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The Situation Room
Bush Coming To Rumsfeld's Defense; Iran Insists Its Nuclear Intentions Are Strictly Peaceful; Mumps Outbreak; Max Mayfield And David Paulison Discuss The Upcoming Hurricane Season; Sensitive Military Information May Have Found Way To Open Market In Afghanistan; Military Faces Tough Clothing Choice In Iraq
Aired April 14, 2006 - 17:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: To our viewers, you're in THE SITUATION ROOM, where new pictures and information are arriving all the time.
Standing by, CNN reporters across the United States and around the world to bring you today's top stories.
Happening now, true believer. President Bush says Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is the right man for the right time. And, for those who don't think so, the president has a message.
Ready or not. Hurricane season starts in just a few weeks. What does nature have in store this year? And will the U.S. be ready? We have predictions from one man once called the Paul Revere of hurricanes.
And why this, why now? Health officials want to know why a disease many of us haven't thought about in years is mysteriously spreading across several states. It's an outbreak of mumps. Could the disease be a stowaway on your next flight?
I'm Heidi Collins, in for Wolf Blitzer, and you're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
We begin with news just into CNN now. Now, today it's not just President Bush coming to Donald Rumsfeld's defense. Just a short while ago, the former Joint Chiefs chairman, Richard Myers, spoke with CNN and sounded off on retired generals critical of his former boss.
We have two reports ready on this. Our Ed Henry is at the White House with the president's comments. But first, we want to get to CNN's Pentagon correspondent, Barbara Starr.
Barbara, what do you have?
BARBARA STARR, CNN PENTAGON CORRESPONDENT: Well, Heidi, it has been a very long week. That presidential statement coming today after six generals this week -- of course, retired generals -- criticized Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and called for his resignation.
Now, for the first time, General Richard Myers, who retired about six months ago as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who was in commend when many of these generals served, has made his first public comment in an exclusive interview with CNN, and General Myers is pointing his fury at the generals who are now talking.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEN. RICHARD MYERS, FMR. JOINT CHIEFS CHAIRMAN: I think one of the things we have to understand, or at least my whole perception of this, is that it's bad for the military, it's bad for civil military relations, and it's potentially very bad for the country, because what we're hearing and what we're seeing is not the role the military plays in our society under our laws -- for that matter, under our Constitution.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
STARR: General Myers saying that, yes, retired generals do have the same rights of freedom of speech as every other American, but he simply feels they should not be speaking out in opposition to the president, to the secretary of defense, or to elected officials. He says that is not the job of any military officer, even after they retire. He goes so far as to very politely decline to answer whether he supports Secretary Rumsfeld, because he says that's not his job, that that's the job for the president, for Congress, and for the American people, and that he won't speak out on that.
We'll have more of that interview later on -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Wow. It's amazing, Barbara, how much this has really gained momentum from both sides, you know, those who support and those who are apparently retired and in disagreement of Donald Rumsfeld's logistics, if you will, on the war in Iraq.
What happens next? And it sounds like just a bunch of generals fighting.
STARR: It sure does sound like that. I mean, you know, we're beginning to see the lineup. But it's important. It is very important to understand that these will be retired generals, because while you are on active duty, of course, the rules of the road are, as we've talked about all week, you may not criticize the commander in chief, the president, you may not criticize national policy, you cannot criticize the secretary of defense.
The rules of the road are, you state your opinions behind closed doors while you are on active duty, and if you can't live with it, then you fall on your sword, resign your commission, and retire. That's very interesting to note.
Nobody's gone that far yet. That has not happened. But I must say, Heidi, while there are many retired generals lining up in support of the administration, of course, we do know that there are other generals out there who are very privately saying they have a lot concerns, a lot of worries about how the war in Iraq is going, a lot of concerns about where everything is headed now.
It remains to be seen who is willing to come out next in public.
COLLINS: We shall see if that happens, indeed. Pentagon Correspondent Barbara Starr.
Thank you.
The president's statement of support for his embattled defense secretary is unusual. But with public support for the Iraq war hanging in the balance, the president cannot afford to lose support for the man in charge of executing that war.
CNN White House Correspondent Ed Henry has more on this -- Ed.
ED HENRY, CNN CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good afternoon, Heidi.
That's right, an unusual statement indeed. It was very unexpected that the president decided to issue this vote of confidence himself. It brings even more attention to this perilous situation for the Secretary Rumsfeld, the fact that the commander in chief had to step down.
The president also interrupted his holiday weekend at Camp David to put out this public statement, a sign that he didn't even think it could wait until Monday. He had to get this out now.
The chorus of criticism just too loud and has to be taken seriously, because it is coming from these highly respected retired generals. So the president called his defense secretary personally today to discuss the war on terror and also say that he still has his full support and confidence.
Then the president put out this public statement, saying, in part, "Secretary Rumsfeld's energetic and steady leadership is exactly what is needed at this critical period. He has my full support and deepest appreciation."
