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CNN Live Sunday
How To Protect Your Car Investment From Summer Sun; President Bush Speaks To West Virginia Crowd On Independence Day
Aired July 04, 2004 - 16:30 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, CNN LIVE SUNDAY: A look at latest developments at this hour.
The chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee insists the U.S. does not need to reinstate the military draft. The question surfaced last week after the Pentagon recalled thousand of discharged soldiers into active duty. Senator John Warner says that recall does not mean a draft is necessary, he says an all-volunteer force works.
One of Saddam Hussein's lawyers says his client can't get a fair trial and calls Iraq's new laws illegitimate. He complained Saddam has been denied the right to meet with an attorney in private. On Thursday a judge told Saddam he'd be allowed to see his attorney.
An emotional 4th of July in New York as the city lays the cornerstone of the soon to be built Freedom Tower. It's being built where the World Trade Center towers once stood. The 20-ton granite cornerstone is dedicated to the victims of the September 11th attack victims.
They may look laid back, but gorillas at the Columbus Ohio Zoo caused a little chaos this weekend. Friday night, seven gorillas walked through and unlocked door and wandered free in the ape house. They had a good time playing with fire extinguishers and other supplies before being coaxed back into their enclosure. Apparently all the excitement tuckered out the apes, they spent all day yesterday sleeping.
The race for the White House is certainly full of fireworks this weekend, Vice President Dick Cheney is campaigning in Pennsylvania this 4th of July after attending church services in Pittsburgh, and Cheney visited supporters at the Soldiers and Sailors National Military Museum and Memorial. Tonight he heads to Altoona where he is expected to join others celebrating America's favorite past time by tossing out the first pitch at a minor league baseball game.
President Bush is on the campaign trail as well today after a bit of a delay due to engine trouble on Air Force One. He campaigned in one of the battleground states in this year's election, West Virginia. Our Elaine Quijano traveled with the president in Charleston, West Virginia.
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: President Bush spent part of his 4th of July here in Charleston, West Virginia. After a brief delay on the ground leaving Washington, a mechanical problem with Air Force One meant the president was not able to make a planned visit to a church here in Charleston. Instead, the president moved onto an afternoon appearance speaking to a crowd of 8,000 people outside the State Capitol building here in Charleston.
The president took the opportunity to thank veterans and those currently serving in the military. He reminded the crowd of their sacrifices made in order they may enjoy the freedom celebrated on this Independence Day. The president also reiterated his commitment to defending the homeland and repeated his justification for removing Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq, and he, again, pledged to take the fight to terrorists overseas, because he believes that will make America safer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE U.S: You can't talk sense to them. You can't negotiate with them. You cannot hope for the best with these people. We must be relentless and determined and do our duty.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUIJANO: The president also warned that terrorist threats still exist, and he stressed the need to work on their root causes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BUSH: We must work to remove the conditions that give rise to terror in parts of the world like the Middle East. The poverty, the hopelessness and the resentments that the terrorists exploit.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUIJANO: West Virginia a key battleground state one that the president carried back in 2000 by six percentage points over Al Gore, this was the president's ninth visit to West Virginia since taking office.
Elaine Quijano, CNN, Charleston, West Virginia.
WHITFIELD: Presumed Democratic nominee John Kerry is campaigning in Iowa today. Governor Tom Vilsack is sharing some of the political spotlight with Kerry as he tours the state. The duo could be presenting a preview of what the Democratic ticket might look like. Many consider Vilsack a top contender to be Kerry's running mate.
Ralph Nader is accusing Kerry of ducking his phone calls and he is accusing the Democrats overall of playing dirty tricks. The independent candidate says Democrats tried to pack an auditorium in Oregon with people presumably in support of Nader, but the crowd wouldn't sign the petition to get his name on the ballot. Nader accuses the Democrats of other similar tactics in other states. He's warning Kerry to disavow the strategy or face a big squabble with him.
While America celebrates it's own Democratic institutions this Fourth of July it is also trying to export them to Iraq. CNN senior political analyst Bill Schneider has been thinking about what Iraq in 2004 does and doesn't have in common with America back in 1776. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BILL SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST (voice over): How much distance is there really between this scene and this scene? The Declaration of Independence describes a long train of abuses of usurpations that reduced American colonists to absolute despotism. Well talk about abuses and usurpations.
