Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

Katrina Response; Millions of Choices; Cheney Under Fire; New Abu Ghraib Photos

Aired February 15, 2006 - 10:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We have a lot to get to in the next couple hours. Let's go ahead and take a look at what's happening "Now in the News."
Just minutes ago, President Bush getting off of Marine One to get on board Air Force One. He is leaving Washington to make a pitch for health savings accounts. The accounts are part of the president's plan to make healthcare more affordable and accessible. The president will speak at the headquarters of Wendy's fast food chain in Ohio. CNN will have live coverage beginning two hours from now.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is facing some tough questions on Capitol Hill at this hour. Rice is appearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Senators are expected to ask Rice about the Iraqi insurgency, Iran's nuclear program and Hamas' political victory. Rice will also be defending her department's proposed budget for next year.

Outrage over the Prophet Muhammad cartoons led to more violent demonstrations today in Pakistan. Protesters set fire to several buildings in Peshawar (ph). At least two people were killed in that city and a third in Lahore (ph). Pakistani paramilitary forces were called in to restore order there.

September 11th conspirator Zacharias Moussaoui has been allowed back in the courtroom today as lawyers begin their questioning of prospective jurors. The judge had barred Moussaoui from the proceedings after yet another courtroom outburst yesterday. That judge has not said why she reversed her decision. The jurors will ultimately decide whether Moussaoui should be executed for his role in the al Qaeda conspiracy.

And good morning to you on this Wednesday morning. I'm Daryn Kagan at CNN Center in Atlanta.

It is almost six months after Hurricane Katrina roared into the infamy of history books. Its lingering winds are kicking up dust on Capitol Hill. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff faces blistering questions this morning on Capitol Hill as a Senate committee scrutinizes the government's response to Katrina. And a House report out today adds to the criticism saying in its findings, "should disturb all Americans." Our Homeland Security Correspondent Jeanne Meserve takes a look.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): The House report coming out later today paints a scathing picture of the government's response to Katrina. The report says "we are left scratching our heads at the range of inefficiency and ineffectiveness that characterized government behavior right before and after the storm. But passivity did the most damage."

Investigators fault Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff for not moving quickly enough to activate emergency response plans. The report says Chertoff performed his duties during Katrina late, ineffectively or not at all. On Monday the secretary accepted responsibility for what went wrong.

MICHAEL CHERTOFF, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: As the secretary of Homeland Security, I am accountable.

MESERVE: Today's report also lays blame elsewhere, saying, "despite adequate warning 56 hours before landfall, Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco and New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin delayed ordering a mandatory evacuation in New Orleans until 19 hours before landfall. Evacuations in New Orleans and Jefferson Parish were either declared late or not at all, a failure that led to preventable deaths, great suffering and further delays in relief."

But today, much of the focus will be on Secretary Chertoff and whether he's fit to lead Homeland Security. For now, the White House is standing behind him.

SCOTT MCCLELLAN, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Secretary Chertoff is doing a great job at the Homeland Security Department.

MESERVE: A spokesman for Chertoff says the secretary is looking forward to the hearing and the chance to, as the spokesman put it, set the record straight.

Jeanne Meserve, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: And we encourage you to stay with CNN for continuing coverage of the Senate hearing on the government's response to Katrina. Just over an hour from now, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff is expected to testify. And we will carry that live.

Well, one of the most commonly cited examples of the failed response is the stalled delivery of FEMA's mobile homes. Eleven thousand of them are stranded in Arkansas, 450 miles from the Gulf Coast and storm victims that they were intended to house. On Monday, a Homeland Security official told a Senate committee that many of these trailers are falling apart and won't be usable. One FEMA representative adamantly denied that last night on "Anderson Cooper 360."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID PAULISON, FEMA ACTING DIRECTOR: First of all, I sent staff out today to look at the mobile homes after the reports last night on TV and listening to the inspector general. The mobile homes are fine. There's not one mobile home that's been damaged. They're going to be usable. Mobile homes last a long time, 15, 20 years. So we are going to use them. I don't know where the information came from that the inspector general got because somebody gave him bad information.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: Well, let me just read to our audience what he said. It was Richard Skinner from Homeland Security. He said, "since they were not properly stored, the homes are sinking in the mud and their frames are bending from sitting on trailers with no support." You say that is absolutely not true?

PAULISON: That is not accurate at all. The wheels may be in some mud. We're in the process of actually bringing in gravel to stabilize the soil. But we have trucks that can move them around if the water -- they get standing water. And the only ones that are on jacks are the 80-foot mobile homes and that's the way they're supposed to be stored. They're being stored properly, being taken care of. We will use all of these mobile homes sooner or later.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: And that was from last night's "Anderson Cooper 360." You can see Anderson week nights at 10:00 Eastern, 7:00 Pacific, right here on CNN.

