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CNN Saturday Morning News
Obama To Meet Sarkozy, Pays Tribute to D-Day Fallen; Official: Missing Plane Sent 24 Error Messages; D-Day Memorial Struggles To Stay Open; Horrors of War Vivid for D-Day Heroes
Aired June 06, 2009 - 06:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Well, 65 years ago today, thousands of Allied soldiers swarmed the shores in France. The liberation of Western Europe on that day at that place on the beaches of Normandy. The picture you're seeing here of the American Cemetery in Normandy. We will be taking you there live.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: And for many, this, too, is where it ended. Now the quiet, hallowed ground, as T.J. mentioned, the American Cemetery. Well, today, we do remember the heroes of D-Day.
HOLMES: And from the CNN Center, this is CNN SATURDAY MORNING for June the 6th. Hello to you all. I'm T.J. Holmes.
NGUYEN: Good morning, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen.
It's 6 a.m. here in Atlanta; noon in Paris, France, where we do begin our coverage.
(MUSIC)
HOLMES: Well, thousands of American veterans and active military men and women on hand for ceremonies happening today in France.
CNN's Dan Lothian in Normandy for us.
Dan, hello to you. A lot going on today. Give us the rundown of events that the Obamas will be participating in today.
DAN LOTHIAN, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, yes.
First of all, there will be an arrival ceremony that will be happening shortly. President Obama, Michelle Obama along as well meeting with the French President Sarkozy and his wife.
After that arrival ceremony, then the two leaders will sit down, have a bilateral meeting, T.J., a chance to talk about a whole host of issues. But at the top of the agenda, Iran and their continued development of -- nuclear development there. That's a big issue in Europe, and also in the Middle East. So that's something that the two leaders will be talking about.
But of course, the big focus, as you've been talking about, is the 65th anniversary of the D-Day landings here in Normandy. We're standing here at the American Cemetery, where about 9,400 or so U.S. personnel are buried. And this is why President Obama is here, to honor all of these soldiers who gave their lives in freeing Western Europe from the hands of the Nazis.
Along with President Obama will be Prime Minister Brown as well as the Canadian prime minister. Also here today will be Mr. Obama's great uncle, Charlie Payne. We've heard a lot about him over the last few days or so because he was one of the soldiers who helped to liberate one of the camps at Buchenwald.
He was not present there when President Obama was there yesterday. But he will be here at today's ceremonies. So certainly a big today with a lot on tap. President Obama, along with the other prime ministers, giving speeches here -- T.J.
HOLMES: Yes, and Dan, as you kind of run down there, a -- a big day, big public event with high-profile leaders. Give us an idea of security there.
LOTHIAN: Well, security, obviously, very tight. We were escorted here on our buses. Everywhere along the highway as we were coming in, we saw police staking out the area.
So, yes, security very tight here for this event, T.J. Obviously, when you have so many of these high-profile leaders here taking part in this event, it is -- security is very tight.
And you know, Tony I wanted -- T.J., rather, I wanted to point out that this is a really an important anniversary because these World War II veterans, most of them 85-plus years, and they may not be able to make it back, at least so many of them would not be able to make it back for another major anniversary. So this is really an important day, as these veterans and also those who lost their lives and are buried here are remembered.
HOLMES: All right. Dan Lothian, keeping an eye on things for us there. We'll be checking back in with you again this morning. Thank you so much.
As our coverage, of course, continues throughout the day, as Dan was mentioning, a lot of events, a lot of things going on with the president and other world leaders today to commemorate this day. We will continue to follow live events.
I'm told this is now a live picture you see here, the French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife, Carla Bruni, making their way along the red carpet here. He's going to be meeting with the president, expected to have -- with President Obama, expected to have a lunch together, a working lunch, as we heard Dan mention there.
But a -- a -- a big day. A lot of ceremonies, a lot of pomp, a lot of circumstance. But really, a day to remember what happened on this day some 65 years ago now.
Again, a live picture here. Expecting -- we haven't seen the president, President Obama just yet arrive in this particular locale. But expecting him and the first lady, Michelle Obama, to arrive here as well as the Canadian prime minister and the British prime minister participating in these ceremonies today as well. You can stay here with us at CNN. We are keeping an eye on all the events happening in Normandy today. Our coverage will continue.
NGUYEN: We're also following this -- want to take you to Mexico now. Twenty-nine children are dead, more than 100 others injured after a fire swept through a state-run daycare center in Hermosillo. Officials say it started in the warehouse next door and quickly spread.
Now, the children range in age from about 1 year to 5 years old. Some are being taken to Shriners Hospital in California today for treatment.
Also, learning more on this this morning -- about the crash of Air France Flight 447. Well, a French investigation board held a news conference just two hours ago, and the head of the board says the plane's autopilot was not on when it disappeared.
Brazilian officials say a debris field found near -- earlier this week was not from Flight 447. Some 228 people were on board on that plane.
Well, CNN International correspondent Richard Quest has been following this story, and we are going to bring him up live very shortly, and to get the latest from that news conference. Hopefully we will learn some additional information as to what exactly happened when that flight went down.
But as soon as we are able to get Richard Quest up live and available, we will bring that straight to you.
HOLMES: All right. Turning to a little weather here now, we're going to bring in our Reynolds Wolf, keeping an eye on these things for us.
And Reynolds, we're talking about a tornado here, happened in Wyoming, we're told, yesterday. No reports of damage. We do have some video we can share with our viewers here though.
But explain to me -- you take me through this video here, Reynolds.
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Well, let -- let's first tell our viewers, these are the greatest tornadoes that you're ever going to deal with. These are happy tornadoes. And the reason why I say these are happy tornadoes is that -- that -- they're occurring in the middle of nowhere. No one's going to be hurt by these. They're just fun to watch. It's a great thing to see.
Beautiful, beautiful system. And actually -- I mean, some storm chasers were able to cap -- capture this. This is being brought to you through the compliments of KGWN.
One of several that touched down just yesterday. And now the same storm system that spawned that tornado is now moving through parts of the Central Plains. Could bring a -- a little bit rough weather into the afternoon, possibly into the Midwest and into parts of the Mississippi Valley.
Now, one other big weather story that we were dealing with was heavy rainfall yesterday in parts of Florida, southeast, down near Miami -- anywhere from seven to nine inches of rainfall. So certainly some rough stuff there. They had about 10,000 people without power, and as we speak at this time, the storm system...
(CROSSTALK)
HOLMES: Hey, Reynolds, I'm going to jump in here right quick, buddy.
WOLF: Sure.
HOLMES: We're keeping an eye on things. We're going to take this live picture because we have it now.
