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CNN Sunday Morning

Rice Says Iraqi Constitution Will Pass, State Dept. Plays Down Comments; Tropical Depression Could Form Tropical Storm Wilma

Aired October 16, 2005 - 09:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: A roadside bomb has killed five U.S. soldiers in Iraq. U.S. military official say the attack happened yesterday near Ramadi, which is west of Baghdad. The soldiers were assigned to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Marine Division. Their deaths pushed the casualty toll in the Iraq war up to 1,979.
Now the attack came on the day millions of Iraqis went to the polls to vote on a new constitution. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says the document will probably be approved, but her handlers say, not so fast. They quickly played down the comment saying she really has no idea how the turnout may be. They were also at pains to make it clear that the secretary was not back-tracking.

So there is danger lurking out there. A new tropical depression near Jamaica in the Caribbean could become dangerous Hurricane Wilma. Earlier today the depression's maximum sustained winds had reached 35 miles per hour. That is just shy of a tropical storm status.

Good morning, everybody. It is Sunday, October 16th. From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Betty Nguyen.

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning, everyone. I'm Tony Harris. Thank you for starting your day with us.

There has been sporadic violence in this morning in Iraq, including insurgent rocket attacks aimed at Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone. That's where the results from yesterday's constitution vote will be certified. No injuries have been reported. It is estimated more than 60 percent of Iraqis turned out to vote yes or no on a draft constitution. Right now the ballots are still being hand-counted. CNN's Aneesh Raman is following the vote from Baghdad.

Aneesh, good morning to you.

ANEESH RAMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Tony, good morning.

The voting has ended. The counting well under way. We expect initial numbers as early as tomorrow. Official numbers will likely come on Thursday. Of course, you need, to reject this constitution, either a majority vote of Iraqis nationwide, or two-thirds of three provinces. And for that reason all eyes are really on those Sunni provinces, to see whether or not they had enough votes to reject this draft document.

Early suggestions are that in at least one Sunni province, Salah ad Din, they may have reached that two-thirds threshold. It will then be more important to look at the other provinces as well as some provinces in the south that may have opted to reject the constitution. All the more important to make sure that the numbers are right.

It comes on a day that the Iraqi government is calling a clear success for politics here and also for security, despite the recent news that five U.S. troops were killed in a roadside bomb in Ramadi yesterday, overall relatively quiet in the capital city. There were a few isolated incidents. There were insurgent attacks on a polling station, some five ballot boxes were stolen from one polling station. And in the western Al Anbar province, 10 election workers have been kidnapped.

Right now tribal leaders there are working as intermediaries to try and get them released. But again we will wait until tomorrow for an early indication of both turnout. Early suggestions had put it at over 60 percent. That's a little bit higher than we saw in January. But also the official numbers from the provinces as to whether this constitution passes or fails and whether this government stays in office or is dissolved -- Tony.

HARRIS: And Aneesh, let's talk about the secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, for just a moment now. This is a U.S.-backed constitution, a U.S.-formed process. And now, Condoleezza Rice seems to be ahead of results. What was the statement specifically and is she in fact back-tracking?

RAMAN: Well, she was speaking to reporters as she traveled through London, suggesting that according to people she'd spoken to on the ground, it was likely that the constitution would pass. When pressed by reporters, and after a phone call from the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, we don't know whether it's at all related, a press aide of Condoleezza Rice came forward and said that it is far too early, that, of course, they will wait for official numbers.

It's important to note, though, Tony, that the U.S. State Department has presence really throughout this country. It's part of the diplomatic mission here. And so in terms of exit polling, in terms of presence at polling stations throughout the country, they may be well-poised to have a better sense of the numbers. But even Iraqi officials who were suggesting -- or who are suggesting optimism that the constitution will pass, are being very cautious about that. It is those Sunni provinces that will hold success or failure for this document in the balance.

HARRIS: CNN's Aneesh Raman. Aneesh, we appreciate it, thank you.

And tonight, "CNN PRESENTS: Progress Report II," an in-depth look at what's really working and what's not in Iraq. Tune in tonight at 7:00 Eastern. Then at 8:00, "Voices from the Home Front." CNN's John King takes -- and talks to ordinary Americans to understand why public opinion about the war is so divided.

And a reminder of our e-mail question this morning: Is the price paid for democracy in Iraq worth the cost? Tell us what you think. We're at weekends@cnn.com. And we'll read some your responses later this hour.

