Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Sunday Morning
Felix: Category 2; America Votes 2008; View From a Bridge
Aired September 02, 2007 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
T.J. HOLMES, ANCHOR, CNN SUNDAY MORNING: From the CNN center in Atlanta, Georgia this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING. It's September 2nd now. Good morning to you all. I'm T.J. Holmes.
MELISSA LONG, ANCHOR, CNN SUNDAY MORNING: Good morning. I'm Melissa Long in for Betty today, who is on assignment.
If you're starting your Sunday with us, a hurricane named Felix is topping our agenda this morning. It's growing in strength and it's churning in the waters near some popular Caribbean vacation destinations.
HOLMES: And hurricane Katrina's lingering effects in New Orleans. This time health care worries and mortalities.
But we are going to begin with that other hurricane. Hurricane Felix just mentioned is now a Category 2 hurricane in the eastern Caribbean packing 100-mile-an-hour winds.
LONG: And beating a path toward Aruba, about 85 miles east- northeast of the island of Aruba. Aruba is just north of Venezuela.
Now, we want you to see an i-Report with an i-Report video from Venezuela. You can see Felix brought some very gusty winds to that area yesterday.
HOLMES: That picture was sent to us by Alberto Marquez Rivas. It was taken with his cell phone.
We're going to turn now to CNN's meteorologist, Reynolds Wolf. He's tracking this storm for us in our weather center.
Good morning to you, sir.
REYNOLDS WOLF, METEOROLOGIST, CNN WEATHER CENTER: Good morning. Not, obviously, a great morning for people in Aruba or for folks that happen to be tuning in from Venezuela and you're watching us from overseas. It is certainly a rough time for you.
Heavy surf, anywhere from two to four inches of rainfall, and maybe even amounts of six inches of rainfall -- all due to this system that you see right over my shoulder.
Let's zoom in, if we can on this. We' tell you the story of this storm and how it's just begun to really blossom, just over the last couple of hours. This storm is Felix, following a path that is eerily similar to Dean -- maybe a bit farther south. Dean, you'll remember, was much further to the north, actually moving right past San Juan and Santo Domingo and Port au Prince. This one, I'd say a more southerly route at this point.
The storm, the latest we have at this point is, it has winds of 100 miles per hour, gusting to 120. It is moving to the west at 18 miles an hour.
No, what we can anticipate with this storm is the storm will strengthen. By the time we get to early Monday morning, we're looking at this strengthening to a Category 3 storm. When it gets to Category 3, we're talking about a major hurricane, and still it's going to continue to strengthen.
As we get to 2:00 a.m. Tuesday, winds going up to 145 miles an hour, just getting to the very northern coast of Honduras, just like dancing on the edge of a razor there.
Now, if it comes on shore and makes it way, just the eye passes on shore, it should actually weaken a little bit. However, if it remains around that path it should stay as a Category 4, making landfall near Belize, across fro the Yucatan peninsula and then back out into the Bay of Campeche.
If we can, let's advance this and show you the other storm that we have back out in the Pacific. It is Tropical Storm Henriette. This storm is still a tropical storm with winds of 70 miles per hour gusting to 85.
We've got some, quite a bit of video from Acapulco due to this storm. In fact, let's roll that video now, if we can.
Mudslides have been taking place in Acapulco. We've had many people that are missing. We've had some fatalities reported there. The downpours loosened a giant bolder that actually smashed into a home, killing one adult, two children.
This is going to be seen -- I would say this process may repeat itself again and again today, because these are the after-effects of the heavy rainfall they had in that part of the world, in some places over a foot of rain. And still, the story is going to be a huge issue, not just here, but possibly in Baja, California.
Let's flip back, if we can, and show you the very latest on Henriette. This storm again with winds of 70 miles an hour, expected to strengthen by the time we get to early Monday morning, with maximum sustained winds of 85 miles an hour, back up to 90, but still a Category 1.
Then into Wednesday, and then into -- by the time we get to late Friday -- or rather, early Friday morning -- weakening somewhat back to a tropical storm, making landfall up on the Baja. But the further north it goes, it will continue to interact with that much cooler water, which saps a lot of the energy, and less of a threat for us. We're going to come up again with more information regarding these two immense systems. Plus, we're going to give you a look at your holiday forecast. I know it's a big weekend for many of you across the nation, getting out and enjoying families and having barbecues. We will bring you that, too. We have not forgotten about your holiday plans.
Let's send it back to you at the news desk.
HOLMES: Boy, a lot going on for you this morning.
WOLF: Yes, we do. It's a full plate. Always is, man.
HOLMES: All right. We appreciate it. Good catch there, buddy.
WOLF: We do what we can.
HOLMES: All right. Thank you.
WOLF: Juggling this morning.
HOLMES: All right. We'll see you soon, man.
LONG: Well, some encouraging news out of California this morning in the battle against the wildfires, not only in California, but in Washington and Idaho, as well.
In Idaho, a fire that forced the evacuation of hundreds of homes and once threatened the Sun Valley ski area, that is now nearly contained. Officials say the fire was sparked by lightning.
Then fire crews in central California continue battling a fire in the Las Padres National Forest. The fire has burned more than 240,000 acres. Firefighters expect to get it under containment today -- under 100 percent containment.
And then in Washington state, residents of the town of Marlin are being allowed to return home. Firefighters say they've nearly contained a five-square-mile fire there.
HOLMES: Senator Larry Craig says he'll fight to overturn the guilty plea he signed, admitting to misconduct in a Minneapolis airport men's room. But he won't do it as a member of Congress. The veteran lawmaker calling it quits.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. LARRY CRAIG, R-IDAHO: To Idahoans I represent, to my staff, my Senate colleagues, but most importantly, to my wife and my family, I apologize for what I have caused. I am deeply sorry.
I have little control over what people choose to believe. But clearly, my name is important to me and my family is so very important also.
(END VIDEO CLIP) HOLMES: After the announcement, Craig told CNN to expect word from his legal counsel about the Minneapolis arrest. Craig has now hired attorney Billy Martin.
You might know that name. You probably know the face. He's the same Billy Martin who just defended Michael Vick in his federal dog fighting case.
As for Craig's constituents, their reactions to his resignation were mixed. CNN's Kara Finnstrom has that story for us.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
KARA FINNSTROM, CNN CORRESPONDENT, BOISE, IDAHO (voice-over): From applause of support for the embattled senator making his entrance ...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And I hope people today will stand up and fight for him.
FINNSTROM: ... to jeers during his resignation speech.
CRAIG: I announce that it is my intent to resign from the Senate effective September 30th. In doing so ...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yeah.
(CHEERS)
CRAIG: In doing so ...
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We love you, Larry!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think he needs to step forward, and I think he needs to come out and say what he really did and not try to hide it.
FINNSTROM: The people of Idaho rocked by a week of tabloid-like scandal are speaking out.
Crystal white and her neighbors came with signs, one referring to the senator's statements on "Meet the Press" on the Monica Lewinsky scandal.
CRAIG: Bad boy, Bill Clinton. You're a naughty boy.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He can be gay all he wants. My aunt's gay. I don't care. I just wish he would be truthful and honest.