BUSH: Iraq was a country in which millions of people lived in fear, and many thousands disappeared into mass graves.
SCHNEIDER: The Declaration says governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed. The new president of Iraq says.
SHEIKH GHAZI AL-YAWAK, IRAQI INTERIM PRESIDENT: We're not going to tell the people how to think or what party to follow.
SCHNEIDER: President Bush raised some eyebrows when he said this --
BUSH: We fully understand freedom is not America's gift to the world. Freedom is the almighty God's gift to every man and woman in this world.
SCHNEIDER: But doesn't the Declaration of Independence say that all people are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights. The Americans declared their own independence, claiming the right of the people to alter or to abolish an abusive government and institute a new one. The new government of Iraq was instituted by a foreign occupying power.
KEN POLLACK, CNN ANALYST: This new Iraqi government comes in with a few strikes against it. U.S. has tried to set up other governments, they didn't work. They're coming in now at the tail end.
SCHNEIDER: The U.S. claims it's doing it in the name of the Iraqi people who couldn't do it for themselves. But isn't the U.S. acting out of self-interest? Of course it is.
BUSH: The world has a clear interest in the spread of Democratic values because stable and free nations do not breathe the ideologies of murder.
SCHNEIDER (on camera): When the Declaration of Independence talked about abolishing abusive government and dissolving the political bands that connect one person with another, they were one and the same: The British Crown. For Iraq, the first challenge was to abolish the abusive government of Saddam Hussein. The next is dissolving ties of dependency to the United States.
Bill Schneider, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Time for news around the world now. In Baurain (ph), another U.S. State Department travel warning. All U.S. Embassy non- emergency employees and their families are being asked to leave the Persian Gulf state. Americans are also warned against traveling there. The reason? Extremists may be planning terrorist attacks in the kingdom.
More violence in the Middle East and the West Bank. Palestinian militants ambushed an Israeli couple outside a Jewish settlement killing the husband. Elsewhere, Israeli forces killed two Palestinians in separate disputed incidents.
And in Northern Ireland, a contentious protestant parade ends peacefully. The seventh consecutive year that the Orange Order has been blocked from marching through a Catholic area of Portadown, previous disputed over this parade triggered riots back in 1996, '97 and '98.
Looking forward to the fireworks tonight? What if they were smokeless? And why would that matter? The latest in firework technology straight ahead.
And when was the last time you were able to cook a chicken in your car? What, you don't want to cook a chicken in your car? You'll need to listen to our next guest. Protecting your car during the summer heat.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: With gas prices on the high side, you may for the first time being paying attention to your vehicle's mileage performance. Many of you may also be noticing that your car's promised performance and actual performance don't seem to add up. CNN's Jonathan Freed tells us why.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JONATHAN FREED, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Call it the gas mileage gap, the difference between a vehicle's promised fuel performance and what people really experience on the road.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is it getting proper mileages? No. Not at all.
FREED: The gap has always been there, often as much as 15 percent, fueled by factors like individual driving habits, road conditions, and what you're hauling around. What's driving people to notice it more these days? Higher prices at the pump.
ED GARSTEN, DETROIT AUTOMOTIVE REPORTER: We've talked to dealers and said this is the first time in recent memory that they can remember people even looking at the sticker to see what the fuel economy standards are.
MARGO TSIRIGOTIS OGE, EPA: The fuel labels that the public sees today probably do not reflect accurately the mileage that the public is getting.
FREED: The Environmental Protection Agency tests hundreds of cars every year, and decides what goes on that fuel economy sticker.
CHRISTOPHER GRUNDLER, EPA: Every new vehicle is tested exactly the same way under the same conditions, so that people can compare one model's fuel efficiency with another model.
FREED: But the EPA admits that its test criteria haven't been revised in 20 years, contributing to the mileage gap.
GRUNDLER: Air conditions weren't as widely used as they are today. Speed limits are higher. There's more urban congestion, people spend more of their time in traffic.
