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CNN Saturday Morning News
Southern California wildfires continue; U.S. launches a new offensive in Iraq; Rebuilding New Orleans; Group of men murdered in Georgia; Bill Bennett's controversial statements; Blasts in Bali; Taiwan prepares for typhoon; Disaster drill in Bethesda
Aired October 01, 2005 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And now in the news, the latest U.S. military effort to root out insurgents and al Qaeda operatives is underway in Iraq. Operation Iron Fist began this morning in the Anbar Province. Marines are heading up the 1,000 troop complement that is focused about 12 miles from the Syrian border.
Former Redskins star running back Timmy Smith is facing up to 10 years in prison and $4 million in fines after his arrest on drug charges. DEA agents in Denver arrested the 41-year-old after he allegedly sold half a kilogram of cocaine to undercover agents.
A Russian Soyuz rocket took off for the international space station this morning with a millionaire American tourist on board. Sixty-year-old infrared camera maker Gregory Olsen reportedly spent $20 million for a two day star trekking vacation. The flight's main mission is to rotate a joint U.S.-Russian two man crew aboard the space station.
And from the CNN Center in Atlanta, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
It is October 1st, a new month.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Wow! Where is the time going?
HARRIS: The year is over.
WHITFIELD: October.
HARRIS: Fred!
WHITFIELD: It's over.
HARRIS: Good morning, everyone.
I'm Tony Harris.
WHITFIELD: And I'm Fredricka Whitfield in for Betty Nguyen this morning.
Thanks so much for being with us.
Here's a quick peek at what's ahead this hour.
Southern California ablaze with wildfires burning up 24,000 acres northwest of Los Angeles. But a thousand firefighters are reigning it in.
Just as the New Orleans struggles to recover from hurricane Katrina, so do the smaller devastated towns that don't make the news. We'll show how Picayune, Mississippi fared in the storm when we talk to the mayor, Greg Mitchell.
And we go "Beyond The Game" with sports analyst Rick Horrow to the National Football League's generous efforts for hurricane relief.
A top story we're following for you this morning, the sudden arrival of fire season in southern California. No sooner had fire crews caught a break in the weather in battling the ferocious Chatsworth-Topanga fire than another chunk of L.A. real estate bursting into flames.
Juan Fernandez of affiliate KKAL filed this report for CNN.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
JUAN FERNANDEZ, KKAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The Burbank fire went from contained to out of control within a matter or hours. Changes in the weather causing some flare-ups that sent embers over the edge.
CAPT. DON BELL, BURBANK FIRE DEPARTMENT: Those firestorms that we saw when the fire got to the top threw embers over, would be my guess, into the thick brush on the other side, and it started boiling on the other side. There's a watershed over there or a little valley or a gully, and that is what they're working on right now. That -- they don't want that to create -- creep down into La Crescenta, Glendale, all L.A.
FERNANDEZ: But within a short time, 50 acres on the La Crescenta side burned. The number is growing by the minute. The Burbank fire actually started yesterday afternoon. At the 10 acre mark, it was fully contained. That is, until today, when it picked up once again.
As a precaution, the Country Club Canyon neighborhood was asked to evacuate. Most did. Burbank Fire Captain Don Bell explains why.
BELL: And if you look at the top up here, where that little bit of smoke is right now, that can lay down and tonight the wind will probably shift and we'll have down slope winds. That could pick that Canyon Country Club to come down or it could head down here and run into a burn area.
FERNANDEZ: The Burbank fire couldn't stop Peter and Kelly Frolick from getting married. Check out their fiery backdrop. The parking lot of their reception is now a command post for firefighters.
PETER FROLICK, GROOM: Incredible. And you can see here, smoke everywhere, fire everywhere. Cameras in our faces. We didn't think it would be this much of a production.
KELLY FROLICK, BRIDE: We didn't know we were so much celebrities. P. FROLICK: Yes.
K. FROLICK: You know, this is getting married. This is awesome.
FERNANDEZ (on camera): Originally, firefighters were hoping to have this fire contained by Saturday afternoon. But now with conditions changing minute by minute, they say it's all in Mother Nature's hands.
In Burbank, California, I'm Juan Fernandez for CNN.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
HARRIS: And let's take you to New Orleans now, where Mayor Ray Nagin has created a commission to get the city back on its feet. Its recommendations are expected by the end of the year. In the meantime, evacuees have begun migrating back into parts of the city.
CNN's Dan Lothian joins us with a status report on what they are finding -- Dan, good morning.
DAN LOTHIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning.
You know, it's interesting, because yesterday as we were walking around we were finding out that there were a number of people who had already returned to their neighborhood going against that order to stay out. They had come back in the last few days because they simply wanted to take a look at their properties and find out, you know, what was wrong and start the cleanup process.
Nonetheless, yesterday was when some 200,000 people were legally allowed to come back into eight different zip codes. And we were there. We saw a number of them. One gentleman told us that he had had some roof damage and he was concerned that his roof would collapse. We ran into, also, a lawyer, a local lawyer who was returning for the first time and was very thankful because her home was spared. She was in the Uptown neighborhood, that was not hard hit by floodwaters, but did get a little bit of wind damage.
It was interesting because you didn't only see the degree of damaged difference between the various zip codes but sometimes on that same street. One side of the street would be fine. On the other side of the street, there would be a home that collapsed.
The mayor yesterday, in a press conference, talking to those people who are world to come back now, wanted everyone to start returning home.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYOR RAY NAGIN, NEW ORLEANS: To all my New Orleanians, wherever you are, we want you back. We want all of you back. We want you back from the uptown to downtown. We want you back from the east to the west. We want you back from the Lower Ninth Ward. We want you back from Pigeon Town. Wherever you were from, we want you back.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LOTHIAN: Governor Blanco was taking a tour at various areas around New Orleans, obviously taking a look at this monumental task of bringing this city back to life down the road. No one really giving any timetable on that because there are so many issues still outstanding.
First of all, even though folks are returning to their home, there are environmental issues. A lot of concern about what's in the soil. While some people can take -- they can use -- they do have water, they can only take showers. They can't drink that water.
There's also concern about the structures themselves. Some of them have been tagged, so when residents are returning to their structures, they're finding that they have to either make repairs to the roof or repairs to the foundation before they can move in.
As you mentioned earlier, Tony, the mayor has established this commission of bringing New Orleans back. Seventeen members on that commission, including jazz musician Wynton Marsalis. These are people who will advise the mayor and advise the city on bringing this city back online. As you mentioned, he's trying to get a final study in place by the end of this year -- Tony.
HARRIS: CNN's Dan Lothian in New Orleans for us.
Dan, thank you.
New Orleans may be the biggest and most visible hurricane victim, but there are numerous small towns along the Gulf that got it just as bad, or worse. A short ride up Interstate 59 from New Orleans is the tiny town of Picayune, Mississippi. Later this hour, we'll speak with Picayune's mayor to find out how his community is doing after Katrina.
WHITFIELD: "Stories Across America" this morning.
Police in south Georgia are investigating an overnight spree of violence through two counties and four trailer parks that left five men dead and another seven people injured. It happened early Friday about 180 miles south of Atlanta. Authorities believe all the victims were Latino and mostly were savagely beaten. No arrests have been made.
The 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines are back from Iraq. The Ohio- based unit was once nicknamed "the Lucky Lima" for their long time avoidance of casualties. But in August, "the Lima" lost nine in the deadliest roadside bombing in Iraq. In all, 48 of them never made it back home.
Monday, Vice President Dick Cheney plans to join the battalion at the base for lunch.
