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CNN Saturday Morning News

Spirit of America: Reactions in Des Moines

Aired September 15, 2001 - 14:15   ET

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

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
AARON BROWN, CNN ANCHOR: Around the country this Saturday, there is an attempt I guess to get life back to normal. It hasn't been a very normal week, not simply here in New York certainly, but around the country. All the sporting events, major league baseball, football canceled. Some college football games are being played, but in places like Des Moines, Iowa and others, the kids are playing soccer and families are out there with their kids, and Jeff Flock is out there as well to give us a sense of how those of us outside of New York are handling the weekend.

Jeff, good afternoon.

JEFF FLOCK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, Aaron, it is a reminder that for most of this country life does go on. In some sense, this is a return to life. This is a soccer tournament here in Des Moines. As we said, this is where our travels take us today.

I want to tap this young lady on the shoulder. Your daughter is out there playing. Is this a good thing to try to get back to this? I know the pro games are all canceled.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I think the kids need to show a little bit of normalcy, and it gets their mind off things for a moment.

FLOCK: Where is your mind right at this moment?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: At this game and with all the Americans and New York.

FLOCK: What's the next step for this nation?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I believe we are going to war.

FLOCK: Are you ready for that?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We take the right steps and get our ducks in a row, I'm ready.

FLOCK: I hear that. I want to sample that same sort of sentiment out there. This young lady I was just talking just said, "we are going war." She is pretty confident. What do you think?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I think there's going to be some degree of conflict and pursuit of the people that did the terrorist act, but I don't know -- it's difficult to say what kind of war it's going to be.

FLOCK: I hear you. I'm going to bring this young lady, and also we've got the stock market opening again on Monday. Are you worried about the future of this nation in some sense, whether it be the economy, safety?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No, I'm not.

FLOCK: Tell me why.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This country was founded on solid principles that had to do with integrity, honesty, endurance, perseverance, and I believe what we have seen in the midst of all the trauma that we have gone through is that American spirit reemerging.

FLOCK: Where is that spirit going to take us next? This young lady we talked to over here said that war is coming. How do you feel about that?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's a possibility. A man has the right to defend his home, and what America has done time and time again is to honor other countries in their effort to defend their home, so I believe given the principles we were founded on it would not surprise me.

FLOCK: To what sort of lengths -- I want to bring this fellow in who helped organize this tournament -- to what lengths do we go to, does the U.S. go to?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think that we take whatever is necessary, whatever action is necessary to retaliate. And if that means going to war...

FLOCK: Do you have any sense at all what that means at this point? Because this is obviously not a clear-cut case of we know who is out there.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No, we really don't. And I have three boys that are draft age, so I have a pretty good sense of it, but I think that the country has a right to defend itself and defend its way of life, and if we need to do something then we should do it.

FLOCK: And lastly, any second thoughts about canceling the games out here? You've got -- what is it -- 140 teams.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, 139 teams from seven states. No, we thought about it, but this was very for the families and the kids to be together. We thought this is a great opportunity for them to be together, and we've taken steps certainly to recognize the tragedy and have all of us sharing that.

FLOCK: Appreciate the time, thanks very much.

As you can see, Aaron, as we said, for much of this country life does go on, such as it is right now, but the events that surround you there are not very far from anyone's mind here on this soccer field half country away in Des Moines. Back to you.

BROWN: The truth is, it would be almost overwhelmingly depressing if you think about it, if life were not getting back to normal. Part of what is comforting I think for those of us in New York is to know that around the country, while people send good wishes to the rescue workers and to the people here, life has not stopped. Life in fact does go on, must go on, and should go on.

Have you noticed -- you've been in Wisconsin, I think you were in Dubuque yesterday, Des Moines today. Has the mood changed over the course of these days?

FLOCK: It's interesting you asked that, because I do get a sense of that, that you know, we were almost in shock so much that there wasn't room for any other emotions. I didn't feel a lot of other emotion beyond shock. Today, we are really starting to get the first sense of anger, of genuine anger out here, and it will be interesting to track that and see where that goes nationally.

BROWN: Well, the kids look great and the soccer looks fun, and we appreciate your hard work this week. Thank you very much. Jeff Flock.

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