FINNSTROM: Charges of hypocrisy resonated in Boise's farmer's market. Lifetime Idahoan, Lee Rice (ph) runs a farm. He says Craig's guilty plea to even a reduced charge contradicts the senator's clearly voiced conservative social values.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It just looks like a double standard to, you know, those of us here in Idaho and I'm sure to the rest of the country and even some -- a lot of his colleagues.
FINNSTROM: Greg Smith, who used to work for the senator, says there had been whispers of Craig having a gay life style for years, but he believes the senator is telling the truth.
GREG SMITH, REPUBLICAN POLLSTER: You hear the little rumors, but there's never been any kind of substantiation to that. I know. I used to travel with him.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think Larry Craig is one of the most honorable men that I have ever met in my life. And I have had the privilege of working with him for the last -- throughout the last 25 or 26 years.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Quite frankly, I hope the next senator is a Democrat.
FINNSTROM: You won't hear much of that in this staunchly Republican state. But many here say, regardless of their personal opinions of the senator, they agree with his decision to step down.
CRAIG: I apologize for what I have caused.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just shocked and stunned. I mean, we just don't expect that out of our leaders. And hoping for the best for Idaho to move on.
FINNSTROM: Kara Finnstrom for CNN, Boise, Idaho.
(END VIDEO)
LONG: And so, focusing on politics this morning, the top Democratic presidential candidates joining others in the race to deliver a message to Florida today. Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards are vowing not to campaign in states that hold early primaries.
Florida is now planning to hold its primary January 29th. But party rules say that only Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina are allowed to hold nominating contests before February 5th.
HOLMES: We will get more on the campaign trail and other major political happenings coming up in a little while. We'll talk with our CNN deputy political director, Paul Steinhauser, coming your way in about 20 minute. Don't want to miss him.
Well, a new beginning for Virginia Tech, their college football season kicking off with a 17-7 win. But it was the events before the game that really reflected the school's spirit and the community's efforts to recover from April's shooting massacre.
We get more now from Aleesha Chaney of affiliate WDBJ in Blacksburg.
(BEGIN VIDEO) ALEESHA CHANEY, REPORTER, WDBJ-TV, BLACKSBURG, VIRGINIA (voice- over): Before the first game of the season got under way, Virginia Tech took time to honor the 32 who lost their lives last school year.
A moment of silence fell across Lane Stadium as everyone reflected on those Hokies who are no longer among this crowd.
RYAN LOWMAN, FORMER VIRGINIA TECH STUDENT: A very emotional time. You know, you kind of feel your heart skip a beat a little bit. For a while there, the summer went through. We kind of -- we got away from it a little bit.
CHANEY: With the close of the national anthem came two fighter jets that soared overhead as part of the memorial tribute. Balloons were released for each of the victims.
Yet it was a minute-long video that played in their remembrance that evoked emotions from many in the crowd.
CHARLES STEGER, VIRGINIA TECH PRESIDENT: You could sense there was another level of emotion present. But I must say, people are extremely supportive and positive. And it's really been reinforcing, I think, for all of to us participate in what's going on today.
CHANEY (on camera): Even though this game is different than those in the past, some things don't change. One of those is the school spirit is still alive and well.
MARISSA RICE, VIRGINIA TECH FRESHMAN: The spirit is at an all- time high. I couldn't even sleep last night. Every couple minutes you hear "Let's go Hokies!" It was like all night long.
CHANEY (voice-over): That spirit was very visible by the sea of orange and maroon school colors that filled the campus.
To support Virginia Tech as it moves forward, opponents East Carolina presented a $100,000 donation to the Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund. Governor Tim Kaine was on the field for that presentation and to greet some first responders who were also recognized for their contribution.
TIM KAINE, GOVERNOR OF VIRGINIA: The sacrifices are so many with those who lost their lives, those who were injured, and the whole community suffered. And this day is a powerful way to bring people together.
CHANEY: A day many in the student body see not only as the start of a new season, but a new beginning.
Aleesha Chaney, News 7, Blacksburg.
(END VIDEO)
LONG: Such unity at that game yesterday.
Coming up, some amazing video of stunt planes on a collision course.
HOLMES: Right after this, you're going to see this terrible mid- air crash that sent planes plummeting.
LONG: And a bridge to recovery. On foot and in vehicles, Minnesotans gets a view of their broken bridge. Plus this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The population that we see here in the emergency department, they're sicker. And that's where we're seeing large numbers of death rates. The increase is 47 percent.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: New Orleans hospitals in crisis. The health care system in need of life support.
These stories straight ahead on this CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Look at this incredible scene. A tragedy over Poland. Two small planes collide.
As you see there, this was during an air show yesterday. Both pilots were killed in this collision.
Spectators were just left stunned as the planes burst into fragments and slammed (ph) to the ground. You can see the camera follow this plane all the way to the ground.
Take a look at this again here. There is the mid-air collision there.
Again, both pilots killed. No spectators hurt. That's good news.
Take another look, another angle we have of it here, just at the moment of impact. The plane just disintegrates upon that impact.
A Polish air force spokesman says, all events now for the air show today have been canceled.
LONG: The cost for the war in Iraq may be going up. Sources on Capitol Hill say President Bush is preparing to ask Congress for billions of dollars more to pay for the war.
CNN's Brian Todd reports.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT, WASHINGTON (voice-over): More than $2 billion a week to fund the war in Iraq. And now, sources on Capitol Hill tell CNN they expect the president to ask Congress for more around the time General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker deliver their assessment of the new offensive in mid- September.
The "Washington Post" reports the president could ask for as much as $50 billion more to keep troop levels going through next spring. White house and Pentagon officials will only say this.
GEOFF MORRELL, DEFENSE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN: I think we've signaled the Congress that we may indeed be coming to them shortly for additional monies to fight the global war on terror.
But I think, at this point, in terms of numbers and when that will happen, we're ahead of the game.
TODD: Still, top Democrats are ramping up their "no blank check" argument.
JOHN EDWARDS, DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: What the Congress should do when they come back next week is make it absolutely clear -- no timetable, no funding.
TODD: But democrats tried to attach conditions to war funding earlier this summer, and lost a veto showdown with the president.
JOHN ULLYOT, FOR SENATE COMMITTEE SPOKESMAN: What's difficult for the Democrats in that debate is that, fundamentally no one wants to -- of any party -- wants to be in a position politically of blocking funding for troops in the field.
TODD (on camera): For that reason, if the president does ask for more money, he'll likely get it.
But analysts say there's a cost to Republicans, too, that this will give the Democrats more ammunition to talk about an unpopular war, heading right into the primary season.
Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEO)
LONG: And today on This Week At War," who is running Iraq, and is the troop build-up working? Tom Foreman will host "This Week At War." That's today at 1:00 p.m. Eastern.
HOLMES: Not enough doctors, not enough beds.
LONG: Dr. Sanjay Gupta returns to New Orleans two years after Hurricane Katrina and finds a health care system badly in need of life support. His investigation a little later in the hour.
HOLMES: Also, medicines Americans throw away saving lives abroad. A CNN hero getting the job done. His remarkable story right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: One country helping another. That's the simple message in one man's efforts to help HIV and AIDS patients abroad. Today's CNN hero is using medicines that would otherwise be thrown away to save lives all over the world.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Dave (ph), we're rolling?
JESUS AGUAIS, FOUNDER, AID FOR AIDS INTERNATIONAL: The simplest idea can make the biggest impact -- recycling HIV medicine.