NASA plans to postpone the next scheduled space shuttle takeoff from March until May because it's trying to fix the problem with insulating foam that falls off the ship's fuel tank. Falling foam was a factor in the Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy and the issue reappeared during Discovery's launch back in July. NASA has spent $1.5 billion trying to fix that problem -- Tony.
HARRIS: Former Education Secretary Bill Bennett says he doesn't owe anyone an apology. On his talk radio show, Bennett discussed a theory linking a drop in crime rate to the abortion of black babies. His comments got a lot of people hot under the collar.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
BILL BENNETT, FORMER EDUCATION SECRETARY: I'm not racist and I'll put my record up against theirs.
HARRIS (voice-over): Former Education Secretary William Bennett on the defensive after some remarks many are calling offensive. It happened as he responded to a call on his syndicated radio show Wednesday.
BENNETT: If you wanted to reduce crime, you could -- if that were your sole purpose -- you could abort every black baby in this country and your crime rate would go down. That would be an impossible, ridiculous and morally reprehensible thing to do, but your crime rate would go down.
HARRIS: Bennett is a veteran soldier in the culture wars. He served as drug czar in the first Bush administration, pushed the war on drugs, then later wrote "The Book of Virtues," a handbook of conservative morality.
Bennett says his comments were taken out of context when reported in the media.
BENNETT: If somebody thought I was advocate that, they ought to be angry. I'd be angry. I was putting forward a hypothetical proposition. I put that forward, examined it and then said about it that it's morally reprehensible to recommend abortion of an entire group of people in order to lower your crime rate. It's morally reprehensible. But this is what happens when you argue that the ends can justify the means.
I think people who have misrepresented my view owe me an apology.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
HARRIS: OK.
In a statement issued yesterday, Bennett said: "A thought experiment about public policy on national radio should not have received the condemnations it has. Anyone paying attention to this debate should be offended by those who have selectively quoted me, distorted my meaning and taken out of context the dialogue I engaged in this week. Such distortions from leaders of organizations and parties is a disgrace, not only to the organizations and institutions they serve, but to the first amendment."
Well, this brings us to our e-mail question this morning.
What do you think about the comments made by the former education secretary?
E-mail us at weekends@cnn.com.
We'll be reading your replies throughout the program.
WHITFIELD: An alarming warning from the world health experts. The bird flu virus can spread to humans and become global. Find out how serious the situation is later this hour.
HARRIS: And pick up the pieces after Katrina, how are the small towns coping with the aftermath? We'll check in with the mayor of Picayune, Mississippi -- good morning, Bonnie.
BONNIE SCHNEIDER, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Good morning.
Folks in Boston are waking up in a good mood this morning, celebrating a Red Sox victory. It looks like we're going to see great weather for the games this worked. Temperatures will be in the 70s.
I'll have a complete check of weather coming up next on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NINA ZAGAT: The three most popular restaurants in St. Louis are Tony's, Sidney Street Cafe and Trattoria Marcella.
Tony's is a downtown icon. It's a restaurant that's known all over the country and it's a special occasion restaurant with classic Italian food.
Sidney Street Cafe is in an historic building dating from 1885. It's got new American cuisine and is known for its very romantic setting.
Trattoria Marcella is an Italian bistro feeling place. It's very comfortable and very, very popular.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Hurricane Katrina brought death and destruction. But it can also bring a boost to state and local economies. Find out how in the next hour of CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Checking our top stories right now, the U.S. military launches a new offensive in western Iraq, near the Syrian border. It's called Operation Iron Fist and the military says it's aimed at rooting out al Qaeda terrorists. The offensive involves about 1,000 U.S. troops.
A Russian Soyuz rocket is on its way to the international space station after lifting off from Central Asia today. It's carrying a new Russian-U.S. crew, along with millionaire scientist Gregory Olsen, the world's third space tourist.
Ex-Washington Redskins running back Timmy Smith is in jail this morning. He was arrested yesterday for allegedly selling cocaine to an undercover drug agent in Denver. Smith holds the all time Super Bowl rushing record.
And take a look at this. A giant squid discovered deep in the ocean earlier this week.
HARRIS: Yes.
WHITFIELD: And if you missed the story, stay tuned to our "Wows of the Week" later this hour.
HARRIS: And Bonnie Schneider is with us this morning upstairs at the CNN Weather Center for this first check of weather this morning -- good morning, Bonnie.
SCHNEIDER: Good morning, Tony and Fredericka.
(WEATHER REPORT)
SCHNEIDER: We've got 82 in Atlanta today, not a bad day at all. The air does feel a lot cooler and drier. It feels pretty good out there -- Tony, Fredericka.
HARRIS: That's the point.
You know, you get up in the morning now, Fred.
WHITFIELD: Yes, crispy.
HARRIS: Crispy in the morning.
SCHNEIDER: It does feel good.
HARRIS: Cool in the morning.
Doesn't it feel good?
SCHNEIDER: Yes.
WHITFIELD: I think I like it, Bonnie.
SCHNEIDER: It does.
HARRIS: See?
SCHNEIDER: It's October now.
WHITFIELD: Let's hope we can stay here, though. I mean I do like it when it's really cold and there's snow on the ground...
HARRIS: Oh, you do?
WHITFIELD: ... and I'm skiing. SCHNEIDER: Right.
HARRIS: You're a skier?
WHITFIELD: But I don't like it when it's just at home and, you know, going to work...
HARRIS: No, it's not good.
SCHNEIDER: Yes.
WHITFIELD: ... and trudging through the ice and snow.
HARRIS: And you have a typhoon.
WHITFIELD: That's like my little commentary for the morning.
HARRIS: There you go. There you go.
A typhoon to tell us about next hour, maybe?
SCHNEIDER: That's right. We sure do.
HARRIS: OK.
SCHNEIDER: A super typhoon.
WHITFIELD: Oh.
SCHNEIDER: And I'll tell you the difference between a typhoon and a super typhoon, as well.
HARRIS: Tell me the difference between an octopus and a squid. Now you've...
SCHNEIDER: I don't know about that.
WHITFIELD: The number of tentacles, for one.
HARRIS: That's right.
Very good, Fred.
And still ahead, millions of dollars...
WHITFIELD: That's all I've got for you, though.
HARRIS: That's it? That's it?
WHITFIELD: Well, you know.
HARRIS: Millions of dollars...
WHITFIELD: Just for now.
HARRIS: ... in aid have poured in after hurricane Katrina, and that's just from the world of professional sports. So how else has Katrina affected sports?
We will ask our sports guru, Rick Horrow -- hello.
I'm here.
RICK HORROW, CNN SPORTS BUSINESS ANALYST: Hello.
HARRIS: Present and accounted for, coming up next, when we take you "Beyond The Game."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: The generosity of sports professionals after the arrival of hurricane Katrina continues to defy the image of spoiled athletes and greedy owners who only think about themselves. Within 48 hours after the storm ravaged the Gulf Coast, the sports industry pledged millions to relief efforts. And that was just the beginning.
The lingering effect of hurricane Katrina on the sports industry the topic this morning as we take you "Beyond The Game."
The NCAA announced this week it is donating $1.5 million to hurricane relief. It will also collect more money during its national championships as part of a partnership with Habitat for Humanity, just one of the many charitable efforts we're seeing from the sports industry.
Let's bring in CNN sports analyst Rick Horrow now for more.
He joins us this week from Raleigh, North Carolina -- Rick, good morning to you, sir.
HORROW: My wonderful friend, how are you this fine Carolina morning?
HARRIS: Outstanding. Outstanding.
I have to ask you, though, this is a big number we're talking about here, $21 million raised from, what was it, two weeks ago. Monday night's historic NFL hurricane marathon, two football games used as the marathon's backdrop.
So if you would, compare the NFL's Katrina efforts to the rest of the sports world, please?
