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CNN Live Today

Philippines Mudslide; New Orleans Rebirth; Domestic Spying; Specter Ethics; Follow Your Sports Team Tips

Aired February 17, 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: Elementary school that was in session. Hundreds are feared dead. We have a live report coming up in one minute.
A cushion for women using the Ortho Evra birth control patch. A new study shows that patch users could face twice the risk of developing blood clots compared to women who take the pill. However, the maker of the patch says that blood clots are rare.

A bail hearing is underway right now in Miami for accused terrorist Jose Padilla. Prosecutors insist Padilla is a danger to the community and a flight risk. Padilla is charged with conspiracy to murder and providing material support to terrorists.

And we're following President Bush to Florida today. We can see live pictures at Andrews Air Force Base. Marine One landing just a couple minutes ago. He is headed to Air Force One and he will go to U.S. central command at MacDill Air Force Base for a briefing on the war on terror. Later, Mr. Bush is expected to address the war on terror at the Port of Tampa. CNN will carry his remarks live in the 1:00 hour on LIVE FROM.

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

Two weeks of rain reducing a mountain to mud in the eastern Philippines. Looking at the grim scene in southern Leyte province. The avalanche has swallowed an entire village. About 1,500 people are missing, including all of the children and teachers inside of a school.

A U.S. naval vessel has already been dispatched to the area. It's now en route to the disaster area. The Red Cross is also hoping the U.S. military will send heavy lifting helicopters to the scene. Let's get the latest on Washington's response with our Pentagon Correspondent Barbara Starr.

Barbara, good morning.

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

There is an update in the last five minutes, literally. Pentagon officials have confirmed to CNN that now two U.S. navy amphibious warships with all of their personnel and equipment on board are on their way to this region where this terrible tragedy has taken place in the Philippines. Overnight apparently the Philippine Red Cross sought out the U.S. embassy in the Philippines and asked for assistance.

The two governments through their -- the State Department began working that request. Now it has been accepted and it has moved into military channels, if you will. The U.S. navy has several warships in the region coincidentally because they were working with the Philippine military on a training exercise there. So it is lucky that they are so close by.

Now two ships, the USS Essex and the Harpers Ferry, both marine amphibious ships, are on their way and they hope to be on scene within the next many hours, perhaps just over 24 hours from now. They will work with the Philippine authorities to determine what they can immediately do to help. Heavy helicopters moving possibly some relief supplies into the region. More certainly expected to unfold in the next many hours.

Daryn.

KAGAN: And, Barbara, we've seen the U.S. military come to this international aid. I'm thinking recently after the tsunami and also after the Pakistani earthquake.

STARR: Yes. And, you know, let's be very clear, this is something that the U.S. military really does better than anybody else in the world. It is very much the U.S. military that has the capacity to get immediate relief supplies in large numbers, in bulk, manpower, to a region. But also, clearly, the Bush administration is making every effort when it can to try and help in these regions.

As you say, in the Pakistan earthquake, in the tsunami in Indonesia, there is great interest in trying to show that the U.S. military can lend a hand, particularly in the Islamic world. There is an effort to try and show that the U.S. military wants to help and respond and nobody is forgetting, of course, the violence that has been seen across the Islamic world in response to those cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad. That's something that the U.S. military is very concerned about and they certainly feel that when they can help with humanitarian relief, that's something they want to get out there and do and show the U.S. in a different light.

But, first and foremost, the U.S. navy is on their way in this circumstance to try and help the people and the region recover from this very, very terrible tragedy.

Daryn.

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

Now let's get the latest from the region. A chance to talk with the provincial governor. Governor Rosette Lerias joining us by phone right now.

Governor, thank you for being here with us.

GOV. ROSETTE LERIAS, SOUTHERN LEYTE PROVINCE: Yes. Good evening. KAGAN: What is the latest you could tell us about the situation in your province, ma'am?

LERIAS: Well, we stopped rescue operations at 6:30 tonight because of the rain and it's getting dark. And we were causing a lot of risk to the lives of the rescuers. So we decided to stop rescuer operations at 6:30 tonight. And as of this time, we have recovered 19 bodies, a number of survivors counting toward (ph) 57. We have evacuees from the different nearby (INAUDIBLE) in three evacuation centers here in town totaling about 1,400. With another -- I don't know how many number in about four other evacuation centers in the town.

KAGAN: Governor, what would you say is the biggest need of this area and your people at this moment?

