Return to Transcripts main page
Rick's List
Earthquake Hits New Zealand; UPS Plane Crashes in Dubai; Hurricane Earl Moves North Along U.S. East Coast; Delaware GOP Turning Against Tea Party Candidate; Single Mother Receives Counseling for Struggling Son's Education
Aired September 03, 2010 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RICK SANCHEZ, HOST: All right, here we go, everybody. It's 3:00. I'm Rick Sanchez. And, really, here we go again.
It's time for breaking news, breaking news times three, really. I want to take you to three separate stories. We're working all of these and we expect a lot of developments on all of these stories, including fresh video coming in.
Number one, this is taking place in New Zealand, as I'm sure you have heard, what's going on right now in Christchurch. Let me just take you through some of the details. This is a massive 7.0 earthquake. It rumbles through the city with 380,000 people there.
We have been hearing all kinds of reports. And because it's dark there right now, it's too hard to confirm exactly what's happened. Power is out to much of the city. Extensive damage throughout, that is what's being reported by Radio New Zealand right now.
A man who was at the international airport in Christchurch is describing the scene. He said suddenly the entire terminal has started to shake, damage to corridors, huge cracks on walls.
They say at least one 13-floor building with 150 rooms, 140 percent occupied was suddenly knocked about. Power is knocked out. Apparently, emergency power has started to come back in.
But this is one of those stories that, despite the fact that it's happened many, many hours ago, some of the emphasis of it and some of the news is just now getting out. So, as soon as we're able to get some of the very latest pictures out of New Zealand, we are going to take you there.
Meanwhile, there's also a situation going on right now in Dubai that I want to bring you up to date on. This is an American cargo plane. It is, in fact, a UPS plane that has crashed in the United Arab Emirates, this according to civil aviation folks there.
I was just told moments ago before I came on that there's a possibility that we might have some video of this coming within the next couple of minutes. So, OK, I just got a two minute on that. So, hopefully, as soon as we get that video turned around, we will be able to see that. Do -- do we stay with this story, or should we move on to what's going on here? All right, so -- so, there you have it. I have created the situation for both of those stories. I have set the scene, I should say, for what's going on right now in New Zealand and what's going on also in Dubai.
Now I want to take you to the developing story that we're following here as well. And this is interesting.
Hey, Rog, if you have got a shot of Earl, put the loop up. There you go. Put the -- now, I want -- I want -- I want you to pay particular attention to this. And here's what's -- here's what's most interesting about this shot.
You see the hurricane as it's making his way? Now, you see Cape Cod there right off that -- like a finger sticking out of Massachusetts? The fact that that sticks out is what makes this important, because all the time when we were talking about North Carolina, we were talking about the other side of the storm, the weaker side of the storm.
Those winds aren't going to have the potency as the winds at the very top or the eastern side of the storm. But now that you have part of Cape Cod as a finger, this area will get perhaps slammed a little harder, even though the hurricane itself is a little weaker.
You see why? Because as that hurricane turns counterclockwise, the big winds are pushing that water right into that area. It's a little early to tell now. But as you look at some of these live pictures from that area around the Northeast, you see that the wave activity is obviously picking up. You don't be -- you don't want to be in that water on a day like today, because you're going to get a lot of undertows and a lot of rip currents, as we have been describing to you.
So, the key here now is, well, what is the storm going to do and is there any variation in its path?
Bonnie Schneider's been talking and monitoring the folks down at the National Hurricane Center in South Florida. And she's joining us now to bring us up to date on what this thing is doing.
So, Bonnie, what's -- what's the dealio with this thing?
BONNIE SCHNEIDER, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Well --
SANCHEZ: Is it -- is it remaining on its course?
SCHNEIDER: It sure is, Rick. And it has weakened a lot since earlier this morning.
And you mentioned Cape Cod and the islands and the proximity of how it sticks out.
SANCHEZ: Yes.
SCHNEIDER: You're right. I mean, that's why the wind damage will be strong for Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket.
And that's why it's extreme southeastern Massachusetts that is under the hurricane warning right now. Let's get right to it. First off, look at the storm, and you can see the size of it. It may be a weak hurricane, a Category 1, but this is a massive storm. The tropical storm-force winds extend hundreds of miles.
And that, when you're looking at it as a total, really expands the wind field where we could see damage. And that's why we have a lot more warnings spread up and down the seaboard, because of those strong winds.
And, remember, tropical storm-force winds can also cause damage and can also down power lines. Those are winds at 39 miles per hour or greater.
So, here's the satellite perspective. Right now, the gusts are as high as 105. And it looks like the winds are sustained at 80 miles per hour, so, a weak hurricane, nonetheless.
(CROSSTALK)
SCHNEIDER: Let's take a look at the track. Still on course to remain a Category 1 storm as it advances very rapidly to the northeast. And the quick movement of this storm will also make a difference in terms of the amount of flooding that we're anticipating, which is a lot less than had this been a slow-moving storm. It's pulling away from the coast and it's kind of just clipping -- there's the cape and the island. And it's just -- the cone of uncertainty is just clip -- clipping the area.
Now, you can't watch this (INAUDIBLE) line, because it could fluctuate and shake a bit as we go further on with it. I want to take a look at some of the warnings here, what we have posted for areas into the Jersey Shore, Philadelphia, and Long Island. If we could zoom the camera in right here, I want to show you where we have tropical storm warnings.
