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American Morning
Preparations for Hurricane Charley; Conversation with Arianna Huffington
Aired August 13, 2004 - 08:00 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.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Hurricane Charley picks up power as it bears down on Florida. Officials there are worried about substantial damage.
Meanwhile, thousands of residents get out of Charley's way.
Are you better off today than you were four years ago? President Bush gives his answer to the question in an exclusive interview with CNN's Larry King.
Also...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. JAMES MCGREEVEY (D), NEW JERSEY: Shamefully, I engaged in an adult consensual affair with another man.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: And a stunner in New Jersey. The governor quits his job and tells the country he is gay, on this AMERICAN MORNING.
ANNOUNCER: From the CNN broadcast center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Soledad O'Brien and Bill Hemmer.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning.
It's Friday.
It's 8:00.
Heidi Collins along with me here.
Soledad at home resting and waiting, and we'll keep you up to date on when we get news.
In the meantime, there is a lot of news surrounding hurricane Charley. Winds already picking up in the Keys. The storm expected to hit Tampa Bay later tonight, some time around 7:00 and 8:00 Eastern time. The mayor of Tampa standing by. We'll check in with the mayor to see how that city is getting ready already this morning.
COLLINS: Also, that shocking news conference in New Jersey. Governor James McGreevey admitting to an extramarital affair with another man and stepping down from his job. Later, we'll talk to Arianna Huffington. She went through a similar experience, you may remember, we her ex-husband.
HEMMER: Also, the vice president, Dick Cheney, and the first lady, Laura Bush, playing a bit of a different role right now during this campaign. The Give Me A Minute panel takes a look at that a bit later this hour. Jack is off on vacation. Rest easy, Jack, at home. It's his last day. He's back here on Monday.
COLLINS: I'm telling you, he keeps calling and calling and...
HEMMER: Does he?
COLLINS: ... and checking in and bothering us. Yes.
HEMMER: Tell him I said hi, will you?
Toure is back, helping us out with Jack's absence today.
So let's to Charley first up again this hour. Brushing the Keys, Key West, to be specific, gaining strength overnight and setting its sights now on Tampa Bay.
Here is what we know. In the last several hours, Charley's winds increasing to about 110 miles an hour, nearly a category three storm, expected to strengthen even more. The hurricane then thought to make landfall later tonight, around 8:00 Eastern in the Tampa area. And thousands of tourists and residents are being asked to evacuate the area and seek higher ground.
In a moment, we'll talk with the mayor of Tampa about preparations there.
First, though, this hour, several reports.
Chad Myers is in Tampa, Ed Lavandera is at an evacuation shelter in Dunedin, Florida and Rob Marciano is watching things at the Weather Center at CNN Center.
Let's start with Chad again this hour -- good morning.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Bill.
Right here, the "St. Petersburg Times," the big headline: "Target Tampa Bay." One third of all residents of Pinellas County had to leave yesterday. One third of this entire city had to evacuate. They're called A, B and C evacuations. We're in an A plain. I'm about four feet from the water. This is going to be underwater, significantly underwater here probably, around 3:00 or 4:00.
And, Bill, I heard you say, yes, the eye will make landfall in Tampa or near Tampa around 8:00. But we're going to have hurricane conditions way before that. Don't set your sight on the eye. Look at this here, blue skies.
Think about if you're an explorer, think about you're Magellan somewhere or you're bringing Spanish gold back from the new country over here, no idea there's a hurricane coming. And without the satellites that we have now, we would have no idea that this is -- this is a beautiful day in Tampa. This afternoon it's going to be a different story -- Bill.
HEMMER: That's right.
Chad, you're exactly right about that.
We'll check in a bit later.
Let's go to Ed Lavandera now -- Ed, good morning there.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Bill.
We're here in Dunedin, Florida. This is a middle school, actually. Hundreds of people are already filling up this evacuation center. We understand statewide there are 49 shelters that are opened up already, 2,500 people using those as of the last count, which is only 5 to 10 percent of the total capacity that they have room for. So they're expecting a lot more people today.
And here it is, just a wait and see game. They have about 12 hours and these people know that they're in here for the long haul.
Plenty of games, computers and DVDs are about the only way to kill time here today -- Bill.
HEMMER: You're right about that, Ed.
Thanks.
Let's check out what the computers are telling us now.
Here's Rob Marciano -- Rob, what do you have?
ROB MARCIANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Bill, this thing has not really varied from the track that it's been on and the forecast track remains the same. It is just to the west of Key West. It is becoming better organized right now, a category two storm, expected to become a three and expected to skirt the coastline of western Florida.
The last hurricane that did something like this was back in 1960, hurricane Donna. But it went south of Tampa. This one looks like it wants to go west of Tampa, and that's not a good scenario for Tampa Bay, because of the shallow water there and the way the winds are going to come up this way through the bay.
And like Chad has been talking about all morning long, the storm surge really is going to be the biggest issue. The projected path of this thing is just to the north and west of St. Pete. As it brings those strong southerly winds up the bay, it pushes that water up and through pretty much downtown Tampa.
Here's where Chad is right there, one of the places that's going to be of worry as we go through the next 12 hours. We could see a storm surge of 10. If this thing increases to better than a category three storm, it could be 20 feet. And certainly with the wind waves on top of that, we become an issue.
This is actual research that shows the water -- the areas that will potentially become underground, Bill. And if it strengthens even more, St. Pete could become an island. That would be an extreme scenario, but right now the hurricane is on track to become a category three and make landfall somewhere to the northwest of the Tampa-St. Petersburg area.
