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CNN Live Sunday
Reconstruction Begins at WTC Site; Celebrating Independence Day Amid Tight Security at the National Mall
Aired July 04, 2004 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: It is 11 a.m. at Ground Zero in New York City, 7 p.m. in Baghdad. I'm Fredricka Whitfield at the CNN global headquarters in Atlanta. Welcome to CNN LIVE SUNDAY.
Ahead this hour, a 20-ton symbol of freedom. What laying the cornerstone means to the rebuilding efforts at the World Trade Center site.
Also, celebrating America's birthday amid tight security at the National Mall in Washington.
And later...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: I just told him to hold tight, you know. We were going to get him out of there. Just hang in there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Meeting a hero from the war in Iraq who risked his life in the middle of a fierce firefight to rescue wounded soldiers.
But first, a look at the top stories.
20,000 U.S. troops had even more reason to celebrate the Fourth of July. Members of the 1st Armored Division and the 2nd Armored Calvary regiment are leaving Iraq three months after their tours were extended. In a moment Jane Arraf has more on their departure.
Former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein could face more legal wrangling. Iran now says it will submit an indictment to the Iraqi court trying the former dictator. Iraq's neighbor wants Saddam tried for the eight-year Iran-Iraq war.
Iraq's new interim government will offer amnesty to some low- level insurgents. A spokesman for the prime minister says the announcement will be made tomorrow. He said the amnesty would be for people who were misled by leaders of the insurgency.
An Islamic militant group says it did not kill a missing U.S. Marine and claims reports that he was beheaded are incorrect. Three Islamic Web sites posted claims yesterday that Marine Corporal Wassef Ali Hassoun had been killed. The message was attributed to the leader of the militant group Ansar Al-Sunna. That group put out a statement today calling yesterday's claims baseless. Hassoun was last seen on July 19th.
Now back to our top story. Thousands of American troops on their way out of Iraq this morning. The 1st Armored Division has been in Iraq for 15 months, longer than any other unit. They're marking their departure and the Fourth of July with a celebration, and that's where we find our Baghdad bureau chief Jane Arraf. Jane?
JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: Fredricka, Sunday morning, and the 1st Armored Division going back to Germany, and the 2nd Armored Calvary regiment heading back to Louisiana, had a ceremony that indicates that, in fact, they are going home. They put away their flags in preparation for that trip.
Now, there was a little bit of a feeling of a not going to believe it until it happens, because this is the second time. They were supposed to go home three months ago. They were on the way to Kuwait, on the way out of the country and turned back.
Now, what's happening here behind us, here at Camp Victory, this is the 1st Calvary Division out of Fort Hood, Texas, which arrived about five months ago. It's been in charge of Baghdad for about three months. And here we're seeing awards being given for a variety of things, all the way from marathon runs to basketball, to, a little later, something far more serious. Four awards of bronze stars for valor to four members of the 1st Calvary Division.
All in all here, a Fourth of July trying to create some semblance of home, a barbecue, a band later on. But we are here in Baghdad, in very intense heat. Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Jane, once the ceremony has completed, about what time are they actually going to pull out of there?
ARRAF: Well, the 1st Armored Division has been heading back in stages. They're the biggest division in military history and they've been going out through Kuwait from the south and through Baghdad. Some of them are still here, several thousand are still in the country, and will be going out over the next week.
This group of soldiers we're with, the 1st Calvary Division, essentially replaced them in Baghdad. And they are here to stay. They can't really look forward to going home any time soon. They've been here five months. They are expected to be here at least a year in total. But we spoke earlier to the commanding general who says he believes things are genuinely getting better in Baghdad, that they are cracking down on the violence. And this morale here among these soldiers seems pretty high.
WHITFIELD: What have some of these soldiers expressed about being excited about finally getting to go home?
ARRAF: Sorry, Fredricka, there's sort of a lot of merriment here; as you can see a lot of these cavalry members are in ceremonial dress, the Stetsons. Can you repeat that question?
WHITFIELD: I get a sense from the roar there that many people are very excited about going home. What have some of the soldiers said to you individually that you had a chance to talk about their excitement about being able to go home?
ARRAF: The soldiers who have just got here, and we have to remember it's been really quite a dramatic transformation and really quite a wild ride over the past 15 months. Talking about soldiers now going home, over the past 15 months, they have seen almost everything happen. They came here when Iraq was still under Saddam Hussein. They helped topple Saddam. They came to Baghdad after the looting when there was chaos; they helped stabilize it. And they saw a lot of changes. And men at the end of their tour, they were sent to fight in the intense combat that's been seen since the war. It's obviously an experience that is -- will not be replicated in these peoples' lives.
One of them said to me, that after more than a year here, Iraq is almost a home to him. Now, that doesn't mean that everyone has fond memories of Iraq. Certainly, a lot of the soldiers have been through a lot of pain. There have been soldiers lost. They have seen people killed. They have seen people wounded. But for the ones here we're with now, five months into it, they're certainly facing a much different Iraq than soldiers they're replacing. Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: Jane Arraf in Baghdad. A lot of mixed emotions out there.