NGUYEN: All right. We are going to toss two hot potatoes to Bob Franken this morning. One, we may have preliminary results of Iraq's referendum on the draft constitution by tomorrow. And a sticky wicket in the Iraq war. The CIA leak investigation and New York Times reporter Judith Miller's grand jury testimony. Let's go live now to Washington, CNN's Bob Franken.

Bob, let's start with Iraq.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, let's start with Iraq. And let's start with the fact that there is real uncertainty about what the result is going to be and what it really means to the progress. But, this will not surprise you, the Democrats and the president have a different take on what the election really means.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: By casting their ballots, the Iraqi people deal a severe blow to the terrorists and send a clear message to the world. Iraqis will decide the future of their country through peaceful elections, not violent insurgency. And by their courageous example, they are charting a new course for the entire Middle East. This weekend's election is a critical step forward in Iraq's march toward democracy.

GEN. WESLEY CLARK (RET.), FMR. NATO SUPREME ALLIED CMDR.: So we've got a long way to go before victory, or at least some measure of success is assured.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

FRANKEN: That was the general, Wesley Clark, speaking for the Democrats. Now, the debate about Iraq has been going on for some time and the debate about some of the tactics, and the debate really focused now on leaks of CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity, she the wife of a harsh critic of the administration. Special investigation in this is about to come to a close, everybody has decided.

One of the principal figures, New York Times reporter Judith Miller, who went to jail for 85 days before she was required to testify, writes an article in The New York Times, which has been so criticized for its coverage, but her article today talks about what she was asked when she appeared before the grand jury and whom she was asked about. And that person, a lot, would be "Scooter" Libby, Lewis "Scooter" Libby, who is the vice president's chief of staff.

And here are some of the seemingly contradictory things that appeared in the article. First of all, she says, "my notes indicate that well before Mr. Wilson published his critique, Mr. Libby told me that Mr. Wilson's wife may have worked on unconventional weapons at the CIA."

But in the same article she says, "my notes do not show that Mr. Libby identified Mr. Wilson's wife by name, nor do they show that he described Valerie Plame Wilson as a covert agent or operative." All of those vital when it comes time for the independent counsel -- they used to be called independent counsels, for special prosecutor, Patrick Fitzgerald, to decide whether he's going to indict anybody, and if so, will it be somebody high up in the administration -- Betty.

NGUYEN: You know, Bob, in that article, she also writes that she put the word in her notebook, "Valerie Flame," with an "F," and that it wasn't on the same page when she spoke with Libby. It seems very -- as you mentioned, very contradictory, are you surprised that a reporter -- that these notes would lead her to say "I don't recall?"

FRANKEN: Well, that was two years ago, she says. A lot has intervened. She also says she doesn't recall other sources to whom she spoke. But the article, as might be expected, has raised as many questions as it provided answers.

NGUYEN: You're right, it has. CNN's Bob Franken in Washington. Bob, we thank you, as always.

Next hour, turmoil at The New York Times, live on "RELIABLE SOURCES" with Howard Kurtz. Columnist Thomas Friedman talks about the staged Bush teleconference with the troops and the paper's Iraq war coverage. That's "RELIABLE SOURCES" at 10:00 a.m. Eastern right here on CNN.

HARRIS: And, Betty, after more than a week of rains up and down the Northeast, the sun is shining in some places. And people are beginning to clean up the mess. Residents in water-soaked New Jersey breathed a sigh of relief when the sun came out. Many will spend a good portion of their day trying to get things back to normal. Part of the Northeast region got more than a foot of rain, forcing hundreds of people to evacuate their homes. Twelve deaths are blamed on massive flooding, the worst of the rain is thankfully over. Let's get an update on the situation today. Jennifer Westhoven is live in Fairfield, New Jersey.

Jennifer, good morning.

JENNIFER WESTHOVEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, thank you. And I'm standing here on Lane (ph) Road. And you can see that the end of this road has just been turned into essentially a lagoon here. The sun has gone in. It's pretty cold today. It feels like a cold front has moved in. So not quite as a pick-me-up of yesterday. Also, it looks like the waters haven't really receded as much as people had hoped.

But, you know, it was just a few days ago, Friday here, that police and firefighters had come in in boats, just knocking on the doors, finding any residents who might be left and asking them to evacuate after eight straight days of rain, just flooded a lot of areas around here, Wayne. We're quite near Patterson. We're in Passaic County, so lots of flooding. And as this system moved up the East Coast, there was still rain falling last night and today there is still rain falling in northern New England.