We'll keep you posted.
HEMMER: All right, Rob.
OK, thanks for the update, Rob, Ed, Chad, watching that. In a half hour we'll get you back live to Key West, Florida to check out conditions there at this hour. But for now, Heidi with more on this.
COLLINS: Hundreds of thousands of Floridians are moving out before hurricane Charley moves in. Tampa could be one of the areas hardest hit.
Mayor Pam Iorio joins us from Tampa now to talk about how they're preparing for the worst.
Ms. Mayor, thanks so much for being with us.
What is your strongest area of concern right now? MAYOR PAM IORIO, TAMPA, FLORIDA: Well, this is a great threat to the Tampa Bay area. We've never had this kind of a direct storm coming directly toward Tampa Bay. And one of our greatest concerns is the storm surge. The way that the storm appears that it may hit the Tampa Bay area could really be troublesome for us in terms of a storm surge that could be as high as 14 feet.
We have already had evacuation orders for three different levels and people have been evacuating. Our downtown right now is very desolate, as it should be. People should not be downtown. But we are expecting a great, a significant amount of damage from this storm and are preparing for it.
COLLINS: Yes, we've been hearing about what Chad Myers, our meteorologist, is calling those A, B and C evacuations. Just looking at some video now, too, on the screen of the evacuations.
Categorize for us, if you could, or characterize, I should say, how those evacuations went and are going at this time.
IORIO: I think they've been going very smoothly. Hillsboro County, where Tampa is, has about a million residents. The adjacent county, Pinellas, which has the beach communities, another million residents. They started their evacuations earlier yesterday. People have really come through Hillsboro County to evacuate from Pinellas and it went very smoothly.
Then Hillsboro County, about 350,000 people evacuating. It's really gone very well. People have taken this seriously. You know, Tampa Bay has always been able to dodge the storms. The last time we had a major hurricane was 1921. And we always talk about every hurricane season comes and goes and we feel so fortunate.
So I think this time people understand that this is very, very serious. Nothing like this has ever been -- has ever come toward Tampa Bay in the past and it looks like it's on track and people are taking it very seriously. People are evacuating. We've got all the plans in place, public safety ready, a helicopter going overhead as we speak.
COLLINS: Yes, we can hear that.
IORIO: And...
COLLINS: All right, Mayor Pam Iorio, we're probably going to have a little bit of difficulty hearing you, so we do know from our correspondent, Ed Lavandera, also, 49 shelters set up at this point. People are starting to go to them.
Thanks so much.
Once again, Mayor Pam Iorio.
IORIO: Thank you.
COLLINS: Thanks so much.
HEMMER: Seven minutes past the hour, Heidi.
An exclusive interview here on CNN. The President and Mrs. Bush sat down for the full hour last night with Larry King and they covered a number of topics -- the war in Iraq; his opponent, John Kerry; and whether or not the candidates' wives will influence this year's election.
Kelly Wallace has this for us now this morning.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The president defended the war with Iraq, saying Americans are safer and better off than they were four years ago.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: What we do know is Saddam Hussein had the capability of making weapons of mass destruction. And after September the 11th, a risk we could not take was that he would share that capability with our enemies.
WALLACE: In the wide ranging interview, Mr. Bush criticized opponent John Kerry for suggesting he would start bringing U.S. troops home from Iraq within six months of taking office.
G. BUSH: That says to the enemy: Wait for six months and one day. Or it says to the Iraqis, the Americans aren't serious.
WALLACE: The president, who called Senator Kerry's Vietnam service noble, said he had not seen this new controversial ad attacking the senator. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM TELEVISION COMMERCIAL)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He is lying about his record.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: But stopped short of condemning it.
G. BUSH: What I do condemn is these unregulated, soft-money expenditures by very wealthy people. And they've said some bad things about me. I guess they're saying bad things about him.
WALLACE: Mr. Bush dismissed Senator Kerry's criticism for sitting for seven minutes on September 11 after his chief of staff whispered America was under attack.
G. BUSH: I think it's easy to second-guess a moment...
LARRY KING, HOST: What was going through your head?
G. BUSH: But what is relevant is whether or not I understand and understood then the stakes. And I recognized that we were at war.
WALLACE: Before the interview, the Bushes met with former First Lady Nancy Reagan, who is at odds with the president over the issue of embryonic stem cell research. First Lady Laura Bush defended her husband.
L. BUSH: There is not a ban on stem cell research. And that seems to be the buzzword now that you would read in the press. And the fact is the president is the one who -- is the only person who's authorized any research on embryonic stem cell.
WALLACE: And looking ahead to November...
G. BUSH: I don't know if it's going to be close or not. I believe I'm going to win.
WALLACE: If the election were held today, the polls say this race would be too close to call.
Kelly Wallace, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
HEMMER: After that exclusive interview here on CNN, the Kerry campaign issued a response to the president's appearance with Larry last night. And quoting now: "The president spent an hour on TV and did not talk about jobs or his plans to get the economy going. It's the latest proof that this president is completely out of touch with the priorities of this country and has no plan to turn things around."
That, again, from the Kerry campaign last night.
Kudos to Larry King yet again. During this election, if the candidates want to speak, Larry's got the platform, just like he did in 2000, in 1996, in 1992...
COLLINS: Many, many years.
HEMMER: So keep on going, Larry.
Well done.
COLLINS: Go, Larry.
HEMMER: Yes.
COLLINS: All right, it is 10 minutes past the hour now.