Well, a new symbol of American independence here at home in New York City this morning. They've laid the cornerstone of the world's tallest building on the site where the World Trade Center once stood. The new structure is being called "Freedom Tower," and CNN's Alina Cho is there. Alina?
ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, there is so much symbolism here today. It is, of course, July 4th, Independence Day. And New York's Governor George Pataki was among those who said that today's ceremony was about steadfastly declaring our steadfast allegiance to freedom.
Later on, in this ceremony, then the three -- the two governors, New York's and New Jersey's, along with New York City's mayor, Michael Bloomberg, unveiled the corner stone, revealing the inscription, which we should mention remained a secret until today. The cornerstone is New York granite, the bedrock of the state, flecked with garnet, the state's gemstone. On it, the words "To honor and remember those who lost their lives on September 11th, 2001, and as a tribute to the enduring spirit of freedom." We should mention that "enduring spirit of freedom," those words were twice as big as the others.
This will become the first piece of the "Freedom Tower," as you mentioned, which will become the tallest building at Ground Zero and in the world.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, NEW YORK CITY: We are reaffirming life at Ground Zero. For the tenth time in history, the world's tallest building will rise in lower Manhattan. It will be called the "Freedom Tower." Not simply because it stands one thousand, seven hundred and seventy-six feet high. It's because the freedom tower's soaring and striking design and reaffirmation of enterprise and creativity on land that has known so much sorrow will send a message from this spot to people around the world. The cause of liberty can never be defeated.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: About 500 invited guests were here at the ceremony today. That includes about 100 9/11 family members. One of the highlights of the ceremony we should mention was the reading of the Declaration of Independence by the 13-year-old son of a Port Authority police officer who died on September 11th. It was the only reading that got a standing ovation today.
The "Freedom Tower," we should mention, will be 70 floors high, 1,776 feet high, the tallest in the world. Symbolic for the year that America gained its independence. It will include 60 floors of office space, including a roof top restaurant and an observation deck. It is slated, as I mentioned to open in 2008. Governor George Pataki, New York's governor, is slated to be the first tenant. Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: And Alina, you mentioned the elected officials, the dignitaries who have been present for the ceremony. Who are among the others who have been there?
CHO: Well, as I mentioned, several family members, Fredricka. I talked to one woman, in fact, a moment ago who said that she worked on the 87th floor of the north tower, she is originally from Haiti, and said that she came back just for this ceremony today. You really could feel the sense of importance here and the sense of history here at this ceremony. There was almost a collective holding of breath when the cornerstone was raised by the crane here and so, very emotional time for these families, certainly for the dignitaries. Of course, an important day, we should mention, for Larry Silverstein, who is developing this site. As I mentioned, the "Freedom Tower" will be completed sometime in 2008.
WHITFIELD: Alina Cho at Ground Zero, thanks very much, for the laying of the cornerstone of the new "Freedom Tower" to be erected.
Our Fourth of July coverage continues with the story of what it takes to put on those fireworks extravaganzas.
And later, some fireworks of another kind as a New York Mafia don gets his day in court.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Well, will the weather cooperate with your holiday plans? CNN meteorologist Rob Marciano is in the weather center with our Fourth of July forecast. Happy fourth.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Happy fourth to you, Fredricka. We have the fireworks on the map for you.
WHITFIELD: I like that. MARCIANO: Yes, sure. Fireworks, if they haven't already happened in your area, you've got to plan for tonight, we'll try to cover that. Beach weather, tell you what. It's going to be a spectacular day for just about all beaches. Maybe the Carolina coast might see a shower or two pop up from time to time. Generally speaking, warm on the Gulf Coast and the eastern seaboard.
New York up through Boston, dry. The front has rain in Pittsburgh. Maybe as far south as Atlanta. And then west of there, warm conditions in Dallas. Temperatures in the 90s. Some storms about to move into Arkansas. Dry and hot across the desert southwest. Cool along the immediate shoreline of the Pacific coastline. Temperatures seasonable.
East coast, Boston, New York, Philly, warm and humid today and the rains will hold off until midnight tonight. Southeast, a shower any time through this evening. Detroit, good bet of showers today on and off. Chicago, Minneapolis, on the fringe. Might get a dry day. 97 in Dallas. Denver a threat for a shower. Houston warm and humid. Los Angeles, 72, 73 degrees expected at San Francisco. And good morning, Seattle, high of 72. Not bad looking day for tomorrow, for a lot of folks, tomorrow is a day off. Enjoy that, as well.
WHITFIELD: Good timing then. Thanks a lot, Rob.
MARCIANO: See you later.