This is President Obama arriving, as you see here. Take a listen to the reception. Let's just listen to the reception from people greeting him in France right now.
(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)
HOLMES: And again, what you're seeing here -- and you're going be seeing this throughout the day. You can stay with CNN, because we will continue to bring you live pictures as they happen. Really, a busy day for the president and the first lady over in France.
And what you see is an arrival here. He's going to be meeting with the French president, expected to have a working lunch, essentially, but there really to commemorate the D-Day that happened on this day some 65 years ago.
The president here -- this is just one of those moments. The ground has gathered outside where he was stopping. Sometimes you -- you don't know if the president is going to stop and shake hands, or what he's in the mood for. But apparently in the mood to -- I guess just to greet the folks who have gathered there to -- to see him.
You see the first lady Michelle Obama there as well. Nicolas Sarkozy right there with his hand on the president's shoulder and Carla Bruni. These -- these two couples, essentially, have formed a relationship, if you will. This is not the first time they've meet. Of course, the G-20 summit, spent some time together not too terribly long ago.
But this -- another picture here we're going to see, the Canadian prime minister as well today and the British prime minister are going to be joining these two leaders as well as they commemorate over at the American Cemetery in Normandy what happened on this day some 65 years ago.
NGUYEN: We do want to take you back now to some new developments with the missing Air France Flight 447.
CNN International correspondent Richard Quest is following the story, as we told you. He now joins us from London.
Richard, there was a news conference a little bit earlier today about -- what? -- two hours ago. Any new information as to exactly what happened?
RICHARD QUEST, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Still sifting through that, Betty. But there are headlines, from what I can gather at that moment, from that news conference.
First of all, let's deal with the weather forecast. We now know that the -- the weather in the area where the plane went down was normal for this time of the year. Now that means there were cumulonimbus clouds. They did have some heavy storm activity. But the -- according to the weather experts in Paris, it was nothing out of the ordinary. Other aircraft were flying as expected, and so they at this point do not necessarily pin too much on this part of the -- of the -- the possibility.
We also now know that the ACARS system -- this is the aircraft communication-and-reporting system -- the so-called automated messages. It sent 24 messages of -- of varying failures that were taking place on the plane, things like the autothrottle -- the autopilot was switched off. They don't know whether the pilot switched it off, or whether it failed.
What the experts were very keen to say is, all these messages that so many people are talking about, they are designed for maintenance; they're not designed for investigation. But we do now have a -- getting a much better picture in that sense that there were inconsistencies in the speed reporting. The computers were telling them wrong information. And ultimately, the systems on the plane were failing.
NGUYEN: All right. CNN's Richard Quest joining us live from London with that. Thank you for that, Richard.
We do now want to take you now live back to Caen, France, where you can see the president standing right there. Ceremonies taking place today to observe D-Day.
Let's just take a listen for a moment as we watch this play out.
(MUSIC)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC)
NGUYEN: Well, good morning, everybody.
Want to take you live now to Caen, France, inside a municipal building there, where the president has arrived along with first lady Michelle Obama. A lot of ceremonies taking place today to observe D- Day. In fact, the 65th anniversary of that -- in fact. A -- an award -- award ceremony will be taking place as well to honor those who had not only served but fought just so courageously on this day some 65 day -- 65 years ago, I should say.
But we've been following these pictures today. You can see both the French first lady -- or you could, and then Michelle Obama there. Both wearing white. And then the president right now greeting some folks inside this municipal building in Caen, France.
HOLMES: All right. And this is just a local city building here in particular we're talking.
But we saw this play out just a few moments ago, the president and first lady arriving to a pretty large reception outside. Some of those pictures we can show you as well. But he stepped out; a crowd had gathered out there. As soon as he stepped out, you saw the flags begin to wave, and you certainly heard the people begin to cheer.
But yes, this is a short time ago when they greeted each other. And you can see, as you mentioned, the first lady. Everybody's always noticing...
NGUYEN: Both of them in white.
HOLMES: ...what they're -- what they're wearing. I wouldn't have pointed out that out; didn't notice that necessarily. But they do look stunning, as always, these two first ladies.
But the president, a little business to take care of with the -- the French President Sarkozy today. Also going to be joined by the Canadian prime minister.
Now let's go back to a live picture right here. Yes, they're coming up the stairs here inside this building. You see the two first ladies there, followed by their husbands right before. A working lunch supposed to take place. They'll make their way from Caen, where they are right here in France, over closer to the -- to the shore, if you will; closer to the -- the beaches, Omaha Beach in particular, where the American Cemetery is there.
Some 9,400 American soldiers who served, who died, who fought in World War II are buried there. They will commemorate what happened on this day some 65 years ago.
But live pictures we're getting, and certainly wanted to bring those to you this morning. We will continue to follow all things happening in France today on this -- this day to commemorate.
NGUYEN: Absolutely.
In the meantime though, there is other news that we do want to tell you about. Non-profit organizations -- well, they are hurting, obviously because of this economy.
HOLMES: And now on this anniversary, this D-Day anniversary, we have learned, a memorial dedicated to World War II veterans and the town that lost many of its young is in jeopardy of closing.
CNN's Kate Bolduan has this story from Bedford, Virginia. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The small town of Bedford, Virginia suffered among the country's greatest losses on D- Day. Out of a population of just 3,200, 19 soldiers from this community died in the invasion.
That's why the National D-Day Memorial was opened here in 2001.
MILLS HOBBS, D-DAY VETERAN: This is Black. (ph) This is Zolophis (ph). This is Cochrane (ph).
BOLDUAN: Eighty-seven-year-old Mills Hobbs is one of the few surviving members of the 115th Infantry. He remembers the invasion in vivid detail.
HOBBS: You didn't know where any bullet was coming from, where any shell was coming from, what direction, aimed at who or nothing. You only knew that you could be the subject that it was seeking, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
BOLDUAN: But now, the very memorial honoring Hobbs and the thousands of other soldiers who fought that day could itself be lost -- a victim of the struggling economy.
ROBIN HALSEY, DAUGHTER OF D-DAY VETERAN: I know things are tight because of the recession, but everybody should throw in a little bit to keep this monument open. It is absolutely fabulous.
BOLDUAN: The memorial is privately funded and donations, which make up more than half of its funding, are way down. The foundation's president says the situation is dire.
WILLIAM MCINTOSH, PRESIDENT, D-DAY MEMORIAL FOUNDATION: Obviously, this is something that nobody wants. And it's something that nobody wants to contemplate on the 65th anniversary of --of D- Day.
BOLDUAN: So he's begging for help, approaching universities about taking it over. But no luck.
