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CNN Saturday Morning News

Novak Zone: An interview with Director of the National Museum of the American Indian, Rick West

Aired September 18, 2004 - 09:00   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.


BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning from the CNN Center. This is CNN SUNDAY MORNING. I'm Betty Nguyen.
DREW GRIFFIN, CNN ANCHOR: Morning, I'm Drew Griffin, 9:00 a.m. here on the East Coast, 6:00 a.m. out in the West. Thanks for starting your day with us.

Video purportedly showing three Western hostages in Iraq is being aired on Al Jazeera TV. The tape here shows two Americans and a Briton cat -- kidnapped two days ago from a home in the affluent Baghdad neighborhood. The men worked for a construction company.

A suicide attacker detonated a car bomb this morning outside an Iraqi national guard headquarters. Iraqi police say at least 19 people killed in this attack, dozens wounded. This happened in the northern city of Kirkuk. Several guardsmen and recruits were among the casualties. This is the third car bomb this week targeting Iraq's security forces.

The U.N. Security Council today takes up the issue of Sudan. It is voting whether to put sanctions on the African nation's oil industry if the government of Sudan doesn't move to end the ethnic violence there. The ongoing violence has sparked a humanitarian crisis that some have labeled genocide.

And in Oklahoma City, actor Macaulay Culkin has been arrested on drug charges. Police say they confiscated marijuana and a prescription drug and an unprescribed sedative. Culkin was a passenger in the vehicle that was stopped for speeding. It was on Interstate 44. He's been released on a $4,000 bond.

Keeping you informed, this is CNN, the most trusted name in news.

NGUYEN: Now here's what's coming up this hour.

Millions of people got slammed by Ivan, and the remnants of this once-fierce hurricane are still tearing things up across the eastern U.S. The latest is straight ahead.

And a big hit reaps a giant reward. San Francisco's Barry Bonds hits one into history, bonding himself with two of the greatest sluggers of all time. That story is also coming up.

Plus, you rooted for them during the Athens Olympics. Now find out what they are doing here at home. U.S. gymnasts Courtney Kupets and Carly Patterson will join us to talk about their historic wins.

GRIFFIN: This hurricane season is just halfway over. Already, it's one for the books, Ivan one of the worst yet, with at least 24 confirmed deaths, about 1.5 million people without power, damage $2 billion and beyond, it could go as high as $10 billion. Just ahead, we'll be speaking to the mayor of hard-hit Gulf Shores for an update.

NGUYEN: Well, Ivan is just a shadow of its former self. But that's no comfort in parts of the country now feeling its effects. North Carolina usually ends up on the receiving end of these former hurricanes.

And CNN's Sean Callebs is in Asheville with the situation there today. Hi, Sean.

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Betty.

You really don't think about the mountains of North Carolina being hit hard by a hurricane, but for the second time in two weeks, this section of the state has really been put to the test trying to clean up.

If you look over here, we're in Asheville. And right now street crews are out there trying to get some of the mud and the muck that came up from floodwaters scraped up, dumped in these trucks.

To give you an idea of how intense the flood was, there's a real thick coating of very slick mud on these streets. But at the high- water point, you can see, the floodwaters actually went up to here on this home.

And we're actually in an area called Biltmore Village, it's a very little trendy area of Asheville, North Carolina. And the folks here just got cleaned up from the last mess, and they hoped to open this weekend, but obviously that's going to be moved back.

As bad as the situation is here, it really pales in comparison to what other parts of the state are dealing with today. Some 200,000 homes are without electricity, eight people so far reported dead from rising floodwaters that swept some homes away, trapped other people in cars. It's going to be a mess. It's going to be a long time before this area gets back to normal.

Joining us now, the mayor of Asheville, Chuck Worley.

Thanks for joining us out here this morning.

MAYOR CHUCK WORLEY, ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA: Oh, it's my pleasure.

CALLEBS: The residents here must be resilient trying to cope with something like this for the second time in about 15 days.

WORLEY: I can't begin to tell you how impressed I am with the folks out here. They were out the day after the first flood cleaning out, trying to get ready to go again, and they are at it again today. CALLEBS: OK. Mayor, we appreciate you joining us. We know that the big vacation time is coming up, the change of color seasons for the fall, their race is on for the people out here that are trying to get ready, they expect a lot of vacationers to come in. Tourism one of the economic linchpins in this area. And if they don't get ready, it could be a very tough fall up here in Asheville, North Carolina, Betty.

Back to you.

NGUYEN: Sounds like they're already starting to get ready with that crew out there today getting rid of that mud and muck. Thank you, Sean Callebs, appreciate that. Drew?

CALLEBS: And as Sean said, other parts of North Carolina hit hard. This is what it's like in Haywood County. Video shot. More than eight inches of rain fell in this area in just a very short period of time. Ivan generated a short but intense storm in the Raleigh-Durham area. Wind gusts up to nearly 80 miles per hour. Flipped small planes, as you can see, and peeled sides off of some airport buildings there. Actually had to shut down the airport for about an hour.

NGUYEN: Ivan smashed into the Gulf Coast Thursday morning, but it will be many more days before people in those coastal areas get a handle on the devastation.

CNN's Chris Lawrence is in Pensacola, Florida, where bricks and mortar were no match for Ivan's wrath.

And I imagine they are beginning to clean up there today too, Chris.

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, exactly, Betty.

Florida Power crews have now turned the lights back on for 40,000 more people in the last day. But this storm was so powerful, a lot of small businesses and homes will have to rebuild from the ground up.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LAWRENCE (voice-over): Hurricane Ivan didn't just destroy this Pensacola family's home, it erased it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You can't even find, like, one piece of furniture. There isn't a couch, there isn't a chair, nothing that's intact at all.

LAWRENCE: Virginia Tyson (ph) and her boyfriend believe their home was washed away by a wall of water.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: By the time it got to our house, I don't know what size it was, but big enough to take it out.

LAWRENCE: The house had been in Virginia's family for 25 years. It survived every hurricane until now. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I called my mother and I told her, The worst picture you could possibly imagine, and it's nothing compared to how bad it is when you are actually looking at it.

LAWRENCE: The destruction is widespread across the Florida panhandle. As of Saturday, some 400,000 Florida homes and businesses still had no power. And across the Gulf Coast, insurance companies estimate Ivan caused $2 to $10 billion in damage. To put that in perspective, Hurricanes Charley and Frances caused about $11 billion in damage combined.

And on Saturday, many families are now realizing they have no home to go back to.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You just have to think hopefully, even though it's almost impossible to do. That's just all there is you can do.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LAWRENCE: Yes, unfortunately, in Virginia's case, she worked on Pensacola Beach, so she's probably out of a home and a job, Betty.

NGUYEN: Chris, you mentioned Pensacola Beach. We've got a viewer e-mail question for you this morning. This person, Roger, writes, "Could you please ask your Pensacola, Florida, reporter if there's any information from Pensacola Beach? Very little has been said." What do you know about the damage there?

LAWRENCE: Well, we tried to get down to the beach ourselves last night. The police were blocking access, wouldn't let us down. But from everything we've seen from the aerial views and from the reports we've been getting from people like Virginia, who have talked to folks who have seen it, it does not look good. A lot of the major businesses were like this, completely wiped out. Looks like Pensacola Beach will have to be completely rebuilt.

NGUYEN: All right. Chris Lawrence, thanks so much for that report. Drew?

CALLEBS: Well, to the west of where Chris is standing is Gulf Shores, Alabama, the very first bull's-eye for this hurricane. Much of what's left standing may have to be torn down.

The mayor of Gulf Shores, David Bodenhamer, joins us by phone to give us a status.

And mayor, one of the most dramatic statistics I'm reading about is that you're going to have to redraw the map of your town, because so much of the coastline has been just wiped out.

MAYOR DAVID BODENHAMER, GULF SHORES, ALABAMA (on phone): Well, we've had severe damage, there's no doubt about that. The beach area, of course, is -- all along the coast has taken the hardest hit, for absolute sure. And it's just one of those things that, you know, is very reminiscent of Hurricane Frederic, but the damage is more severe than what we experienced during that period of time.

CALLEBS: The citizens of your town, have they been invited back in to see the damage? And really, is there anything for them to do in terms of cleaning up?

BODENHAMER: Up to this point, other than people that did not leave in certain areas away from the beachfront, we have not allowed anyone back in. We do anticipate this morning at 12:00 we will allow people that have resident and business stickers for zones that we have designated, which would be zone one, two, six, and seven, will be allowed to reenter and go to their property.

CALLEBS: And how are you prepared to deal with what they are about to see, what you have witnessed?

BODENHAMER: Well, those areas are the areas, they are damaged, but they are not the most severely damaged, as is the beachfront. And most of those people will find, when they get to their property, that they have some level of damage, not catastrophic. And it will vary greatly from one neighborhood to the next.

CALLEBS: In those catastrophic areas, do you have a plan yet as to how to begin either the -- well, first the cleanup process, and then the rebuilding process?

BODENHAMER: Well, DOT, our transportation department here statewide, already has debris removal contractors in the area down here trying to open up what roadways are left for access. And probably Monday of this coming week, we'll begin ferrying property owners into that area in city vehicles so they can get a look at their property. They will not be allowed to enter on their own. They will not be allowed to stay. But we will begin doing that. And then, of course, we'll start the debris removal process.

CALLEBS: Mr. Mayor, how is your home?

BODENHAMER: I have some damage. Trees down, no power. But my house is still standing.

CALLEBS: OK. A little bit of good news there. The mayor of Gulf Shores, Alabama. We certainly wish you the best of luck, and we'll be following your city's story on the road to comeback. Thank you, sir.