HORROW: Well, let's put it all in perspective, my friend.
You know, a $275 billion industry is sports. And as you said, a lot of cynics talk about it as being the home for greedy owners and overpaid athletes and uncaring leagues. Well, that wasn't the case. That NFL total compares with about $5 to $10 million from major league baseball and its Pass The Hat campaign. Hockey and basketball are just getting started with their seasons, but their players and leagues contributed generously to this effort.
You've got even individual players -- Kyle Busch, a NASCAR driver, gave all of his prize money to the relief effort after the Labor Day race he won. Kim Clijsters gave before she won the U.S. Open. And even, by the way, for example, the Westminster Kennel Club gave $20,000 for dog hurricane relief.
HARRIS: Yes.
HORROW: So this is a wonderful society as it relates to relief dollars.
HARRIS: Hey, let's go back to the -- those Monday night games.
How were the ratings for that double header a couple of Mondays ago and is there a possibility we might see it again?
HORROW: Well, you know, the NFL did very well and so did ABC, about 16 million homes. They won the entire prime time sweep. But as for making it more than just a unique occurrence, that's going to be difficult. Remember, what's too early on the West Coast is too late on the East Coast, and a three hurricane Rita football game times two, that's six hours of prime time, which is very difficult logistically to put on.
The NFL did a great job. They will do it again under circumstances that require that, like the $21 million raised for all of hurricane relief.
And, oh, by the way, if you and I want to watch a lot of football, which I know we do, this week's college and pro-football alone, that's 816 hours of programming. So I think we'll get by, my friend.
HARRIS: Yes, yes. We'll struggle along.
Any decisions yet on the future of, what is it, the Sugar Bowl and the Super Bowl yet?
HORROW: Well, the Sugar Bowl itself is important because it's about a $200 million economic impact for New Orleans. And the issue is where does the 72nd one go this year.
HARRIS: Right.
HORROW: It could go to northern Louisiana. Baton Rouge is a favorite. San Antonio. There are a lot of short-term and long-term solutions.
The Superdome itself, built in 1975, about $150 million. But the economic impact has been enormous. Four final fours, six Super Bowls, major conventions. And, frankly, the issue of what's going to happen with it is still up in the air.
HARRIS: Yes.
HORROW: It might cost $400 million to repair it. All we know is future buildings are going to be designed for Category three, four and five. As for the Superdome itself, you know, Katrina was a month ago. That decision could take a year.
HARRIS: Hey, Rick, let's talk about your Monday night picks from last week on your "Beyond The NFL" segment.
You've got a new segment now?
HORROW: Yes, I've got a new segment. I don't know who filled you with this...
HARRIS: Worked that out, huh?
HORROW: But I've got to tell you something, that segment is for up to date, unique, insightful analysis of NFL exes and those beyond that.
HARRIS: So why are you doing it, anyway?
HORROW: Oh, well, hey, let me tell you something.
HARRIS: OK.
HORROW: If you want a pick them show, watch something else, OK? I'm not there for my picks.
As for those two, yes, it was a mistake. At least, unlike last year, I didn't pick the wrong team to go to the Super Bowl, by the way.
HARRIS: Oh, boy.
HORROW: I'm going to do better tomorrow night and for the rest of the season. And you and I can compare as much as you want, my friend.
HARRIS: OK, so that's "Beyond The NFL" and that's Sunday night with Carol Lin, right? Is that at 6:00 p.m.?
HORROW: Absolutely. It's exciting to work with an enlightened anchor for once.
HARRIS: Oh, lord, I knew that was coming.
Good to see you, Rick.
HORROW: Have a wonderful weekend, my friend.
HARRIS: All right, you, too -- Fred.
WHITFIELD: He's gently slamming you there, Tony?
HARRIS: Ah, not so gently.
WHITFIELD: OK.
Well, after hurricanes Katrina and Rita, much of the attention has been on New Orleans. But what about small towns in the Gulf area that are trying to pick up the pieces after two monster storms?
We'll check in with the mayor of Picayune, Mississippi next on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
And a virus that could kill up to seven million people if it becomes an epidemic. Details next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: An ominous warning from the world health officials. Bird flu is threatening to spread to humans and become an epidemic.
Welcome back, everyone, to CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
I'm Tony Harris.
WHITFIELD: And I'm Fredricka Whitfield in for Betty Nguyen.
That story in a moment.
But first, a look at the morning headlines.
Firefighters say they are making progress in controlling a raging wildfire northwest of Los Angeles. Fire officials say they have the fire approximately 40 percent contained. The blaze began Wednesday. So far, burning 24,000 acres and sending 1,500 residents scrambling for safety.
Louisiana officials have updated the state's death toll from hurricane Katrina to 929. Including Mississippi, Florida, Alabama and Georgia, at least 1,163 deaths are attributed to Katrina.
A Russian Soyuz rocket took off for the international space station this morning with a millionaire American tourist aboard. Sixty-year-old infrared camera maker Gregory Olsen reportedly spent $20 million for a two day star trekking vacation. The flight's main mission is to rotate a joint U.S.-Russian two man crew aboard the space station -- Tony.
HARRIS: And, Fred, you may not have worried too much about avian influenza, more commonly called bird flu, since it first appeared in South Asia in 1997, but the U.S. government is plenty concerned.
As CNN's Brian Todd explains, some health experts fear bird flu will eventually set off a human pandemic.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): What began as a simple outbreak among farm birds in Hong Kong eight years ago now has top health officials speaking ominously about what they say could be the next global pandemic.
DICK THOMPSON, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION: The best case scenario, the most mild pandemic would cause an excess two million to 7.4 million deaths. But the numbers certainly go much higher. TODD: We spoke to officials at the World Health Organization, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to gauge their concerns about a strain called H5N1, also known as avian flu, or simply bird flu.
Human cases are reported in four countries -- Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Indonesia. More than half who get it die. The World Health Organization says the death toll now stands at 60.
Most human cases have stemmed from direct contact with sick animals. But experts say humans pass the flu to each other from contact with nose or throat secretions. So far, people with avian flu cannot easily infect other humans. But if this strain mutates, that could change.
THOMPSON: What we worry about is that this virus will infect a human or another animal that has a circulating strain of the normal human influenza virus and that these two viruses will mix and out of that will come a virus that has this human characteristic of jumping from human to human, but also the avian characteristic of being very lethal.
TODD: There is no confirmed cure for avian flu and no vaccine as of yet, although the U.S. government has purchased a vaccine in development. For now, anti-viral medications on the market can combat avian flu, but those have not proven very effective so far.
Once a vaccine is made, Health and Human Services officials hope to stockpile enough of that for 20 million people and enough anti- virals for another 20 million.
Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
WHITFIELD: New Orleans mayor, Ray Nagin, announces a 17-member Bring Back New Orleans commission. It's charged with drafting a plan to rebuild the city after hurricane Katrina. The mayor also laid out his wish list of help that he wants from the federal government. It includes income tax breaks for businesses and residents that return to the city and upgrading the levee system to withstand a Category five hurricane.
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated many small towns. Because of the massive media coverage in big cities like New Orleans, some residents of these towns feel like their story has not been told.
Joining me on the phone is Greg Mitchell, mayor of Picayune, Mississippi, about 50 miles north of New Orleans.
Mr. Mayor, thanks for waking up with us this morning.
MAYOR GREG MITCHELL, PICAYUNE, LOUISIANA: Glad to be here.
WHITFIELD: Well, describe what kind of damage your city sustained. MITCHELL: Most of our damage in the Picayune area was winds, high winds, roofs being blown off, trees being blown over and most of them landing on the roofs of the citizens' houses. And, of course, we had a lot of roof damage and tons and tons of debris.