How many people out there that are looking for medicine? And how many people with HIV in the United States have no idea that they could save life with something that is just a leftover for them.
My name is Jesus Aguais. I'm the founder of Aid for AIDS International and dedicated to improve the quality of life of people with HIV in developing countries.
Early in 1993, I got a job as a counselor in one of the Latino AIDS organizations here in New York. In terms of helping people abroad, there was very little that you could do.
There was no medicine at all. Only people with lots of money could come to the United States. The rest, the common people, have to die.
In 1996, the first two protease inhibitors got approved, but some people couldn't tolerate it. A treatment that costs $1,200 was being thrown away. I just knew it was wrong, purely wrong.
I was telling people, why don't you bring it to me?
We started using the concept of recycling HIV medicine. All the medicine come from people with HIV around the U.S. and goes abroad.
People can send it directly to us. Or if they live in the New York City area, we can pick it up. And we send it on a monthly basis straight to the patients.
This is a matter of saving life. People need this medicine. We need to get it to them. It's our responsibility. I see it as what I'm here to do.
(END VIDEO)
HOLMES: And there's a lot more about this organization on our Web site. You can go to CNN.com/heroes.
Here it is. There his story is. You can read more about it, also help out his organization. There's a link for you to do that, as well.
Also, you can nominate your own hero. Pretty easy to do. You can see right here a little bit to the right, there's a nomination form you can get there. Maybe you know somebody who is worthy of being a CNN hero. You can fill that in, and maybe -- who knows -- they might be on here doing a story as well. You have until September 30th, however, to get those nominations in. The selected winner will is going to be honored during a special live global broadcast on December 6th hosted by our very own Anderson Cooper.
LONG: T.J., thank you.
One Israel -- differing views, however. Two very different tours of the Holy Land, both guided by Jews. One presents a Jewish birthright, the other shows a Palestinian plight.
A faces of faith report later in the hour. And this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: This particular day we saw three full pages of obituaries. What's even more remarkable is, a number of deaths is better recorded by the newspaper here in town than by the state itself. We decided to find out why.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LONG: Death in New Orleans post-Katrina. CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta is checking the numbers right after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LONG: Coming up on 7:30 in the morning East Coast time on this Sunday morning.
New Orleans' health care system is on life support. Two years after Hurricane Katrina hit, many say there aren't enough doctors, nurses, nor hospital beds, and normally treatable diseases are becoming terminal.
CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta investigates.
(BEGIN VIDEO)
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT, NEW ORLEANS (voice-over): It's been two years and the images still haunt me. Patients desperate to be rescued.
GUPTA (on camera): Two of them have already died here on this ramp waiting to get out. They died on this very spot.
GUPTA (voice-over): Early casualties in the chaotic aftermath of Katrina. But surely, things must have improved by now -- two years later.
DR. KEVIN STEPHENS, DEATH RATE STUDY AUTHOR: We were just shocked. I mean, we counted the deaths in 2006 for the first six months, and that's what we saw, a 47 percent increase in the number of deaths.
GUPTA: A 47 percent increase in deaths, as compared to before Katrina. More people dying long after the floodwaters cleared.
STEPHENS: Our studies showed excess mortality; meaning, these are people who would not have died had it been for Katrina.
GUPTA: Physicians working in the emergency rooms day in and day out say, in the wake of Katrina fewer doctors and patchwork care mean more people die from treatable diseases like diabetes, heart disease and even mental illness.
DR. JAMES MOISES, TULANE HOSPITAL EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT: I mean, we're seeing it. The population that we see here in the emergency department, they're sicker. And that's where we're seeing large numbers of death rates -- increase 47 percent.
GUPTA: But the top health official in the state says the numbers are misleading and inflated.
DR. FRED CERISE, LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HOSPITALS: What we're seeing is that we do not have a sustained increase in mortality. We feel comfortable that the death rate itself is roughly where it was pre-Katrina.
GUPTA: Dr. Cerise bases his numbers on official state death certificates, which he acknowledges are not real-time reporting. These paper records take months to update.
In fact, when Dr. Stephens, who is the medical director of New Orleans, asked the state for actual death records, even he couldn't get them. They weren't ready.
So, he was forced to turn to a surprising source -- a local paper.
STEPHENS: Tell the state to actually get all the death certificates and do that analysis -- it was a probably (ph) quick and dirty way, if you will, to get an estimate of what's going on.
GUPTA (on camera): This particular day we saw three full pages of obituaries. What's even more remarkable is, the number of deaths is probably better recorded by the newspaper here in town than by the state itself. We decided to find out why.
CERISE: In the period immediately after Katrina, our vital records section was located in New Orleans. And there was a period where that was not our primary focus.
GUPTA (voice-over): Truth is, many doctors and patients feel, two years later, they are still not the primary focus.
And shockingly, the city and the state are so disorganized, there are no real-time records on the continued impact of Katrina -- no definitive, up-to-date numbers on who is alive and who is dead.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, New Orleans.
(END VIDEO) LONG: Be sure to stay with CNN tonight for a special look at post-Katrina recovery. CNN's Soledad O'Brien talks with director Spike Lee, giving cameras to 11 New Orleans area kids, letting them tell their own stories.
"Children of the Storm" from CNN's "Special Investigations Unit" comes your way tonight at 8:00 p.m. Eastern time.
HOLMES: And coming up here this morning, a view to a disaster.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The enormity of it, just the hugeness of what happened -- bang. It kind of got to me.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LONG: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Minneapolis. Residents are getting a view of their broken bridge.
HOLMES: And take a look here. Another U.S. city hit with too much rain, and all too fast. These stories ahead on CNN SUNDAY MORNING. Stay here.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: It's called birthright. A journey to the Holy Land stirring emotions and igniting debate.
LONG: Good morning once again.
I'm Melissa Long, in today for Betty, who is on assignment.
A great assignment, by the way.
HOLMES: And she's on a good assignment and she's on her way back. I think she's going to be back with us next weekend.
Thank you so much for being here, Melissa.
LONG: A pleasure. A pleasure. I don't mind setting my alarm clock early, really early.
HOLMES: Right. Right. We can sense the sarcasm. It's OK, Melissa.
And I'm T.J. Holmes, everybody.
We are keeping an eye this morning on Hurricane Felix, getting stronger, now a Category 2 hurricane.
LONG: And it's extremely close to some key vacation spots in the Caribbean.
CNN meteorologist Reynolds Wolf is tracking that storm in our severe weather center for us this morning. Good morning.
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning. And it's a busy one at that. And this is the reason why.
Felix is just an enormous storm. Not quite as big as Dean, which affected pretty much the same landscape or waterscrape just a week or so ago.
What we can anticipate with this storm is it continues to march its way the west. It's moving into a minimum shear environment. There's also the possibility that we're going to be seeing this storm will bring some heavy surf to Aruba, to the Venezuelan coast, and possibly as far north as Port-au-Prince.
Now, with this storm, we've got the hurricane-force winds that only extend about 15 miles out of the center. Tropical-storm-force winds extend up to 115 miles. And the storm is expected to strengthen.
It's moving into a very warm water environment. There's very little shear and very little interaction with land for the storm system, so we are anticipating that it's going to strengthen to a Category 3 storm by 2:00 in the morning on Monday.
