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Paula Zahn Now
Steve Irwin Remembered; Republicans in Deep Trouble?
Aired September 05, 2006 - 20:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: And thank you all for joining us tonight.
We go in-depth right now on the top stories tonight, starting with a death that is causing grief and shock all over the world. Millions of people are mourning the man all of us knew as the crocodile hunter.
Here's the very latest.
We learned today that there is a videotape of Steve Irwin's untimely death, but it isn't being made public. A stingray's barbed tail pierced Irwin's chest and his heart. He was just 44 years old.
Now, the attack happened off Australia's northeast coast. A seaplane brought Irwin's body home today. And Australian officials are offering to hold a state funeral for him. Irwin's wife and two young children have also come home. They were vacationing on the island of Tasmania when they got the terrible news.
Irwin's zoo in Australia has been inundated with flowers, absolutely flooded, as you can see here. The zoo was open for business today, despite the tragic news. And people say he would have wanted it that way.
Now, Steve Irwin was known and loved worldwide for his enthusiasm in fearless handling of very dangerous animals. It also made him very controversial.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ZAHN (voice-over): Steve Irwin made a living flirting with death.
STEVE IRWIN, CROCODILE HUNTER: Good day and welcome to Australia Zoo. Let's go.
ZAHN: He has been having close encounters like this since he was a boy. His parents opened the Australian zoo in Brisbane.
Steve Irwin grew up to become its director, and made a worldwide name for himself through his TV show, "The Crocodile Hunter."
Larry king once asked him how he did it.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "LARRY KING LIVE")
LARRY KING, HOST, "LARRY KING LIVE": Animals like you.
IRWIN: Yes. It's was in my genetic -- it's in my genetic makeup. That's where it comes from. Man, I can do stuff with manuals that no one else in the world can do.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZAHN: People loved his outlandish stunts. But Irwin's risk- taking got him in trouble a couple of years ago, when he fed a snapping crocodile while holding his infant son.
Ironically, Irwin didn't die wrestling a crocodile or handling a deadly snake. Steve Irwin was out of his element, in the ocean, off Australia's Great Barrier Reef, taping, of all things, a children's show. His manager is one of the few people who has seen the videotape of Irwin's death.
JOHN STAINTON, BUSINESS MANAGER OF STEVE IRWIN: It shows the -- Steve come over the top of the ray, and then the tail came up and spiked him here.
ZAHN: The tape shows Irwin pulling the stinger out of his chest, and then losing consciousness.
STAINTON: It's a very hard thing to watch, because you're actually witnessing somebody die.
ZAHN: Australians were proud of Irwin. They have covered the entrance of his zoo with flowers.
Prime Minister John Howard interrupted parliament to pay tribute.
JOHN HOWARD, AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER: There was nothing contrived. He was a genuine, one-off, remarkable Australian individual. And I am distressed at his death. And I think I speak for millions of people around Australia.
ZAHN: And for many millions more all over the world.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ZAHN: So, Steve Irwin, of course, is famous all over the world, thanks to his hit TV shows.
But he was also an icon, as you have just heard, in his homeland of Australia.
And joining me now from Brisbane, Neil Warren of Australia's Channel 7.
So, Neil, we have just heard the prime minister honor Steve Irwin. Give us a sense of how ordinary Australians are reacting to this big loss.
NEIL WARREN, CHANNEL 7 AUSTRALIA: Paula, it is unbelievable. I mean, the -- the scenes at Australia Zoo, we -- we haven't seen anything like that before, the -- the flowers piling up, all -- all the messages of sympathy.
You know, it's -- it's -- it's being likened, I guess here, to scenes reminiscent of -- of when Princess Diana died, the scenes -- scenes in London. So, unbelievable. And I -- and -- and I think that will go on for at least the next week.
ZAHN: Has there been any official word at all from his family?
WARREN: No official word -- only word through family friend and Steve's producer, John Stainton.
John said the family is bearing up. Terri is -- is remaining strong, for the children. Obviously, you know, it is really hard on them. They're -- they're apparently staying at a house within Australia Zoo. It is private time for them. There is relatives starting to fly out from America, and just -- just to -- to be around each other, and comfort each other -- no word yet on whether Terri will -- will actually talk at some stage about how she is going.
ZAHN: And we certainly would understand if she chooses never to talk to -- to any of us.
But let's a little bit talk more about the offer your government has made to her and her family, to actually have a state funeral for Steve Irwin. Any reaction at all from anybody close to Steve's wife?
WARREN: Well, ultimately, it is up to Terri.
The -- the offer has been made. Now, there is some talk it may be held at Suncorp Stadium here in Brisbane. That's -- that's a premier football stadium in Australia. But the other school of thought is, it should be held at Australia Zoo. But it -- again, still no word on whether that is actually going to happen yet.
ZAHN: Well, Neil Warren, we appreciate your bringing us up to date on the reaction from Australia, very much the -- the same all over the world.