FEMA already has spent more than $300 million on the stranded mobile homes. That's an easy number to merely just gloss over, until you put pencil to paper and realize just how many critical items that money could have bought. With more on that, here's CNN's Tom Foreman.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): A hospital reopens downtown. The cost, $92 million. But it's priceless in this city right now. So imagine what could have been done with the $300 million spent on the empty trailers sitting in Arkansas.

Realtors say for $300 million, almost 2,500 permanent homes could have been built and sold for $120,000 each to working class people. Then, the money could be turned around to build even more.

The New Orleans school board has spent $20 million from its operating budget to reopen 20 schools. Educators say with $300 million, every school in town might be back in session.

A new ten-acre roof for the Superdome, $33 million.

The Convention Center, before Katrina, it brought in almost $2.5 billion a year to the local economy. It's being refurbished now on insurance money. The cost, $100 million.

Debris removal, police supplies, levee repair, public transits, the needs in New Orleans are endless. And many locals will tell you, so is the frustration over every wasted cent. No one knows if all those tax dollars spent on that ghost town of trailers would have otherwise gone to needs on the Gulf. But, still, it is an awful lot of money that certainly could have been used elsewhere.

What could you do with $300 million? No kidding. You could lay a carpet of dollars more than five feet wide all the way from New Orleans to Washington. Or maybe you could buy trailers in the right place, for the right folks, just trying to rebuild.

Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: And throughout the storm decimated Gulf Coast, there is one singular agreement -- money will pave the road to recovery. This morning, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin looks abroad for international support to rebuild the city. He is welcoming delegates from Shanghai in hopes of recruiting major trade business.

For an advanced look at the congressional report on Katrina, and the response, you can log on to cnn.com/katrina. You're also going to see images of Katrina's aftermath, view a time line of the toll and see an interactive map of the places most affected by Katrina and read witness accounts of the devastating conditions at cnn.com/katrina.

On to the vice president now. Dick Cheney's public silence on his weekend shooting accident has the vice president under fire today. According to "The Washington Post," some prominent Republicans say Cheney may be pressured to address the issue as early as today. Some current and former White House official are reportedly grumbling as well. They say Cheney's silence could reinforce criticisms that the administration is secretive or, as some would say, arrogant. And now the health setback of the victim, 78-year-old Harry Whittington, may force some urgency in speaking publicly. Let's get the latest from White House Correspondent Suzanne Malveaux.

Suzanne, good morning.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.

Senior administration officials who I've spoken to do confirm that the vice president, as well as the White House, that they're really in this vigorous discussion and debate over when and how Cheney should come out publicly and address this. This is becoming a growing distraction and a problem for the White House as well.

President Bush just left the White House. He is heading to Dublin, Ohio. Interestingly enough, to talk about a healthcare plan to fast food workers. But he was shouted a couple of questions, kind of pretended or, you know, put his hand up to his ear like he couldn't hear, essentially asking when will Cheney come out and speak. Mr. President, one reporter saying, don't you tell him what to do. That, of course, is the big question.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) MALVEAUX, (voice over): Since Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally shot his hunting companion Saturday evening, he has remained silent, ducking into the White House and later away from our cameras on Capitol Hill. Word that his victim Harry Whittington suffered a mild heart attack produced the first official written statement from Cheney's office, acknowledging that the incident had even occur.

Now providing specifics. That Cheney was notified of Whittington's complications around 12:30 when his chief of staff quietly passed him a note during a meeting on The Hill. A half-hour later, he was in the White House, watching the doctors televised press conference updating Whittington's condition. Around 1:30, the vice president called Whittington to wish him well, "asked if there was anything he need. The vice president said that he stood ready to assist."

The White House press secretary, fully aware of Whittington's heart attack earlier in the day, continued to try to change the subject.

SCOTT MCCLELLAN, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: If you all want to continue to focus on this, you all can spend your time on it. We're going to keep focusing on the pressing priorities of the American people.

MALVEAUX: Two of McClellan's predecessors criticized the handling of the matter. Ari Fleischer, Mr. Bush's first press secretary, told "Editor and Publisher" magazine, "it would have been better if the vice president and/or his staff had come out last Saturday night or first thing Sunday morning and announced it." Marlin Fitzwater, who served Ronald Reagan and the first President George Bush, said the vice president "ignored his responsibility to the American people" and is "appalled by the whole handling of this."