FREED: So to help short circuit this sticker shock, the EPA is designing a new test. Auto makers, especially, those building hyper efficient hybrids say that will only fix part of the problem.
MARY ANN WRIGHT: Educating the customer what they're getting is going to go a long way in terms of managing their expectations.
FREED: Hybrid makers like Ford, Honda and Toyota believe their fuel frugal cars are often unfairly criticized, insisting the gap is just more noticeable if you're promising as much as 60 miles a gallon.
CHUCK SCHIFSKY, HONDA MOTOR COMPANY: It's our experience, 85 to 90 percent of our customers are getting the mileage that they're seeing on the window sticker. Certainly, some people get less; we have had a number of reports of people getting more.
FREED: The EPA's updated test won't be ready for months. And it says if a manufacturer knows the vehicle doesn't live up to its window sticker promises.
OGE: Companies are allowed to use the best data they have available even if the data does not agree with EPA's values.
FREED: But automakers worry if does that and the other guy doesn't, they'll be at a competitive disadvantage.
Jonathan Freed, CNN, Detroit.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Well if you're traveling this July 4th, you're definitely not alone. AAA estimates nearly 39.5 million Americans will make trips of 50 miles or more over the long holiday weekend. Almost a 3.5 percent jump over last years July 4th which set a record for the most traveled Independence Day weekend ever. About 90 percent of travelers are choosing to drive, the rest are opting to fly.
Well here's something startling to think, as you watch your chicken or burger sizzle on the grill this July 4th. It could be cooking the same way inside your car. Outside on a 95 degree summer day, your car's dashboard can heat up to 181 degrees Fahrenheit, that is hot enough to cook poultry and obviously dangerous for any living thing in the car. Lauren Fix, co-host of "Talk to DIY Automotive" is an expert on auto safety. And she joins us from Buffalo, New York. All right, good to see you Lauren.
LAUREN FIX, CO-HOST, "TALK TO DIY AUTOMOTIVE:" Good to see you too Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Well isn't it amazing that a lot of people still don't get it, don't realize how incredibly hot it gets in your car, and folks still leave their children or even their pets in the vehicles, even with the window cracked, it's still hot. Explain us to, help us all understand for once and for all how hot does it get in your vehicle?
FIX: It's very simple. I mean even here in Buffalo, I was able to cook eggs, bacon and even bake cookies on the dash.
WHITFIELD: You tried that?
FIX: Yes, I actually did it to see what would happen. I sealed up my car, I shut down the sunroof and I just left it in the sun, and it was enough to bake bacon I don't know if I'd eat it.
WHITFIELD: How long? How quickly did this stuff cook?
FIX: Well we had a 95-degree day here, which is kind of rare, but an August day, and it only took a couple hours. So if you were to leave an animal in the car for a short period of time and you live in the southern end of the country that could be extremely dangerous.
And even -- not just animals, but pets or the elderly a lot of times it is an inconvenience to take your child out that car seat or get the elderly out and get the walker.
WHITFIELD: Yes even for minutes, it doesn't even have to be an hour right?
FIX: Right, it doesn't have to be an hour, it could be for minutes. You could run into the dry cleaners, spend five minutes in there and you could have a problem with a child, an elderly or a pet. And so it's just smart to make sure you get some basic things to protect your investment. It is the second most expensive investment you make.
WHITFIELD: Well let's talk about some other examples; far less valuable things do get damaged. For example, your Chap Stick or your lipstick, that's how much we're breaking it down, if these can be destroyed, obviously there are a lot of other things that can as well?
FIX: Right, that would be CDs, if you've got a cassette deck in your car, it will actually melt the cassette if it's left in the player itself, lot of thing get damaged. Photo film. People leave cell phones in the sun, all that can create moisture behind it so it's a lot of damage.
When you start adding that up, it doesn't make a lot of sense. But most importantly it can decrease the value of your car by having damaged dashboards, sun cracked interiors and steering wheels can take the value of the vehicle down $2,000. And that makes a big difference. And if you're leasing a car, you're still responsible for that vehicle. You want to make sure you protect it, because when you go to trade it in you're going to get a bill.
WHITFIELD: Wow and even damaging your paint. So perhaps parking in the shade. If you can't park in a garage or something that helps a little bit.