Our "Top Story" coverage continues now with someone who knows what it is like to make a living as a TV adventurer. Boyd Matson hosted "National Geographic Explorer" and now hosts "Wild Chronicles." And, while he never met Steve Irwin, he has had his share of very close encounters with dangerous wild animals. He joins me now.
Always good to see you.
BOYD MATSON, HOST, "WILD CHRONICLES": Hi, Paula.
ZAHN: Hi, Boyd.
So, obviously, what Steve Irwin was trying to do was establish a certain intimacy with these animals, and bring the audience into the process at the same time. You have attempted to do the same thing in your show. And a lot of us, from the outside looking in, can't understand why you take even a fraction of the risks you take.
Describe to us -- or -- or help us better understand why you do what you do.
MATSON: Well, National Geographic, our purpose, of course, is education and -- and furthering our scientific knowledge. And we want to share that with the public.
And -- and, if that means getting them excited about an animal to try to preserve it, or -- or keep its place in the wild, or if it means to excite them in -- in a way that they want to practice conservation, then we have accomplished our message.
But, of course, to get that across, you have to get people to listen and to be interested. And to do that, you need to establish some intimacy with these animals, and be the vicarious representative for the viewer.
And -- and, to hold their attention, you have to get close and you have to -- to show some of the animal's behavior. And, sometimes, that means showing their -- their potential deadly behavior.
ZAHN: Sure.
And -- and your goal, of course, is to get the best shots you can of these animals in -- in these intimate situations you have just described.
At -- at what point do you have to weigh the risk vs. nailing that shot?
MATSON: Well, my first concern is always being as safe as possible.
And I think that's everyone's -- the goal who works -- works in this field. You want -- because what you're also trying to do is show that many of these animals, people don't need to be afraid of, from the standpoint you don't want them going out and try to -- to kill every snake they see as -- as soon as they see one.
You're not trying to give them the information that they can themselves go and pick up that snake. But there is no reason to think that the snake or the bear or the lion is going to automatically attack you. So, that's another reason that we get close.
So, my rule is to try to analyze the situation before I ever get near the animal. I talk to experts. I talk with people who have been living with them, people who have been observing their behavior far longer than me. And then I try to spend some time with these animals, observing them myself, to understand what reactions are going to trigger reactions among the animals, and -- and not cross those lines, have your ground rules set up in advance, but always remember they're wild animals, and anything can happen. Be prepared.
ZAHN: And -- and I hear what you're saying, but isn't there a certain irony that -- that, in fact, in some of this video we see replayed of Steve Irwin, he had been in far more dangerous situations than he found himself in with -- with these stingrays.
I mean, every stingray expert we have talked say it's, you know, surprising -- that that he would have died. There are relatively few deaths from these kind of stingray bites.
MATSON: There are few deaths from them.
There are far more encounters than we realize in which people get stung by a stingray -- stingray. But that's because there are so many in shallow areas along coastlines, and people may be fishing or swimming or just walking in the sand. And -- and the sting -- it's usually because you have stepped on it by mistake and didn't see it. And -- and most people survive that kind of sting.
The rarity is when one actually gets the -- the stinger. And it is carrying a -- a neurotoxin. And when that gets into the chest cavity or into the heart, then, that's when the real troubles happen.
But, obviously, we consider stingrays an animal that you can be near without -- without having to worry too much. I took my daughter scuba diving with me at Stingray City this spring, because I thought, here is a great, safe place to have an encounter with an animal in the wild.
ZAHN: Well, I -- I think a lot of parents out there and -- and experienced diver, as you are and I are, you know, hear the story, and -- and makes us realize that you could have the perfect storm of an accident here, like Steve Irwin did.
Boyd Matson, good to see you. Thanks for dropping by tonight.
MATSON: Nice to see you, Paula. Thank you.
ZAHN: Coming up, more on tonight's "Top Story," including the very unpredictable element of Steve Irwin's death, and why it is so shocking.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ZAHN (voice-over): Stingrays, beautiful creatures with a deadly potential they rarely use -- the surprising facts behind one of the world's most secretive animals.
Plus, flirting with danger made Steve Irwin a global celebrity. But even ordinary people take extraordinary risks. Consider the thrills of white-water rafting. Our investigation reveals the deadly dangers of that wild white water -- all that and more just ahead.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ZAHN: Another "Top Story" we're following tonight: counting down until Election Day. In a little bit, we are going to look at the hottest issues, the most surprising races, and why voters in this country are so darn angry. Crocodile hunter Steve Irwin made his living getting precariously close to wild animals. He was considered an expert. So, his death by the poisonous barb of a stingray has shocked his fans all over the world.
Our "Top Story" coverage of Irwin's death continues now with a close-up look at just how dangerous stingrays can be.
Marine biologist Ray Davis joins me from the stingray pool at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta.
Thanks so much for being with us tonight.