Time for a look at some of the other news and Carol Costello -- hi, Carol.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, Heidi.
Thank you.
The British Foreign Office is confirming this morning that one of its citizens has been taken hostage in Iraq. A British journalist identified as James Brandon was apparently abducted outside of his hotel in the southern city of Basra. Brandon's employer says it's pursuing the situation with great concern.
One of the companies swept up in the Abu Ghraib scandal says it has found no evidence linking its employees to the abuse of Iraqi prisoners. CACI International, a civilian company that supplies interrogators to the American military in Iraq, says an internal probe found no wrongdoing by any of its employees. The company also says it's cooperating fully with the government investigation.
Residents are now assessing damage after wildfires forced the evacuation of hundreds near Shasta Lake, California. Sixteen hundred firefighters have assembled to battle the flames that already have consumed more than 60 homes and nearly 8,000 acres. Air tankers and helicopters have helped to contain about half the fire. Authorities say the fire may have started Wednesday by sparks from a lawnmower.
And history in the making this morning at New York's JFK International Airport, as a man attempts to break the 29 minute record for rolling an orange a mile with his nose. Yes, he's rolling an orange a mile with his nose, or he's trying to do it farther than that. Ashreda Fuhrman (ph), the holder of 21 Guiness records, chose a green orange for the attempt. Fuhrman says green oranges roll better and he's right, because the new record is 24 minutes, 34 seconds.
HEMMER: Hey, Carol, who thought of that?
COLLINS: It's very important.
HEMMER: How do you come up with that?
COSTELLO: And how do you test each orange, whether it's ripe or not ripe to roll? I don't know. COLLINS: Yes.
HEMMER: But he knows. We know that.
COSTELLO: He knows.
COLLINS: Maybe like a fried green tomato would work, as well, too.
HEMMER: That's the next record, I guess.
Thanks, Carol.
COLLINS: OK.
HEMMER: In a moment here, back live to Florida. The latest on Charley, pushing up the west side of Florida.
We'll get to that.
COLLINS: Also, is the Bush campaign playing a game of good cop/bad cop? Our Give Me A Minute panel, they're going to weigh in, all of them.
HEMMER: Also, the aftershocks from Governor Jim McGreevey's bombshell from yesterday afternoon. Arianna Huffington, whose own husband admitted to being bisexual after their divorce, shares her thoughts with us live in L.A., after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Now more on that stunning announcement from the governor of New Jersey yesterday at a news conference in New Jersey. Governor Jim McGreevey made a heartfelt speech. First, his plans to resign from office, and then this shocking announcement.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. JAMES MCGREEVEY (D), NEW JERSEY: At a point in every person's life, one has to look deeply into the mirror of one's soul and decide one's unique truth in the world, not as we may want to see it or hope to see it, but as it is. And so my truth is that I am a gay American.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: Arianna Huffington has a unique perspective on Governor McGreevey's admission. Her ex-husband Michael, a former California congressman and senate candidate, revealed his bisexuality after the two were divorced in California.
Arianna Huffington, author and commentator, my guest now in L.A.
And good morning to you.
ARIANNA HUFFINGTON, "FANATICS & FOOLS": Good morning. HEMMER: I know you were divorced in '97, you say. Your husband went public in '99. Watching this yesterday and listening to it, what went through your mind, Arianna?
HUFFINGTON: Well, you know, this story is playing on so many levels, Bill. You know, there is the personal level for me of watching Mrs. McGreevey and wondering what was going on through her head, having to live her own personal turmoil in such a public way. She has a young daughter, who is mercifully only two, so she probably doesn't have a lot of explaining to do.
But then there is a political drama being played out. And you played a little part from the speech. I thought it was a very moving speech and it was in sharp contrast to most political speech, which is so pre-packaged and so insincere.
And then, of course, there is the fact that this is still an unfolding story. You know, there are all the possibilities of a sexual harassment suit. There is a possibility of an abuse of public trust because the man that Governor McGreevey had an affair with was an employee of the state.
So this is like an opera, right? It's playing on so many levels.
But for right now, I think we can focus on the personal and the political, because that's all we are sure about.
HEMMER: If I could go back to your own situation, how much contact do you have today with your ex-husband?
HUFFINGTON: Oh, we have a lot of contact. We have two teenaged daughters and we are bringing them up together. So we have a lot of contact.
HEMMER: And Governor McGreevey has two daughters, as well, from two different women.
Is it fair to compare your situation to his, or is it apples and oranges, do you believe?
HUFFINGTON: Well, obviously there are so many ways in which they are not similar, in that we were divorced, which is a huge difference, because right now, as well as Governor McGreevey having to watch the unrevealing of his political career, he has to also be part of the unraveling of his marriage.
And then this was a very, very public announcement. My ex- husband was no longer in office. So that is a huge difference. I mean this was a very stunning announcement, especially, bill, coming on the same day that the supreme court here in California made its decision that the 4,000 marriages that had taken place in San Francisco were no longer legal.
So we have this play being played out against the background of the fact that in this country we're still making it very hard for gay people to live out their lives honestly. And we are making it particularly hard, of course, if they want to be in public office.
HEMMER: Do you believe, well, how much do you believe it matters to voters, which I think is what you were going for in that answer? And, also, does Jim McGreevey have any future in politics after this?
HUFFINGTON: Well, a lot will depend on what happens in this potential sexual harassment suit. Is it going to be won? What is it going to reveal. I think he will definitely have a future in politics if it just a question of being gay and of infidelity. I mean we have politicians of both parties admitting to infidelity. So a lot will depend on that threat of a lawsuit.