BODENHAMER: Thank you very much.

NGUYEN: Well, Ivan has left a path of destruction far beyond the Gulf Coast. The remnants of the hurricane snapped off tree trunks in Virginia, where more than a dozen tornadoes reportedly touched down. The storm also damaged buildings and homes. Ivan caused flash floods in eastern and southern Ohio. The storm also knocked out power to thousands in the state and stranded more than 100 children and teachers at an elementary school overnight.

Coming up this morning, CNN meteorologist Orelon Sidney will have more on Ivan's aftermath. Well, in the meantime, batter up. Barry Bonds makes it into the 700 club.

CALLEBS: And it surely isn't easy on the greens. Can the U.S. overcome Europe in the Ryder Cup? A live report from Bloomfield Hills.

NGUYEN: And good morning, Houston. We'll have your complete weekend weather forecast in about 15 minutes. Looks like the sun is coming up over Houston this morning.

CNN SATURDAY MORNING continues in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CALLEBS: Welcome back to CNN SATURDAY MORNING. I'm Drew Griffin.

Stories we're following this Saturday morning, at least 19 dead in the northern city of Kirkuk in Iraq, where a suicide bomber detonated a car bomb. It happened in front of a national guard headquarters, 39 people wounded.

Now just a tropical depression, the former Hurricane Ivan still spreading floods and misery through the eastern U.S. Ivan has killed at least 24 people since making landfall Thursday in Alabama.

Tropical storm Jeanne heading in the general direction of the Bahamas, leaving eight dead in its trail through the Caribbean, five of those deaths in the Dominican Republic.

And Barry Bonds edges closer to Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth in the home-run record. How close is he becoming to home-run king? We'll have that story just a minute away.

NGUYEN: Well, the White House says it will continue to set the record straight. The Pentagon has released more documents on President Bush's service in the Texas Air National Guard during the Vietnam era. They include historical records for reserve units, to which the young Bush was assigned in Texas and Alabama, but never mention him.

Also included, a thank-you note sent to a Texas general by the first President Bush when he was a congressman. Democrats say the note demonstrates further that the current president got special consideration due to his family connections.

Meanwhile, the Navy's chief investigator has determined Senator John Kerry's military service medals were properly approved and awarded. In an internal memo, the Navy inspector general said no further action will be taken. The Navy review was prompted by a request from the group Judicial Watch. That group claimed Kerry's medals, earned during his service in Vietnam, were awarded based on false statements. They had asked the Navy to consider revoking them.

Now to Florida. Florida's supreme court has opened a way for Ralph Nader's name to be on the state's presidential ballot on the Reform Party line. The high court rejected a challenge by Democrats, who claim the Reform Party is no longer a viable national party. Now, as you recall, in 2000, Nader got more than 97,000 votes in Florida, and George Bush beat Al Gore there by 537 votes.

We want to hear from you this morning. Vietnam, National Guard, is the presidential campaign focusing on the issues you care about? Our address is wam@cnn.com. And we'll be reading your replies throughout the program, so send them in.

Well, in major league baseball, there is an exclusive club that until last night only had just two members. Now baseball fans wonder if its newest member, Barry Bonds, will one day be in a league of his own.

Here's Michelle Bonner (ph) of CNN SPORTS.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHELLE BONNER, CNN SPORTS (voice-over): Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, and now Barry Bonds, those are the only three players in major league history to hit 700 career home runs. And now Bonds has positioned himself to pass the Babe's 714 home runs, with an eye on Aaron's all- time record of 755.

BARRY BONDS, SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS: You really can't put it in words, to be in a class with, you know, those two great players, who, Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth. And you just -- I mean, it's just, it's like you're, you know, you're dreaming, and you're not dreaming, and, you know, it's unbelievable.

HANK AARON, 755 CAREER HOME RUNS: Records are made to be broken. You know, that's a known fact. I mean, if you have a record, eventually somebody is going to come along and break it.

TOM GLAVINE, NEW YORK METS PITCHER: Assuming all things stay the way they are and he stays healthy, then I think the only reason he wouldn't do it would be that he didn't want to when he retires.

BONNER: Who's the best to ever play the game is a question that is always answered with names like Mays, Ruth, and Aaron. In the future, Bonds will be included.

JOHN DONOVAN, SI.COM SENIOR WRITER: He's been a batting champion. He hit 73 home runs one year. He's getting on base at an unprecedented clip this year. His slugging percentage is otherworldly. You could make a real good argument, and I'm not sure if I would, but somebody could make a real good argument that Barry Bonds is the best player ever.

BONNER: The six-time NLMVP's numbers are even more astounding when taking into account that many teams do not pitch to him. Consider that during his entire career, Hank Aaron was intentionally walked 293 times, while Bonds has been walked more than 100 times this year alone. Although exasperating at times, Bonds refuses to let the walks get to him. BONDS: You have to have respect for the game of baseball, regardless of what's going on out there. I mean, everybody is out there trying to do the best they can, and to win for their team regardless. And you get into a situation that you need to walk someone, you walk them to help your team win. So you don't lose any respect for anybody that does that. You know, that's part of baseball. It's always been part of the game, and it will continue being part of the game.

BONNER: Earlier this year, his trainer and nutritionist were indicted in connection with a steroid investigation. But Bonds has repeatedly denied using steroids. And even with that dark cloud hovering around the 40-year-old, Bonds continues to produce in the twilight of his career, which begs the question, can he hit 800 home runs?

For CNN SPORTS, I'm Michelle Bonner.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CALLEBS: Has the U.S. sunk their chances to win the Ryder Cup?

LARRY SMITH, CNN SPORTS: Well, I'm Larry Smith in suburban Detroit. The U.S. trying to come alive against Europe. A little better start today. I'll have details when CNN SATURDAY MORNING continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CALLEBS: A hot day in Houston, going to be hotter, too. The Original Hot Sauce Festival kicks off today, the event featuring salsas, chips, dips, and fiery foods of all kinds, maybe a few habaneros. We're told plenty of cold beverages also on hand.

Orelon Sidney's going to have the complete weekend forecast for Houston and elsewhere coming right up.

NGUYEN: You might need that with all those peppers.

Well, they are golfing in Michigan this morning, and we've got your ticket to ride. Day two of the Ryder Cup golf championship is under way. Our Larry Smith is there and joins us with an update.

Hopefully today will be a lot better than yesterday, Larry.

SMITH: Well, Betty, we certainly hope so, or else it may not be a need to play Sunday's singles matches. This morning, the bitter taste is just as bad, the U.S. coming in to day two of the Ryder Cup down five points to the Europeans.

Though it took the U.S. only 15 minutes to do today what it took them six and a half hours to accomplish on Friday, and that is, get their first lead of the day. The first group out, Chris DiMarco (ph) and Jay Haas (ph), the duo that got the only American win on Friday, won their first hole of the day to get the crowd going.

Now, that match is now all square, I should add, by the way, as they continue.

Now, one player we won't see this morning is Phil Mickelson (ph). He is sitting out the morning session after really struggling Friday, punctuated by the horrendous tee shot on 18 in the afternoon's foursome competition, his match at the time was all square. The drive went out of bounds and cost the U.S. a point and eventually the match, the Europeans routing the Americans 6.5 points to 1.5 points yesterday, the Woods and Mickelson duo losing twice.

Now, last night, Woods stepped up as the team leader, and really challenged the U.S. side to play their game. And so far, he is doing that. Tiger played well himself on Friday, but he is teaming up with Chris Riley (ph) this morning, and they already lead their match one- up through three holes. U.S. captain Hal Sutton (ph) says the Americans need to win five of the eight points today to be in some contention for Sunday's singles matches, 12 matches in all on Sunday.

Right now, it's pretty good for the Americans. They lead in two matches, all square in the other two matches. A long day of golf ahead.

Betty, let's go back to you.

NGUYEN: Oh, yes, and we'll be watching. Thank you, Larry.

CALLEBS: Orelon, it doesn't look like they can blame the weather out there in Michigan. Looks like another nice day for them, but not everywhere, huh?

ORELON SIDNEY, CNN METEOROLOGIST: That's right, not at all for them. They're going to have a great day, sunny skies, temperatures, I think, will be the 70s later on this afternoon. Light winds too, not a bad deal at all.

And things will be getting better in the Northeast, I promise. Give it 24 hours, and it's going to look a lot better than this. We're looking at showers and thunderstorms, though, extending across much of New England. This, the remnants of Ivan, combined with a cold-front system moving across the East.

The great news is that Ivan did not stall. And we didn't want it to, because look at some of the rain totals it brought even as it was moving across the Appalachians. Ellamore, West Virginia, picked up almost 12.5 inches of rain in 24 hours. No wonder there's flooding there. Parts of North Carolina, as much as 8.55 inch. Allegheny, Pennsylvania, even picked up 5.25.

Doesn't look there's a lot more action in the tropics at least affecting the United States, which is good news. Action here with Karl, it's not going to affect land. And it looks like what's, what was Jeanne, still Jeanne, just not really much action there at all. It doesn't look like it's going to affect the United States, at least not in the near term.

Forty-five-mile-an-hour winds moving to the north-northwest at eight miles an hour, expected to remain offshore, not affecting the Gulf of Mexico. And that's good news.

I bet you in Houston would like some clouds today, maybe a little bit of rain, but you're not going to get it. Temperatures now 76 degrees. You'll see a high this afternoon with sunny skies of 97.

We'll take a look at the rest of the weekend forecast in the next half hour.

NGUYEN: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

CALLEBS: Ninety-seven and eating hot sauce.