RAY DAVIS, VICE PRESIDENT OF ZOOLOGICAL OPERATIONS, GEORGIA AQUARIUM: Thank you, Paula.
ZAHN: So, we talked about how the world was shocked by Mr. Irwin's death. You are an expert on stingrays. Were you surprised by what happened to him?
DAVIS: Absolutely.
And it is something that -- that has struck the team to its core here. We would like to extend our sympathies to the families and friends and colleagues of -- of Steve Irwin. He was quite an advocate for animals and -- and the places that the animals live.
ZAHN: Now, we know there have been some 17 reported deaths by stingrays. But, in the overall scheme of things that can be very dangerous underwater, the stingrays aren't at the top, are they?
DAVIS: Well, if we take a look at stingrays and the behaviors of stingrays, their natural food is shellfish, crab, lobster, shellfish, like a -- a mollusk, a -- a clam.
And it is not something that they would go and chase anyone down. They have a barb at the base of their tail that they use for defense. And I think we need to make sure that everybody understands that these animals are -- are using this barb for defense. And they don't chase down somebody to attack them.
ZAHN: So, help us better understand what we think happened here.
And you actually have a -- a barb in your hand. You have been stung by a stingray before. As -- as we understand it, you had a cameraman swimming in front of the stingray, and then Steve Irwin had gotten behind. So, what could have caused the stingray to lurch at him?
DAVIS: Well, as you look -- as you look at the spine, you can see. And this is a small spine, compared to the ones that would have been on -- available for a species as large as a bullnose, as I understand the species was in that area, which probably was in the neighborhood of six to seven feet of disc width, or how wide the animal is at the widest -- when you look at this, the animals don't like to be confined. Any time -- and it's any animal, when you look at this. If you get out ahead of the animal, if you were to get on top of it, or -- or anywhere over top of it, it is a predator that would be in that area, and they would necessarily respond in that way.
So, if we think about confining a space, and restricting the animal's movement, it probably got nervous about being in that confined space. But, you know, until you have an opportunity to actually review what happened and understand that, it would be kind of a -- a little presumptuous to start speculating that way.
But understand, as a general rule, any animal, you get in front of it, you change its pattern, it can feel threatened.
ZAHN: Give us a better understanding, though, when -- when we're -- we're told how huge the stingray was that attacked him, how large could that barb have been, compared to what you have in your hand right now?
DAVIS: Well, we take a look. This barb is nearly four inches long. It came off an adult cownose stingray, which about two-and-a- half feet disc width.
If we take a look at how big it possibly could be for a bullnose ray of that size, easily eight, 10, even 12 inches long. And the barb...
ZAHN: Wow.
DAVIS: ... is sheathed in a thin layer of skin. The venom is in that skin layer, along with a lot of bacteria.
The majority of the injuries that are suffered by people are those that are waders or fisherman. And they get slashed or jabbed, struck by this barb. They swing the tail around to defend themselves. And, when they do that, it makes the barb accessible. It actually swing away from the body, still attached.
And it can break loose, and stick in the body, or a piece of the barb can stay behind. So, once somebody is envenomated by a -- by a stingray, we have to do first aid immediately. The pain can be very debilitating. It is a neurotoxin. And you need to treat the area with as hot of water as the victim can stand, if you can do that, without scalding the flesh, and then seek medical attention immediately, to make sure that there is no barb left behind...
ZAHN: Sure.
DAVIS: ... and also to make sure that you get treated for bacterial infection.
ZAHN: And, very quickly, in closing, a lot of people around the country, hearing about this story, are terrified to get back in the water again. Any advice for them tonight?
DAVIS: You shouldn't be terrified. We need to understand, to -- to respect, understand that places like Georgia Aquarium, protected contact, and we teach this, that this is the place to bring these animals into your heart, and understand their place in the wild, that, in the wild places, the beach, the surf, you want to go ahead and know that they're there, do the shuffle, and be aware that -- that you don't want to approach these animals.
ZAHN: Sure.
And when you talk about the shuffle, you really mean it. When you get on the -- on that sand underwater, you shuffle those feet to make them know you mean business, as you're moving around.
Ray Davis, thank you so much. What a spectacular picture of your aquarium.
DAVIS: Thank you.
ZAHN: It's one very special place there in Atlanta, Georgia.
More of our "Top Story" coverage in a few minutes.
First, let's go to our Pipeline studio, where Melissa Long has the countdown of the day's top stories on CNN.com.
Hi, Melissa.
MELISSA LONG, CNN PIPELINE: Hi, Paula.
A lot of people getting caught up today, after the long weekend -- more than 22 million people went on to our Web site, CNN.com. Many were interested in learning more about the manhunt going on in rural western New York for an escaped convict. Police are searching for Ralph "Bucky" Phillips. He's accused of killing one state trooper and wounding two others.