Then it's going to keep going. It's going to continue to venture west, still over open water. There's very, very little in terms of shear. By the time we get to Tuesday morning, winds of 145 miles an hour.
According to this forecast from the National Hurricane Center, that's where the storm is going to be at its strongest point. Then it's going to be moving right north of the Honduran coastline, still as a Category 4 storm, and then making landfall near Belize by the time we get to -- I'd say mid-morning, around 10:00 in the morning on Wednesday, with winds of 140 miles an hour, then moving right across the Yucatan and then back into the Bay of Campeche.
Still at this point not a direct threat to the United States, but remember these storms can veer a little bit more to the north and the south, and that can effect a whole lot of people in many different ways. So we're going to watch this for you.
Not the only storm we are dealing with though. As we hop over into the Pacific, it's this storm, Tropical Storm Henriette, that still poses problems as it moves its way deeper out to sea.
Winds right now at 75 miles an hour, gusting to 85. Expected to make its way farther to the north, becoming a Category 1 storm, and the dying out as it gets closer to the Baja by 2:00 a.m. Friday, as tropical storm winds only at 40 miles per hour.
But take a look at some of this video that we have from Acapulco. Mudslides, a lot of them. A lot of rain there. In some places, over a foot of rainfall. That rain has been absorbed by that really heavy clay soil. And what it's been doing, these mudslides have caused many of these hillsides just to crumble. And this is going to be something we're going to see over the next couple of days.
Even though the storm is moving deeper into the Pacific, again, it just takes a while for that gravity really to take hold into that mud, and that's where you see all the destruction. Three people killed, two -- an adult and two children in that home you see right there.
We're going to move back to the weather computer very quickly. Again, for your holiday, expect some scattered showers along the coast. Very dry in parts of the Great Wakes. And out West the heat remains.
Let's send it back to you at the newsdesk.
LONG: All right, Reynolds. Thanks so much.
You covered a lot of territory. But one other bit of severe weather to tell everybody about this morning.
I want you to look at some rushing water in one Colombian city. Torrential rains soaked the country, turning streets into rivers, as you can see. People tried to drive in it anyway. Some, as you can see, got stuck, others had to be rescued. Fortunately, however, no injuries or deaths to report.
Coastal Georgia is bracing for more heavy rain today. Reynolds was just telling us about this. This was Savannah yesterday afternoon after some heavy downpours. Our affiliate WSAV is reporting on its Web site that some areas could get up to four more inches of rain by the evening -- T.J.
HOLMES: Well, Melissa, disgraced Idaho senator Larry Craig vows to fight his own guilty plea. He's hired attorney Billy Martin. Martin, of course, is Michael Vick's attorney in that federal dogfighting case.
Craig was arrested at the Minneapolis airport in June, accused of making sexual advances to an undercover police officer. He pled guilty to a lesser charge of disorderly conduct. That incident led to this...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SEN. LARRY CRAIG (R), IDAHO: It is with sadness and deep regret that I announce that it is my intent to resign from the Senate effective September 30th.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Craig offering apologies to his Senate colleagues and Idaho constituents. Idaho's Republican governor will now choose Craig's replacement. Moving past, if we can, the Larry Craig scandal, there's other big political news to talk about. First off, Virginia Senator John Warner announced Friday that he won't run for re-election.
Well, CNN deputy political director Paul Steinhauser joins us now live from Washington.
We say moving past the Larry Craig scandal. Have we really done that, or do you think we're going to hear about this, it's going to come up some more, and maybe Democrats are going to use it on the campaign trail to say, look, the Republicans, they're not the party of morality?
PAUL STEINHAUSER, CNN DEPUTY POLITICAL DIRECTOR: Yes, I think you're right. You're absolutely right, this is not the end of it.
You're going to hear about Larry Craig all this week. The Senate is coming back. All the presidential candidates are out there. The Democrats have been hammering away at the Republicans for a long time on this so-called culture of corruption. Larry Craig just adds to that.
But, T.J., the one thing about Larry Craig, though, is now that he's gone, his Senate seat is probably safer. It's most likely going to stay in Republican hands.
HOLMES: Oh, how about the seat over in Virginia now? Does this just further complicate things with John Warner saying he's not going to be running for re-election?
STEINHAUSER: Yes. It's funny. You know, you talk about Craig. That's the lesser problem for Republicans. Virginia is really the big problem.
Warner has been around for, what, 30 years, 40 years, 28 years in the Senate? This guy is one of the last giants of the moderates. With him gone, if former governor Mark Warner -- no relation now -- if he jumps in the race, the seat could really -- there's a very good chance it could change back to Democrats. And if so, for the Republicans who are trying to grab the Senate back, you know, they are only down 51-49. But with Warner retiring, this really makes Republicans' job even tougher.
HOLMES: All right. Let's talk about the campaign trail.
Labor Day weekend, everybody is going to be out and kissing babies, eating hot dogs, the whole thing this weekend. Bill Clinton is going to be out and about campaigning for his wife, of course, Hillary Clinton.
Is he needed just yet? Of course, she's pretty strong nationally in a lot of polls, but state by state is where it really matters. Is he needed right now?
STEINHAUSER: You know, I don't know -- yes, in a way he's needed, sure, because he's a big gun. Honestly, you always talk about the Democrats, he is the rock star of the Democrats. And while Barack Obama, people call him the rock star, Bill Clinton really is the man. He generates -- he generates the excitement.
Hillary Clinton, like you said, T.J., she is doing great. She's up by 15 to 20 points in most of the national polls and she's up in Iowa, she's up in New Hampshire, two crucial early states. And her and Barack Obama are kind of fighting it out right now in South Carolina.
But you will see Clinton every now an then. She doesn't bring him out a lot. This is what she is calling her fall kickoff. She is with Clinton today, with her husband today in New Hampshire, in Iowa tomorrow. And you won't see him a lot, you'll see him every now and then.
HOLMES: All right. Let's use our last 30 seconds or so here to talk about Fred Thompson. He has waited this long to make it official.
Are people -- they've kind of got Thompson fatigue with this guy. Come on, get into the race already. Does this help or hurt him that he's getting in right now?
STEINHAUSER: Well, some people say maybe he missed his moment. There was a lot of excitement about Fred Thompson back in June. Everybody thought he was going to jump in, in July. Then there were some tough stories about him and his lobbying, there was some lackluster fund-raising, some uninspiring speeches. He had some staffing troubles with his -- with is, you know, people who were advising him.
Now they're ready to do it. They're going to do it midnight on Wednesday, into Thursday. Some people say it's too late, but you know what? If you look at the polls on the Republican side, a lot of people have not made up their mines and a lot of people are just not paying attention yet to the race.
I watch this day in, day out, but most Americans really haven't paid attention yet. So, I still think the Republican field is kind of up in the air. And if Fred Thompson catches fire, watch out.
HOLMES: Watch out. All right. That's the word from this guy who does watch this day in, day out, CNN deputy political director Paul Steinhauser.
Sir, thank you so much for giving us some time over your holiday weekend. And enjoy Labor Day.
STEINHAUSER: Thanks, T.J.
HOLMES: All right -- Melissa.
LONG: Thanks, T.J.
In Minneapolis this morning, the 10th Street Bridge has reopened to traffic. That wouldn't be significant if the large one next to it hadn't collapsed about a month ago now. 10th Street is one of the few ways for drivers in the city to get across the Mississippi River. And now residents are getting their first real chance to survey the damage.
