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CNN Live Today

Keeping Them Honest In New Orleans; Church Fire Arrests; Search For Bodies In New Orleans; Storm Over Ports; Do It Yourself Home Sales Tips

Aired March 09, 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: Michael Keaton interview. You enjoy that. Thank you, Soledad and Miles. You have a great day in New York City.
We'll go ahead and get started and take a look at what's happening right now in the news.

Live pictures from Capitol Hill. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Capitol Hill right now. They are defending their department's budget request. But a Senate panel is asking about more than money. There are also concerns about Iraq sliding into civil war. Those are likely to be raised as well. One anti-war protester caused a stir in the hearing room just moments ago as Secretary Rice was speaking.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, SECRETARY OF STATE: Our budget time lines and practices. And it's therefore necessary . . .

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How many of you have children in the illegal and immoral war? How many of you have children in this illegal and immoral war.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Unit (ph) arm, please restore order. The committee will come to order.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Their blood is on your hands.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: More on the testimony that took place in a little bit. We're going to continue monitoring the hearing and bring you updates.

At least 10 people were killed today in three separate attacks in Baghdad. A child and a woman who worked for a humanitarian group were among the victims. There has been no word of the fate of 50 workers abducted from a private security firm yesterday.

Today's testimony in the Zacarias Moussaoui trial is expected to focus on his efforts to get flight training. Moussaoui has pleaded guilty to conspiracy. Prosecutors are trying to directly link him to the 9/11 attacks to get a death sentence. Moussaoui says he was training for a separate attack.

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

It's more than six months after Katrina's rampage through the Gulf Coast. Another familiar menace slows recovery, bureaucratic blunders. One of three canine search teams is being pulled from New Orleans after just a few days on the job because of red tape. CNN's Sean Callebs is keeping them honest.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Just this past Sunday, a cadaver dog team from the state of Maine located human remains in a house in the Lake View section of New Orleans. Well right now that cadaver dog team is heading back to their home state. They have been pulled out of this operation by their commanding major.

The reason, promises that were made here that simply weren't kept. Specifically, hotel accommodations. The two officers were scheduled to lose their hotel in downtown New Orleans on Monday.

And also they didn't have a vet for their animals. It may sound petty, but it's very important. The animals need the vet because they climb around all day on sharp objects and last time, Buddy, the German Shepard from Maine, had to have minor surgery when he got a piece of glass here. That team was in the area last October and November.

But the hotel rooms, how did this happen? Well FEMA does have a block of hotel room that they have paid for. However, FEMA says it's not their fault. Under the contract that brought these dog teams here, the state was supposed to provide accommodation, put in for accommodation and that simply didn't happen. There is a chance this could get worked out. We know there is work going on behind the scenes. But at this point, the game warden from Maine said it would take a miracle to keep them here.

Sean Callebs, CNN, New Orleans.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: And we're working on getting that game warden from Maine on the phone with us. And we expect to talk to him in just a little bit.

Meanwhile, let's move on to other news this morning. We are learning more about those Alabama college students who were charged in connection to arson attacks on nine rural churches. Earlier on CNN, we spoke with some fellow student whose say they knew the suspects. At least one questioned the court filings that claim at least some of the arsons were intended not as a hate crime but as a joke. Our Fredricka Whitfield is in Birmingham with more on that.

Fred, good morning.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello to you, Daryn.

Well, the news is still quite shocking to a lot of people here in the Birmingham, area. Take a look at the cover of "The Birmingham News" newspaper where you see the three students are featured rather prominently in connection with the church burnings. That in contrast to the student newspaper at the Birmingham Southern College which was released yesterday on the very day that the students were hauled into court. Well in this newspaper article, two of the students are featured and profiled because of their acting prowess and because of the many awards that they've received and because the fact that these students talk about looking forward to what they believe to be a very bright future in their acting careers.

Well, we talked to a number of students on campus who said that indeed 19-year-old Ben Moseley and Russell Debusk at the Birmingham Southern College had good reputations and were very popular.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK DOLL, FELLOW STUDENT: Everything on campus seems to be going normal like it always has. There doesn't seem to be any changes in terms -- I know everyone's still upset. I think some people more on a personal basis if they knew Ben or Russ personally. But, for the most part, I would say everything is fine and maybe a little bit stronger. You know, the school, obviously, wants to help these churches as well.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: The third student was a student at the University of Alabama Birmingham, the third suspect that is. And that person a 20- year-old Matthew Lee Cloyd. It was his vehicle where investigators were able to notice that tire tracks were left at many of the church burning sites. They managed to trace it to Cloyd's vehicle because they were special order tires. And so now we expect, Daryn, these students may be back in court as early as tomorrow.