LERIAS: At this moment, we are looking for trained rescuers to help us rescue those who are still in the rubble and who are still under the mud. We are hoping for assistance for the evacuees, food, water, medicine, mats, blankets. And I think that it will be -- these are address (ph) needed even. We'll be far better off than where we are today.

KAGAN: Well, we wish you well and to your people and the recovery following this devastating mudslide. That's Governor Rosette Lerias, governor of the province where that mudslide took place in the Philippines.

And we're just seeing the pictures just into CNN just a couple of minutes ago. President Bush arriving at Andrews Air Force Base. He is headed to Florida today, to Tampa, Florida. He'll be going to U.S. CENTCOM, to headquarters. He's getting a briefing on war on terror. And he also is expected to make a speech on that same topic. That is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Eastern today. You'll see that live here on CNN.

ANNOUNCER: You're watching CNN your severe weather headquarters.

KAGAN: And it looks like it could be a tough day in weather. We're talking about the U.S. Unseasonably warm temperatures sparked some strong storms across the upper Midwest. Some cities basked in record high temperatures before colliding with the arrival of colder air. That touched off violent weather across several states. Possible tornadoes caused this damage at the airport in Terre Haute, Indiana. No serious injuries were reported.

Keeping Jacqui Jeras on her toes today. Plenty to talk about. Also some frigid temperatures in the Midwest.

Jacqui.

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: To New Orleans now. Some hints of normalcy returning, but will all important tourism follow? Today welcomes the reopening of the convention center, a hub of the city. But, more recently, an icon of the squalled and disastrous aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Also reopening today, Harrah's Casino. And tomorrow, the first major parades usher in New Orleans Mardi Gras season.

So if Mardi Gras does capture the heart of New Orleans, it's casinos probably account for its rapid pulse. A safe bet that hearts are aflutter over today's opening -- reopening of Harrah's. Here now is CNN's Susan Roesgen. She is in New Orleans.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUSAN ROESGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The party starts at noon here today. And for the first time in nearly six months, the dealers will shuffle the cards again, the Roulette wheel will spin again and the slot machines will eat up quarters again. Harrah's is counting on the return of tourism in New Orleans, especially with the start of Mardi Gras parades this weekend and the reopening of the convention center nearby.

The casino will, however, reopen with only about half of its pre- Katrina workforce. And yet casino executive are optimistic in the future. In fact, so much so that the casino plans to open its own 400 room hotel here in September. Taking a gamble on the return of gambling in the big easy.

Susan Roesgen, CNN, New Orleans.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: CNN is devoting its vast resources to this year's Mardi Gras and its significance to the region's recovery. "American Morning," "Live From" and "Anderson Cooper 360" will all broadcast live from the Gulf Coast. That begins a week from tomorrow on February 25th.

We're at 10 minutes past the hour. Hurricane Katrina wasn't just a story. It was personal for many CNN staffers. Ahead, Kathleen Koch returns to her hometown of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, to see what's changed since the storm slammed down. The short answer, not enough.

And lookout. Dashboard cameras capture the other danger for police officer during traffic stops. Ahead, the potential life saving lessons to be learned.

But first, Senator Arlen Specter calling for an investigation of himself and his own office. We'll get the full story from Capitol Hill when CNN LIVE TODAY returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: All right. Let's go to Capitol Hill. A number of stories coming out of the Senate. Let's bring in our Capitol Hill Correspondent Ed Henry.

Ed.

ED HENRY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

KAGAN: First, let's talk about the NSA wiretapping scandal. Any word out of the Senate Intelligence Committee whether or not they plan on holding an investigation?

HENRY: They plan no investigation and that has gotten the partisan sparks flying once again, if you will, over this controversial domestic surveillance program. Yesterday the Republican chairman of the Intelligence Committee declared that he does not believe an investigation is warranted.

The Senate Judiciary Committee, of course, is already probing the matter. But it was widely expect there would be two congressional investigation going on at the same time. Chairman Pat Roberts made that declaration after a last minute agreement that he said he had sealed with the White House that involved two ingredients.

First of all, the White House finally agreeing that they would sign on to some sort of legislative fix to FISA, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which is at the heart of whether or not the surveillance program is legal. And secondly, the White House agreeing to brief Congress more fully and more often, amid a lot of criticism that they only briefed a very limited number of members about this NSA program.

