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CNN Sunday Morning
Tracking Tropical Storm Gabrielle; Stranded Student Rescued
Aired September 09, 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, CNN ANCHOR: Live picture here to show you out of Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. Winds, high surf and storms in particular tropical storm Gabrielle. The latest live straight ahead.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE): I don't know how long he had been laying there. I just -- I can't believe that he lived.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: This is a truly remarkable story. A student stranded on the roadside for more than a week is finally rescued. Plus --
(UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE): Oh, gosh.
HOLMES: Oprah's star-studded event for Barack Obama that was going on last night. While hundreds were attending this event, one state convention almost completely snubbed by the GOP presidential candidates. I don't think they were hanging out at Barack Obama's party.
NGUYEN: That's what Oprah will do to you.
HOLMES: Good morning everybody from the CNN Center in Atlanta, Georgia. This is CNN SUNDAY MORNING, it is September 9th. I'm T.J. Holmes.
NGUYEN: Good morning, T.J.
HOLMES: Good morning, Betty. Great to have you here.
NGUYEN: It's great to be back. I'm Betty Nguyen. It is 7:00 here on the East coast. We have a lot to tell you about, including that severe weather reaching the coast.
Tropical storm Gabrielle whipping up the surf along the North Carolina coast. Tropical storm warnings are in effect right now in North Carolina and all the way up to Virginia. Pictures from the Web site, Searchex.com. Forecasters say the biggest danger may be from flooding and it could strand people in the coastal islands and other low-lying areas.
HOLMES: Our correspondents are standing along the North Carolina coast and bringing us all the latest details as tropical storm Gabrielle mover closer to land fall. Our Rob Marciano and Rusty Dornin are in the Outer Banks. John Zarrella is just south of there at the Atlantic Beach in North Carolina. He joins us now live. Good morning to you, how are things, sir?
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning T.J. You know, if you have to have a tropical weather system hit the United States, this is probably what you would want. We have had a couple of squaw lines moving through. You can see the water out there coming up, the waves beating up against the shore line, but really not too awful bad. The clouds in the distance out there. Some out Outer Bands of tropical storm Gabrielle. We're on a fishing pier here in Atlantic Beach. It's really good weather for surfers, too. There's one guy out there trying to catch a wave. He did get one a little earlier. You can see right now, things are calm here.
We suspect that later in the morning, early afternoon hours, we may get some tropical storm force winds here, some more squaw lines moving through. This is a big vacation area and the people here were not going to let this put a damper on things. Yesterday, lots of folks out here on Atlantic Beach enjoying what was really, really a very beautiful day along the Carolina coastline. In fact, it was so nice yesterday; there were a couple of weddings that were held out here on the beach in the late afternoon hours.
Just at -- before sunset, which, of course, turns out to be actually a beautiful sunset, the calm we can see before what there is of a storm. And the folks here that are enjoying this weekend are saying they aren't going to let this storm ruin their vacations.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE): We have a week off and I wasn't about to change my vacation plans. It's not a hurricane yet, so we're here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZARRELLA: And most likely this is not going to be a hurricane. I guess the possibility of a little bit more strengthening. Now, I'm going to toss it to Reynolds Wolf back at Hurricane Headquarters, CNN's Hurricane Headquarters. Reynolds, this is a south-facing beach here at Atlantic Beach. What's the likelihood there will be much beach erosion along this part of the Carolina coastline?
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Not a lot. On a typical day, there will be a little bit from the surf itself. You'll have some erosion from enhanced surf. This storm will, in all likelihood, not reach hurricane status. It doesn't have the time or the energy, really, to crank up and achieve that kind of strength. Right now as it stands, winds are around 40 miles per hour. The maximum sustained winds extend only about 45 miles outward. Coastal flooding of 2 to 3 feet, it's certainly going to be possibly we could see anywhere from 1 to 3 inches of rainfall. There's also the chance when you have these storms move along these areas you might even see a few isolated tornadoes. That should come later this morning into the afternoon hours. As it stands, here is what we have. We have tropical storm warnings that extend from Cape Charles lining southward to Surf City, all along that area you are going to have that surf that is really going to intensify over the next couple of hours. The wind is going kick in, breezes around 40; maybe a gust or two might be a bit stronger. In the latest path from the National Hurricane Center shows just that, the storm making its way through the southern part of the Outer Banks, with winds around 50 miles per hour. That will be around 2:00 p.m. on Sunday.
Notice this, with a frontal boundary approaching from the west, it's going to cause that storm to veer off to the east and then to the northeast as we get into Monday and as we get into Tuesday, the storm is going to enter much cooler water. When that happens, it's going to be away from its primary power source, that being that warm water and it's going to begin to dye out. The real reason why we'll see Gabrielle moving off is because of the frontal boundary you see extending from the eastern half of the Great Lakes clear down into portions of the Mid-Mississippi Valley and into Texas that is going to be like, I think of it as a plow on a snow truck pushing everything away from it. Gabrielle will be pushed away.
That is the latest the we have for you, we'll have more updates coming up throughout the morning right here on CNN, your Hurricane Headquarters. Lets send it back to the news desk.
NGUYEN: OK. We'll be tuning in. Thank you.
WOLF: All right. We will be here.
HOLMES: The search for missing aviator Steve Fossett is set to resume in about 4 hours. Fossett disappeared somewhere over Nevada about six days ago during a routine day flight. People are searching an area of about 17,000 square miles that is an area twice the size of New Jersey.
NGUYEN: We also have some new video to show you this morning, the parents of missing 4-year-old Madeleine McCann arriving at the airport in Portugal, they are heading home to Britain just days after being questioned again by Portugal police investigating the May 3 disappearance of their daughter. Kate and Gerry McCann are considered suspects, but they are free to leave the country. And their plane is expected to land in about 30 minutes, putting the McCann's back home for any significant stay since their daughter went missing. CNN's Adrian Finighan is live this morning in the McCann's hometown of Rothley. Adrian what are the McCanns expected to arrive there at there at their house?
ADRIAN FINIGHAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: We're expecting their flight to land about a 30-minute drive away from here. We're about 120 miles from London. So it could be any time within the next hour. Having said that, we're not even sure whether the couple will come back here to the home. Gerry McCann said before he left Portugal, in fact he's been speaking quite extensively to the British media. Here is the front page of one of the newspapers here. He said the couple were desperate to return here to Britain for the sake of their two other kids, the twins, Sean and Emily the 2-year-olds for emotional reasons. After a bit of normality if you like, that's not what they're going to get if they land here this morning. Where part of the media scrummed (ph), this quiet cul-de-sac in this village is teaming with press this morning. As I said, we're not actually sure whether we're going to see the McCann's drive up to their home here or whether they're they'll go to a friend or relative's home somewhere in the vicinity.
NGUYEN: Let me ask you this, have you spoken with the folks on the ground there, in their hometown? What do they think about it? Do you think they need to be investigated in this case or do they deserve being considered a suspect?