And those are in effect right now all the way from coastal Virginia up into Massachusetts at this hour. We're also tracking hurricane warnings will we will see intense winds of over 74 miles per hour right here, from Provincetown all to the way inland to the beginning of Cape Cod there, just south of areas into Brockton, where we have a tropical storm warning.
And here's Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, those small islands, beautiful and picturesque, where so many people want to head for the holiday weekend. And you may get better weather towards the end of weekend, but, certainly, to start off, we're under a hurricane warning right now. So, that's a serious situation. We're going to see very rough seas there and strong winds that have already hit areas into North Carolina.
These are hurricane-force winds or close to it in areas near the Outer Banks, a little bit lighter in other parts of the Carolinas. But the rain bands, the worst of the rain bands have yet to hit areas of eastern Long Island, for example. We're getting heavy rain in Suffolk County. But look at all the rain that is through here, the brighter oranges and reds on the map. That's the most intense rainfall.
And that's what's pushing onshore and will continue to do that up into Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Maine into the overnight hours.
This is a good night to just stay home and hunker down. And, unfortunately, with all the travel, I want to point out that we are seeing lengthy delays across the board. So, we have departure delays, Fort Lauderdale unrelated, just a little stormy, but delays in New York across the board there of 45 minutes.
But we are going to see more delays, Rick, I anticipate, into the Boston area as we go into the evening hours.
SANCHEZ: Hey, Bonnie, do us a favor. Hang tight, all right, because I want to get back to you on a lot of this information. I know that this is -- over the next couple of hours, you're going to get at least one more advisory. Usually, that comes out about, what --
SCHNEIDER: Right before 5:00.
SANCHEZ: -- 4:40? Yes.
SCHNEIDER: Yes. So --
SANCHEZ: Between 4:40, 4:50, something like that.
SCHNEIDER: -- we will have it for you.
SANCHEZ: We're going to talk to you before that. We will be -- keep -- keep getting updates, because we have got another couple of breaking stories now that we're following.
So, let me tell you what's going on with that. And one more programming note, actually, as we move forward here. I'm being told now that we're going to get some information from the American Red Cross. They're going to be helping the folks there in the Northeast as well. And that's Donna Morrissey who's going to be joining us in just a little bit. Hang -- hang tight for that.
But let -- let me go to these two other stories once again. There's a developing story going on right now in New Zealand, where, apparently, an earthquake has struck that nation. And it's quite large. And there is quite a bit of damage. Exactly how much and what the repercussions of this might be remain unclear, although we have been getting a lot of reports, some of which we're a little hesitant to -- to repeat at this time because it's, again, preliminary information. But, as we move forward, expect this story to move an awful lot during this hour.
Let me take you to another story now, and that's the situation that is going on in Dubai, where there's been a plane crash. Now, it's -- it's important because it's a U.S. plane. It's a UPS cargo plane. It's a large plane. It's a Boeing 747, my goodness.
We have just gotten some of the reports from the scene. At least two bodies, the bodies of both of the pilots, have been found. Still unclear as to where in Dubai it crashed and what -- what impact it had on the area there. It says that it crashed inside a military base, according to some of the earlier reports.
So, this is some of the information we're getting on this as well. And -- and, by the way, we are expecting at any moment -- maybe within minutes -- to get some brand-new videotape out of the situation in Dubai.
We are also going to be able to talk to someone on the phone live now who's in New Zealand who's going to describe to us what's going on there. So, all of these stories happening at the same time.
I'm Rick Sanchez. And, once again, we're dealing with a lot of breaking news at this hour. Stay with us. This is RICK'S LIST. I'm going to be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Welcome back. I'm Rick Sanchez.
We have got a lot of breaking news stories that we're following for you right now. And of course some of the most important are international stories, one of them in New Zealand and the other one in Dubai.
Now, once again, we're expecting to get the very first pictures out of Dubai. This is where this 747 has crashed. Some of the preliminary reports are it happened in a military base, and at least two people dead, both -- apparently the pilot and the co-pilot. We don't know if there are morning. As soon as we get these pictures, I'm going to turn them around for you and you will be able to see them.
In the meantime, I want to take you to what's going on in New Zealand.
Josh Levs -- hey, Josh, come on over here, if you possibly could, will you?
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: I know you have been working this story for a while. And we're trying to get a handle.
Some of the preliminary reports said that there's quite a little -- quite a bit of damage over there, or --
LEVS: Yes.
SANCHEZ: Are you -- are you -- what can we verify at this point that people have told you that is damaged, just how much property damaged? Are there any casualties, are there any fatalities so far --
LEVS: I --
SANCHEZ: -- in New Zealand?
LEVS: I don't have word on casualties and fatalities.
But let me give you the descriptions that we're getting from people. I was just on the phone. And we will be hearing from him soon -- I was on the phone with a man who is there inside Christchurch. He told me it felt like his house was suddenly on wheels. Everything --
SANCHEZ: Wow.
LEVS: -- was moving. Everything shifted inside his house.
And then he started taking photos of what has been going on in that area around him. Now, I will go over there to the screen and I will show you a couple of the photos --
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: You got some of these pictures?
LEVS: I have, yes. Yes, I'm going to --
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Go, go, go, go, go.
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Yes, go.
(CROSSTALK)
LEVS: Let me just show you --
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: Yes. No, we -- in fact we have been wanting to look at these since we first started talking.