FIX: Right, and a good coat of wax makes sense. Between $3 and $15 you get these really simple sun sheets. I've got these and you can just put the sunshades in your car, they make sense to do it. They're a few dollars and it takes a few minutes, they pack up nice and small these days. And also window tint, seat covers, steering wheel covers all that is going to make a difference if you can leave a sun roof open and get some of that heat out because heat rises, all those little difference will add up to saving your investment.
WHITFIELD: It's amazing when you look at the breakdown of just how hot things get in the car. We talked about 181 degrees for the dashboard. Your steering wheel quite hot as does your seat whether it's leather or fabric, right?
FIX: Right, and that steering wheel, if you think about it, and you have 160 degrees on your steering wheel, that's enough to cook beef to medium rare. And your seat can cook up to 140 some degrees that is going to cook ground beef. So I guess that really is dinner on the way home.
WHITFIELD: Yes. Well, it is a funny thing to think about, but at the same time, it's very serious topic, and I'm glad we were able to drive this point home that folks need to be careful. It gets really hot in the car, and don't leave pets, elderly or children in it.
FIX: Absolutely.
WHITFIELD: All right, Lauren Fix, and no joke, the name is really Fix, you didn't fix that did you?
FIX: No, it is my name.
WHITFIELD: All right, thanks a lot. "Talk to DIY Automotive." All right thanks Lauren. Happy fourth.
The leader of Afghanistan received a medal today in the United States, not in Afghanistan. When we come back, we'll tell you what the medal was for.
And then have you heard of smokeless fireworks? And does it really make a difference?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: Now a check of what's happening across America this July 4th. This year's Philadelphia Liberty Medal goes to Afghanistan's President Thomas Karzai. U.S. Leader who took the helm after the overthrow of the Taliban regime back in 2001 accepted the honor today at Independence Hall. He says the $100,000 dollar prize will go to support Afgan orphans.
It's a disappointing holiday in the nation's capital, heavy rain caused the national park service to cancel the Independence Day parade. Hard as the Stallworth (ph) marchers tried to start after a two hour delay. Some got under way out there but over all it was canceled. The concert was temporarily canceled as well but now is planned to be back on.
Severe weather is in the forecast for South Dakota too, but Mt. Rushmore got the jump on it by starting a spectacular fireworks display last night. Festivities at the Federated Monument continue today with entertainers, flyovers and military bands.
Behind the big fireworks displays are often big safety concerns. But new fireworks technology is being dubbed the first major breakthrough in decades. CNN's Denise Bellgrave explains.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
DENISE BELLGRAVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The ohs and ahs tell it all. People love big fireworks displays. But behind the scenes it's not so pretty. It's smoky, it's hot, and it is noisy. So five years ago, a team at Walt Disney's Imagineering Labs went to work on eliminating the problem. Exports say their new air launch system is the first innovation in fireworks technology in decades. Project leader Ben Schwegler says audiences are going to like what they see.
BEN SCHWEGLER, WALT DISNEY'S IMAGINEERING: In essence we're enabling the creative producers to paint a picture in the sky in real time.
BELLGRAVE: The new technology uses compressed air instead of black powder to lift the shell into the sky. The amount of compressed air used determines the placement of the shell in the sky, making these fireworks displays, developers say, much more accurate.
SCHWEGLER: So it's really better for the environment because it produces less smoke, and I mean, by less smoke, I mean virtually no smoke at the launch of the fireworks.
BELLGRAVE: As the shell passes through the launch tube, a fuse inside it is ignited, causing the shell to explode moments later in the sky. Pyrotechnics expert Julie Heckman says that although Disney's new method is an improvement, it's not probably going to be widely adopted by the industry right away.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The theme parks such as Disney can use this in a venue where they discharge fireworks nightly. It's expensive to implement and it really requires a fixed location.
Disney says it's donating the compressed air launcher patents to a nonprofit organization hoping that will lead to further improvements to help companies that travel around putting on shows. Denise Bellgrave, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: And that's it for this hour of CNN LIVE SATURDAY. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Here's Dan Sieberg with a preview of what's next.