The president also praised the secretary for relying upon "... our military commanders in the field," as well as others at the Pentagon, in order to handle and figure out a way to complete these missions not only in Iraq, but Afghanistan, of course. But the president's critics are turning that part around on him, pointing out that it is, in fact, retired commanders in the field who are now coming forward with this criticism of the secretary, and it's not just Democratic senators now saying they want to see the secretary ousted, it's highly respected military men -- Heidi.
COLLINS: All right. And something else to note here, too, Ed. We know that it's the first day on the job for the new White House chief of staff, Josh Bolten. We're looking at some pictures of him there with the president.
What should we be thinking about? Any more shakeups?
HENRY: You know, a lot of White House staffers say that they expect, in fact, that there will be more changes. They just don't know how extensive it will be and how quickly Josh Bolten we'll actually move -- we understand he's going to be moving into his office first this weekend while the president is at Camp David. He plans to hit the ground running on Monday.
But I can tell you, people reading the tea leaves did get some signs today. Whenever we asked White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan about the fate of Treasury Secretary John Snow, he says, "I can't comment on personnel matters."
Well, the president obviously decided to comment on a personnel matter today. Full-throated support for Defense Secretary Rumsfeld. He's never issued a statement like that for Secretary Snow -- Heidi.
COLLINS: All right. Ed Henry, thank you for the update.
HENRY: Thank you.
COLLINS: Now to the nuclear crisis with Iran. New explosive comments from Iran's president are not easing the situation.
CNN Senior United Nations Correspondent Richard Roth has the very latest on that.
Nice to see you, Richard.
RICHARD ROTH, CNN SR. UNITED NATIONS CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Heidi.
Well, Iran insists its nuclear intentions are strictly peaceful, but once again, the country's leaders remarks are incendiary.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ROTH (voice-over): More fiery rhetoric on a religious holiday for much of the world. Iran's president, days after announcing gains in nuclear enrichment, declared the Zionist regime of Israel is heading forwards annihilation.
MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD, IRANIAN PRESIDENT (through translator): The Zionist regime is a dying tree that soon its branches will be broken down.
ROTH: Last October, the Iranian leader drew global criticism when he said Israel should be wiped off the map. Addressing a conference on Palestinians, the president again expressed doubts that the Holocaust ever occurred.
AHMADINEJAD (through translator): Is this Holocaust worse than or less than the Holocaust you claim that has taken place?
ROTH: The U.S. State Department reacted quickly to the inflammatory remarks.
SEAN MCCORMACK, STATE DEPT. SPOKESMAN: It's more reprehensible rhetoric from the president of Iran. This is -- this is the kind of rhetoric, I think, that has only added to the fears and concerns of the international community as it relates to Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons. ROTH: But Iran's president accused the United States and others of being bullies, trying to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear program for energy purposes.
AHMADINEJAD (through translator): They are against the advancement of technology and science in the region.
ROTH: No indications in the speech or during the visit this week by the U.N.'s top nuclear inspector that Iran is seeking a compromise in the simmering nuclear dispute. Secretary of State Rice spoke to the U.N.'s Mohamed ElBaradei, who reported he heard nothing knew from the Iranians.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ROTH: Next to take a crack at the Iranians, China, which has a minister there this weekend. Then the U.S. and the big powers of the Security Council will huddle up in Moscow next week -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Can you be a little more specific? What do you think the U.N. Security Council can do next about all of this?
ROTH: Well, the U.S. put on the record today what it's looking for -- a resolution at the council with teeth, something Iran is literally forced to comply with. If not, targeted sanctions against senior Iranian government officials, including travel bans and financial asset freezes.
COLLINS: All right. Richard Roth, from the U.N.
Thanks so much, Richard.
Time now for what we call "The Cafferty File." Our Jack Cafferty is back in New York -- Jack.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Heidi, from the heartland, Nebraska lawmakers voted yesterday to divide the Omaha, Nebraska, school system into three districts: one mostly black, one mostly black, one mostly Hispanic. Supports say it will give minorities control over their own school board and it would ensure their kids are not shortchanged in favor of the white students. But critics say it amounts to nothing more than state-sponsored segregation.
One senator said, "We'll go down in history as one of the first states in 20 years to set race relations back." Although the Republican governor signed the measure into law, the change won't occur until 2008, and it's widely expected to wind up in the courts way before then.
The school superintendent says the law is unconstitutional, won't stand. But the legislature's only black senator says the district is already segregated because it doesn't bus students for integration and requires them to attend their neighborhood school.
So, here's the question: Should the Omaha school system be split into three districts, one mostly white, one mostly black, one mostly Hispanic?
E-mail us at caffertyfile@CNN.com or go to CNN.com/caffertyfile.
That's kind of an amazing story on the surface, Heidi.
