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CNN Live Today

Gas Pains; Pawning For Gas; School Shooting Plot?; Safer Roads; Queen's 80th

Aired April 21, 2006 - 10:00   ET

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

JOHN ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: Good to see you as well. The news never stops, but we get a chance to for a little while. And this is the time, after getting up as early as us, that the brain actually transcends the corporal flesh and leaves our body.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: I tell you what . . .

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: That's nice, John. That's nice. Poetic. Beautiful.

NGUYEN: It was poetic. You've got skills, John.

ROBERTS: But I think that happened about an hour and a half ago actually for me.

HARRIS: Very good. Have a great weekend everyone.

ROBERTS: Good to see you. Take care.

HARRIS: OK.

NGUYEN: Tony Harris is keeping it together from the CNN Center in Atlanta. He's going to take us through the next couple of hours.

Hi, Tony.

HARRIS: OK. I've made a transportation request. The car is running for you downstairs, Betty, all right.

NGUYEN: On its way. Bring it.

HARRIS: See you soon.

NGUYEN: All right. See you soon.

HARRIS: Oh the pain. You're feeling it every time you lift the gas pump nozzle and every day it gets worse in some cases. It's so bad people are pawning goods for gas money. Nationwide the AAA puts the average price now at $2.85 cents per gallon of self-serve regular unleaded, $3.03 for mid-level unleaded, and a whopping $3.14 for premium. Hawaii averages the highest prices at $3.16 for a gallon of regular and Utah coming in with the lowest at $2.48 a gallon.

And look at this. Out of fuel signs along the northeast coast. Some distribution terminals there report temporary shortages as they clean out pollutants and transition to new fuel mixtures. It is getting worse analysts say. I think we want to try to check in now, if we can, with our -- no? All right. It's getting worse. Analysts say prices will go even higher as we move into the summer travel season. Joining us by phone now on the road in Philadelphia is CNN's Ail Velshi.

And, Ali, I understand you're finding gas at over $3.50 a gallon in your travels?

ALI VELSHI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I just paid $3.32 to fil up. And, Tony, I'm surprised you're still talking to me because just a few days ago you said to me, is part of this increase to do with the changeover between winter gas and summer gas? And I said, no, it's hocus pocus. They do this every year. It shouldn't lead to shortages in gas. And honestly, Tony, it shouldn't lead to shortages in gas.

I've spoken to three gas station owners, both here in Philadelphia and on the New Jersey side, who have said to me, they've been told by their distributors it's got to do with this changeover between winter and summer gas, but they have been told they can't get their reservoirs filled up. One guy just told me his supplier said not till Saturday probably. There are gas stations here that are just shut down. There's no gas for some people.

Now there isn't -- I'm just going to tell everybody again, there's no gas shortage out there. But what happens is when you are used to getting gas every single day, Tony, and you go to your gas station and the gas station has -- owner has a puzzled look about why he doesn't have gas, people start to panic. That's what starts to drive prices up again.

So if you are one of those people, I would say, just hang on. We are on the story. We will find out why there are gas shortages, where this came from and get that information out to everybody as soon as possible. We've got people working on that right now.

HARRIS: OK. So you have payed over $3.30 so far.

VELSHI: I have.

HARRIS: Oh, boy.

VELSHI: And I did it for the same reason other people do it, I'm getting worried because I've been going from gas station to gas station that doesn't have gas and I said, you know what, I don't want to be stuck on the road here, so I filled up.

HARRIS: Right. And we want to put this in perspective. We don't want to cause a run on gas here, but you're just reflecting what you're seeing as you drive up and down the east coast right now.

VELSHI: That is absolutely what it is. There's exactly what I'm doing. I don't -- there's no one who suggests there's a panic. We are talking to distributors and the refiners. There's no one telling us that there's a shortage of gasoline. We know what the inventories look like. There's just no indication there's a shortage. What seems to be the case is that there's been some miscalculation on the distribution of gas at gas stations during this busy driving season and the start of it. That's my informed speculation at the moment and we are trying to find out where that came from and to find out how long this will take to resolve.

HARRIS: A miscalculation that leads to higher prices. This is interesting. Ali, thank you.

VELSHI: All right.