Number nine -- American voters none too happy with the state of the nation. A new CNN poll done by Opinion Research Corporation shows, three-quarters of the public say they're angry about the direction the country is taking.
And number eight: Ben Affleck blasting the paparazzi for introducing -- rather, intruding into celebrities' private lives. He made his comments while promoting his new film -- it's called "Movieland" (sic) -- at the Venice Film Festival.
And let me counter that, balance the opinions of the stars in Venice, as well. Ethan Hawke, who is in Venice promoting his film, says, if the paparazzi are bothering you, it probably means you are having a pretty wonderful life.
ZAHN: That's another way of looking at it.
LONG: Mmm-hmm.
ZAHN: But I don't know. When they start shoving those cameras in the faces of...
LONG: Yes.
ZAHN: ... mothers and fathers and their brand-new babies...
(CROSSTALK)
LONG: A bit intrusive, yes.
ZAHN: That can make you pretty angry.
Thanks so much, Melissa. See you a little bit later on.
LONG: OK.
ZAHN: Now, Steve Irwin died taping, of all things, a children's show. When our "Top Story" coverage continues: the increasing competition to get up close and personal with wildlife and to attract an audience, with sometimes tragic results.
Plus:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DREW GRIFFIN, CNN INVESTIGATIVE CORRESPONDENT: Chapin Clark died in white water, because his boat didn't have this. Now, for 10 million Americans who do this every year, his death could be a lifesaver -- his story next on PAULA ZAHN NOW.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ZAHN: Our "Top Story" coverage of the death of Steve Irwin continues.
Irwin was known all over the world as the crocodile hunter, a TV naturalist who wrestled alligators and manhandled snakes. Well, he died yesterday while on a shoot about stingrays, stung by one of the fish his crew was filming for a children's show.
And his death highlights the dangers of an increasingly popular form of entertainment.
Here is Ted Rowlands.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, National Geographic, the biggest names in an increasingly competitive game of capturing animals for your television entertainment.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As you can see, I'm just feet away.
ROWLANDS: On the big screen, movies like "Grizzly Man" show what most would consider unthinkable, a man filming himself within arm's reach of wild grizzly bears. That man, Timothy Treadwell, a self- proclaimed activist, educator and amateur filmmaker, and his girlfriend were attacked and killed by a grizzly bear.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He also weighs 539 pounds.
ROWLANDS: On stage, Las Vegas illusionist Roy Horn of Siegfried & Roy knows the dangers of mixing entertainment with animals. In 2003, he was left in critical condition when a white tiger mauled him during a show.
Now the latest victim to fall while the cameras were rolling, animal conservationist, TV host, and star of the MGM movie "The Crocodile Hunter," Steve Irwin.
ANNIE HOWELL, VICE PRESIDENT, DISCOVERY NETWORK: He brought education, a knowledge about the -- the natural world to so many people who never had access to that kind of information. And he did it in a very entertaining and fun way.
ROWLANDS (on camera): While few, if any, would argue Irwin's expertise in the animal world, others with left concerned, wondering, is competition for an audience driving people into a wildlife danger zone?
British wilderness expert and television host Ray Mears says TV's demand for sensation pushed Irwin to be too daring, telling Reuters -- quote -- "He clearly took a lot of risks, and television encouraged him to do that. It's a shame that television audiences need that to be attracted to wildlife. Dangerous animals, you leave them alone, because they will defend themselves."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sixteen-foot great white shark.
ROWLANDS: According to Nielsen data, animal programming with inherently dangerous content, like Discovery's "Shark Week," yield better-than-average ratings.
When Herzog's "Grizzly Man" premiered on the Discovery Channel, it drew 1.7 million viewers, a great audience for cable television.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP, "GOING WILD")
JEFF CORWIN, HOST: Welcome to "Going Wild."
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROWLANDS (voice-over): Still, others in Irwin's line of work, like Jeff Corwin, believe their jobs have a greater purpose than just ratings, and definitely understand the risks involved.
CORWIN: Well, the reality is that -- is that there's always a risk when you work with wildlife. And you do your best to take precautions. You know, as for myself, I want to make sure that, when I'm doing hands-on work with wildlife, we have a legitimate reason behind that. ROWLANDS: Whether it was entertainment or education, Irwin paid the ultimate price, doing what he loved most.
STEVE IRWIN, CROCODILE HUNTER: We got it.
ROWLANDS: Ted Rowlands, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ZAHN: And we understand, tonight, the Australian government has offered Irwin's family a state funeral. We have not been told yet what the family has agreed to.
More of our "Top Story" coverage coming up.
First, let's check back in with Melissa.
LONG: Mmm-hmm.
ZAHN: She continues our countdown.
LONG: Hello once again, Paula.
And a number one for the ladies tonight -- Katie Couric makes her debut as the anchor of "The CBS Evening News." A lot of readers wanted to learn more about this. She's now the first woman hired to anchor one of the three network nightly newscasts solo.