COLLINS: It certainly is. I'll be interested to hear what people e-mail to you.
Thank you, Jack.
CAFFERTY: Sure.
COLLINS: Up ahead, the disease of mumps was gone for decades. So why is the disease suddenly re-emerging in the United States now? We're looking into its mysterious return and what could be causing it.
Could this year's upcoming hurricane season be as bad as last year's? It's just seven weeks away now. Ahead, I'll ask FEMA's acting director and the head of the National Hurricane Center if the U.S. is ready.
And comfort versus safety. Why that may be the choice facing U.S. troops in Iraq as a sweltering summer approaches.
You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: To a developing story we're following now. Why is a disease that's been mostly under control for almost 40 years now causing an outbreak in several states?
Our Mary Snow is tracking this serious spread of the mumps.
It's a pretty crazy story, Mary.
MARY SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It really is, Heidi. Raising a lot of questions.
And health officials are at a loss to explain it since the mumps were virtually wiped out after the U.S. introduced a vaccination back in 1967. But there is a mumps outbreak in at least seven Midwestern states.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SNOW (voice-over): Health officials discovered the first U.S. cases on an Iowa college campus in December. Now cases of the mumps in Iowa have skyrocketed to more than 600. And nearby Midwest states report dozens more, puzzling doctors.
DR. WILLIAM SCAFFNER, VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER: Where did it lurk? How is it that we didn't see further cases?
SNOW: Mumps cause the glands under the jaw to swell, and people usually have a fever and headache. Severe complications like deafness and meningitis are rare. Mumps spread when infected people cough and sneeze.
What about when they travel?
DR. JANE SEWARD, CDC EPIDEMIOLOGIST: A disease like mumps spreading on a plane, it's very uncommon. But we wanted to be cautious and just inform passengers.
SNOW: The Centers for Disease Control is now investigating whether this mumps outbreak put air travelers at risk. The government is reaching out to passengers on flights taken by two infected people. Those infected people had many layovers.
According to the CDC, the first infected person traveled from Waterloo, Iowa, in late March to Minneapolis, Minnesota, then to Detroit, Michigan, then to Washington, D.C. , and back. The other went from Tucson, Arizona, to Dallas, Texas, to Lafayette, Arkansas, to St. Louis, Missouri, to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on April 2nd.
SCAFFNER: We can take this mumps epidemic as kind of a fire drill for what might happen if bird flu suddenly became transmissible to humans and was introduced into the United States.
SNOW: It's also testing the public health system response that was put into place after 9/11 to deal more effectively with biological emergencies.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: So it is not only being useful for dealing with mumps, but it's actually testing our ability to deal with biological emergencies and showing us where we can do better.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SNOW: So, now the question is, how are health departments faring if after four months the outbreak is still spreading? Well, doctors say it is a lesson in how difficult it can be to limit an outbreak like this -- Heidi.
COLLINS: So, do doctors really have any idea as to why it could be spreading like it is?
SNOW: There are a couple of theories that they're looking at. One doctor said they are looking to see whether this is a another virus of the mumps, although they think that that is not likely. But some of the other things they're saying is that they are asking questions of people who were immunized, has that immunization waned?
Also, now, as you know, children are being given two sets of doses of immunization. Perhaps they're asking whether or not people got two sets of them and maybe that makes them more susceptible. But really no clear answers.
COLLINS: No clear answers yet. All right. Mary Snow, you'll stay on top of it for us.
Thank you.
For more on mumps now, our Internet reporter, Jacki Schechner, is standing by with some real-time online resources -- Jacki.
JACKI SCHECHNER, CNN INTERNET REPORTER: Well, Heidi, Mary mentioned the 600 cases in Iowa, and obviously that's where we are focused right now. But it has spread to a bunch of other Midwestern states, and we wanted to take a look at some of the cases there.
For example, in Nebraska, so far the reporting, 71 suspected cases of mumps. The bulk of those in a little county called Adams County. Eighteen cases reported right there.
You can also take a look at the Kansas Department of Health Web site. They say they now have a total of 48 cases of mumps.
Now, this is interesting. This obviously isn't as astounding as the 600, but look at the history of mumps cases in Kansas. The highest number before that was four cases in 2004.
Now, there are other states that are affected by this: Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin. They are all linking to the Centers for Disease Control Web site, which gives you all of your basic information about mumps.
We went one step further. You can go to CNN.com/situationreport, and you can take a closer look at our situation online -- Heidi.
COLLINS: All right. Jacki, thank you.
And Fredricka Whitfield joins us now from the CNN Center in Atlanta with a closer look at other stories making news today.
Hi once again, Fred.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello again, Heidi.
Duke University co-hosted a meeting with community leaders today to try to ease tensions over allegations that three Duke lacrosse players raped a woman. University officials say police went to school dorms yesterday to interview some of the team members.