Congressman Tom Perriello, who represents Bedford, introduced a bill this week to transfer the site to the National Park Service, but that could take years. And time is something the memorial and its biggest base of support, World War II veterans, don't have.
HOBBS: We were just like brothers. We -- we would stand up for one another no matter what.
BOLDUAN: Mills Hobbs say it's memories like that he hopes live on, memorial or not.
HOBBS: I hope they learn that freedom ain't free and that they'll never forget it. Never forget it.
Kate Bolduan, CNN, Washington. (END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: All right. Sixty-five years ago, of course, the Internet not even a thought. No e-mail, no Facebook, no Google and all that stuff.
But now, everything's viral.
NGUYEN: Yes. You could call it that.
(LAUGHTER)
HOLMES: Could call it that.
(LAUGHTER)
HOLMES: Josh Levs taking a look at some of the stuff on the Internet on this -- on this commemorative day.
Good morning to you, Josh.
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, guys.
You know what? I'm not overselling this; this is one of the most amazing Web sites I have ever seen. It takes you inside D-Day with video from the frontlines as well as photos. We have someone here with us from the military who's going to tell us how they put this together.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(MUSIC)
NGUYEN: Well, on this anniversary of D-Day, millions are remembering the bravery of Allied forces in one of the largest assaults in military history.
HOLMES: The U.S. military has a Web site with video and photos from D-Day. We're showing you photos here -- some live pictures, actually, we are showing you and will continue to show you as the events happening.
You're seeing just the outside of where we saw the president -- President Obama show up just a short time ago. He's in that building you see on your right, a municipal building there in Caen, France, with the French president and the first lady of France; also his wife, the first lady of the United States having a lunch and a meeting. But we will continue to keep an eye on things happening there.
Josh Levs though keeping an eye on things on the Internet for us this morning.
Good morning, Josh.
LEVS: Good morning to you, guys. Yes, we can expect this to get a lot of traffic today. Check it out behind me; it's army.mil/dday. It's packed with amazing video and photos.
And here to talk to us about is Lieutenant Colonel Kevin Arata.
Kevin, are you here.
LT. COL. KEVIN ARATA, U.S. ARMY: Josh, I'm here. Thanks for having me today. It's a pleasure to be on.
LEVS: Kevin, thanks so much for this.
Here's what I want to do: I -- I'm really stunned by the video here. I want to start off showing people two clips from the video. Then we'll come back and we'll talk about it.
ARATA: OK.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But on the evening of June 5, the harbor came alive. I could see one ship signaling to the other that this is it. We will hit the beach the next morning, at 6:30 a.m. June 6, 1944, to be called D-Day.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(EXPLOSIONS)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's so hard to describe. (INAUDIBLE) -- because I can imagine being a German and looking out through a -- through binoculars and seeing all this. No wonder Hitler didn't believe us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEVS: And you can hear the drama there; you're hearing from veterans.
Kevin, how did you all get this video, and how did you put that together?
ARATA: Well, Josh, the video was actually compiled about three or four years ago. And -- and we actually got the audio footage from the D-Day Museum down in New Orleans, and the video footage from the Archives up here in D.C.
And we had someone put this together into a comprehensive package, part of which you just showed, into about an eight-minute clip, that really, I think, gives you a synopsis. If there was ever a place to go on one spot in about 15 minutes to learn about what D-Day is all about, I think this site is it. And that video kind of encapsulates just exactly what these heroes did 65 years ago today.
LEVS: Yes, it's stunning. And as the viewers saw there, you -- you're hearing from veterans themselves.
Let's zoom back in, because I want to show everyone these photos that have you, a series of still shots -- and let's see how close we can get to these -- that, again, show us the drama.
Talk to me about this. Did each unit have an official photographer who was there taking these pictures? I mean, is some of it -- is -- what -- what's amazing to me is that some of these people must have been in danger when they were taking these photos to have been taking to have been there for this.
So how did these get collected?
ARATA: Absolutely. And this, again, came from archival footage that -- that we collected from various places.
But yes, each of the units did have photographers assigned to them to document this as they went through the war. And so that's where we pulled most of this from, and it's very powerful images that just show incredibly what -- what these men went through as they landed on -- on the beaches of Normandy.
LEVS: So we're seeing all the really powerful images there.
And take a look at this one right here. That -- I want to see if we can click on this, because this is a helmet that's on top of what appears to be a -- a rifle there. That's kind of a memorial, a makeshift memorial at the time, right? Maybe (ph) to people who were giving their lives.
ARATA: It is. And it's still used as a symbolic measure today to show the respect and -- for soldiers who have died in combat, is the helmet up on top of the rifle upside down.
LEVS: Yes, it's beautiful.
And I want to show everyone a -- a screen we have here, because we're inviting everyone for -- to send in your memories. We have a -- a graphic here.
Send in your thoughts about D-Day today. That's our blog, cnn.com/newsroom. You have my Facebook there, Facebook.com/joshlevscnn. Twitter.com/joshlevscnn.
I want to tell everyone: I'm going to post links there to all the things we're showing. And also, Kevin, to your Facebook and your Twitter and all the things that the military has going out today.
And -- and as we tie this up, talk to me about this younger generation that's doing a lot of Facebook and Twittering.
What can younger people learn from going to this Web site and learning about D-Day? ARATA: Josh, I think one thing they can take away from this is that the -- the perseverance, the courage, the dedication to -- to duty, service to nation that these men and women had back during the World War II era and all the others wars that we've had since then, it's just amazing.
And -- and I think, if nothing else, they go and they watch this video, and -- and they see just what it involved. And, you know, I -- I was in the 50th anniversary celebration 15 years ago. I walked the beaches in peacetime. I could not even imagine what these men went through....
LEVS: Sure.
ARATA: ...when they did this in war, under fire, under combat stress. Just amazing.
LEVS: And now thanks to this Web site, people can see for themselves a lot of what it was like.
Kevin, thank you so much for joining us today.
ARATA: Thank you, Josh. And remember to thank a vet for their service.
LEVS: Absolutely. And we're all thinking about them today.
Betty and T.J., I encourage everyone to check this out.
NGUYEN: Yes, especially thinking about that on today, the ...
LEVS: (INAUDIBLE)
NGUYEN: ...65th anniversary of D-Day.
We're looking at the -- what? -- bottom right-hand corner of your screen, you're seeing live pictures of Caen, France, where the president has arrived with first lady Michelle Obama, in a meeting right now with the French president.
A lot of ceremonies taking place today, and as you can see, a lot of people have gathered just to catch a glimpse of what is going on today, and of course, all these dignitaries there.
And speaking of President Obama, I want to tell you about this: He has domestic issues on his mind as well while in Europe this morning. Just an hour ago, his radio address was released, and in it, he outlined his goals for fixing our health-care system.