WHITFIELD: So is it true about 10 to 15 percent of your properties, of the homes there, were damaged?
MITCHELL: That's true, and a lot of people still are living with, you know, with the blue roofs and some of those roofs are still leaking, they're in such bad damage. And it's just been a catastrophic time for our citizens here in the city of Picayune.
WHITFIELD: So, Mayor Mitchell, are you seeing a number of organizations, non-government agencies, etc. that are pouring into your city to help your citizens?
MITCHELL: It's unbelievable, I mean to know, you know, all the people that's been so good to us, Fredericka. It's just very humbling. And just to mention a few, we've been adopted by so many small cities. So many has called in, towns and cities, about our size that wanted to adopt us. And some of those are as far away as Beatrice, Nebraska; Issaquah, Washington; North Miami, Florida; and Rye, Colorado.
WHITFIELD: So that's very encouraging.
You really were on the map for some of the bigger cities to try to assist you?
MITCHELL: Yes, we were. We have an excellent Web site in our city here and, of course, so many of the people throughout the United States were able to come in and pinpoint our area as being the, I guess what you would say, the first high area off of the Gulf Coast and out of New Orleans.
WHITFIELD: And Mayor Mitchell, before I let you go, are you expecting any kind of trickle down benefit from the Bring Back New Orleans campaign, since you are within such close proximity? Do you see that you might benefit in any way from that city getting back on its feet?
MITCHELL: Yes, we have several different areas. Of course, being the first high spot off of the Gulf Coast that didn't get any major flooding damage, although we had some in low lying areas, we think we're the area that can get the economic boom started back to this area.
WHITFIELD: OK.
MITCHELL: And we're looking to maybe get some federal funds here for our infrastructure and repair of some buildings we have here that's going to allow us to create jobs for our area that will be very beneficial.
WHITFIELD: Well, Mayor Greg Mitchell of Picayune, Mississippi, thanks so much and good luck to you and your town.
MITCHELL: Thank you.
WHITFIELD: And this program note.
"CNN PRESENTS" follows everybody, from emergency workers to ordinary citizens who worked frantically to prepare as hurricane Rita roared along the Gulf Coast. Tune in for "Monster: Tracking The Storm." That's tonight at 8:00 p.m. Eastern and tomorrow at 7:00 p.m. Eastern -- Tony.
HARRIS: Hurricane Katrina tore this man's wife out of his arms. Hardy Jackson became the face of this enormous disaster.
Find out how he is doing now, a month after Katrina hit.
His story is next on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Hurricane Katrina brought death and destruction, but the recover process will bring in some big bucks. Find out more in the next hour of CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
We will be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Following up on a story we brought you after hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast, Hardy Jackson, a Biloxi, Mississippi man who became the face of tragedy in the storm's wake. His wife, lost in the hurricane, literally torn from his arms as raging floodwaters ripped their house to shreds.
I went back to check on Mr. Jackson one month after Katrina.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
HARDY JACKSON, KATRINA VICTIM: Throw me the ball, please.
WHITFIELD (voice-over): The smile for his granddaughter masks deep pain.
JACKSON: Pain. Pain. I fairly be strong for them kids.
WHITFIELD: One month ago, Hardy Jackson made a heartbreaking promise to his wife Tonette.
JACKSON: She said, "Take care of them kids and take care of them grandkids."
WHITFIELD: It was moments before floodwaters from hurricane Katrina swept her away from his grip.
JACKSON: I hold her hand as tightly as I could and she told me, "You can't hold me." WHITFIELD: Her last words still haunting. It's been an awful month.
JACKSON: Man, it's more pain, man, than I've ever been through in my whole life.
WHITFIELD: Not just for Jackson...
DEION WALTMAN, KATRINA VICTIM: I feel sad.
WHITFIELD: ... but for their three children and three grandchildren, all uprooted from Biloxi and now together, staying at Jackson's sister's home outside Atlanta, about to begin school next week.
JACKSON: Everybody has been very, very nice. I thank everybody. I appreciate it.
WHITFIELD: Now, in a safe place, but that hasn't stopped recurring nightmares.
WALTMAN: You would know my grandma and grandpa, they had -- they was walking outside in the wave kind of, in the wind over there.
HARDY JACKSON, JR. KATRINA VICTIM: It makes me stay sad sometimes. And sometimes when I want to cry, I try to keep it in, but it comes. I just let it out. And when my friends ask me what happened, I just tell them I can't tell you right now because it's too hard for me to tell you.
WHITFIELD: And further compounding their hardships...
JACKSON: They do not have her body. You know, I don't understand that.
WHITFIELD: Jackson says he's getting conflicting stories about where the body of his wife may be and whether he'll ever be able to bury her.
JACKSON: It ain't going to ease my pain until I get my wife. Well, I ain't going to give up, because the reason I'm not going to give up is because she was too good of a person.
WHITFIELD: The woman he shared a life with over 28 years, raising children and with whom Hardy Jackson made a promise to take care of the kids and grandkids, vowing forever to keep his word, no matter what else may come their way.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
WHITFIELD: And amid all the grief, a bit of good news for the Jackson family. Our affiliate, WKRG, reports that R&B star Frankie Beverly and his group Maze have purchased a home for the Jacksons near Mr. Jackson's sister's house in Palmetto, Georgia. They're expected to move in in about two weeks.
HARRIS: I think that's on that same block, isn't it?
WHITFIELD: Yes, it is. It's just down the street. And, you know, Mr. Jackson said, even before learning about getting the home from Frankie Beverly and Maze, that he was going to go ahead and just stay in Palmetto, Georgia.
HARRIS: Yes.
WHITFIELD: That he felt like going back to Biloxi, there was just nothing for him. And now, with the new residence, you know, that's just a bit of hope for this family. And with the kids starting school next week, they feel like they are trying to make this home now, Palmetto, Georgia, home.
HARRIS: You know what's interesting about it is he's getting a lot of help. Folks from all over the country are just identifying with that story.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
HARRIS: And there was this huge outpouring, you know, this huge outpouring of help for him. But there is still such a long road ahead.
WHITFIELD: Oh, sure.
HARRIS: I mean he was disabled 11 years ago, hit by a train.
WHITFIELD: That's right.
HARRIS: Hit by a train. So he can't really work. So you think that, yes, he's getting a lot of help and the family will get some of their sort of basic needs taken care of. But it is a long way back.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
HARRIS: And those kids, to hear the kids talking about some of the nightmares and some of the things that they're going through, you wonder if they're getting the help they need to sort of get their thoughts together and maybe some counseling.
WHITFIELD: It's tough, you know? And there are a lot of kids. I mean how many times over...
HARRIS: Yes.
WHITFIELD: ... who have been subjected to this, whether they experienced a loss of their parent, whether they witnessed it...
HARRIS: Yes.
WHITFIELD: ... the loss of their home. And, you know, a lot of these kids are needing some psychological help because nobody is -- I mean who can instruct or offer the guidance of how do you deal with these emotions? And a lot of kids are keeping it pent-up.
These kids, amazingly, were able to express themselves and talk about how difficult it is to talk about it.
HARRIS: Yes. What about all the other kids?
WHITFIELD: But still, it's pent-up.
HARRIS: Yes.
WHITFIELD: Yes, a lot of other kids.
HARRIS: A good story.
WHITFIELD: It's a tough story.
HARRIS: Yes, yes, but we wish the family the best, obviously.
If you're just joining us, here's a quick look at some of our other top stories this morning.
The U.S. military begins a new offensive in Iraq near the Syrian border this morning. It's called Operation Iron Fist and it involves about 1,000 U.S. troops on a mission to root out al Qaeda terrorists.
