seeing the signs of success. We don't have much evidence that the Iraqis are stepping up to the plate. The U.S. is having to provide whatever security there is. We're approaching now 2,000 fatalities, lost U.S. men and women. And I see -- what I see are an increased spate of violence, and I see a country on the cusp of civil war. How is that success?

GEN. RICHARD MYERS, JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF: Well, I think there's nobody that thinks they're on the cusp of civil war.

O'BRIEN: Really?

MYERS: The Shia community -- no, of course not, Miles. The Shia community is not at war. The violent Sunni extremists. There are four provinces in Iraq and the city of Baghdad, a very important place, obviously, where the violence occurs. It does not occur in the rest of the country.

There has been -- we've had elections. That is progress. We're going to have a -- we have a draft constitution. That is progress. We have a constitutional referendum coming up. Even the Sunnis -- I mean, we're talking about 80 or 90 percent of the Iraqi population, according to polls, say they're going to vote in the constitutional referendum and then they'll vote in the national elections that follow in a couple of months. That is progress.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: We go live now to Fort Meyer, Virginia. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is speaking at the farewell ceremony for General Myers.

Let's listen in.

(JOINED IN PROGRESS)

DONALD RUMSFELD, SECY. OF DEFENSE: So that our children and theirs will be able to live to see a world where terror is surrendered to a new morning of freedom and peace. Ladies and gentlemen, it is a privilege and an honor to introduce that stalwart leader, our commander in chief, President George W. Bush.

(APPLAUSE)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF UNITED STATES: Thank you for the warm welcome. It is a pleasure to join you in paying tribute to a fine American and a superb chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dick Myers. I'm glad to see the Myers family here. Dick's great wife, Mary Joe, their children, Rich, Nicole and Erin, their grandchildren, Sophie (ph) and Cole. I know those grandkids are proud of their grandfather today. I want you to know, kids, you're joined by the commander in chief and the American people.

Today we also honor the outstanding Marine succeeding General Myers as chairman, General Pete Pace. I'm glad that Pete's family has joined was today, his wife, Lynne, their daughter, Tiffany, their son, Lieutenant Pete pace, and the general's brothers, Tom, and, Simone, as well as sister, Elizabeth, and his mom, Doris.

I have come to know Pete Pace well during his time as the vice chairman. I appreciate his wisdom and commitment to serve, and I look forward to having Pete by my side in the years ahead.

I appreciate the vice president for being here. Mr. Secretary, thank you very much for your continued strong leadership.

I appreciate the secretary of state, Condi Rice, joining us.

I want to thank all the members of the administration who have come to pay tribute to this fine man and his wife.

Particularly thank the president of the World Bank, Paul Wolfowitz, who served with Dick Myers for four years at the Defense Department. I thank the members of the diplomatic corps who have joined us.

When I asked Dick Myers to take his job in the summer of 2001, I knew we had some important things in common. We both made a good decision early in life when we married a teacher. We both flew fighter jets, although I never won the Gray Eagle Award. We both knew it would took all of our combined strength, and energy and resolve to defend the American people, and to keep up with Don Rumsfeld.

When General Myers was sworn in as the 15th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff four years ago he joined a long line of distinguished military leaders that stretches back to General Omar Bradley. Every chairman faced difficult tests, yet none took up his duties under more demanding circumstances than Dick Myers.

In his first week as the chairman, we launched strikes on terrorist training camp in Afghanistan. By the middle of December American troops and our allies have driven the Taliban from power, put Al Qaeda on the run and freed more than 25 million people. In other words, Dick had plenty to do in his first 10 weeks on the job.

We asked more of General Myers in the years that followed. He helped design a broad and innovative military strategy to win the war on terror. His leadership and flexibility were essential to the liberation of Iraq, to adopting our tactics to defeat the terrorists and help Iraqis build a peaceful democracy.

General Myers forged strong relationships with his military counterparts around the world, and helped more than 90 nations in the war on terror. He also helped us prepare for the new threats of the 21st century, by helping transform the NATO alliance and making our armed forces lighter, more lethal and more capable of conducting joint operations.