We're going to take a listen to that.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Good morning, everybody. Welcome back on this Saturday morning. I'm Betty Nguyen.
HOLMES: Good morning to you all. I'm T.J. Holmes. Glad you could be here with us this morning.
First, here, on this half hour to tell you about, 29 children between the ages of six months and five years were killed in a fire at a state-run daycare center in Mexico. More than 100 others were injured. Officials say the fire started at a tire warehouse that was next door to the daycare center and then spread quickly. Investigation under right way now.
In Kansas today, hundreds expected to attend the funeral for a well-known abortion provider. Doctor George Tiller is his name. He was shot and killed inside his church last Sunday. The suspect, who police say is as staunch abortion opponent, has been charged with first-degree murder; officials also looking into possible federal charges.
It is the 37th bank to fail this year. Federal regulators have shutdown the Bank of Lincolnwood in Illinois. Customers will have access to their money today when that bank reopens as the Republic Bank of Chicago.
NGUYEN: A news conference held two hours ago is providing some fresh clues into the disappearance of Air France Flight 447. Officials say signals from the plane before it disappeared showed the auto pilot was not on. Now, it is not clear if the pilots turned it off or if it malfunctioned. The plane may have also received inconsistent readings as pilots struggled for control in a thunderstorm. Investigators are still searching a zone several 100 square miles wide for more debris.
HOLMES: They say the clock is ticking now for investigators, racing to determine an official cause of that crash. Turns out the batteries on the locaters for the data and voice recorders only good for 30 days.
NGUYEN: That is it. This map gives you an idea of just how massive the search area is. CNN's Brian Todd has more now on the search and the investigation.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): An extraordinary directive from the manufacturer of the downed plane to pilots. Air Bus tells CNN it sent a telex to all Air Bus model pilots reminding them what to do when speed indicators give conflicting readouts.
Air Bus sent the message after the crash. The manufacturer says in its final moments Air France Flight 447 sent signals showing inconsistency in measured air speeds. Experts tell us that could mean the pilots and co-pilots sensors were showing different speeds. They say that's likely a symptom, not a cause of this crash, but ...
PETER GOELZ, FORMER NTSB MANAGING DIRECTOR: If they're malfunctioning, it can give a false read into the cockpit that can be misinterpreted and a disaster can follow.
TODD: Meaning the plane's computer systems could make a sudden adjustment to a false air speed, triggering a nosedive or some other drastic maneuver. The plane flew into a storm before it went down, and French investigators say it may have been flying at the wrong speed for those weather conditions. Recovering any data that will give better clues is becoming more difficult. Recovery officials now say much of the debris in the water they thought was from flight 447 was not.
VICE ADMIRAL EDSON LAWRENCE, BRAZILIAN NAVY (through translator): There's a lot of trash in the ocean. Sometimes trash that is spotted can be confused for something else, but in reality it is only trash.
TODD: Recovery officials do say a seat and some wiring found in the water could be from the plane. But the voice and data recorders are still missing. And one veteran investigator says the clock is ticking, a reminder that the batteries on the locater devices attached to those recorders last just 30days. And each day that goes by, ocean currents are taking debris further away from the crash site.
Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: And as we have been reporting this morning, the president and the first lady in France. First on their schedule this morning observances marking the 65th anniversary of the Allied invasion at Normandy. A live picture here outside the building, a municipal building, where the president and first lady are meeting with the French president and the French first lady.
A busy day ahead for them after the ceremony at Normandy. He's also scheduled to hold a news conference with President Sarkozy. After that, he and the first lady meet with other world leaders and their wives as well. Then they'll visit with some war veterans. And though he is spending today remembering D-Day, President Obama also keeping domestic issues high on his agenda.
At a weekly Internet and radio address, he was (sic) turned to (sic) his attention to the health care reform happening here at home. We're going to play this for you here in its entirety. But I also want to let you know, the president, we are expecting him to make some brief comments in France. When that happens, we'll jump in here and bring that to you live.
But for now let's take a listen to the President's Internet and Web address today.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Over the past few days I've been traveling through the Middle East and Europe working to renew our alliances, enhance our common security and propose anew partnership between the United States and the Muslim world. But even as I'm abroad, I'm firmly focused on other pressing challenges we face, including the urgent need to reform our health care system.
Even as we speak, Congress is preparing to introduce and debate health reform legislation that is the product of many months of effort and deliberation. And if you're like any of the Americans I've met across this country, who know all too well that the soaring costs of health care make our current course unsustainable, I imagine you'll be watching their progress closely.
I'm talking about the families I've met whose spiraling premiums and out-of-pocket expenses are pushing them into bankruptcy, or forcing them to go without the checkups or prescriptions they need. Business owners who fear they'll be forced to choose between keeping their doors open or covering their workers. Americans who rightly worry that the ballooning costs of Medicare and Medicaid could lead to fiscal catastrophe down the road.
Simply put, the status quo is broken. We cannot continue this way. If we do nothing, everyone's health care will be put in jeopardy. Within a decade we'll spend $1 out of every $5 we earn on health care and we'll keep getting less for our money.
That's why fixing what's wrong with our health care system is no longer a luxury we hope to achieve, it is a necessity we cannot postpone any longer. The growing consensus around that reality has led an unprecedented coalition to come together for change. Unlike past attempts at reforming our health care system, everyone is at the table, patients' advocates, and health insurers, business and labor, Democrats and Republicans alike.
A few weeks ago some of these improbable allies committed to cut national health care spending by $2 trillion over the next decade. What makes this so remarkable is that it probably wouldn't have happened just a few short years ago. But today, at this historic juncture, even old adversaries are united around the same goal: quality, affordable health care for all Americans.
Now, I know that when you bring together disparate groups with differing views there will be lively debate. That's a debate I welcome. What we can't accept is reform that just invests more money in the status quo. Reform that throws good money after bad habits. Instead, we must attack the root causes of skyrocketing healthcare costs.
Some of these costs are the result of unwarranted profiteering that has no place in our health care system. And in too many communities folks are paying higher costs without receiving better care in return. And yet we know, for example, that there are places like the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, and other institutions, that offer some of the highest quality of care in the nation at some of the lowest costs in the nation. We should learn from their successes and promote the best practices, not the most expensive ones. That's how we'll achieve reform that fixes what doesn't work and builds on what does.
This week I conveyed to Congress my belief that any health care reform must be built around fundamental reforms that lower costs, improve quality and coverage, and also protect consumer choice. And that means if you like the plan you have, you can keep it. If you like the doctor you have, you can keep your doctor, too. The only change you'll see are falling costs as our reforms take hold. I've also made it very clear to Congress that we must develop a plan that doesn't add to our budget deficit. My budget included an historic down payment on reform and will work with Congress to fully cover the costs through rigorous spending reductions and appropriate additional revenues.