KAGAN: Fred, I imagine the college there, Birmingham Southern, appalled at even being linked to these crime by having two of their students being the main suspects here. What's the college's reaction?

WHITFIELD: Well, they are appalled. They are very disappointed. But very quickly upon the arrests of these students, the university came out or the college came out and said, you know what, we are committed to helping to rebuild those churches that were burned or damaged, not just financially, but they're also going to recruit a number of the students at the college campus to be involved and actually put in their own, you know, sweat hours to help rebuild some of these churches.

KAGAN: Fredricka Whitfield in Birmingham, Alabama, thank you.

Let's go back to our top story now and the situation with some of the dog search teams that are trying to help out in New Orleans. Saying that probably they're going to have to leave because they don't have things as simple as hotel rooms in which to stay and proper vet care for the dogs. I want to go ahead and talk with the supervisor of the canine search team that is planning on returning back to Maine. Major Greg Sanborn of Maine's warden service issued the order for them to return home. And Major Sanborn's joining me by phone right now. Major, good morning.

MAJOR GREG SANBORN, SEARCH TEAM SUPERVISOR: Good morning.

KAGAN: So you've made the call that your people need to come home.

SANBORN: That's correct.

KAGAN: And what's that based on?

SANBORN: Well, that's based on information that was supplied to me by Sergeant Gay (ph) and Warden Wade Carter (ph) about the situation down in New Orleans.

KAGAN: And they don't have hotel rooms? I mean these are some basic things that, of course, your people would need to be able to operate down there.

SANBORN: Yes, that's correct. As you know, we deployed our canine officers down there in the middle of November and they went down and they worked for almost three weeks down there and everything went smoothly to the point that they were requested to come back later in the year. And so when the request came in to go back, we sent them back down.

KAGAN: And it didn't take long, I understand, for your crews to have success.

SANBORN: That's correct. We have a lot of faith in those two dogs and they perform very well here in the state of Maine and apparently so down in the south.

KAGAN: And can you explain to me what happened or how it became evident that your crews weren't going to have the kind of support they needed?

SANBORN: Yes. I received a call from Sergeant Gay yesterday stating that after working a shift he and Warden Wade Carter returned to their hotel room to get cleaned up, which is obviously very important after working in that environment all day, only to find themselves locked out of the hotel.

KAGAN: And then told that the hotel wasn't paid for or what was the situation?

SANBORN: Yes, apparently there's some -- in the (INAUDIBLE) command system there's a finance secretary and apparently they're not clicking just right with operations. And it was a question on who was going to pay for the hotel room and basically that was trying to get cleared up.

KAGAN: And apparently has not.

SANBORN: No. And it actually goes a little bit deeper than just a hotel room. There's some items that are logistical support for the canine teams that are just not there. The last time they were deployed in November, Buddy, which is Warden Carter's dog, became injured and he was immediately operated on what was called the v-mat system, which is a mobile veterinary hospital, and the dog was able to be put right back in service. That's not there this time. And, obviously, those -- the officers, as well as the canines, are huge resources to the state of Maine.

KAGAN: And before you make this call to bring them back, do you put in calls to FEMA or to Louisiana state government, to anybody?

SANBORN: No. What transpired here is that Sergeant Gay has been talking to the ground people down there and he called me late last night and basically said that with everything that's going on and the changing mission and the fact that the logistical support is not there, he felt that, at this time, he couldn't continue with the mission. And under our general orders, policies and procedures, when an officer feels that the mission is unreasonable, he can appeal that up the chain of command, which he did.

KAGAN: I bet they're really disappointed, though, to come home before they think a job is finished. What they'd like to be doing there.

SANBORN: Oh, yes. They were. They feel very disappointed in the fact that they can't continue. There was some, you know, situations that happen. They were asked to sign basically an affidavit saying that they were stranded from the hurricane, which obviously they're not, and they were very reluctant to do that and obviously didn't sign it. And, you know, that led to trying to clear up where they were going to stay and it's just -- hasn't worked out well for them this time.

KAGAN: One bureaucratic big piece of red tape.

So if they come back and somebody is able to figure something out, would they be willing to go back, do you think?

SANBORN: Oh, I assume so. The last time that they were deployed down there when they returned back in December, they actually made a presentation to the whole warden service. The state of Maine warden service is not a big organization. We only have about 120 members. And while I was watching their presentations in front of all the wardens, I could sense the pride that they had in working down there and I'm sure that they wouldn't mind going back if things were worked out.

KAGAN: Well hopefully at some point maybe they can do that. In the meanwhile, tell them thank you for the amount of work and the good job that they've done with the situation that they've had. Major Greg Sanborn with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, thank you for your time.