So there are areas of Vermont and Maine and New Hampshire that are still seeing the water coming in. More than a thousand residents in New Hampshire and in Rhode Island and -- pardon me, in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, have been evacuated. Last night the rivers there are still rising. So there is plenty of concern for people in the northern parts of the Northeast, even though New Jersey is, for the most part, moving to a cleanup situation.

Now also, we don't really have much in terms of the damage totals at this point. We know that by some early estimates, at least $10 million worth of damage. But that number is expected to grow as the days go on and insurance agents come in and people start filling out forms and the count goes up. But as we talk about the cleanup, they're just starting that process really in New Jersey now as they wait for the water levels to go down.

Of course, in New England, they're going to have to wait a little bit longer to start cleaning up. Some of the concerns out there, there is is a lot of sewage and a lot of the standing water that's out. There is also concern that there are live electrical lines that are out there underneath some of the water.

Now, the other concerns are those high winds. We started to see them yesterday. In New England, winds are expected to gust up to 50 miles an hour. So there is still plenty of concern that with the grass all muddy and the ground so muddy that can rip out trees. Back to you.

HARRIS: Boy, Jennifer Westhoven for us, Jennifer, thank you.

NGUYEN: Across America now, in Texarkana, authorities have not yet identified a person killed in an explosion that followed yesterday's train derailment. Look at these pictures. A spokesman for Union Pacific says an incoming train hit the back of another in a railyard. That train was carrying propylene and exploded on impact. At least seven people were hospitalized. No one from the railroad crews was hurt.

Toledo, Ohio, is under an 8:00 p.m. curfew throughout the weekend. A group calling itself America's Nazi Party planned a march yesterday. But it was interrupted when a crowd of counter-protesters gathered and began chucking rocks and bottles at them. Vehicles and stores were vandalized. And it took police four hours to restore order. Mayor Jack Ford declared a state of emergency. And in the end, 65 people ended up in jail.

Well, 10 years after the Million Man March, Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan organized another gathering, this one called the Millions More Movement. It included men, women and children. During his address, Farrakhan criticized the government's response to Hurricane Katrina, calling it quote, "criminal neglect." Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and dozens of prominent speakers were on hand for that event.

HARRIS: Still ahead this morning, signs of life return to New Orleans. Bourbon Street back in business, and its strict curfew now curtailed.

NGUYEN: Plus later, documenting devastation. A New Orleans photographer captures in frames Mother Nature's ferocity and how it changed an American city forever.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: Here is a look at our top stories. More Americans have been killed in Iraq. The military says five U.S. soldiers were killed in a roadside bomb attack yesterday. It happened west of Baghdad near the city of Ramadi.

A moderate earthquake jolted Japan this morning, swaying tall buildings in Tokyo. Look at the pictures here. The quake, about a magnitude 5, was centered about 24 miles underground just northeast of the capital. There are no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

The Chicago White Sox need one more win to clinch their first World Series appearance since 1959? Forty-six years ago? The Sox pounded the Los Angeles Angels last night 8-2 for a 3 games to 1 lead in the American League Championship Series.

NGUYEN: This just in to CNN. We are learning that 10 election workers have been kidnapped from two towns in the Anbar province of Iraq. This happened yesterday as many Iraqis went to the polls to vote on that constitution. We have learned that the kidnappers have given no demands for their release, that's according to a spokesman for the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq. Those workers were kidnapped Saturday around 4:00 a.m. Eastern time. Now tribal leaders in Anbar are mediating between Iraqi security forces and the kidnappers in an effort to secure their release.

But again, 10 election workers have been kidnapped. They were kidnapped yesterday as Iraqis went to the polls, kidnapped from the Anbar province of Iraq. Of course, we're going to be following all of this and bring you the latest as soon as we get it.

In other news, shelters for Hurricane Katrina evacuees have mostly emptied out. The government's self-imposed deadline to close shelters was yesterday. About 95 percent of the more than 270,000 evacuees in shelters have moved on. And many are living in hotels at the government's expense. But FEMA's goal is to put evacuees in long- term temporary housing like mobile homes and apartments.

Meanwhile, in New Orleans, people are cleaning up by day. And some are partying by night. It's not exactly business as usual, but it is a sign that the city is getting back on its feet after the storm.

CNN's Ed Lavandera reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Rebuilding a city isn't just about earth-moving and neighborhood-building, sometimes it's as basic as rolling up your sleeves and grabbing a broom.

Some 300 people swept up the Magazine Street neighborhood. New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin joined in for an hour. MAYOR RAY NAGIN, NEW ORLEANS: This is my corner. So you all can come by and see this spot. And you will all know Mayor Nagin has been here and cleaned up, took care of business.