We'll eliminate waste, fraud and abuse in our health care system, but we'll also take on key causes of rising costs, saving billions while providing better care to the American people. Now, all across America, our families are making hard choices when it comes to healthcare. Now it is time for Washington to make the right ones, it is time to deliver.
And I'm absolutely convinced that if we keep working together and living up to our mutual responsibilities, if we place the American people's interests above the special interests, we will seize this historic opportunity to finally fix what ails our broken health care system and strengthen our economy and our country now and for decades to come.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: The president's plans for health care reform could get a boost next week. A group called America's Agenda made up of lawmakers, business leaders and labor groups plans to announce its support for federal health care reform.
NGUYEN: Well, you know, it always has been a David and Goliath type of fight, small communities battling big corporations for better air quality and clean drinking water.
HOLMES: Yes, still to come here. A look at how the Obama administration is planning to improve environmental justice.
NGUYEN: And more than 50,000 people are warming up and stretching out in the Washington, D.C. area this morning. Take you live to the Race For The Cure. That's next hour. And Reynolds Wolf is keeping an eye on the weather outside today.
Hey, Reynolds.
WOLF: Hey, we're going to talk about the Race For The Cure, what kind of weather they can expect in Washington, D.C. Right now I can tell you, they do have a little bit of fog out there, It's going to be muggy today with temperatures that are going to be a bit on the warm side. We'll give you the full deal coming up in just a few moments. You're watching CNN SATURDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: I do have Maroon 5, it is on my iPod.
WOLF: Right next to Lawrence Welk.
HOLMES: I don't even know Lawrence Welk. WOLF: No.
HOLMES: OK? The reason we're -- there was a line in there about the rain, if you were listening. This is not about the Miami and South Beach that we know here. A mess they got going on, Reynolds. Nine inches in a few hours, we're told. Businesses, homes flooded. And even reports of cars floating down the street. Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It is crazy. Everybody is completely flooded. If you have a low car, don't come here. Stay at home. It is dangerous.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It was like, this level, the of -- so my car is totally wet.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: And, you know, the lady in that gave the same warning you give all the time. Don't try to drive through this stuff, folks.
WOLF: One caveat to that, one issue, when you have seven to nine inches of rain that falls like this, and you can't help but you're in the middle of it. Kind of hard to drive, you try and drive out of it. But I mean, what a mess!
HOLMES: In a matter of a few hours in South Beach. Are they done down there?
WOLF: They still have a little bit more today. You know what's weird is you think about this, you think rain, South Florida, no big deal, it does -- you know, it happens. But this much, that short of time is where you have the issue. Also, around 10,000 people without power, so rough times. But it will get a little bit better. Still rainy but the rain is not going to be quite as intense and that's great news.
HOLMES: Elsewhere, what you got going on?
WOLF: You know we have a lot of -- we have two big races we're dealing with. We've got the Race For The Cure that is going to be in D.C. this morning. But then we also have the Belmont.
HOLMES: Yes.
WOLF: A race of a different type.
HOLMES: Yes, much different.
WOLF: Dealing with the four-legged variety. And the jockey, Calvin ...
HOLMES: Calvin Borel.
WOLF: Yes, has a chance at being a Triple Crown. HOLMES: Triple Crown, on two different horses. Rachel Alexander, the last race, and then before that Mine That Bird, for the Kentucky Derby. Now he's back on Mine that Bird, could be Triple Crown. Not the horse, again.
WOLF: Yes.
HOLMES: But the guy.
WOLF: The dude. Now will the dude be fed oats and be like given like ...
HOLMES: I don't know.
(LAUGHTER)
WOLF: I think he deserves it. Let's go right to weather, real fast. Let's go right to it because we're running out of time. I've been babbling way too much.
(WEATHER FORECAST)
HOLMES: The president is in France, as we have been telling you this morning, on this 65th anniversary of D-Day. We are expecting him to make some brief comments. When that does happen, we'll take you there live.
NGUYEN: But in the meantime, actually, here is a live picture right now. You can see the crowds have gathered just to catch a glimpse of the president and Mrs. Michelle Obama, as well, as the French president and the first lady there.
But we want to tell you about this, we're going to continue to follow those, but there is other news. I, in fact, take you on a safari. No, it is not in Africa. It is in Las Vegas. We have the details on that.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: My favorite song by them.
HOLMES: Love that, Coldplay, a good concert, not too long ago here in Atlanta.
NGUYEN: Fabulous. Let's get down to business, though.
The Environmental Protection Agency is trying to determine if children face unhealthy levels of pollution while at school. So I talked with EPA Director Lisa Jackson about the study of air quality underway in schools across the country.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN (On camera): You're monitoring the pollution around some 62 schools across the nation. What are you hoping to discover by doing so? LISA JACKSON, DIRECTOR, EPA: We're hoping to get information and data. You know, what happened is that the media, in this case it was the newspaper, put out a series of stories that were really alarming to people about -- that took average pollution levels from EPA data and modeled it to say there seems to be a risk here, folks, because these schools are either located near industrial areas, or oftentimes they were located near roadways, major highways.
And so we didn't have enough information to say one way or the other whether these schools were really a concern. It was modeling. But you can't go back to a parent who is about to send their kid to school and say, don't worry, it is just a model.
What we thought we would do is try to pick those schools that were potentially some of the worst in terms of air quality, do the monitoring, get that information in the hands of parents so they can ask locally. But also get a better sense of whether this is really a problem for the country as a whole, or whether we might have a couple of individual schools, but maybe not a global concern.
NGUYEN: Whether it is a school or maybe a low-income neighborhood, how are you working to make sure that those areas are not victim to the pollution that could be caused by local manufacturers or companies in that particular area?
JACKSON: We have to commit ourselves as a country to fairness and equity, the principles of environmental justice. They're for all communities, but they are nowhere more important than low-income communities. Because those, as you know, tend to be communities that disproportionately suffer the impacts.
Whether it is the citing of a facility, whether it is the historic burden of having sort of been located on the quote/unquote wrong side of the tracks, they find themselves sort of with sometimes a double or a triple whammy of air pollution, maybe unsafe drinking water, maybe hazardous waste sites in their neighborhood.
We have to be, at EPA, speaking to and empowering those communities so they understand what risks are real, what risks aren't, where you might be able to embrace some new industry without giving up environmental health.