FINIGHAN: Overwhelmingly, no. Now, it's difficult to actually get an opinion from any of their friends and neighbors here. As I said, we're in this quiet cul-de-sac despite the fact that there are 50, 60 members of the press here. It is very quiet. People here are staying well and truly indoors. Blinds are drawn. We can't get answers if we go knocking on doors from neighbors. The police are keeping us off the property. We know basically from friends and relatives and neighbors of the family as much as you do. It's here in the paper this morning that people are saying despite the suspicion that has fallen upon Gerry and Kate McCann that they support them and they are behind them.
Gerry McCann has said in this newspaper he's concerned while all the focus is on them as a couple, of course, they're forgetting about their daughter. Where is the focus on this missing 3-year-old girl, Madeleine? She's been missing, of course, since May 3rd.
NGUYEN: We'll be watching this very closely as developments do occur. Adrian Finighan live there outside the McCann's hometown in Rothley. Thank you for that.
HOLMES: Well stay here folks. Coming up, we have a story about a quick-thinking hero who rushes in to help.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): Started pounding on the window. I said, ma'am, you've got to get out of this vehicle.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Pulled to safety and not a moment too soon. After this, a story of bravery when every second counts.
HOLMES: Also, lost and found on the roadside. An amazing survival story that has a teenager's family celebrating this morning.
NGUYEN: And the war according to Petraeus, count down to the general assessment of the so called troop surge that is ahead right here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) NGUYEN: All right. You have to check out this new video that we have to show you of a very close call. Look at that vehicle there. This car was stalled on a railroad crossing early this morning in Chicago. For whatever reason, the driver didn't get out of the Lexus even though an approaching Amtrak train was almost on top of her. Luckily, Tom Foust came to the rescue.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
THOMAS FOUST, SAVED DRIVER: I ran up to her car and started pounding on the window. I said, ma'am, you have to get out of this vehicle. I opened the door for her because she didn't have any idea what was going on. I unclipped her seat belt and pulled her out. Seconds later, the car was struck by the train and I was maybe 10 feet away and I covered her up so no debris hit her.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Moments after that first impact, the car was hit by a second train coming in the opposite direction. No injuries were reported in that incident.
Well, the White House says first lady Laura Bush is resting comfortably at home following surgery for neck pain. The 2 1/2 hour surgery was to relieve pressure on pinched nerves. Now afterwards, Mrs. Bush spoke with the president as he flew home from the Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit which took place in Australia. This is video of Mr. Bush arriving back at the White House this morning and during a stop in Hawaii, the president spoke about his conversation with the first lady.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Her spirits are good. They feel like the surgery was a success. She's now back at the White House. I told her I'm looking forward to having breakfast with her and I told her I'd be home soon and I'm just so grateful that the doctors did a good job and I thank god for the fact that it came out well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Mrs. Bush's neck pain apparently was aggravated by a hiking trip last spring.
HOLMES: Nights of glamour and glitz. Oprah Winfrey puts a spotlight on Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. At her home in California she threw a huge fund-raiser. Even bussing the guests in. The cost of a ticket here, $2,300 a piece. What was the best part of the evening?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): Just being here. It's wonderful. She should run for president herself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Yes, all there to see the Democratic candidate for president Barack Obama. Lots of famous names showed up, Cindy Crawford, and this was expected to raise some $3 million.
Meanwhile, John Edwards stepping up his attacks against the Democratic front runner in the presidential race, he's just blasting Senator Hillary Clinton saying she refused to swear off special interest money from lobbyist.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN EDWARDS, (D) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: She says you bring change by working within the system established by the constitution. I think the system has been corrupted by corporate powers never contemplated by the constitution.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Edwards accuses Clinton of defending a lobbyist driven political system.
Republican Mitt Romney he is hammering away at the radical jihadist movement during a campaign stop in Iowa. Romney says the new videotape from Osama Bin Laden reminds the world what the face of evil looks like. He says the whole radical jihadist movement is a form of delusion.
Meanwhile Republican Senator John McCain is restating his warning against a pullout from Iraq. He says failure in Iraq would pull the U.S. into a more difficult war. McCain made his latest comments at the State Republican Convention in California yesterday and according to the "L.A. Times" he was the only presidential contender to speak at that convention.
You helped us out. You did this once for us and now it's time for history to repeat itself. Go to CNN.com/youtube debates and post your questions for the Republicans' presidential candidates. That debate Wednesday, November 28. Your voice will be heard. Only on CNN, your home for politics.
NGUYEN: Well, the early reigns of Gabrielle now hitting land. Reynolds Wolf is tracking this latest tropical storm and he joins us now. Good morning Reynolds.
WOLF: Good morning. Gabrielle does continue to churn its way to the Outer Banks. Take a look at this live imagine that we have for you from Cape Hatteras. You can see a few scattered clouds. The wind is picking up and a few white caps out there. We'll bring you the latest coming up in just a few moments here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
NGUYEN: Reynolds, take a look at this. A teen missing for eight days crawls from a crash site. It is a remarkable roadside story, and it's right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) HOLMES: A police standoff in Odessa, Texas has left two officers dead and a third wounded. Authorities say they were shot last night while responding to a domestic disturbance call and that lead to the standoff that latest for hours. The suspected gunman is hospitalized this morning with two gun wounds. He could face two counts of capital murder and one count of attempted murder.
A missing Maryland teenager has been found alive alongside the road. It is an amazing story of survival. Eighteen year old Julian McCormick was missing for a week, but he was closer than anyone thought. McCormick was trapped at the bottom of a ravine just 15 miles from his college campus and his family's home. He was stuck in his overturned car with no food or water. Finally, he was somehow able to climb out on his own and was spotted by a passing car.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JULIAN MCCORMICK: I said, mom, there's a boy lying on the side of the road. I said, what do I do? Well, you have to call 911. We pulled over and walked backed down around here and called 911. We pulled around, turned around down here. I didn't know if I should get out of the car because he was by himself and rolling around with his arms up here like this. I couldn't see exactly what had happened to him. But I knew that he had been bleeding. My mom called 911. I got out of the car and walked up to him he was laying there and he had scratches on his face. I said, are you OK? What happened to you? He said he was in a car accident. I said OK. I went over to told my mom, get an ambulance. I said, how long have you been here? Is he is today Friday? I said no, it's Saturday. He said, I think I've been here since Friday morning.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: They suspect McCormick was dehydrated, but medical officials say he will be OK.
The Reverend Jesse Jackson is in Louisiana today asking people to come together after a racially charged case that has split the community apart. Jena, has gotten a lot of attention recently with the story of the so called Jena six, there are six African American high school students who were charged with attempted murder after a school yard beating involving a white student. Yesterday radio host Michael Baisden told our Tony Harris that the charges are just too harsh.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL BAISDEN, RADIO HOST, THE MICHAEL BAISDEN SHOW: We're here to show that family support. We're here to let the nation and the world know that we stand together not only as black people, but as parents, man. This thing is unequal justice for anyone. The poor whites, Hispanics, Asia, anybody else, we know the system doesn't work and we are not going to allow them to put these young men in prison for 22 years for nothing more than a high school fight. It's not going to happen.