LAVANDERA: Volunteer crews like this vow to clean up a different neighborhood each weekend for months to come. It will take at least a year for the Superdome to be repaired. Crews have started patching the giant holes in the dome's roof. City officials say it's still not clear what will happen to the building.

And in the French Quarter, business owners are celebrating. The strictly enforced curfew has been pushed back to 2:00 a.m.

EARL BERNHARDT, BUSINESS OWNER: We have a pool bar downstairs and a pool bar upstairs.

LAVANDERA: Earl Bernhard says his five bars along Bourbon Street have been losing money for six weeks. When he heard Mayor Nagin ask business owners to come back, Bernhard says he put his retirement on hold.

BERNHARDT: Well, we got this call. I said, well, gosh, I'm just going to scrap the retirement thing and come back and help rebuild the city that I love. So that's why I came back and that's why we're doing it.

LAVANDERA: French Quarter bar owners say they'll deal with the 2:00 a.m. curfew for now, but they're hoping it will be lifted for good soon. City officials say New Orleans isn't ready for the raucous, drunken Bourbon Street crowds. But Bernhard says the city has never been safer.

BERNHARDT: Right now, there's less crime in the French Quarter than I've seen in 21 years. You know, they're not the dope dealers, the pick pockets. They're all gone. It's basically safe down here.

LAVANDERA (on camera): It's a family Bourbon Street?

BERNHARDT: Well, I wouldn't go so far as just saying that. It's just maybe a safer, friendlier Bourbon Street.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: Not that far, but on its way. And that was CNN's Ed Lavandera reporting -- Tony.

HARRIS: It's not so big now, but this tropical depression could turn into a disaster. Up next, the newest worry in the waters of the Caribbean.

NGUYEN: And last week it was Pakistan. Well, today it's Japan, more restless rumbling. Look at these pictures. Find out where the seismic hot spots are here at home. Some are where you might not expect.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) HARRIS: OK. Betty, you know, it's not so bad right now.

NGUYEN: Right.

HARRIS: But it could get a lot worse.

NGUYEN: Oh, great.

HARRIS: OK. Take a look at this, this is a radar image.

NGUYEN: We've seen too many of these radar images, haven't we?

HARRIS: This season. Right, right? This is a tropical depression that has now formed. I was going to say, "forming," but it has formed now in the Caribbean. Forecasters say it is likely to become a tropical storm today and it could strengthen into a dangerous hurricane named Wilma by tomorrow.

NGUYEN: Let's just say we don't want to get to know Wilma, Brad.

HARRIS: No.

NGUYEN: Any help in that category?

BRAD HUFFINES, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, I wish that I could have better news, but the National Hurricane Center, what I think is probably the world's best hurricane forecasters, are still saying that this storm will likely become a tropical storm later today and a hurricane in the next 24 hours. And possibly even then continuing to strengthen as a Category 1, 2 or 3 hurricane as it moves into the Gulf of Mexico and across the western Caribbean into the eastern Gulf.

This is what we call a spaghetti plot. This is what we call, again, it looks like a plate of spaghetti. Computer guidance forecasts and the National Hurricane Center uses these to help them determine where their official forecast track is going to be. In this case, their latest forecast track is just to the right of most of the plots. But look at the wide variety of spaghetti plots.

This is exactly why we have that cone of uncertainty that we show you right there. That shows where the storm could possibly be as it continues to course up into portions of the western Caribbean, moving across western Cuba, possibly through the Yucatan Strait. Again, it might even make landfall into the Yucatan. We'll watch this storm very, very carefully, as you should, too. If you're traveling to the Caribbean or if you live along the Gulf shores.

The Atlantic names, 2005, Wilma is the last name on list. Of course, we talked about this this morning, we then switch to the Greek alphabet, Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta.

Today a very windy day across the Northeast with, as Jennifer mentioned earlier, wind gusts to 55 miles an hour. Above elevations of 500 feet across parts of New England. In the South, a new problem, the dry weather is causing fire dangers across much of the South. And out West, windy weather in the Southwest and cool and wet in the Northwest. There is a shock, it's raining in Seattle.

(LAUGHTER)

NGUYEN: Big shocker there. All right, thank you, Brad.

Well, no major damage is the early report after a moderate earthquake shook Japan this morning. Tall buildings in Tokyo swayed, look at this, as the quake around magnitude 5 rattled eastern Japan. Now the epicenter was about 25 miles north of Tokyo and 25 miles underground. No tsunami warning was issued, though.