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Aired July 4, 2004 - 16:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR, CNN LIVE SUNDAY: A look at latest developments at this hour.
The chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee insists the U.S. does not need to reinstate the military draft. The question surfaced last week after the Pentagon recalled thousand of discharged soldiers into active duty. Senator John Warner says that recall does not mean a draft is necessary, he says an all-volunteer force works.
One of Saddam Hussein's lawyers says his client can't get a fair trial and calls Iraq's new laws illegitimate. He complained Saddam has been denied the right to meet with an attorney in private. On Thursday a judge told Saddam he'd be allowed to see his attorney.
An emotional 4th of July in New York as the city lays the cornerstone of the soon to be built Freedom Tower. It's being built where the World Trade Center towers once stood. The 20-ton granite cornerstone is dedicated to the victims of the September 11th attack victims.
They may look laid back, but gorillas at the Columbus Ohio Zoo caused a little chaos this weekend. Friday night, seven gorillas walked through and unlocked door and wandered free in the ape house. They had a good time playing with fire extinguishers and other supplies before being coaxed back into their enclosure. Apparently all the excitement tuckered out the apes, they spent all day yesterday sleeping.
The race for the White House is certainly full of fireworks this weekend, Vice President Dick Cheney is campaigning in Pennsylvania this 4th of July after attending church services in Pittsburgh, and Cheney visited supporters at the Soldiers and Sailors National Military Museum and Memorial. Tonight he heads to Altoona where he is expected to join others celebrating America's favorite past time by tossing out the first pitch at a minor league baseball game.
President Bush is on the campaign trail as well today after a bit of a delay due to engine trouble on Air Force One. He campaigned in one of the battleground states in this year's election, West Virginia. Our Elaine Quijano traveled with the president in Charleston, West Virginia.
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: President Bush spent part of his 4th of July here in Charleston, West Virginia. After a brief delay on the ground leaving Washington, a mechanical problem with Air Force One meant the president was not able to make a planned visit to a church here in Charleston. Instead, the president moved onto an afternoon appearance speaking to a crowd of 8,000 people outside the State Capitol building here in Charleston.
The president took the opportunity to thank veterans and those currently serving in the military. He reminded the crowd of their sacrifices made in order they may enjoy the freedom celebrated on this Independence Day. The president also reiterated his commitment to defending the homeland and repeated his justification for removing Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq, and he, again, pledged to take the fight to terrorists overseas, because he believes that will make America safer.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE U.S: You can't talk sense to them. You can't negotiate with them. You cannot hope for the best with these people. We must be relentless and determined and do our duty.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUIJANO: The president also warned that terrorist threats still exist, and he stressed the need to work on their root causes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BUSH: We must work to remove the conditions that give rise to terror in parts of the world like the Middle East. The poverty, the hopelessness and the resentments that the terrorists exploit.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUIJANO: West Virginia a key battleground state one that the president carried back in 2000 by six percentage points over Al Gore, this was the president's ninth visit to West Virginia since taking office.
Elaine Quijano, CNN, Charleston, West Virginia.
WHITFIELD: Presumed Democratic nominee John Kerry is campaigning in Iowa today. Governor Tom Vilsack is sharing some of the political spotlight with Kerry as he tours the state. The duo could be presenting a preview of what the Democratic ticket might look like. Many consider Vilsack a top contender to be Kerry's running mate.
Ralph Nader is accusing Kerry of ducking his phone calls and he is accusing the Democrats overall of playing dirty tricks. The independent candidate says Democrats tried to pack an auditorium in Oregon with people presumably in support of Nader, but the crowd wouldn't sign the petition to get his name on the ballot. Nader accuses the Democrats of other similar tactics in other states. He's warning Kerry to disavow the strategy or face a big squabble with him.
While America celebrates it's own Democratic institutions this Fourth of July it is also trying to export them to Iraq. CNN senior political analyst Bill Schneider has been thinking about what Iraq in 2004 does and doesn't have in common with America back in 1776. (BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BILL SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST (voice over): How much distance is there really between this scene and this scene? The Declaration of Independence describes a long train of abuses of usurpations that reduced American colonists to absolute despotism. Well talk about abuses and usurpations.