(END VIDEO CLIP) NGUYEN: We're going to continue following this story and it one that has divided the community along racial lines.
Well there are reports this morning of a possibly hate crime at the University of Maryland. Campus police say they found what appears to be a noose. It was hanging just outside the campus cultural center. Students at the school are outraged.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CONNIE ILOH, UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND STUDENT: Every time I walk past it, I feel a little scared because I look up and I'm more cautious.
MEGAN SENSENBAUGH, UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND STUDENT: I think it's disgusting that someone would do that. This is Maryland. If you can't deal with the diversity, don't come to this school because it's full of diversity.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: The University issued a statement saying it is proud of its diversity, they say they are extremely concerned and they are investigating.
T.J.
HOLMES: Betty, inspired by 9/11, a Canadian poet turns to Islam in search of peace. She joins us this morning for our "Faces of Faith."
But first --
ROB MARCIANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Rob Marciano on the beach at Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Just to our south, tropical storm Gabrielle is churning this way. A live report is coming up on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
HOLMES: All right. We will see you shortly there Rob.
Also take a look at these pictures. Thanks to the web site Surfcheck.com, live pictures of the North Carolina coast as Gabrielle churns the surf. We are tracking Gabrielle this Sunday morning right here on CNN. Don't go away.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Well, good morning and welcome back everybody, on this Sunday. I'm Betty Nguyen.
HOLMES: And I'm T.J. Holmes.
And the surfs up and the rip tides are strong. Nobody should be swimming along the Carolina coastline right about now with tropical storm Gabrielle expected to make landfall. NGUYEN: We want you to take a look at this. Cars becoming boats at the river's edge. Why is it happening? You have to see it in our I- report?
But in the mean time President Bush is back in Washington gearing up for a battle with Congress over Iraq. There is some new video now of the president arriving at the White House just about two hours ago. During a stop over in Hawaii on the way back from Australia, the president urged members of Congress to listen before making up their minds about Iraq.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: General David Petraeus will be reporting to the Congress along with Ambassador Crocker on Monday and Tuesday. I will then talk about a way forward after their report. I asked the members of Congress to sit back and listen to what we all have to say before they reach the conclusions that they're going to reach.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: The president met with U.S. forces and visited wounded troops during his stop in Hawaii. He's returning from the Asia Pacific Summit in Sydney, Australia.
It is a tough sale. President Bush will have a difficult time trying to convince some members of Congress that the troop buildup in Iraq is working.
HOLMES: Chief national correspondent John King looks at the talent of selling that so-called surge.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOHN KING, CNN CHIEF NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: He doesn't like hypotheticals, especially when it comes to war and troop levels. Yet there he was in Iraq. Speculation suddenly part of an aggressive new White House sales pitch.
BUSH: If the kind of success we are now seeing continues, it will be possible to maintain the same level of security with fewer American forces.
JON ALTERMAN, CTR. FOR STRATEGIC & INL. STUDIES: This feels to me like the president's last big political campaign. And if he can't win this, in September and October, he is well into the lame duck period of his presidency.
KING: Selling the surge is no easy task. His credibility as commander and chief has tarnished by a long, unpopular war.
WHIT AYRES, REPUBLICAN POLLSTER: The majority of the American people have already made up their minds about President Bush. When he talks, he primarily persuades those who are already convinced, but he still needs to do whatever he can to promote his policy. KING: So for two weeks, it has been his mission, a stop at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Convention.
BUSH: I stand before you as a war time president...
KING: And the American Legion.
BUSH: Many people in this country are asking whether the fight under way today is worth it.
KING: White House allies are helping out with a multimillion dollar ad blitz.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I believe we're making progress in the war in Iraq and stabilizing the country.
KING: Mr. Bush's surprised trip to Iraq added drama to a carefully orchestrated White House campaign. The goal, to shape the political climate before next week, when Iraq ground Commander General David Petraeus reports to Congress. At stake is the upper hand in this fall's defining political battle. Most Democrats want significant troop reductions now and say a new Government Accountability Office report showing Iraq has failed to meet 11 of 18 security and political benchmarks is more proof Mr. Bush has failed.
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D), MASSACHUSETTS: Setting the redeployment deadline is the key to in fact improving those conditions.
KING: Mr. Bush though wants not only to keep the surge in place a few more months, to get billions more to fund the war without any withdrawal timelines or major strings attached.
BUSH: I refuse to jump to conclusions until the general and ambassador report.
KING: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) this trip highlighted another pressing challenge.
ALTERMAN: Ultimately, the administration has to walk away from the ambition that Iraq is a single, unified, Democratic, non-sectarian government.
KING: But evidence of at least modest military progress appears likely to buy Mr. Bush time to buy a troop draw-down more on his own terms because his critics once again concede they likely lack the votes to force the president's hand.
John King, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Something special here we're doing we want to tell you about. If you have a question for any Iraqi teen, our Aneesh Raman is in Baghdad. He will take your questions to the streets. You can just send him your questions by going to CNN.com/ireport and watch his reports all this week live from Iraq to get those answers.
We do have some brand new video coming in to us now. We want to show you, those are the McCanns, Gerry and Kate McCann, of course the parents of 4-year-old Madeleine McCann who has been missing since in May. Of course these are the parents who are now considered suspects in the disappearance of their little girl, 4-year-old Madeleine.
They are returning here now to Great Britain from Portugal. Even though they've been named official suspects they still were allowed to leave the country. Portuguese police still allowed them to leave and this is them returning. Those apparently are the other two. They're twins who were left at home alone with Madeleine -- I should say at a resort at the time with Madeleine when Madeleine disappeared. Here is a live look now. They're speaking. Let's listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've got a lovely daughter, Madeleine.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How difficult was it to come back, Gerry?
(SOUNDS)
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Sounds like we might have missed the first part of those comments. We're going to try and rewrap that tape and get it back to you and take a listen to exactly what they had to say. Not much apparently that they did have to say, but these are the McCanns returning home now after being named official suspects by the Portuguese police in the disappearance of their daughter, Madeleine.
They are once again after getting off this plane, I'm being told now just in those brief comments, once again saying that they are innocent. But again they have come under some cloud of suspicion now by the Portuguese police. They have been named suspects, but again, once again, now landing back home in Great Britain still saying that they are innocent and will continue to spite to find their 4-year-old Madeleine and what happened to her.
This is a story that got more intriguing, if you will, over the past several days, a story that has really captured worldwide attention and now getting more attention now that the parents have been named official suspects. We are continuing to follow this story and bring you the updates as we get them here at CNN.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: In the meantime, though we are seeing some rough surf running along the North Carolina coast. Take a look at this live picture right here from Nags Head, North Carolina, seen on the Web site Surfcheck.com, now the waves being whipped up by winds from tropical storm Gabrielle.
