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CNN Live Today

Presidential Concerns; Supreme Court To Hear Abortion Case; Katrina's Red Tape; Gunmen In Harrah's Hotel

Aired February 21, 2006 - 10:00   ET

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

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Serve as our home base, our bed, since I will be sleeping in -- no, we're not going to be sleeping in the truck. It's our -- our first stop, in all seriousness, is going to be CNN's Gulf Coast bureau. And remember, we're going to be coming to you live from New Orleans. That begins on Monday. Look forward to that coverage.
We're out of time. Let's get right to Daryn Kagan. She's going to take you through the next couple of hours on CNN LIVE TODAY.

Hey, Daryn, good morning to you.

ROB MARCIANO, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, Daryn.

DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Hello. That should be a fascinating trip.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: Yes, it should be a great trip. And did you see that truck? Can you tell it's a CNN truck with that logo?

KAGAN: Did we borrow it from somebody? I didn't -- we couldn't really tell who the truck belonged to?

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: Really?

MARCIANO: Yes, that's a sweet sled (ph). It's pretty nice.

KAGAN: I was a little confused on that.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: Oh my God, CNN. It's the CNN truck.

KAGAN: You guys have a great day in New York City.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: You too, Daryn.

KAGAN: We'll go ahead and get started. We'll do that by taking a look at what's happening right "Now in the News."

A California death row inmate faces execution tonight. This is after prison authorities postponed a first attempt. Michael Morales avoided dying by lethal injection shortly after midnight. The anesthesiologist attending the execution refused to take part for ethical reasons. Morales has confessed to raping and killing a teenager in 1981.

In the southern Philippines, there are still no signs of life under the tons of mud and rubble that have buried an entire village. Search teams are still looking for survivors but hopes are fading fast. More than a thousand people are still missing. A report from the scene coming up.

In northern Mexico, a slow and dangerous rescue effort goes on. Search teams are still trying to dig their way into a coal mine to reach 65 trapped miners. Later this hour, we'll hear from some survivors of Sunday's explosion at the mine.

This is the first day on the bench for new Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito. The court will hear arguments in two cases involving property rights and millions of acres of wet lands across the U.S. We'll keep you updated on any Supreme Court action.

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

Up first this hour, two big concerns today for President Bush. He's on the road right now getting ready to talk about his energy vision. He also, though, is facing a political firestorm involving plans to turn over management of some major American ports to an Arab government owned company.

Just a short time from now, Mr. Bush will tour lab in Colorado. That's where researchers are working on ways to make the country less dependent on oil. But some of the president's critics question his commitment to renewable energy. They're also pointing to the cutbacks at the Colorado lab where the president will be speaking. Two weeks ago the government cut funding and laid off 32 workers at the National Renewable Energy Lab. That lab helps develop the very technologies that Mr. Bush is promoting. But then, over the weekend, the government restored those jobs.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TINA LARNEY, FORMER NREL ADMIN. ASSISTANT: NREL is the only national laboratory that is dedicated solely to renewable energy. It's a world renowned research center and it is -- has state of the art facilities. And yet instead of using this great beacon of innovation as a leader and as a resource for our nation, it's been underfunded and marginalized.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Critics say the lab still face as major budget shortfall, even after some of those government funds were restored. The president's energy plans plus the port security issue makes for some combustible politics. Let's go to our White House Correspondent Suzanne Malveaux for the latest on that. First starting with what we'll see in Colorado.

Good morning, Suzanne.

SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Daryn.

Of course a presidential visit certainly helps one's cause. The president in Colorado, Golden, Colorado, that is, and he's going to be touring that facility, the lab we talked about, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Of course the interesting side story of all this, as you had mentioned, a couple weeks ago about 32 employees were told essentially that they no longer had their jobs. That because of a shortfall in the budget, some $28 million.

Now it was members of Congress that ear marked some of those funds to go to various projects, energy related projects, around the country. The energy secretary, Samuel Bodman, got involved in all of this over the weekend. Essentially finding money from different places, at least 5 million of it, to get those jobs back to those people.