That was not enough for Democrats, though. They say -- Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia saying basically this is an attempt by Republicans on The Hill to sweep this under the carpet. That they're just listening to empty promises from the White House to avoid a congressional investigation. Take a listen to the back and forth between Pat Roberts and Jay Rockefeller.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. PAT ROBERTS, CHAIRMAN, INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE: I believe that such an investigation at this point is basically -- would be detrimental to this highly classified program and our efforts to reach some accommodation with the administration. This program is one which I believe is vital for the protection of the American people.

SEN. JAY ROCKEFELLER, VICE-CHAIRMAN, INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE: It is apparent to me that the White House has applied -- more than apparent to me that the White House has applied heavy pressure in recent days, in recent weeks, to prevent the committee from doing its job.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HENRY: But Chairman Roberts is insisting that if the White House does not follow through on those two promises, he will launch a congressional investigation in March into this whole NSA program.

Daryn.

KAGAN: Speaking of investigations, let's talk about the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Arlen Specter. Is he actually calling for an investigation of his own office?

HENRY: Yes, CNN has confirmed that Senator Specter has now called for the Senate Ethics Committee to come in and review allegations of conflict of interest involving one of Specter's top aides. This stems from a story in "USA Today" yesterday which basically revealed that Specter had steered almost $50 million in defense contracts to the clients of a lobbyist here in Washington. That lobbyist happens to be married to a Specter staffer who's involved in steering appropriation money here on The Hill. That is sparking those allegation of conflict of interest.

Senator Specter insists he's never been lobbied by this lobbyist and that, in fact, there was no wrongdoing there. But he's decided to call in the Senate Ethics Committee hoping that an independent review will, in fact, lift this ethical cloud that has now come over the senator at a time when, as you know, Daryn, there are all kinds of lobbying scandals blowing up here on The Hill. It's a very contentious time. This is the last thing Arlen Specter wanted to deal with.

Daryn.

KAGAN: Ed Henry on Capitol Hill. Ed, thank you.

HENRY: Thank you.

KAGAN: About three hours from now, Vice President Dick Cheney will deliver a speech to legislators in his home state of Wyoming. He's expected to talk about last weekend's shooting incident. Yesterday authorities announced they have closed their investigation, saying Cheney accidentally shot his hunting companion, Harry Whittington, and that no charges will be filed. Doctors say Whittington's condition is stable and that he could be released from the hospital in a few days.

So have you bought your lucky ticket yet? Powerball mania going crazy across the country. An incredible amount of cash is up for grabs. How would you spend your winnings? We'll talk about that ahead.

And we all know what Gerri Willis would do if she won. She would keep her job, she would be here the next day . . .

GERRI WILLIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Oh, boy.

KAGAN: Or maybe she would just take a trip to spring training.

WILLIS: Hey, I'd buy that fantasy baseball camp.

KAGAN: Yes.

WILLIS: That's what I would do and I'd move there.

We have some tips on how to get the best out of your dollar for sports and it's all coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Let's check out the financial markets. They have been open about 51 minutes. Not looking so hot on this Friday morning. The Dow, as you can see, still above 11,000 but down 28 points. The Nasdaq is in negative territory as well. It is down 13.

Pretty soon spring will be in the air and with it the approach of Major League Baseball and college basketball's March Madness. But how can you stay a loyal fan and juggle the other demands of your busy life. Here with her "Top Five Tips," our Personal Finance Editor Gerri Willis.

Gerri, good morning. Happy baseball.

WILLIS: Good morning. Thank you. Daryn, good to see you.

You know, if you're a baseball fan, you know it's time for spring training. It really gets underway now. And if you want to save money seeing your team in action, now is the time to go. Look, regular season average price of tickets for a family of four $165. They're going up 6 percent this year. But if you want to see them on the cheap. You want to head to Florida or Arizona where tickets are just $5 to $25 a pop. Now, obviously, you'll have to travel to get there but you can really see a ton of games and do it within a week's time.

KAGAN: It's a lot of fun to be at spring training. The cactus league and the grapefruit league.

What if you want to go during the regular season to some of your favorite teams and they're among the most popular?

WILLIS: Well, what you want to do, if you're buying tickets, particularly though for spring training, you want to go to mlb.com, because there you're going to find the schedules, you're going to find the tickets, you're going to get seating assignments. It's a great place to go. It will hook you up with where you want to buy those seats and that way you're not talking to scalpers or something like that.