Now, back in this country, favorable weather helps firefighters get the upper hand on a raging wildfire northwest of Los Angeles. The blaze is about 40 percent contained. It's burned some 24,000 acres. But thousands of homes have been saved. And this morning some residents are returning.
And more residents are returning to hurricane ravaged New Orleans. This as the mayor announces a commission to draft a rebuilding plan.
And don't forget about our e-mail question this morning. Tell us what you think about the comments made by former Education Secretary Bill Bennett on his radio show this week. Have you heard it? Have you heard it? Have you heard it? Boy.
WHITFIELD: If you haven't heard it, you're going to hear it on this program.
HARRIS: You're going to.
Weekends@cnn.com. Reading your replies in just a few minutes.
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Well, if your week was more about deadlines than headlines, then we're here to help u.
Let's "Rewind" now through some of the big stories of the last few days.
Tuesday, U.S. officials said al Qaeda's number two man in Iraq was killed last weekend during a gun battle in Baghdad. President Bush says Abu Azzam was one of the terrorists responsible for a recent surge of attacks in the Iraqi capital.
Also Tuesday, Army Private First Class Lynndie England was dishonorably discharged and sentenced to three years in prison for her role in the Abu Ghraib Prison scandal. The conviction is linked to now infamous photos that show England posing with naked prisoners.
And Wednesday, House Majority Leader Tom DeLay stepped down after a Texas grand jury charged him with conspiring to break political fundraising laws in 2002. DeLay said he is innocent. He is due in a Texas courtroom on the matter later on in the month.
And Thursday, the national average price of a gallon of self serve regular gas jumped nearly $0.03, to $2.84. The increase may stem from concerns over damage to refineries along the Gulf Coast after hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
And tomorrow, we'll "Fast Forward" to the week ahead and tell you which stories will be grabbing the spotlight.
HARRIS: And during the last month, many of us learned the lessons of hurricane Katrina, even if we don't live on the Gulf Coast. And we're taking time to review some important papers.
Veronica De La Cruz joins us now with more from the CNN Dot-com Desk.
VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right.
HARRIS: Veronica -- good morning.
DE LA CRUZ: Good morning to you, Tony.
Right, you know, one of the most valuable lessons to take away from this year's busy hurricane season, which, unfortunately, is not over yet...
HARRIS: That's right.
DE LA CRUZ: ... is the value of insuring your property.
Now, if you're a little confused and you need to kind of catch up on what your coverage is, you can get the basics of actually buying homeowners insurance and more. It's online at cnnmoney.com.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE)
DE LA CRUZ (voice-over): Before you choose an insurance policy, establish your home's replacement cost. Take the time to value it properly. To insurers, your premium is based on a set of statistics such as age, marital status, your neighborhood and claim history -- all factored into an insurer's prediction of whether or not you'll file a claim.
And if you live in an area susceptible to damage by Mother Nature, know that a basic insurance policy may not replace an entire home. And, finally, demand discounts. Americans waive some $300 billion a year simply because they never ask.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
DE LA CRUZ: Right? Demand discounts. I mean who doesn't want a good deal?
HARRIS: Yes, I like that.
DE LA CRUZ: Right?
HARRIS: I didn't even think about it.
DE LA CRUZ: So don't forget, demand discounts.
And, of course, you can find it online at cnnmoney.com/101.
HARRIS: That's a rule for life.
DE LA CRUZ: You're writing it down?
HARRIS: No, no, no. That's a rule for life.
DE LA CRUZ: You're going to go check it out.
HARRIS: Demand discounts.
DE LA CRUZ: Yes, demand discounts.
HARRIS: Words to live by.
DE LA CRUZ: In everything you do. We all like a good deal.
HARRIS: Along with three it's for me.
OK, Veronica, thank you.
DE LA CRUZ: All right, good seeing you guys.
HARRIS: That's good.
All right, check it out squid heads. Is that nice the first thing in the morning, to call someone a squid head? Clever.
Scientists managed to snap a picture worth a thousand words. Look at this. More about this mythic creature just ahead in our "Wows of the Week."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: Can you say wow?
WHITFIELD: Wow!
HARRIS: Good. London is our first stop this morning as we review our "Wows of the Week."
If warm and cozy is your style, this isn't it. Absolut Vodka has opened an ice bar in the city. Inside, it's always a bracing 23 degrees. Customers must wear protective coats, both to keep warm and to protect the ice from body heat. Now, if you get hungry, the Below Zero Restaurant is right next door.
The next stop?
WHITFIELD: It's fish?
HARRIS: That's it. Queenstown, New Zealand.
Who says alcohol and extreme sports don't mix? Oh my goodness.
WHITFIELD: What? What?
HARRIS: It's the Cocktail World Cup.
WHITFIELD: Oh, shaken.
HARRIS: Bartenders...
WHITFIELD: Shaken, not stirred.
HARRIS: That's it. That's right. Here's the deal.
WHITFIELD: All right.
HARRIS: Bartenders compete by shaking up drinks while engaging in...
WHITFIELD: (INAUDIBLE).
HARRIS: ... no, you've got it, what stomach churning activities.
And after a stiff drink, how about a calamari chaser? The fabled giant squid has finally been photographed in its natural habitat. A team of Japanese scientists used bait to lure the camera shy creature out of the darkness more than a half mile underwater. This particular specimen measured about 26 feet across.
WHITFIELD: Wow!
I don't think that squid appreciates us already defining it as calamari potential.
HARRIS: Yes. Yes.
WHITFIELD: You hardly ever see these guys. This is the last thing you would hope anybody would do.
HARRIS: And...
WHITFIELD: Because they're so rarely seen.
SCHNEIDER: Yes.
WHITFIELD: And then all of a sudden, Bonnie, people want to see it on its plate.
Is that wrong?
SCHNEIDER: That's what I was thinking about, calamari.
I don't know, I'm...
WHITFIELD: That's what you thought of?
SCHNEIDER: I was. Yes.
WHITFIELD: You were thinking yum?
SCHNEIDER: That was my immediate reaction. But, of course, you don't want to eat the calamari that looks like that. You know, it has to be (INAUDIBLE) ...
HARRIS: No, that's for sure.
SCHNEIDER: Because you know that is tough.
WHITFIELD: It's got to be tough.
SCHNEIDER: Tough to chew.
WHITFIELD: Yes. Tougher than the average squid.
SCHNEIDER: Definitely.
WHITFIELD: You know, it's a half a mile deep. I go on and on and on.
HARRIS: Yes.
WHITFIELD: Save the squid. That's what I'm saying, Bonnie.
SCHNEIDER: Save the squid.
WHITFIELD: All right, what you got going on?
HARRIS: "Take Me Out To The Ball Game?"
SCHNEIDER: Oh, hear some music?
HARRIS: Yes.
SCHNEIDER: Oh, yes.
WHITFIELD: OK.
SCHNEIDER: All right. WHITFIELD: Well, I guess you're going to sing?
SCHNEIDER: That's the live picture of Boston, courtesy of our affiliate WCBB. And you can see the John Hancock Tower there in the background, looking good. A beautiful morning there. Everybody is waking up with a smile on their face because of the Red Sox win last night.
(WEATHER REPORT)
SCHNEIDER: Let's see if you guys are paying attention. For the next hurricane name or storm name, do you know the name that's next on the list?
WHITFIELD: Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh.
SCHNEIDER: It starts with the letter S.
HARRIS: S? Samantha?
SCHNEIDER: No, it's a boy's name.
HARRIS: Sam?
SCHNEIDER: Close. Stan.
HARRIS: Stan?
WHITFIELD: Stan.
SCHNEIDER: Stan.
HARRIS: See, it pays...
WHITFIELD: Sam I am.