Boyd Huppert of our affiliate KARE-Television reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And it's been open for three or four hours and is full of people.
BOYD HUPPERT, REPORTER, KARE-TV (voice over): It was a forgone conclusion that the 10th Avenue Bridge would eventually reopen. That it would reopen like this is another matter entirely.
NICKIE LECAPTAIN, BRIDGE VISITOR: And I told him this morning -- I woke him up and said, "We can get on the bridge right next to it today, and they were -- they were all for it. We parked way down and walked all the way, but they wanted to see it.
HUPPERT: A steady stream of post-rush hour traffic crawled through two lanes down from four, making it clear the river crossing was badly missed. But for the immediate future, it's likely humans will outnumber cars.
SUSAN PATTON, BRIDGE VISITOR: I just wanted to be able to see the bridge.
HUPPERT: Susan Patton and her children were in the flood of people who walked the equivalent of a few city blocks to get just feet from the collapse site. Some were moved to tears. Others simply overwhelmed.
PATTON: Well, I think you can't really get a grasp on the scope of it until you've seen it.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The enormity of it, just the hugeness of what happened, bang. It kind of got to me.
HUPPERT: Like the cleanup efforts take place below, removing the barriers from 10th Avenue is a necessary step in the recovery process. That's not to say it will ever be complete.
PATTON: We trust so much that things are going to work and things are going to be safe and stable. And you just can never know.
HUPPERT: With producer Dana Theed (ph), Boyd Huppert, KARE 11 News.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LONG: This morning we are taking a look at Israel's heritage. Two very different tours of the Holy Land, both guided by Jews. It's a "Faces of Faith" report right after this.
You're watching CNN SUNDAY MORNING. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: One Israel, two views. This year, thousands of young Jews from around the world will visit Israel. Some will see the Holy Land as their birthright, while others will be shown the country from a Palestinian view.
CNN's Atika Shubert reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ATIKA SHUBERT, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Summer is the season of the tourist in Jerusalem. Many are young Jews from around the world. Some of them are here on a free trip to the Holy Land, courtesy of a group called Birthright Israel. A visit to the Western Wall, Judaism's most holy site is the highlight for many.
DAVID SCHWARTZ, BIRTHRIGHT TOURIST: It's more than an emotional experience. It's like a journey, it's like a Mecca, in a way, whatever. It is something I think everyone has to do in their lifetime.
SHUBERT: Birthright says its goal is to reconnect young Jews with what organizers say is their birthright, their heritage in this biblical and disputed land.
Since starting seven years ago, Birthright has grown exponentially; 35,000 visitors this year along, at a cost of $28 million. Funded by private donors and the Israeli government. Charles Bronfman is one of Birthright's founders.
CHARLES BRONFMAN, FOUNDER, BIRTHRIGHT: Israel simply wasn't on anybody's radar screen. And all of a sudden a free trip, well, why not?
SHUBERT: The group says its tours are about history, not politics. But it's impossible to avoid gritty reality. Tours come with armed guards, often accompanied by soldiers out of uniform.
BRONFMAN: I think, again, it's presented as factually as possible. Obviously, there's an Israeli vice. You're talking about Israelis.
SHUBERT (on camera): But there are some who feel that the Birthright tours give only one side of the story. For them, there is now an alternative.
(voice over): This is Birthright Unplugged, a tour for young Jews who see Israel from a Palestinian point of view, unabashedly political. The group takes time to look at Israel's other famous wall, the security barrier that runs into the West Bank.
HANNAH MERMELSTEIN, FOUNDER, BIRTHRIGHT UNPLUGGED: We're trying to take the power out of unplugging, taking the power out of the concept of a birthright for Jewish people in this land that Palestinians were displaced from. SHUBERT: It's a small group, not more than a dozen on two tours this summer. And it's not free; around $500 for a less than luxurious trip. Participants stay the night with Palestinian families in refugee camps.
Shira Tevah has taken both tours, after befriending Israeli soldiers on her original birthright tour, she told us about an incident she witnessed afterwards on the unplugged tour that changed her view.
SHIRA TEVAH, TOURIST, BIRTHRIGHT UNPLUGGED: The soldiers were just really, really aggressive. And he said to her, you know, unless you move away from the border, I'll (EXPLETIVE DELETED) kill those kids. It's your choice.
SHUBERT: Dramatically different experiences of a disputed birthright.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: And Atika Shubert joins us now from Jerusalem.
Atika, it's not supposed to be political, but they admit that there is an Israeli bias. So, the people who take this birthright tour, what do they walk away from it thinking? Do they think that some politics is maybe thrown into those tours?
SHUBERT: Well, the visitors on both these tours, on the Birthright Israel tour as well, are aware that politics is everywhere in Israel. But they choose to focus on their Jewish heritage, their Jewish identity.
But because there is so much politics here, by choosing not to be political, it is, in essence, a political decision. And that's why Unplugged wants to present what is by far a much more political tour that shows the Palestinian point of view.
HOLMES: And Atika, is Unplugged hoping to grow as well and maybe match the numbers at some point that the other Birthright seems to be getting right now?
SHUBERT: Well, it's certainly hoping to grow, but it doesn't expect to reach the same numbers. Birthright Israel has a tremendous impact. Thirty-five thousand visitors this year. Birthright Unplugged, on the other hand, has maybe 20 students that come here in a year. So, it really doesn't have the same kind of numbers or impact.
HOLMES: Does Unplugged, as well, have -- do they have the same kind of security issues? Do they bring in guards as well on that tour?
SHUBERT: No, not at all. What's interesting about them is they travel throughout the West Bank in Palestinian taxis. And they go around, they sleep at homes in Palestinian refugee camps, and they really try to get their visitors to get as close as possible to the Palestinian people without that kind of security, unarmed guards.
So, it's a very different experience.
HOLMES: And just finally here, where are most of these -- these Jews coming from who come to visit? I assume all over the world, but are a majority of them coming from one place or another, on the Unplugged tour, as well as the regular Birthright?
SHUBERT: From all over the world, but really the focus is on American Jews. A lot of them are young college students that come over, they want to see Israel. And they get to see Israel for free on Birthright Israel, but a lot of them also want to see the Palestinian perspective. And that's why they go on unplugged.
HOLMES: All right. A very fascinating from both sides there.
Atika Shubert for us in Jerusalem.
Atika, thank you so much.
LONG: T.J., thank you.
It has a long and rich history, but that could change.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It could be bulldozed and boarded up and darkened, and that's going to really hurt the remaining businesses in Coney Island.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LONG: Saving an American icon. The history of Coney Island at stake.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(WEATHER REPORT)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LONG: Good morning on this Sunday.
When you think of Coney Island, you think of the sights, the sounds, the smells of summer, the beach, which wraps up today, of course. It's Labor Day.
HOLMES: It wraps up Labor Day. You've got one more day, but changes coming to New York's famed boardwalk that could dramatically alter the seaside resort.
CNN's Jim Acosta explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JIM ACOSTA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): What's got an 80- year-old roller-coaster, an 87-year-old Ferris Wheel and more sideshow freaks than Times Square? Coney Island, a New York City original that has a vibrant past but now an uncertain future.