HARRIS: How has the high price of gas affected you? Maybe you're taking fewer trip, carpooling more or perhaps you've been driven to extremes. National Correspondent Gary Tuchman has this story that first aired on "Anderson Cooper 360."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): Lynn Wilson drives a 1991 Jaguar that only cost him $3,000, but he can't afford to drive it anymore, so he's come to a pawn shop in Norcross, Georgia.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'll give you 500 out of that check.

TUCHMAN: Where he's decided to use his car as collateral for a loan. And where he's decided to pawn this.

LYNN WILSON, PAWN SHOP CUSTOMER: I'm selling this Beliva (ph) watch which is made in the early 1900s.

TUCHMAN: It's a beautiful watch.

Pawn shops around the country are reporting a significant increase in business from people who say they need money for gas.

WILSON: It was made in 1906.

TUCHMAN: So this watch is 100 years old.

WILSON: A hundred years old.

TUCHMAN: And you're feeling like you have to sell it.

WILSON: Well, I don't have any choice because I'm a veteran and I only get a check once a month.

TUCHMAN: And you're selling it basically for gas money.

WILSON: I'm selling it for gas money. I mean, it's not food or anything like that. I mean it's just strictly gas.

TUCHMAN: How much are you selling it for?

WILSON: $200.

TUCHMAN: They sell most anything. The owner of this pawn shop says business is up about 30 percent because of people who need gas money.

What's the most expensive thing you think you've gotten pawned for gas money.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Rolexes.

TUCHMAN: The cheapest gas in the neighborhood is at this station, but it's still gone up a lot in just the last few days.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I remember when I moved to Georgia back in '96 when I got out of the military, I was paying 99 cents a gallon. Look at this now. This is ridiculous.

TUCHMAN: Far more ridiculous is the price a station owner in Brooklyn, New York, was charging, $4.14 a gallon, and that was for the cheapest gas. In northern California, only one-tenth of a penny separates premium gas from the $4 mark. And in Chicago, only one- tenth of a penny separates the cheapest gas from the $3 mark.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, honestly, we need too start looking at opening up Alaska or something. I mean we have to become more self- sufficient and quit relying on the Middle East.

TUCHMAN: Speaking of Alaska, a gas station in Barrel, Alaska, which is only 200 miles away from the nation's largest inland petroleum reserve, is at $3.95 a gallon.

In the attempt to rationalize high gas prices, many people point out that a gallon of milk is still more expensive than a gallon of gasoline. And indeed, in many case, it's still true. I just bought this gallon of milk for $3.25. But practically speaking, it's not too often that you go into a grocery store and buy 15, 20, or 25 gallons of this stuff.

A recent ABC News/"Washington Post" poll shows a large majority of people blame the White House for the high cost of gas. Nearly three-quarters of respondents say they disapprove the way the president is handling the situation with gas prices. Democrats see this as benefiting them.

MORRIS REID, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: I think the Democrats have to be careful how they use this, but it should be used as a political football and they should be able to gain some seats. I'm not for sure if it's going to change the House of Representatives or flips the Senate, but it certainly could be something they could position for 2008.

TUCHMAN: Back at the pawn shop, Lynn Wilson believes there is plenty of blame to go around. WILSON: I don't feel good about it. And I've got several more antique watches. And if I have to, you know, I'll sell those as well.

TUCHMAN: He leaves in his beloved Jaguar with his $200, which won't even buy him four tanks of gas.

Gary Tuchman, CNN, Norcross, Georgia. (END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: And you can see more great reports like Gary's every weeknight on "Anderson Cooper 360." That's at 10:00 Eastern only on CNN.

And just a programming note here. In the next hour of CNN LIVE TODAY, we will talk to a pawn shop owner about what kind of activity he is seeing in his store. That's next hour on CNN LIVE TODAY.

Now to Kansas. Just the thought of it can send chills up your spine. Students planning another Columbine-type massacre. Police say five boys plotted to go on a shooting rampage at a Riverton, Kansas, high school yesterday. But the plot was foiled in part due to an Internet posting. The boys are due in court today. The state attorney general reacted on CNN's AMERICAN MORNING.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PHILL KLINE, KANSAS ATTORNEY GENERAL: Yes, this is the anniversary of Columbine, or yesterday was. And, unfortunately, in the mass media society and all of the coverage that these things receive, some children, who are looking for a way to be relevant, unfortunately turn the wrong direction.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: We get more on this story now from reporter Tara Brown of our affiliate station KODE.