HEMMER: Arianna, thanks.
HUFFINGTON: Thank you.
HEMMER: Arianna Huffington with a rather unique perspective on this story.
Nice to talk with you, live in L.A.
HUFFINGTON: You, too.
HEMMER: All right -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Still to come, storming Florida. Hurricane Charley takes aim at the Sunshine State, and it's getting stronger as it heads north. We're live on the scene, coming up on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Jack is enjoying one last day off. He will be back on Monday.
So Toure is here with "The Experience."
We've all been very excited about this.
TOURE, "ROLLING STONE" MAGAZINE: Well, yes, we're going to have fun today.
Speaking of pulling things out of closets, let's consider the cheesy song. Everyone's got a secret song that you'd never admit to your friends you love, and yet whenever that Milli Vanilli or Spice Girls song comes on, you find yourself singing at the top of your lungs in the shower or the car, because nobody else is around.
But we're going to get all that on the table today.
HEMMER: Oh, yes.
TOURE: Me? I can't hide from this one.
HEMMER: Love this song.
TOURE: I mean just hearing it now... (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: There's a difference between cheesy and bad. I mean this is good.
TOURE: This is a great song. It's a great written song.
Let's have a look around CNN at the cheesy songs some of our anchors can't escape. Anderson Cooper.
HEMMER: Really?
TOURE: He loves Blondie's "Heart of Glass," which is a fantastic record.
HEMMER: That's cool. Agreed.
TOURE: I love this record, too.
HEMMER: Yes!
TOURE: Everyone's entitled to their choice.
HEMMER: That's right.
TOURE: Dr. Gupta loves Barry Manilow's "Copa Cabana."
HEMMER: Nice call!
TOURE: Yes, OK.
Jeff Toobin...
(CROSSTALK)
HEMMER: Got to give Gupta some props.
TOURE: You're trying to be supportive, is what you are.
HEMMER: Yes.
TOURE: Jeff Toobin loves The Backstreet Boys' "I Want It That Way." Ouch.
COLLINS: That's painful.
TOURE: That's painful.
COLLINS: Yes.
TOURE: He needs a lawyer after that.
COLLINS: Yes. Or therapy.
TOURE: Daryn Kagan loves The Partridge Family's "Come On Get Happy." HEMMER: Puts a smile on our face.
TOURE: Jeff Greenfield, senior political analyst, loves The Coasters' "Yakety Yak" and can tell you the history of the song.
HEMMER: Old school. Yes.
TOURE: He's brilliant.
HEMMER: He wrote the book on it.
COLLINS: I was wondering about that.
TOURE: And perhaps the best choice of the bunch, Wolf Blitzer. Favorite cheesy song? "Right, Said Fred, I'm Too Sexy."
HEMMER: Yes, he is.
TOURE: Whoa! That should be a theme song for his show.
COLLINS: Talk about bombshells.
TOURE: And finally, the last song of the day, Neil Diamond's "Forever In Blue Jeans," the choice of our own Bill Hemmer.
COLLINS: Oh, man. Is that a lighter?
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
NEIL DIAMOND, SINGER: Long as I can have you here with me, I'd much rather be forever in blue jeans.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TOURE: Yes! Very nice.
HEMMER: Actually, I had a very difficult time making my selection.
TOURE: Yes, you did.
HEMMER: Because I'm a huge closet Neil Diamond fan.
TOURE: Yes?
HEMMER: Yes.
TOURE: Yes, there's lots of stuff in there.
HEMMER: I thought it came off good.
When we were kids, right, we'd take these big long drives in the family station wagon down to Florida or the Carolinas...
COLLINS: Here we go.
HEMMER: Mom and dad, five kids, we fought a lot. There was only one person we could all decide on, who we'd want to listen in.
COLLINS: Neil.
HEMMER: It was Neil Diamond.
TOURE: All of the Hemmers were...
COLLINS: Bringing the Hemmer family together.
TOURE: All of the Hemmers...
HEMMER: Yes, that's right.
TOURE: ... listened, bonding around Neil.
HEMMER: And now you know. Yes.
TOURE: Wow!
HEMMER: I love your call, though, by the way.
Where's your call?
HEMMER: I don't know.
TOURE: Yes, what do you...
COLLINS: He didn't include me in it.
TOURE: Well, no, you didn't -- there's you now, so what's...
COLLINS: Ah, no, no. I'm not playing.
TOURE: Look, the SATs, now the song.
COLLINS: Exactly. No one tells me. No. Do I have to say it out loud?
HEMMER: No you can think about it and tell him later.
TOURE: No, you can -- you can just whisper it into my ear and I'll tell them.
COLLINS: I have to fess up to liking The Carpenters.
TOURE: The Carpenters did great stuff.
COLLINS: OK. Good. I feel so much better.
TOURE: Karen Carpenter was a great singer.
HEMMER: It's OK.
TOURE: Absolutely.
HEMMER: Great topic, Toure. Let's get a break.
Here in a moment, Charley is knocking on the door of Florida. Nearly a million people have been told to get out. That hurricane a major one, too, zeroing in on Tampa later tonight. We're tracking the storm live from Key West in a moment.
Also, the New Jersey bombshell. The governor is out, then he resigns, as well. Will there be fallout in the presidential campaign? Maybe, maybe not. The Give Me A Minute panel has that after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Still to come, good news for migraine sufferers. A new weapon against severe headaches may promise relief for millions. Dr. Sanjay Gupta has the story.