WHITFIELD: A break in the weather helping in the fight against wild fires in Alaska. That tops our look at news across America. Cool weather today is helping firefighters in Alaska's interior. Two blazes, the Wolf Creek and Boundary fires, have charred some 450,000 acres. Evacuation orders remain in effect for many people in the Fairbanks area.
In Montana, a rough ride for Senator Max Baucus. He escaped serious injury after a motorcycle accident. He suffered cuts, scrapes and bruises, and had to spend the night in the hospital. A spokesman says Baucus was on his way to a family picnic when he swerved to avoid a car and lost control of his Harley Davidson.
It wasn't such a gamble for the state of Pennsylvania. The state legislature has passed a bill to legalize slot machine gambling. It will help finance property tax reductions for homeowners. Pennsylvania's governor signed the bill this morning.
And fireworks lit up the faces of former presidents in South Dakota. Thousands were on hand for yesterday's fireworks display, including the director of the National Park Service.
Well, America's birthday is being marked with dazzling fireworks displays around the country. One of the biggest shows is at the National Mall in Washington, featuring 14,000 pounds of explosives and, of course, the National Symphony. It's a lot more complicated than lighting up a sparkler. Here's a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SCOTT GORNES, PYRO SHOWS: Everybody recognizes this show as the nation's capital of shows. This is the show to see on the Fourth of July. Some people might think, you know, we come out here for a day or something, set a bunch of stuff up. Light it up with a Bic lighter or a match or something. We're far from that.
We don't have any problems with ducks. They come along close to us sometimes. The first shell that goes off, they'll be gone.
Once we get the shells dropped, the plastic does the water proofing part for rain and things like that, and the aluminum foil is the fire protection. There's a lot more planning to things like this than people think there are. There is about 14,000 pounds of explosives here. It is dangerous. Certainly is a lot more security here than probably anywhere else we go.
We won't be within probably 200 to 300 feet of the stuff. If something goes wrong, you know, we're well protected. We come from a real small town. Everybody kind of knew everybody else. What else could I do to keep, you know, half a peoples' attention for 20 minutes?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Let's talk Wimbledon now. The Men's final, very tight match after a rain delay in the first set. American Andy Roddick won the first set 6-4. Swede Roger Federer came back in the second set to win 7-5, and Roddick is up a service break in a third set right now. Federer is the defending champion.
About 55,000 people spent the morning of the Fourth of July trotting down a southern boulevard. Atlanta's Peachtree Road Race is the world's largest 10k road race, now in its 35th year. 10 kilometers is about six miles plus. The winning time for men's, 28 minutes and 4 seconds. The Women's division winner had a time of 31 minutes and 55 seconds.
About 150 runners who wanted to participate couldn't make it to the starting line in Atlanta. So they held their own version of the race in Iraq. U.S. soldiers lined up before dawn at Camp Victory in Baghdad getting their official start from race officials on the phone in Atlanta. Army specialist Steven Phillips won the Iraq division of the Peachtree Road Race.
Murder, betrayal, and a feuding family. All the drama you'd expect from a Mafia trial as New York's last known don finally faces the music.
Plus, in another country and world an American soldier shows us what it takes to be a hero. Those stories straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Patriotism and politics this Fourth of July. We're on the campaign with John Kerry and President Bush. Mr. Bush is celebrating the holiday with West Virginians. He's to speak at the state capital in Charleston. The president won West Virginia back in 2000. Today, he will make his ninth presidential visit there. Polls show the president and Democrat John Kerry running a close race in that state.
Meanwhile, John Kerry continues his campaign swing through the Midwest. Today, it's Iowa, where Kerry will march in a parade, attend a barbecue, and attend a fireworks display. Kerry is trying to connect with Midwestern farming families. He's on a three-day bus campaign through rural Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa. And let's consider Iowa a critical win in the presidential race.
And we'll have more on John Kerry campaign later today on CNN's "LATE EDITION." Vanessa Kerry, John Kerry's daughter, will be one of the guests. Also, one of Saddam Hussein's lawyers talks about the former Iraqi leader's day in court and the case against him. John King hosts "LATE EDITION" today, starting at noon eastern, 9:00 Pacific.
Much more ahead in this hour on "RELIABLE SOURCES;" here's Howard Kurtz.
HOWARD KURTZ, HOST, "RELIABLE SOURCES": Coming up, is it a documentary? A partisan rant against a president filled with falsehoods? A patriotic film depicting the rush to war? The great media debate over Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11" with Christopher Hitchens, Bill Press, and "Newsweek's" Michael Isikoff.
Plus, Bob Edwards, bumped from "Morning Edition," weighs in on his new job.
And the Veepstakes. The press on the hunt for John Kerry's running mate. That's all next on "RELIABLE SOURCES."