Number six -- congratulations are in order, Japan celebrating the arrival of a royal baby. The wife of the emperor's second son has just given birth to a boy. It is the imperial family's first male heir in more than 40 years.
And a storm that could become the next hurricane is number five tonight. The National Hurricane Center says, Tropical Storm Florence, the sixth named storm of the '06 Atlantic hurricane season, slowly gathering speed out in the Atlantic, could be a full-fledged hurricane by Friday. And a meteorologist from the Hurricane Center says it's still too early to tell, Paula, whether or not that storm could come close to the U.S.
ZAHN: And we hope it doesn't, of course.
LONG: Of course.
ZAHN: Melissa, thanks.
LONG: Sure.
ZAHN: Now, you probably wouldn't consider wrestling a crocodile or handling a cobra for your vacation. But, next, in our "Top Story" coverage: a surprising CNN investigation into a back-to-nature adventure that is actually a whole lot more dangerous and a lot less regulated than you might think.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: I'm Candy Crowley.
It is Labor Day week. And that kicks off the fall election season. Every leading indicator says Republicans are in deep trouble.
I will have that story -- when PAULA ZAHN NOW continues.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ZAHN: Among today's top stories we're covering in this half hour, angry voters, nervous candidates and an election that's just around the corner. And the top story, medicine has a new controversy over the way we train our doctors. Just how dangerous is it for them to stay awake for 24 hours or longer and end up having to treat you or members of your family in an emergency room?
Then coming up at the top of the hour on "LARRY KING LIVE," people who were actually with Steve Irwin during the final hours of his life. Now we have been talking a lot tonight about the astonishing death of T.V.'s Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin. He made a career out of his skill at handling wild animals.
But our top story coverage moves now to an adventure in the wild that millions of us take every year, whitewater rafting excursions. You may be shocked to hear how often people are killed and that rafting regulations are spotty from state to state. Take a look at what our investigative correspondent Drew Griffin found out.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DREW GRIFFIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Clutching flowers from her garden, Julia Clark descends toward the churning spot on Oregon's rogue river that took her father's life.
JULIA CLARK, LOST FATHER IN WHITEWATER RAFTING ACCIDENT: I have been feeling his presence since I got down here.
GRIFFIN: These rocks called the jaws mark the entrance to Mule Creek Canyon, where Chapin Clark died. Clark, retired dean of Oregon's law school, drowned on a fishing trip in these swirling waters.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The guide wasn't wearing his life jacket and he didn't have safety training.
GRIFFIN: When the guide's fishing boat, one like this flipped over, Clark was tossed out, gasping. He emerged on the wrong side of help.
(on camera): He was pinned by a water against a rock on the opposite side of the river, holding on to a life vest. But the help on the other side did not have the one thing that could have saved Chapin Clark's life, a simple throw rope. (voice-over): By the time the guide does reach Clark, he had gone under once, then sank again.
CLARK: When he surfaced he was unconscious and they couldn't revive him.
GRIFFIN: Each summer, 10 million Americans take pleasure trips down whitewater rivers in rafts, kayaks, canoes, sometimes inner tubes. It can be great fun, the rogue river rushes around rocks, plunges down steep drops, runs through a wilderness area ripe with black bears and bald eagles.
But it can also be dangerous. Rafting, kayaking and other whitewater accidents take about 40 lives in the U.S. each year. This summer, three tourists died when a raft flipped near Yellowstone Park. A teenager died on a church trip in Oregon, an adult on a boy scout trip in West Virginia, a guide drowned in Washington. Julia Clark formed a family foundation to push for better safety laws in her state.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What we're trying to do is get these nice and snug.
GRIFFIN: This year in Oregon, anyone taking a guided whitewater trip must now wear a life jacket.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So you got the bag.
GRIFFIN: Guides must carry a throw bag with the kind of rope that could have saved her father's life. I put on a life jacket to try to float down through this fast moving rapids on the road. A guide threw me the rope. I reached for it and he pulled me free of the rushing waters. This was not a real emergency, but it wasn't easy.
(on camera): Well you come through there, it's like you say, all of the sudden everything is so high, all of the sudden, you cannot see.
(voice-over): Yet of the 15 states where people have drowned on guided rafting trips in the last few years, only Oregon and five others require guides to carry such a rescue rope. What is more, only abpit half of those states even require wearing life jackets.
BRAD NIVA, ROGUE WILDERNESS ADVENTURES: Not wearing a life jacket and alcohol are the two biggest problems we would see down here on a daily basis.
GRIFFIN: Look at this. Two rafts full of fraternity boys from Oregon State University breaking out the beer at 10:00 in the morning. Standing up, not wearing a life jacket. Here throwing an empty can into the river. Contrast that with Brad Niva's checklist: a safety lecture, safety rope, first aid kit, spare or even an emergency radio.
NIVA: I think the best thing in this business is to be a little scared. And I've been scared on the river. I've, you know, like, whoa.