By the way, folks, as he walks over there, let me tell you, it was a 7.0-magnitude quake.
LEVS: Mm-hmm.
SANCHEZ: So, I mean, this is a significant earthquake, Josh.
LEVS: Yes. Oh, it -- I mean, this is a very, very big quake. And keep in mind this happened during the early hours of what you would call the morning inside New Zealand.
So, it's -- as the sunlight comes, as people start to absorb what's happened, they're finding out more and more of the specific images like this and what's happened to buildings around them.
You can see here what happened to this building, I mean, obviously, major destruction. Now, take a look over here, too. I have some more of these photos set up that we should be able to take a look at.
This is what the building used to look like. All right? I have -- I have used Google Maps. I want you to see what this used to look like. You see two floors, had words on it. There's shops and there's a second story up there. Look at what it looks like now. These are pictures that we have just gotten from Hadlee Wright, who runs a company called Visionary Media.
I think he's going to be joining us in a few minutes on this show.
But take a look here. This is that same building right now. The second story is gone, complete destruction all around it. And if you look father down, you can see destruction through the street. This is, as we understand it, a city that has a population of about 400,000. I pulled up the Google Maps here.
Christchurch is in this section, a little bit under 400,000 people in that area. And as we get more and more reports about what happened, we are hearing stories of destruction.
SANCHEZ: Hmm.
LEVS: The building I just showed you right here is just one of them. It went from this to this just like that.
(CROSSTALK)
LEVS: And then he just started going for a walk, and look what he saw. I mean, Rick, this is the kind of thing that they --
SANCHEZ: Well --
LEVS: -- have been waking up to they're now finding.
SANCHEZ: All right, hold -- Josh, hold on just a minute.
LEVS: Yes.
SANCHEZ: I'm going to switch to another story now. We finally got those pictures in from Dubai.
Again, this is a 747 that's crashed in Dubai. And we're getting some of the very first -- I -- they're -- they're on the big green screen there.
Thanks, Rog. You were on it even before I had to mention it.
There it is. It's hard to tell, you know, as you look at the shots. Let's go in on it a little bit. And you can see, that looks to be like the fire that started right after the impact. Now, obviously, when the plane crashed, there was an explosion. You can see a building in the foreground. It's hard to tell what's in the background.
We're seeing this for the very first time, folks, so hang with us here, because we will show you the pictures as we get them. There are different stills that are coming in now. And that's the very last picture that we're getting. It looks like it's part of -- it almost -- well, it's hard to tell.
You -- you see the barricades and everything around it, which would remind you that this obviously is heavily fortified, which means it is a -- it is in fact a military installation? How far away from the military installation the plane went down, we still don't know. We don't know if it impacted anybody else on the ground or any other buildings.
This is the stuff that we're trying to work for you. And as we talk to our -- our -- our correspondents and producers there, we will certainly bring you that part of the story as well.
All right, let's take another break, because now, when we come back, I understand Josh might be able to hook up with somebody who he has on the phone in New Zealand who's going to take us through what they're seeing for themselves right now with their own -- with their own eyes. And they will be able to describe that for us in just a little bit.
Josh, hang tight, and I will come back to you in just a little bit, all right?
(CROSSTALK)
SANCHEZ: This is RICK'S LIST. We will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: All right, here's the very latest on Earl.
And, by the way, we just had an interview set up with Donna Morrissey with the Red Cross.
And, Ms. Morrissey, I apologize. I apologize to you, but we have got -- we have got an interview that's just now coming in from interview as well. And you know how these emergencies go. It's somebody who is right there in the thick of things in the New Zealand and they're going to tell us what's going on.
Would you mind if we do that interview real quick? Can you hang tight for just a little bit?
DONNA MORRISSEY, RED CROSS: You go right ahead.
SANCHEZ: Thanks, Donna.
MORRISSEY: Of course.
SANCHEZ: I appreciate that.
Josh, you have made contact now with somebody in New Zealand. Can you bring us up to date with what's going on down there?
LEVS: Yes.
You know, as soon as this happened, I reached out on Twitter. I was telling people, hey, any photos you have taken safely, get them to me right away. I got this right away.
And Hadlee Wright, I believe you're with us right now. Hadlee, are you there?
HADLEE WRIGHT, NEW ZEALAND EARTHQUAKE WITNESS (via telephone): That's right, yes.
LEVS: OK, great.
Look, you're inside Christchurch in New Zealand. You felt this happen. We are going to get to your photos in a second. But I want to start off with you, as someone who went through this, describing exactly what it was like to be in that earthquake.
WRIGHT: Well, around 4:30 this morning, I was awoken. And -- and it sort of felt like not like earthquakes I have felt before, which is sort of shaking left to right, but as sort of a rolling motion, like the house felt like it was on wheels, like it was rolling around on like marbles.
LEVS: Wow. So, your whole house felt like it was moving all over. Did things fall? Did things topple?
WRIGHT: Yes, I had a couch, you know, move from one side of the living room to the other. The fish tank water was all over the -- the ground. You know, animals everywhere were sort of barking and making noise, that sort of thing.
LEVS: Do you live near other people? Did you hear screaming? Did you hear people reacting?
WRIGHT: Didn't hear any people reacting next door, but soon after went outside, and, you know, there's people on the streets.
LEVS: Yes.