That is desperation. Yes, the situation is getting even more desperate in the earthquake-ravaged Pakistan where winter is setting in. You saw there men fighting over blankets as helicopters were bringing emergency aid to Pakistan's portion of Kashmir. Relief workers say they are in urgent need of family-sized tents. Also, a Pakistani Army helicopter, like the one you see right there, crashed during an earthquake relief operation this morning. Army officials say six soldiers on board, all of them were killed. Meanwhile, torrential rains in Pakistan have halted airborne relief efforts in parts of Kashmir.

HARRIS: You know, earthquake warnings are still an inexact science. But seismologists can pinpoint where future quakes are likely to occur. And some might be closer than you think.

CNN's Brian Todd reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Images from South Asia bring sobering caution from experts. Don't think this couldn't happen close to you.

WILLIAM LEITH, U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY: What we really want to get across to people is that the hazard is present all the time.

TODD: William Leith and Michael Blanpied are part of a team of seismologists at the U.S. Geological Survey. They record earthquakes every day around the world. They say larger quakes like the one in Pakistan with magnitude of 7.6 are rare in the United States. But their earthquake hazard maps are an eye-opener, showing no fewer than 26 U.S. cities where significant seismic activity has occurred in the past and where it can happen again. Not just in California, but cities you might not think of, like: Charleston, South Carolina; Knoxville, Tennessee; and Memphis.

MICHAEL BLANPIED, U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY: Some of these cities such as Memphis, Tennessee, they actually feel earthquakes on a fairly regular basis. And people there are very aware that earthquakes are nearby.

TODD: Memphis and Charleston each experienced massive and deadly earthquakes above 7.0 in the 1800s. The likelihood of it happening again is high enough that experts at USGS are working with city leaders in these regions to improve building codes and warning systems.

(on camera): But earthquake warnings are still an inexact science. While seismologists can say where future quakes will likely occur, they cannot predict when. And they are telling city leaders, get your building codes up to date and be ready.

Brian Todd, CNN, at U.S. Geological Survey headquarters in Reston, Virginia.

NGUYEN: And still ahead this morning, it was a city rich in history and culture. Now, it's a city steep in debris and chaos. Up next, one man's photographic journey of New Orleans' colorful past and now its devastating present.

HARRIS And the most lethal strain of bird flu reaches mainland Europe for the very first time. Find out where and when, when we go global, that's coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Over the last few weeks, we've all seen some dramatic pictures of the turmoil brought on by Hurricane Katrina. It will be hard to forget the Gulf Coast devastation. New Orleans was hit the hardest as we all know. Well, this morning, we are going to take some of those devastating images of the Crescent City an put them in perspective. And joining us from New Orleans to help us out is Harold Baquet, former official photographer for two mayors. He's now the staff photographer for Loyola University.

And we want to thank you for joining us. First thing for you, Harold, you didn't get out right away. Why not?

HAROLD BAQUET, PHOTOGRAPHER: Well, it's in the culture here of New Orleans to try to ride it out. We -- you know, we've overcome our families or centuries have been here in this country, and we've always managed to overcome the elements. We've always managed to provide for ourselves and our community. And it's -- it was second nature for us to stay, in spite of the evacuation. I personally had weeks of food and gasoline prepared, and there was just that the situation on the ground became untenable and insecure for my wife and mother-in-law and family and we were forced to evacuate.

NGUYEN: Like so many others, were forced to leave as well. But when you came back to your home, what were the first things that you saw and how did it make you feel?

BAQUET: Well, on the way out, there was civil disarray. There was turmoil and lawlessness. We literally had to zigzag a path to try to get to the expressway to make it out of the city. And on several occasions, the van was -- you know, people tried to stop the van.

(CROSSTALK)

NGUYEN: Right. But when...

BAQUET: And I it was very... NGUYEN: ...you got back and you saw your home and you saw the destruction, being a man of this city, that had to have affected you.

BAQUET: Oh, it was very -- it was personally shocking and disorienting. Many of the streets that I grew up with -- I grew up -- you know, I'm familiar with this city, they were no longer recognizable. My own area up town, thought it was safe from the flooding, many areas were just devastated by the wind. These huge oak trees that you see all over the city were just destroyed and uprooted. My own community at Loyola University was disrupted temporarily. But the men in the physical plant came together and held together our resources and the university will open in January as normal.

NGUYEN: Yeah you know, Harold, you talk about the destruction. And it's one thing to talk about it, but you actually have pictures to that showed the before and after, so let's get to those. First off, it's the barber shop. This is a barber shop where a lot of people would get together and meet. Give us a little history here.