SCHNEIDER: They alternate male and female names.
HARRIS: It pays to pay attention.
WHITFIELD: Unbelievable.
HARRIS: Yes.
SCHNEIDER: Yes, we're far on the list. But at least, if this becomes Stan, it's not going to pose a threat to land, which is good.
HARRIS: Oh, yes. Oh, yes.
WHITFIELD: Have we ever gone this far in the Atlantic hurricane season?
SCHNEIDER: We've never gone through the alphabet. Yes, we have gone this far before.
WHITFIELD: Right. SCHNEIDER: But we've never gone through the entire alphabet.
WHITFIELD: And then it would go Greek?
SCHNEIDER: That's right.
HARRIS: Oh, really?
WHITFIELD: Wow!
HARRIS: Bonnie, thank you.
SCHNEIDER: Sure.
WHITFIELD: All right.
HARRIS: We want to get to our e-mail question this morning and some of the responses.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
HARRIS: Pretty fiery stuff.
Have you heard the comments Bill Bennett made this week on his nationally syndicated radio show?
What are your thoughts regarding Bill Bennett's comments?
If you haven't heard the comments, we'll be playing them throughout the morning. And you don't need to hear them right now to get some -- the flavor of these comments.
This is from Marshall from Williamsburg, Virginia: "Bill Bennett's recent statement was probably politically incorrect. However, what he said is definitely the truth. Unfortunately, in today's politically correct arena, the truth is not acceptable."
WHITFIELD: And then, one unknown person writes: "The recent comments by Bennett are, sorry to say, not being taken out of context. He does not understand that we know exactly what he meant. It's just the fact that he is either too dumb or too prejudiced to realize that what he said is racist no matter what. People like him are the reason racism exists in the first place."
HARRIS: OK, maybe we do need to set up the comments before with read e-mails. We're producing it on the air as we go here, Fred.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
HARRIS: But, what are your thoughts regarding Bill Bennett's comments?
Here is the address -- weekends@cnn.com.
WHITFIELD: The next hour of CNN SATURDAY MORNING begins right now. CNN SATURDAY MORNING Air Date: 10/01/05 Time: 08:00-08:30 AM Transcribed by Judy Stein
WHITFIELD: And then, one unknown person writes, "The recent comments made by Bennett are, sorry to say, not being taken out of context. He does not understand that we know exactly what he meant, it's just the fact that he is either too dumb or too prejudiced to realize that what he said is racist no matter what. People like him are the reason racism exists in the first place."
HARRIS: OK, maybe we do need to set up the comments before we read the e-mails. We're producing it on the air as we go here, Fred.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
HARRIS: But what are your thoughts regarding Bill Bennett's comments? Here's the address, weekends@CNN.com.
WHITFIELD: The next hour of CNN SATURDAY MORNING begins right now.
A look at our top stories now in the news.
The U.S. launches another offensive against the insurgency in Iraq. Operation Iron Fist is led by U.S. Marines. It's taking place in the town of Sadah, about 12 miles from the Syrian border in western Iraq. Officials believe some foreign fighters are infiltrating into Iraq across the Syrian border.
The U.S. military says Afghan forces have captured a key Taliban commander in eastern Afghanistan. A statement says U.S. forces provided security while national police captured the man. According to U.S. Central Command, he was responsible for a number of attacks against U.S. and Afghan forces.
A Soyuz rocket blasts off with American space tourist Greg Olsen and a U.S.-Russian crew on board. They're headed for the International Space Station. The crew reported all was well aboard the craft as it entered its initial orbit. Olsen is the 60-year-old founder of an infrared camera company in New Jersey. He reportedly paid $20 million for a seat on the Expedition 12 flight.
Five towns in eastern Russia are evacuated after explosions at an ammunitions dump. Officials say a fire at a navy depot caused artillery shells to explode, forcing the evacuation of about 4,000 residents.
From the CNN Center in Atlanta, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING. It is October 1, 8:00 a.m. here at the headquarters, 7:00 a.m. in the Mississippi Valley.
Good morning, everyone. I'm Fredricka Whitfield, in for Betty Nguyen.
HARRIS: And I'm Tony Harris. Thank you for being with us.
At the top this hour, the renewing of New Orleans slowly continues. Mayor Ray Nagin grows over the French Quarter in the city's uptown section. New Orleans is nearly pumped dry, but there's still no drinkable water. Once the home of jazz, jambalaya, and oyster po' boys, New Orleans residents are returning to a much-altered city of shattered windows, torn roofs, and fallen trees. Louisiana's death toll rises to 932, while Mississippi's climbs to 221.
And like scavengers, speculators swoop down on the storm-ravaged Gulf Coast property. Real estate in Biloxi, Mississippi, has jumped between 10 and 20 percent, Fred.
WHITFIELD: Well, that's expected. And making a profit off Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, we're talking about a nearly impossible task of rebuilding hundreds of miles of Gulf Coast devastation.
As Tom Foreman reports, it's impossible to estimate.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
TOM FOREMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): With 350,000 homes destroyed by Katrina alone, the building industry expects a windfall. By comparison, Hurricane Andrew was once considered a monster, and took only 28,000 homes.
JERRY HOWARD, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF HOME BUILDERS: We know another half a million homes in the area have significant enough damage that they're going to need major renovation, so it's pretty big. It's biggest thing we've ever seen.
FOREMAN: Automakers will likely benefit from replacing an estimated 200,000 sunken cars. The gambling industry is lobbying to move Gulf Coast casinos, previously kept on boats, onto shore, where they can be expanded. And the furniture business is expected to take in millions.
But with so much damage in low-income areas, Chinese furniture companies may benefit most.
ROBERT CONNOLLY, UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA, CHAPEL HILL: Especially in the lower or moderately priced furniture, they're in a position to benefit substantially. Most of the remaining U.S. manufacturers of sort of household furniture tend to be at the higher end.
FOREMAN: The soaring need of the Gulf Coast is so great, some American industry groups are arguing for lower trade barriers for Canadian lumber, Mexican cement, and Brazilian plywood. The cost of plywood in the U.S. has jumped more than 50 percent in the past few weeks.
(on camera): Still, people involved in all of these business say they honestly cannot figure out how much they're going to make off Katrina, because they can't figure out how much it's going to cost for labor, for transportation, for material, and insurance. (voice-over): The American Insurance Association says all those estimates about how much insurance companies will pay, and how high premiums may rise, are pure fantasy until the damage is tallied, and the disputes are settled over what's covered.
JULIE ROCHMAN, AMERICAN INSURANCE ASSOCIATION: There'll be litigation. We don't know how that litigation will come out. Cost of rebuilding is unknown, so we really don't know what the cost ultimately to insurers will be.
FOREMAN: And consider this. These storms were so big, many of the Southern companies that may benefit from them were also victims, and balancing their books between profit and loss will take a long time.
Tom Foreman, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Tonight, follow the forecasters, as CNN PRESENTS "Monster: Tracking the storm." What are the lessons learned from back-to-back Hurricanes Katrina and Rita? That's CNN PRESENTS, tonight at 8:00 p.m. Eastern, only on CNN.
HARRIS: Well, firefighters are getting a handle on some wildfires in the Los Angeles area, but there are concerns about these fires in the Burbank area, about 10 miles north of downtown Los Angeles. Officials say it's grown to about 800 acres. Residents of about 70 homes were urged to leave the area. The Burbank fire erupted on Thursday on the Vertigo Mountains.
Now, almost all residents left their homes on Country Club Canyon Road. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger flew over the charred hills on Friday. Two homes and a few other buildings were burned. Firefighters were helped in some areas by increased humidity and calmer weather.