HELEN DERMAKE, LONG-TIME VISITOR: When my parents and grandparents came here, this was our resort. I mean, you didn't run away. You ran here.
ACOSTA: For generations, Helen Dermake's family have made this boardwalk amusement park their summer destination. But it's also caught the eye of land developers who have gobbled up huge chunks of real estate here, without saying much about what's to come.
DERMAKE: I think it's kind of sad. I really do. I'll miss it.
ACOSTA: Since the end of the civil warn, this iconic beachfront has reeled in millions f visitors from around the globe, reaching its heyday after World War II.
It's really a part of the fabric of New York City.
ACOSTA: Carol Albert and her husband have owned the Astroland theme park, home of the world famous Cyclone roller-coaster, for 45 years.
(on camera): And what's going to happen to all of this?
ALBERT: I wish I knew for sure.
ACOSTA (voice over): They sold the land under their attractions last November but still operate the rides. The new owners, she says, are making no promises.
ALBERT: It could be bulldozed and boarded up and darkened. And that's going to really hurt the remaining businesses in Coney Island.
ACOSTA (on camera): There's a little regret there.
ALBERT: There is. There is.
ACOSTA: It's still not certain what the developers have in mind. It could be high-priced condos or, as some have suggested, Times Square on the beach.
What is clear, the view outside this window is about to become history.
(voice over): Paul Georgoulakos plans on closing the hotdog stand he's run for 37 years this fall.
PAUL GEORGOULAKOS, HOTDOG STAND OWNER: Next, please.
If they want to make and build condominiums, they'd better change the name to Condominium Alley.
ACOSTA: But all is not lost. Both the Ferris wheel and roller- coaster are designated historic landmarks and are staying. They still deliver the same thrills and chills they did nearly a century ago.
(on camera): I'm getting out of here! No mas!
(voice over): Many here hope the developers will add new and better attractions.
DICK ZIGUN, SIDESHOWS ON THE SEASHORE: If they're going to build a 21st century amusement park with steel-looping roller-coasters, then, oh, boy, I'm in favor of that.
ACOSTA: But fearing the worst, visitors are now lining up to sign petitions to save Coney Island.
ALBERT: There's an expression that when you're in Coney Island you get sand in your shoes and it never gets out.
ACOSTA: A carnival and clams atmosphere that could very well be swept away by the tide of progress.
Jim Acosta, CNN, Coney Island.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: From the CNN Center this is Sunday morning. It is September, the 2nd, 8:00 a.m., here at CNN Headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. Hello, to you all. I'm T.J. Holmes.
LONG: I'm Melissa Long in for Betty. She is on a terrific assignment. Thanks for starting your Sunday with us this morning.
We're talking about Hurricane Felix which is growing in strength and it could become a major hurricane threatening several popular vacation destinations.
HOLMES: Also, we're going to be talking about this story. Two years after Katrina a growing medical problem in New Orleans. Our Dr. Sanjay Gupta investigates this.
It is certainly shaping up to be a busy, busy weather day. A lot of severe weather we'll be telling you about this morning.
LONG: We are tracking two storms, we have Hurricane Felix, it's getting stronger in the Caribbean; and then we have something Tropical Storm Henriette, dumping heavy rain on western Mexico.
We just got some of these pictures in, we want to share them with you, of a landslide in Acapulco. The landslide slammed into a house killing three family members.
HOLMES: Our Meteorologist Reynolds Wolf following both storms for us.
Hello, again, Sir.
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning. I assume we're going to be talking quite a bit today about these two storms. Let's begin over in the Caribbean with Felix. Felix is following a path similar to what Dean took, again just a few weeks back.
Let's show you a little better view of this. We're going to zoom in and go straight to our weather computer. You can see, at this point, the eye can't even be picked up from high in space. Just starting to see a little bit of a formation, just to the -- let's see, guess it would be just the west of center, just north of Aruba. Aruba at this time, definitely getting some heavy surf, rainfall could be anywhere from say three to six inches.
This storm is no where close to being the same size as Dean, but still packs a punch with winds over 100 miles per hour. In fact, take a look at what we have with this the latest from the storm, winds sustained at 100, but gusts have been up to 120 miles per hour. It should still get stronger.
In fact, as we get to early Monday morning, we're looking at winds going to 120, and then 145, by 2:00 a.m. on Tuesday. Then it will be passing to the north of Honduras, if it hold true to this forecast, the National Hurricane Center, as a major storm, major Category 4 storm, making landfall on the Belize coast as we get to -- I would say 10 o'clock or so, in the morning on Wednesday. Then crossing the Yucatan, and by Friday popping right back out into the Bay of Campeche.
One thing to look at this, this storm is kind of like imagine, a bowling ball on top of a hill. You let it go and it begins to roll down and pick up speed. That's what this storm is doing. Just gaining momentum as it makes its way out towards the west.
Let's show you what's happening on the Pacific. We'll go back to the weather computer. And this next one, Henriette, that you guys were talking about at the news desk. This storm, although it has left Acapulco, left the coast of Mexico, it still has brought quite a bit of rainfall, the mudslides are going to be a tremendous issue.
As the storm pulls away it's going to gain even more strength. We go into Monday, we go into Tuesday, winds increasing from 70 miles per hour, which is what we have now, to 90 mile per hour maximum sustained winds, chalking it up to a Category 1 storm. But as it veers northward into Wednesday, even into Thursday and Friday, it will enter some much cooler water. And that cooler water is really going to zap a lot of that energy out of it making landfall possibly up along the Yucatan (sic) Peninsula. And should do so as a tropical storm system, with winds only 40 miles an hour.
So it will weaken considerably, moving into an area where there's not a tremendous population. But still a big concern for us and we'll keep you up to speed with it.
We're also keeping an eye on what's happening around the nation and give you the travel forecast coming up in due course this morning. Back to you at the news desk.
LONG: Busy weekend.
WOLF: Yes, we have our hands full. For some reason or another things seems to happen like that on the weekends.
HOLMES: When he has the sleeves rolled up like that --
LONG: Rolled up, oh, yeah.
HOLMES: I haven't seen the jacket this morning.
LONG: He's getting into it.
WOLF: It's back there somewhere.
HOLMES: All right, we appreciate it, Reynolds.
WOLF: Any time.
LONG: Thanks, Reynolds.
We'll continue to talk about the severe weather, actually, right now. Want to show you some rushing water in one Colombian City. Torrential rains soaked the country turning the streets into rivers. People tried to drive in it anyway. You can see some got stuck in those small cars and others had to be rescued. Fortunately, no injuries or deaths to report.
Coastal Georgia is bracing for more heavy rain over the holiday weekend. This was Savannah yesterday afternoon following heavy downpours. Our affiliate WSAV is reporting on its web site. Some areas could get up to four more inches of rain by this evening.
HOLMES: We have some encouraging news this morning in the battle against wildfires in California, in Idaho -- actually these fires in California, Washington as well as Idaho, I should say. We'll start in Idaho where a fire forced the evacuation of hundreds of homes. Once threatened Sun Valley ski area now nearly contained. Officials say the fire was sparked by lightning.
Fire crews in central California continue battling a blaze in the Los Padres National Forest. The fire has burned more than 240,000 acres. Firefighters expect to get it under 100 percent containment today. In Washington state, residents of the town or Marlin (ph) are being allowed to return to their homes. Firefighters say they've nearly contained a five-square-mile fire there.
