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American Morning
New Orleans Mayor Discusses Super Bowl Preparation
Aired February 01, 2002 - 08:09 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 ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: From the Big Apple now to the Big Easy, and final preparations for Sunday's main event, Super Bowl XXXVI. In New Orleans, federal, state and local law enforcement officials have taken a page from McDonald's and super-sized security.
CNN's Tom Rinaldi reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TOM RINALDI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For the rest of us, it's a very big game. For the White House, it's officially designated as a national security event. If you're wondering where the safest place in America will be this Sunday, security officials offer a precise, if hopeful, answer: the Superdome in New Orleans. The first Super Bowl overseen by the Secret Service.
MIKE JAMES, U.S. SECRET SERVICE: We think we have the situation covered not only at the venue site, but at the other sites that interact with that designated venue.
RINALDI: Fighter pilots above, eight-foot fencing around, creating a security zone unique in New Orleans's history this week. Likely, several thousand police officers, FBI agents, National Guardsmen, and state troopers will be both conspicuous and concealed. In addition to screening checkpoints far from the stadium, everyone entering the dome will go through a battle of checks, including metal detectors, pat downs, and in some cases, face recognition technology to match known terrorists. As much as can be done, but without the false promise of guaranteeing safety.
MAYOR MARC MORIAL, NEW ORLEANS: New Orleans is highly experienced. And there is no city better in the country at dealing with large crowd events than New Orleans.
JIM STEEG, NFL SR. VICE PRESIDENT: What we want in this whole thing -- and it's not going to be seamless and it's not going to be easy -- we want the people to come here and have a good time. I mean, they're here for a football game. And we've always said that we always tend to make the Super Bowl greater than what it is, but it's a football game.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
RINALDI: As an additional indication of just how tight security is here, NFL head, Paul Tagliabue, who is in town to overlook the festivities of Super Bowl week here in New Orleans, he's been flanked by Secret Service personnel as an escort all week. As for what fans will expect to grow through? In addition to all the checks that were just referenced in that piece, some of the things that they won't be able to carry into the stadium, obviously any sort of dangerous object. But even objects of the more mundane variety: banners, noise makers, horns, even that fan favorite, the foam finger. That will not be permitted into the Superdome this time for Super Bowl XXXVI -- Paula.
ZAHN: And, Tom, as you know, Secretary Rumsfeld came out with another warning yesterday, saying it is entirely possible that another terrorist attack might even be more severe than what we witnessed here on September 11. Did that further heighten security there in New Orleans?
RINALDI: Well, it makes sense, obviously, for there to be concern here. Remember, the Super Bowl is a planned event. Let's say, in comparison to the World Series, it's not as clear where that venue will be. This venue is set well in advance, and security has prepared for that in great detail. They have absolutely barricaded and made a compound out of the area surrounding the blocks that surround the Superdome.
For example, hundreds upon hundreds of steel and concrete barricades that have choked off local traffic, interrupted traffic patterns and business methods in downtown New Orleans. And this is one of the most secure venues that I've ever been around, including the World Series -- Paula.
ZAHN: All right. Tom Rinaldi, thanks so much for that report. I know you spoke with the mayor and we are delighted that the mayor of New Orleans will be joining us on the other side to follow along the lines of Tom Rinaldi.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ZAHN: And welcome back at 15 minutes after the hour and the first day of February. Time to talk now Super Bowl and Super Bowl security with Mayor Marc Morial, the mayor of New Orleans. Good morning, delighted to have you with us.
MAYOR MARC MORIAL, NEW ORLEANS: Good morning. Glad to be with you.
ZAHN: We know how much pressure is on you right now. Delighted to...
MORIAL: It's more pressure on those teams.
ZAHN: Yes, well, let's talk a little bit about that. One of our correspondents, Tom Rinaldi, just laid out the plan where you have thousands, not only of your own officers, but national officers as well on the scene. How will that all be coordinated?