Stay with us on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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Aired August 13, 2004 - 08:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Hurricane Charley picks up power as it bears down on Florida. Officials there are worried about substantial damage.
Meanwhile, thousands of residents get out of Charley's way.
Are you better off today than you were four years ago? President Bush gives his answer to the question in an exclusive interview with CNN's Larry King.
Also...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. JAMES MCGREEVEY (D), NEW JERSEY: Shamefully, I engaged in an adult consensual affair with another man.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: And a stunner in New Jersey. The governor quits his job and tells the country he is gay, on this AMERICAN MORNING.
ANNOUNCER: From the CNN broadcast center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Soledad O'Brien and Bill Hemmer.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning.
It's Friday.
It's 8:00.
Heidi Collins along with me here.
Soledad at home resting and waiting, and we'll keep you up to date on when we get news.
In the meantime, there is a lot of news surrounding hurricane Charley. Winds already picking up in the Keys. The storm expected to hit Tampa Bay later tonight, some time around 7:00 and 8:00 Eastern time. The mayor of Tampa standing by. We'll check in with the mayor to see how that city is getting ready already this morning.
COLLINS: Also, that shocking news conference in New Jersey. Governor James McGreevey admitting to an extramarital affair with another man and stepping down from his job. Later, we'll talk to Arianna Huffington. She went through a similar experience, you may remember, we her ex-husband.
HEMMER: Also, the vice president, Dick Cheney, and the first lady, Laura Bush, playing a bit of a different role right now during this campaign. The Give Me A Minute panel takes a look at that a bit later this hour. Jack is off on vacation. Rest easy, Jack, at home. It's his last day. He's back here on Monday.
COLLINS: I'm telling you, he keeps calling and calling and...
HEMMER: Does he?
COLLINS: ... and checking in and bothering us. Yes.
HEMMER: Tell him I said hi, will you?
Toure is back, helping us out with Jack's absence today.
So let's to Charley first up again this hour. Brushing the Keys, Key West, to be specific, gaining strength overnight and setting its sights now on Tampa Bay.
Here is what we know. In the last several hours, Charley's winds increasing to about 110 miles an hour, nearly a category three storm, expected to strengthen even more. The hurricane then thought to make landfall later tonight, around 8:00 Eastern in the Tampa area. And thousands of tourists and residents are being asked to evacuate the area and seek higher ground.
In a moment, we'll talk with the mayor of Tampa about preparations there.
First, though, this hour, several reports.
Chad Myers is in Tampa, Ed Lavandera is at an evacuation shelter in Dunedin, Florida and Rob Marciano is watching things at the Weather Center at CNN Center.
Let's start with Chad again this hour -- good morning.
CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Bill.
Right here, the "St. Petersburg Times," the big headline: "Target Tampa Bay." One third of all residents of Pinellas County had to leave yesterday. One third of this entire city had to evacuate. They're called A, B and C evacuations. We're in an A plain. I'm about four feet from the water. This is going to be underwater, significantly underwater here probably, around 3:00 or 4:00.
And, Bill, I heard you say, yes, the eye will make landfall in Tampa or near Tampa around 8:00. But we're going to have hurricane conditions way before that. Don't set your sight on the eye. Look at this here, blue skies.
Think about if you're an explorer, think about you're Magellan somewhere or you're bringing Spanish gold back from the new country over here, no idea there's a hurricane coming. And without the satellites that we have now, we would have no idea that this is -- this is a beautiful day in Tampa. This afternoon it's going to be a different story -- Bill.
HEMMER: That's right.
Chad, you're exactly right about that.
We'll check in a bit later.
Let's go to Ed Lavandera now -- Ed, good morning there.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Bill.
We're here in Dunedin, Florida. This is a middle school, actually. Hundreds of people are already filling up this evacuation center. We understand statewide there are 49 shelters that are opened up already, 2,500 people using those as of the last count, which is only 5 to 10 percent of the total capacity that they have room for. So they're expecting a lot more people today.
And here it is, just a wait and see game. They have about 12 hours and these people know that they're in here for the long haul.
Plenty of games, computers and DVDs are about the only way to kill time here today -- Bill.
HEMMER: You're right about that, Ed.
Thanks.
Let's check out what the computers are telling us now.
Here's Rob Marciano -- Rob, what do you have?
ROB MARCIANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Bill, this thing has not really varied from the track that it's been on and the forecast track remains the same. It is just to the west of Key West. It is becoming better organized right now, a category two storm, expected to become a three and expected to skirt the coastline of western Florida.
The last hurricane that did something like this was back in 1960, hurricane Donna. But it went south of Tampa. This one looks like it wants to go west of Tampa, and that's not a good scenario for Tampa Bay, because of the shallow water there and the way the winds are going to come up this way through the bay.
And like Chad has been talking about all morning long, the storm surge really is going to be the biggest issue. The projected path of this thing is just to the north and west of St. Pete. As it brings those strong southerly winds up the bay, it pushes that water up and through pretty much downtown Tampa.
Here's where Chad is right there, one of the places that's going to be of worry as we go through the next 12 hours. We could see a storm surge of 10. If this thing increases to better than a category three storm, it could be 20 feet. And certainly with the wind waves on top of that, we become an issue.
This is actual research that shows the water -- the areas that will potentially become underground, Bill. And if it strengthens even more, St. Pete could become an island. That would be an extreme scenario, but right now the hurricane is on track to become a category three and make landfall somewhere to the northwest of the Tampa-St. Petersburg area.
We'll keep you posted.