That storm is expected to make landfall early this afternoon and people on North Carolina's barrier islands are being told to be ready for high water and some wind, lots of it, but so far, no reports of mandatory evacuations are being ordered. CNN's Rob Marciano joins us now live from Cape Hatteras on North Carolina's outer banks. Rob, the winds have definitely picked up.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It certainly has as this storm gets closer. Betty, right now just over 50 miles to our south and east and heading towards -- in this direction at about 10 miles an hour. So that would bring the center right here or close to the outer banks later on, probably shortly after lunchtime. Winds have picked up in the last couple of hours.
The rainfall has been sporadic. Last night we had a couple of pretty bad outer bands coming through with thunder, lightning, gusty winds and heavy rain, but the past hour or so has been relatively dry, winds probably anywhere from 25 to 35 miles an hour but not tropical storm force at the moment. On the outer banks here in Currituck County, North Carolina, fairly small, year-round population of 29,000.
That swells during the summertime, as you can imagine, to over 200,000 on a daily basis, mostly vacationers. We spoke to a couple yesterday and they talked about what they're going to do as this storm approaches.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have a week off and I wasn't about to change my vacation plans. It's not a hurricane yet, so we're here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARCIANO: That seems to be the ongoing theme not only for vacationers, but the people that live here. There are no evacuation orders. Winds aren't expected to get terribly bad, but they will get some rainfall and they will get some storm surge. Over my left shoulder is a lighthouse that's been in place for over 100 years. They actually moved it back from the shore line back in 1999.
It was a good thing because then it would have been eaten up by the ocean. Over my right shoulder is the sand dunes and the beach and of course the waves crashing in here. This is an area of the country that is in constant flux. Every storm that comes by changes this coastline and well that lighthouse, if they didn't move it, it would be out in the ocean right there. So you see the surf rolling in here.
High tide is actually -- was about an hour ago, so that's good news with landfall expected to happen, if it does, in about six or seven hours during low tide, so there will be some surge. And there's a two-fold problem when you talk about a hurricane or a tropical storm that gets close to North Carolina. You have got the surge and the effects of the battering waves, but on the other side of this land mass is Pimlico Sound, which can get its own storm surge with any sort of sustained winds and we've seen that in past hurricanes.
Speaking of past hurricanes and tropical storms, this is probably the stormiest city or town in the country. Every two and a half years Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, is at least affected by some sort of tropical storm. In 2005, they were scraped by Hurricane Ophelia, '04 Alex and '03 really hammered by Hurricane Isabelle. This storm expected not to be anywhere near that strong, but they will get some effects of it, no doubt about that. Betty, back over to you.
NGUYEN: All right, Rob. It's again awfully windy, even to the point that it's kind of hard to hear you, but we know that this thing is going to be blowing ashore this afternoon and we'll be checking in with you very shortly. We'll also be checking in with Reynolds Wolf to get a look at the storm as it does come ashore and it's not just North Carolina that is going to take the brunt of this, right?
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well it is mostly going to be the outer banks, but you have to remember from South Carolina northward to I'd say up near Maryland, even as far north as the Jersey shore line, you're going to be dealing with some heavier surf, some rain as well, all because of this system, Gabrielle that you see right over my shoulder.
Let's take that full story to our viewers at home. You can get a good gander at it. You see at the bottom of the screen and they have got some deep convection there. The storm is chugging its way to the west and eventually going to turn more to the north. At this time, tropical storm force winds extend some 45 miles from the center. Storm surge could be anywhere from two to three feet. It is possible, also one to three inches of rainfall.
Isolated amounts may approach five inches. Not only are we going to be seeing some rainfall, but there is that (UNINTELLIGIBLE) possibility that we could be dealing with a few isolated tornadoes if all is said and done. As it stands, we have a tropical storm warning that is in effect from Cape Charles Light southward to Surf City.
This is an area that is going to be affected by the storm no question about it and the latest path we have from the National Hurricane Center brings the storm right through the outer banks. We get through the mid-day hours, by 2:00 p.m., it is going to have winds right around 50 miles an hour. Maximum sustained winds with some stronger gusts. Pretty much the same story as we get to 2:00 a.m. Monday, but then notice it is going to veer its way off to the north and northeast into late Monday and into Tuesday, as well.
And weakening with maximum sustained winds dropping to 45 and 40 miles an hour as it moves into much cooler water. We have a lot of information we're going to share with you throughout much of the morning and throughout the day, as well, but for now, you guys at the desk have your own stories. Let's send it back over to you, Betty.
NGUYEN: Yes we do and a lot to tell you about. Thank you, Reynolds.
WOLF: You bet.
HOLMES: And coming up, a voice we don't often hear.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And I know that I've been handed less than the rest (UNINTELLIGIBLE) as I watch my brothers and sisters laid to rest. See this incessant poking and stabbing in any chest. Take it. It's loaded. Pull the trigger and confess.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: A woman, a poet, her inspiration is live. She's here with us this morning (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Also take a listen to some other stuff we have got coming up. Of course we're going to be keeping up with the tropical storm, Gabrielle that's turning, so stay here with CNN. Certainly your hurricane headquarters and the most trusted name in news.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WOLF: I'm Reynolds Wolf here at CNN, your hurricane headquarters. Let's give you the very latest on Gabrielle. Let's go right to the weather computer and show you what we have with the storms. The storm is still chugging its way off the Carolina coast. It is expected to make its way onshore into the Carolinas, right along the outer banks as we get to the midday hours.
Currently the tropical storm warning extends from Cape Charles Light southward to Surf City. And we have a watch up near New Point Comfort and that is (UNINTELLIGIBLE) in effect throughout much of the day and into much of the evening as well. Latest pathway out to the National Hurricane Center brings it into the outer banks around lunch time, then as we get to, let's say 2:00 a.m. Monday, winds going up to 65 miles an hour, again which is a little stronger.
This is the latest forecast that we have for you, a big stronger just over the last hour or so. So it is going to be just, really, still shy of hurricane strength. But it will be a little bit more intense than we had anticipated. Then, as you'll notice, the storm gets to say Monday and (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Tuesday will weaken considerably dropping in power with 60 mile-per-hour maximum sustain winds, then to 45 as we get to Tuesday, as it enters much, much cooler water. That is the latest on Gabrielle. Of course, we're going to have more for you right here on CNN.
HOLMES: All right. All right, Reynolds, we appreciate you.
And folks we want to continue to update you on the story of little Madeleine McCann, the 4-year-old who has been missing, disappeared in Portugal, on vacation there with her parents. The parents of Madeleine McCann now under suspicion have been named officially suspects by the Portuguese police. There is the story of the little girl there.