An attorney for one of the players says police did not have warrants. She says the players contacted their lawyers, who advised them not to speak without their attorneys present. No charges have been filed in the case.
Tennessee officials are setting traps baited with pastries to try to catch a black bear who mauled and killed a 6-year-old Ohio girl. The bear also attacked the girl's 2-year-old brother and the girl's mother in the Cherokee National Forest yesterday. They were critically injured with head and puncture wounds, but doctors expect both of them to recover.
A Missouri couple faces felony charges for allegedly lying that they were the parents of sextuplets. Authorities say the couple solicited several thousand dollars from a charitable organization and from co-workers. They allegedly said their children were sick and they needed help paying rent and other bills. The couple's picture even made a local newspaper's front page.
It turns out they weren't parents at all. If convicted, they face up to seven years in prison.
And, Heidi, to take it even further, the woman, as part of the couple, even gained 40 pounds to try to convince people of the pregnancy.
COLLINS: Oh, man. I don't even know what to say.
All right. Fredricka, thank you.
Coming up now, unbelievable flooding. Vicious winds and rains. Who can forget last year's devastating hurricanes? What the director of the National Hurricane center says you should do so that you and your family are safe this hurricane season.
And it's the store with everything, right? Well, maybe not. What you won't find at hundreds of Wal-Mart stores, that's coming up in THE SITUATION ROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Pilots for Delta Airlines had threatened to strike, but are the pilots and the airline on the brink of a deal?
Our Ali Velshi has been following this story and he has "The Bottom Line" now.
Hi, Ali.
ALI VELSHI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Heidi, it looks like they are. And that's a massive sigh of relief for anyone who has been holding a ticket on Delta.
The carrier and its pilots union have reached a tentative agreement. It's about wage cuts. Now, that is big news, because Delta's pilots were threatening to strike. And by all accounts, a strike, if it happened, even if it was short, would have shut down the bankrupt airline.
Now, this news comes just a day before arbitrators were going to decide if Delta could throw out the contract with the union, and that move could have triggered a walkout by the pilots as early as Monday. A little more than a year ago, Delta pilots, who were then the highest paid in the industry, took a pay cut of a third of their salary. And even those cuts, Delta pilots earned more than $150,000 a year.
Now, this next one might come as a bit of a surprise to you. Wal-Mart is often talked about more for the things that it doesn't carry than the things it does. You know, "Maxim" and "FHM," those men's magazines, certain CDs with explicit lyrics.
Well, you can add guns to that list. At least at some Wal-Marts.
It's going to stop selling guns in about a third of its U.S. stores. That's about a thousand stores in all. Wal-Mart says it's just a marketing decision reflecting a lack of demand for fire power in certain parts of the country. The National Rifle Association says it's worried that people in rural areas where Wal-Mart might be the only store might not have access to buying guns.
Now, if you are in the market, Heidi, Wal-Mart sells rifles and shotguns at its remaining stores. And in Alaska it also sells handguns.
Now, finally, Heidi, if you are in a field or by a tree this weekend hunting down Easter eggs, think twice before you swat that fly or squash that bug that's in your way. A recent study says that insects contribute more than $57 billion a year to the U.S. economy.
Now, the scientists who put that study together say it's actually a very conservative estimate. How did they come up with this price tag? Well, the study looked at what it called four services that bugs provide and what the cost would be if the insects were gone.
We're talking about nutrition for wildlife. If you had to feed all those rabbits, elk, deer and birds out there, it would cost $50 billion.
Also carrying a hefty price tag, Heidi, pest control and pollination. That's $7.5 million. And finally, the dung beetles. Without them, we'd have a $380 fertilizer bill -- Heidi.
COLLINS: You know, I'm so happy that I was in THE SITUATION ROOM and I get to talk about dung beetles.
VELSHI: Yes -- no.
COLLINS: Exciting.
VELSHI: Once a year. We don't really have two opportunities for that -- Heidi. Dung beetles.
COLLINS: All right. Well, we appreciate it.
Ali Velshi, thank you.
And join Ali as he hosts "ON THE STORY" this weekend. The show takes you behind the scenes with our CNN reporters and anchors as they cover the big stories of the week. "ON THE STORY," it airs Saturdays at 7:00 p.m. and Sundays at 1:00 p.m. Eastern.
Coming up now, though, feeling hot, hot, hot. Marines in Iraq dressed to keep cool, but is what some wear underneath their uniforms risky?
And in our 7:00 p.m. Eastern hour of THE SITUATION ROOM, hunting for controversy, why this year's White House Easter egg roll may get caught in the culture wars.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: The clock is ticking down on this year's Atlantic hurricane season. It begins June 1st.
Last year's was one for the record books. Much of the U.S. Gulf Coast still hasn't recovered from hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
So, is the country prepared for what this season will bring?
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COLLINS: Joining me now is David Paulison. He is the acting director of FEMA. And, also, Max Mayfield, the director of the National Hurricane Center.