KAGAN: Yes, not a good idea.

What if you don't just want to watch, you want to be part of the experience.

WILLIS: Well, if you want to be part of the experience, you've got to go to Fantasy Camp. That's what I was talking about before. You get to go and play with players, which is so cool. You'll pay for the privilege. $4,500 for a week, Daryn. So it's a ton of dough. But if you're just sick with your love for your team, this is something to do, particularly if it's say the Cubs or the Orioles or the Dodgers or even the Yankees. Those are all teams with fantasy baseball camps.

KAGAN: A lot of fun.

What about these sports travel packages? Are those good deals? WILLIS: Not so much, really. You pay as much as 10 percent to 35 percent more than if you book it yourself. And you might as well book it yourself because, look, at the end of the day you're really there for the game, not for some fancy shmancy accommodations. So do it on your own. It is much cheaper.

KAGAN: And what if you're a little bit different. You're not into (ph) the team but those mascots.

WILLIS: Well, look at it this way, Daryn, let's say you want to see every game and you don't want to have to pay for it. In fact, you'd like to be paid for going. You can train to be a mascot. I think this is a great idea. At a minimum you're going to make about $20,000 a year and more as you get better and better. You've got to have a little training. Let me give you a website to go to if you have some interest in this. It is called raymondeg.com. It's a great place to go if you want to find out about being a mascot.

I don't know, do you want to wear one of those suits through the game?

KAGAN: I don't think I'd fit in one of those suits. I think I'm too tall. I don't think that would work. But it sounds fun.

Hey, who's your team? Who's your baseball team?

WILLIS: Well, anybody playing the Yankees, really.

KAGAN: Oh, anti-Yankee. OK.

WILLIS: Oh, now I'm going to get some e-mail.

KAGAN: Yes, a couple.

WILLIS: How about you, Daryn?

KAGAN: Oh, Atlanta Braves here in Atlanta and for now they are our co-workers. The team's for sale. But, for now, you know, owned by the same company.

WILLIS: There you go. There you go.

KAGAN: All right. Thank you, Gerri. Have a great weekend.

WILLIS: You too.

KAGAN: We have more news ahead. Recovering from Hurricane Katrina. New Orleans gets many of the headlines, but the Mississippi Gulf Coast is equally, if not even more, devastated. Ahead, CNN's Kathleen Koch returns to her hometown of Bay St. Louis almost six months after the storm and the situation is still pretty bad.

Also, pulling over vehicles is anything but routine for officers. Dashboard cameras capture the danger on the road.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) KAGAN: We are coming up on the half hour. I'm Daryn Kagan. Here's a look at what's happening right "Now in the News."

The family of this Florida teenager is questioning a medical examiner's report that says the boy died of a blood disorder. Fourteen-year-old Martin Anderson died from internal bleeding at a Florida boot camp run by a sheriff's department. A videotape that allegedly shows camp guards beating the teenager may be leased in the next hour. CNN won a legal battle for its release under Florida's public records law.

In southern Pakistan, a general strike is adding to the violent protests against cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed. The port city of Karachi is shut down. Also today, the Danish embassy in Islamabad. A Danish newspaper first published the controversial cartoon several months ago, but international anger grew as western publications followed suit.

The parents of missing Alabama teenager Natalee Holloway have filed a wrongful death suit against a Dutch youth questioned in the case. Holloway was last seen in Aruba May 30th leaving a bar with Joran van der Sloot and two other men. Van der Sloot has denied any wrongdoing. Holloway has never been found.

A New Jersey man is in federal court this hour. He'll be sentenced for shining a handheld laser into the cockpit of an airliner as it was landing. He says he was using the laser pointer to look at stars with his kids but he pleaded guilty to a violation of The Patriot Act.

ANNOUNCER: You're watching CNN, your severe weather headquarters.

KAGAN: And take a look at this video from Chicago's north side. You've got to look up as you're going to work out today. Incoming. It was a close call. One woman wasn't so lucky, though. She was hit by falling ice coming from the 100 story John Hancock Building. No word on that woman's condition. Police had to cordon of the area after a number of vehicles were reportedly hit by ice as well.

Let's bring you Jacqui Jeras. She's looking at weather over this entire region. Looks like the west as well, Jacqui. But in the Midwest, that falling ice was actually from the wind and not from melting temperatures.

(WEATHER REPORT)

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