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CNN Saturday Morning News

Voters Decide On New Orleans Leader To Help Rebuild After Hurricane Katrina; Renewed Fighting In Afghanistan Leaves U.S. Soldier Dead

Aired May 20, 2006 - 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: Voters in New Orleans are heading to the polls. Here's a live look right now. We have been seeing them go in and all morning long. They've been at it for two hours now. We will take you to the crescent city in just a few moments.
From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Betty Nguyen. This is CNN SATURDAY MORNING. Good morning, everybody.

TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Big morning in New Orleans.

NGUYEN: Yes, a lot of decisions. Well, one major decision will be made.

HARRIS: With the hope that this is a gateway to a brighter future for the city. Good morning everyone, I'm Tony Harris. Thank you for starting your day with us.

Here's a look at what is happening what now in the news. Decision day in New Orleans, voters are deciding whether to reelect current Mayor Nagin or replace him with Lieutenant Governor Mitch Landrieu. The winner will lead the city in its rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina. Polls indicate the race is too close to call. We are providing complete coverage all weekend long.

Suing FEMA, Hurricane Katrina and Rita evacuees have filed a class action lawsuit against FEMA, they accuse the government agency of failing to provide them with temporary housing. The evacuees are trying to get a temporary restraining order that keeps FEMA from ending the housing program later this month.

Turning now to security issues. The Coast Guard is reportedly tipping off some large commercial ships about surprise inspections. The "New York Times" reports some ship commanders admit they have gotten up to 24 hours notice. Shipping companies say delays from surprise boardings can cost up to $40,000 an hour. Critics the practice undermines security.

NGUYEN: Well now to Iraq. Police say there two British soldiers were wounded when their convoy was hit by a roadside bomb, it happened in the southern city of Basra. Look at the video there. Now to Iraq's parliament. It approved a new national unity government today; it's the first parliamentary government since the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime. The U.S. hopes the move will help reduce widespread violence in Iraq and eventually allow for a drawdown of American troops. HARRIS: Well, you know, there's much more at stake than the political fortunes of two candidates. Voters in New Orleans are casting ballots for the city's future today. The runoff in the race for mayor is under way. Polls have been open for two hours now; Sean Callebs joins us live from New Orleans with an election update. Sean good morning to you.

SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning Tony. You know what's happening here? People are coming in and going out. A lot of activity here, which is what we expected. An absolutely beautiful day, almost no humidity in the city which is really rare for this time of the year, we are at one of the super polling sites. Let me tell you more about this, if you look over this way, these people in these purple shirts are volunteers. They are helping anybody that comes here with questions.

But beyond those people you see a whole bunch of trailers. You know what those are? Those are FEMA trailers, and no one has used them. That's one of the problems that this city has had to deal with for so long. They brought these in. Students from the University of New Orleans were going to be able to use them however they never got hooked up with power or water, and there they sit.

You see people coming in. The parking lot is very crowded. In this area, this section is somewhat coming back, you can go out just a couple of blocks and you see houses devastated but right here where we are, we are in the areas that has come back relatively well, and that is why they chose this as one of the polling places.

Let me show you the front page of the "Times-Picayune." By the way, Tony, I will tell you what a Picayune is later and see if you know that. Historic vote, there you see Mayor Nagin he is campaigning in a grocery store, and Mitch Landrieu holding s little suite tea, doing a little last minute campaign. But look over here; city's poor credit rating will likely make loans costly. Virtually everything here in the city, nothing has gone smoothly in the past nine months.

The area is still in horrible disrepair. The levee system is suspect and the Army Corps of Engineers have already said it will not be fully operative by June 1st. The money coming in that's supposed to be coming in from the state and federal government to people in the city hasn't come in. So many people displaced.

The big question? Who is going to guide this city over the next four years? It is expected to be extremely close today, Tony, but hopefully in a matter of hours, once the polls close, we should have guidance soon, so it's going to be a very exciting day, a very important day for the city.

HARRIS: That's the point I want to pick up on, Sean. Do folks who are visiting that polling site there, do they understand what is clearly at stake here?