WRIGHT: Then I went into the center of the city, and it's -- it's a bit more of a disaster area, I would say, there. There's -- there's rubble crossing whole streets and that sort of thing, buildings, you know, missing the sides of -- of what used to be walls.
LEVS: You know what? As you talk, I want to do this.
We might need to get rid of that banner, guys. I want everyone to see this photo that he has provided, which is what used to be a two-story building. And maybe you can push in on it even more. But, basically, what you have got there is what is now that flattened building surrounded by rubble.
And that exact same building, I pulled it up on Google Maps, because I wanted you all to see what it used to look like. So, this is the building now, after Hadlee took the picture. And this is what it was before he took the picture. So, you can see an entire story is gone.
So, Hadlee, this happens. You hear this happening. You go outside, and you told me that what you're feeling and what you're seeing is unlike any other earthquake that you have experienced in New Zealand, which, for the record, gets a lot of earthquakes.
WRIGHT: It does, yes.
When I was much younger, I remember experiencing a 6.8 in Christchurch. And -- and I was in a supermarket at the time. Things were coming off the shelves. You know, everything's breaking.
But this was -- while it seemed a lot -- well, it -- I know it was bigger now, but it seemed sort of a little bit more calm, but the -- the damage which it's done is -- is obviously clearer that it was a much bigger earthquake.
SANCHEZ: Well -- well, let -- let -- let me -- Josh, let me just get in here --
LEVS: Please. Yes, please.
SANCHEZ: -- after -- you know, we have covered a lot of disasters like this. And I know that, oftentimes, it can take as much as 24, 48 hours to really assess what the damage is.
So, let me ask you this question. How much have you seen so far? Are -- are you ready to report that you have got a pretty good sense of how much damage has taken place in your city, or do you believe that there may be more damage that has not yet been discovered?
WRIGHT: In the central city, I would say what's -- what's happened has happened, you know, barring any aftershocks or things like that. I couldn't say fully outlying suburbs. I mean, I have seen photos of (INAUDIBLE) pieces falling over and those sorts of things, like --
(CROSSTALK)
WRIGHT: -- pieces. But --
SANCHEZ: And -- and -- and --
WRIGHT: But, in the central city, I would say that, you know, what's done is done.
SANCHEZ: And what -- and what is done? How would you describe -- if -- if I was to say use numbers between one and 10, 10 being devastation, every building down, one being just some cracks on some walls, where would you put this? WRIGHT: It would be probably a 6, I would say, on that sort of scale.
I mean, there are buildings which are clearly missing the sides of them. An old theater in town is missing its front. And I think you have got a photo there of a --
SANCHEZ: Hmm.
WRIGHT: -- shop there which is missing part of its upper story.
(CROSSTALK)
LEVS: Actually, Hadlee, we're looking at one of these.
(CROSSTALK)
LEVS: As you say this, we're looking at one. It says Longhorn Leather Shop on the side. That's what on our screen right now.
WRIGHT: That's -- that's the one.
LEVS: It looks like the top and the whole back section have just collapsed.
WRIGHT: Yes. Yes.
So, I mean, that's --
SANCHEZ: Sheesh.
WRIGHT: -- that's what would have been an alley there, and, yes, I (INAUDIBLE) sort of apartments or office parts. And you can see at the top left corner, it -- it would have continued quite -- you know, it would have been a lot higher.
SANCHEZ: One --
WRIGHT: So, it's missing a lot of its structure there.
SANCHEZ: One final thing.
And I want to bring Bonnie -- Bonnie Schneider in on this in just a little bit.
But have you all been told anything about tsunami warnings or the possibility of tsunamis as a result of this earthquake?
WRIGHT: I have only read -- sort of when it first came in, there wasn't any tsunami warnings. I haven't seen any tsunami warnings recently. So, I -- I wouldn't -- I wouldn't be able to say for sure.
SANCHEZ: Hmm.
WRIGHT: But, from what I have read so far, I haven't seen any.
SANCHEZ: Well, Mr. Wright, you have been so kind.
LEVS: Thank you.
SANCHEZ: Josh, great job getting him on the phone.
Bonnie, let me bring you into this, if you could.
SCHNEIDER: Yes.
SANCHEZ: Could you give us a sense of where this thing -- what -- have you checked the coordinates to see what the epicenter of this thing is?
SCHNEIDER: Well, the epicenter is here. As you can see on this map, it's much further inland. And that's why, Rick, there wasn't a tsunami warning issued.
SANCHEZ: Oh, OK. That --
SCHNEIDER: You know, had it happened on the coastline, like we have seen a lot of other earthquakes, then a tsunami warning is almost automatically issued.
But because it was so much further in, more to the north of Darfield, for example, is why we didn't see that. But, remember, as we have been saying all along, this is a highly populated area. It was a shallow quake. And this red here on the map indicates where we had severe to violent to extreme shaking.
It's -- it's rare to see this, where you see such a wide area extending, and then the yellow, where we have strong shaking, extending far and wide as well, so, obviously a very widespread area of damage.
SANCHEZ: Yes.
Yes, as you can see where you put that epicenter. Well done. If it happened just a little more to the right, then maybe it could have had that impact.
SCHNEIDER: Yes.
SANCHEZ: How much -- how many miles between like, let's say, Christchurch and the -- and the shoreline there?
SCHNEIDER: Well, it looks like, from what I can see, at least 50. But I would have to take a closer look. It's -- it -- it is important to note that it was close enough to Christchurch where we did feel that extreme shaking.