BUSH: Iraq was a country in which millions of people lived in fear, and many thousands disappeared into mass graves.
SCHNEIDER: The Declaration says governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed. The new president of Iraq says.
SHEIKH GHAZI AL-YAWAK, IRAQI INTERIM PRESIDENT: We're not going to tell the people how to think or what party to follow.
SCHNEIDER: President Bush raised some eyebrows when he said this --
BUSH: We fully understand freedom is not America's gift to the world. Freedom is the almighty God's gift to every man and woman in this world.
SCHNEIDER: But doesn't the Declaration of Independence say that all people are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights. The Americans declared their own independence, claiming the right of the people to alter or to abolish an abusive government and institute a new one. The new government of Iraq was instituted by a foreign occupying power.
KEN POLLACK, CNN ANALYST: This new Iraqi government comes in with a few strikes against it. U.S. has tried to set up other governments, they didn't work. They're coming in now at the tail end.
SCHNEIDER: The U.S. claims it's doing it in the name of the Iraqi people who couldn't do it for themselves. But isn't the U.S. acting out of self-interest? Of course it is.
BUSH: The world has a clear interest in the spread of Democratic values because stable and free nations do not breathe the ideologies of murder.
SCHNEIDER (on camera): When the Declaration of Independence talked about abolishing abusive government and dissolving the political bands that connect one person with another, they were one and the same: The British Crown. For Iraq, the first challenge was to abolish the abusive government of Saddam Hussein. The next is dissolving ties of dependency to the United States.
Bill Schneider, CNN, Los Angeles.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Time for news around the world now. In Baurain (ph), another U.S. State Department travel warning. All U.S. Embassy non- emergency employees and their families are being asked to leave the Persian Gulf state. Americans are also warned against traveling there. The reason? Extremists may be planning terrorist attacks in the kingdom.
More violence in the Middle East and the West Bank. Palestinian militants ambushed an Israeli couple outside a Jewish settlement killing the husband. Elsewhere, Israeli forces killed two Palestinians in separate disputed incidents.
And in Northern Ireland, a contentious protestant parade ends peacefully. The seventh consecutive year that the Orange Order has been blocked from marching through a Catholic area of Portadown, previous disputed over this parade triggered riots back in 1996, '97 and '98.
Looking forward to the fireworks tonight? What if they were smokeless? And why would that matter? The latest in firework technology straight ahead.
And when was the last time you were able to cook a chicken in your car? What, you don't want to cook a chicken in your car? You'll need to listen to our next guest. Protecting your car during the summer heat.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WHITFIELD: With gas prices on the high side, you may for the first time being paying attention to your vehicle's mileage performance. Many of you may also be noticing that your car's promised performance and actual performance don't seem to add up. CNN's Jonathan Freed tells us why.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JONATHAN FREED, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Call it the gas mileage gap, the difference between a vehicle's promised fuel performance and what people really experience on the road.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is it getting proper mileages? No. Not at all.
FREED: The gap has always been there, often as much as 15 percent, fueled by factors like individual driving habits, road conditions, and what you're hauling around. What's driving people to notice it more these days? Higher prices at the pump.
ED GARSTEN, DETROIT AUTOMOTIVE REPORTER: We've talked to dealers and said this is the first time in recent memory that they can remember people even looking at the sticker to see what the fuel economy standards are.
MARGO TSIRIGOTIS OGE, EPA: The fuel labels that the public sees today probably do not reflect accurately the mileage that the public is getting.
FREED: The Environmental Protection Agency tests hundreds of cars every year, and decides what goes on that fuel economy sticker.
CHRISTOPHER GRUNDLER, EPA: Every new vehicle is tested exactly the same way under the same conditions, so that people can compare one model's fuel efficiency with another model.
FREED: But the EPA admits that its test criteria haven't been revised in 20 years, contributing to the mileage gap.
GRUNDLER: Air conditions weren't as widely used as they are today. Speed limits are higher. There's more urban congestion, people spend more of their time in traffic.
FREED: So to help short circuit this sticker shock, the EPA is designing a new test. Auto makers, especially, those building hyper efficient hybrids say that will only fix part of the problem.