CALLEBS: Yes, they do. They really do. It's interesting, if you talk to the people that -- what we're hearing some say, you know, we need Mitch Landrieu, he's going to bring new energy, bring hope in. Others will say Mayor Nagin, he may have not done a great job after the hurricane but we started down one path toward recovery so my belief is we should keep Mayor Nagin in office for the next four years.

A lot of people were undecided coming into this. It is going to be close and so much of who is going to court certain voters, low- income voters, people who left the area people being bused in. It's very difficult to tell. These candidates are very similar in their stances.

They are both Democrats. Some white conservative voters are concerned that the Landrieu administration could come in and raise taxes. They don't want that. But a lot of people very frustrated with the way Nagin has guided the city over the past nine months.

HARRIS: Betty is working on picayune.

NGUYEN: You are going to put it on my shoulders now. According to Webster, it is a half-dime or something trivial, it could be a coin or something trivial.

HARRIS: Is that close?

CALLEBS: I am going to give you a handful of picayunes for getting that right. The years ago, two newspapers merged and you will go to sleep knowing you learned something.

NGUYEN: That's what you could on CNN you learn information.

HARRIS: Thank goodness for Google. All right. Sean appreciate it thank you.

Residence forced from their homes by Hurricane Katrina have a lot at stake as we just mentioned for today's election, we will talk with two displaced residents later this hour, two others will join us next hour.

NGUYEN: Whoever wins the mayors race will have to work with the city council to rebuild New Orleans. We will talk with the councilman at large, Oliver Thomas he tells it like it is, he talks straight, and he is next hour to talk to us about the election and what it means for the city's future.

Meantime you want to keep it here for the latest on the election, we are going to bring you updates and interviews all day long. We will also have the final election results as they come in right here on CNN.

HARRIS: We are getting some dramatic new pictures just in from a plane crash in Washington State. The plane went down in the waters of Peugeot Sound yesterday. You can see it submerged making out there under the water. Both people on board managed to make it to shore. One was towed to safety by a kayaker. The other apparently swam. The FAA will study the plane once it is pulled from the water.

In news across America, protestors on the controversial film "The Da Vinci Code" are hoping it dies an early death. But unless the movie is really bad that probably won't happen. We will find out tomorrow how well it did at the box office on opening weekend.

You have heard of airline pilots yanked out of the cockpit for drinking. Now it's happens to a cruise ship captain, hours before the celebrity cruise ship Mercury was set to sail from Seattle to Alaska, a routine Coast Guard inspection revealed the skipper was over the legal limit of alcohol. The cruise line in no time replacing the captain and stripping him of his rights and he goes before a federal judge on Monday.

In Greenville, South Carolina the extremely rare site of a black bear wandering near downtown yesterday. Wildlife officers arrived to find the bear in a tree and after tranquilizer darts. The bear was safety relocated to the wilderness.

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Supported the decision to go to war in Iraq. Many Americans did not.

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HARRIS: And Senator John McCain wasn't feeling the love yesterday at the New School in New York. Dozens of students booed as you heard there, turned their backs and held protest signs during McCain's commencement address, some students had objected to the Arizona Republican being invited to the liberal school. They saw it as a political ploy by McCain aimed at a possible run for president in 2008.

NGUYEN: Well, there is renewed fighting in Afghanistan today, it comes a day after gun battles left one U.S. soldier dead and six others wounded. The solider died during fighting in the southern province and Janis Mackey Frayer, journalist of CTV, joins us live phone in Kandahar. Janis, fierce fighting between coalition forces and the Taliban has been going on for days. Janis, you are there? Tell us exactly what's happening right now on the ground.

JANIS MACKEY FRAYER, CTV REPORTER (via telephone): It has been fierce here in the south. It is traditional Taliban territory. They have stepped up their assault in the past number of days. They are actually coming across the border from Pakistan; there have been almost everyday roadside bombs, ambushes against coalition forces and in the past week against aid groups. It's being described as some of the worst fighting since 2001. Again, it's a build-up of Taliban fighters in recent weeks and they are vowing a summertime campaign -- Betty.

NGUYEN: Give us a little more insight and perspective here on the fighting there. What's sparking this recent rash of violence?