This story has made national headlines for the past several months since May, since the little girl went missing. The parents weren't far away, but left her and her young siblings in the hotel room by themselves while they had dinner, a short distance away, but the parents now under suspicion, have been named official suspects.
They were questioned the past several days by Portuguese police. Now they left Portugal and arrived back home in Great Britain. They arrived just a short time ago and made a quick statement, short statement as they got off the plane. Let's take a listen now to Madeleine McCann's father, again now considered officially a suspect.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GERRY MCCANN, MADELEINE MCCANN'S FATHER: Kate (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and I have been (UNINTELLIGIBLE). We come into Britain after very careful thought. We want the twins as much as is reasonably possible to live an ordinary life in their home country. I want to consider the events of the last few days, which have been so deeply disturbing. While it's heartbreaking to return to the UK without Madeleine, that does not mean we're giving up the search for her.
As parents, we cannot give up on our daughter until we know what has happened. We have to keep doing everything that we can to find her. Kate and I wish to thank, once again, all those that have supported us over the past days, weeks and months. But we would also like to ask for our privacy to be respected now that we have returned home.
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) the Portuguese authorities and police. Portuguese law prohibits us from commenting further on the police investigation. Despite (UNINTELLIGIBLE) much we wish to say we are unable to do so except to say that we have played no part in the disappearance of our lovely daughter, Madeleine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: And there you have it, Gerry and Kate McCann returning home with their young twins, now the parents, suspects in the disappearance officially called suspects by the Portuguese police and the disappearance of their 4-year-old girl, Madeleine. They have now returned home, as you just heard him say there, returned home asking for privacy and says they will continue to do everything they can to find their 4-year-old girl, Madeleine.
But right now, they are considered suspects, saying also that the Portuguese police, the law allows them to return home and also the law in Portugal prevents them from speaking now any further about the police investigation. So they can't comment on it but wanted to reiterate there at the end, as he just said, that they played no part in the disappearance of their lovely daughter, Madeleine, so new developments on this story. We will continue to watch it this morning and bring you any updates as we get them.
Also, we will continue to update you on Tropical Storm Gabrielle which, of course, is churning right now and threatening the outer banks in North Carolina. We have reporters on the ground there. Also, our Reynolds Wolf is watching things for us here at our CNN Hurricane Headquarters, so stay right here, a lot more to bring to you this morning.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: All right. Veronica de la Cruz, good morning kind ma'am. How are you?
VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. How are you guys doing today?
NGUYEN: We're doing great.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good.
HOLMES: Thought we would say hello first.
(LAUGHTER)
DE LA CRUZ: I appreciate it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Speaking of that, there (UNINTELLIGIBLE) quite an unusual gathering of car enthusiasts. What is this all about?
DE LA CRUZ: Well we're going to get and head to the Web, of course. We want to go ahead and show you a couple of I-Reports that we've gotten in, also a pretty interesting article at CNN.com (UNINTELLIGIBLE) cars of all times. We're going to start with this I- Report from Glen Houting. It shows some rare cars driving into a lake yesterday near Holland, Michigan.
Pay attention, guys. This is the Amphicar. It was actually built for water. Now these little convertibles were mass produced back in the 60s by a German carmaker, but they never really caught on. I mean you haven't really seen too many of these around, right?
NGUYEN: No.
DE LA CRUZ: Yes. There are only about 4,000 out there, probably less than 500 remain. But if you do want one...
(CROSSTALK)
DE LA CRUZ: Yes, good luck, because the remaining ones are a collector's item. They cost about $100,000 apiece.
NGUYEN: Wow.
DE LA CRUZ: And they might come in handy during a flood. We always hear about people getting stuck in the water.
NGUYEN: How about just not driving in water that you don't know how deep it is. That might be a little bit easier...
(CROSSTALK)
NGUYEN: ... than paying $100,000.
DE LA CRUZ: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) at 7 miles an hour, so that...
NGUYEN: That's the top speed?
DE LA CRUZ: That's how fast they go.
NGUYEN: Through the water, not on the road.
DE LA CRUZ: Yes.
NGUYEN: OK, just as long as we get that clear.
(CROSSTALK)
DE LA CRUZ: I want to get you back to the 50 worst cars of all times. "TIME" magazine has this article. Talking about the Amphicar, they called it a vehicle destined to revolutionize drowning. A photo essay of all 50 clunkers posted on the CNN.com home page. You should check it out because some of these vehicles are so outrageous it is a wonder that they were ever built. Do you remember not just the Amphicar, but going back to the 80s, another car that made that list, the DeLorean, with the (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...
NGUYEN: "Back to the Future"...
(CROSSTALK)
DE LA CRUZ: Right.
NGUYEN: Yes.
DE LA CRUZ: Right. Right. So that's also on that list.
(CROSSTALK)
HOLMES: So the Amphicar was the worst?
DE LA CRUZ: Well, it is one of them. There are 50 on that list. May kind of -- you know it kind of chronicles, like a nice little timeline there...
(CROSSTALK)
DE LA CRUZ: I think your car is on there, too.
(LAUGHTER)
NGUYEN: No, his car is new.
(LAUGHTER)
HOLMES: All right. Thank you.
NGUYEN: Thank you.
Well we want to talk about saving a life now because a 12-year- old boy takes actions to save the lives of thousands of sick children. We have that story. It is today's CNN hero, right after this.
HOLMES: Also, free at last. The woman held hostage in Iran speaks to our Jill Dougherty. It is an exclusive you will see next hour only right here on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK) (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Baby making, nervous shaking, victims of bone breaking, is that what you want me to be? Is that what your purpose is when you broadcast us Muslims on TV? A seeker of pity that I am not, so I ask you politely, please stop, stop misinforming humanity about who and what I am because a strong Muslim female is someone to be respected, not dammed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: The passionate outpourings of (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Sofia Servando Baig, the 19-year-old Canadian Muslim discovered the role of Islam in her life after the September 11th attacks. And early last year, she took her lifelong interests into public poetry. Her words of tolerance and courage is our focus into this morning's "Faces of Faith".
Sophia joins us now from Montreal. I have to ask you, you said 9/11 was a real turning point for you. Tell us how that got you into not only a region but speaking in such words that have moved many people.
SOFIA SERVANDO BAIG, SPOKEN WORD POET: Well, the first thing is that I went to a Catholic private school here in Montreal. And growing up, I didn't know much about Islam. I was born (UNINTELLIGIBLE) but I didn't -- I wasn't practicing, I didn't really know how to pray, I didn't even really know the basics of Islam.
But -- so I didn't know the basis of Islam, but then later on when September 11th happened, it was a big turning point in any life because throughout my whole life I've been trying to search for something and that was myself. I didn't really have a personality. I didn't really know who I was as an individual and that had a factor because my father is Pakistani and my mother is Chinese and Spanish, so growing up that was very hard for me.