SANBORN: And thank you.

KAGAN: We are at 11 minutes past the hour. The Bush administration trying to right the ship over the sale of operations at U.S. ports to a Dubai company. The president's own party clearly against him on the deal. What's it going to take to bring back GOP unity? We're live from Washington after a quick break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: On to CNN "Security Watch."

Showdown on Capitol Hill. Republican lawmakers appear ready to challenge President Bush over the controversial ports deal. Senator John Warner says that supporters in the Republican controlled Congress are few and far between and a House panel has tide its opposition to funding for Katrina relief and missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Right now the House Transportation Subcommittee is holding a hearing on whether a Dubai company should manage operations at six major ports. This is an important developing story that we'll be following throughout the day. Right now let's bring in our Chief National Correspondent John King joining us from our Washington bureau.

John, good morning.

JOHN KING, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Daryn.

It is quite a fight. You mentioned that House hearing. This is also the subject of debate as we speak on the Senate floor. And I think Democrat Chuck Schumer of New York on the floor at the moment. He, of course, has been vocal in his opposition to this deal. But with no disrespect to the Democrats, they almost don't matter right now. The president's own party, the Republicans, are the majority in Congress and it is the Republicans not only opposing this president, Daryn, but eagerly and ferociously opposing this president. They seem to relish this fight.

As you noted on the House side, the Appropriation Committee wants to ban the Arab company from taking over the ports. They're tying that ban to the legislation the president desperately wants to fund the war in Iraq, the war in Afghanistan and the Katrina relief efforts. Essentially daring the president to veto that legislation that has the ports ban in it.

This is a major fight between the president and his own party. And many Republicans in town will tell you proof that Republicans in Congress don't think this president has much political capital left and they are not only willing to run from him but eager to fight with him.

KAGAN: Well, let's talk veto first of all. That's a huge deal for President Bush. He's never done it, which is pretty amazing to be this far into a presidency and have never vetoed a bill.

KING: They are hoping it doesn't come to this and they are hoping that some sort of a compromise emerges or that at least the people who oppose this ports deal agree eventually. There are vote there to pass this in the House. There's no question about it. And the votes are there to pass it in the Senate. Will somebody, though, come up with some alternative or will there be some break in the steal mate, if you will?

Senator John McCain was just on the floor of the Senate a few moments ago, a leading Republican, saying, people, let's take a break here. Let's not link these two issues together. But remember in the last presidential campaign, the Bush campaign made a big deal out of John Kerry saying, you know, I voted for the money for the war before I voted against it. Here's the president now in a position where he's asking for this money, now he may have to veto it to keep his word not to let the ban on the ports deal go through.

Again, they're hoping it doesn't come to that. But it is a reminding, not only as a policy fight. This is a huge policy fight over whether in this environment post-9/11 an Arab company should be able to manager U.S. ports, but it is also an enormously passionate, emotional, political fight on national security issues and the economic issue of outsourcing.

KAGAN: But how about the pure politics of it and how much of is this is about upcoming elections, John?

KING: Well, a great deal of it's about upcoming elections. Republicans are afraid that Democrats will out maneuver them on what has been the president's signature calling card issue, national security and terrorism. And again, add in the economic anxiety in the country as well. The president's at 30 something, around 38 percent I think in the latest CNN/"USA Today"/Gallup Poll approval rating.

Republicans who are thinking about their own reelection come November are now again not only worried about the Democrats but thinking that maybe we need to stand up to the president to prove our independence back home. And they're doing this, Daryn, not quietly. They're doing it quite eagerly and gleefully challenging the president and it is quite extraordinary.

KAGAN: And you're watching it from Washington, D.C. John King, thank you.

KING: Thank you.

KAGAN: Well, with a day to spare, President Bush signs the Patriot Act renewal later today. Sixteen provisions of the anti- terrorism law were due to expire tomorrow. A compromise designed to protect civil liberties, limit some federal powers but investigators still have secret access to library and medical records. "CNN Live From" will carry the signing live this afternoon at 2:40 Eastern.

Be sure to stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.

A massive fire charring more than 10,000 acres of grassland near El Dorado, Kansas, northeast of Wichita. The governor has declared a state of disaster emergency. That's going to allow state funds to be used to help with cleanup and recovery. No injuries were reported in the fire, but at least three oil storage tanks were burned. And authorities closed a school and evacuated a neighborhood as a precaution. To the northwest now. Snow is actually the big challenge right now. Winter storm warnings are in affect through the Sierra-Nevada and Cascade Mountain ranges. Authorities are warning motorist about treacherous roads. We're looking at conditions in Government Camp, Oregon. That's a ski resort area. Some people there are probably welcoming this late winter snow.