FRAYER: They say these Taliban fighters are coming back from a winter and springtime of training across the border. This according to Afghan officials. What these fighters are trying to do is counter of what is a build-up of international forces here, there will be another 10,000 troops going into the country with the handover of the mission from Americans to NATO, so what the Taliban is trying to say is that they are going to be very committed to driving these troops out.

NGUYEN: Yesterday we heard that one U.S. soldier was killed, six others wounded. What do you know about that gun battle that took place?

FRAYER: There have been so many battles across the south involving coalition forces. This is also a new development. In most cases, what the coalition is trying to do is have the battles handled by the Afghan national army and the Afghan national police. In some cases the coalition is acting on what they call good intelligence, usually coming from villagers. That there are build ups of Taliban fighters in certain areas that is when the coalition will be called into the fight and it's how soldiers are being lost.

NGUYEN: Keeping an eye on the violence there, journalist Janice Mackey Frayer of CTV, we thank you for your time today -- Tony.

HARRIS: The polls in New Orleans have been opened for two hours now. We are running the story this morning and all weekend coming up a round-table discussion on the elections. Who will be the next mayor and what are his immediate challenges. Man, they are multifaceted.

Plus weather conditions across the nation, Rob Marciano is back with us. Good morning doctor.

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HARRIS: You want to get a check of weather?

NGUYEN: I think it's about time to get a check of the weather.

HARRIS: New Orleans in particular.

NGUYEN: Where they are voting today.

HARRIS: We are focused on New Orleans for obvious reasons. Lets check in now with Rob Marciano.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HARRIS: All of that, it's great to see you, can't wait to take some money from my baby shoes for the call.

NGUYEN: You guys, all right.

HARRIS: And live pictures this morning from New Orleans where the polls opened two hours ago in the city's run off election for mayor and issued nothing less than the future of the city. People coast to coast are closely watching this election including the thousands of displaced New Orleanians, two of whom join us this morning: Beverly Hayes, formerly a social worker in New Orleans, now a resident in Houston; and Robin Thompson who lost her home when the Lower Ninth Ward flooded, she survived the storm at the Superdome and Robin joins us from Dallas -- she's not there, Beverly you are with us good morning to you.

BEVERLY HAYES, FORMER NEW ORLEANS RESIDENT: Good morning.

HARRIS: As soon as Robin can, we will include her in the conversation. I have to ask you, what are your thoughts on this election? We are talking about it in terms of the future of the city riding on the outcome, is that real or is that hypothetical in your opinion?

HAYES: Oh, that's real and hype. It's real. In my opinion it's very real.

HARRIS: Tell me about the part of it that resonates most with you, does this really feel like an election that if the right person is elected in your view, that person can change the course of the city?

HAYES: Certainly. In my opinion, if the right person is elected, that, along with the governor and the lieutenant-governor, that the mayor, collectively, they can make New Orleans a better New Orleans.

HARRIS: And Beverly who is that right person in your mind?

HAYES: In my mind it continues to be Ray Nagin.

HARRIS: Ray Nagin?

HAYES: Yes.

HARRIS: Why is that?

HAYES: Because he was doing a pretty good job prior to Katrina. Since Katrina, I think, he has been here for us most New Orleanians, and working with other Katrina evacuees most feel the same way.

HARRIS: Got to ask you, what was your Katrina -- we mentioned that you are in Houston. Talk to us about your Katrina experience. You were working as a social worker, you were at Charity Hospital at the time, talk us through those crazy days.

HAYES: I worked for LSU Health Sciences, and I was working at University Hospital.

HARRIS: Oh University, OK.

HAYES: So as Katrina hit, and the city began to flood, I was down in New Orleans until that Friday. Staff wasn't rescued until that Friday.

HARRIS: Wow.

HAYES: We were watching TV from time to time and I can see Mayor Nagin and many other people, our governor, I can see many of them on TV. And I could see what was going on around the city as well as what was going on at the hospital. Of course, I was very angry.

I could not believe what was going on. I was so hurt. I felt hopeless and helpless. But a time did come when we were evacuated and we were rescued and I was flown Southwest Airlines to San Antonio, Texas where we began to get some relief.