Gentlemen, thanks to both of you for being with me today.
I want to begin with you, though, if I could, Max.
You have been called sort of the Paul Revere of hurricanes, if you will. In fact, this is what you said almost exactly two years ago, in April of 2004: "Please listen to me. The United States of America is more vulnerable today than it ever has been."
And then when we put a map up on the screen, Max, we have the opportunity to look at some cities across the United States that are incredibly vulnerable, obviously, along the coasts there. I mean we have huge cities -- New York, Washington, Miami, of course, New Orleans still on that list.
What is your worst case scenario?
MAX MAYFIELD, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER: Well, I think the worst case scenario is most likely having people go to bed at night in one of these very populated areas preparing for a category one hurricane and then waking up to a Katrina or an Andrew. We have some real limitations in forecasting intensity. We do have a plan. We are working on that very hard. But quite frankly, it's going to take us some time before we start catching the rapidly intensifying hurricanes.
And we need to remember that Dennis, Katrina, Rita and Wilma, all the major hurricanes that hit the United States last year, were major hurricanes well before they made landfall. So that certainly scares me. And you've shown the populated areas there, but, you know, we worry about those other folks, too, in the less populated areas. They need to -- the message is really consistent here. We want everybody to be prepared.
COLLINS: Absolutely. Certainly. And when you say it takes some time, when you're talking about intensity, do you have time?
MAYFIELD: Well, we're doing a -- on average, we're doing a pretty good job on intensity forecasting and we've been very honest with people in talking about our limitations. And the biggest limitation right now is in catching the rapidly intensifying hurricanes and the rapidly weakening hurricanes.
So we really want people to know that. We've identified that as the number one area to the research team here in T.S. where we need the most help. We do have a new hurricane model being developed. Congress has appropriated some money for new instruments on airplanes.
COLLINS: OK.
MAYFIELD: We're heading in the right direction, but it's a very tough problem to solve.
COLLINS: Yes. And when you talk a little bit about this forecasting, I want to show our viewers this. This comes to us from William Gray. He's at Colorado State University. And they have put together their report.
We see that for this year, the forecast looks like this -- 17 tropical storms, nine hurricanes. It looks like the intensity a little bit lower.
What do you think of that? I mean could it be worse than that?
MAYFIELD: Well, sure. And we just ended our conference today with a talk from Professor Bill Gray. What I like to say is don't overly focus on the numbers. It's not all about the numbers. It just takes that one hurricane over your community to make for a bad year. We need to be prepared.
COLLINS: And I know your National Hurricane Center forecast is coming out soon, so we, of course, will update our viewers on that.
Mr. David Paulison, I want to go to you now.
As we have said, you are the acting FEMA director.
Given what Max has been saying and also the concerns about readiness, you made a pretty bold statement concerning readiness. In fact, this is what you said just yesterday: "I give you my personal guarantee that we are going to be ready. We are going to do what we have to do to be ready for this season."
But there is a man who vehemently disagrees with you. And he happens to be the former FEMA director, Michael Brown.
Here's what he said to me on Wednesday when I spoke with him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL BROWN, FORMER FEMA DIRECTOR: What worries me, quite honestly, is the administration and DHS. I heard today two speeches in which people gave the same kinds of platitudes, the same kind of talking points that I had been given about how things work better within DHS and I'm telling you it's simply not true.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COLLINS: Is he right, David?
DAVID PAULISON, ACTING FEMA DIRECTOR: No, he's not. He's not right at all. I mean, I've worked with Mike a long time and we have a difference of opinion about how things are going to work inside or outside of DHS.
I think that what's important, though, is to focus on what Max said. You know, we're going to have a busy hurricane season and it only takes one to mess up your day. You know, Hurricane Andrew was the only hurricane we had that year that actually had landfall.
So we're pushing preparedness not only for FEMA and the federal government, but for everyone. You know, it starts with the individual. You know, make sure you've got your food, your water, your medicines, your batteries, your radios, all those things you need to survive for three or four days.
And I think that's what's important. And we're going to have to be ready, all of us, You know, the individuals, the state, the local and the federal government all have to work together to make this a safe hurricane season.
COLLINS: But, David, it's interesting you say that, because obviously there was a report that came out today, this is the Inside Watchdog group. It is called the inspector -- the Office of Inspector General's Report on FEMA's Response To Katrina. And it talks very much and very specifically about that 72-hour period.
The federal expectation is that state and local officials, the response teams, have to take care of their own and fend for themselves for that 72-hour period. But as we put this up on the screen, I want to get your response to it. That report says this: "What is clear is that a 72-hour response time does not meet public expectations and was vividly demonstrated by media accounts within 24 hours after landfall, obviously, of Katrina."
PAULISON: Well, I think that that's, you know, I don't necessarily agree with that. We have to be prepared to take care of ourselves and our families for two or three days. And we simply have to do that. Now maybe we're not getting the message out...