And the moment September 11th happened, it was as if the world already had labeled me as something and something that I didn't even know that I was. I didn't understand that. And so being a Muslim, the world had already labeled me as you know something negative. So I started to question myself and question my faith to think, you know, what is so wrong about my religion and what is so wrong about myself?
And so I started studying Islam and reading upon it and then that encouraged me to learn more about myself. And the moment I started getting into Islam, I really found who I was and I found you know -- I found who Sofia Baig really was, basically.
NGUYEN: And you know one of your poems, it's called "Jihad Within" and that's the title of it. But in this post 9/11 world, when you hear the word Jihad, a lot of people raise their eyebrows, talk to us about what this poem means.
BAIG: OK. Well "Jihad Within" actually means -- well jihad actually means struggle. And it doesn't necessarily mean holy war. So when I say "Jihad Within" it means the struggle within, so it's the struggle within me. It is the war within myself. And when I had written that poem, it was -- I was going through a very hard time in my life and so my poetry is very cathartic, so I just wrote down what ever was coming into my mind and in my heart.
And so that poem is basically an outcry of desperation and it is an outcry to God, you know trying to tell him, you know please guide me because right now, I don't know where I am and I don't know where I stand you know. And so I understand that that word, Jihad, is very -- stands out a lot, especially in these times.
And that's the reason why I wrote -- I used that title because at the same time, I'm educating people to understand what jihad means. You know it is not something -- it is not -- it is not necessarily -- it doesn't necessarily mean holy war.
NGUYEN: Well so a lot of Muslims...
(CROSSTALK)
NGUYEN: ... your words have become such an inspiration. I want to know though just very quickly within the community, those both inside and outside the Muslim community, what kind of feedback have you gotten?
BAIG: Honestly, I could say it's very positive. Within the Muslim community I've been getting a lot of encouragement. There hasn't been anything really negative towards me. And I understand that I'm a woman and sometimes people you know will think, you know, will she be told to be quiet or you know be pushed aside. But really I've been encouraged from all age groups and all types of people.
And within the anonymous community, within the North American society I've been encouraged as well. And I've done some poetry shows where it hasn't been Muslim oriented, the crowd hasn't been Muslim oriented, and I've been getting very positive feedback from them.
NGUYEN: That is terrific. Well it's all very passionate, your words here and you're a very strong woman and we appreciate you coming on today to talk about not only your passion for poetry, but your religion, as well. Thank you.
BAIG: Thank you very much.
HOLMES: And stay here, folks. Our "CNN Hero" right after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: A young man with a cause. That is this morning's "CNN Hero". Pat Pedraja is on a mission, getting bone marrow donors for those suffering from cancer and it is a very personal quest.
Here now his story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) PAT PEDRAJA: The doctor came in and just said, you have leukemia and it was devastating, horrifying and scary. I knew about cancer because both my grandparents have died from it.
While I was in the hospital and I was watching the TV and the Hispanic girl died because she couldn't find a marrow transplant. Most likely to find a match within your own ethnic city.
I am half Hispanic and I decided to change it because it could affect me too. I said, mom, I want to do something. I want to have a bone marrow drive. I said, yeah, we're going to do a drive for these bone marrow donors.
Hi my name is Pat Pedraja, and I'm 12 years old, and I'm trying to sign people up to the National Marrow Registry. It's our responsibility as human beings to watch out for somebody else.
It's a 30-city national marrow drive. We sold advertisement spots on the bus and on the head, and we raised close to $100,000.
(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): Patrick is doing something that it comes inside him. It's something that's very personal to his heart. His sister died of leukemia because she could not find a match within the Brazilian community. They have to find a match in the national registry.
PEDRAJA: If you sign up to the registry, it's a cheek swab. You could be the one to save a kid's life.
And you are going to be on the registry until you your 61st birthday, which is a really long time away. This is your card. If you ever move or anything, just call it and this is your marrow number.
(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): All right.
(UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE): I'm in remission, and I feel fine, but I still have cancer.
(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): As 12 years old, is he showing that each one of us can do so much to save other people's lives.
PEDRAJA: People don't know that it's such a big issue and that people are dying. I want to change that.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: You can go to cnn.com/heroes to check out Pat McGraw on the road during his incredible cross-country tour, and while you are there, you can also nominate a hero of your own. You have until September 30th to get your nominations in. The winner will be honored in an event hosted by Anderson Cooper.
NGUYEN: We do want to start this morning with severe weather, which is on the way. Take a look at the map here. The effects of tropical storm Gabrielle already being felt along the North Carolina coast. The storm is moving closer to landfall and it is expected early this afternoon. People in the path of Gabrielle are preparing for strong winds, but so far there have been no reports of mandatory evacuations. CNN's John Zarrella is live in Atlantic Beach, North Carolina this morning as he prepares along with the others around him for the storm to roll in. Hi, John.
ZARRELLA: Hey, Betty. That's right. No mandatory evacuations. Really not necessary for a tropical system like this. We're getting a little bit of a squall moving through, a misty rain, a little bit of wind right now. Certainly we expect the conditions to get a little worse as we go through the morning hours. The storm, you can see in the distance there a lot of the clouds there right near the outer edges of tropical storm Gabrielle. You see some folks out there walking the beach, it is that kind of day here, and it is not going to be a great day for the beach. When you get a really bad storm moves along the coastline, just to the right you can see the sand dunes, you know when you really bad storm that moves along the coast line those sand dunes are really the natural barrier against hurricanes, natures natural barrier. They are not gong to be tested today fortunately.
We are on a fishing pier here in Atlantic Beach and if you look off here to the right you can see some of the squall lines, some rain showers in the distance, the sun trying to make its way through. Again, that's the kind of day it's going to be here. Had an opportunity a few minutes ago to talk to a gentleman who has taken some time this morning to fish on the pier, and he is just glad the weather is not so bad that he can't get out here.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE): We have a week off, and I wasn't about to change my vacation plans. It's not a hurricane yet, so we're here.
(UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE): Just came by here to see if it's fishable, and look like its OK, so --
ZARRELLA: Maybe you'll get lucky and catch some fish.
(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): I caught one, and saw some fish jumping, so hope to hook one.
ZARRELLA: Dinner is down there somewhere.
(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): You got it. A friend of mine is expecting that one.
ZARRELLA: Yeah.
(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): A friend of mine is expecting.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ZARRELLA: So he says that he catches blue fish and Spanish Marcel. He hasn't had much luck yet this morning. Maybe that's coming. They've had terrible drought here in North Carolina, and a lot of folks we spoke with on the airplane as we were flying into Wilmington last night were saying, look, we got to really hope this storm moves inland. We desperately need the rain. If you've got to have a tropical system, you know, Betty, this is the kind you want, but, unfortunately, the storm is just going to skirt the coastline, and they're really not going to get the drought-busting rain from this thing that they need, but here in the Carolinas they're saying anything is better than nothing right about now.
Betty.