HARRIS: I got to ask you, I don't know that people who are not -- who have not visited New Orleans. I don't know that people have a sense of how much devastation we are talking about. Just a tremendous amount of damage in New Orleans and some of the surrounding areas. How is it -- what is it that one man can do to help bring that city around again?

HAYES: I don't think it will be one man. I think, as I said, with the governor, with our good governor a good lieutenant-governor, along with a council member and everyone else, that collectively they can assist him in doing the best they can. Most all of us love New Orleans. All of us love New Orleans. And pouring that love in, I do believe New Orleans will become a better New Orleans.

HARRIS: You going to go back?

HAYES: Sir?

HARRIS: Are you going to go back?

HAYES: Oh, yes, I do know it's not in the very near future, but at some point, the day will come that I will be able to go back home.

HARRIS: Wow, OK. Beverly Hayes, appreciate your time this morning and we will certainly be following the election and the results and the outcome and what it means for the future of the city next days and months ahead, we appreciate your time, thank you.

HAYES: And thank you.

HARRIS: OK.

NGUYEN: We have some breaking news to tell you about out of eastern Kentucky where an explosion at a coal mine has killed three miners. Two are still missing this hour. The good news, one person was able to walk out of the mine that is one worker who was inside during the explosion was able to walk out of the mine. This happened at the Darby Mine number one, which is in Harlan County, in eastern Kentucky. It happened just before 1:00 this morning.

Again, three miners are dead and two are still missing. We've been talking about mines as of late because remember on January 2nd that explosion at the Sago Mine in West Virginia that killed 12 miners, and today we are learning of yet another explosion three are killed, two missing, we are going to stay on top of this story and bring you the latest as soon as the information flows into CNN.

There is much more to come on CNN SATURDAY MORNING so stay tuned after the short break.

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NGUYEN: We want to get you and update now on that breaking news out of eastern Kentucky where there's been an explosion at a mine. Three miners have been killed, two are still missing, and we understand one miner was able to walk out after the explosion, so that's a little good news.

Federal and state mine investigators are on the scene but all of us are reminded of the one that happened January 2nd at the Sego Mine in West Virginia where 12 were killed. This mine explosion in Kentucky this morning happened just after 1:00 and so far killed 3 miners, two are still missing, rescue efforts are underway and of course we are going to stay on top of it and bring you the latest as soon as we gets it.

HARRIS: The "Da Vinci Code" finally opened in theaters.

NGUYEN: I saw it.

VERONICA DE LA CRUZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: What did you think?

NGUYEN: It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. Because all the critics ...

HARRIS: That's not what the filmmakers want to hear.

NGUYEN: The critics were ripping it to shreds. I went in with no expectations. I thought ah it is not going to be very good.

HARRIS: I expected it to be bad but it wasn't as bad as I thought.

DE LA CRUZ: Wait for a second. Let's think about the "Da Vinci Code" not only has it inspired the best selling novel. There have been tours, classes, and protests.

NGUYEN: It sparked so many different things.

DE LA CRUZ: And now you guys are saying the movie opened last night and it finally hit theatres around the U.S. but not without a little controversy. You can get all the details on-line at CNN.com.

The "Da Vinci Code" opened last Friday. And like the book critics say the movie portrays the Catholic church in a negative light. A senior Vatican official says Dan Brown's best selling novel shows ignorance, director Ron Howard defends his movie as a work of fiction and why he refuses to put a disclaimer on it.

Protestors from all over the world including the U.S. are seen demonstrating the release of the film in this photo library. You can also watch this online report about the secrets of Da Vinci. You can read all the reviews on-line, CNN.com and as you know, this movie premieres at the Cannes Film Festival. You have a gallery that you can check out and it will show you which one of those stars rocked the red carpet. Who else was in the movie?

NGUYEN: There was this French actress don't even ask me to say her name and Sir Ewan (ph) and who else? Well, those were the three main ones. There wasn't a huge cast. It was all about that motor mystery.

HARRIS: All the money went to Tom Hanks. Thanks Veronica.

NGUYEN: Thank you. There is much more to come right here on CNN SATURDAY MORNING. Don't go away.

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