SIDNEY: Ninety-seven.

CALLEBS: Must be a Texan to do that.

(CROSSTALK)

CALLEBS: Thanks, Orelon.

NGUYEN: Got to love it.

SIDNEY: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

NGUYEN: Thank you, Orelon.

Well, they tumbled their way into our hearts and brought home some gold and silver. Now U.S. gymnasts Carly Patterson and Courtney Kupets join me here live when CNN SATURDAY MORNING returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: A rich cultural heritage. Bob Novak gets a sneak peek at the National Museum of the American Indian. That's today in The Novak Zone.

Welcome back. That story's coming up.

CALLEBS: But first, let's get right to the news.

NGUYEN: Tropical depression Ivan, once a powerful hurricane, is still dumping rain on the eastern U.S. as residents across the Southeast get ready for more cleanup. Flooding, mud slides, and tornadoes have been reported from North Carolina to Virginia, all the way to Pennsylvania and Ohio.

Next up, tropical storm Jeanne is heading for the Bahamas, leaving at least nine people dead in its wake. The storm, with top winds of 45 miles an hour, killed seven people in the Dominican Republican, and -- Republic, that is -- and two in Puerto Rico. Forecasters say Jeanne may not hit the U.S.

Now to this video. It appeared on Al Jazeera television today, and it purportedly shows two Americans and one Briton who were kidnapped from their home in Baghdad two days ago. Al Jazeera says the kidnappers threatened to behead the three in 48 hours, unless female prisoners are released from two Iraqi jails.

A U.N. Security Council vote today is expected to demand the government of Sudan reign in the Arab militias blamed for the bloodshed in the Darfur region. The resolution includes possible sanctions on the African nation's oil industry. Some international aid groups say up to 50,000 civilians have been killed since last year.

A national museum of the American Indian set to open this Tuesday in the nation's capital. It's rich in culture, art, and history.

Bob Novak has this sneak preview in The Novak Zone.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERT NOVAK, HOST: Welcome to The Novak Zone.

We're on the terrace of the new National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. Below us, final preparation are under way for the grand opening of the museum.

We're joined by the museum's director, Rick West.

Mr. West, what can people who come to Washington, go to this museum here on the Mall in Washington, what can they expect to see?

RICK WEST, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN: Oh, I think people can expect many things. First of all, the museum is a ringing affirmation, if you will, of the contributions that Native Americans themselves have made to the America's, in civilization and culture and in the arts, over thousands of years, right up to the present and into the future.

But what nonnatives can expect to see here, I think, is a revisiting of American history itself. It's part of their heritage too, and we want everybody to understand when they leave here that native peoples occupy a very significant place in the history of the America's.

NOVAK: Now, what is the significance, Mr. West, of the design and architecture of this building? What message do they send?

WEST: Well, before we actually put pen to paper in designing these buildings, we had consultations with at least 25 to 30 different groups, mostly native peoples, but not exclusively native peoples, over a period of two to three years.

And what you see in this design is an evocation or a reflection of what came out of those consultations, its curvilinear form, the organic nature of its architecture, the presence of water as an element, the use of natural light within the four walls of the building, all of these are factors in design which came out of these consultations with native peoples and others.

NOVAK: I understand you have 800,000 artifacts here, many of them artwork. Does art play a important part in the culture and the history of the American Indian?

WEST: Oh, I think so. All of the things that we made had significance to us, mostly a ceremonial and religious objects, to begin with. And we poured our hearts into making them as beautiful as they could. And that's really not different from the history of Western art, when you get right down to it, except that Western art took a turn at the Renaissance.

Prior to that time, objects had the same kind of significance in a community and cultural sense as they do to native peoples right now. So these objects are not only culturally significant, but they're frequently very, very beautiful.

NOVAK: Now, to get into this building, we had to go through a security process. I understand there's a lot of gold around here. How much gold? What is it, what kind of gold? What's it worth?

WEST: Well, this museum, interestingly enough, is an international institution of living cultures of the entire hemisphere. Our cultural axis, if you will, is north-south, not east-west, necessarily. And so we represent those great civilizations of Meso and South America, whether it's the Inca in South America, the Aztecs and the Maya in Central America, all of whom worked and created beautiful objects out of gold.

Our gold holdings are quite significant, and they will be on display, wide display, when we open on September 21.

NOVAK: What's the value of the gold here, do you have an estimate?

WEST: Actually, we don't, because the Smithsonian is self- insuring. So we don't really know what a third party would attach in value. But it's hundreds of millions of dollars.

NOVAK: Hundreds of millions of.

WEST: Yes.

NOVAK: Do you have any favorite artifact or artifacts here?

WEST: I'm slightly ethnically, ethnocentrically driven in that regard. I am Cheyenne myself, having grown up in Oklahoma. And so I attach myself to that material which is really closest to the southern Cheyenne. My favorite objects are actually shields. They were used in defense of our communities during rather tough times, and they tell a personal story of the person who actually owned that shield. It is his own vision that is set forth on a shield. And so they have great cultural significance too.

NOVAK: What do you think the future of the American Indian is, Mr. West?

WEST: I am actually very hopeful. It's not that I don't appreciate that serious social and economic challenges confront native communities, all 30 to 35 million of us throughout this hemisphere who still call ourselves indigenous.

On the other hand, I'm 61 years old. I remember what it was like in Oklahoma when I was 10 years old. And there is a profound cultural renaissance occurring in Indian country at this time, an attachment, a revival of those values that sort of held us together through the millennia, if you will, and a confidence that we can, if we work hard, whatever the challenges, maintain those values into the future.

NOVAK: We're in a very political city and a very political year. I got to ask you a political question. It seems as though the American Indian vote is much more sought after, much more subject of controversy. Is that correct?

WEST: Well, I think that it's more sought after than it used to be. We of course never had numbers. We're only 0.5 percent of the population of this country, a little over 2 million. But there are a number of states, and they happen to align on the current political map with states that are swing states, where we do have enough population, whether it's New Mexico, Arizona, or states like that, that our votes are sought, because in close contests, they mean something.

NOVAK: And now the big question for Rick West, the director of the National Museum of the American Indian.

Mr. West, when I was growing up, many years ago, they used to talk about the vanishing American, the American Indian, that his culture was going. He was being assimilated into the culture at large. Is the American Indian still vanishing?

WEST: Not at all. And we actually never were. It was outside perception. We never thought of ourselves as vanishing. Our population did reach its nadir or its low point in 1900, when there were only 250,000 of us left. Now we are 2 million, eight times that number. We've fought hard to protect the present, and we will fight even harder to maintain a future. So I consider us anything but vanishing.

NOVAK: Rick West, thank you very much, and good luck on your grand opening.

And thank you for being in The Novak Zone.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CALLEBS: That museum opens Tuesday. You can see more of Bob Novak tonight on "THE CAPITAL GANG" at 7:00 p.m. Eastern. Guests include House majority whip Roy Blunt. They'll, of course, be talking about Iraq and the election and others as well.

NGUYEN: Here's a look at some other stories making headlines across America. The mother of Michael Jackson's accuser comes face to face with the pop singer in court. She testified at a hearing yesterday in California.

Explosives and nuclear power plants usually don't mix, except in this case. Check it out. Officials used explosives yesterday to demolish the dome of the main Yankee plant, which is being decommissioned. Hundreds gathered to watch as the 150-foot-tall structure came crumbling down.

And finally, these lovely ladies will be wearing a lot less tonight as the next Miss America is crowned. The contestants were on parade last night in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Tonight's actual pageant will feature skimpier swimsuits. Also, officials have all but stripped away the talent contest. So no talent, and skimpier swimsuits.

CALLEBS: If you haven't been able to keep up with the news this week, that's what we're here for. Maybe got lost in the hurricane coverage. Here's what happened.

Antidepressants should be packaged with the strongest warning possible, because they can increase the risk of suicide among children. That's the conclusion from two FDA advisory committees. More clinical trials also recommended there.

Martha Stewart. She says she wants to go to prison while still appealing her conviction. Stewart sentenced in July to five months in prison, five months of house arrest, after being convicted on charges stemming from a December 2001 stock sale.

A national intelligence estimate lays out some possible scenarios for a postwar Iraq, including the prospect of internal conflict, increased violence, and even civil war.

And take action now. That's what U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan told the Security Council about a U.S.-led draft resolution on Sudan. The resolution demands the Sudanese government stop the violence in the Darfur region, where tens of thousands of civilians have been killed. And it also called for action on an inquiry into whether genocide has occurred in the Darfur region.

Tomorrow, we're going to fast forward, tell you what's going to happen in the week ahead that will grab the spotlight. Betty?

NGUYEN: They won our hearts during the summer games. Now, U.S. gymnasts Carly Patterson and Courtney Kupets join me here live when CNN SATURDAY MORNING returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CALLEBS: Time for a check of the headlines now.

From the South to the Midwest to the Northeast, the cleanup continues after Hurricane Ivan. In North Carolina, lots of damage on the ground, and over 200,000 people still without power right now, the storm causing destruction from Alabama as far north now as Pennsylvania.

In sports, Barry Bonds joins the 700 Club. Here's the smash hit last night. San Francisco Giant slugged his 700th career home run. He joins Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth in the 700 Club. Aaron is the all- time homer king, 755. Babe Ruth is next at 714.

The Pentagon has released more documents on President Bush's service in the Texas Air National Guard during the Vietnam era. They include historical records and notes but do not provide any new information regarding the alleged gaps and questions about the president's military service.

And we invite you on this question, Vietnam, National Guard, what are the real issues of this election? We're going to read your e- mails coming up. Betty?