And as he did all this he led our military through a series of extraordinary humanitarian challenges, from tsunami relief in Asia to the rescue operations along the Gulf Coast in response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

General Myers brought skill and determination to all of these tasks, and he leaves his post with a record of remarkable accomplishment.

Yet through every challenge what stood out most about the chairman was his total devotion to the men and women who wear the uniform. As he traveled the world, General Myers always made time to thank American forces serving in distant lands, and to honor the sacrifice of military families here at home.

He personally re-enlisted servicemen and women in America and overseas. He advocated tirelessly for better pay, and housing and benefits for troops and their families. And he and Mary Jo made frequent visits to the wounded in military hospitals. General Myers often said how inspired he was by the selflessness, and integrity and compassion of Americans in uniform, and he always inspired those under his command, because they saw the same values in him.

I was reminded of Dick's convictions and ability every time he stepped in the Oval Office. As my principle military adviser, he brought a calm and reassuring presence, coupled with sound judgment, and fresh thinking and unflinching candor.

His approach was steady and practical. He had the vision to see the larger strategic picture and the tactical awareness one would expect from an experienced fighter pilot.

Over the past four years I've also come to know General Myers' character, and decency and his easy sense of humor. He's a kind and humble man who believe in serving a cause greater than himself.

Says something that for all the medals on his chest and the stars on his shoulder, one of his proudest accomplishments came last summer when he was named National Father of the Year. The general's qualities have long been known to those he works with.

One of Dick's former bosses described him this way: He's a level- headed guy, he doesn't panic, he eats pressure for breakfast, and he doesn't have a personal agenda. General Tommy Franks called him a solid anchor in the building. A former colleague said he knew Dick Myers was down to earth when he saw the four-star general standing in line at the Pentagon cafeteria. Those who served alongside General Myers admire the dignity and purpose he brought to the job, and they will always be proud to know one of America's best chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Another of General Myers' many strengths is his ability to bring out the talents of those around him. For the past four years, he has encouraged and benefited from the superb work of all the joint chiefs, especially his vice chairman.

General Pace has shown himself to be a brilliant thinker and inspiring leader. His life as a story of the American Dream, from his early years in Brooklyn, New Jersey, to his days as a midshipman in Annapolis, to his decades of service in Vietnam, and Thailand, and South Korea and Somalia and elsewhere. In every place he has been, Pete Pace has impressed those around him for his bravery, his knowledge and his devotion to duty. As chairman, his leadership will build on the vital work set into motion under General Myers. I look forward to witnessing his swearing in and to calling him the first Marine ever to hold America's highest military office.

(APPLAUSE)

Forty years ago, Second Lieutenant Dick Myers left Manhattan, Kansas, with an Air Force commission and the beautiful wife he married in the university chapel.

Over the decades, Dick soared into the wild blue yonder and climbed to the highest ranks of the United States Armed Forces. He led our military to historic achievements in some of the most trying times America has known. And today, he retires with the pride and appreciation of our entire nation.

General Myers, I want to thank you for a lifetime of service to the United States. You have done your part to build a more peaceful world for our children and our grandchildren, and we will always be grateful.

May God bless you and your family and may God continue to bless the United States of America. KAGAN: President Bush, speaking a the farewell tribute for General Richard Myers, the outgoing chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Saluting 40 years in the Air Force and just about four as the chair of the Joint Chiefs.

With more on this, let's go to the Pentagon and our Barbara Starr -- Barbara.

BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Daryn, you know, big day here at the Pentagon when these changes of command happen. And there's no question, this is a man who served very honorably for 40 years in the United States military.

A couple of things struck me about what the president said. You know, the president made a reference to both he and General Myers of flying fighter jets. Let's be very clear. General Myers is a veteran of combat over Vietnam. Many combat missions in U.S. Air Force fighter jets. He entered the service in the Vietnam era and, of course, he leaves with the war on terrorism, the war in Iraq, ongoing.