HEMMER: All right, Rob.
OK, thanks for the update, Rob, Ed, Chad, watching that. In a half hour we'll get you back live to Key West, Florida to check out conditions there at this hour. But for now, Heidi with more on this.
COLLINS: Hundreds of thousands of Floridians are moving out before hurricane Charley moves in. Tampa could be one of the areas hardest hit.
Mayor Pam Iorio joins us from Tampa now to talk about how they're preparing for the worst.
Ms. Mayor, thanks so much for being with us.
What is your strongest area of concern right now? MAYOR PAM IORIO, TAMPA, FLORIDA: Well, this is a great threat to the Tampa Bay area. We've never had this kind of a direct storm coming directly toward Tampa Bay. And one of our greatest concerns is the storm surge. The way that the storm appears that it may hit the Tampa Bay area could really be troublesome for us in terms of a storm surge that could be as high as 14 feet.
We have already had evacuation orders for three different levels and people have been evacuating. Our downtown right now is very desolate, as it should be. People should not be downtown. But we are expecting a great, a significant amount of damage from this storm and are preparing for it.
COLLINS: Yes, we've been hearing about what Chad Myers, our meteorologist, is calling those A, B and C evacuations. Just looking at some video now, too, on the screen of the evacuations.
Categorize for us, if you could, or characterize, I should say, how those evacuations went and are going at this time.
IORIO: I think they've been going very smoothly. Hillsboro County, where Tampa is, has about a million residents. The adjacent county, Pinellas, which has the beach communities, another million residents. They started their evacuations earlier yesterday. People have really come through Hillsboro County to evacuate from Pinellas and it went very smoothly.
Then Hillsboro County, about 350,000 people evacuating. It's really gone very well. People have taken this seriously. You know, Tampa Bay has always been able to dodge the storms. The last time we had a major hurricane was 1921. And we always talk about every hurricane season comes and goes and we feel so fortunate.
So I think this time people understand that this is very, very serious. Nothing like this has ever been -- has ever come toward Tampa Bay in the past and it looks like it's on track and people are taking it very seriously. People are evacuating. We've got all the plans in place, public safety ready, a helicopter going overhead as we speak.
COLLINS: Yes, we can hear that.
IORIO: And...
COLLINS: All right, Mayor Pam Iorio, we're probably going to have a little bit of difficulty hearing you, so we do know from our correspondent, Ed Lavandera, also, 49 shelters set up at this point. People are starting to go to them.
Thanks so much.
Once again, Mayor Pam Iorio.
IORIO: Thank you.
COLLINS: Thanks so much.
HEMMER: Seven minutes past the hour, Heidi.
An exclusive interview here on CNN. The President and Mrs. Bush sat down for the full hour last night with Larry King and they covered a number of topics -- the war in Iraq; his opponent, John Kerry; and whether or not the candidates' wives will influence this year's election.
Kelly Wallace has this for us now this morning.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
KELLY WALLACE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The president defended the war with Iraq, saying Americans are safer and better off than they were four years ago.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: What we do know is Saddam Hussein had the capability of making weapons of mass destruction. And after September the 11th, a risk we could not take was that he would share that capability with our enemies.
WALLACE: In the wide ranging interview, Mr. Bush criticized opponent John Kerry for suggesting he would start bringing U.S. troops home from Iraq within six months of taking office.
G. BUSH: That says to the enemy: Wait for six months and one day. Or it says to the Iraqis, the Americans aren't serious.
WALLACE: The president, who called Senator Kerry's Vietnam service noble, said he had not seen this new controversial ad attacking the senator. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP FROM TELEVISION COMMERCIAL)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He is lying about his record.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WALLACE: But stopped short of condemning it.
G. BUSH: What I do condemn is these unregulated, soft-money expenditures by very wealthy people. And they've said some bad things about me. I guess they're saying bad things about him.
WALLACE: Mr. Bush dismissed Senator Kerry's criticism for sitting for seven minutes on September 11 after his chief of staff whispered America was under attack.
G. BUSH: I think it's easy to second-guess a moment...
LARRY KING, HOST: What was going through your head?
G. BUSH: But what is relevant is whether or not I understand and understood then the stakes. And I recognized that we were at war.
WALLACE: Before the interview, the Bushes met with former First Lady Nancy Reagan, who is at odds with the president over the issue of embryonic stem cell research. First Lady Laura Bush defended her husband.
L. BUSH: There is not a ban on stem cell research. And that seems to be the buzzword now that you would read in the press. And the fact is the president is the one who -- is the only person who's authorized any research on embryonic stem cell.
WALLACE: And looking ahead to November...
G. BUSH: I don't know if it's going to be close or not. I believe I'm going to win.
WALLACE: If the election were held today, the polls say this race would be too close to call.
Kelly Wallace, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
HEMMER: After that exclusive interview here on CNN, the Kerry campaign issued a response to the president's appearance with Larry last night. And quoting now: "The president spent an hour on TV and did not talk about jobs or his plans to get the economy going. It's the latest proof that this president is completely out of touch with the priorities of this country and has no plan to turn things around."
That, again, from the Kerry campaign last night.
Kudos to Larry King yet again. During this election, if the candidates want to speak, Larry's got the platform, just like he did in 2000, in 1996, in 1992...
COLLINS: Many, many years.
HEMMER: So keep on going, Larry.
Well done.
COLLINS: Go, Larry.
HEMMER: Yes.
COLLINS: All right, it is 10 minutes past the hour now.
Time for a look at some of the other news and Carol Costello -- hi, Carol.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Hi, Heidi.