WHITFIELD: High profile Mafia trials are almost a thing of the past. Most potential defendants are either dead, in jail or out of business. From New York now, CNN's Alina Cho reports on the trial of the man being called "the last don."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Vinny "The Chin" Gigante, Genovese family boss, is serving 12 years for racketeering. John Gotti, nicknamed "The Dapper Don," died in federal prison two years ago. Joseph "Big Joey" Massino, close friend of the late Gotti, alleged boss of the Bonanno family, is the last don.
"Time" magazine's Simon Crittle researched Massino for a year.
SIMON CRITTLE, "TIME" MAGAZINE: He was only surviving because he was very, very good at what he did.
CHO: Now Massino is on trial for seven counts of murder and racketeering.
ROSLYNN MAUSKOPI, U.S. ATTORNEY: More than six made members have agreed to cooperate for the government, and a number of members, including a very high ranking member of the family, agreed to record conversations with the leadership of the Bonanno family.
CHO: Testifying this week, Salvatore Vitale, the Bonanno crime family underboss, Massino's second in command, oldest friend, and brother-in-law, the highest level Mafia turncoat since Sammy "The Bull" Gravano turned on John Gotti.
CRITTLE: The most important thing is the vow of Omerta, to remain silent. So to actually break that vow and to get up in front of a court and seal your boss' fate is the worst sin imaginable.
CHO: Vitale has broken that vow, agreeing to testify in exchange for leniency. Good-looking Sal saw everything, he says, including the 1981 triple murder of Massino's rivals at a Brooklyn social club. He also testified that Massino ordered the murder of the man responsible for allowing an FBI agent to infiltrate the Mafia, a case made famous in the movie "Donnie Brasco."
Crittle says, unlike the flamboyant Gotti, Massino remained anonymous.
CRITTLE: He would order his men to tug on their ears instead of saying his name when they were speaking about him, just in case someone was wearing a wire.
CHO: In the courtroom, Massino's wife Josephine spends her days glaring at her brother, Sal Vitale, who's testimony could land her husband in prison.
Massino's lawyer said he's not troubled by Vitale's testimony. And his client?
DAVID BREITBAR, MASSINO DEFENSE ATTORNEY: He feels good. He feels good. In all candor, he's very, very complimentary and likes the way it's going.
CHO (on camera): Massino faces life in prison if convicted in this trial. Afterward, he'll be tried for a more recent murder, which, because of the change in federal law, carries the death penalty.
Alina Cho, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Putting his life at risk to save his men.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: If the soldiers don't have the confidence they need -- somebody's going to come back for them, they may not fight as hard.
WHITFIELD: Lessons in leadership from a true American hero, coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: The Fourth of July is a good time to remember the hard work and sacrifices made by Americans defending freedom. Casey Wian tells us the story of a National Guard sergeant, who faced the tough call between safety and getting other troops out of harm's way.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Kevin Remington's been in the military more than 20 years. Last July, his training was put to the test in Iraq. Delivering supplies to a river patrol, Remington's convoy was bombed. The blast severely injured two soldiers, trapping them in their truck. After that, a full-scale firefight erupted.
KEVIN REMINGTON, 1ST SERGEANT, NORTH DAKOTA NATIONAL GUARD: You have a window of opportunity where you either do something or you do nothing. Or you get paralyzed by the thought process.
WIAN: Rather than leave the area, Remington made a tough call, ordering his machine gunners to keep up the fight so he could rescue the soldiers who'd been hit.
REMINGTON: I just told him to hold tight, you know, that we were going to get him out of there. Just hang in there.
WIAN: With bullets flying, Remington got the severely injured soldiers out of the vehicle and out of the so-called "kill zone." Although he put the lives of other soldiers at risk, Remington says he has no regrets.
REMINGTON: If soldiers don't have the confidence that they're going to be -- somebody's going to come back for them, they may not fight as hard.
WIAN: The driver of the vehicle died of injuries, but the actions of Remington and his fellow soldiers saved the life of Specialist Brandon Erickson.
BRANDON ERICKSON, SPECIALIST, NORTH DAKOTA NATIONAL GUARD: He cares about his troops just amazingly. He is the epitome of a NCO. He's a great guy. I was so glad he was over there with us.
WIAN: The military has honored Remington with a silver star for gallantry, but he is humbled.
REMINGTON: When I look at what happened that day, I look at it this way. Over the years, the United States' military has put a lot of time and a lot of money into Kevin Remington. And, my hope is that day maybe I gave a little bit of that back.
WIAN: Remington will stay in the National Guard for three more years.
Casey Wian, CNN, reporting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Still much more ahead on CNN SUNDAY. In a few moments, at the bottom of the hour, "RELIABLE SOURCES." Today, a look at Michael Moore's film "Fahrenheit 9/11," is it fact or fiction?
At noon, "LATE EDITION" with John King in for Wolf Blitzer. Among his guests, John Kerry's daughter, Vanessa, joining dad on the presidential campaign.
At 2:00 p.m. Eastern, it's "PEOPLE IN THE NEWS," today profiling four of the heroes from the D-day invasion.