NGUYEN: All right. The U.S. Olympic gymnastics team left Athens with nine medals. Today they begin a nationwide tour. That kicks off right here in Atlanta. All six members of the women's Olympic team plan to perform. Courtney Kupets was part of the team that won the silver medal, as was Carly Patterson, who also won the gold medal.

And we are delighted to have both of these talented athletes with us here today in Atlanta.

Good morning to you both.

CARLY PATTERSON, 2004 OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST: Good morning.

COURTNEY KUPETS, 2004 OLYMPIC SILVER MEDALIST: Good morning.

NGUYEN: Carly, let's start with you. You've trained for so long to be in the Olympics, you're there in Athens. Kind of take us back to that point. How do you perform under that kind of pressure?

PATTERSON: Well, I was just really excited to be there and represent the U.S. for, you know, my country. But I just tried to stay calm and think of it as, like, another meet. I mean, like, not put pressure on myself that it's the Olympics, and just kind of do it like another workout.

But, you know, you work so hard, and it only comes around four years, and a lot of gymnasts only get there once. And so, like, you want to have your best competition on that night. So it is a little bit more pressure. But I still tried to stay calm.

NGUYEN: But you handled that pressure. Courtney, let's talk to you a little bit, because you're part of the silver medal team there. But you had to deal with an injury. That's added pressure.

KUPETS: Yes, it just takes, you know, you're there, it's your chance and everything. And you kind of hurt, so it makes everything a lot harder, but, you know, that just makes you stronger, I guess.

NGUYEN: But that silver medal made it all worth it, didn't it?

KUPETS: Right.

NGUYEN: How exciting. So give us a little insight into what you're doing now, I mean, Carly, the fame that comes with all of this, you're going to be on a Wheaties box, we understand. I think we have a picture of that that we're going to try to put up there for you. Are you getting used to it just yet? What is it like to be Carly Patterson?

PATTERSON: I am definitely getting used to it. I like it. I like being noticed. And it's really cool, because, like, I go everywhere now, and people know who I am, and that's cool.

NGUYEN: What surprises you the most about it all?

PATTERSON: Just that, like -- I don't know, I would be looking up to, like, movie stars and singers and, like, all that, and now, like, people and little kids are looking up to me, and it's just, like -- that's really cool to know they look up to me, and it's just, like, you pass through the mall and they all (UNINTELLIGIBLE) it's Carly Patterson. And it's, like -- you feel, like...

NGUYEN: You've become an idol now.

PATTERSON: You feel famous, yes.

NGUYEN: Well, Courtney, how has this fame changed your life?

KUPETS: Yes, people do still recognize, even though we, you know, because we are the silver medal-winning team, so...

NGUYEN: Oh, yes.

KUPETS: ... people do still recognize the rest of us. And it is kind of funny at times. But, you know, we're still normal, same people, so...

NGUYEN: Very normal young women out here. Now, what kind of advice do you have for those girls looking to become what you have been able to accomplish in your lives and your career at the Olympics? So what kind of advice do you have for them?

KUPETS: Just that if they love it, it's going to be a lot of hard work, but it's definitely worth it, and it does have some fun parts to it. So just stay with it and (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...

NGUYEN: Like performing now on this national tour, is that fun?

KUPETS: Exactly, exactly. It is going to be a lot of fun.

NGUYEN: A lot less pressure. OK, so what's next for you, Carly, what are you doing after this, besides the tour? Planning for 2008, perhaps?

PATTERSON: Well, I'm still just going to be working, you know, in the gym, and see what happens. Four years is a long way away, but I'm still going to just, you know, to be working hard for it.

NGUYEN: What about you, Courtney?

KUPETS: You know, I am thinking about college right now, since I'm a senior in high school, so I'll probably go that road. NGUYEN: Any college in particular?

KUPETS: Georgia is up there, and then maybe UCLA.

NGUYEN: And what are you going to study?

KUPETS: I haven't figured that out yet.

NGUYEN: You've got some time, you've got time. But no, I wanted to ask you, though, how do you balance all of this practice with school? Because that has to be a bit difficult. What about you, Carly?

PATTERSON: It's really hard, because we have to work out (UNINTELLIGIBLE), and we work out six and a half hours a day. So we have a morning workout, and then we go to school, and then we have another workout.

And so it's, like, you try and get some of your homework done before, then the second workout, and then after when you go home at night. But it's kind of hard. But I guess it's, you know, the price you have to pay, and it's definitely worth it.

NGUYEN: Olympic champions. But we often forget that you are still students as well. Best of luck to you both.

PATTERSON: Thank you.

KUPETS: Thank you.

NGUYEN: Congratulations. Very proud of you.

Drew?

CALLEBS: Thank you, Betty.

And we say good morning to Washington. We'll have a complete weather forecast just about five minutes away, as we're looking at the White House there. CNN SATURDAY MORNING continues in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CALLEBS: Live looking at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. We will have the forecast. Orelon Sidney will be along in just a moment.

NGUYEN: But now, we want to take you to Kelli Arena in Washington for a sneak peek of "ON THE STORY," which is coming up next. Hi, there, Kelli.

KELLI ARENA, "ON THE STORY": Hi, there, and good morning.

Well, we're "ON THE STORY" from Maine to California today. I'll be talking about successes and setbacks in the terror fight. We'll have two versions of the campaign story. Suzanne Malveaux is with the president in Kennebunkport, and Sasha Johnson is with John Kerry in Boston. Kathleen Hays is on the story of oil prices, interest rates, and Martha Stewart too. And Maria Hinojosa is on the story of the Monterey Jazz Festival. It's all coming up, all "ON THE STORY."

Back to you.

NGUYEN: And a little jazz. Kelli Arena, thank you so much for that.

CALLEBS: Well, (UNINTELLIGIBLE), all morning long, we've been asking your thoughts on our e-mail question of the day, which is, what are the real issues of this campaign, is it Vietnam and the National Guard?

Here's what you've been writing.

From Cuero, Texas, David says, "I want to talk about the future, economy, health, and education of our children. I am sick of grown people who lead us acting like kids in a sandpile fighting over who gets the bigger pile."

NGUYEN: Al from Orangeburg, South Carolina, writes, "We really must move on. I would have one question, however. If they could put on a uniform today, would they," meaning Bush and Cheney, "go to Iraq?"

And, of course, every weekend, we appreciate all of your responses.

CALLEBS: Let's move on right now to Orelon Sidney. She's been tracking weather all morning long for us. Good morning, Orelon.

SIDNEY: Good morning.

Here's a quick look across the nation, showing you that most of the action is in the eastern United States. This, of course, is what's left of Ivan, combined with a cold front stretching all the way southward down through Florida.

It does look like the system is going to move off the Eastern Seaboard by tomorrow. So your weather, a lot better tomorrow morning. You'll have sunny to partly cloudy skies for your Sunday. Also some thunderstorms here right across the central portion of the nation, just smack in the middle. I'll show you that in just a second.

But you can see now, these thunderstorms headed just outside of Syracuse, heading off to your north and east. New York City, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., you'll see rain early. But things will be improving as you head toward the afternoon hours.

Now, back in Kansas City, boy, did you have a thunderstorm move through this morning, or what? Up to five inches of rain has fallen around the Kansas City area, parts of northern Missouri. This is actually what we call an outflow boundary. It's some instability left over from thunderstorms that kicked up a few pretty good rain showers and even a few pretty strong thunderstorms this morning. So far, all the severe warnings are over. But we do have flash flooding in the area, especially along Interstate 70. So if you have to travel there this morning, be aware that you could find some wet roads.

That, though, will be coming to an end as our frontal system continues to push its way on eastward. Warm air will work up from much of the South through the eastern slopes of the Rockies and then push on all of that rain off to the east.

You will find another cold front too in the Pacific Northwest. That means rain from Oregon and Washington along the coast, changing over, get this, to snowfall across parts of the northern Rockies for tomorrow. Southern Montana, the Idaho panhandle, looking at some snow showers. You'll see showers and thunderstorms throughout the Rocky Mountain states and the Four Corners down into Mexico.

But take a look out at the East. High pressure, sunny skies, cool temperatures for New England. Only some lingering showers early in the morning expected for the Carolinas.

High temperatures today in the 70 to the north, but very warm to hot from Salt Lake City through Denver down to Houston and Dallas, temperatures in the 90s, cooling off into the 70s tonight, but right back into the summerlike weather tomorrow.

Temperatures do feel like summer, even though fall begins next week. I think it's Tuesday or Wednesday, the official beginning of fall. Hopefully, temperatures will be cooling off for you in the southern Plains.

Drew, Betty?

NGUYEN: All right, Orelon, hold up. We've had all these hurricanes, and now you throw snow into the mix. Is Mother Nature -- has she gone crazy?

SIDNEY: No, that's just about right for higher elevations out in Montana and Idaho. They generally start to get a little bit of snowfall about this time of year, very short growing season there, about four months. So this is about right. Generally, most of your hurricanes are going to happen in August, September, and October, trailing off in November.

And those cold fronts that start to come through, the eastern United States a lot of times will help to kick those storms out to sea, keeping them off the Eastern Seaboard and the Gulf of Mexico, which is very good news.

NGUYEN: Keeping you busy, and us as well. All right, thank you, Orelon Sidney.

SIDNEY: You're welcome.

CALLEBS: Well, that will do it for us on CNN SATURDAY MORNING. Betty and I will be back right here tomorrow morning when you wake up for all the latest news.