Thank you.
The British Foreign Office is confirming this morning that one of its citizens has been taken hostage in Iraq. A British journalist identified as James Brandon was apparently abducted outside of his hotel in the southern city of Basra. Brandon's employer says it's pursuing the situation with great concern.
One of the companies swept up in the Abu Ghraib scandal says it has found no evidence linking its employees to the abuse of Iraqi prisoners. CACI International, a civilian company that supplies interrogators to the American military in Iraq, says an internal probe found no wrongdoing by any of its employees. The company also says it's cooperating fully with the government investigation.
Residents are now assessing damage after wildfires forced the evacuation of hundreds near Shasta Lake, California. Sixteen hundred firefighters have assembled to battle the flames that already have consumed more than 60 homes and nearly 8,000 acres. Air tankers and helicopters have helped to contain about half the fire. Authorities say the fire may have started Wednesday by sparks from a lawnmower.
And history in the making this morning at New York's JFK International Airport, as a man attempts to break the 29 minute record for rolling an orange a mile with his nose. Yes, he's rolling an orange a mile with his nose, or he's trying to do it farther than that. Ashreda Fuhrman (ph), the holder of 21 Guiness records, chose a green orange for the attempt. Fuhrman says green oranges roll better and he's right, because the new record is 24 minutes, 34 seconds.
HEMMER: Hey, Carol, who thought of that?
COLLINS: It's very important.
HEMMER: How do you come up with that?
COSTELLO: And how do you test each orange, whether it's ripe or not ripe to roll? I don't know. COLLINS: Yes.
HEMMER: But he knows. We know that.
COSTELLO: He knows.
COLLINS: Maybe like a fried green tomato would work, as well, too.
HEMMER: That's the next record, I guess.
Thanks, Carol.
COLLINS: OK.
HEMMER: In a moment here, back live to Florida. The latest on Charley, pushing up the west side of Florida.
We'll get to that.
COLLINS: Also, is the Bush campaign playing a game of good cop/bad cop? Our Give Me A Minute panel, they're going to weigh in, all of them.
HEMMER: Also, the aftershocks from Governor Jim McGreevey's bombshell from yesterday afternoon. Arianna Huffington, whose own husband admitted to being bisexual after their divorce, shares her thoughts with us live in L.A., after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Now more on that stunning announcement from the governor of New Jersey yesterday at a news conference in New Jersey. Governor Jim McGreevey made a heartfelt speech. First, his plans to resign from office, and then this shocking announcement.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. JAMES MCGREEVEY (D), NEW JERSEY: At a point in every person's life, one has to look deeply into the mirror of one's soul and decide one's unique truth in the world, not as we may want to see it or hope to see it, but as it is. And so my truth is that I am a gay American.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HEMMER: Arianna Huffington has a unique perspective on Governor McGreevey's admission. Her ex-husband Michael, a former California congressman and senate candidate, revealed his bisexuality after the two were divorced in California.
Arianna Huffington, author and commentator, my guest now in L.A.
And good morning to you.
ARIANNA HUFFINGTON, "FANATICS & FOOLS": Good morning. HEMMER: I know you were divorced in '97, you say. Your husband went public in '99. Watching this yesterday and listening to it, what went through your mind, Arianna?
HUFFINGTON: Well, you know, this story is playing on so many levels, Bill. You know, there is the personal level for me of watching Mrs. McGreevey and wondering what was going on through her head, having to live her own personal turmoil in such a public way. She has a young daughter, who is mercifully only two, so she probably doesn't have a lot of explaining to do.
But then there is a political drama being played out. And you played a little part from the speech. I thought it was a very moving speech and it was in sharp contrast to most political speech, which is so pre-packaged and so insincere.
And then, of course, there is the fact that this is still an unfolding story. You know, there are all the possibilities of a sexual harassment suit. There is a possibility of an abuse of public trust because the man that Governor McGreevey had an affair with was an employee of the state.
So this is like an opera, right? It's playing on so many levels.
But for right now, I think we can focus on the personal and the political, because that's all we are sure about.
HEMMER: If I could go back to your own situation, how much contact do you have today with your ex-husband?
HUFFINGTON: Oh, we have a lot of contact. We have two teenaged daughters and we are bringing them up together. So we have a lot of contact.
HEMMER: And Governor McGreevey has two daughters, as well, from two different women.
Is it fair to compare your situation to his, or is it apples and oranges, do you believe?
HUFFINGTON: Well, obviously there are so many ways in which they are not similar, in that we were divorced, which is a huge difference, because right now, as well as Governor McGreevey having to watch the unrevealing of his political career, he has to also be part of the unraveling of his marriage.
And then this was a very, very public announcement. My ex- husband was no longer in office. So that is a huge difference. I mean this was a very stunning announcement, especially, bill, coming on the same day that the supreme court here in California made its decision that the 4,000 marriages that had taken place in San Francisco were no longer legal.
So we have this play being played out against the background of the fact that in this country we're still making it very hard for gay people to live out their lives honestly. And we are making it particularly hard, of course, if they want to be in public office.
HEMMER: Do you believe, well, how much do you believe it matters to voters, which I think is what you were going for in that answer? And, also, does Jim McGreevey have any future in politics after this?
HUFFINGTON: Well, a lot will depend on what happens in this potential sexual harassment suit. Is it going to be won? What is it going to reveal. I think he will definitely have a future in politics if it just a question of being gay and of infidelity. I mean we have politicians of both parties admitting to infidelity. So a lot will depend on that threat of a lawsuit.