SANCHEZ: Right. Right.
SCHNEIDER: So, that's -- that's important, too.
SANCHEZ: But it's not a long distance, obviously.
SCHNEIDER: Yes.
SANCHEZ: Hey, Bonnie, thanks so much.
SCHNEIDER: Mm-hmm.
LEVS: And, Rick, if I could -- if I could -- if I could mention --
SANCHEZ: Go ahead.
(CROSSTALK)
LEVS: -- period of aftershocks. And that's -- you know, that's why the story continues.
Now, I don't know if we still have Hadlee, but when I was on the phone with him a few minutes ago, he said: "Whoa. I have got to put this down for a second. Things are shaking again."
SANCHEZ: OK.
LEVS: So, something that people are watching out for right now is the concerns about aftershocks. And we know what happens after a big quake. So, Rick, that's part of the story right now.
SANCHEZ: All right.
And, meanwhile, Donna Morrissey the Red Cross --
(LAUGHTER)
SANCHEZ: -- has been diligently hanging tough and standing by.
Let's get a quick break in. When we come back, our interview with Donna Morrissey, who's going to take all the people along the East Coast with -- through the information that they need to have and they need to know as they prepare for the eventuality of Earl.
You're watching RICK'S LIST, once again, a lot of breaking news coming your way. And we're going to -- we're going to handle it all for you.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: OK.
We talked a little bit about what's going on elsewhere. Now let's talk about what's going on in our own country. This, too, is an emergency in parts of Massachusetts, specifically Cape Cod.
Let me show you why. Look at the -- look at the loop there, and you can see, as the hurricane winds its way up, look how close it's actually going to come to the Cape Cod area, that finger that sticks out right there.
And it's not just the weak side of the hurricane as it was in the case of North Carolina. It's actually going to be a big portion of the strong side of the winds that are going to whip into it. That's why we've been getting reports of sideways rain already coming in from this area.
Some folks are going to be feeling the brunt of this. Donna Morrissey is joining us from the American Red Cross. We follow you guys very diligently and very carefully, and I know you do a real good job at getting out there ahead time and letting people know what you're going to be able to do for them.
Go ahead and use this opportunity, if you would, to tell the people of Massachusetts what they can expect from you.
DONNA MORRISSEY, AMERICAN RED CROSS: Well, we have already set up five regional shelters across the Cape, an additional shelter on Nantucket, and we're giving assistance in Martha's Vineyard. We have pre-positioned supplies and emergency vehicles along with volunteers. So we are prepared.
We are at the implementation stage. Only a few moments ago I left a shelter where an elderly resident named Shirley was evacuated medically from her home. She was on oxygen and she was concerned if she experienced a power outage that she couldn't get the oxygen she needs. Now she's in the welcome arms of the Red Cross at that shelter.
So we've starting to see people arrive at shelters. We've asked people to register on safe and well through redcross.org. And that's a secure site where people can register so their loved ones know where they are, particularly if they have to leave their homes and go to a shelter.
SANCHEZ: What particular problems because of the geography or the culture or wherever it is that makes each part of the United States unique, any particular problems that you see that you're going to be a little bit more aware of, that you want people to think about as this storm approaches toward their venue?
MORRISSEY: We want people to be safe and to be informed. And once the storm does hit, they need to stay put. They need to pay attention to the local authorities.
I'm so delighted to tell you that the Red Cross has worked diligently both locally and nationally with emergency management officials and other nonprofits. So we're ready. We're prepared. and we're here to provide the humanitarian assistance.
We do encourage people to go to redcross.org if they need to find the latest list of shelters. And all this is possible through the financial donations of generous neighbors. If people can go to redcross.org or text "Red Cross" to 90999 to make a $10 donation, it's sure would help us out to ensure that we're ready and we're able to deliver much-needed assistance.
SANCHEZ: It is in fact a good cause. Ms. Morrissey, thanks so much and thanks for your patience. Of all people who understand what disasters do and how they don't usually come with a warning, I figured you'd understand we had to get down to New Zealand. We'll continue to check in with you throughout the course of the evening.
Meanwhile, I want to let you know that we've got several other stories covered, including what's going on right now in Dubai. This is a 747 that has crashed in Dubai, apparently at a military installation, and the very first pictures just starting to come in. I showed you some of those. This is where it's happened.
However, much of the information is still preliminary. As we get that, I'm going to be sharing that with you as well.
There's also a lot of political news coming out of our own country and I'll take you through that as well. It's Friday but the news doesn't stop. This is "RICK'S LIST." I'm Rick Sanchez. We're going to be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: We got some news affecting our economy today, and it's, for a change, not all that bad. This has to do with jobs. We're going to try to make sense of the latest unemployment numbers.
Let me take you through them. Here's the takeaway from the numbers that the Labor Department released just today. The U.S. economy lost 54,000 jobs in August. All right, there it is. That helped boost the jobless rate to 9.6 percent last month. That's up slightly from 9.5 percent in July.
While that sounds bad, many of those jobs lost were temporary government jobs.
But listen to this -- the private sector added more jobs than economists expected. So on the private sector, just regular businesses hiring people, that went up. Economists had anticipated an increase of just 30,000 private sector jobs in August. But the number of new private sector jobs was actually 67,000.