Following an evening of late night jokes by David Letterman and others over the accidental shooting -- early in the day the White House also tried to lighten the mood. Ahead of a visit by the college football champion Texas Longhorns, the press secretary joked his orange tie had nothing do with the team colors but a signal to Cheney that he was not a hunter's target.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MALVEAUX: And, Daryn, clearly the mood of the White House changed dramatically as developments about Whittington's condition, the fact that it actually declined, it became much more serious. And the big question here, of course, is, when is Cheney going to go forward and talk about this publicly. As I had mentioned before, there's a lot of discussion about that. A lot of debate. The thinking in Cheney's office, they want to see how Whittington is doing and his condition before they actually move on that. But we know that his first official appearance will be on Friday when he speaks before the Wyoming State Legislature.

Daryn. KAGAN: Well, you know a lot of people will be watching that.

Let me ask you about President Bush's appearance today. Is it kind of odd that he would go talk about healthcare at the world headquarters of a fast food chain?

MALVEAUX: Some people have actually noted that, think there's somewhat of a bit of irony in that as well. But he's going to talk about his healthcare, his savings account plan and that there are other people who have even mentioned that perhaps it's odd that those who work at Wendy's don't have a lot of disposable income, might not be the same group of people who would actually benefit from those savings accounts. So we'll have to see how he sells that, how he pitches that to the Wendy's employees.

KAGAN: All right. Suzanne Malveaux, at the White House, thank you.

CNN will have live coverage of Mr. Bush's speech in suburban Columbus, Ohio. His remarks on healthcare are scheduled about two hours from now, noon Eastern, 9:00 Pacific. And again, CNN will carry that live.

New images of abuse at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison. Disturbing snapshots of the mistreatment of inmates. Barbara Starr revels the details ahead on CNN LIVE TODAY.

Also ahead, taking to the airwaves to plead for help. Jill Carroll's employer and her family with a direct appeal to Iraqis, still trying to gain her release. We are live from Baghdad with more on that.

And it's supposed to be good for your dog's teeth, but can they cause serious problems? Even death? A CNN investigation. What you need to know about the country's most popular pet treats.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: There's some new and very disturbing images of Abu Ghraib prison abuse out today. The pictures and videos were first broadcast by the Australian television network SBS. The network says that they were taken at the same time as those initial Abu Ghraib pictures leaked to the media. Let's get more now on the story from our Pentagon Correspondent Barbara Starr.

Barbara, good morning.

BARBARA STARR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Daryn.

These photographs and images appearing on Australian television now making their way around the world via the Internet and other media outlets, of course. Now by all accounts, these are photographs that were taken during the same time period as the original Abu Ghraib prison scandal. As we look at a couple of the photographs, let's remind people that why these are so inappropriate. Under U.S. military law and practice and procedure, you simply cannot take photographs -- as we're going to show you some of them right now. You cannot take photographs of people in detention, in humiliating positions, positions that are abusive in any way, shape or form. The only pictures that are ever allowed of people in U.S. military detention would be pictures for documentation purposes. And, clearly, these pictures are not that. That is the whole issue that has been at the root of the Abu Ghraib prison scandal, that it was abusive, the practices in which soldiers engaged in.

Now the Pentagon reminds everyone that there have been many prosecutions against military people for the Abu Ghraib prison scandal. But the Pentagon certainly is not happy that these pictures, these additional pictures, which had not been distributed publicly in the past, Pentagon not happy that they are out. And the reason is, the Pentagon had filed a lawsuit trying to prevent their publication in the United States out of concern, they say, that it would spark violence in the Arab world to see these photographs and it would put U.S. military forces at risk. Now that lawsuit, Daryn, came long before this latest wave of violence in many countries because of the cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. And officials acknowledge that that type of violence is exactly what they are concerned about in this case.

Daryn.

KAGAN: Barbara, take me back to when the first set of photos came out. I think I remember Secretary Rumsfeld even testifying, saying that this is just a few of what exists and didn't he even suggest that there might even be more that could come out?

STARR: Absolutely. That's exactly right. Indeed, let's remind everyone, the Pentagon, the military, has long known that there are hundreds of undistributed, unpublished photographs. The military investigators do have them. They have seen all of them. They have shown most of them, it is our understanding, to Congress. So Congress would have a full understanding of the scope of this scandal.

By all accounts, there are something upwards of several hundred photographs. But only some of them had come to light in the prosecution of military personnel. Hundreds of them have never been seen before. It is those photographs that the Pentagon did not want to see wider distribution of. Again, because of concerns that this would incite violence in the Islamic world.

So this is something they had been trying to stop for some time. Long before the violence that we have seen in recent weeks, as I say, about the cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. And we were reminded by a Pentagon official this morning that there had been violence, for example, in Afghanistan and other countries when there had been allegations, proven to be false in that case, about U.S. soldiers abusing the Koran. Those allegations proved to be false. It's worth reminding people, in the case of the prison abuse, these are factual matters that certainly have proven to be true.