BAQUET: Well, in New Orleans, like anywhere else, the barber shop is -- it's a forum of political discussion. It's -- the barbers are usually philosophers, historians, researchers. And one of my favorite barbers, Mr. Pepper, Mr. Wendell Pepper he's 87 years old. He's been cutting hair in the 7th Ward down in New Orleans for over 60 years and he's just -- you know, an incredible historian and minister. He uses -- he has a barber ministry, as I like to call it and...

(CROSSTALK)

NGUYEN: Yeah. This is in the seventh ward. Mr. Peppers' shop.

BAQUET: Yes ma'am.

NGUYEN: We want to show it afterwards because this is so telling. Look at that devastation there. It's almost unrecognizable. Can you see where the water lines are and all the damage is. We want to move next to another picture that you have that shows the historic French market, which is one of the oldest open air markets in the U.S. Talk to us a little bit about the before and after, if you would, please.

BAQUET: Well, for hundreds of years the French market has been an area of commerce and retail for the local growers. If you go to the French market early in the morning, you see all the great chefs of New Orleans and there purchasing their fresh vegetables and fruits for the daily recipes. And lot of times what's available at the market will determine what's on the recipe for that day.

(CROSSTALK)

NGUYEN: But after Katrina...

BAQUET: You can go there...

NGUYEN: There is really very little left. I mean nothing there basically but just this shell of a market. BAQUET: It was completely shocking to see that place without anyone there. I mean 24 hours a day, this market is a thriving economic hub. And here it is, deserted and empty. There's a sign there that says, "we're hope 24 hours a day" and they simply aren't. You know, this was a valuable local resource...

(CROSSTALK)

NGUYEN: Also valuable to the local economy was the French Quarter. You have a picture of a before. Look at the folks there -- through the French quarter. And then I think the after is just really telling, because it shows all the help that was needed in the area. We'll try to put that picture up where you can see the Humvees at the corner of Governor Nickels and Decatur there. And it just shows where this city has gone from and where it's headed to. Obviously a lot of help needed, but for you to come back and see your city like that, it's had to have touched you not only on a personal level, but what do you hope for your great city of New Orleans?

BAQUET: Well, Betty, I tell you, you know, much of New Orleans' has been culture has been exported. It's almost evangelical, in a way, that we've pollinated the rest of the culture, the rest of the country, with this culture and that the one thing about New Orleans is the new Orleansians, that we are a diverse cultural -- culturally and historically. We have ties to this past and we are a people who we know, you know, we know how to walk up to a stranger and introduce ourselves and make conversation. We talk to strangers, we feed complete strangers here. And for once, you know, these -- this outwardly going people has been dispersed throughout the country. And other people will receive the benefits of the New Orleans culture and we're really depending on those people to come back...

(CROSSTALK)

NGUYEN: Yes, they are the center of that great city. You make a very valid point. It must be really a responsibility and a privilege to be able to take these pictures, pictures that are now historic considering all the damage that has occurred in New Orleans. We want to thank you for sharing them with you -- with us, I should say. And we want to thank you for your insight in telling us the great stories of New Orleans before the storm and the New Orleans that you see after the storm.

Harold Baquet, photographer for Loyola University.

BAQUET: Thank you Betty.

NGUYEN: We want to thank you today. Thank you.

And if you'd like to see more of Harold's pictures, you can go to his Loyola University Web site at www.loyno.edu/baquet and that's spelled b-a-q-u-e-t -- Tony.

HARRIS: Well Betty, last Sunday we had a story on about historically black colleges rebuilding after the hurricanes. We talked to the president of Marveline Hughes of Dillard University in New Orleans and also radio host Tom Joyner. Dr. Hughes would like us to emphasize if you want to specifically help Dillard, the best place to send money is to the school itself, not another relief agency. And here's the information: Dillard University Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief Fund, 2601 Gentilly Boulevard, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70122, and phone number 504-283-8822.

And time now for a check of some of the stories making news around the world. Secretary of state Condoleezza Rice stirs up a bit of controversy with comments about the Iraq referendum for the details on that and the rest of the world news roundup, let's hand it over Anand Naidoo at the CNN international desk.

Anand, good morning.

ANAND NAIDOO, CNN INTERNATIONAL NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Hey, good morning. Thanks, Tony. Secretary of State Rice arrived in London from Moscow in an off-camera briefing to reporters she said Iraqi voters have probably approved a constitution. But only minutes after she made those comments she seemed to back off her press secretary said Rice wanted to emphasize she didn't know how the referendum was going to turn out. When pressed, the press secretary said Rice had just taken a call from the U.S. ambassador to Iraq that he took issue with the notion that Rice was backtracking from her earlier comments.