And it is especially important now as we're really beginning to enter a health care debate in this country, to realize that those same communities, that are low income, often time rely on hospitals and emergency rooms as their primary source of medical care. And so this is a problem that mushrooms and manifests itself in health care costs as well.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Well, on another note, Friday, the EPA was sued by the environmental group Wild Earth Guardians. This group claims the agency has failed to limit the transmission of air pollution across state lines as required under the federal Clean Air Act in a handful of Western states. HOLMES: Also an EPA spokeswoman says the agency has not had a chance to review that lawsuit and cannot comment just yet on that pending litigation.
NGUYEN: We'll continue to follow that for you. We're also going to take you live to the Race For The Cure in D.C. with two runners who are stretching and getting ready. One of them, you'll recognize right here, from CNN.
HOLMES: Also, our D-Day coverage continues and a D-Day hero we'll introduce you to, in our CNN extended family. We travelled to Houston to get a friend's relative to talk about his experience for the first-time.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: As veterans are honored and remembered on this D-Day anniversary, our own Susan Lisovicz sits down with her uncle, a war hero who was there the day the Allies stormed Normandy.
NGUYEN: Yes, in Houston, he reminisces for the first time, at length, about "The Longest Day".
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SUSAN LISOVICZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): All my life I've known my Uncle Lenny is a war hero, but he never wanted to talk about it.
LEONARD LISOVICZ, D-DAY INVASION SURVIVOR: I don't want -- I try to rub that out of my mind, but it won't go away.
S. LISOVICZ: What won't go away is the chaotic scene 65 years ago on a sliver of sand thousands of miles away. He was a 26-year-old lieutenant when he stormed Omaha Beach. The first word came from his captain.
L. LISOVICZ: He said this is the real thing, let's see what you can do. That was it. So you hit the beach.
S. LISOVICZ: But the Germans hit back.
L. LISOVICZ: They had to pinpoint, it was just like shooting ducks on a pond. Your comrades, if your artillery busted, a hand flying here, a leg there, guts laying out on the ground, just asking for help and you couldn't help them. You had to move. You just had to push them aside.
LISOVICZ (On camera): You lost so many men, were you ever scared?
L. LISOVICZ: Nobody can tell me that you don't fear going up against a man you never seen in your life and look him in the eye and know you're going to kill him.
LISOVICZ (voice over): But the Nazis held a superior position. Then Uncle Lenny said, help came from above.
L. LISOVICZ: At times there were so many planes in the sky you couldn't see the sky. You could see them forming, from all directions, coming into one pattern. And that's how we got off the beach, darling. We found the paratroopers. But they were all dead. They massacred them in the field.
LISOVICZ: From that beach, my uncle fought all the way to Germany. He started with 220 men, but says only 22 made it back home alive. My uncle returned with many medals for his service, including the prestigious Silver Star for his valor in the battlefield.
(On camera): What does this mean to you now when you look at it?
L. LISOVICZ: I don't care for it. I did the walk, baby. I did the walk.
LISOVICZ: You don't need to do the talk?
L. LISOVICZ: Talking, that's right.
LISOVICZ (voice over): But I finally convinced Lieutenant Leonard Lisovicz, my uncle Lenny, at 91, to do the talk, after 65 years, it was time.
Susan Lisovicz, CNN, Houston, Texas.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: President Obama and President Sarkozy, as well as the first ladies -- as you see right there -- meeting this hour for lunch in Caen, France, as they mark the 65th anniversary of D-Day.
HOLMES: They coordinate those outfits this morning.
NGUYEN: It looks like they might have.
HOLMES: Yes, pictures we saw just a short time ago and live there. More live pictures to show you this morning of all that's going on there.
Meanwhile, it's 7:00 a.m. here in Atlanta, 1:00 p.m. over in Caen, France, where the president is.
Hello to you all. I'm T.J. Holmes.
NGUYEN: Good morning, everybody. And thanks for joining us on this Saturday morning, this important morning, as we really commemorate the 65th anniversary of D-Day. We got a lot to tell you about today.
HOLMES: Yes, the past is meeting the president this morning as President Barack goes back to the shores of Normandy on this 65th anniversary of World War II's D-Day invasion. NGUYEN: The president will be joined by a great uncle who was among those who hit the beaches at Normandy. It's already been a busy morning for President Obama and the first lady, as they met with the French president and his wife.
Our Jim Bittermann joins us now from the American Cemetery in Normandy.
There's a lot lined up for today, Jim. Kind of give us an idea of what we should expect.
JIM BITTERMANN, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Betty, I think the most emotional, most moving part of the day is going to be right here at the American Cemetery where 9,387 American soldiers and sailors are buried. They took part in the Normandy campaign and also liberation of Europe, and their bodies were brought to the -- brought to this area, and, in fact, buried here.
This was the first American Cemetery that was established in Europe, and, in fact, was established just two days after D-Day. This area was taken over by the first division of the American military at the end of D-Day. And two days later, they needed a place to bury the dead, they began burying them here.
It now actually belongs to the United States of America, was ceded to the U.S. by France sometime after the war. And it has become a bit of an American property. So, President Obama is going to be speaking on American territory while he is here.
Now, he arrived in Normandy a little earlier today. He arrived with Michelle Obama and met with President Sarkozy and Carla Bruni Sarkozy, the first lady and president of France, for a brief while. And the two leaders are now meant to be in a bilateral meeting. They're supposed to have lunch together.
And then after lunch, they'll helicopter here to the cemetery here, where they'll be joined by Gordon Brown, the prime minister of Great Britain, and Stephen Harper, the prime minister of Canada -- all four gentlemen will be making speeches and President Sarkozy intends to award the Legion of Honor to four American veterans who are going to be recognized here this afternoon.
NGUYEN: And right now, as they are in that lunch, they are discussing a lot of topics, Jim. I know global recession, Afghanistan as well as Iran, kind of give us an idea of if anything will come of that besides just discussions today.
BITTERMANN: Well, I think, you know, one of the things that this cemetery -- we're just guessing at this point because we haven't seen the advance speech of the president yet, but one of the things that seems to me that would be -- make a lot of sense to talk about would be to rekindle the idea of sacrifice. After all, this cemetery symbolizes that whole idea of sacrifice that U.S. and British and Canadian -- 10 countries gave in terms of participating in the Allied landings along the D-Day coast. So, it's an ideal place to talk about sacrifice. And, of course, the modern day equivalent of that sacrifice is coming to the help of the United States in places like Afghanistan, for example, to help out the U.S. efforts there and in Iraq. So, I think that could very well be the theme of this speech this afternoon. We'll have to wait and see, but we'll be watching it carefully.
NGUYEN: Well, and, Jim, you know, I don't mean to embarrass you, I'll put you on the spot, but I understand that you were among 13 to get the, what, French Legion of Honor. That's quite a special recognition.