MARY ANN WRIGHT: Educating the customer what they're getting is going to go a long way in terms of managing their expectations.
FREED: Hybrid makers like Ford, Honda and Toyota believe their fuel frugal cars are often unfairly criticized, insisting the gap is just more noticeable if you're promising as much as 60 miles a gallon.
CHUCK SCHIFSKY, HONDA MOTOR COMPANY: It's our experience, 85 to 90 percent of our customers are getting the mileage that they're seeing on the window sticker. Certainly, some people get less; we have had a number of reports of people getting more.
FREED: The EPA's updated test won't be ready for months. And it says if a manufacturer knows the vehicle doesn't live up to its window sticker promises.
OGE: Companies are allowed to use the best data they have available even if the data does not agree with EPA's values.
FREED: But automakers worry if does that and the other guy doesn't, they'll be at a competitive disadvantage.
Jonathan Freed, CNN, Detroit.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WHITFIELD: Well if you're traveling this July 4th, you're definitely not alone. AAA estimates nearly 39.5 million Americans will make trips of 50 miles or more over the long holiday weekend. Almost a 3.5 percent jump over last years July 4th which set a record for the most traveled Independence Day weekend ever. About 90 percent of travelers are choosing to drive, the rest are opting to fly.
Well here's something startling to think, as you watch your chicken or burger sizzle on the grill this July 4th. It could be cooking the same way inside your car. Outside on a 95 degree summer day, your car's dashboard can heat up to 181 degrees Fahrenheit, that is hot enough to cook poultry and obviously dangerous for any living thing in the car. Lauren Fix, co-host of "Talk to DIY Automotive" is an expert on auto safety. And she joins us from Buffalo, New York. All right, good to see you Lauren.
LAUREN FIX, CO-HOST, "TALK TO DIY AUTOMOTIVE:" Good to see you too Fredricka.
WHITFIELD: Well isn't it amazing that a lot of people still don't get it, don't realize how incredibly hot it gets in your car, and folks still leave their children or even their pets in the vehicles, even with the window cracked, it's still hot. Explain us to, help us all understand for once and for all how hot does it get in your vehicle?
FIX: It's very simple. I mean even here in Buffalo, I was able to cook eggs, bacon and even bake cookies on the dash.
WHITFIELD: You tried that?
FIX: Yes, I actually did it to see what would happen. I sealed up my car, I shut down the sunroof and I just left it in the sun, and it was enough to bake bacon I don't know if I'd eat it.
WHITFIELD: How long? How quickly did this stuff cook?
FIX: Well we had a 95-degree day here, which is kind of rare, but an August day, and it only took a couple hours. So if you were to leave an animal in the car for a short period of time and you live in the southern end of the country that could be extremely dangerous.
And even -- not just animals, but pets or the elderly a lot of times it is an inconvenience to take your child out that car seat or get the elderly out and get the walker.
WHITFIELD: Yes even for minutes, it doesn't even have to be an hour right?
FIX: Right, it doesn't have to be an hour, it could be for minutes. You could run into the dry cleaners, spend five minutes in there and you could have a problem with a child, an elderly or a pet. And so it's just smart to make sure you get some basic things to protect your investment. It is the second most expensive investment you make.
WHITFIELD: Well let's talk about some other examples; far less valuable things do get damaged. For example, your Chap Stick or your lipstick, that's how much we're breaking it down, if these can be destroyed, obviously there are a lot of other things that can as well?
FIX: Right, that would be CDs, if you've got a cassette deck in your car, it will actually melt the cassette if it's left in the player itself, lot of thing get damaged. Photo film. People leave cell phones in the sun, all that can create moisture behind it so it's a lot of damage.
When you start adding that up, it doesn't make a lot of sense. But most importantly it can decrease the value of your car by having damaged dashboards, sun cracked interiors and steering wheels can take the value of the vehicle down $2,000. And that makes a big difference. And if you're leasing a car, you're still responsible for that vehicle. You want to make sure you protect it, because when you go to trade it in you're going to get a bill.
WHITFIELD: Wow and even damaging your paint. So perhaps parking in the shade. If you can't park in a garage or something that helps a little bit.