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Aired July 4, 2004 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: It is 11 a.m. at Ground Zero in New York City, 7 p.m. in Baghdad. I'm Fredricka Whitfield at the CNN global headquarters in Atlanta. Welcome to CNN LIVE SUNDAY.
Ahead this hour, a 20-ton symbol of freedom. What laying the cornerstone means to the rebuilding efforts at the World Trade Center site.
Also, celebrating America's birthday amid tight security at the National Mall in Washington.
And later...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: I just told him to hold tight, you know. We were going to get him out of there. Just hang in there.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Meeting a hero from the war in Iraq who risked his life in the middle of a fierce firefight to rescue wounded soldiers.
But first, a look at the top stories.
20,000 U.S. troops had even more reason to celebrate the Fourth of July. Members of the 1st Armored Division and the 2nd Armored Calvary regiment are leaving Iraq three months after their tours were extended. In a moment Jane Arraf has more on their departure.
Former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein could face more legal wrangling. Iran now says it will submit an indictment to the Iraqi court trying the former dictator. Iraq's neighbor wants Saddam tried for the eight-year Iran-Iraq war.
Iraq's new interim government will offer amnesty to some low- level insurgents. A spokesman for the prime minister says the announcement will be made tomorrow. He said the amnesty would be for people who were misled by leaders of the insurgency.
An Islamic militant group says it did not kill a missing U.S. Marine and claims reports that he was beheaded are incorrect. Three Islamic Web sites posted claims yesterday that Marine Corporal Wassef Ali Hassoun had been killed. The message was attributed to the leader of the militant group Ansar Al-Sunna. That group put out a statement today calling yesterday's claims baseless. Hassoun was last seen on July 19th.
Now back to our top story. Thousands of American troops on their way out of Iraq this morning. The 1st Armored Division has been in Iraq for 15 months, longer than any other unit. They're marking their departure and the Fourth of July with a celebration, and that's where we find our Baghdad bureau chief Jane Arraf. Jane?
JANE ARRAF, CNN BAGHDAD BUREAU CHIEF: Fredricka, Sunday morning, and the 1st Armored Division going back to Germany, and the 2nd Armored Calvary regiment heading back to Louisiana, had a ceremony that indicates that, in fact, they are going home. They put away their flags in preparation for that trip.
Now, there was a little bit of a feeling of a not going to believe it until it happens, because this is the second time. They were supposed to go home three months ago. They were on the way to Kuwait, on the way out of the country and turned back.
Now, what's happening here behind us, here at Camp Victory, this is the 1st Calvary Division out of Fort Hood, Texas, which arrived about five months ago. It's been in charge of Baghdad for about three months. And here we're seeing awards being given for a variety of things, all the way from marathon runs to basketball, to, a little later, something far more serious. Four awards of bronze stars for valor to four members of the 1st Calvary Division.
All in all here, a Fourth of July trying to create some semblance of home, a barbecue, a band later on. But we are here in Baghdad, in very intense heat. Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Jane, once the ceremony has completed, about what time are they actually going to pull out of there?
ARRAF: Well, the 1st Armored Division has been heading back in stages. They're the biggest division in military history and they've been going out through Kuwait from the south and through Baghdad. Some of them are still here, several thousand are still in the country, and will be going out over the next week.
This group of soldiers we're with, the 1st Calvary Division, essentially replaced them in Baghdad. And they are here to stay. They can't really look forward to going home any time soon. They've been here five months. They are expected to be here at least a year in total. But we spoke earlier to the commanding general who says he believes things are genuinely getting better in Baghdad, that they are cracking down on the violence. And this morale here among these soldiers seems pretty high.
WHITFIELD: What have some of these soldiers expressed about being excited about finally getting to go home?
ARRAF: Sorry, Fredricka, there's sort of a lot of merriment here; as you can see a lot of these cavalry members are in ceremonial dress, the Stetsons. Can you repeat that question?
WHITFIELD: I get a sense from the roar there that many people are very excited about going home. What have some of the soldiers said to you individually that you had a chance to talk about their excitement about being able to go home?
ARRAF: The soldiers who have just got here, and we have to remember it's been really quite a dramatic transformation and really quite a wild ride over the past 15 months. Talking about soldiers now going home, over the past 15 months, they have seen almost everything happen. They came here when Iraq was still under Saddam Hussein. They helped topple Saddam. They came to Baghdad after the looting when there was chaos; they helped stabilize it. And they saw a lot of changes. And men at the end of their tour, they were sent to fight in the intense combat that's been seen since the war. It's obviously an experience that is -- will not be replicated in these peoples' lives.
One of them said to me, that after more than a year here, Iraq is almost a home to him. Now, that doesn't mean that everyone has fond memories of Iraq. Certainly, a lot of the soldiers have been through a lot of pain. There have been soldiers lost. They have seen people killed. They have seen people wounded. But for the ones here we're with now, five months into it, they're certainly facing a much different Iraq than soldiers they're replacing. Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: Jane Arraf in Baghdad. A lot of mixed emotions out there.