Which brings us to the weather. And there is a threat of severe weather in the south and southeast today. For that, let's welcome the new guy, his name is Reynolds Wolf and we say good morning.

Hello, Reynolds.

(WEATHER REPORT)

KAGAN: Well, do you want to make the most of your home? If you plan to sell it, you can try doing it yourself instead of using a realtor. Gerri Willis is here with some helpful tips on that.

Hi, Gerri.

GERRI WILLIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Daryn, good to see you.

Do you have FSBO fever? We'll tell you the best way to sell your own home on your own. "Five Tips" is next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

KAGAN: Let's go ahead and check the latest numbers on Wall Street. The market has been open almost an hour. Dow getting kind of a nice start, up 27 points. The Nasdaq making a little bit of movement. It is up nine points.

So you say you're ready to sell your home and you want to cut out some of the middle men and their fees, but selling buy yourself presents its own new set of problems. Our Personal Finance Editor Gerri Willis is here to help with today's "Top Five Tips."

Gerri, good morning.

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

You know, this year houses are not selling as quickly as they have been. So if you want to save that 6 percent commission, sell it on your in, you're going to have to work harder this year. Look, in Massachusetts, for example, it's taking three months to sell houses. This time last year, one month. The world's a different place in some markets so you're going to have to work harder. More advertising. More open houses. You're signing on for a lot of work.

KAGAN: How do you know how much to price your house at?

WILLIS: Well this is where FSBO owners, they typically go wrong, they don't price their house right. So to get a great price, you want to hire a residential appraiser. It's very easy to do. They cost about $275. They're going to go in, they're going to look as prices on homes that have sold where the ink is dry on the contract and they're going to help you put the right price on your house.

KAGAN: And FSBO stands for, for sale by owner.

WILLIS: For sale by owner.

KAGAN: What about getting real estate listings? How important is that?

WILLIS: You know, one of the big tools that real estate agents use is the multiple listing service. And they're all over the country. This is a way that agents talk to agents and now even consumers are able to get in on the action too. They see these listings as well. So if you're selling your house on your own, you can, in fact, get a listing on MLS. You'll pay $500 for the privilege. But I've got to tell you, it's a very good deal because it will help you sell that house. Keep in mind, though, if you get that MLS listing and you don't have your own agent, you're still going to have to pay a buyer's agent 2.5 percent to 3 percent of the value of your house when you do sell because, look, at the end of the day, they're going to be bringing people to you.

KAGAN: What about ala cart brokers? How do those work?

WILLIS: Well interesting there are lots of agents out there who sell their services piecemeal. So if you need help with the open house, if you need help signing the contract, getting the contract together, they'll give you those individual services for a set fee instead of a percentage of the total value of your house.

KAGAN: What about all the paperwork which usually seems like it takes up a small forest?

WILLIS: Well, yes, the paperwork is unbelievable. On our house it was like this much, right. It's very tough to deal with. But the reality is, if you're worried about selling your house on your own, there are other professional there who can help you do it, who do this all the time and have lots of experience. Your lawyer, even your mortgage broker. These are people that you can bring in if you're selling your house on your own to help you with all of those myriad details that come up when you sell your house.

Daryn.

KAGAN: What's coming up this week on "Open House"?

WILLIS: Well, we're going to be talking more about this topic. We'll talk about curb appeal. Getting curb appeal if you're selling your house this spring. And we've got a tale of two cities, Daryn. We looking at Vegas, Las Vegas, which has been a go-go market, and Detroit. Two cities, very different experiences with the real estate market. We'll tell you why. Saturday morning, 9:30 a.m. on "Open House."

KAGAN: All right, looking forward to that, Gerri. Thank you.

WILLIS: Thank you.

KAGAN: And this next story is for Medicare recipients. Are you still confused about the new precipitation drug program? Are you having problems with the program that you've signed up for? We want to hear from you. E-mail us at livefrom@cnn.com. The man who can answer your question, Dr. Mark McClellan, head of Medicare and Medicaid coverage, will be on CNN's "Live From." That's 2:00 p.m. Eastern, and 11:00 a.m. Pacific, to answer your questions. E-mail us right now livefrom@cnn.com.

Meanwhile, we're getting close to the half hour. Let's go ahead and take a look at what's happening right "Now in the News."

To New Orleans. A cadaver search team has packed up and is returning home to Maine, cutting short its scheduled search for bodies still lost in Katrina's wreckage. The team says the government broke its promises to house the searchers and provide a vet for the dogs used in the hazardous work. FEMA is blaming, at least in part, an oversight by the state.

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