Tara, good morning to you.

TARA BROWN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

You know, it really is amazing what one day -- what a difference it can be. This morning classes went as usual. Students are into their morning classes. There's really no evidence of what happened yesterday right here at the school, at Riverton High School, except for one difference, Deputy Troy Newman is with us.

Now you have been put on post here to help with parents feel more secure and students feel safe. Are you here on a permanent basis or . . .

DEP. TROY NEWMAN, CHEROKEE CO. SHERIFF'S DEPT.: I believe for today I am. I'll be here -- you know, we're going to be posted here throughout the end of the school year. I believe the school has 16 days left. Along with their prom. They have prom here coming up. We're going to be -- have officers at that as well.

BROWN: Right.

Now tell us, five arrests were made and a hearing is scheduled to take place today. Can you tell us what charges?

NEWMAN: You know, just due to the nature that, you know, being four juveniles at this time that are, you know, being looked at, I can't really discuss what charges are or are not going to be filed.

BROWN: And what many people may not realize is, you actually have a -- you have children that go to this school, as well as a sheriff and other deputies. Tell us about that.

NEWMAN: Yes, we have a vested interest in this. You know along with the majority of all the schools around here, especially, you know, here in Riverton, we have, you know, several of the deputies, you know, and all of us have children that go here and attend here at Riverton school.

BROWN: Now do your children know the kids (INAUDIBLE) from yesterday's (INAUDIBLE)?

NEWMAN: I don't know. I believe there might be a couple of the deputies children that might be in high school and they might know the individuals. But . . .

BROWN: And what's the atmosphere like? What's the consensus of the kids today? Is it school as normal?

NEWMAN: Yes, it's school as normal. You know, I mean, you know, standing up there at the school, you know, they're looking out the windows. You know, something like this doesn't typically happen around here. So when you have the big news trucks and stuff, they're going to be, you know, interested in what's going on.

BROWN: Any possibility that other students still may be linked to this Columbine-like plot?

NEWMAN: You know, at this point, they don't (INAUDIBLE). I don't know. You know, we really can't discuss it if there is or if there isn't.

BROWN: OK. And you are here to stay until the end of the school year possibly?

NEWMAN: You know, well if it's not me, it's definitely going to be another officer here as well, you know, here until the end of the school year just to make sure that, you know, to ease the mind of the parents and of the children, you know, to hopefully be here for them.

BROWN: And how are parents taking all of this?

NEWMAN: You know, a lot of the parents, you know, they're thankful that we're here. You know, they're thankful that, you know, the situation didn't go a different direction yesterday, you know, so are we, but they're really thankful that we were here and we did respond.

BROWN: And is the school full today? Have students opted to stay home?

NEWMAN: You know, I think that attendance is up. You know, there is individuals I do know that are not at school. Some individuals have, you know, tried to come to school and, of course, it's been kind of hard on them just due to the fact is, you know, they were close to the individuals and, you know, they just -- really you can't believe something like this might happen to an individual who you think you know.

BROWN: And the 12 on that hit-list. Will those parents and students be notified of who those people were?

NEWMAN: Yes. Yes. The parents and the student, of course, were notified, and the teachers, just to kind of let them know exactly what was going on.

BROWN: And having children here, last question, do you feel 100 percent absolutely confident that the children are safe here now at Riverton High School?

NEWMAN: You know, I'd like to say, yes. Yes, I do.

BROWN: All right, thank you so much, Troy Newman.

NEWMAN: Thank you. Thanks.

BROWN: Back to you, Tony.

HARRIS: Hey, Tara, just a quick question. What time is the court appearance today and do we know for sure what charges these youngsters are facing?

BROWN: I will ask the deputy for you. So far we do not know what time the hearing is scheduled for. But we'll see if Troy Newman can help us out.