COLLINS: But David, we remember what happened in that time period. There were people dying in their homes, in the attics of their homes.
PAULISON: Now, that's a different situation. If you get -- if you compare Katrina to a Wilma, let's say, in Katrina, the people who were there could not take care of themselves, obviously. And that's when the local and the state and the federal government has to step in and do what -- and do the job they have to do.
In Hurricane Wilma, where the houses were not destroyed, we shouldn't have had people standing in line for food and water, in some cases, out in the City of Miami, 12 hours after the storm. So that's what we're focusing on.
Obviously, in New Orleans, where the Hurricane Katrina, they simply could not take care of themselves and that's when we should have been able to step in and help them. COLLINS: OK.
So what has changed for this hurricane season?
PAULISON: I think a lot of things has changed. One, we're focusing on situational awareness. I think everyone who was involved with Hurricane Katrina would say that was one of the biggest issues, that we did not have -- have a handle on what was going on on the ground, where the people were and what the needs were.
Two, a communications system. We did not have good communications from the local to the state, from the state to the federal government. And, quite frankly, even inside of Homeland Security, between FEMA and the Homeland Security Office because of some of those personality issues that you just pointed out earlier.
So those are the types of things we need to fix. We're working on our commodity train. You know, we did -- we could not locate where our commodities were during Katrina and now we're putting a system in place to GPS tracking to be able to track our tractor-trailers. We know where they are.
COLLINS: If you were to rate yourself...
PAULISON: We'll know where the food and water and the ice is...
COLLINS: If you were to rate yourself, or your agency, I should say, on a scale from one to 10, quickly, David, what would it be at this point today?
PAULISON: I think at this point, if I had -- and I hate to use those number things, but I would say we're at an eight. We've got some work to do. We're going to be ready by June 1st to respond to hurricanes.
COLLINS: OK.
PAULISON: However, there are some long-term things that'll take two or three years to make sure we're up to where we really need to be.
COLLINS: All right, Max, quickly, before we let you both go, give you a quick projection, a forecast of this season overall.
MAYFIELD: Well, NOAA hasn't made our seasonal forecast yet. We'll release that on Monday of Hurricane Preparedness Week, May the 22nd. Most of the other forecasts that are out there that I'/m aware of are calling for above average activity. But I don't really get too excited about the forecast for one given year.
What I care about more and what I would have rather forecast on is the fact that we're in this active period and the research meteorologists are telling us that it may very well last another 10 or 20 years.
We need to be prepared. COLLINS: We do need to be prepared. That is for sure.
Thank you, gentlemen, to the both of you, Max Mayfield and David Paulison.
Thank you.
MAYFIELD: Thank you.
COLLINS: And still to come, admit it, you'd like to know how much did the first family make and where are President and Mrs. Bush giving their charitable donations? We have the scoop on how you can get your hands on the White House tax returns.
And our Jack Cafferty wants to know what you think. Is a new Omaha school measure really state-sponsored segregation? Your e-mail, coming up in THE SITUATION ROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: We want to get straight to some news just coming in to CNN now.
Our Fredericka Whitfield is standing by -- tell us about this, Fred.
Something is happening in Iraq.
WHITFIELD: Well, Heidi, we're just now learning these developments today about American casualties which took place in Iraq yesterday in the Al Anbar Province. We are told that two U.S. Marines have been killed and 22 other Marines have been injured. The military is blaming enemy fire. This taking place yesterday. But we're just now learning this today.
We do understand that this involved the Marine Expeditionary Force, a number of teams, various groups in the Al Anbar Province, and that it led to the 22 injuries and two deaths of U.S. Marines -- Heidi.
COLLINS: All right, Fred, we'll come back to you, if you can learn more about that for us.
Thank you so much.
In today's CNN Security Watch, startling developments from Afghanistan. Has classified military information gotten onto the open market?
Our Brian Todd has been looking into this story and is joining us now with more -- Brian.
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Heidi, we've been provided access to information that is, indeed, sensitive. And the fact that it's made its way into public areas could be damaging and embarrassing to the U.S. military. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TODD (voice-over): A sprawling bazaar just yards from the biggest U.S. facility in Afghanistan where hundreds of suspected terrorists are held. For sale here, athletic shoes, flashlights, watches, an old kid's basketball hoop.
MEERWEIS, CONTRACTOR AT BAGRAM AIR BASE (through translator): Everything you find in the base, you can find here.
TODD: Including flash drives like this one, the size of a cigarette lighter. CNN was provided access to information on one of these disks, what appears to be classified information from a U.S. military briefing at Bagram Air Base in February 2005 -- maps showing border crossing points; U.S. and Afghan military positions; construction of roads and other installations; important information on Taliban personnel and sympathizers, with first and last names; and on the diversion of al Qaeda resources to Iraq.