So the market in and of itself working by itself seemed to show an increase. You may wonder, is this a good sign or just more of the same? Here's what the president's take was on this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: The month I took office, we were losing 750,000 jobs a month. This morning, new figures show the economy produced 67,000 private sector jobs in August, the eighth consecutive month of private job growth.
Additionally, the numbers for July were revised upward to 107,000. That's positive news. And it reflects the steps we've already taken to break the back of this recession. But it's not nearly good enough.
(END VIDEO CLIP) SANCHEZ: Well, with this going on and with what's going on in Delaware -- have you heard? The Republican Party in Delaware is mobilizing right now to try and stop the Tea Party movement. This is interesting. It has to do with a very specific person.
Delaware's GOP establishment is now trying to stop Tea Party candidates from stepping in and winning the Senate primary there. This is who they're targeting, Christine O'Donnell. She's the newest Tea Party cause celeb.
You know what' been going on with the Tea Parties, right? Joe Miller in Alaska for example. According to a poll commission by the Tea Party express, O'Donnell is suddenly now within striking distance of the Republican establishment candidate Mike Castle.
Here's what Delaware state Republican chairman is quoted as telling the "Huffington Post" about Christine O'Donnell, quote, "She's not a viable candidate for any office in the state of Delaware." Listen to this -- "She could not be elected dogcatcher." Now, that's hitting somebody hard, right?
So the GOP establishment appears to be alarmed. They're portraying O'Donnell is financially irresponsible, among other things, saying she's a professional candidate who lives off of campaign contributions and then doesn't pay them back.
Joining me now from Washington, Paul Steinhauser, CNN's deputy political director. Paul, you know what's interesting about this, it's almost as if the Republican Party at one point seemed to embrace the Tea Party, as if to say, we're who you've got to be like, be like us, be with us, we embrace you, we want to be a part of you. We'll even set up a caucus among Republicans that are Tea Party aficionados.
And now there's this little rift going on because the Tea Party folks are coming in and knocking out Republicans. Is the worm turning here? What's going on, Paul?
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Yes, is it the dog wagging the tail or the tail wagging the dog? What's going on? Remember in Alaska we spent a lot of time talking about Joe Miller in Alaska. And, of course, he did take down Lisa Murkowski. We were saying, where's the next Alaska?
You're right. It's now in Delaware, because this is becoming a real family feud. This is getting bitter. Some of the comments you just talked about from the GOP chairman there in Delaware, Mike Castle -- Rick, he's a known name in Delaware just like Murkowski was in Alaska. Former two-term governor, nine terms now as congressman of the whole state. Known as a moderate Republican but well-liked there.
But the Tea Party Express, they pumped in almost $600,000 for Miller. Now they're up with brand-new commercials starting today in Delaware going after castle and supporting O'Donnell.
SANCHEZ: And there's a trend, though, isn't there? Look, just a couple of names here that come to mind as we were preparing this interview with you, you've got Joe Miller in Alaska. You mentioned him. You've got Rand Paul in Kentucky. You've got Sharron Angle in Nevada. You've got Mike Lee in Utah. You've got ken buck in Colorado. Hell, Marco Rubio in my home state knocked Charlie Crist out of the Republican nomination. He's running as an independent now.
This is not a passing fancy. This is a verifiable trend.
STEINHAUSER: Yes, listen, the Tea Party movement is a year and a half old. You cannot deny, they've got a lot of energy. They've got a lot of enthusiasm. And that helped the Republican Party because the Republican Party, Rick, back early last year was down and out. They'd just gotten their butts kicked in '08.
But right now this party is energized, enthusiastic. A lot of Republicans voting in the primaries. But there is a flipside here, the Democrats actually embracing this Tea Party movement because they think it's moving the Republican candidates, the nominees too far to the right.
These candidates, the five you just listed on the board, Democrats are saying these people are too far out of the mainstream. They're going to scare off those independents and moderates. So Democrats feel they're confident about in November -- the candidates like the five you're showing there may be too out of the mainstream, too extreme. That's what the Democrats are trying to say.
We're going to find out on November 2nd.
SANCHEZ: We'll be watching and we'll be reporting on it. I'm glad we've got guys like you keeping your eye on this. It's an interesting phenomenon. Paul, we'll be getting back to you.
Meantime, let me tell you what's going on with hurricane Earl, the big story now, it has moved away from the Carolinas, and it's heading toward Massachusetts. As it does, we're going to be all over this story.
In fact, when I come back, I'm going to be talking to one of the female representatives who's going to bring us up to date on what's going on from the federal government standpoint to make sure the folks there around Cape Cod are taken care of and what resources they're muscling as well. I'm Rick Sanchez, we'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: Hey, welcome back, everyone. I'm Rick Sanchez. We are your hurricane headquarters. That's why every time there's a storm approaching the United States we are going to be all over this in full force as we are right now with Earl.
It's heading into the coastal area now of Massachusetts. Let's look at that loop one more time and you'll be able to see the area that's now being affected. You see how the winds are going counterclockwise, which will likely have an effect at least on that area around Cape Cod. Joining us now from FEMA is Craig Fugate once again to bring us up on, really, two things. How did your operation go over last night? I know you put a lot of forces together in the Carolinas. How did that go? Then we'll talk about what you're doing now moving forward into the next area of potential impact, which is the coast of Massachusetts.
First, North Carolina -- everything OK?