WHITFIELD: Police in south Georgia are investigating four separate mobile home invasions that left five men dead and at least six injured. All happened early Friday morning in Tift County and Colquit (ph) Counties. That's roughly 180 miles south of Atlanta. Investigators say all the victims were savagely beaten and were Mexican immigrants. In fact, all but one of the victims belonged to the same family.
The home invasion suspects are only described as two black males. Investigators have recovered an aluminum bat from the crime scene, and Tifton is called the friendly city. It has 15,000 residents, roughly, and is right off I-75, as well as several other highways.
Joining us now on the telephone is Luz Marti, a local Latino advocate in Tifton, in that Tifton community.
And Luz, thank you so much for being on the line with us.
What are you hearing from investigators as to the motive of this crime?
LUZ MARTI, HISPANIC ADVOCATE (on phone): Well, I think, you know, right now, the police is interviewing witnesses, and, of course, the process is very slow, because of the language barrier. But, you know, right now, the police think that this is, you know, just home invasion, that it's just a strictly...
WHITFIELD: Just random?
MARTI: I'm sorry?
WHITFIELD: They believe it's just random, a random home invasion?
MARTI: Well, I don't know if we can use the word "random." You know, because right now, the investigation is so, you know, is just beginning, and they're looking at all the different, you know, aspects. You know, the community is afraid, and is wondering if this is a race-related situation. But right now, there's no indication that that's the case.
WHITFIELD: And so what is the gut feeling of many in the community? Do they feel that this is the result of any potential string of threats that may have come to this community or to this family?
MARTI: Well, you know, right now, there's a lot of sadness, there's a lot of fear. And they really don't understand, you know, the extent of what's happening right now. I don't think they believe it's just a direct, you know, threat, you know, just to this family. I think they think it's something, you know, that is going to be affecting, you know, the whole Hispanic community.
WHITFIELD: What do you know about these five victims in terms of ages? Four of them were part of the same family. Is there any kind of work-related common denominator here for these victims?
MARTI: I think, you know, of course, we know that they're all males, and there's some of them are related. One of the cases involved is father and son. And I understand that most of them work in agriculture, you know, related jobs.
WHITFIELD: Luz Marti, thank you so much for joining us from Tifton, Georgia, where this investigation is ongoing. And it is...
MARTI: Thank you.
WHITFIELD: ... heartbreaking discovery of details. Thanks so much.
HARRIS: A storm rages on. Comments by former education secretary Bill Bennett, made while criticizing a theory that links the crime rate and abortion, is sparking outrage from all quarters.
As CNN's Candy Crowley reports, everybody has something to say about it. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The president thinks it's inappropriate. Howard Dean calls it hateful. Congressman John Conyers wants an apology.
Conservative values guru Bill Bennett says he's been misunderstood.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP, "MORNING AMERICA")
BENNETT: I was dealing with this doubly noxious hypothetical about abortion and race to illustrate a point about just how noxious and horrible it is.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
CROWLEY: For sure, doubly-noxious hypotheticals don't make good sound bites. It began when a caller to Bennett's radio show suggested that Social Security would be more solvent if there had not been so many abortions over the past 30 years. Bennett responded that was not a good antiabortion argument, because hypotheticals can work both ways.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP, "MORNING AMERICA")
BENNETT: I do know that it's true that if you wanted to reduce crime, you could, if that were your sole purpose, you could abort every black baby in this country, and your crime rate would go down. That would be an impossible, ridiculous, and morally reprehensible thing to do, but your crime would go down. So these far-out -- these far-reaching, you know, extensive extrapolations are, I think, tricky.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
CROWLEY: It became a runaway train, spread across the Internet, picked up in the halls of Congress.
REP. NANCY PELOSI (R-CA), MINORITY LEADER: These are shameful words, Mr. Speaker. I'm appalled to have to say them on the floor of the House of Representatives.
CROWLEY: A noisy, oncoming explosion of unhypothetical divides.
ROLAND MARTIN, TALK SHOW HOST: For him to say it's a hypothetical situation, to suggest that you could abort every black child, which would include me and my nieces and nephews and mothers and fathers, to lower the crime rate, how about a jobs program?
JOHN MCWORTER, ACADEMIC: But in the very strict, logical sense, what he's saying is true. He's certainly not advocating that what we do about it is to abort all black babies. It's a hypothetical that he was referring to, because he was making a logical point about his opposition to abortion.
CROWLEY: Stung by suggestions the Bush administration was slow to help Katrina victims because most were black, Republicans treated this like the plague, declining comment on camera.
(on camera): But there is some off-camera fuming. Look, said one top Republican, it was goofy, and it was inappropriate. But what you are hearing from Democrats is faux anger, and that is clearly how Bennett plays it.
(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP, "MORNING AMERICA")
BENNETT: What's the line in "Butch Cassidy," "These guys are shooting at us"? You know? These guys are trying to kill me.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
REV. AL SHARPTON, CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST: I'd like to see those that are supportive of him, those that finance him on the radio stations that carry him, have to really look at whether or not they can afford to stand with a guy who blatantly says and confirms he believes that blacks and crime are synonymous.
CROWLEY: Bennett supporters say on his Web site and at the headquarters of his radio distributor, many of the calls promising never to listen to Bennett again are from Washington and New York, where the program cannot be heard.
Candy Crowley, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HARRIS: So we want to know what you think about this brouhaha. E-mail us your comments. The address, weekends@cnn.com.
WHITFIELD: And here's another question for you. What should first responders across the country do in an emergency? Find out if America is prepared, later this hour.
HARRIS: And Taiwan residents prepare for a potentially super- typhoon. We'll tell you what makes this a monster storm.
And good morning, Bonnie.
SCHNEIDER: Good morning.
Checking out temperatures this morning early in the Northeast, looking good. A little bit cool and crisp. It's the first day of October. So right now, Pittsburgh, you're waking up to 44 degrees. and in Boston, we have a current temperature of 52.
Let's show you a live picture of that city right now. Everyone's in a good mood, waking up for the Red Sox win last night. Another game will be played today, and the weather looks perfect for it.
I'll have your complete forecast coming up next on CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: A quick look at our top stories now.
Little by little, people are returning to New Orleans. But many are finding moldy homes, undrinkable water, and a broken sewage system. The mayor has formed a commission to come up with a plan to rebuild the city.
NASA plans to delay the target date for launching the next space shuttle. Officials say it will likely be pushed back from March to May. And this will give NASA time to fix a problem, a recurring problem with insulating foam that has been found to fall off the shuttle's fuel tank.
And Taiwan is bracing for another typhoon. Forecasters say it will hit the island over the weekend, bringing strong winds and torrential rains.
HARRIS: Bonnie Schneider is here, checking on our weather, the typhoon, Long Wong (ph) is the name of the...
WHITFIELD: That's right.
HARRIS: ... is, is that the name of (INAUDIBLE)?
WHITFIELD: Yes, which I...
SCHNEIDER: (INAUDIBLE)...
HARRIS: Is it?
WHITFIELD: ... didn't know that typhoons were named...
HARRIS: Yes.
WHITFIELD: ... just like the Atlantic, you know, hurricane...
SCHNEIDER: Yes.
SCHNEIDER: ... season storms were. But there is a difference between typhoons and hurricanes, yes?
HARRIS: (INAUDIBLE)...
SCHNEIDER: Well, actually, no, they're really the same thing, just different parts of the world.
WHITFIELD: (INAUDIBLE), interesting.
SCHNEIDER: But (INAUDIBLE) talking whether or not this was a super-typhoon...
HARRIS: Right.