They put out a statement saying, "the action we are taking today will allow the dedicated employees at NREL to continue their work that will bring us great innovation in renewable energy technologies." They say that this is all a part of the president's plan to essentially increase the research, the funding for those alternative sources of energy. And the president's larger vision, that is to cut by 75 percent oil imports from the Middle East in the next 20 years.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: These countries know we need their oil and that reduces influence. It creates a national security issue when we're held hostage for energy by foreign nations that may not like us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Of course, Daryn, as you know, those employees and skeptics are saying, hey, is this just a big PR stunt, the fact that they got their jobs back? Well, I talked to Craig Stevens. He is the spokesman for the Energy Department. He says that this is totally consistent. That the president was going to go there, visit, to recognize their work. That they certainly -- it was important for the president for them to get their jobs back. But he did acknowledge, Daryn, when you talk about the timing of all of this, he said certainly being on the heels of this presidential trip that this certainly helped cut through some of that red tape and the bureaucracy.

Daryn.

KAGAN: And then on this other story, Suzanne. In a couple of minutes we'll be talking to Ed Henry about the firestorm on Capitol Hill over this company running some major American ports. A company that is owned by -- a company in the United Arab Emirates. A lot of people concerned about that. But the White House is standing by that decision.

MALVEAUX: Well, senior administration officials say they are very comfortable with this because essentially it is that the agency, that panel made up of 12 federal agencies, that got together and ultimately made the decision and said, look, there is no security risk here. And it didn't even go to the level of the president. And usually it doesn't unless there's some sort of red flags that are raised. So they feel very confident in this. And I guess the accusation that they were politically tone deaf. They don't take issue with that, either. They say, well, politics should not have played in this decision if it's about national security.

KAGAN: Suzanne Malveaux live at the White House. Thank you.

And this just in to CNN. News out of the U.S. Supreme Court. Word that the high court will take a case that challenges the constitutionality of banning a type of late term abortion. For more on that let's go to our Senior Legal Analyst Jeffrey Toobin.

Jeffrey, what can you tell us about this case Gonzalez versus Carhart.

JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Daryn, this is a huge, huge development. Only six years ago in 2000, the Supreme Court ruled five to four that almost exactly the same kind of law, which was passed in Nebraska, was unconstitutional. That it was an infringement on a woman's health, on her right to choose abortion. Now six years later, with a crucial vote change, Samuel Alito now replacing Sandra Day O'Connor who was in the majority six years ago, is going to reconsider almost precisely the same case. In this case, a federal law. Could be a major change in abortion law very quickly.

KAGAN: How unusual is it for the court to revisit an issue like this so soon?

TOOBIN: Well, it's not out of the question. Certainly six years is not very long in the history of the Supreme Court. Certainly in the arguments that have been made, some people have said, well it's not exactly the same case. But I think basically what you have here is a different Supreme Court. You have William Rehnquist and Sandra Day O'Connor gone, John Roberts and Samuel Alito in. The Alito for O'Connor change particularly significant.

And, you know, elections have consequences. We've had two presidential elections in a row where a pro-life candidate defeated a pro-choice candidate. This is what happens. This is the implication.

KAGAN: Now, as you said, before it was a state law, this is a federal law. So right now across the country illegal to get an abortion past a certain point.

TOOBIN: No.

KAGAN: No, it's not.

TOOBIN: No. Every state -- every court that has looked at this law so far has said it is unconstitutional under that prior decision. So this law has never gone into effect. It's been stayed by the courts. So these late term abortions. The terminology is very controversial. Some people call it late term, although some pro- choice supporters say it's not very late term that it regulates. Partial birth abortion is one phrase that's used by opponents of abortion, also contested. But this law has never gone into effect federally but it will be tested once and for all by the Supreme Court this spring and we'll know by June whether it goes into effect and whether this somewhat unusual group of abortions, but still a significant number, is now outlawed everywhere in the United States.

KAGAN: And as you were saying, eyes will be on Samuel Alito today. His first full day on the bench.

TOOBIN: Big -- this is his biggest decision. Today the court is hearing arguments in a very important pair of cases about the Clean Water Act, about water pollution and how the federal government can regulate it. Next week the Supreme Court is going to hear arguments on whether the Texas redistricting that was engineered by Tom DeLay that gave Republicans a tremendous number of new seats in the House of Representatives, they'll hear that. So Samuel Alito's going to be busy and he's going to be busy fast.

KAGAN: That he is. As will John Roberts as the chief justice.