CRAIG FUGATE, FEMA DIRECTOR: Yes, things went good. We're sitting side by side in that state operation center with North Carolina folks. And they said, really appreciate everything but looks like they can do it with the local and state resources. So we're standing by there. But it looks like they've got it.
We also have our teams up in Massachusetts along those coastal areas, supplies there. Again, we're just going to play this out and see what Earl does. But we're ready either way this thing goes. Looks like North Carolina is going to get better pretty quick and we're ready tonight. See what happens there in Massachusetts.
SANCHEZ: It's funny, I was talking yesterday -- I don't know if you saw this interview. You may have heard about it. I was talking to the governor of North Carolina, and I asked her about you guys specifically.
I said, what do you think of FEMA, how are they doing? Are they helping you guys out? She said something interesting to me. She said on the air, she said FEMA used to be a real problem and we used to have real issues with them, intimating that she didn't like you guys too much. But this time around, I've got to tell you, they've been so on the ball, they've been here on time and they're being unbelievably resourceful and they're helping us.
So you got some real kudos from the governor. What are you guys doing wrong that's making a lot of these public and state officials say, hey, these guys are getting it right this time?
FUGATE: I think it's the president telling us we need to make sure we're ready for all contingencies, and the fact we're working to support the local and state officials and not trying to take over. It's really a team effort, and I think we respect the roles the governor has and our job on behalf of the president and Secretary Napolitano is make sure we're supporting them and be responsive to their needs and not waiting for things to get so bad.
So it's just to meet customer service, helping people help others.
SANCHEZ: I would venture to say -- if you'll pardon me for saying this as a guy who has covered an awful lot of hurricanes throughout his career, the key is getting there in time.
You guys aren't too good when you get there after the hurricane happens or in the middle of it because you can't really even get in at the time. It's all about timing with agencies like yourselves. And I think getting there beforehand and being on the ground is probably what makes as much of a difference as anybody else. Wouldn't you agree?
FUGATE: Well, that's how you build good teams. You don't wait until the play is called to show up. You get there while everybody is practicing. So that's part of what we can do with the laws Congress passed after hurricane Katrina is to go in to support the state, not wait for a disaster like a hurricane to already have happened, and be there as part of the team.
If they need us, we're there. If not, we'll get out of their way and they'll go back to business.
SANCHEZ: Listen, interesting conversations. Good luck. Craig, we'll check with you throughout the course of the night here at CNN as this thing starts to approach the coach there along Massachusetts, which probably is going to happen next time we're on the air, tonight about 8:00 p.m. So you and I may be talking a little more later on.
Meantime, there is another emergency that's taking place now. A couple of them, actually. One in New Zealand, and then this situation in Dubai. Have you heard about what's going on in Dubai? It's a UPS -- U.S. cargo plane, 747, and it's crashed into a military installation. The pilot and copilot are dead. We don't know if there are any casualties there on the ground.
We know we've seen some of the very first pictures now, and they're quite impressive. We expect to get more information on this and we'll take you through some of those on the other side of this break.
You're watching "RICK'S LIST." We're bringing you more breaking news as it happens and we'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SANCHEZ: I want to get back to something we've been trying to do all this week, and this is important. It's about three simple words -- "fixing our schools." Those three words have driven much of what you have seen this week here, because as America's children return to schools, yours and mine in many cases, CNN's mission has been to send reporting teams around the country to try and document the educational crisis in America.
We've shown you success stories and some cases that just, frankly, need some more work. Steve Perry is going to be joining me in a little bit. He, as you know, is our education contributor. We use him throughout these stories. He has put together the story, and I want for you and for Steve and for me to watch this story together and then we'll come back on the other side. Take a look at this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
STEVE PERRY, CNN EDUCATION CONTRIBUTOR: I'm Dr. Steve Perry, I'm a high school principal. But today I'm here to make a house call. We're at the Taylor residence with mom, Ms. Jasmine Taylor. She's a single mom, and her son Hezekiah, Hezekiah who had a tough time last year, barely made it out of sixth grade. This year we're going to make some changes. That's why I'm here.
JASMINE TAYLOR, MOTHER OF HEZEKIAH TAYLOR: Hezekiah is a very rambunctious, happy, loving child. So if Hezekiah puts his mind to it he can be a fabulous student.
HEZEKIAH TAYLOR, STUDENT: This is our warm up for today.
JASMINE TAYLOR: Last year he didn't bring the homework home. Oh, we didn't have any today. I did it in class -- everything under the sun that most kids come up with for not having home work. He would be scoring like 30s on quizzes and missing five, six homework assignments.
I had to take him to see a therapist because I didn't understand why I couldn't get him to understand the simple things. I would want somebody to help him educationally to help him find his best way to focus, because I haven't found it yet.
PERRY: Hello. I'm Steve Perry. Pleasure to meet you. Who is this?
JASMINE TAYLOR: Hezekiah.
PERRY: Of course it's Hezekiah.
HEZEKIAH TAYLOR: This is my room. It could be worse.
PERRY: OK. So what happened?
HEZEKIAH TAYLOR: Yes, I got home from football practice. My room was worse than this. I cleaned it before I went to bed last night. It just, see, I didn't make up my bed. Just apparently somehow it just all poofed away when I thought about doing it.
PERRY: How did you do last year in school?
HEZEKIAH TAYLOR: I didn't do so well.
PERRY: Yes? What happened?
HEZEKIAH TAYLOR: See, part of the fault was my teachers.