NGUYEN: Bright and early. Thanks for watching. "ON THE STORY" is next, but first we want to give you a look at news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com


Aired September 18, 2004 - 09:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning from the CNN Center. This is CNN SUNDAY MORNING. I'm Betty Nguyen.
DREW GRIFFIN, CNN ANCHOR: Morning, I'm Drew Griffin, 9:00 a.m. here on the East Coast, 6:00 a.m. out in the West. Thanks for starting your day with us.

Video purportedly showing three Western hostages in Iraq is being aired on Al Jazeera TV. The tape here shows two Americans and a Briton cat -- kidnapped two days ago from a home in the affluent Baghdad neighborhood. The men worked for a construction company.

A suicide attacker detonated a car bomb this morning outside an Iraqi national guard headquarters. Iraqi police say at least 19 people killed in this attack, dozens wounded. This happened in the northern city of Kirkuk. Several guardsmen and recruits were among the casualties. This is the third car bomb this week targeting Iraq's security forces.

The U.N. Security Council today takes up the issue of Sudan. It is voting whether to put sanctions on the African nation's oil industry if the government of Sudan doesn't move to end the ethnic violence there. The ongoing violence has sparked a humanitarian crisis that some have labeled genocide.

And in Oklahoma City, actor Macaulay Culkin has been arrested on drug charges. Police say they confiscated marijuana and a prescription drug and an unprescribed sedative. Culkin was a passenger in the vehicle that was stopped for speeding. It was on Interstate 44. He's been released on a $4,000 bond.

Keeping you informed, this is CNN, the most trusted name in news.

NGUYEN: Now here's what's coming up this hour.

Millions of people got slammed by Ivan, and the remnants of this once-fierce hurricane are still tearing things up across the eastern U.S. The latest is straight ahead.

And a big hit reaps a giant reward. San Francisco's Barry Bonds hits one into history, bonding himself with two of the greatest sluggers of all time. That story is also coming up.

Plus, you rooted for them during the Athens Olympics. Now find out what they are doing here at home. U.S. gymnasts Courtney Kupets and Carly Patterson will join us to talk about their historic wins.

GRIFFIN: This hurricane season is just halfway over. Already, it's one for the books, Ivan one of the worst yet, with at least 24 confirmed deaths, about 1.5 million people without power, damage $2 billion and beyond, it could go as high as $10 billion. Just ahead, we'll be speaking to the mayor of hard-hit Gulf Shores for an update.

NGUYEN: Well, Ivan is just a shadow of its former self. But that's no comfort in parts of the country now feeling its effects. North Carolina usually ends up on the receiving end of these former hurricanes.

And CNN's Sean Callebs is in Asheville with the situation there today. Hi, Sean.

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Betty.

You really don't think about the mountains of North Carolina being hit hard by a hurricane, but for the second time in two weeks, this section of the state has really been put to the test trying to clean up.

If you look over here, we're in Asheville. And right now street crews are out there trying to get some of the mud and the muck that came up from floodwaters scraped up, dumped in these trucks.

To give you an idea of how intense the flood was, there's a real thick coating of very slick mud on these streets. But at the high- water point, you can see, the floodwaters actually went up to here on this home.

And we're actually in an area called Biltmore Village, it's a very little trendy area of Asheville, North Carolina. And the folks here just got cleaned up from the last mess, and they hoped to open this weekend, but obviously that's going to be moved back.

As bad as the situation is here, it really pales in comparison to what other parts of the state are dealing with today. Some 200,000 homes are without electricity, eight people so far reported dead from rising floodwaters that swept some homes away, trapped other people in cars. It's going to be a mess. It's going to be a long time before this area gets back to normal.

Joining us now, the mayor of Asheville, Chuck Worley.

Thanks for joining us out here this morning.

MAYOR CHUCK WORLEY, ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA: Oh, it's my pleasure.

CALLEBS: The residents here must be resilient trying to cope with something like this for the second time in about 15 days.

WORLEY: I can't begin to tell you how impressed I am with the folks out here. They were out the day after the first flood cleaning out, trying to get ready to go again, and they are at it again today. CALLEBS: OK. Mayor, we appreciate you joining us. We know that the big vacation time is coming up, the change of color seasons for the fall, their race is on for the people out here that are trying to get ready, they expect a lot of vacationers to come in. Tourism one of the economic linchpins in this area. And if they don't get ready, it could be a very tough fall up here in Asheville, North Carolina, Betty.

Back to you.

NGUYEN: Sounds like they're already starting to get ready with that crew out there today getting rid of that mud and muck. Thank you, Sean Callebs, appreciate that. Drew?

CALLEBS: And as Sean said, other parts of North Carolina hit hard. This is what it's like in Haywood County. Video shot. More than eight inches of rain fell in this area in just a very short period of time. Ivan generated a short but intense storm in the Raleigh-Durham area. Wind gusts up to nearly 80 miles per hour. Flipped small planes, as you can see, and peeled sides off of some airport buildings there. Actually had to shut down the airport for about an hour.

NGUYEN: Ivan smashed into the Gulf Coast Thursday morning, but it will be many more days before people in those coastal areas get a handle on the devastation.

CNN's Chris Lawrence is in Pensacola, Florida, where bricks and mortar were no match for Ivan's wrath.

And I imagine they are beginning to clean up there today too, Chris.

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, exactly, Betty.

Florida Power crews have now turned the lights back on for 40,000 more people in the last day. But this storm was so powerful, a lot of small businesses and homes will have to rebuild from the ground up.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

LAWRENCE (voice-over): Hurricane Ivan didn't just destroy this Pensacola family's home, it erased it.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You can't even find, like, one piece of furniture. There isn't a couch, there isn't a chair, nothing that's intact at all.

LAWRENCE: Virginia Tyson (ph) and her boyfriend believe their home was washed away by a wall of water.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: By the time it got to our house, I don't know what size it was, but big enough to take it out.

LAWRENCE: The house had been in Virginia's family for 25 years. It survived every hurricane until now. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I called my mother and I told her, The worst picture you could possibly imagine, and it's nothing compared to how bad it is when you are actually looking at it.

LAWRENCE: The destruction is widespread across the Florida panhandle. As of Saturday, some 400,000 Florida homes and businesses still had no power. And across the Gulf Coast, insurance companies estimate Ivan caused $2 to $10 billion in damage. To put that in perspective, Hurricanes Charley and Frances caused about $11 billion in damage combined.

And on Saturday, many families are now realizing they have no home to go back to.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You just have to think hopefully, even though it's almost impossible to do. That's just all there is you can do.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LAWRENCE: Yes, unfortunately, in Virginia's case, she worked on Pensacola Beach, so she's probably out of a home and a job, Betty.

NGUYEN: Chris, you mentioned Pensacola Beach. We've got a viewer e-mail question for you this morning. This person, Roger, writes, "Could you please ask your Pensacola, Florida, reporter if there's any information from Pensacola Beach? Very little has been said." What do you know about the damage there?

LAWRENCE: Well, we tried to get down to the beach ourselves last night. The police were blocking access, wouldn't let us down. But from everything we've seen from the aerial views and from the reports we've been getting from people like Virginia, who have talked to folks who have seen it, it does not look good. A lot of the major businesses were like this, completely wiped out. Looks like Pensacola Beach will have to be completely rebuilt.

NGUYEN: All right. Chris Lawrence, thanks so much for that report. Drew?

CALLEBS: Well, to the west of where Chris is standing is Gulf Shores, Alabama, the very first bull's-eye for this hurricane. Much of what's left standing may have to be torn down.

The mayor of Gulf Shores, David Bodenhamer, joins us by phone to give us a status.

And mayor, one of the most dramatic statistics I'm reading about is that you're going to have to redraw the map of your town, because so much of the coastline has been just wiped out.

MAYOR DAVID BODENHAMER, GULF SHORES, ALABAMA (on phone): Well, we've had severe damage, there's no doubt about that. The beach area, of course, is -- all along the coast has taken the hardest hit, for absolute sure. And it's just one of those things that, you know, is very reminiscent of Hurricane Frederic, but the damage is more severe than what we experienced during that period of time.

CALLEBS: The citizens of your town, have they been invited back in to see the damage? And really, is there anything for them to do in terms of cleaning up?

BODENHAMER: Up to this point, other than people that did not leave in certain areas away from the beachfront, we have not allowed anyone back in. We do anticipate this morning at 12:00 we will allow people that have resident and business stickers for zones that we have designated, which would be zone one, two, six, and seven, will be allowed to reenter and go to their property.

CALLEBS: And how are you prepared to deal with what they are about to see, what you have witnessed?

BODENHAMER: Well, those areas are the areas, they are damaged, but they are not the most severely damaged, as is the beachfront. And most of those people will find, when they get to their property, that they have some level of damage, not catastrophic. And it will vary greatly from one neighborhood to the next.

CALLEBS: In those catastrophic areas, do you have a plan yet as to how to begin either the -- well, first the cleanup process, and then the rebuilding process?

BODENHAMER: Well, DOT, our transportation department here statewide, already has debris removal contractors in the area down here trying to open up what roadways are left for access. And probably Monday of this coming week, we'll begin ferrying property owners into that area in city vehicles so they can get a look at their property. They will not be allowed to enter on their own. They will not be allowed to stay. But we will begin doing that. And then, of course, we'll start the debris removal process.

CALLEBS: Mr. Mayor, how is your home?

BODENHAMER: I have some damage. Trees down, no power. But my house is still standing.

CALLEBS: OK. A little bit of good news there. The mayor of Gulf Shores, Alabama. We certainly wish you the best of luck, and we'll be following your city's story on the road to comeback. Thank you, sir.