LONG: Idaho's governor says he still has not decided who will fill outgoing Senator Larry Craig's Senate seat. Craig, as you know, calling it quits yesterday at the end of a tumultuous and embarrassing week. CNN Congressional Correspondent Dana Bash reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DANA BASH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): It was an abrupt end to a week of tabloid-like drama, a stunning fall from grace for a Republican senator, little-known nationally until now.
SEN. LARRY CRAIG (R), IDAHO: It is with sadness and deep regret that I announce that it is my intent to resign from the Senate effective September 30th.
BASH: Four days after defiantly vowing to fight, Senator Larry Craig bowed to blistering pressure, admitting it was clear he could no longer be effective.
CRAIG: I apologize for what I have caused. I am deeply sorry.
BASH: Even as he exited the political stage, Craig denying trolling for sex in this public bathroom on June 11th, despite pleading guilty to disorderly conduct two months later. But the spectacle of a sex scandal for Republicans stung by a string of controversy was too much to bear. His GOP colleagues swiftly stripped him of influence in Senate committees, launched an ethics investigation, told him to resign.
SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R) ARIZONA: I don't try to judge people, but in this case, it's clear that it was disgraceful.
BASH: The son of a modest Idaho cattle ranching family, Craig was elected to the state legislature at age 29 and six years later won a seat in Congress. Ironically Craig gained national attention soon after his Washington career started during a sex scandal in 1982, the freshman congressman issued a statement adamantly denying he had sex with congressional pages, even though no one had publicly accused him. Here on NBC.
CRAIG: I have people telling me that a whole series of false accusations are made against my character. Frankly, it makes me mad as hell.
BASH: Despite that, Craig served 25 more years, elected to the House, then the Senate, by huge margins. He stayed popular fighting for gun rights and tax cuts. The red state Republican who voted against gay rights has been plagued by rumors he is gay for years.
After news broke of his bathroom bust, Craig's local paper reported on a six-month investigation into those rumors. He called it a witch hunt.
CRAIG: I am not gay. I never been gay.
BASH: Craig's Senate salary was his only income and despite pleading guilty to a misdemeanor and leaving in disgrace, Senate rules allow him to walk away with a $130,000 a year pension, paid for by taxpayers.
(On camera): Craig says he'll focus his time now on trying to overturn a guilty plea he signed admitting to misconduct in an airport men's room. He says he intends to clear his name, but that will be extremely hard to do, both legally and politically. Dana Bash, CNN, Boise, Idaho.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: All right. We talk more politics this morning. The top Democratic presidential candidates joining others in the race to deliver a message to Florida. Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards vowing not to campaign in states that hold early primaries. Florida is now planning to hold its primary on January 29th. But party rules say that only Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina are allowed to hold nominating contests before February 5th. We'll see how that pans out.
Also, a new candidate set to jump into the Republican race for the White House this week. Even though you might not think he's a new candidate at all. We've been seeing a lot of him. After much anticipation, former Senator Fred Thompson, yes, says he will finally formally announce his candidacy Thursday.
What will that mean for the GOP field? Here now CNN's Frank Sesno.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mr. Thompson, can I get a picture in?
FRED THOMPSON (R), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Yes, ma'am.
FRANK SESNO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): What if Frederick Dalton Thompson actually catches fire. Critics and some competitors scoff at the idea. They say Thompson is long on platitudes, short on ideas. But these candidates know could be in a lot of trouble because Thompson could scramble the field.
He'll position himself as likable and reliable, in contrast to McCain; as a family values guy, compared to Giuliani, though they've both been divorced; and as a true and consistent conservative, as an alternative to Romney. Though, Thompson once did a little lobbying for a pro-choice advocacy for a group.
THOMPSON: Ronald Reagan was --
SESNO: Like all of the candidates Thompson likes to conjure up Ronald Reagan.
RONALD REAGAN, FMR. PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Freedom fighters --
SESNO: But only Thompson shares the acting roots, from D.A. Arthur Branch.
THOMPSON: Tell his attorney we're preparing a counter offer.
SESNO: To Admiral Joshua Painter.
THOMPSON: Senior captains don't start something this dangerous without having thought the matter through.
SESNO: His fame gives him a following and camera ready advantage. And he will use it. He already has. A few months back, he cut a biting 38-second response to Michael Moore's health care documentary.
THOMSPON: Mental institution, Michael, might be something you ought to think about.
SESNO: What if Thompson's critics are proven wrong, those who grumble that his reliance on tax cuts and smaller government read like an old script than new idea? That he can't match Reagan's heartfelt "Shining City on a Hill" optimism, that some of his speeches have fallen flat.
Well, Thompson has been rehearsing for months now. He knows his lines. If he can deliver them well, convey confidence, and organize a credible campaign he could catch fire and turn this race on its head.
(On camera): These are all big ifs, but Thompson is counting on a hunger out there for a folksy, familiar conservative who can bring some personality to the Republican marathon. It may work. Even before his announcement, a new poll shows he's in second place among Republicans, behind Rudy Giuliani. Frank Sesno, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LONG: Hope you are enjoying your Labor Day weekend kicking back, relaxing by the pool, maybe by the barbecue.
HOLMES: No. Actually.
LONG: Later today?
HOLMES: No, not even later.
LONG: Why? Watching football?
HOLMES: A little bit.
LONG: How did I know?
HOLMES: Get ready, folks. We're going to compare some notes here. We have some boss horror stories before you. Want to stick around for these and see if you can top some of them. You got any good stories over there, Josh?
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Of course not. I work here. How could I have any?
HOLMES: Exactly.
LEVS: Do you? Maybe places you used to work?
Anyway, listen, folks on something a little bit more serious as Hurricane Felix is churning in the Caribbean, we have some I-Report photos from the scene, including some lightning that is unlike anything that you have ever seen. I'm going to share that coming up in a few minutes from the Dot-Com Desk.
T.J., Melissa.
HOLMES: All right, kind sir. And the things that fans will do. Can you read this? Can you make that out? Got a little trick here to show you. It was a pretty good prank, to be honest. We'll explain what happened here. Stick around.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Our meteorologist is not the only one keeping an eye on --
LONG: I thought you gave him a new title.
HOLMES: No.
LEVS: I don't know how to do that stuff.
HOLMES: Made you nervous, huh? You thought I was going to come to you with a little weather.
LEVS: Loves making me nervous because he can.
HOLMES: Good morning to you, Josh. You're from the Dot.com Desk.
LEVS: Yes, exactly keeping an eye on the Dot.com.
You know, it's really interesting, one great thing about this new I-Report system when news is happening anywhere in the world CNN can get you pictures and photos from the scene.
We've got a couple right now. As Hurricane Felix, major story for us today, churning through the Caribbean and that area. Take a look at this lightning right here. Amazing stuff, it's very dramatic.
It's from a man named Derek Pickell, he says he's a professional photographer, this is in Grenada, West Indies. So, he got in a place where he could get these shots himself, take really powerful ones -- and look at that. I mean it's so rare you see anything that even resembles that. Incredibly powerful lightning and no particular pattern.
I believe we have Reynolds Wolf with us right now.
Reynolds, are you on with us?
WOLF: Yes.
LEVS: Can you help me understand? What are we looking at? It's very unusual to see lightning that looks anything like that. How does that happen?