MORIAL: Well, it's being coordinated through the Secret Service. And the Bush administration afforded us a special event security designation; which, in effect, brings the resources of many federal agencies to bear. Working with state agencies and local agencies, we've got about 48 agencies.
This planning effort for Super Bowl security has been underway for about 90 days now. And I have to say, it's going to be very safe on Sunday. The cooperation has been enormous. And I think it will be secure, but we don't expect people to notice as much of what we're going to do, except when they get to the Louisiana Superdome on Sunday.
ZAHN: Are you aware of any warning that specifically targeted the Superdome?
MORIAL: No, not necessarily. But I think out of an abundance of caution, and with precaution in the post 9-11 environment, it's very important that we recognize that evil people could attack any site, especially if they think they can garner great publicity for it. And, also, it's just very important that for our guests and also for our residents and for people that are going to be working at the stadium, that we do everything we can to make sure it's safe and secure.
Now I might add that this is the ninth Super Bowl we're doing in New Orleans, and security is always tight around the Super Bowl. But this year it's ratcheted up several notches because of 9-11.
ZAHN: Not only that, this comes at a time after Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld has warned of potential attacks down the road. Much more severe than what we witnessed on September 11. And then you have this National Regulatory Commission -- nuclear commission -- recirculating a memo warning of the vulnerability of our nuclear power plants. Now does New Orleans sit near a nuclear power plant?
MORIAL: Well, in the areas in Louisiana and in Mississippi, they're not very close to New Orleans, but they're within 100 miles of New Orleans. So we have a lot of energy facilities, oil refineries, and the like. Chemical plants up and down the Mississippi between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, our state capital, which is about 90 miles away. And I think all of the people in the United States recognize that we're in a new environment and we're going to have to be vigilant.
There's going to be special security with respect to the Olympics and other big events that take place. But this has been a great exercise for us, because I think what you have taking place is a shared responsibility. The idea being that if we all work together, we can make this -- game and other events secure.
ZAHN: Mr. Mayor, I know this mayor that we're talking about is a recirculated memo, and some would say it's not necessarily substantiated. But in light of it being recirculated, are there any additional precautions being taken at these facilities?
MORIAL: I think the planning process that began 90 days ago included a detailed assessment of any and all risks which might take places. Suffice it to say that the Super Bowl is a great national event, a great event, where people from all over the United States share in the spirit of America. And that's going to be the case on Sunday. So we want people to feel safe and secure, and I can tell you it's going to be safe and secure on New Orleans on Sunday.
ZAHN: Well, we wish you tremendous luck in the Big Easy. Hey, by the way, Mr. Mayor, who are you rooting for?
MORIAL: Well, I got to be honest with you, I shouldn't be taking a position on the game, but we've got two players from New Orleans on the St. Louis Rams.
ZAHN: Oh, I guess you answered my question.
MORIAL: Marshall Faulk and Aeneas Williams. So maybe I answered it without answering it.
ZAHN: That was a politically correct answer, Mr. Mayor. Best of luck to you.
MORIAL: Thank you.
ZAHN: We'll be watching your town with pride. I'm not going to say good luck to your team, because I'm rooting for somebody else.
MORIAL: You're rooting for the Pats.
ZAHN: I am.
MORIAL: Well, I hope for a good game. I hope it comes down to the last series.
ZAHN: Wouldn't that -- yes, I hope that it's good to the end.
MORIAL: All right.
ZAHN: Because, Jack, if it's not good, he's going to tune out before half time.
CAFFERTY: All right. That's the best we can hope for, is an exciting game, right?
ZAHN: Yes.
CAFFERTY: Sometimes they're a little one-sided.
MORIAL: It's going to be a good game. Let me tell you, it's going to be tight. I sense the Patriots are going to make it real close.
CAFFERTY: Good.
ZAHN: Take care. Thanks, Mr. Mayor, for your time this morning.
MORIAL: Thanks. Bye-bye.
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