BODENHAMER: Thank you very much.

NGUYEN: Well, Ivan has left a path of destruction far beyond the Gulf Coast. The remnants of the hurricane snapped off tree trunks in Virginia, where more than a dozen tornadoes reportedly touched down. The storm also damaged buildings and homes. Ivan caused flash floods in eastern and southern Ohio. The storm also knocked out power to thousands in the state and stranded more than 100 children and teachers at an elementary school overnight.

Coming up this morning, CNN meteorologist Orelon Sidney will have more on Ivan's aftermath. Well, in the meantime, batter up. Barry Bonds makes it into the 700 club.

CALLEBS: And it surely isn't easy on the greens. Can the U.S. overcome Europe in the Ryder Cup? A live report from Bloomfield Hills.

NGUYEN: And good morning, Houston. We'll have your complete weekend weather forecast in about 15 minutes. Looks like the sun is coming up over Houston this morning.

CNN SATURDAY MORNING continues in just a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CALLEBS: Welcome back to CNN SATURDAY MORNING. I'm Drew Griffin.

Stories we're following this Saturday morning, at least 19 dead in the northern city of Kirkuk in Iraq, where a suicide bomber detonated a car bomb. It happened in front of a national guard headquarters, 39 people wounded.

Now just a tropical depression, the former Hurricane Ivan still spreading floods and misery through the eastern U.S. Ivan has killed at least 24 people since making landfall Thursday in Alabama.

Tropical storm Jeanne heading in the general direction of the Bahamas, leaving eight dead in its trail through the Caribbean, five of those deaths in the Dominican Republic.

And Barry Bonds edges closer to Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth in the home-run record. How close is he becoming to home-run king? We'll have that story just a minute away.

NGUYEN: Well, the White House says it will continue to set the record straight. The Pentagon has released more documents on President Bush's service in the Texas Air National Guard during the Vietnam era. They include historical records for reserve units, to which the young Bush was assigned in Texas and Alabama, but never mention him.

Also included, a thank-you note sent to a Texas general by the first President Bush when he was a congressman. Democrats say the note demonstrates further that the current president got special consideration due to his family connections.

Meanwhile, the Navy's chief investigator has determined Senator John Kerry's military service medals were properly approved and awarded. In an internal memo, the Navy inspector general said no further action will be taken. The Navy review was prompted by a request from the group Judicial Watch. That group claimed Kerry's medals, earned during his service in Vietnam, were awarded based on false statements. They had asked the Navy to consider revoking them.

Now to Florida. Florida's supreme court has opened a way for Ralph Nader's name to be on the state's presidential ballot on the Reform Party line. The high court rejected a challenge by Democrats, who claim the Reform Party is no longer a viable national party. Now, as you recall, in 2000, Nader got more than 97,000 votes in Florida, and George Bush beat Al Gore there by 537 votes.

We want to hear from you this morning. Vietnam, National Guard, is the presidential campaign focusing on the issues you care about? Our address is wam@cnn.com. And we'll be reading your replies throughout the program, so send them in.

Well, in major league baseball, there is an exclusive club that until last night only had just two members. Now baseball fans wonder if its newest member, Barry Bonds, will one day be in a league of his own.

Here's Michelle Bonner (ph) of CNN SPORTS.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MICHELLE BONNER, CNN SPORTS (voice-over): Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, and now Barry Bonds, those are the only three players in major league history to hit 700 career home runs. And now Bonds has positioned himself to pass the Babe's 714 home runs, with an eye on Aaron's all- time record of 755.

BARRY BONDS, SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS: You really can't put it in words, to be in a class with, you know, those two great players, who, Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth. And you just -- I mean, it's just, it's like you're, you know, you're dreaming, and you're not dreaming, and, you know, it's unbelievable.

HANK AARON, 755 CAREER HOME RUNS: Records are made to be broken. You know, that's a known fact. I mean, if you have a record, eventually somebody is going to come along and break it.

TOM GLAVINE, NEW YORK METS PITCHER: Assuming all things stay the way they are and he stays healthy, then I think the only reason he wouldn't do it would be that he didn't want to when he retires.

BONNER: Who's the best to ever play the game is a question that is always answered with names like Mays, Ruth, and Aaron. In the future, Bonds will be included.

JOHN DONOVAN, SI.COM SENIOR WRITER: He's been a batting champion. He hit 73 home runs one year. He's getting on base at an unprecedented clip this year. His slugging percentage is otherworldly. You could make a real good argument, and I'm not sure if I would, but somebody could make a real good argument that Barry Bonds is the best player ever.

BONNER: The six-time NLMVP's numbers are even more astounding when taking into account that many teams do not pitch to him. Consider that during his entire career, Hank Aaron was intentionally walked 293 times, while Bonds has been walked more than 100 times this year alone. Although exasperating at times, Bonds refuses to let the walks get to him. BONDS: You have to have respect for the game of baseball, regardless of what's going on out there. I mean, everybody is out there trying to do the best they can, and to win for their team regardless. And you get into a situation that you need to walk someone, you walk them to help your team win. So you don't lose any respect for anybody that does that. You know, that's part of baseball. It's always been part of the game, and it will continue being part of the game.

BONNER: Earlier this year, his trainer and nutritionist were indicted in connection with a steroid investigation. But Bonds has repeatedly denied using steroids. And even with that dark cloud hovering around the 40-year-old, Bonds continues to produce in the twilight of his career, which begs the question, can he hit 800 home runs?

For CNN SPORTS, I'm Michelle Bonner.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CALLEBS: Has the U.S. sunk their chances to win the Ryder Cup?

LARRY SMITH, CNN SPORTS: Well, I'm Larry Smith in suburban Detroit. The U.S. trying to come alive against Europe. A little better start today. I'll have details when CNN SATURDAY MORNING continues.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CALLEBS: A hot day in Houston, going to be hotter, too. The Original Hot Sauce Festival kicks off today, the event featuring salsas, chips, dips, and fiery foods of all kinds, maybe a few habaneros. We're told plenty of cold beverages also on hand.

Orelon Sidney's going to have the complete weekend forecast for Houston and elsewhere coming right up.

NGUYEN: You might need that with all those peppers.

Well, they are golfing in Michigan this morning, and we've got your ticket to ride. Day two of the Ryder Cup golf championship is under way. Our Larry Smith is there and joins us with an update.

Hopefully today will be a lot better than yesterday, Larry.

SMITH: Well, Betty, we certainly hope so, or else it may not be a need to play Sunday's singles matches. This morning, the bitter taste is just as bad, the U.S. coming in to day two of the Ryder Cup down five points to the Europeans.

Though it took the U.S. only 15 minutes to do today what it took them six and a half hours to accomplish on Friday, and that is, get their first lead of the day. The first group out, Chris DiMarco (ph) and Jay Haas (ph), the duo that got the only American win on Friday, won their first hole of the day to get the crowd going.

Now, that match is now all square, I should add, by the way, as they continue.

Now, one player we won't see this morning is Phil Mickelson (ph). He is sitting out the morning session after really struggling Friday, punctuated by the horrendous tee shot on 18 in the afternoon's foursome competition, his match at the time was all square. The drive went out of bounds and cost the U.S. a point and eventually the match, the Europeans routing the Americans 6.5 points to 1.5 points yesterday, the Woods and Mickelson duo losing twice.

Now, last night, Woods stepped up as the team leader, and really challenged the U.S. side to play their game. And so far, he is doing that. Tiger played well himself on Friday, but he is teaming up with Chris Riley (ph) this morning, and they already lead their match one- up through three holes. U.S. captain Hal Sutton (ph) says the Americans need to win five of the eight points today to be in some contention for Sunday's singles matches, 12 matches in all on Sunday.

Right now, it's pretty good for the Americans. They lead in two matches, all square in the other two matches. A long day of golf ahead.

Betty, let's go back to you.

NGUYEN: Oh, yes, and we'll be watching. Thank you, Larry.

CALLEBS: Orelon, it doesn't look like they can blame the weather out there in Michigan. Looks like another nice day for them, but not everywhere, huh?

ORELON SIDNEY, CNN METEOROLOGIST: That's right, not at all for them. They're going to have a great day, sunny skies, temperatures, I think, will be the 70s later on this afternoon. Light winds too, not a bad deal at all.

And things will be getting better in the Northeast, I promise. Give it 24 hours, and it's going to look a lot better than this. We're looking at showers and thunderstorms, though, extending across much of New England. This, the remnants of Ivan, combined with a cold-front system moving across the East.

The great news is that Ivan did not stall. And we didn't want it to, because look at some of the rain totals it brought even as it was moving across the Appalachians. Ellamore, West Virginia, picked up almost 12.5 inches of rain in 24 hours. No wonder there's flooding there. Parts of North Carolina, as much as 8.55 inch. Allegheny, Pennsylvania, even picked up 5.25.

Doesn't look there's a lot more action in the tropics at least affecting the United States, which is good news. Action here with Karl, it's not going to affect land. And it looks like what's, what was Jeanne, still Jeanne, just not really much action there at all. It doesn't look like it's going to affect the United States, at least not in the near term.

Forty-five-mile-an-hour winds moving to the north-northwest at eight miles an hour, expected to remain offshore, not affecting the Gulf of Mexico. And that's good news.

I bet you in Houston would like some clouds today, maybe a little bit of rain, but you're not going to get it. Temperatures now 76 degrees. You'll see a high this afternoon with sunny skies of 97.

We'll take a look at the rest of the weekend forecast in the next half hour.

NGUYEN: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

CALLEBS: Ninety-seven and eating hot sauce.

SIDNEY: Ninety-seven.