GRIFFIN: Julia Clark said her father had respect for this river.
CLARK: I really felt strongly that humans weren't more powerful than nature.
GRIFFIN: She wants everyone to learn that respective nature, so that no family will have to make another trip like this. Drew Griffin, CNN, on the rogue river in Oregon.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ZAHN: The saddest part of all this is that the death toll so far this year in whitewater drownings is standing at 50. Half of those in rafting accidents. Oregon leads the nation with eight whitewater deaths. Still don't understand how anybody could get on a raft without a life vest. Hopefully this piece will make all of us safer out there.
More top story coverage ahead. First, Melissa Long has more of our countdown -- Melissa?
LONG: And Paula, No. 4 is a story that the police chief is calling a crime of horrific proportions. Authorities in Maine have arrested and charged a cook at a bed and breakfast in Maine for allegedly killing the owner and three other women. Authorities say the killings took place over the Labor Day holiday.
And No. 3, watch this video and watch for the man in the red darting across the screen right there. It is a youth football coach in California that is accused of assaulting a player from an opposing team, knocking him to the ground as you saw. Sacramento police say the coach is being charged with child abuse. And what you don't see on the tape is what witnesses say was a 20 minute brawl that followed that. But the good news is that nobody was injured -- nobody had serious injuries.
ZAHN: Good news, bad news. Bad news for that guy is got it all on videotape. Oops, Melissa, thanks.
Tonight's top story in politics, voters are really mad out there. What is making them so angry? And what does it mean for the upcoming election? We put together a top story panel to look at all of that.
Then a little bit later on, tonight's top story in medicine. A brand new controversy over a time honored tradition for training new doctors. They go sometimes for 24 hours, 36 hours without any sleep. What kind of danger does that put patients in? We'll explore, coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ZAHN: Onto our top story in politics tonight, bare knuckle post Labor Day race to the November elections. The final stretch of course and for the first time since the 1990s, Republicans are running hard to hold onto their majority in Congress. And you can see why. In the latest CNN poll by Opinion Research Corporation, it shows likely voters favoring Democrats over Republicans for Congress by 53-to-43 percent.
The president pitched in today with another in a series of speeches on terrorism and national security after a new White House report claimed major successes in the war on terror both at home and abroad. It is a theme that's worked for Republicans in the past. But this year, the result is anyone's guess as pollsters sense an increasingly agitated electorate.
Here is senior political correspondent Candy Crowley.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SR. POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Want to know how much trouble Republicans are in? Go deep into the heartland, to Ruby Red, Indiana, to a Republican-leaning district, and you can hear this.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We were always Republican and there's so many things going on now, I'm just kind of backing off and not knowing more or less going independent.
CROWLEY: Welcome to the second district of Indiana represented by two-term Republican Chris Chocola.
REP. CHRIS CHOCOLA (R), INDIANA: I think it's much like the rest of the country. There's a challenging environment for Republicans.
CROWLEY: Ah, yes. Begin with this. The latest numbers from CNN and Opinion Research Corporation. An unpopular president, an unpopular war and $3 a gallon gas is a trifecta. Democrats are looking for a big payoff and Republicans are looking at a big problem.
Depending on who you talk to, nationwide there are about 46 competitive House seats, 36 of which are now held by Republicans. With 62 days until the election, there's no time to pretty this up. The Republican Congressional Committee called it "a desperate situation nationwide." Appealing for money the committee warned, "our candidates in targeted districts are in very serious danger of losing."
The Senate worries Republicans less, but it is worrisome enough. To be in charge of the Senate, Democrats need to hold on to what they've got and pick up six seats. As it happens, six Republican seats look vulnerable.
The truth is, Democrats had little to do with their catbird seat. Nationally, the new poll shows most people don't approve of either party.
JENNIFER DUFFY, THE COOK POLITICAL REPORT: In this cycle, voters don't like either party. They just dislike Democrats a little less.
CROWLEY: Which is to say, Democrats' biggest asset is, they are not Republicans. Back in Indiana, too, Democrat Joe Donnelly wants Chocola's job.
JOE DONNELLY (D), INDIANA HOUSE CANDIDATE: People feel that instead of standing up for them, the government has stood up for special interests. They want new representation. They want change.
CROWLEY: With voters clearly soured on the status quo and Democrats selling change, what's a Republican to do?
AMY WALTER, THE COOK POLITICAL REPORT: They say to voters, essentially, here's your choice: I know you are mad at me, I know you don't like what's going on in Washington, but do you really want to elect this person? Can you really trust this person?
CROWLEY: Well, exactly.
CHOCOLA: Elections are about a choice between two individuals, and the people of the second district don't really know my opponent very well yet. They will, by election day, and I think that they'll send me back to keep doing my job.