NGUYEN: You know it's bad when they're asking for a tropical storm just to get some rain. All right. John Zarrella. Thank you for that.
There are watches and warnings all along the North Carolina coast. Keeping an eye on Gabrielle as the storm approaches land is our Reynolds Wolf, he is in the Hurricane Headquarters this morning watching it all with the latest. So, Reynolds, whether do you think it's going to make landfall?
WOLF: I'm thinking around lunchtime, around noon or so. Maybe a bit before, maybe a bit after. When the storm is this big, we want to focus on the eye. Long before the eye are, I guess, the center is -- there's not a well-defined eye. Long before the center makes it on shore, you'll be dealing with conditions that will be deteriorating where more clouds, more showers, storms, are and you will also be dealing with rougher surf too.
Take a look at this. We're going to zoom in. There it is. It's really not that hard to see. Just near the bottom of your screen. It's just a small rotating storm, tropical storm winds all extending out 45 miles this time. Storm surge anywhere from two to three feet expected. Anywhere from one to three inches. Although rainfall can be anticipated, maybe a few isolated spots but certainly not the great deal of moisture they desperately need in parts of the Tar Heel state.
Here's the tropical storm warning, and watches that we have for you. The warning structures from Cape Charles lying southward to Surf City. It includes just the area of few point comfort that you see right here towards the middle of your screen.
The latest we have from the National Hurricane Center shows the path of the storm. The storm is expected to strengthen, currently winds at 50 miles per hour, but gusts have been stronger, going to 65. Now, as we get to 2:00 p.m., yes, it is expected to intensify with maximum sustained winds of 65 miles per hour. It should retain that strength as we get to early morning on Monday at 2:00 a.m., but the storm is expected to move parallel to the coast, and then veer to the northeast.
Into Monday we go, late Monday afternoon, and then into Tuesday winds of 60 and then 45 miles per hour as it moves into cool water. It's going to lose a lot of its bite. One of the reasons why the storm is not going to make its way on shore is pretty simple. We have a frontal boundary that is moving in from the eastern half of the Great Lakes into the Tennessee Valley, and that frontal boundary that you see behind me is going to be like a giant broom pushing Gabrielle away from the coast. That's the latest we have for you. We'll have more on your forecast, not just all on the coast, but around the nation. It's moments away, but for now let's send it back to you at the news desk.
NGUYEN: OK, Reynolds, we'll be watching as well.
WOLF: See you then.
HOLMES: The parents of missing 4-year-old Madeleine McCann are back home in England. They arrived a short time ago. Kate and Gerry McCann were allowed to leave Portugal even though both are now considered suspects in the disappearance of their daughter. They are considered suspects, but they have not been charged with anything, and they do maintain their innocence.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GERRY MCCANN, MADELEINE'S FATHER: Portuguese law prohibits us from commenting further on the police investigation. We wish to say we are unable to do so except to say this. We have played no part in the disappearance of our lovely daughter Madeleine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Well, Madeleine McCann disappeared from a Portuguese resort May 3rd. A family spokesperson says the couple is now home trying to give some sense of normalcy to their 2-year-old twins.
NGUYEN: Well missing for a week. Now a Maryland college student has an amazing story of survival to tell. Turns out he was trapped inside his wrecked car after he ran off the road and landed upside down in a ravine. Well, yesterday 18-year-old Julian McCormick managed to climb up the embankment to the side of the road, and that is when a good Samaritan spotted him.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LEIGH ANN HESS, FOUND MISSING STUDENT: I don't know how long he had been laying there. I just thought I can't believe that he lived. I just can't believe that he was laying there talking to me. He knew his name. He knew everything.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Paramedics say McCormick was dehydrated, but didn't suffer any life-threatening injuries, and get this the road where McCormick crashed goes right by his family's home.
HOLMES: This is new to us this morning. Video here of a pretty close call of a car that you see there that was stalled on a railroad crossing early this morning in Chicago. For whatever reason, the driver did not get out of her car even though an approaching Amtrak train was just about on top of her. Luckily, Thomas Foust came to the rescue.
THOMAS FOUST, SAVED DRIVER: I ran up to her car and started pounding on the window and said, ma'am, you know, you got to get out of this vehicle, and I opened the door for her because she didn't have any idea what was going on, and I unclipped her seat belt and pulled her out, and seconds later the car got struck by the train, and I was maybe ten feet away, and I covered her up so no debris hit her.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: And moments after that forced impact, the car was hit by a second train that was coming in the opposite direction. No injuries were reported in this incident.
NGUYEN: Also new this morning, a standoff turns deadly for two police officers in Texas. Authorities say the two officers were shot and killed while responding to a domestic disturbance. Now, a third officer was wounded in that shooting in Odessa, Texas, last night. Authorities say the gunman opened fire on police after they were called to the house. The suspected gunman was shot in the abdomen. He will likely face two counts of capital murder.
HOLMES: President Bush is back in Washington ready for a renewed fight with Congress over the war in Iraq. Here's video of the president arriving at the White House just a few hours ago. He is returning from the APEC Summit in Sydney, Australia. The president plans a nationally televised address this week. He says he will lay out a vision of the future U.S. war in Iraq.
Congress will be getting a crucial update on the troop build up in Iraq tomorrow from the top military commander there, General David Petraeus testifies along with Ambassador Ryan Crocker. Petraeus is expected to tell lawmakers that the buildup has produced progress on the ground there in Iraq.
NGUYEN: All right. So happy to be home after spending eight months in an Iranian prison.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE): Sleeping in my own bed after eight months. Getting to shower in my own bathroom after eight months.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: How did she make it, and why was she finally set free? It is a story that you'll see right here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING. That's coming up.
HOLMES: And, of course, party time before the main event. The star-studded night in Vegas with performance from Britney Spears at MTV's Video Music Awards. We'll be talking about it right after the break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Well it was a night blitz and glamour, Oprah Winfrey puts the spotlight on Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama, at her home in California she threw a huge fundraiser, even bussing guests in. The cost of a ticket, $2,300 a piece. And the best part --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): Just being here. Just being here. It's wonderful. Wonderful evening. She should run for president herself.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: Well, lots of big names showed up, including Sydney Poitier, Forest Whitaker, and Cindy Crawford. The event was expected to raise $3 million.
HOLMES: Want to update you now on a story we first told you about yesterday, CNN has now confirmed that Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel will not run again. Sources close to the influential Republican tell us Hagel will not seek re-election when his term runs out in January of 2009. He won't be running for president in 2008. There had been a lot of speculation that Hagel will be throwing his hat in the ring. Hagel is expected to make the official announcement tomorrow.
Hollywood and politics, actor, former senator officially joins the presidential race, and, of course, Oprah Winfrey throwing her star power behind Barack Obama. CNN's political editor Mark Preston he is going to join us next hour to talk about all that good stuff.