CALLEBS: Must be a Texan to do that.

(CROSSTALK)

CALLEBS: Thanks, Orelon.

NGUYEN: Got to love it.

SIDNEY: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

NGUYEN: Thank you, Orelon.

Well, they tumbled their way into our hearts and brought home some gold and silver. Now U.S. gymnasts Carly Patterson and Courtney Kupets join me here live when CNN SATURDAY MORNING returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: A rich cultural heritage. Bob Novak gets a sneak peek at the National Museum of the American Indian. That's today in The Novak Zone.

Welcome back. That story's coming up.

CALLEBS: But first, let's get right to the news.

NGUYEN: Tropical depression Ivan, once a powerful hurricane, is still dumping rain on the eastern U.S. as residents across the Southeast get ready for more cleanup. Flooding, mud slides, and tornadoes have been reported from North Carolina to Virginia, all the way to Pennsylvania and Ohio.

Next up, tropical storm Jeanne is heading for the Bahamas, leaving at least nine people dead in its wake. The storm, with top winds of 45 miles an hour, killed seven people in the Dominican Republican, and -- Republic, that is -- and two in Puerto Rico. Forecasters say Jeanne may not hit the U.S.

Now to this video. It appeared on Al Jazeera television today, and it purportedly shows two Americans and one Briton who were kidnapped from their home in Baghdad two days ago. Al Jazeera says the kidnappers threatened to behead the three in 48 hours, unless female prisoners are released from two Iraqi jails.

A U.N. Security Council vote today is expected to demand the government of Sudan reign in the Arab militias blamed for the bloodshed in the Darfur region. The resolution includes possible sanctions on the African nation's oil industry. Some international aid groups say up to 50,000 civilians have been killed since last year.

A national museum of the American Indian set to open this Tuesday in the nation's capital. It's rich in culture, art, and history.

Bob Novak has this sneak preview in The Novak Zone.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERT NOVAK, HOST: Welcome to The Novak Zone.

We're on the terrace of the new National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. Below us, final preparation are under way for the grand opening of the museum.

We're joined by the museum's director, Rick West.

Mr. West, what can people who come to Washington, go to this museum here on the Mall in Washington, what can they expect to see?

RICK WEST, DIRECTOR, NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN: Oh, I think people can expect many things. First of all, the museum is a ringing affirmation, if you will, of the contributions that Native Americans themselves have made to the America's, in civilization and culture and in the arts, over thousands of years, right up to the present and into the future.

But what nonnatives can expect to see here, I think, is a revisiting of American history itself. It's part of their heritage too, and we want everybody to understand when they leave here that native peoples occupy a very significant place in the history of the America's.

NOVAK: Now, what is the significance, Mr. West, of the design and architecture of this building? What message do they send?

WEST: Well, before we actually put pen to paper in designing these buildings, we had consultations with at least 25 to 30 different groups, mostly native peoples, but not exclusively native peoples, over a period of two to three years.

And what you see in this design is an evocation or a reflection of what came out of those consultations, its curvilinear form, the organic nature of its architecture, the presence of water as an element, the use of natural light within the four walls of the building, all of these are factors in design which came out of these consultations with native peoples and others.

NOVAK: I understand you have 800,000 artifacts here, many of them artwork. Does art play a important part in the culture and the history of the American Indian?

WEST: Oh, I think so. All of the things that we made had significance to us, mostly a ceremonial and religious objects, to begin with. And we poured our hearts into making them as beautiful as they could. And that's really not different from the history of Western art, when you get right down to it, except that Western art took a turn at the Renaissance.

Prior to that time, objects had the same kind of significance in a community and cultural sense as they do to native peoples right now. So these objects are not only culturally significant, but they're frequently very, very beautiful.

NOVAK: Now, to get into this building, we had to go through a security process. I understand there's a lot of gold around here. How much gold? What is it, what kind of gold? What's it worth?

WEST: Well, this museum, interestingly enough, is an international institution of living cultures of the entire hemisphere. Our cultural axis, if you will, is north-south, not east-west, necessarily. And so we represent those great civilizations of Meso and South America, whether it's the Inca in South America, the Aztecs and the Maya in Central America, all of whom worked and created beautiful objects out of gold.

Our gold holdings are quite significant, and they will be on display, wide display, when we open on September 21.

NOVAK: What's the value of the gold here, do you have an estimate?

WEST: Actually, we don't, because the Smithsonian is self- insuring. So we don't really know what a third party would attach in value. But it's hundreds of millions of dollars.

NOVAK: Hundreds of millions of.

WEST: Yes.

NOVAK: Do you have any favorite artifact or artifacts here?

WEST: I'm slightly ethnically, ethnocentrically driven in that regard. I am Cheyenne myself, having grown up in Oklahoma. And so I attach myself to that material which is really closest to the southern Cheyenne. My favorite objects are actually shields. They were used in defense of our communities during rather tough times, and they tell a personal story of the person who actually owned that shield. It is his own vision that is set forth on a shield. And so they have great cultural significance too.

NOVAK: What do you think the future of the American Indian is, Mr. West?

WEST: I am actually very hopeful. It's not that I don't appreciate that serious social and economic challenges confront native communities, all 30 to 35 million of us throughout this hemisphere who still call ourselves indigenous.

On the other hand, I'm 61 years old. I remember what it was like in Oklahoma when I was 10 years old. And there is a profound cultural renaissance occurring in Indian country at this time, an attachment, a revival of those values that sort of held us together through the millennia, if you will, and a confidence that we can, if we work hard, whatever the challenges, maintain those values into the future.

NOVAK: We're in a very political city and a very political year. I got to ask you a political question. It seems as though the American Indian vote is much more sought after, much more subject of controversy. Is that correct?

WEST: Well, I think that it's more sought after than it used to be. We of course never had numbers. We're only 0.5 percent of the population of this country, a little over 2 million. But there are a number of states, and they happen to align on the current political map with states that are swing states, where we do have enough population, whether it's New Mexico, Arizona, or states like that, that our votes are sought, because in close contests, they mean something.

NOVAK: And now the big question for Rick West, the director of the National Museum of the American Indian.

Mr. West, when I was growing up, many years ago, they used to talk about the vanishing American, the American Indian, that his culture was going. He was being assimilated into the culture at large. Is the American Indian still vanishing?

WEST: Not at all. And we actually never were. It was outside perception. We never thought of ourselves as vanishing. Our population did reach its nadir or its low point in 1900, when there were only 250,000 of us left. Now we are 2 million, eight times that number. We've fought hard to protect the present, and we will fight even harder to maintain a future. So I consider us anything but vanishing.

NOVAK: Rick West, thank you very much, and good luck on your grand opening.

And thank you for being in The Novak Zone.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CALLEBS: That museum opens Tuesday. You can see more of Bob Novak tonight on "THE CAPITAL GANG" at 7:00 p.m. Eastern. Guests include House majority whip Roy Blunt. They'll, of course, be talking about Iraq and the election and others as well.

NGUYEN: Here's a look at some other stories making headlines across America. The mother of Michael Jackson's accuser comes face to face with the pop singer in court. She testified at a hearing yesterday in California.

Explosives and nuclear power plants usually don't mix, except in this case. Check it out. Officials used explosives yesterday to demolish the dome of the main Yankee plant, which is being decommissioned. Hundreds gathered to watch as the 150-foot-tall structure came crumbling down.

And finally, these lovely ladies will be wearing a lot less tonight as the next Miss America is crowned. The contestants were on parade last night in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Tonight's actual pageant will feature skimpier swimsuits. Also, officials have all but stripped away the talent contest. So no talent, and skimpier swimsuits.

CALLEBS: If you haven't been able to keep up with the news this week, that's what we're here for. Maybe got lost in the hurricane coverage. Here's what happened.

Antidepressants should be packaged with the strongest warning possible, because they can increase the risk of suicide among children. That's the conclusion from two FDA advisory committees. More clinical trials also recommended there.

Martha Stewart. She says she wants to go to prison while still appealing her conviction. Stewart sentenced in July to five months in prison, five months of house arrest, after being convicted on charges stemming from a December 2001 stock sale.

A national intelligence estimate lays out some possible scenarios for a postwar Iraq, including the prospect of internal conflict, increased violence, and even civil war.

And take action now. That's what U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan told the Security Council about a U.S.-led draft resolution on Sudan. The resolution demands the Sudanese government stop the violence in the Darfur region, where tens of thousands of civilians have been killed. And it also called for action on an inquiry into whether genocide has occurred in the Darfur region.

Tomorrow, we're going to fast forward, tell you what's going to happen in the week ahead that will grab the spotlight. Betty?

NGUYEN: They won our hearts during the summer games. Now, U.S. gymnasts Carly Patterson and Courtney Kupets join me here live when CNN SATURDAY MORNING returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CALLEBS: Time for a check of the headlines now.

From the South to the Midwest to the Northeast, the cleanup continues after Hurricane Ivan. In North Carolina, lots of damage on the ground, and over 200,000 people still without power right now, the storm causing destruction from Alabama as far north now as Pennsylvania.

In sports, Barry Bonds joins the 700 Club. Here's the smash hit last night. San Francisco Giant slugged his 700th career home run. He joins Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth in the 700 Club. Aaron is the all- time homer king, 755. Babe Ruth is next at 714.

The Pentagon has released more documents on President Bush's service in the Texas Air National Guard during the Vietnam era. They include historical records and notes but do not provide any new information regarding the alleged gaps and questions about the president's military service.

And we invite you on this question, Vietnam, National Guard, what are the real issues of this election? We're going to read your e- mails coming up. Betty?