HEMMER: Arianna, thanks.
HUFFINGTON: Thank you.
HEMMER: Arianna Huffington with a rather unique perspective on this story.
Nice to talk with you, live in L.A.
HUFFINGTON: You, too.
HEMMER: All right -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Still to come, storming Florida. Hurricane Charley takes aim at the Sunshine State, and it's getting stronger as it heads north. We're live on the scene, coming up on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Jack is enjoying one last day off. He will be back on Monday.
So Toure is here with "The Experience."
We've all been very excited about this.
TOURE, "ROLLING STONE" MAGAZINE: Well, yes, we're going to have fun today.
Speaking of pulling things out of closets, let's consider the cheesy song. Everyone's got a secret song that you'd never admit to your friends you love, and yet whenever that Milli Vanilli or Spice Girls song comes on, you find yourself singing at the top of your lungs in the shower or the car, because nobody else is around.
But we're going to get all that on the table today.
HEMMER: Oh, yes.
TOURE: Me? I can't hide from this one.
HEMMER: Love this song.
TOURE: I mean just hearing it now... (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: There's a difference between cheesy and bad. I mean this is good.
TOURE: This is a great song. It's a great written song.
Let's have a look around CNN at the cheesy songs some of our anchors can't escape. Anderson Cooper.
HEMMER: Really?
TOURE: He loves Blondie's "Heart of Glass," which is a fantastic record.
HEMMER: That's cool. Agreed.
TOURE: I love this record, too.
HEMMER: Yes!
TOURE: Everyone's entitled to their choice.
HEMMER: That's right.
TOURE: Dr. Gupta loves Barry Manilow's "Copa Cabana."
HEMMER: Nice call!
TOURE: Yes, OK.
Jeff Toobin...
(CROSSTALK)
HEMMER: Got to give Gupta some props.
TOURE: You're trying to be supportive, is what you are.
HEMMER: Yes.
TOURE: Jeff Toobin loves The Backstreet Boys' "I Want It That Way." Ouch.
COLLINS: That's painful.
TOURE: That's painful.
COLLINS: Yes.
TOURE: He needs a lawyer after that.
COLLINS: Yes. Or therapy.
TOURE: Daryn Kagan loves The Partridge Family's "Come On Get Happy." HEMMER: Puts a smile on our face.
TOURE: Jeff Greenfield, senior political analyst, loves The Coasters' "Yakety Yak" and can tell you the history of the song.
HEMMER: Old school. Yes.
TOURE: He's brilliant.
HEMMER: He wrote the book on it.
COLLINS: I was wondering about that.
TOURE: And perhaps the best choice of the bunch, Wolf Blitzer. Favorite cheesy song? "Right, Said Fred, I'm Too Sexy."
HEMMER: Yes, he is.
TOURE: Whoa! That should be a theme song for his show.
COLLINS: Talk about bombshells.
TOURE: And finally, the last song of the day, Neil Diamond's "Forever In Blue Jeans," the choice of our own Bill Hemmer.
COLLINS: Oh, man. Is that a lighter?
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
NEIL DIAMOND, SINGER: Long as I can have you here with me, I'd much rather be forever in blue jeans.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
TOURE: Yes! Very nice.
HEMMER: Actually, I had a very difficult time making my selection.
TOURE: Yes, you did.
HEMMER: Because I'm a huge closet Neil Diamond fan.
TOURE: Yes?
HEMMER: Yes.
TOURE: Yes, there's lots of stuff in there.
HEMMER: I thought it came off good.
When we were kids, right, we'd take these big long drives in the family station wagon down to Florida or the Carolinas...
COLLINS: Here we go.
HEMMER: Mom and dad, five kids, we fought a lot. There was only one person we could all decide on, who we'd want to listen in.
COLLINS: Neil.
HEMMER: It was Neil Diamond.
TOURE: All of the Hemmers were...
COLLINS: Bringing the Hemmer family together.
TOURE: All of the Hemmers...
HEMMER: Yes, that's right.
TOURE: ... listened, bonding around Neil.
HEMMER: And now you know. Yes.
TOURE: Wow!
HEMMER: I love your call, though, by the way.
Where's your call?
HEMMER: I don't know.
TOURE: Yes, what do you...
COLLINS: He didn't include me in it.
TOURE: Well, no, you didn't -- there's you now, so what's...
COLLINS: Ah, no, no. I'm not playing.
TOURE: Look, the SATs, now the song.
COLLINS: Exactly. No one tells me. No. Do I have to say it out loud?
HEMMER: No you can think about it and tell him later.
TOURE: No, you can -- you can just whisper it into my ear and I'll tell them.
COLLINS: I have to fess up to liking The Carpenters.
TOURE: The Carpenters did great stuff.
COLLINS: OK. Good. I feel so much better.
TOURE: Karen Carpenter was a great singer.
HEMMER: It's OK.
TOURE: Absolutely.
HEMMER: Great topic, Toure. Let's get a break.
Here in a moment, Charley is knocking on the door of Florida. Nearly a million people have been told to get out. That hurricane a major one, too, zeroing in on Tampa later tonight. We're tracking the storm live from Key West in a moment.
Also, the New Jersey bombshell. The governor is out, then he resigns, as well. Will there be fallout in the presidential campaign? Maybe, maybe not. The Give Me A Minute panel has that after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Still to come, good news for migraine sufferers. A new weapon against severe headaches may promise relief for millions. Dr. Sanjay Gupta has the story.
Stay with us on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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