NEWMAN: You know, another issue dealing with, you know, the juveniles, you know, here in the state of Kansas, you know, the juveniles is a really touchy subject and I think that, you know, due to the fact that they are juveniles and we don't know if they're going to be tried as adults or not, you know, I don't think that they're going to release when the first appearance for the juveniles is going to be. But I believe that you guys will find out as soon as it's over with.

BROWN: And will we get the names released if they are tried as adults?

NEWMAN: I would imagine so. But, you know, if they are tried as adults, you will get the names. But if they're not, I couldn't imagine that you would get the names of the four individuals that are juveniles.

BROWN: All right. Tony.

HARRIS: OK, Tara, good information. Tara Brown with our CNN affiliate KODE. Tara, thank you.

BROWN: Thank you.

HARRIS: And coming up, a violent attack on a police officer caught on a dashboard camera. This beating could have been a lot worse. We'll tell you how it ended.

A royal milestone. She is the birthday girl. Britain's beloved queen turns 80. We will take you live to Windsor, England, for the celebration when CNN LIVE TODAY continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: CNN continues its look into the future of transportation and today our focus is on America's highways. CNN's Miles O'Brien shows us one idea that could make our highways better and safer down the road.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You're always on the move eight hours a day. Eight hours a day, 24/7.

Our primary job is dealing with accidents, to keep the traffic flowing as quick as possible. Cell phone, eating, not paying attention to the highways. All it takes is one improper lane change for the motorist (ph) to cause an accident on the interstate.

If the public would just pay attention to what they're doing, the way they drive, you know, I believe traffic would be safe for everybody.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's a great goal, but it seems like a long way off. About 40,000 people die on America's highways every year. That's 109 people every day. But what if our cars could warn us of the dangers even before an accident occurred?

Meet Jim Meissner (ph), a transportation safety expert at UC- Berkeley. His goal? Simple. To eliminate accidents.

JIM MEISSNER, UC-BERKELEY: We focus on something called intelligent transportation systems. Essentially putting technology into the roadside, into cars to make the road safer.

O'BRIEN: It's like your car's GPS navigation system beefed up and made interactive with intelligent sensors mounted on the car and on the street alerting you to unsafe intersections, blocked lanes or hazardous road conditions.

MEISSNER: You could have intersections talking to a car. The car is talking to intersections. The cars, therefore, can communicate better to the drivers what's happening.

O'BRIEN: Meissner says the system could roll out as soon as 2010 with an end goal of George Jetson proportions.

MEISSNER: In the end we could have very safe cars that drive automatically. If you have a fully automated system, you'd have to have a lot of acceptance by drivers and by society for it to happen.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Long live the queen. Britain's Elizabeth II is 80 years old today and showing no signs of slowing down. She's been celebrating this morning with a walkabout in Windsor. She greeted her loyal subjects who turned out by the thousands bearing flags and flowers. CNN's Becky Anderson joins us live from Windsor, England.

And, Becky, what was this walkabout? Was this sort of a jaunty sort of walk or was this a leisurely stroll?

BECKY ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It was a leisurely stroll, which is quite unusual for Britain's Queen Elizabeth II. It was a real party atmosphere, Tony. As you say, thousands of people hitting the streets of Windsor, in the castle behind me. The queen came out about lunchtime and spent about 45, 50 minutes with those who had lined the streets here in Windsor.

She has shaken the hands of some 3 million people during her 55- year reign as queen of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and indeed as head of the common wealth. And there are another 15,000 sets of hands for her to shake today. Not everybody got to actually talk to the queen, but she did wander along the streets very, very slowly, particularly talking to lots and lots of the children who had come today. They come in their school uniform, they come with their moms and dads, they come with their grannies and their great grannies, all turned out for a really special day marking a landmark in the queen's life.

This is her real birthday. Of course, she has an official birthday in June. That doesn't mean she's 160 just because she has two birthdays a year. She's 80. And she really looked as if she was enjoying herself today.

Tony.

HARRIS: Hey, Becky, I have to ask you. You mentioned it yourself there, she looks great. How's her health?

ANDERSON: She's in rued health, as we would say here. She looks as if she's enjoying herself and she looks as if she's going to go on forever. And that is certainly the sense that you get at this point.

