Anderson Cooper interviews FEMA Dir, Mike Brown... transcript

[PatriotMom]

ANDERSON COOPER 360 DEGREES

Katrina Aftermath: Live From Bay St. Louis

Aired August 31, 2005 - 19:00 ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.



We're talking with the director of FEMA right now, Mike Brown, who is in Baton Rouge.

Director Brown, thank you very much for being with us. First of all, I got to say, I spent the day with a team from FEMA of urban search-and-rescue guys who were working extraordinary work, working around the clock, as I know a lot of people from FEMA are here in the state.

But I got to tell you. I have come across so many people who are outraged and have come up to me today just shaking, saying, "Where is the federal government?"

I mean, this has been more than 48 hours. Where are the troops? Where is the National Guard? Where is the Army? As you know, people are desperate. How do you answer that question? Where are they?

MICHAEL BROWN, FEMA DIRECTOR: They are on the way. They are in the state now. And I want to say unequivocally, Anderson, I understand their frustrations. I've seen this time and time again.

I know how hot they are. I know how miserable they are. I know how their lives have been totally disrupted by these storms.

Now, I will say that we do move in as close as we can to the storms before they hit, but the last thing I want to do is to have those rescue workers be in harm's way as they move in.

But I'm going to push that, because what I'm hearing on your stories, frankly, is unacceptable. That stuff is in Mississippi. I was with the governor yesterday. And we need to start that distribution now.

So that's going to happen. You can tell them you've talked to the FEMA director, and it is going to happen.

COOPER: OK, and I don't want to harp -- you know, FEMA -- look, you're doing God's work here. I spent the day with these guys. There are a lot of people -- there are hundreds of workers, thousands of workers here. They're working hard. So I'm not blasting them.

But I mean, it is getting scary here for people. There are old people in their homes, no electricity, looters running around. Police, you know -- the FEMA team I was with today, they have to have police security now. And they're fearing for their own security. And these are, you know, these are pretty tough guys.

What about air drops of food or air drops of water? I mean, is that feasible? What about bringing things on boats, or bringing in the Army? Is that possible?

BROWN: Anderson, it is possible. And, in fact, the president today said whatever I need I have available. So we have hooked up with Northern Command, with the U.S. Army, with the entire Department of Defense, to start doing that very kind of thing.

This storm is so massive -- and I don't want to make any excuses -- but this storm is so massive that we're going to have to start doing those kinds of things, doing air lifts, getting things in there as quickly as possible.

And we recognize that perhaps the National Guard and local law enforcement can't do that, so we want to come in and help them. So what you're seeing is unacceptable. We're going to speed that up. And we're going to help those people.

COOPER: Mike Brown, I appreciate you joining us. I know you've got a busy day. Thanks very much for your answers. I'm going to pass that along to a lot of people here who are watching literally right here, right now, very upset.

Mike, appreciate it. Thanks very much

[crispini]

1. So did this really wig Anderson Cooper out?

I didn't see it live but I heard he was kinda freaked.

[PatriotMom]

3. Yeah I saw it live, he sounded desperate

His voice was cracking he seemed to be very outraged. Here is the link to the whole transcript of the program.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0508/31/acd.01.html

[crispini]

5. I've always liked Anderson Cooper, but sometimes he

seems awfully smug. Good to know there's a person under there.

[tjdee]

9. Well, he's a trust fund baby. His mother is Gloria Vanderbilt.

So sometimes he has that attitude about him.

But overall he seems to be an engaging, connected guy.

[Erika]

2. Yeah, I watched Brown's cocky interview before Katrina

where he said under the direction and foresight of W, they would be able to move in and assist as soon as the wind and rain stopped. His tune sure changed. What an ass.

[caligirl]

4. they would'nt be arranging contracts for bush $$ donors would they?

I mean a 48 hour delay for starving thirsty traumatized victims of the worst natural disaster since 1906 in San Francisco wouldn't change Bush's ways, could it?

[tjdee]

6. He's on with Nancy Grace right now on CNN Headline News channel.

They're both very, very hard on the federal government.

But looks like they just wrapped up and are talking about a missing girl (not Natalee)...?

[LincolnMcGrath]

7. This should be *s undoing right in this little phrase.......

<BROWN: Anderson, it is possible. And, in fact, the president

today

said whatever I need I have available. So we have hooked up with Northern Command, with the U.S. Army, with the entire Department of Defense, to start doing that very kind of thing.>


He got autorization

today

Burn that in your memory

today

Write a LTTE

today

Call your congress critter

today

[PatriotMom]

8. Here is the very end of that program tonight.....hummmmmmmmm

After all the shock and awe in the previous hour image after image and the FEMA guy and his lame answers and Coopers outrage, here comes this White Bread guy outta nowhere it seems for the last word.....http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0508/31/acd.01.html


Basil Kennedy, your home was just a few houses from here. Or it was, I should say. It was destroyed by the storm. BASIL KENNEDY, HURRICANE VICTIM: It is still there, but it is in a pile. It doesn't look anything like a house anymore.

COOPER: You didn't even recognize -- how did you identify it?

KENNEDY: I found the fire plug that I knew was there and found the house right next door.

COOPER: That's the only way you could find it?

KENNEDY: That's it.

COOPER: You were going to stay in that house?

KENNEDY: I've stayed here since I grew up in Hancock County, in the area. I have lived in this house for 30 years. And I never left before. And I had two very good friends talk me into leaving. It's the first time I left town for a storm.

COOPER: Have you said thank you to those friends?

KENNEDY: One of them is my age, and about as ugly as me, and I went up and kissed him and thanked him for it. And the other one I've called five times and thanked her for it.

COOPER: Because, you know, we have seen so many people who have died in this community because they decided to ride out the storm. And it wasn't even bravado, they were afraid of looters. They didn't want to leave their house.

KENNEDY: Well, I had a couple of friends that spent the morning hugging to a tree and to the debris line. And they are all beat up. They had broken arms and skinned up from head to foot, but they are alive and I'm happy.

COOPER: There's a lot of rescue people, a lot of people from FEMA working hard on this, but there's lot of frustration. I mean, all day people have been coming up to me saying, look, where is the federal government? Where's the army? Where's the National Guard? Do you feel frustrated?

KENNEDY: Not at all. I think they are doing everything they can. We had a communication problem, because cellular phones aren't working right. There's no land lines to speak of, no power. But it's going to come back. It just takes a little bit of time. And everything will be wonderful again.

COOPER: And you're...

KENNEDY: I got ice today. I got water today.

COOPER: Did you, really? That's great.

KENNEDY: My brother lives in South Carolina. And he told someone I was down here. And he's got a semi coming down with stuff... COOPER: Are you kidding?

KENNEDY: Yeah. It's just unbelievable the outpouring from people out of the area.

COOPER: Well, there's people from all around the world watching this and praying for all of you. Basil...

KENNEDY: I want to say thank you from the Mississippi Coast to all of you. We appreciate it.

COOPER: Basil, thank you.

KENNEDY: Thank you.

COOPER: And good luck to you. I'm glad your family is safe, most importantly of all.

KENNEDY: Thank you very much.

COOPER: ...many people here.

So, here's how to help, if you'd like. On the camera, we're showing you some of the organizations. Also, you can go to CNN.com to find out more information about how you can help. A lot of work to be done here, not just in these immediate days a weeks, but in months and years ahead.