TOOBIN: Indeed.

KAGAN: Getting things heated up over there. Jeffrey, thank you. We'll have you back later because there's some other big cases we want to talk to you.

Meanwhile we're watching this. This is out of Las Vegas. A standoff with a gunman at Harrah's. Police have sealed off several floors of this hotel. It's on the strip. And they suspect that a gunman is holed up there. Early reports, one person, maybe even a paramedic, was shot in the early stages of this standoff. It's in a tower at Harrah's. Guest have been evacuated from around the 21st floor and that is where S.W.A.T. teams have moved in and negotiators are trying to talk the man into surrendering.

So early in the morning in Las Vegas. And it looks like a local reporter getting ready to do a live shot there. But we'll keep you up-to-date on the latest on that story. A standoff with a suspected gunman in Las Vegas on the strip.

Also ahead, President Bush pushing alternative energy. One man, wait until you see his energy bills. You are going to be green with envy. Because he knows about living green. He built and is now living in a house that is almost completely powered by wind and solar energy. This guy really knows what he's doing. We're going to talk to him ahead this hour. Maybe he can give us some tips of how we can turn our homes around.

Also Louisiana's governor lays out the plan to rebuild New Orleans. This is the same day that a crescent city councilman lays down some rules for residents.

And, ladies, if you like to pester your significant others about what they wear, you're going to love this guy. Meet Kevin. He lets you choose everything he wears. Well, almost everything. We're back after this.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) KAGAN: It is a major move forward for Louisiana. For the first time since Hurricane Katrina hit, Governor Kathleen Blanco has announced details of a program that could give homeowners up to $150,000 to rebuild.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. KATHLEEN BLANCO, (D) LOUISIANA: I'm going to also insist that we prioritize relief to families determined to rebuild in Louisiana. Now we don't need to be rebuilding in other states.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: Here are some of the highlights of the plan. Assistance is capped at $150,000 per home. It's calculated based on pre-storm home values. Eligible homeowners must have $5,200 in uninsured damage. A sticking point, Congress still needs to green light more than $4 billion in federal aid, which will be added to the $6 billion already approved. A call center is scheduled to open in March to start registering residents for the program.

Well, at the same time, we're hearing some blunt talk. That is what some people are calling remarks made by members of the New Orleans city council. Three members stated that former New Orleans residents who don't want to work are unwelcome to return to the city's public housing. Council President Oliver Thomas said, and he's quoting here "we don't need soap opera watchers right now. We're going to target the people who are going to work. It's not that I'm fed up, but that at some point there has to be a whole new level of motivation, and people have got to stop blaming the government for something they ought to do." Well, when Thomas finished with those remarks, two other council members said they agreed, adding anyone looking for public housing in New Orleans should have to verify their intention to work.

One week from tomorrow, more than a thousand New Orleans police officers and firefighters could find themselves homeless. They face eviction from two cruise ships that are parked on the Mississippi right now. FEMA has paid for alternative housing in the form of mobile homes. Unfortunately, those mobile homes are parked in Arkansas. Our Gulf Coast Correspondent Susan Roesgen has that story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SUSAN ROESGEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): Life on a cruise ship doesn't sound so bad. But after nearly six months on a cruise to nowhere, hundreds of emergency workers in New Orleans are ready to get off.

HADEN BROWN, FIREFIGHTER: In the beginning it was OK. You know, it was almost like a vacation. But, you know, after a while, everybody's cluttered in one room and it's kind of -- it's just real close, tight knit, you know.

ROESGEN: Haden Brown and his eight-year-old daughter are two of five family members living in one ship cabin and they're eager to move some place bigger. They could apply for a FEMA trailer like this one. But at 25 feet long and eight feet wide, it's not much roomier than a cabin on the ship.

What many emergency workers would like to have instead is one of these. One of the 11,000 mobile homes sitting unused in Arkansas. Most are twice as big as a travel trailer, 50 feet long and 15 feet wide with three bedrooms and two baths. The problem is, FEMA says these mobile homes can't be sent to New Orleans because the rules won't let a mobile home be put in a place that's likely to flood and most of the New Orleans area is a flood plain.

But standing in the parking lot of an abandoned New Orleans shopping center flooded by Katrina, Bob Stellingworth and Henri Wolbrett see a perfect opportunity to break the rules.