(LAUGHTER)
BITTERMANN: I -- that's absolutely true. And towards the end of this month, the foreign minister of France will be pinning that medal on me -- just as you see the president pinning a medal on the veterans this afternoon. I'm looking forward and tremendously honored by it after 30 years of covering this country. It's a great honor for me.
NGUYEN: Well, we are very proud of you and well-deserved. Thank you so much. We'll be checking in with you throughout the day.
BITTERMANN: You bet.
HOLMES: That, he didn't want to toot his own horn, of course.
NGUYEN: No.
HOLMES: But it is really one of the highest honors that's handed out in France to -- usually for government service, military service. But he's been at this for so long and covering France, covering the U.S. but --
NGUYEN: And everything. Absolutely. And congratulations, Jim.
HOLMES: It's a heck of an honor.
All right. We're going to turn to some other news -- in Mexico right now. This story just horrified a lot of people. It starts coming across our wires yesterday. About 29 children dead, more than 100 others injured, after a fire swept through a state-run day-care center in a town there in Mexico. Officials say it started in the warehouse next door, then quickly spread to that day-care center.
The children range in age from about a year old to 5 years old. Some are being taken to Shriners Hospital in California today for treatment.
Also, a high school senior facing possible felony charges after police say he set off at least a dozen homemade bombs in the trash cans around his school. San Diego police locked the school down for about an hour yesterday while they investigated. No one was hurt and there was no property damage.
NGUYEN: Well, how does buying a home for, I don't know, what, $25,000 -- how does that sound to you?
HOLMES: What does the house look like? It sounds pretty good.
NGUYEN: You might be able to see.
HOLMES: All right.
NGUYEN: We're going to take you on a search for the best foreclosure deals in the country. You don't want to miss this.
HOLMES: And you say search, but it's actually called a safari, isn't it?
NGUYEN: It is a hunt.
HOLMES: A hunt.
NGUYEN: And we go on a hunt.
HOLMES: All right.
(LAUGHTER)
HOLMES: Also, paying too much for property tax, there are ways to bring that down. We're going to be talking to our resident tax expert. He's coming up next. Stay here with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Well, welcome back. Showing you a live picture here of President Obama and the French President Nicolas Sarkozy. This is happening, a chat they're having, and a lunch they were having today. This is in Caen, France -- ahead of the D-Day commemorations that are going to be happening there in Normandy as well along the beaches.
But the French president is speaking -- I apologize. My French is a little rusty. OK. I don't speak French at all actually. So, I cannot tell you what these men are saying, we don't have the translation here. But the two leaders there, a live picture, they're shaking hands.
The president is speaking now. We'll go ahead and listen in to him.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
OBAMA: ...France, particularly on this day, because this day marks not only the triumph of freedom, but it also marks how the transatlantic alliance has allowed for extraordinary prosperity and security on both sides of the Atlantic.
The fact that France fully reintegrated into NATO this year, under President Sarkozy's leadership is just one further indication of the degree to which U.S./French cooperation can help to underpin not only security in Europe, but also a more secure and prosperous world beyond Europe. I very much appreciated President Sarkozy's leadership on a whole range of issues. He mentioned a number of them. France's leadership within Europe in understanding the need for us to have tough diplomacy with the Iranians, to reach out to them, but also insist that we can't afford a nuclear arms race in the Middle East.; our close collaboration on a whole host of issues with Russia; France's willingness to accept a Guantanamo detainee, but more broadly to help us as we want to deal with the terrorist threat, but do so in a way that is consistent with our values and our ideals.
The assistance that all NATO allies, as well as others, are providing in helping to bring about a more peaceful and democratic Afghanistan.
On all of these issues, President Sarkozy has not just cooperated, he's led. And that kind of approach, I think, is serving the interests of France, but it is also serving the interests of the world. And we're very grateful for them.
Obviously, I also want to make mention of the extraordinary tragedy of the Air France plane that we believe may have gone down. We don't know yet what exactly happened. But it is heart breaking obviously for the families. The American people offer thoughts and prayers.
We have already authorized all of our resources to coordinate with the French in trying to discover where the plane went down and to find as much information as possible. But our deepest condolences to the people of France, most particularly to the families involved. And we are determined to find out what happened and support France in that regard.
So with that, I think that we can take a question.
(INAUDIBLE)
QUESTION: Mr. President ...
(INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Excuse me, the journalist is speaking without a microphone.
OBAMA: I'm sorry, apparently, you're speaking without a microphone. So the translator cannot hear you. Do we have a mike anywhere?
QUESTION: Yes, right here. Mr. President, Mr. President, right here. Right here. Sir --
OBAMA: He's got the microphone.
QUESTION: You said yesterday that you hoped to see significant progress in the Middle East by the end of this year. What do you mean by that? And President Sarkozy, you had a meeting earlier this week with the Iranian foreign minister. What message was he able to give you to pass on to the president? Thank you.
OBAMA: OK. I think all of us understand what would constitute progress when it comes to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Progress would mean that the parties involved supported by not just the United States, not just by France, but also other Arab states, are in serious constructive negotiations about how to achieve a two-state solution.
I don't expect that a 60-year problem is served overnight. But as I said before, I do expect both sides to recognize that their fates are tied together, and that it is in the interests of Israel, its security interests, as well as the interests of the Palestinians, to resolve this in a peaceful way.
Now, there are a whole host of difficult questions out there. We all know what those questions are. But I believe President Sarkozy and I agree that we have to move beyond the current stalemate.
Both sides are going to have obligations. I've discussed the importance of a cessation of settlement construction, but I also want to re-emphasize because that's gotten more attention than what I've also said, which is the Palestinians have to renounce violence, end incitement, improve their government capacity so that Israelis can be confident that the Palestinians can follow through on any commitments they make across the table.
Now, I cannot impose such negotiations, or certainly, the terms of a final settlement on the parties. That's their task. President Sarkozy cannot impose peace in that region. But what we can do is be friends to Israel, honest in our assessments of what it's going to take, hold the Palestinians accountable for their end of the bargain, and move the process forward.
And we are going to try to put as much energy as we can into it. My special envoy, George Mitchell, is going to be returning to the region this week. And we are going to systematically work through as many of these issues as possible.
One last point I want to emphasize, the Arab states have to be a part of this process. It's not sufficient just to point at the Palestinian problem and then say, "We are not going to engage; we're not going to take responsibility." They are going to have to step up as well because the Arab states not only are important politically, they're also important economically. And to the extent that they put their shoulder behind the wheel, that can move the process forward in a significant way.