There may be very interesting questions of legacy and history to contemplate here. Things that, of course, will only emerge over time. In the Vietnam years, of course, many questions about whether the generals in command, whether the Joint Chiefs of Staff back in Vietnam were really candid in their assessments to the president at that time. Did the president get the best military advice? Those are the very same questions, perhaps oddly, that continue to swirl now some 40 years later.

Under General Myers, under the current Joint Chiefs of Staff, are the current commanders really giving President Bush the best advice on Iraq. That's a question today; a question, perhaps, only history can answer -- Daryn.

KAGAN: And Barbara, what about the change of command here, going from an Air Force man to a Marine leading up the joint chiefs. What impact will that have?

STARR: Well, I don't know that it will have any impact, per se, but what I can say about both of them, they are very down to earth, very unassuming. They spend a lot of time in the field with the troops. When they go out there, they walk right up to the troops, they ask them what they're thinking, and they do listen. These are both men, very long veterans of military careers.

Interestingly, Daryn, General Pace also a combat veteran of Vietnam. Both of them likely to really be the last two to hold high military office that are veterans of that era. And they will both tell you in private that it is something they've never forgotten. It has shaped them, shaped their careers and perhaps something not easily forgotten by either of them. So I don't know that there will really be a big change.

One of the questions about both of them, however, that does remain is whether they really are willing to openly disagree with the leadership, with the Bush administration. Again, perhaps something we will only learn over time -- Daryn.

KAGAN: We'll be watching. Barbara Starr, thank you. For more on General Myers, let's bring in one of our military men, retired General David Grange, who consults with us from time to time.

General Grange, good morning.

GEN. DAVID GRANGE (RET.), CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Good morning to you.

KAGAN: Your thought on General Myers and his legacy?

GRANGE: Well, I think General Myers did a great job. He -- you know, a lot of people accused him of being a yes man. And I don't think that's true. I think any confrontation that he had with the secretary of defense was conducted behind closed doors, or in a small group. Because he displayed the professionalism that you don't air those type of things in front of everybody else. And I personally think it's appropriate. I think he's a very sincere guy who cares about this troops and had service as his number one priority.

KAGAN: Look at the timeframe. And President Bush made note of this as well, of the timeframe that he served. Coming on in October 2001, just as the air strikes on Afghanistan are starting, and he leaves now with -- well, the status of the war on Iraq up for debate at this point. But the four years have been a fascinating and important time in American military history.

GRANGE: Tough, tough four years to serve in that position. I have a feeling that when he retires, he'll probably sleep for about a month straight.

KAGAN: He deserves that. And what about Peter Pace?

GRANGE: Peter Pace, I know him. He's a good man. He's going to be just like, I think, General Myers in that he'll think joint. In other words, he represents a certain service; in this case, the Marine Corps instead of the Air Force. But he's joint-minded. He's purple, as they say. And in that position, you definitely have to put the service parochialism aside and think of jointness and the whole force, the whole armed forces as a whole to give proper advice.

Again, some people have said that he's a yes man, but I think he -- again, is one of those people that's very professional and will challenge the secretary when need be, but do it in the appropriate place and time.

KAGAN: General David Grange, retired. Thank you for your time, sir.

GRANGE: My pleasure.

KAGAN: We're glad you said yes when we called and asked you to speak with us this morning.

We're going to check on the markets. They've been open about an hour and a half. We'll do that after this break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(STOCK MARKET REPORT)

KAGAN: And we're going to go ahead and take a look at what is happening "Now in the News," as the news continues here on CNN.

Crews battling a 20,000 acre wildfire in Los Angeles County may get some help today from the weather. The forecast calls for cooler temperatures and calmer winds. The fire has destroyed a handful of buildings and threatens more than 2,000 other homes and buildings.

In world news, insurgents kept up their bloody attack in Iraq today. A bomb in a parked car exploded at a vegetable market in Hilla. Police and hospital officials say seven people were killed and more than 40 were wounded.

And the death toll has risen to 87 from three car bombings yesterday in Balad, Iraq. A hundred and 20 people were wounded in those attacks.

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