SCHNEIDER: ... Long Wong. And actually it isn't, because super- typhoons are only classified when the storms get up to Category 5 strength. This is a Category 4. You know, over into Asia, where the water is warmer, we tend to see even stronger storms than we do here in the Atlantic. So it has to be really, really strong to be called a super-typhoon.
But this is a powerful and certainly a strong Category 4, with maximum winds at 145 miles per hour. And if we take a look at the track, you'll see the storm will be hitting Taiwan, and that's going to happen late tonight or early tomorrow morning. It should come in as a powerful Category 4 storm. Typhoon is a very mountainous area, so after it passes over the Strait of Taiwan and hits China, it will weaken, likely, to a Category 2.
But this is a powerful storm nonetheless, and people in Taiwan certainly are bracing for it as well, because we are looking at such a strong one.
Now, what we're concerned with, of course, is the Atlantic. We do have a new tropical depression. This one is tropical depression number 19, and it's well, well away from land, it's about 695 miles to the south-southeast, rather, of the Cape Verde Islands. So it's still pretty far away from us.
The track takes the storm further to the north, and eventually pushes it out to the open waters of the Atlantic. And that's actually good news, because we don't want to it come anywhere near the U.S. mainland. And as you can see here, it will eventually become a tropical storm, but the good news is, even if it does become tropical storm Stan, that's the next name on the list, it shouldn't affect the U.S. mainland. So more good news there.
Current temperatures around the country, 59 degrees right now in Denver, Colorado. It's 61 in San Francisco, 59 in New York City, looking good there. Temperatures should be warming up into the 70s for today, so we'll be looking at nice conditions.
Just to let you know, there is some stormy weather in parts of Oklahoma. We have reports of strong thunderstorms through Tulsa, through Oklahoma City, and I think we'll be seeing those downpours throughout much of the day today into the morning hours. High temperatures look good. It's going to be a beautiful weekend up in the Northeast, and Boston for the baseball game looks great, with highs in the 70s.
Down to the South, still pretty warm in Florida. We'll see 88 for a high temperature in Miami. Tony, Fredricka?
HARRIS: Crisp, clean air.
WHITFIELD: I like that.
HARRIS: (INAUDIBLE)...
WHITFIELD: All along the Eastern Seaboard, it looks good. I'll take all that, 70s, 80s.
HARRIS: (INAUDIBLE). Order it up.
WHITFIELD: Cash it in.
SCHNEIDER: Sure.
HARRIS: Yes. Bonnie, thank you.
And after the hurricane's first responders across the country are evaluating how well they would do in an emergency, in Bethesda, Maryland, on Thursday, a massive disaster drill put emergency teams to the test.
CNN's Jeanne Meserve has the story.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You know, how long we got to wait?
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): There are enraged people...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I need help, please!
MESERVE: ... and wounded, and dead, at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, during a mass-casualty disaster drill. A delivery truck slams into pedestrians, crashes, explodes, and releases a gas eventually identified as toxic anhydrous ammonia.
(on camera): Any indication, at this point in time, that it could be terrorism?
PATRICK FLEMING, ASSISTANT FIRE CHIEF, BETHESDA MEDICAL CENTER: I don't believe so. With the security here on this facility, and in a routine delivery truck that comes every day like this, I don't believe so.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One, two, three, lift.
MESERVE: The gas drifts over a nearby school, exposing students.
With eight hospitals and 600 actors participating, this is a huge exercise.
REP. CHRIS VAN HOLLEN (D), MARYLAND: The events of Katrina and Rita have highlighted the importance of being prepared. And there's no substitute for being prepared than practicing together the kind of emergency that we may face.
MESERVE: Though New Orleans had conducted an exercise involving a major hurricane hitting the city, systems failed when the real event occurred.
Organizers of this exercise say they won't just identify problems, they will correct them.
LT. CMDR. CHRIS GILLETTE, NATIONAL NAVAL MEDICAL CENTER: We need to learn before the real-time event and improve on this.
MESERVE: This drill reflects a new agreement among the Naval Hospital, the nearby National Institutes of Health, and privately owned Suburban Hospital, which allows them to share facilities, personnel, equipment, and medicine in an emergency.
VICE ADM. DONALD ARTHUR, NAVY SURGEON GENERAL: The confluence of all of those assets gives us the ability to respond to whatever might happen, if it's a chemical or biological or just a blast injury.
MESERVE: Similar collaborations are being struck up elsewhere to maximize medical resources in the hope that the next crisis will not be like the last one.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's the number to FEMA? Somebody call FEMA.
MESERVE: Jeanne Meserve, CNN, Bethesda, Maryland.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Well, if you think what you're paying for gas is too much, imagine...
HARRIS: It is.
WHITFIELD: Well, think about this. If the price doubled overnight, not over, you know, a few years...
HARRIS: Right.
WHITFIELD: ... which I know we've all experienced when you look at it...
HARRIS: Yes.
WHITFIELD: ... look at the calendar a few years. But you know what? Overnight, it's happened already. CNN SATURDAY will be explaining right after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.
HARRIS: And this just in to CNN, breaking news out of Indonesia, the island of Bali. We understand explosions have gone off along a beach area there on Bali Island. At least three Western tourists have been injured. This is in Kuta on Bali Island. You'll remember back in 2002, October 12, to be exact, there was another attack in the same town of Kuta on the Indonesian island of Bali that killed 202 people and injured another 209 others.
And at the time, it was considered the 2002 attack was considered the deadliest act of terrorism in Indonesian history. And you'll also recall that in that attack in 2002, most of those who were killed were foreign tourists, particularly Australians.
This new attack occurring today, explosions again going off along a beach area, same town of Kuta on Bali Island in Indonesia. At least three Western tourists injured. That's what we have so far. We'll continue to follow developments in this story and bring you the latest as we get it.
WHITFIELD: Tony, "Morning in America" radio talk show host Bill Bennett replied to a caller's theory that draws a link between a decrease in crime and abortions. He said, quote, "But I do know that it's true that if you wanted to reduce crime, you could, if that were your sole purpose, you could abort every black baby in this country, and your crime rate will go down. That would be an impossible, ridiculous, and morally reprehensible thing to do, but your crime rate would go down."
Those are the comments, rather incendiary comments...
HARRIS: Sure.
WHITFIELD: ... that have ignited quite a bit of discussion from Washington and everywhere else.
HARRIS: So, you know, whenever there's a controversy, we're going to frame it as an e-mail question.
WHITFIELD: Yes.
HARRIS: That's what we do...
WHITFIELD: And we've done that...
HARRIS: ... here.
WHITFIELD: ... this morning.
(LAUGHTER)
HARRIS: (INAUDIBLE) mornings. And here are some of the -- here, well, here's the question. What are your thoughts about Bill Bennett's comments?
And Rick from Indiana writes us, "Mr. Bennett was probably too harsh. But the truth," he says, "is often too harsh for masses. Those who have read and listened to him know that he is an extremely virtuous man, and they are not racists but realists."
OK? That's from Rick.
And, "My concern is not that he said what he said, that is not likely to happen. There will always be bigots, but when he was in a position to help the blacks as the education secretary, he certainly did not. So he is, in a way, responsible for the crimes the blacks commit."
HARRIS: What are your thoughts? Question again, What's your opinion about the comments from Bill Bennett, former education secretary? Here's our address, weekends@cnn.com. Send those thoughts along, and we will read more of them in the next hour of CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
WHITFIELD: All right. Coming up next hour... HARRIS: Does your kid need a kick start? One nutritional supplement promises to help toddlers to teens focus their energy. But is it good for them? That's the question. We'll take a closer look.
WHITFIELD: First on "HOUSE CALL," two hurricanes, two very different stories. Dr. Sanjay Gupta takes a closer look at the lessons hospitals learned from Katrina that protected them during Rita.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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