NGUYEN: All right. The U.S. Olympic gymnastics team left Athens with nine medals. Today they begin a nationwide tour. That kicks off right here in Atlanta. All six members of the women's Olympic team plan to perform. Courtney Kupets was part of the team that won the silver medal, as was Carly Patterson, who also won the gold medal.

And we are delighted to have both of these talented athletes with us here today in Atlanta.

Good morning to you both.

CARLY PATTERSON, 2004 OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST: Good morning.

COURTNEY KUPETS, 2004 OLYMPIC SILVER MEDALIST: Good morning.

NGUYEN: Carly, let's start with you. You've trained for so long to be in the Olympics, you're there in Athens. Kind of take us back to that point. How do you perform under that kind of pressure?

PATTERSON: Well, I was just really excited to be there and represent the U.S. for, you know, my country. But I just tried to stay calm and think of it as, like, another meet. I mean, like, not put pressure on myself that it's the Olympics, and just kind of do it like another workout.

But, you know, you work so hard, and it only comes around four years, and a lot of gymnasts only get there once. And so, like, you want to have your best competition on that night. So it is a little bit more pressure. But I still tried to stay calm.

NGUYEN: But you handled that pressure. Courtney, let's talk to you a little bit, because you're part of the silver medal team there. But you had to deal with an injury. That's added pressure.

KUPETS: Yes, it just takes, you know, you're there, it's your chance and everything. And you kind of hurt, so it makes everything a lot harder, but, you know, that just makes you stronger, I guess.

NGUYEN: But that silver medal made it all worth it, didn't it?

KUPETS: Right.

NGUYEN: How exciting. So give us a little insight into what you're doing now, I mean, Carly, the fame that comes with all of this, you're going to be on a Wheaties box, we understand. I think we have a picture of that that we're going to try to put up there for you. Are you getting used to it just yet? What is it like to be Carly Patterson?

PATTERSON: I am definitely getting used to it. I like it. I like being noticed. And it's really cool, because, like, I go everywhere now, and people know who I am, and that's cool.

NGUYEN: What surprises you the most about it all?

PATTERSON: Just that, like -- I don't know, I would be looking up to, like, movie stars and singers and, like, all that, and now, like, people and little kids are looking up to me, and it's just, like -- that's really cool to know they look up to me, and it's just, like, you pass through the mall and they all (UNINTELLIGIBLE) it's Carly Patterson. And it's, like -- you feel, like...

NGUYEN: You've become an idol now.

PATTERSON: You feel famous, yes.

NGUYEN: Well, Courtney, how has this fame changed your life?

KUPETS: Yes, people do still recognize, even though we, you know, because we are the silver medal-winning team, so...

NGUYEN: Oh, yes.

KUPETS: ... people do still recognize the rest of us. And it is kind of funny at times. But, you know, we're still normal, same people, so...

NGUYEN: Very normal young women out here. Now, what kind of advice do you have for those girls looking to become what you have been able to accomplish in your lives and your career at the Olympics? So what kind of advice do you have for them?

KUPETS: Just that if they love it, it's going to be a lot of hard work, but it's definitely worth it, and it does have some fun parts to it. So just stay with it and (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...

NGUYEN: Like performing now on this national tour, is that fun?

KUPETS: Exactly, exactly. It is going to be a lot of fun.

NGUYEN: A lot less pressure. OK, so what's next for you, Carly, what are you doing after this, besides the tour? Planning for 2008, perhaps?

PATTERSON: Well, I'm still just going to be working, you know, in the gym, and see what happens. Four years is a long way away, but I'm still going to just, you know, to be working hard for it.

NGUYEN: What about you, Courtney?

KUPETS: You know, I am thinking about college right now, since I'm a senior in high school, so I'll probably go that road. NGUYEN: Any college in particular?

KUPETS: Georgia is up there, and then maybe UCLA.

NGUYEN: And what are you going to study?

KUPETS: I haven't figured that out yet.

NGUYEN: You've got some time, you've got time. But no, I wanted to ask you, though, how do you balance all of this practice with school? Because that has to be a bit difficult. What about you, Carly?

PATTERSON: It's really hard, because we have to work out (UNINTELLIGIBLE), and we work out six and a half hours a day. So we have a morning workout, and then we go to school, and then we have another workout.

And so it's, like, you try and get some of your homework done before, then the second workout, and then after when you go home at night. But it's kind of hard. But I guess it's, you know, the price you have to pay, and it's definitely worth it.

NGUYEN: Olympic champions. But we often forget that you are still students as well. Best of luck to you both.

PATTERSON: Thank you.

KUPETS: Thank you.

NGUYEN: Congratulations. Very proud of you.

Drew?

CALLEBS: Thank you, Betty.

And we say good morning to Washington. We'll have a complete weather forecast just about five minutes away, as we're looking at the White House there. CNN SATURDAY MORNING continues in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CALLEBS: Live looking at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. We will have the forecast. Orelon Sidney will be along in just a moment.

NGUYEN: But now, we want to take you to Kelli Arena in Washington for a sneak peek of "ON THE STORY," which is coming up next. Hi, there, Kelli.

KELLI ARENA, "ON THE STORY": Hi, there, and good morning.

Well, we're "ON THE STORY" from Maine to California today. I'll be talking about successes and setbacks in the terror fight. We'll have two versions of the campaign story. Suzanne Malveaux is with the president in Kennebunkport, and Sasha Johnson is with John Kerry in Boston. Kathleen Hays is on the story of oil prices, interest rates, and Martha Stewart too. And Maria Hinojosa is on the story of the Monterey Jazz Festival. It's all coming up, all "ON THE STORY."

Back to you.

NGUYEN: And a little jazz. Kelli Arena, thank you so much for that.

CALLEBS: Well, (UNINTELLIGIBLE), all morning long, we've been asking your thoughts on our e-mail question of the day, which is, what are the real issues of this campaign, is it Vietnam and the National Guard?

Here's what you've been writing.

From Cuero, Texas, David says, "I want to talk about the future, economy, health, and education of our children. I am sick of grown people who lead us acting like kids in a sandpile fighting over who gets the bigger pile."

NGUYEN: Al from Orangeburg, South Carolina, writes, "We really must move on. I would have one question, however. If they could put on a uniform today, would they," meaning Bush and Cheney, "go to Iraq?"

And, of course, every weekend, we appreciate all of your responses.

CALLEBS: Let's move on right now to Orelon Sidney. She's been tracking weather all morning long for us. Good morning, Orelon.

SIDNEY: Good morning.

Here's a quick look across the nation, showing you that most of the action is in the eastern United States. This, of course, is what's left of Ivan, combined with a cold front stretching all the way southward down through Florida.

It does look like the system is going to move off the Eastern Seaboard by tomorrow. So your weather, a lot better tomorrow morning. You'll have sunny to partly cloudy skies for your Sunday. Also some thunderstorms here right across the central portion of the nation, just smack in the middle. I'll show you that in just a second.

But you can see now, these thunderstorms headed just outside of Syracuse, heading off to your north and east. New York City, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., you'll see rain early. But things will be improving as you head toward the afternoon hours.

Now, back in Kansas City, boy, did you have a thunderstorm move through this morning, or what? Up to five inches of rain has fallen around the Kansas City area, parts of northern Missouri. This is actually what we call an outflow boundary. It's some instability left over from thunderstorms that kicked up a few pretty good rain showers and even a few pretty strong thunderstorms this morning. So far, all the severe warnings are over. But we do have flash flooding in the area, especially along Interstate 70. So if you have to travel there this morning, be aware that you could find some wet roads.

That, though, will be coming to an end as our frontal system continues to push its way on eastward. Warm air will work up from much of the South through the eastern slopes of the Rockies and then push on all of that rain off to the east.

You will find another cold front too in the Pacific Northwest. That means rain from Oregon and Washington along the coast, changing over, get this, to snowfall across parts of the northern Rockies for tomorrow. Southern Montana, the Idaho panhandle, looking at some snow showers. You'll see showers and thunderstorms throughout the Rocky Mountain states and the Four Corners down into Mexico.

But take a look out at the East. High pressure, sunny skies, cool temperatures for New England. Only some lingering showers early in the morning expected for the Carolinas.

High temperatures today in the 70 to the north, but very warm to hot from Salt Lake City through Denver down to Houston and Dallas, temperatures in the 90s, cooling off into the 70s tonight, but right back into the summerlike weather tomorrow.

Temperatures do feel like summer, even though fall begins next week. I think it's Tuesday or Wednesday, the official beginning of fall. Hopefully, temperatures will be cooling off for you in the southern Plains.

Drew, Betty?

NGUYEN: All right, Orelon, hold up. We've had all these hurricanes, and now you throw snow into the mix. Is Mother Nature -- has she gone crazy?

SIDNEY: No, that's just about right for higher elevations out in Montana and Idaho. They generally start to get a little bit of snowfall about this time of year, very short growing season there, about four months. So this is about right. Generally, most of your hurricanes are going to happen in August, September, and October, trailing off in November.

And those cold fronts that start to come through, the eastern United States a lot of times will help to kick those storms out to sea, keeping them off the Eastern Seaboard and the Gulf of Mexico, which is very good news.

NGUYEN: Keeping you busy, and us as well. All right, thank you, Orelon Sidney.

SIDNEY: You're welcome.

CALLEBS: Well, that will do it for us on CNN SATURDAY MORNING. Betty and I will be back right here tomorrow morning when you wake up for all the latest news.

NGUYEN: Bright and early. Thanks for watching. "ON THE STORY" is next, but first we want to give you a look at news.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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