Daryn. KAGAN: Barbara Starr live at the Pentagon. Barbara, thank you.

And this just in to CNN. Neil Entwistle, the British man accused of killing his wife, Rachel, and baby daughter Lillian just outside of Boston last month, has now been extradited to the U.S. He had, soon after they were discovered murdered in their home outside of Boston, this man had -- it had been discovered that he had fled to his native Britain. Once he was arrested, he did not fight extradition. And as we understand, he now is on a plane on his way back to the U.S. to face those murder charges.

We're going to take a break. A lot more news. Also we'll check out the weather and business news ahead as well.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: The financial markets have been open just a little over an hour. The Dow in familiar territory for this time of day. It is up 39 points. The Nasdaq is up a little bit as well. It is up about 12 points.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Best in show at Westminster Dog Show is the colored bull terrier. Colored bull terrier.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Rufus.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Rufus rules the night. The colored bull terrier won the Westminster Kennel Club's best in show last night. That was a packed Madison Square Garden crowd gave the terrier a standing ovation. Rufus is the first of his breed to win the top prize in Westminster's 130-year history. No plain dog food for the champ today. No. Rufus is being taken out to lunch. He'll chow down on chopped sirloin at New York's famed restaurant Sardi (ph).

Well, Rufus clearly is the king, as we looked at pictures of him, or another dog at the Westminster show. And you're thinking, you know, I want one just like that. Well, hold on here a second. A reality check for you. What cute dog comes with a lifetime commitment and costs? Our Personal Finance Editor Gerri Willis has ways to cut the costs of owning an animal. Here's today's "Top Five Tips."

GERRI WILLIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Dogs may be man's best friend, but that pup has a price tag. Vet costs add up and medical procedures can cost thousands of dollars. So, tip number one, vet your vet. Make sure you get recommendations from other pet owners since quality and cost vary widely at animal hospitals. You can also search online for vets at healthypet.com. That's the American Animal Hospital Association website. And, oh, don't forget to ask about discounts. You may be able to get a better rate if you are a senior citizen or you have more than one pooch.

Now, if you thought your health care was expensive, vets have reportedly marked up drugs up to 175 percent. So, tip number two, get your pet medicine elsewhere. Get the prescriptions from your vet and then go to your local pharmacy to see if you can get a cheaper, generic form of the medicine. You can also check the web for better deals. Go to KV Vet Supply at kvvet.com or sites like petcarerx.com.

And, of course, prevention is key when it comes to keeping your pet healthy. Tip number three, get annual checkups, especially if you have an older pet. Think about getting your pet spade or neutered to lower the risk of cancer. Now if your pet does suffer from cancer or is chronically ill, you may think about investing in pet insurance.

But, for the average pet owner, tip number four, buyer beware. With pet insurance, you'll still be paying deductibles, co-pays and premiums. In fact, "Consumer Reports" suggests you should just skip it all together.

And finally, our last tip, is to bypass all that gourmet pet food. Getting your pet food at the supermarket is just as good as getting it at your local pet food store. Look at the nutrition label. If you see something labeled chicken parts, it could mean that fido will be eating beaks and feet. You also want to make sure that the protein source, either beef or chicken, is at or near the top of the list. Another important designation for dog food for seniors versus puppy food. If you have an older dog, you'll want the extra nutrients, say experts.

That's "Five Tips" and I'm Gerri Willis.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: Thank you, Gerri.

And, Jacqui, I can add one more.

JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: What?

KAGAN: A good way to save, you go to your local animal shelter . . .

JERAS: Yes, absolutely.

KAGAN: Or your favorite breed's rescue organization. There are a ton of animals that are waiting for a home and it doesn't cost a lot to get them that way.

JERAS: They make great pets.

KAGAN: They do. I speak from experience.

JERAS: Absolutely. And me as well.

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: Let's go ahead and take a look at what's happening right "Now in the News." We're following a developing story out of Great Britain. Massachusetts officials have taken custody of Neil Entwistle, the British man accused of murdering his wife and their baby daughter. Scotland Yard reports that with the handover now complete, Entwistle will be returned on a private flight. He had consented to the extradition to face trial here in the U.S.

Homeland Security Chief Michael Chertoff will face some blistering questions this morning on the government's response to Hurricane Katrina. Less than an hour from now, he'll appear before a Senate committee scrutinizing the massive problems. It comes amid a House inquiry that found wide spread failures that, according to this report, should disturb all Americans. CNN will have live coverage of Chertoff's testimony, which is now scheduled for 11:15 a.m. Eastern, 8:15 a.m. Pacific.

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