PERRY: What did the teachers have to do with you doing your homework, son? Come on, man.
Last year was a tough year, huh?
JASMINE TAYLOR: Extremely tough year for Hezekiah. He was a roaring honor roll student, and sixth grade he went from As and Bs to Ds and Fs.
PERRY: When I look at a child's academic performance one of the first places I look is how they're doing in physical education or art or music. All a kid really has to do is show up and participate. You simply have to do what the adult who is in charge tells you to do. I think we know that our little boy has some trouble with that. Yes?
JASMINE TAYLOR: Yes.
PERRY: OK. So that's something that happens, and this is a tough time for moms, because you've been carrying him for so long you figure if you let him go he'll fall down. And here it is. He's going to fall. You're going to fall. He is going to.
JASMINE TAYLOR: OK.
PERRY: That's not the problem. It's what we do with the fall and how we learn from the fall. What we can do to be successful --
JASMINE TAYLOR: OK.
PERRY: -- all right? We're going to come up with some very simple strategies.
JASMINE TAYLOR: OK.
PERRY: And this is the beginning of it. The first one is accountability. I'm going to write it down and break it down to two basic parts. The first part is mom, and the second part is Hezekiah.
"Accountability," another word is "responsibility." That's another way to say accountability. It doesn't look like that's what it should say but that's exactly what it is.
One of his assignments was to talk about what he was bad at. You know what you did?
(inaudible)
And then you answered it. You see, mom, he has to help out. You can't put all this on you. You can't go to work and come home and cook and clean while he sits there like the prince of Sheba.
JASMINE TAYLOR: I have some reservations because of the lack of responsibility.
PERRY: How is he going to learn it? How did you learn it?
JASMINE TAYLOR: I don't know, but burning down the house is not an option.
PERRY: You don't have to let him in there with a match. You got an electric stove.
JASMINE TAYLOR: If I'm not home, the tater tots are burned and so is my house.
PERRY: Not only that.
JASMINE TAYLOR: OK.
PERRY: His education has to be his responsibility. You have got to take a different role in this. If you watch the littlest ones, the coaches are out on the field, right?
JASMINE TAYLOR: Yes.
PERRY: But as they get older, where do the coaches go?
JASMINE TAYLOR: On the sideline.
PERRY: Right. We're going to put you on the sideline.
HEZEKIAH TAYLOR: I'm not trying to say I want to put my mom on the sideline like one of my coaches.
JASMINE TAYLOR: Maybe you're ready for me to take a step back?
PERRY: Yes.
JASMINE TAYLOR: All right, I can handle that.
HEZEKIAH TAYLOR: I'm not trying to say you have to because --
JASMINE TAYLOR: It's not a bad thing. I can handle taking a step back if I know that you are going to step up in my place.
PERRY: Feels good, right?
JASMINE TAYLOR: It does. I promise you, I struggled last year to pull all of this out of him. I did. And I know now that I allowed the situation like the bad grades, the bad reports of the teachers to have me put my anger first.
PERRY: As much as I'm a principal, I'm a father, and it's my hope that the relationship I have with my sons is as strong as you have yours. You should feel very good about yourself.
JASMINE TAYLOR: Thank you very much.
PERRY: Proof is on the board. Thank you so much.
JASMINE TAYLOR: Thank you.
PERRY: My man. Thank you.
HEZEKIAH TAYLOR: Thank you very much.
PERRY: All right.
HEZEKIAH TAYLOR: I'm excited.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SANCHEZ: That is amazing. Talk about addressing accountability with somebody directly, square in the face, looking at their eyes.
You mentioned something that caught my attention when you said, "I always look to see how someone is doing in physical education or music and art." Why? PERRY: Because when we look at phys-ed all you have to do is show up and change your clothes. If a kid has a C or D or F in physical education, that shows the child has serious attitude problems and we need to get to that and let them know grown people are in charge, not them.
SANCHEZ: And what about the issue you mentioned as well about how someone's grades fluctuate? And look, I've seen this with my kids. It drives my wife and I crazy. They're doing as all the way through, and then all of a sudden getting Cs. As a parent at what point do you freak out on this? What is the threshold?
PERRY: Well, that's the challenge, Rick. One of the things you've just said is that a lot of parents care. You and I talk all the time about education. We talk about it from the perspective of what the schools need to do.
And then we often hear people say if the parents would just do more. So many parents want to do more but just like you a really bright guy who is engaged in his children's life, you still have questions.
SANCHEZ: Yes.
PERRY: Every parent has to take the time to get to know their child. And in this case, Ms. Taylor, she wanted very badly to do the right thing. She was on her son, on her son, but actually her issue was she was on too much. She didn't let him make some of his own decisions.
And when she pulled back and let Hezekiah begin speaking for himself, he did and he wouldn't stop talking. The boy talked all the way outside the house. He wanted to say something. He said I finally get to speak.
And his mother wasn't doing anything wrong. She was just out of options. When we're out of options we just freak, like you said. We just freak and we don't know what it is to do.
SANCHEZ: Yes.
PERRY: So, what this is about, what the house call is about is going home and finding out where the issues were. Ms. Taylor, she said very many times that this was life-changing. And it meant a lot to me to be part of that change for her.
SANCHEZ: You did a good job with that. You ought to be commended, Mr. Perry. Job well done. Let's do more of these. It helped me out watching it as a parent.