CROWLEY: It's not over, but the prospects are dire enough that even Republicans don't talk about gaining seats, but about holding onto enough of them to keep control of Congress.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ZAHN: And senior political correspondent Candy Crowley joins me now, along with two more members of the best political news team on TV, senior national correspondent John Roberts and senior political analyst Bill Schneider. I'm surrounded by seniors tonight. Good company, I might add.
So, Candy, what do you think is the best strategy for the Democrats to take back the House?
CROWLEY: Well, you know, they're agents of change. I mean, I think if you listen to any candidate on any given night in any district, you will hear the words change and new direction many, many times. I mean, basically they think because they're not Republicans that that, in fact, in and of itself they represent change. So that's what they're pushing.
ZAHN: But the problem is, Bill, while they try to sell that message of change, you got an electorate out there who is completely angry and increasingly restless. What are they mad about?
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST: They're mad about Iraq, they're mad about the economy. And that's a big surprise, because economic growth has been pretty good. But look at gas prices. Look at the wage stagnation in the country and look at the real estate slump. People are very worried about the economy.
And when voters are angry -- remember back in the early '90s you had Ross Perot, you had term limits passing. What did they do? They threw out a Republican president in '92, then they threw out a Democratic Congress in '94. Angry voters can do anything.
ZAHN: And we actually have some graphics to support what you're talking about, Bill. And we break it down by Iraq, the economy, terrorism, immigration and moral issues. And we're going to put those up for a second for people to digest. Is there anything that leapt out at you when you look at these numbers?
SCHNEIDER: Yes, look at the top issue for Democrats. It is Iraq. Terrorism is a little lower because Democrats say Iraq is a distraction from the war on terrorism, and therefore they think the first problem the nation should take care of is Iraq.
When you look at the issues that bother Republicans, the top issue is terrorism. And look at Iraq. Iraq is much lower because Republicans say Iraq is part of the war on terror.
Essentially, one of the things that is going to determine this election is which has priority to voters. Is it the war in Iraq? That will help Democrats. Is it the larger war on terrorism that the president talks about? That will help Republicans.
ZAHN: Well, wherever those two issues sit in these polling results, John, the president made it very clear he thinks it is a winning issue for them, doing a major speech on terrorism today. And in talking a lot about the vulnerability of Americans or maybe we should say the safety of Americans in this country. This is a card he has used before. Will it work this time?
JOHN ROBERTS, CNN SR. NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Effectively In 2002 and 2004 and really it is the only issue that they have got according to some Republicans who I talked to today. They said if we can make this stick, this is our best chance to beat back the Democrats because there is still a section of the electorate that is worried about the Democrats and that they would do on the issue of national security. They're not so worried about the Republicans.
The thing is, with President Bush's speech today it was a very effective speech. And he painted a picture that people should certainly be worried about. But when you look at some of the evidence and the intelligence that he used in that speech, particularly when he was talking about al Qaeda wanting to initiate a immediate program to drive a wedge between the American people and the government, that letter was written on October the 4th, 2001 preceding the invasion of Afghanistan.
So that's really old information that the president is using. But they're gathering together all of this over the course of the years to say this is the threat that al Qaeda still presents. Are you sure that you want to go with somebody else controlling Congress.
ZAHN: And we've heard on some of the blogs today, people who are saying what the heck are you pulling out this old information for? But let's talk about where you think Republicans feel that they're most vulnerable.
CROWLEY: Well, look, what Republicans need to do -- and they, obviously, think they're most vulnerable on Iraq. But what they need to do and what they're trying to do, even as Democrats go OK, this is about Iraq and this is about George Bush and this is a national election, Republicans are going, no, no, no, no. In this district it is between this guy and me.
So even as Democrats are looking at it as a nationalized elections, Republicans are trying very hard to make it sort of mano a mano. You know, it's just my guy against -- and that way you take Bush out of the equation, you take Iraq out of the equation. And, you know, let's face it. There's going to be some money involved.
ZAHN: Some money? A lot of money.
CROWLEY: The Republican National Committee has more money on hand than the Democrats do, even though in other areas the Democrats have sort of had parody. And one of the big differences between this year and the year that Republicans swept into power is redistricting. Remember, they've made a lot of those districts at least safer by including more Republicans.
ZAHN: Well, we'll be watching this very carefully with all three of you, Bill Schneider, John Roberts, Candy Crowley. John, you to come back and share that with me the next time you join us in the trio.
ROBERTS: I'll see you tomorrow night.
ZAHN: We've got to get to commercial here, OK? You understand it. You've been there. Thanks trio, appreciate it.
"LARRY KING LIVE" is coming up in just a few minutes. And Larry joins us right now to give us a quick preview. Larry, what are you going to be talking about?
LARRY KING, CNN HOST: Paula, we'll talk with "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin's long-time manager and friend who was on the shoot that took Irwin's life yesterday. And Jacques Cousteau's grandson, he was there too, and he helped try to rescue Steve Irwin.