The selling of similar disks was first reported by the "Los Angeles Times." CNN is not reporting all the information we saw out of security concerns.
One former Special Forces soldier who examined this information says it appears to be authentic and there are key characteristics he recognizes. We don't know when this disk made its way out of Bagram or exactly how.
CNN interviewed several Afghani men who work inside or with the Bagram base. This man, who says he's the president of a company that does contract work at Bagram, says some material is smuggled out by locals who work there.
But with some items...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): It's the Americans themselves who bring it outside the base. They themselves, day and night, steal anything that comes in their way and bring it. The Afghans bring it, too. They probably help each other.
TODD: It's not clear if he means American military personnel or civilians. We called the Pentagon for comment. They referred us to the local U.S. command in Afghanistan.
U.S. military officials there would not go on camera, but say the Army's criminal investigation command is looking into the allegations. And when reached by CNN, a spokesman said, to protect the integrity of the investigation, they would not comment further.
The military did issue a statement reading, in part, "Coalition officials regularly survey bazaars across Afghanistan for the presence of contraband materials, but thus far have not uncovered sensitive or classified items."
COMMANDER SGT. MAJ. STEVEN GREER, U.S. ARMY (RET.): There's a number of items here that, in and of themselves, are probably highly sensitive. The good news in this is that it appears this information is dated.
TODD: Still, retired Army Sergeant Major Steven Greer, who spent 10 years in the Special Forces, says this information can still be of use to Taliban and al Qaeda forces.
GREER: It presents a look for the insurgent forces as to what we look at and what we think is important when we conduct our campaign.
TODD: And what Greer calls battle rhythm, like a calendar showing when commanding generals were meeting each week.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TODD: Another military intelligence expert says it's possible these disks were leaked out as part of a deception campaign, but Steven Greer says in those operations he's never seen a case where first and last names were released.
Now, if investigators find evidence of a security breach at Bagram, it won't be the first time. Last July, four key al Qaeda suspects about to be sent to Guantanamo Bay escaped from the detention facility there. They are still at large -- Heidi.
COLLINS: Brian, has any action been taken on this since you've been reporting on it?
TODD: Yes. We have, indeed, spoken to an Associated Press correspondent near Bagram who says local spokespeople told him today that they saw U.S. investigators at the bazaars with boxes full of cash, paying thousands of dollars to buy back some of those computer drives. We called the Combined Forces Command about this report and an official there said to protect the integrity of the investigation, they would not comment.
COLLINS: Hmmm, all right.
Brian Todd, thank you.
And stay tuned to CNN day and night for the most reliable news about your security.
Lou Dobbs is getting ready for his show right at the top of the hour -- hi, Lou.
What are you working on today?
LOU DOBBS, CNN ANCHOR: Thank you, Heidi.
Coming up at 6:00 Eastern here on CNN, we'll be reporting on the president's unusual declaration of support for Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Can the defense secretary resist the growing pressure to resign? We'll have complete coverage for you tonight.
Also, race, politics and education -- the State of Nebraska is dividing the Omaha school system into three districts by race. Is it segregation? I'll be talking with the state senator who proposed the plan.
And Governor Bill Owens of Colorado says illegal aliens are transforming the culture and the character of his state. He is also among our guests here tonight.
We hope you'll join us for that and a great deal more at the top of the hour here on CNN.
Back to you -- Heidi.
COLLINS: All right, Lou, thank you.
We'll be watching.
DOBBS: Thank you.
COLLINS: How much did the Bushes make?
Well, which charities received millions of dollars in donations from the Cheneys?
Well, you, too, can get your hands on the White House tax returns thanks to a little help from our Internet reporter, Jacki Schechner -- hi, Jacki.
SCHECHNER: And, Heidi, this is really cool stuff.
This is the president and the vice president's tax returns. We've got them online for you. I'm going to show you how to get to that in just a moment.
But first, I'm going to show you what to look for.
First, let's go to line item number seven. This is the income right here. This is President Bush's salary -- $400,000. You also want to take a look at the combined income of President Bush and the first lady. That comes up as about $618,000. That means they owe about $187,000 in taxes.
We know that they gave about $75,000 to charity last year. Among that, hurricane relief in the Gulf Coast region.
Now we want to look at the vice president and Mrs. Cheney, take a look at their tax return. They have, actually, a considerable amount of money here. It's $8.8 million of adjusted gross income. But before you gasp, they gave away $6.9 million in charity. Their taxable income, Heidi, $1.96 million.
Go to cnn.com/situationreport and dig through this stuff yourself.
COLLINS: I wish I had that many commas on my tax return.
SCHECHNER: Me, too.
COLLINS: Up ahead now, it's a time honored tradition -- the annual Easter Egg Roll at the White House. You think it wouldn't cause much controversy, but this year there could be a twist. That's coming up in our 7:00 p.m. Eastern hour here in THE SITUATION ROOM.