Well, a new symbol of American independence here at home in New York City this morning. They've laid the cornerstone of the world's tallest building on the site where the World Trade Center once stood. The new structure is being called "Freedom Tower," and CNN's Alina Cho is there. Alina?
ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, there is so much symbolism here today. It is, of course, July 4th, Independence Day. And New York's Governor George Pataki was among those who said that today's ceremony was about steadfastly declaring our steadfast allegiance to freedom.
Later on, in this ceremony, then the three -- the two governors, New York's and New Jersey's, along with New York City's mayor, Michael Bloomberg, unveiled the corner stone, revealing the inscription, which we should mention remained a secret until today. The cornerstone is New York granite, the bedrock of the state, flecked with garnet, the state's gemstone. On it, the words "To honor and remember those who lost their lives on September 11th, 2001, and as a tribute to the enduring spirit of freedom." We should mention that "enduring spirit of freedom," those words were twice as big as the others.
This will become the first piece of the "Freedom Tower," as you mentioned, which will become the tallest building at Ground Zero and in the world.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, NEW YORK CITY: We are reaffirming life at Ground Zero. For the tenth time in history, the world's tallest building will rise in lower Manhattan. It will be called the "Freedom Tower." Not simply because it stands one thousand, seven hundred and seventy-six feet high. It's because the freedom tower's soaring and striking design and reaffirmation of enterprise and creativity on land that has known so much sorrow will send a message from this spot to people around the world. The cause of liberty can never be defeated.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CHO: About 500 invited guests were here at the ceremony today. That includes about 100 9/11 family members. One of the highlights of the ceremony we should mention was the reading of the Declaration of Independence by the 13-year-old son of a Port Authority police officer who died on September 11th. It was the only reading that got a standing ovation today.
The "Freedom Tower," we should mention, will be 70 floors high, 1,776 feet high, the tallest in the world. Symbolic for the year that America gained its independence. It will include 60 floors of office space, including a roof top restaurant and an observation deck. It is slated, as I mentioned to open in 2008. Governor George Pataki, New York's governor, is slated to be the first tenant. Fredricka?
WHITFIELD: And Alina, you mentioned the elected officials, the dignitaries who have been present for the ceremony. Who are among the others who have been there?
CHO: Well, as I mentioned, several family members, Fredricka. I talked to one woman, in fact, a moment ago who said that she worked on the 87th floor of the north tower, she is originally from Haiti, and said that she came back just for this ceremony today. You really could feel the sense of importance here and the sense of history here at this ceremony. There was almost a collective holding of breath when the cornerstone was raised by the crane here and so, very emotional time for these families, certainly for the dignitaries. Of course, an important day, we should mention, for Larry Silverstein, who is developing this site. As I mentioned, the "Freedom Tower" will be completed sometime in 2008.
WHITFIELD: Alina Cho at Ground Zero, thanks very much, for the laying of the cornerstone of the new "Freedom Tower" to be erected.
Our Fourth of July coverage continues with the story of what it takes to put on those fireworks extravaganzas.
And later, some fireworks of another kind as a New York Mafia don gets his day in court.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Well, will the weather cooperate with your holiday plans? CNN meteorologist Rob Marciano is in the weather center with our Fourth of July forecast. Happy fourth.
ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Happy fourth to you, Fredricka. We have the fireworks on the map for you.
WHITFIELD: I like that. MARCIANO: Yes, sure. Fireworks, if they haven't already happened in your area, you've got to plan for tonight, we'll try to cover that. Beach weather, tell you what. It's going to be a spectacular day for just about all beaches. Maybe the Carolina coast might see a shower or two pop up from time to time. Generally speaking, warm on the Gulf Coast and the eastern seaboard.
New York up through Boston, dry. The front has rain in Pittsburgh. Maybe as far south as Atlanta. And then west of there, warm conditions in Dallas. Temperatures in the 90s. Some storms about to move into Arkansas. Dry and hot across the desert southwest. Cool along the immediate shoreline of the Pacific coastline. Temperatures seasonable.
East coast, Boston, New York, Philly, warm and humid today and the rains will hold off until midnight tonight. Southeast, a shower any time through this evening. Detroit, good bet of showers today on and off. Chicago, Minneapolis, on the fringe. Might get a dry day. 97 in Dallas. Denver a threat for a shower. Houston warm and humid. Los Angeles, 72, 73 degrees expected at San Francisco. And good morning, Seattle, high of 72. Not bad looking day for tomorrow, for a lot of folks, tomorrow is a day off. Enjoy that, as well.
WHITFIELD: Good timing then. Thanks a lot, Rob.
MARCIANO: See you later.