BOB STELLINGWORTH, NEW ORLEANS POLICE FOUNDATION: We envision this parking lot 31 acres of mobile homes that would be here for a year to 18 months and then eventually go away so this area can be redeveloped as the policeman, firemen and EMS people go back to their normal lives.

ROESGEN: Stellingworth and Wolbrett lead the New Orleans Police Foundation, a local civic group, and they say they've gotten the go ahead to lease the land around the shopping center if FEMA will agree to move around 300 of those mobile homes in Arkansas down south. So far, no luck and time is running out.

FEMA Spokeswoman Nicol Andrews told CNN, "if we can move mobile homes in for the first responders, we can move them in for evacuees too. But the problem is the floodplain issue, which involves not only federal but local regulations." She went on to say that "FEMA had every expectation that (the mobile homes in Arkansas) would be utilized." But, she says, FEMA "has been faced with undue resistance from Louisiana officials."

Louisiana officials have said the resistance really comes from FEMA. The New Orleans Police Foundation says without housing for the city's emergency workers, New Orleans is in trouble.

HENRI WOLBRETT, NEW ORLEANS POLICE FOUNDATION: You certainly can't rebuild a city without first responders. People need to feel secure, not only because of hurricane protection, they also need to be certain that when they pick up the phone and dial 911, somebody is going to answer.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: And that was CNN's Susan Roesgen reporting from New Orleans.

This programming note for you. Oprah Winfrey is talking about helping victims of Katrina. She'll be on "Anderson Cooper 360" tonight. You can catch that at 10:00 p.m. Eastern right here on CNN.

And this just in to CNN. We're getting an update on that standoff with a suspected gunman in Las Vegas. This report just filed by reporter Anne Yeager. She's with our affiliate KVVU.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ANNE YEAGER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We're on the scene here of a very tense S.W.A.T. situation inside the Harrah's hotel. We're right literally right on the strip. This is what we know. You can see there's a great deal of police activity here in front of the hotel. A man with a gun has barricaded himself inside a hotel room. This after he shot another man.

The good news is that man was taken to an area hospital. He's expected to be OK. But, Steve, all of this happened at about 12:30 this morning and right now that man with a gun has barricaded himself inside the 20th floor. Hotel executives did evacuate the 9th through the 21th floor. And literally you can see people downstairs in their bathrobes. In fact, some of them are trying to get some shuteye in the buffet area. But the S.W.A.T. team is up there and they are negotiating.

Back here live, so far, though, they have not been successful in trying to get that man out of the room. The hotel has been very steadfast in saying that at no time was anyone inside the property gambling at risk. In fact, if we go a little bit closer, back here live, you can see people are actually gambling. Some people don't even know what's going on upstairs.

Again, a gunman inside Harrah's hotel here in Las Vegas on the 20th floor. At this hour, the S.W.A.T. team is here trying to negotiate with him and that is the latest here from Las Vegas. But as you can see . . .

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: We will keep an eye on that story out of Las Vegas. That was reporter Anne Yeager with our affiliate KVVU.

There is something different in the snowy mountain of Colorado this week. Brown snow? All right, no jokes about brown snow. This is a special sight. But skiers aren't very happy to see it, I can tell you that. That's ahead in today's forecast, for the U.S. as well.

Also, the markets have been open about 51 minutes. Not the greatest start for the day. The Dow is down 31 points. The Nasdaq also down 15 points. We'll have a full business report coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: All right. Here's something. It just does not look right. Brown snow. Now hold on. Let's explain. Last week's high southwesterly winds dropped a thin layer of dust on a lot of Colorado mountaintops that has left skiers and other winter enthusiasts seeing red. Besides that it doesn't look so good, the tinted snow has a touch of danger to it as well. It doesn't bond as well as clean snow and that is an enhanced possibility of avalanche. So you got to be a little careful out there. (WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: Word just into CNN of a car bombing in Baghdad. Numerous casualties are being reported. We'll go live to Iraq in just a moment.

Also, it's all about alternative energy in this house. One of the leading experts on finding optional power sources. It's not all talk. He is living the green life. Wait till you hear what his energy bill is for a 3,000 square foot house. It's amazing. We'll hear from him in just a bit.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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