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American Morning
One Million People Counted Down to 2004 in Times Square
Aired January 01, 2004 - 09:05 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.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Organizers estimate one million people were in New York's Times Square, or in the vicinity, last night, to count down to 2004.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED SPECTATORS: Four, three, two, one!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: The event and the rolling of that tape went off without a hitch. Thousands of police were patrolling on the ground and on rooftops and above the crowd in helicopters.
Maria Hinojosa live in Times Square.
She's got a broom and a dust pan. She's helping with the cleanup -- right, Maria.
MARIA HINOJOSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Miles, and because you just got to New York, you're going to come and help me, right?
O'BRIEN: Right over.
HINOJOSA: Well, listen, you know, there are a lot of people who are celebrating about last night, the fact that it did go off a hitch, and all of those family members that I spoke to who were out here who said that their families told them that they were crazy for coming out here, it looks like they're having a last laugh. And certainly New York City officials and Michael Bloomberg is looking at Connecticut Congressman Christopher Shays and saying, you know, we can handle it. That's the Connecticut congressman who said that he wouldn't come to Times Square for anything.
Well, clearly, New York City officials and security were able to handle it.
Now, the biggest celebration is over. Some of the merchants, though, around here saying that it wasn't, in fact, one of the biggest. So we'll see about that. But what was a fact is that this level of security was unprecedented. Just about 240 metal detectors were here, all of them from the New York public schools, and those were about twice as many as were used last year.
Now, the terror threat was defied by thousands upon thousands of people who came out here last night, many of them saying that this is a good way to bring in the new year. And this is how some of them are dealing with living in a government declared code orange America.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I believe most of us, not only here in New York, but across the country, you just keep going and you keep living your life.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: God is in control of it and if it's my time, it's my time, you know? I guess I'm not going to let their intimidation ruin my time in New York, you know? Just go and have a good time.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Still, the party is going on after hours. After hours all the clubs are busy. Happy New Year.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HINOJOSA: You've got to love the fact that there are people who are already continuing to go dancing. God, I wish I still had that energy.
Meanwhile, you've got the cleanup crews coming along and you've got some stragglers, people who were here last night who just want to come back for more -- Miles.
So, yes, we'll see you here with a broom and brush out here in a couple of hours.
O'BRIEN: You know, where did our get up and go go? It got up and went somewhere, I guess. I don't know. You used to be able to do that, didn't you?
HINOJOSA: Well, who's to say I wasn't dancing all night?
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: That's great, Maria.
O'BRIEN: I'm very proud of you, Maria.
I'm very proud of you.
All right, well, party on, dudette.
Thanks a lot.
HINOJOSA: You, too.
Take care.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired January 1, 2004 - 09:05 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Organizers estimate one million people were in New York's Times Square, or in the vicinity, last night, to count down to 2004.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED SPECTATORS: Four, three, two, one!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'BRIEN: The event and the rolling of that tape went off without a hitch. Thousands of police were patrolling on the ground and on rooftops and above the crowd in helicopters.
Maria Hinojosa live in Times Square.
She's got a broom and a dust pan. She's helping with the cleanup -- right, Maria.
MARIA HINOJOSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Miles, and because you just got to New York, you're going to come and help me, right?
O'BRIEN: Right over.
HINOJOSA: Well, listen, you know, there are a lot of people who are celebrating about last night, the fact that it did go off a hitch, and all of those family members that I spoke to who were out here who said that their families told them that they were crazy for coming out here, it looks like they're having a last laugh. And certainly New York City officials and Michael Bloomberg is looking at Connecticut Congressman Christopher Shays and saying, you know, we can handle it. That's the Connecticut congressman who said that he wouldn't come to Times Square for anything.
Well, clearly, New York City officials and security were able to handle it.
Now, the biggest celebration is over. Some of the merchants, though, around here saying that it wasn't, in fact, one of the biggest. So we'll see about that. But what was a fact is that this level of security was unprecedented. Just about 240 metal detectors were here, all of them from the New York public schools, and those were about twice as many as were used last year.
Now, the terror threat was defied by thousands upon thousands of people who came out here last night, many of them saying that this is a good way to bring in the new year. And this is how some of them are dealing with living in a government declared code orange America.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I believe most of us, not only here in New York, but across the country, you just keep going and you keep living your life.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: God is in control of it and if it's my time, it's my time, you know? I guess I'm not going to let their intimidation ruin my time in New York, you know? Just go and have a good time.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Still, the party is going on after hours. After hours all the clubs are busy. Happy New Year.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HINOJOSA: You've got to love the fact that there are people who are already continuing to go dancing. God, I wish I still had that energy.
Meanwhile, you've got the cleanup crews coming along and you've got some stragglers, people who were here last night who just want to come back for more -- Miles.
So, yes, we'll see you here with a broom and brush out here in a couple of hours.
O'BRIEN: You know, where did our get up and go go? It got up and went somewhere, I guess. I don't know. You used to be able to do that, didn't you?
HINOJOSA: Well, who's to say I wasn't dancing all night?
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: That's great, Maria.
O'BRIEN: I'm very proud of you, Maria.
I'm very proud of you.
All right, well, party on, dudette.
Thanks a lot.
HINOJOSA: You, too.
Take care.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