WHITFIELD: A break in the weather helping in the fight against wild fires in Alaska. That tops our look at news across America. Cool weather today is helping firefighters in Alaska's interior. Two blazes, the Wolf Creek and Boundary fires, have charred some 450,000 acres. Evacuation orders remain in effect for many people in the Fairbanks area.
In Montana, a rough ride for Senator Max Baucus. He escaped serious injury after a motorcycle accident. He suffered cuts, scrapes and bruises, and had to spend the night in the hospital. A spokesman says Baucus was on his way to a family picnic when he swerved to avoid a car and lost control of his Harley Davidson.
It wasn't such a gamble for the state of Pennsylvania. The state legislature has passed a bill to legalize slot machine gambling. It will help finance property tax reductions for homeowners. Pennsylvania's governor signed the bill this morning.
And fireworks lit up the faces of former presidents in South Dakota. Thousands were on hand for yesterday's fireworks display, including the director of the National Park Service.
Well, America's birthday is being marked with dazzling fireworks displays around the country. One of the biggest shows is at the National Mall in Washington, featuring 14,000 pounds of explosives and, of course, the National Symphony. It's a lot more complicated than lighting up a sparkler. Here's a look.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) SCOTT GORNES, PYRO SHOWS: Everybody recognizes this show as the nation's capital of shows. This is the show to see on the Fourth of July. Some people might think, you know, we come out here for a day or something, set a bunch of stuff up. Light it up with a Bic lighter or a match or something. We're far from that.
We don't have any problems with ducks. They come along close to us sometimes. The first shell that goes off, they'll be gone.
Once we get the shells dropped, the plastic does the water proofing part for rain and things like that, and the aluminum foil is the fire protection. There's a lot more planning to things like this than people think there are. There is about 14,000 pounds of explosives here. It is dangerous. Certainly is a lot more security here than probably anywhere else we go.
We won't be within probably 200 to 300 feet of the stuff. If something goes wrong, you know, we're well protected. We come from a real small town. Everybody kind of knew everybody else. What else could I do to keep, you know, half a peoples' attention for 20 minutes?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
WHITFIELD: Let's talk Wimbledon now. The Men's final, very tight match after a rain delay in the first set. American Andy Roddick won the first set 6-4. Swede Roger Federer came back in the second set to win 7-5, and Roddick is up a service break in a third set right now. Federer is the defending champion.
About 55,000 people spent the morning of the Fourth of July trotting down a southern boulevard. Atlanta's Peachtree Road Race is the world's largest 10k road race, now in its 35th year. 10 kilometers is about six miles plus. The winning time for men's, 28 minutes and 4 seconds. The Women's division winner had a time of 31 minutes and 55 seconds.
About 150 runners who wanted to participate couldn't make it to the starting line in Atlanta. So they held their own version of the race in Iraq. U.S. soldiers lined up before dawn at Camp Victory in Baghdad getting their official start from race officials on the phone in Atlanta. Army specialist Steven Phillips won the Iraq division of the Peachtree Road Race.
Murder, betrayal, and a feuding family. All the drama you'd expect from a Mafia trial as New York's last known don finally faces the music.
Plus, in another country and world an American soldier shows us what it takes to be a hero. Those stories straight ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Patriotism and politics this Fourth of July. We're on the campaign with John Kerry and President Bush. Mr. Bush is celebrating the holiday with West Virginians. He's to speak at the state capital in Charleston. The president won West Virginia back in 2000. Today, he will make his ninth presidential visit there. Polls show the president and Democrat John Kerry running a close race in that state.
Meanwhile, John Kerry continues his campaign swing through the Midwest. Today, it's Iowa, where Kerry will march in a parade, attend a barbecue, and attend a fireworks display. Kerry is trying to connect with Midwestern farming families. He's on a three-day bus campaign through rural Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa. And let's consider Iowa a critical win in the presidential race.
And we'll have more on John Kerry campaign later today on CNN's "LATE EDITION." Vanessa Kerry, John Kerry's daughter, will be one of the guests. Also, one of Saddam Hussein's lawyers talks about the former Iraqi leader's day in court and the case against him. John King hosts "LATE EDITION" today, starting at noon eastern, 9:00 Pacific.
Much more ahead in this hour on "RELIABLE SOURCES;" here's Howard Kurtz.
HOWARD KURTZ, HOST, "RELIABLE SOURCES": Coming up, is it a documentary? A partisan rant against a president filled with falsehoods? A patriotic film depicting the rush to war? The great media debate over Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11" with Christopher Hitchens, Bill Press, and "Newsweek's" Michael Isikoff.
Plus, Bob Edwards, bumped from "Morning Edition," weighs in on his new job.
And the Veepstakes. The press on the hunt for John Kerry's running mate. That's all next on "RELIABLE SOURCES."
WHITFIELD: High profile Mafia trials are almost a thing of the past. Most potential defendants are either dead, in jail or out of business. From New York now, CNN's Alina Cho reports on the trial of the man being called "the last don."