Plus, two other stars of wildlife TV, Jack Hannah and Jeff Corwin and a scuba diver who was rescued by Irwin off the coast of Mexico a few years ago. It all follows you at the top of the hour, Paula.
ZAHN: Thanks, Larry. We'll be watching. Appreciate it.
And right now, let's quickly check in with Melissa Long who has the wrap up of our countdown -- Melissa.
MELISSA LONG, CNN ANCHOR: And, Paula, readers are very curious about Steve Irwin's untimely death at number two tonight. You'll find answers to a lot of the questions people have had about stingrays and that's on our Web site. Learn more by going to CNN.com and then clicking on watch video.
And number one, Australians paying tribute to Irwin. Mourners are gathering at his zoo in Queensland. Irwin, as you know, was working on a documentary about what he was so passionate about, in the Great Barrier Reef, when he was killed -- Paula.
ZAHN: All right, Melissa. Thanks so much.
We're going to take a quick "Biz Break" now.
(MARKET REPORT)
ZAHN: Now on your next trip to the hospital, you might find yourself face to face with tonight's top story in medicine. For everyone's safety, is it finally time for doctors in training to get some sleep. Just talking with Candy Crowley, whose son is a doctor, who often works 36 hour shifts without sleep. Do you think that's a good idea, mom?
CROWLEY: No. As a mom, I certainly don't. You'll have to ask him as a doctor.
ZAHN: Certainly what impact it has on patients as well.
And then of course coming up on the top of the hour, "LARRY KING LIVE." He will be talking with people who were with Steve Irwin during his fatal dive. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ZAHN: Our top story in medicine tonight is something that has to do with something that could happen to you or a member of your family if they're ever taken to a hospital. Ask yourself how you would feel knowing that the doctors on duty might be working 24 hours or even more with not even a little bit of sleep in there. It is not only possible, it is all part of the grueling tradition of training interns to become doctors.
And tonight senior medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta looks at the alarming questions raised by a tradition that puts life and death decisions in the hands of exhausted young physicians.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SR. MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): It's 7:00 a.m., Ben Walker is on his way to work.
BEN WALKER, INTERN, FIRST YEAR RESIDENT: The morning will definitely be really busy.
GUPTA: But unlike most people, it won't be an eight hour day. But a 30-hour shift. Ben is a new doctor in his first few months of residency, often considered to be the most grueling of any medical career.
WALKER: You want to make sure things turn out OK for the person and you want to stay extra and do whatever it takes.
GUPTA: And doing whatever it takes once meant that these interns worked around the clock without any limits, driven by their desire to gain medical experience. But in 2003, the medical industry put restrictions into place for first time. Many say those restrictions are still not enough.
DR. CHRISTOPHER LANDRIGAN, BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL: For the most part the gut reaction of lay people in addressing this issue is that this system is crazy. They can't understand why a pilot is limited to eight hour, a trucker is limited to 11 hours, but a doctor is permitted to work 30 hours and in fact that that is professionally endorsed.
GUPTA: A new study finds that first year doctors working 24 hours straight make five times as many serious diagnostic mistakes. They are far more likely to accidentally stab themselves with a needle or a scalpel or to get in a car accident while driving home after a marathon shift. Now there is no direct evidence that patient care will improve with fewer hours, but sleep expert Dr. Charles Czeisler has no doubt.
DR. CHARLES CZEISLER, HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL: A doctor working for 24 hours straight is just as impaired as someone who is drunk.
GUPTA: In the United States, a resident is not allowed to work more than 30 consecutive hours. And the weekly limit is 80 hours when averaged over four weeks. But that's almost twice as many hours as any other country will allow. The medical body that governs residents in the United States says 97 percent of them comply with the rules.
But in a study in which residents were given anonymity, more than 80 percent of them said they falsely reported their hours to stay under the limit.
CZEISLER: Many trainees have told me that they feel that they have to falsify their records.
GUPTA: But do better hours for residents mean the best care for patients? Dr. Joyce Doyle is one of Ben Walker's supervisors and recognizes that there is a constant balancing act with the work hour limits.
DR. JOYCE DOYLE, RESIDENCY DIRECTOR, EMORY HOSPITAL: What type of physician are we creating? Is it a clock-punching type of doctor who is comfortable saying well, my shift is over, I know you're sick, but it's time to go.
GUPTA: But for Ben and other young doctors, the pros of limiting hours outweigh the cons.
WALKER: We're at our best when we're fully rested.
GUPTA: Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ZAHN: Don't say we didn't warn you.
We're minutes away from "LARRY KING LIVE." Tonight, some of the people who were with Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin during the final hours and minutes of his life. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ZAHN: Well that's it for all of us tonight. Tomorrow night, new calls for the resignation of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. How is the White House responding? How are they fighting back? We'll show you. Find out tomorrow night. We hope you join us then. Have a great night, appreciate you dropping by tonight. "LARRY KING LIVE" starts right now.
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