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American Morning
America's New War: Hundreds in Line Awaiting Open of Trading
Aired September 17, 2001 - 09:09 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAUN, CNN ANCHOR: Let's right now go back to Bill Hemmer, who continues to stand by on duty outside the New York Stock Exchange.
You've had a chance to discuss what the work life is going to be like for many of the 75 thousand workers who have converged on this area. What else are they telling you, Bill?
BILL HEMMER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Paula, good morning, once again.
I tell you, this is an absolutely remarkable sight. This part of New York, or any part of New York, has never seen a scene like this before.
Joe, if you could, go ahead and push past me just a second.
I want to show our viewers further up Broad Street here, what's taking place right now. Pardon my back here as I turn.
The New York Stock Exchange, the front facade is on the left up the street. What we're seeing here, construction workers using backhoes to help lay additional cable line and fiber-optic equipment. Police are everywhere, sirens rotating across on top of a number of vans and police cars. Security extremely tight. The National Guard is here, state and local police as well.
And if we can go up just a little further, things are starting to clear somewhat because we're only, I guess, about 20 minutes away from the opening bell. But this scene that you are watching right now is just -- it really takes you back. In the history of Wall Street one has never seen anything like we're watching today. More security personnel coming through, up the street here again.
If we could show our viewers a higher angle, I believe we have a camera positioned well above the New York Stock Exchange that shows the front facade of the New York Stock Exchange with that giant flag that's been exposed, and again, a symbol again of the financial strength in this company and what Richard Grasso, the chairman, has said; his intention is to show that indeed the stock exchange is safe and secure and strong once again.
The other thing you pick up, Paula, as you watch this particular angle, the air again is full of smoke throughout the day here. We're watching the smoke and steam drift our way. It appears it's drifting eastward at this time. And people walking throughout the street here with masks and other articles of clothing held up to their mouth, trying to keep that smoke out of their lungs.
We've just been told that the governor, the New York governor, George Pataki, has arrived. He, along with New York's mayor, Rudy Giuliani, will help participate today in the ringing of the opening bell above the trading floor. Also, the treasury secretary, Paul O'Neil, arrived hours ago, about 6:00 a.m. local time today. Also, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton is on hand today. We are seeing a number of people come out. And for those who are looking for strength and security in the markets, indeed, the people who have shown up here -- showed up here today, rather, are trying to display, again, their confidence in what we're seeing.
I mentioned security, it's extremely tight. There are brokers and traders and employees in the New York Stock Exchange that normally, they tell us, they can pass through security in about 10 or 15 second, but today they're stacked up, hundreds in line, you know, getting bags checked, going throw x-ray machines, and waiting to get to work.
Also a worker just came up to me here and informed me, if people are watching trying to get to work, they're saying when they get off the subway system here they are checking IDs very carefully. They say if you want to pass and get through bring your company ID. They're indicating that that is the best way of having success through getting here.
And we talked about the emotion, so much emotion here in this part of New York City, the financial district. Many of the people who were working here last Tuesday knew people, friends and family members in the World Trade Center, and it cannot be underscored enough how much emotion they must be feeling at this point. We talked to a number of people thus far today who say, in many ways, it's just good to be back to see friends and colleagues again today. But others say that the smoke in the air reminds them of last Tuesday. One person even saying that it smelled like death.
About 15 minutes away from the open, we'll watch it from down here on Broad Street, right near then New York Stock Exchange -- Paula.
ZAUN: I'm surprised to see your eyes look as clear as they look this morning. I know when I got out of there yesterday, my eyes were stinging and had to wear a mask in the area that I went into. You feel it, don't you?
HEMMER: Yes, indeed you do. And you can smell it too. And it does get in your eyes, and that's a good reason why so many masks have been passed out. And as I look down the street again, people continue to stream up, Paula, and so many, watching their mouths and making sure their lungs indeed are A-OK. We'll watch it again, back here shortly.
ZAUN: All right, thanks so much, Bill.
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