Lots of talk about the royal family over the years. They've had their problems, as any modern family has. And there has been talk from the republicans of this world that there shouldn't be a monarchy here in the U.K. anymore. But the latest Morey (ph) poll (ph) for ITV news here in the U.K. has said that 57 percent of people -- 1,500 people polled -- 57 percent said the queen should reign till she died, 16 percent want her to retire and may wait for Prince William, and not for Prince Charles, of course, who is her son, but for Prince William at this point. So a lot of support evidently of the queen still here and elsewhere in the commonwealth.

Tony.

HARRIS: CNN's Becky Anderson with the -- she looks great. She looks great. Becky, thank you.

Well, it happened yesterday at the White House, but there's a long history of heckling political figures. We'll look back at the boos, the beat downs, the catcalls and the other unflattering words. That's straight ahead on CNN LIVE TODAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: And the markets are open for trading now. Coming up on just about an hour now. Let's check out the early numbers. The Dow up over 40 points and the Nasdaq in early trading is pretty much unchanged.

Peppered with pessimism, hounded by hecklers, the Chinese president was subjected to such indignity yesterday at the White House. So what's a world leader to do? Our Jeanne Moos has some tips in this report from "The Situation Room."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JEANNE MOOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT, (voice over): It was all pomp until circumstance intervened. China's President had just launched into his speech.

HU JINTAO, CHINA'S PRESIDENT, (through translator): I have come to enhance dialogues.

MOOS: When the dialogue got really enhanced by a heckler upset about what she calls the persecution of a Chinese religious sect. Chinese presidents aren't used to being interrupted, so President Bush offered an encouraging, you're OK.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: You're OK.

MOOS: After all, W is used to being heckled. Is nothing sacred? Even the pope gets heckled. So we thought maybe China's president could use some tips on how to handle heckles. The first thing you do is smile. But beware of hecklers who sneak up behind you.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If we could ask the staff to see to it that our guests are escorted.

MOOS: And even if hecklers are stripped of their banners, they might opt to just strip. Al Gore's technique was to roll his eyes and say, later.

AL GORE: I'll be glad to talk with you afterwards if you like.

MOOS: Or you can hope one of your supporter puts the heckler in a headlock. Or you can do as Hillary did and appeal to the majority.

HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON: And I do not believe that they want to hear from you at this moment.

MOOS: The master at handling hecklers was Bill Clinton, confronted by AIDS protesters. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What are you going to do about AIDS.

MOOS: First he accommodated.

BILL CLINTON: I don't mind listening. You can talk.

MOOS: Then he cajoled.

BILL CLINTON: Now would you just calm down?

MOOS: Then he got annoyed.

BILL CLINTON: If I were dying of ambition, I wouldn't have stood up here and put up with all this crap I've put up with in the last six months.

MOOS: Then he got really mad.

BILL CLINTON: Make snotty nose remarks about how I haven't done anything in my life and it's all driven by ambition. That's bull.

MOOS: Maybe China's president should consider Bob Kerry's technique.

BOB KERRY: Well, I'm a member of the public.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So am I [bleep].

MOOS: Wonder how you say that in Chinese.

Another master of the heckler putdown was Ronald Reagan.

RONALD REAGAN: Oh, shut up.

The young man stands back there with a sign, heil Hitler, heil Reagan. If it wasn't for my generation, you'd probably be saying heil to someone for sure.

MOOS: There is one good, all purpose line.

CLINTON: I feel your pain!

MOOS: And if all else fails . . .

CLINTON: Good-bye.

MOOS: Jeanne Moos, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: And you can see more of Jeanne Moos when you join Wolf Blitzer in "The Situation Room" afternoons at 4:00 and 7:00 Eastern Time.

Let's get upstairs now to the CNN Weather Center and Chad Myers who has an eye on severe weather. Chad, good to see you.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: That's why they don't allow anybody in the weather office.

HARRIS: There you go.

MYERS: That's it. I'm the only one that gets to touch this, at least for my hours.

Good morning, Tony.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HARRIS: Delayed, but now just a day away. The New Orleans election. Thousand of voters remain out of state. Now a famous church is offering displaced residents a free ride home. That story just ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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