Meantime, Rice's talks with Russian officials did not appear to bear much. The Russians indicate they will not support any move to take Iran before the U.N. Security Council over its nuclear program.

Now on to the Avian flu threat in Europe. European Union scientists have confirmed the bird flu strain found in Romania is the same deadly strain that killed dozens of people in Asia. Rumanian authorities are calling for calm and they've placed an eastern region under quarantine.

The strain known as H5N1 is highly contagious among birds, it's difficult for humans to contract but it has nonetheless killed about 60 people in Asia, most of them poultry farmers.

More tragedy in Pakistan. An Army helicopter crashed in Pakistani, Kashmir during an earthquake relief operation. A military spokesman said all six crew members were killed. It's unclear whether the chopper went down because of bad weather or weather there was a technical fault.

In Japan an earthquake around magnitude 5 shook buildings in Tokyo, but there are no immediate reports of damage or injuries. Some train services were suspended to allow workers to check the tracks. No tsunami warning was issued. The epicenter was about 20 miles north of Tokyo. The city is home to 35 million residents and that's about a quarter of Japan's population.

That's it for me -- Betty, Tony

HARRIS: Anand, thank you.

NGUYEN: Well, by now you've heard about this weekend's election in Iraq. But do you know what it's about and what is at stake? An explainer of sorts is coming up. And we read some of your e-mails, as well.

HARRIS: Good morning, Chicago. We will have your complete weather forecast as well as the forecast for the rest of the nation in just a couple of moments. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: The votes are being counted in Iraq. Millions went to the polls yesterday to vote for or against the draft constitution. Election workers went through the night hand counting paper ballots cast at more than 5,800 polling stations. Preliminary results are expected tomorrow with the final vote count wrapped up by Thursday. So now it's the day after. What does it all mean for the future of democracy in Iraq? CNN's Aneesh Raman filed this report.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

RAMAN (voice-over): In a country desperate for hope, the rare moments of inspiration.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I vote!

RAMAN: But for a people crippled by a brutal insurgency, struggling with basic services, the importance of politics goes well beyond a vote. It is the only way out.

LEITH KUBBA, IRAQ GOVT. SPOKESMAN: This can be a prolonged conflict if we do not resolve the politics of it.

RAMAN (on camera): The coming three months where the constitutional referendum and a national election for permanent government could determine whether Iraq descends into complete chaos or heads towards stability, whether U.S. troops can start coming home and whether Iraqis can take control of their country.

(voice-over): There is a defiant and enraged voice against such a framework, the Sunni minority who make up the majority of Iraq's domestic insurgency and whose participate is essential to stability.

MICHAEL RUBIN, AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INST.: We've got to convince the Iraqi Sunnis, for example, that the way to political power is through the ballot box, through political debate, through coalition building and not through bombs.

RAMAN: But for Salih Al-Mutlag, one of the few Sunnis openly in the political fray, a weak center will destroy the country.

SALIH AL-MUTLAG, IRAQI DIALOGUE COUNCIL: And then there will be the civil war between the Sunnis and Shia and the Arabs and the Kurds.

RAMAN: Politics could lead to civil war, but for now, politics is preventing it. It is the majority Shia who will decide if sectarian strife heightens. It is they who are bearing the brunt of insurgent attacks and it is their restraint preventing mass bloodshed. The reason, says government spokesman, Leith Kubba, is simple.

KUBBA: They benefit most from a democratic stable country. They lose most in chaos. This rationale is there even among their political leaders.

RAMAN: Leaders like Abdel Aziz Hakim, arguably the most powerful politician in Iraq.

ABDEL AZIZ HAKIM, IRAQI POLITICIAN (through translator): We watch the government, its performance, its officials and consequently if we see they deviate from serving Iraqi people and from abiding by law, we seek to fix the issues.

RAMAN: Issues that are multiplying on a daily basis.

RUBIN: The nature of democracy is to have a firm enough system so that even if there is an outcome that Washington doesn't like, that many in Baghdad don't like, that three years later or four years later, they have a chance to reverse it. And that's why it may be important to keep U.S. troops in Iraq for the long-term.

RAMAN: Something that is testing the patience of a growing number of Americans.

Aneesh Raman, CNN, Baghdad.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HARRIS: And tonight "CNN Presents: Progress Report II," an in- depth look at what's working and what's not in Iraq. Tune in tonight at 7:00 Eastern. Then at 8:00, "Voices from the Home Front." CNN's John King talks to ordinary Americans to understand why public opinion about the war is so divided.