WOLF: Basically, what you're seeing is the most common form of lightning. The most common form of lightning we have is actually cloud to cloud. What the camera is able to do, what Derek was able to capture, I guess he had some kind of a time lapse on the camera, which just opened it and he was able to record the entire sequence. The thing is, our eyes are so -- the human eye, is so it can't really pick up all that activity. You'll see during a thunderstorm, as it moves off, you'll see the sky just illuminate, usually that is what we're seeing, but we're just unable to pick it up.
LEVS: So we actually -- we are physically there to experience that kind of lightning but we can't see it happen because our eyes don't move fast enough.
WOLF: Precisely. That's it.
LEVS: That's fascinating. I'll tell you, we are getting pictures and videos from a lot of different places in the world as this is coming in. CNN is processing them, we're taking your stories, photos, videos. Keep sending them easy. Cnn.com click on I-Report. We're happy to share them with you all, here, on TV and also at the Dot.com desk, at CNN.com.
LONG: That is an amazing photograph. Definitely, a frame and a half (ph), that's amazing quality.
HOLMES: Wow.
LONG: Josh, thank you so much.
LEVS: Thanks, guys.
LONG: Continuing to focus on international news now, and talk about some overseas fighting, intense fighting in Lebanon. The military killing at least 20 militants as they tried to escape from a Palestinian refugee camp. Members of the group Fatah al-Islam, have been holed up in that camp since late May. The government says the group is linked to Al Qaeda. As many as 10 militant fighters were captured in today's operation.
An air tragedy in Poland: Two small planes colliding during an air show. Watch now, television cameras capture the crash. Both pilots were killed in that collision. Spectators clearly left stunned. The pilots died and the flames burst into fragments crashing to the ground. No spectators were hurt. That's the good news. Now, all events for that air show have been canceled for today.
HOLMES: That is some amazing video that somebody captured there. Tough to watch.
We are going to turn back to Labor Day. Talking about Labor Day, a lot of folks out there enjoying it. But, take a listen to this actually.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He was an alcoholic, abusive-type guy that threw things, basically.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LONG: Yikes.
HOLMES: OK. That's his boss.
LONG: I'm frightened.
HOLMES: Yes. You can't work for that guy. Right after this, we'll have horror stories from the work place.
LONG: And CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Doctor Sanjay Gupta is here with a preview of what's coming up on "House Call."
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN CHIEF MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Thanks, guys.
Well, this week was a time to look back at the lessons of Hurricane Katrina. I returned to Charity Hospital in New Orleans and what I found was shocking. I'll have some details. Really amazing stuff.
Plus, how do you know when you need a second opinion? We have some simple tips to know when.
Finally, college football season is kicking off. We look at a dangerous head game on and off the field. Stay tuned for that and much more on "House Call" at 8:30.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LONG: Some normalcy at Virginia Tech. The football team is giving students a new focus as they remember 32 campus shooting victims. A moment of silence before kickoff. And plenty to cheer about after kickoff. Virginia Tech beating East Carolina, 17-7, in that game yesterday.
HOLMES: And you know the fans got a little restless because the game was tight for a while and wasn't expected to be the ninth rank Hokies, there. Still they had something to cheer about at the end.
LONG: They did dominate in the end.
HOLMES: Well, folks is your boss a total nightmare?
LONG: I hope not. I hope -- no, actually. My boss is fantastic.
HOLMES: You would say that.
LONG: She is, seriously.
HOLMES: You going to say her name and all that.
LONG: No. Anyway, she's sleeping, I hope, it's Labor Day weekend. Hopefully you're sleeping in enjoying your weekend. Since it is Labor Day we're focusing on bosses, focusing on bad bosses, and you're not alone really.
HOLMES: I don't have a bad boss.
LONG: Well, the research shows nearly 40 percent of American workers say they've been bullied on the job.
HOLMES: Our Kara Finnstrom has some of these frightening tales, you just have to hear.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You have no style or sense of fashion.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think that depends on what your --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, no. That wasn't a question.
KARA FINNSTROM, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): Hollywood's nightmare boss in "The Devil Wears Prada."
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Tales of your incompetence do not interest me.
FINNSTROM: The stuff of fiction, or disturbingly familiar?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Alcoholic, abusive, type of guy that threw things basically.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I had a boss, at one time, that was a coach that happened to communicate via verbal yelling.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was a waiter and I quit my job because my boss was yelling at me daily.
FINNSTROM: Hundreds of Americans just told similar horror stories to the AFL-CIO's Worst Boss Contest. And 13 states are considering laws that would make it easier to sue an abusive boss. Whether we're acknowledging it more or today's work place breeds more bad bosses.
DR. GARY NAMIE, EMPLOYEE RIGHTS ADVOCATE: Our society is very aggressive, very individualistic.
FINNSTROM: Reform advocates like Doctor Gary Namie believe new laws are needed.
NAMIE: Most same sex, same gender harassment is invisible in the eyes of the law. So when people think that harassment is a big broad protection and we're going to have civil, kind non-abusive work places, it's not true.
FINNSTROM (on camera): Supporters of this legislation like the idea of holding the nightmare bosses accountable. Opponents of it worry about the small businesses and the big corporations behind those bosses.
ED MARTINEZ, BUSINESS ADVOCATE: What's a mean boss? Who decides that definition? If these laws were to pass, it would open up a Pandora's Box or endless litigation would open up.
FINNSTROM: Business advocate Ed Martinez contends the problem should resolve itself because smarter modern-day workers won't stomach abuse. And bad bosses cause costly high turn over rates.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it's absurd.
FINNSTROM: Some employees think legislation is overkill.
(On camera): Any thoughts on whether you should be able to sue a bad boss?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Makes sense to me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, not really. We already have too many lawsuits in this country.
FINNSTROM: Professor Robert Sutton wrote the book on jerk bosses. He says calling out bad bosses may be new.
PROF. ROBERT SUTTON, STANFORD UNIVERSITY: When you put people in a position of power they turn into an insensitive jerk.
FINNSTROM: But he says what the country is grappling with is an age-old imperfection. Kara Finnstrom for CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: How many fans does it take to spell -- can you make that out up there? -- this was one of the classic pranks of all time in high school. Stick around and see what happened to the kid who put this thing together. That's coming up after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LONG: Good morning in this Sunday. Checking on some of the stories that are circulating around the water cooler. This one, I think, my favorite, your favorite this morning.
HOLMES: Love this story.
LONG: High school prank in Hilliard, Ohio, it's a suburb of Columbus. And students from a rival school were tricked into holding up some placards during a football game. Can you see what it spelled out? It's really hard to make out. In the upper part of the stands.
HOLMES: There you go. As it rolls, you can see, it comes together.
We -- can you read it?
HOLMES: It says "We Suck." They were told it was going to say the name of their high school, Go Darby. That's what they were told. This video was then posted on YouTube. A senior from the opposing high school says he and two friends spent three days planning it out. He didn't get extra credit for this. He actually got suspended for putting this thing together. One of the greatest pranks I've seen in the high school of all-time. And yet the kid got suspended.
LONG: I'm sure the opposing team did not find this to be all that good of an idea.
HOLMES: Didn't like it. But you have to give the kid credit.
LONG: Oh, absolutely. For organization, creativity.