FIX: Right, and a good coat of wax makes sense. Between $3 and $15 you get these really simple sun sheets. I've got these and you can just put the sunshades in your car, they make sense to do it. They're a few dollars and it takes a few minutes, they pack up nice and small these days. And also window tint, seat covers, steering wheel covers all that is going to make a difference if you can leave a sun roof open and get some of that heat out because heat rises, all those little difference will add up to saving your investment.
WHITFIELD: It's amazing when you look at the breakdown of just how hot things get in the car. We talked about 181 degrees for the dashboard. Your steering wheel quite hot as does your seat whether it's leather or fabric, right?
FIX: Right, and that steering wheel, if you think about it, and you have 160 degrees on your steering wheel, that's enough to cook beef to medium rare. And your seat can cook up to 140 some degrees that is going to cook ground beef. So I guess that really is dinner on the way home.
WHITFIELD: Yes. Well, it is a funny thing to think about, but at the same time, it's very serious topic, and I'm glad we were able to drive this point home that folks need to be careful. It gets really hot in the car, and don't leave pets, elderly or children in it.
FIX: Absolutely.
WHITFIELD: All right, Lauren Fix, and no joke, the name is really Fix, you didn't fix that did you?
FIX: No, it is my name.
WHITFIELD: All right, thanks a lot. "Talk to DIY Automotive." All right thanks Lauren. Happy fourth.
The leader of Afghanistan received a medal today in the United States, not in Afghanistan. When we come back, we'll tell you what the medal was for.
And then have you heard of smokeless fireworks? And does it really make a difference?
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WHITFIELD: Now a check of what's happening across America this July 4th. This year's Philadelphia Liberty Medal goes to Afghanistan's President Thomas Karzai. U.S. Leader who took the helm after the overthrow of the Taliban regime back in 2001 accepted the honor today at Independence Hall. He says the $100,000 dollar prize will go to support Afgan orphans.
It's a disappointing holiday in the nation's capital, heavy rain caused the national park service to cancel the Independence Day parade. Hard as the Stallworth (ph) marchers tried to start after a two hour delay. Some got under way out there but over all it was canceled. The concert was temporarily canceled as well but now is planned to be back on.
Severe weather is in the forecast for South Dakota too, but Mt. Rushmore got the jump on it by starting a spectacular fireworks display last night. Festivities at the Federated Monument continue today with entertainers, flyovers and military bands.
Behind the big fireworks displays are often big safety concerns. But new fireworks technology is being dubbed the first major breakthrough in decades. CNN's Denise Bellgrave explains.
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DENISE BELLGRAVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The ohs and ahs tell it all. People love big fireworks displays. But behind the scenes it's not so pretty. It's smoky, it's hot, and it is noisy. So five years ago, a team at Walt Disney's Imagineering Labs went to work on eliminating the problem. Exports say their new air launch system is the first innovation in fireworks technology in decades. Project leader Ben Schwegler says audiences are going to like what they see.
BEN SCHWEGLER, WALT DISNEY'S IMAGINEERING: In essence we're enabling the creative producers to paint a picture in the sky in real time.
BELLGRAVE: The new technology uses compressed air instead of black powder to lift the shell into the sky. The amount of compressed air used determines the placement of the shell in the sky, making these fireworks displays, developers say, much more accurate.
SCHWEGLER: So it's really better for the environment because it produces less smoke, and I mean, by less smoke, I mean virtually no smoke at the launch of the fireworks.
BELLGRAVE: As the shell passes through the launch tube, a fuse inside it is ignited, causing the shell to explode moments later in the sky. Pyrotechnics expert Julie Heckman says that although Disney's new method is an improvement, it's not probably going to be widely adopted by the industry right away.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The theme parks such as Disney can use this in a venue where they discharge fireworks nightly. It's expensive to implement and it really requires a fixed location.
Disney says it's donating the compressed air launcher patents to a nonprofit organization hoping that will lead to further improvements to help companies that travel around putting on shows. Denise Bellgrave, CNN, Atlanta.
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WHITFIELD: And that's it for this hour of CNN LIVE SATURDAY. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Here's Dan Sieberg with a preview of what's next.
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