NGUYEN: Well, the Emmy goes to -- can I get a drum roll or something? Spike Lee. That's not Spike Lee, though. We'll get to him. There he goes. His New Orleans documentary "When the Levees Broke" won three awards at the creative arts Emmys last night. Lee snagged one for best directing. That ceremony airs September 15th on E.
HOLMES: And MTV Video Music Awards tonight in Vegas. The city --
NGUYEN: You sound excited.
HOLMES: I am because Britney is going to be there, and she's hoping to launch a comeback. We know this is the city of lights shining brighter with all these stars in town, and yes Britney Spears -- not her -- is the talk of the town right now. She is going to be opening the show. She's the talk of the town, and one of the people she's been spending some time with; let's just take a look at Miss USA for a second. What a good shot. One of the people, a friend of Britney's she's been spotted with lately, imagine -- magician Chris Angel. He says no worries. Britney is going to do just fine.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CHRIS ANGEL: I just gave her my expertise and my advice a while ago, and her choreographers ran with it or maybe didn't, and, you know, it's going to be interesting to see what she does, and I think whatever she does, she's going to do really, really well.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: You can also expect a lot of other stars, including that gentleman, 50 cent. He will be performing. Also Nelle Furtado.
NGUYEN: Chris Angel, a magician, right? Giving Britney his expertise so, maybe it will be a disappearing act.
HOLMES: No, this is a comeback act. She has disappeared. Now he is going to make her reappear.
NGUYEN: We'll see how it turns out. In the meantime, is it too late for Britney Spears to make a comeback? Yep, believe it or not, that is a question that we are asking this morning. Send us your emails. WEEKENDS@CNN.com.
HOLMES: It's Britney now.
NGUYEN: According to us.
HOLMES: This story here you'll want to see. Held in an Iranian prison for eight long months. The Iranian-American is finally home and telling her story of survival to our Jill Dougherty. It's an exclusive coming up later this morning.
NGUYEN: Also, thousands of registered sex offenders say they have to move. Where will they go? That is just minutes away on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): What does a video game have to do with fitness? While many children are using their thumbs to play video games, ours are using their feet. 14-year- old Carolina Davenport loves using video game dance mats to get busy and stay active.
CAROLINA DAVENPORT: I lost about ten pounds.
COSTELLO: The mat in essence replays a traditional remote control for your game console. It connects to a video and TV screen. Kids step on squares while a song plays. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic say kids can burn up to six times the amount of calories using dance mat games versus sedentary games.
LORRAINE LANNINGHAM-FOSTER, MAYO CLINIC: In the range of 200 to 300 calories an hour, so it's quite a substantial increase.
COSTELLO: And children's librarian seems to agree.
CHRISTOPHER BORAWSKI, WHEATON LIBRARY: It burns off the energy they have built up inside. They have to move very fast. They're following all the images on the screen.
COSTELLO: Carol Costello, CNN.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: And, folks, bringing you new video following the travels of the McCann's here, the couple, the parents of 4-year-old Madeleine McCann who went missing back in May at a resort. She was vacationing with her parents. Her parents had left her alone in the hotel room while they went to have dinner, left her with her younger siblings, but these are the McCann's, now officially suspects in Portugal for the disappearance of their daughter.
This is them arriving in their home in Great Britain in their hometown, arriving at their actual home with their young twins, their 2-year-old twins, returning home now to give some sense of normalcy to those young twins, but those two now, the parents, Gerry and Kate McCann, now officially suspects in the disappearance of their daughter, but they were allowed to leave Portugal, but still after landing at the airport just a short time ago, they did make comments once again saying they are innocent and they will continue to fight to find their 4-year-old daughter Madeleine.
NGUYEN: Well a desperate struggle for sanity is taking place. An American scholar imprisoned in Iran accused of plotting a revolution. Now, finally she is back home with her family after more than eight long months. CNN's Jill Dougherty has our exclusive story.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): What Haleh Esfandiari calls her nightmare began last December when she traveled to Iran to visit her 93-year-old mother. On the way back to the airport, her passport was stolen at knife point. Iranian officials questioned her over four months. Then imprisoned her for more than 100 days. The charge, endangering Iranian national security.
HALEH ESFANDIARI, FREED SCHOLAR: There were moments that I dreamed of this return, but to keep my own sanity, I decided I'm going to block thinking about the children, I mean, Haleh, her children, Saul, our life. I didn't want to do that. I decided I'm not going to think about it.
DOUGHERTY: Back home in a Maryland suburb of Washington, D.C. reunited with her husband, Professor Hash, Haleh says conditions in prison were better than might be expected at least physically.
ESFANDIARI: I decided either I'm going to succumb to despair or I'm going to try and make the best of these conditions, and the best of these conditions was to have a disciplined day. I would exercise for many hours. I would read. I would walk a lot. Some three to four hours a day. Even in the room, you know, I who pace up and down timing myself. At some stage I had access to television, and I had access to newspapers.
Public policy --
DOUGHERTY: Haleh Esfandiari is head of the Middle Eastern Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. While in prison she was put on camera for an Iranian state TV documentary allegedly linking U.S. think tanks and nongovernmental organizations with attempts to encourage a soft revolution against the Iranian government.
SHAUL BAKHASH, HUSBAND: Putting people in prison, arresting them, mega fantastic charges against them surely will have a chilling effect on intellectuals, academics, people who travel between Iran and the U.S., and that was part of the purpose too. DOUGHERTY: Esfandiari believes she owes her freedom, in part, to a letter from the head of the Woodrow Wilson Center, former Congressman Lee Hamilton, to the supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali asking for help. In a rare event, the Ayatollah responded to the letter. The Iranian government never explained precisely why she was freed. Now Haleh looks to her garden untended to more than eight months and smiles.
ESFANDIARI: Delighted to be home, you know. Sleeping in my own bed after eight months. Taking a shower in my own bathroom after eight months. Walking around the garden.
DOUGHERTY: Haleh says in spite of her ordeal, she will continue her work of bringing together scholars on Iran. Jill Dougherty, CNN, Potomac, Maryland.
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NGUYEN: In another story we want to tell you about, a convicted sex offender looking for a place to live. Whenever a man learns his identity, he is forced to move. He has been evicted seven times, so now is he living out of a tent in a river bottom in Ventura, California, watched by a taxpayer-funded security guard. The story has reignited the debate over laws restricting where sex offenders can live.
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(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): This isn't what I had in mind when I was released.
(UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE): Never know if they want to do it again or not.
(UNIDENTIFIED MALE): It's kind of a concern because there are small children right next door.
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NGUYEN: A law prohibits sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of a park, school, or beach.
HOLMES: We do want to let you know we are keeping an eye on Gabrielle. Yes. Gabrielle is possibly causing problems there, as can you see, for the North Carolina coast. Our meteorologist Reynolds Wolf is in our Hurricane Center keeping an eye on it, and we have reporters on the ground there on the coast keeping an eye on conditions. Stay here. CNN, your Hurricane Headquarters.
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