And keeping cool in the heat can be a tough battle for U.S. troops in Iraq. Why they could face a choice between comfort or safety when it comes to what they're wearing. That's ahead.
You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: In our look at stories around the world now, the temperature in Baghdad today will top 90 degrees. For many months, Iraqis weather through sweltering summers. They're used to it. Right now, U.S. service members trying to keep cool face a tough choice -- wear clothes that will keep them cool or wear clothes that could keep them safe.
Our Gary Nurenberg has more.
GARY NURENBERG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: This is a safety measure that has some Marines steaming.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NURENBERG (voice-over): There's a basic fact about duty in Iraq.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is hot. It is definitely hot. You're out there and the sun is just beating down on you and you're just constantly sweating, constantly drinking water and you have to keep cool.
NURENBERG: So to keep cool, many Marines wear synthetic T-shirts and shorts made by companies like Nike and Under Armor, which display the items at stores on military bases. The clothing transfers sweat from the body to the outside of the fabric.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It helps evaporate the sweat off your body so you're not feeling all icky and stuff. And it's very comfortable.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Get up! Get up!
NURENBERG: But if you're caught in the intense heat caused by one of those improvised explosive devices, IEDs...
COMMANDER MAUREEN PENNINGTON: This material actually will melt and it fuses onto the skin.
NURENBERG: Commander Maureen Pennington (ph) oversees surgical operations in Falluja.
PENNINGTON: When we're cleaning the area and scrubbing away the debris, it's a -- it's more difficult for us.
NURENBERG: And for the burn victim.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You have a sticky mess that's also hot that really makes the burns a lot, lot worse.
NURENBERG: So Marine commanders in Iraq have banned use of the synthetic garments in areas deemed dangerous. Nike and Under Armor refused repeated requests for on camera interviews. Under Armor's Web site does warn its products may melt in extreme heat.
The company issued a statement saying: "U.S. military leaders should determine the appropriate combat uniform for the world's best soldiers and Under Armor will continue to support them."
Nike's statement says it "will continue to sell these products on military bases for their recommended use during sport activities and in environment's deemed non-threatening for U.S. military personnel."
But not wearing the cooling clothes?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I believe the militias are upset out there. I mean I was out there and I could understand what they were saying. I could understand what they're going through.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NURENBERG: Neither company promotes the clothing for use in battle zones and neither disagrees with the ban in Iraq. But Marines? On some message boards, there is anger that they can no longer make the individual choice between safety and comfort -- back to you.
COLLINS: All right, Gary, thank you.
And up next, breaking up is hard to do. Will dividing up the Omaha school system be a big setback for race relations?
Our Jack Cafferty is standing by with your e-mail.
You're in THE SITUATION ROOM.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COLLINS: Time now to check back in with Jack Cafferty -- hi, Jack.
CAFFERTY: Thanks, Heidi.
Nebraska lawmakers voted yesterday to divide the Omaha school system into three districts -- one mostly black, one mostly white, one mostly Hispanic. Supporters say it'll give minorities control over their own school board. Critics say it amounts to state-sponsored segregation.
The question is should the Omaha schools be split into three separate districts?
Mark writes: "What about the Chinese or the Indians? Maybe Omaha should have dozens of school systems so they don't cross pollute the various cultures. The bottom line on this -- stupidity never dies." Charlie in Montreal: "It's all well and good to pretend we've solved the problem of integration and that Omaha is somehow taking a step backward. The fact is that schools both in Omaha and all across America are already segregated because housing all across America is segregated. Bussing was a crude first step. Now we've stepped back from it."
Keith writes: "In Omaha? I'm from there, attended grade school and high school in the Hispanic part of the Omaha public school system. I'm fully against this move by lawmakers and have no idea what happened. A few weeks ago, the major talk about public education here was that the Omaha public schools wanted to unite the entire city in the one city/one district campaign. They would have annexed the suburban schools where the more well off kids go. Omaha does very little to bridge the gaps between class and race. It is incredibly sad."
And Chuck writes from Vancleave, Mississippi: "Why don't we all just jump in a time machine and go back to the 1960s? What's life, after all, without a nuclear crisis, a couple of wars, a healthy dose of the mumps and our friend, state implemented segregation? At least the music would be better."
Heidi.
COLLINS: All right, we knew we would get some interesting ones on that question.
Thank you, Jack.
And I know Lou Dobbs is going to talk about that in a little while, as well.
Meanwhile, we are here every weekday afternoon from 4:00 to 6:00 Eastern and we're back on the air at 7:00 p.m. Eastern, just one hour from now.
Coming up, it's an annual tradition at the White House. But this year, the White House Easter Egg Hunt finds itself smack in the middle of our culture wars.
Until then, I'm Heidi Collins in THE SITUATION ROOM.
"LOU DOBBS TONIGHT" starts right now -- Lou.
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