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Vinny "The Chin" Gigante, Genovese family boss, is serving 12 years for racketeering. John Gotti, nicknamed "The Dapper Don," died in federal prison two years ago. Joseph "Big Joey" Massino, close friend of the late Gotti, alleged boss of the Bonanno family, is the last don.
"Time" magazine's Simon Crittle researched Massino for a year.
SIMON CRITTLE, "TIME" MAGAZINE: He was only surviving because he was very, very good at what he did.
CHO: Now Massino is on trial for seven counts of murder and racketeering.
ROSLYNN MAUSKOPI, U.S. ATTORNEY: More than six made members have agreed to cooperate for the government, and a number of members, including a very high ranking member of the family, agreed to record conversations with the leadership of the Bonanno family.
CHO: Testifying this week, Salvatore Vitale, the Bonanno crime family underboss, Massino's second in command, oldest friend, and brother-in-law, the highest level Mafia turncoat since Sammy "The Bull" Gravano turned on John Gotti.
CRITTLE: The most important thing is the vow of Omerta, to remain silent. So to actually break that vow and to get up in front of a court and seal your boss' fate is the worst sin imaginable.
CHO: Vitale has broken that vow, agreeing to testify in exchange for leniency. Good-looking Sal saw everything, he says, including the 1981 triple murder of Massino's rivals at a Brooklyn social club. He also testified that Massino ordered the murder of the man responsible for allowing an FBI agent to infiltrate the Mafia, a case made famous in the movie "Donnie Brasco."
Crittle says, unlike the flamboyant Gotti, Massino remained anonymous.
CRITTLE: He would order his men to tug on their ears instead of saying his name when they were speaking about him, just in case someone was wearing a wire.
CHO: In the courtroom, Massino's wife Josephine spends her days glaring at her brother, Sal Vitale, who's testimony could land her husband in prison.
Massino's lawyer said he's not troubled by Vitale's testimony. And his client?
DAVID BREITBAR, MASSINO DEFENSE ATTORNEY: He feels good. He feels good. In all candor, he's very, very complimentary and likes the way it's going.
CHO (on camera): Massino faces life in prison if convicted in this trial. Afterward, he'll be tried for a more recent murder, which, because of the change in federal law, carries the death penalty.
Alina Cho, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Putting his life at risk to save his men.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN: If the soldiers don't have the confidence they need -- somebody's going to come back for them, they may not fight as hard.
WHITFIELD: Lessons in leadership from a true American hero, coming up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: The Fourth of July is a good time to remember the hard work and sacrifices made by Americans defending freedom. Casey Wian tells us the story of a National Guard sergeant, who faced the tough call between safety and getting other troops out of harm's way.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Kevin Remington's been in the military more than 20 years. Last July, his training was put to the test in Iraq. Delivering supplies to a river patrol, Remington's convoy was bombed. The blast severely injured two soldiers, trapping them in their truck. After that, a full-scale firefight erupted.
KEVIN REMINGTON, 1ST SERGEANT, NORTH DAKOTA NATIONAL GUARD: You have a window of opportunity where you either do something or you do nothing. Or you get paralyzed by the thought process.
WIAN: Rather than leave the area, Remington made a tough call, ordering his machine gunners to keep up the fight so he could rescue the soldiers who'd been hit.
REMINGTON: I just told him to hold tight, you know, that we were going to get him out of there. Just hang in there.
WIAN: With bullets flying, Remington got the severely injured soldiers out of the vehicle and out of the so-called "kill zone." Although he put the lives of other soldiers at risk, Remington says he has no regrets.
REMINGTON: If soldiers don't have the confidence that they're going to be -- somebody's going to come back for them, they may not fight as hard.
WIAN: The driver of the vehicle died of injuries, but the actions of Remington and his fellow soldiers saved the life of Specialist Brandon Erickson.
BRANDON ERICKSON, SPECIALIST, NORTH DAKOTA NATIONAL GUARD: He cares about his troops just amazingly. He is the epitome of a NCO. He's a great guy. I was so glad he was over there with us.
WIAN: The military has honored Remington with a silver star for gallantry, but he is humbled.
REMINGTON: When I look at what happened that day, I look at it this way. Over the years, the United States' military has put a lot of time and a lot of money into Kevin Remington. And, my hope is that day maybe I gave a little bit of that back.
WIAN: Remington will stay in the National Guard for three more years.
Casey Wian, CNN, reporting.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Still much more ahead on CNN SUNDAY. In a few moments, at the bottom of the hour, "RELIABLE SOURCES." Today, a look at Michael Moore's film "Fahrenheit 9/11," is it fact or fiction?
At noon, "LATE EDITION" with John King in for Wolf Blitzer. Among his guests, John Kerry's daughter, Vanessa, joining dad on the presidential campaign.
At 2:00 p.m. Eastern, it's "PEOPLE IN THE NEWS," today profiling four of the heroes from the D-day invasion.
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