NGUYEN: All right, here is something I think a lot of people are interested in. Are there SUVs out there that are not gas guzzlers? That's one of the several stories getting a lot of clicks on cnn.com this morning. And Shannon Cook from cnn.com desk is here with the answers I want to know, so...

SHANNON COOK, CNN.COM DESK: I have the answers personally. I'm very happy with my little Subaru Forester. Very, very good gas mileage. Very, very impressive.

NGUYEN: Right. But if you ever have to lug some kids around, you may want the big SUV.

COOK: You could squish a few in my Forester.

NGUYEN: You're sticking with that Forester, aren't you?

COOK: Subaru did not pay me to say these things. I should clarify that.

NGUYEN: At least not qet! COOK: No, not yet. Thank you, Betty. We're checking our most popular stories on cnn.com to find out which reports our users are clicking on the most, log on to our Web site and click on "Most Popular," it's at the right -- top right-hand side of your screen. We'll get to the SUVs in a little bit. But first, our No. 1 story on CNN.com right now, a Neo-Nazi march that turned violent into Toledo, Ohio, yesterday. Looting and rioting broke out when a crowd showed up to protest. Police made about 65 arrests and are maintaining a heightened presence in Toledo to make sure things remain calm.

Also, out on the web also, SUVs that sip gas rather than guzzle it. In spite of soaring gas prices, SUVs remain popular, though many drivers are turning to smaller car-based SUVs or vehicles that offer the same perks, like storage, but aren't technically SUVs.

And another story getting plenty of clicks this morning, the Chicago White Sox.

HARRIS: There you go. Yeah!

NGUYEN: Yeah!

COOK: Taking control. Freddie Garcia pitched a six-hitter to help Chicago take out the Los Angeles angels Saturday. The win puts the White Sox within one game of their first World Series since 1959.

Now, for the rest of the hottest stories online, just click on cnn.com/most popular. I think I'm going to have to click on that White Sox story to brush up on my baseball knowledge.

NGUYEN: Big deal. Big game. All right, Shannon. Thank you.

COOK: Thank you.

HARRIS: When we come back, meteorologist Brad Huffines has your Sunday forecast.

Plus, your responses to this morning's e-mail question: Is the price paid for democracy in Iraq worth the cost? We'll find out what you are thinking. We'll read your e-mails when we come right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: And time now to check in with Howard Kurtz to see what's ahead at the top of the hour on CNN's "Reliable Sources."

Howard, good morning.

HOWARD KURTZ, "RELIABLE SOURCES": Good morning, Tony. Coming up, finally this morning more than two weeks after she got out of jail, Judy Miller and the "New York Times" published their account of the turmoil at the paper surrounding Miller's role in the Valerie Plame leak investigation. We'll talk about the revelations and all the media speculation about future indictments in the case.

Plus, Pulitzer Prize winning columnist Tom Friedman on Iraq and the Miller saga.

And our new segment, "Talking Back to the Media." Bill Clinton's White House lawyer Lanny Davis responds to "60 Minutes" over an explosive book by former FIB director Louis Freeh. That's all coming up on "Reliable Sources" during our one hour show, at our new time, 10:00 a.m. Eastern.

HARRIS: Sounds good. See you then, Howard. Thanks.

NGUYEN: Well, coming up this morning, and right now, we've been asking you for your thoughts about our e-mail question, there it is once again: Is the price paid for democracy in Iraq worth the cost? Lots of good answers.

Ellen says, "No!!!!!!" All these exclamation points after it. "Vengeance, oil and greed are never good reasons for attacking a country, especially one that can't defend itself."

HARRIS: And this from Ty who writes, "What choice do we have about paying the price? We must be committed."

NGUYEN: And Robert says, "It," meaning the price, "was paid when the very first U.S. soldier shed one droop of blood on the soil of Iraq." So, a lot of differing views there and we appreciate every one of them. We want to thank you for writing in. We'll have another one next weekend.

HARRIS: Let's get a final check of weather now with Brad Huffines in the CNN Weather Center. Morning, Brad.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HARRIS: Looks better and better each time we take this shot.

HUFFINES: It's gorgeous!

NGUYEN: Beautiful day.

HARRIS: Thank you, Brad.

HUFFINES: Sure.

HARRIS: And thank you for watching this morning. We will see you back here next weekend.

NGUYEN: CNN's "Reliable Sources" with Howard Kurtz is up next. Have a great day.

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