NICOLAS SARKOZY, PRESIDENT OF FRANCE (through translator): It is not for me -- have to take this hand and (INAUDIBLE) -- the six-party talks start again. Secondly, (INAUDIBLE) realize Iran wants access to nuclear energy (INAUDIBLE) but if it wants nuclear, the answer is no. And they have to understand that. If your interests are peaceful and accept -- cannot accept -- HOLMES: All right. We're going to go ahead and dip out of this. The translation is there. You can hear it a little bit under, but can't really make out the translation that well so we're going to go ahead and step out of this.
What you've been seeing there, President Obama and French President Nicolas Sarkozy after a lunch meeting today, had a lot of things on the table that these two leaders need to talk about. And especially during this session, we have --at least during this session with the press here -- talking about the need for -- the topic of Middle East peace. This is something the two leaders don't necessarily see eye to eye on. But, still, the French president hinting at least at no more settlements should be set up in the West Bank by Israel.
At least that's, by some accounts, would be movement, and the president mentioning as well that he would certainly like for progress to mean that all sides, more sides and including Arab nations, sit down and move toward a two-state solution. So, it is just one of many topics that these two leaders will be talking about.
The president is also mentioning Air France, also offering his -- said that thoughts and prayers of the American people are with those families of the Air France flight. Still don't know exactly what happened to it but presumed to have gone down on the flight from Rio de Janeiro heading over to France.
Our coverage will continue of the president's visit to France today, on this D-Day anniversary. Our coverage continues right after the break. Don't go anywhere.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: All right. The Race for the Cure is happening in Washington today. I think we have some of those pictures, Betty, we can share with folks here. It's one of the largest. They do these all around the country. I know you've covered plenty of these.
NGUYEN: Oh, yes.
HOLMES: I had as well. More than 50,000 runners are expected today on the National Mall. Event raises a whole lot of money.
NGUYEN: Absolutely. The event has already raised $2.7 million and will likely pull in more than $6 million before it's said and done. Now, that money is dedicated to finding a cure for breast cancer.
We want to talk right now with Nancy Brinker. She is the woman behind this event. And many more just like it all across the nation as she works to fulfill a promise made to her dying sister, Susan G. Komen.
And, Nancy, do we have you there live?
NANCY BRINKER, CANCER SURVIVOR: You got me live. NGUYEN: All right.
BRINKER: Thank you very much for being with us today.
NGUYEN: Absolutely. It's so great ...
(CROSSTALK)
NGUYEN: I was just going to say, it's so great to see you. I know we're having a little bit of difficulty with the audio there.
But let me ask you this, first of all, you made a promise to your dying sister that you would do everything that you could to help in breast cancer. You founded this organization in 1982.
BRINKER: Right.
NGUYEN: How close are we to finding a cure?
BRINKER: Well, we believe that within the next several years we're going to be very close to at least an immediate interim place and that would be controlling the disease, turning cancer into a more chronic disease.
But let me tell you where we are here today. We are having our first global Race for the Cure. That a quarter of the proceeds will go to fund our global promise fund, because breast cancer doesn't end at the borders.
And we know that when we started this organization, the survival rate of early breast cancer was 74 percent. It's now 98 percent -- which shows you, if we apply what we know, we will be far, far ahead. And that's our goal -- is to apply what we know.
NGUYEN: Nancy, do you fully believe you will see a cure within your lifetime?
BRINKER: Well, I have to because I promised my sister and that's why I work so hard at it every day, and all of my colleagues -- and millions and millions of people who race, run, walk. We do it because we do believe we will have a cure in our lifetime.
NGUYEN: And some 50,000 people have come out in belief of that as well today.
BRINKER: Right.
NGUYEN: You've watched this thing grow. When you first began back in Dallas 1983, what, only 800 people showed up. Today, you got 50,000. That's got to be a source of pride for you.
BRINKER: It is a source of pride. And I always look at, of course, forward, what needs to be done. But we have almost 2 million walkers, runners and observers, all over the United States and in other countries. We're now in 50 other countries. We're all doing the same thing, to bring attention to this disease and to keep it very high in the national public and global consciousness of people. We have to get farther along the road than we are.
NGUYEN: Absolutely. And, Jill Dougherty, one of our very own here at CNN.
HOLMES: Yes.
NGUYEN: She is ...
BRINKER: And a great friend.
NGUYEN: Yes. She's foreign affairs correspondent. She joins you there today.
And, Jill, you know, maybe a lot of people don't know this, but you have a personal story to share when it comes to the Race for the Cure and your experience with cancer.
JILL DOUGHERTY, CNN FOREIGN AFFAIRS CORRESPONDENT: Yes. Betty, well, you can tell, I've got the pink t-shirt. So I'm a survivor. I'm one of many, many here. And I was diagnosed back in 1999. So, it's been 10 years, 10 years this summer.
And I think what Ambassador Brinker is talking about is that this is a disease that you can live with, at least in developed countries. That if you get to a doctor and get diagnosed early, that there is a great chance that you will survive very well. My mother is 85. She had it twice. So -- and she's going to the gym every day.
So the main thing is, just getting out there, going to the doctor, and not being fearful of it.
NGUYEN: Absolutely.
DOUGHERTY: I know it sounds scary, but, believe me, you can survive it.
NGUYEN: And you are proof of that, Jill.
(CROSSTALK)
NGUYEN: Yes.
BRINKER: Yes, yes. And I had breast cancer three years after Susan Komen died. And I agree with Jill, if you get the care, if you're vigilant, if you understand and believe, you can live.
NGUYEN: Absolutely. Two survivors there standing as proof that it can be done. We appreciate you spending a little time with us today. It is a wonderful day, and such an important cause. And as you see, thousands have come out for it.
Thank you, ladies. We do appreciate it.
BRINKER: Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you.
HOLMES: All right. Those races are remarkable. To be out there and to see the men and women and children, sometimes running on behalf of someone else, it is a special day.
NGUYEN: Yes. It's one thing to see the pictures of it, but when you're there ...
HOLMES: Yes.
NGUYEN: ... just to experience the feeling of why people have come out, they're running for sisters and mothers and survivors, it just means so much.
HOLMES: All right. We're going to keep an eye on that race. Hopefully, the weather, I think the weather is going to cooperate for them today.
NGUYEN: Yes.
HOLMES: So, we'll have those live pictures, I think, throughout the day. So, we'll get back to that a little later -- 50,000 there.
Also, we're keeping an eye on the president -- the president and his family in France this morning. We're bringing you live D-Day ceremonies throughout the morning. We'll have the president's remarks at the American Cemetery in Normandy. That's coming up at 10 o'clock Eastern Time.
"HOUSE CALL" is coming up shortly though -- right after the break. Stay with us.
