Continuing Rescue in Haiti; Former President Clinton Scheduled to Visit Haiti Tomorrow; State Department says 16 Americans Dead
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello again, everyone. I'm Fredricka Whitfield in the CNN NEWSROOM in Atlanta. We continue to monitor earthquake rescue and recovery efforts in Haiti. So far here is what we know. Former President Bill Clinton, the U.N. special envoy for Haiti is scheduled to visit tomorrow to assess relief efforts. U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon arrived today seeing for himself the collapsed five-story U.N. building and also trying to assess the relief efforts and five days after the quake, four more bodies have been found. Three of them pulled from the rubble of a grocery store. The U.S. State Department says at least 16 Americans are among the dead but it hasn't released any names as yet. Let's start with today's rescues. CNN's Ivan Watson is at the grocery store where three people were saved. It's an incredible story of how they made the discovery of these people trapped and how they've managed to get them out.</s>IVAN WATSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Fredricka. Right now, rescue workers say they are so close to a Creole speaking man and woman. So they're presumably Haitians packed deep within these mountain of rubble, what used to be the Caribbean Supermarket. They are so close that the man and woman can actually see the special rescue camera that they have been able to push through to the two of them. But this is difficult, dangerous work that this team from Florida and another team from Turkey are doing together right now. About 45 minutes ago, there was a shift in the rubble, inside that they were tunneling through to try to rescue this couple. There was a ship and it started raining down rubble on top of the rescuers. Some of whom were working on such narrow spaces that they can't even take full breaths there. And we saw the rescue workers running out breathless, desperate to try to get out and do a roll call to make sure they were all OK. They are all accounted for right now. Let's take a listen to the spokesman for the south Florida rescue team that's operating here.</s>LT. CHARLES MCDERMOTT, FLORIDA TASK FORCE 2: We're working slow based on the position of the victims, looking at the floor, looking at the potential for collapse. It happened to the point where the floor actually moved and debris started falling on top of our rescuers. Why you saw them run out that way, because we weren't here, the floor was collapsing. Not only that floor, but all the floors. So we pulled everybody out and made sure we have everybody accounted for and now we are going to discuss the situation about what we are doing to go back inside.</s>WATSON: And they are reassessing right now. It is definitely going to slow down the procedure, of trying to get to this Creole- speaking man and woman who both have been trapped for five days inside of that mountain of rubble. And are both still alive. They say they are going to get to try to get some water, perhaps some food to them, to keep them going through this unimaginable ordeal, Fredricka.</s>WHITFIELD: Wow, incredible. This after they have already rescued three others. You described earlier, a 30-year-old man, a 50- year- old woman, and possibly a female child. Right?</s>WATSON: That's right. Overnight and this morning, they pulled out a 33-year-old Haitian man who worked at the supermarket. He said that his prayers kept him alive. We also pulled out a 17-year-old girl, 13-year-old girl rather, who was right next to him. And finally, earlier this morning, they brought out an American woman and named Mimi and they've contacted her son in Florida to congratulate him on the fact that his mother survived the most devastating earthquake that hit Haiti in two centuries.</s>WHITFIELD: Incredible. Ivan Watson, thanks so much. And that huge earthquake hitting five days ago, this rescue unfolding. Meantime, you see at the bottom of your screen there, live pictures of President Obama. Earlier today he was encouraging people to continue with their prayers for Haitians. Well, now he is in Massachusetts and he is hoping for a win for the Democratic contender for the seat of the late Ted Kennedy, Martha Coakley. Let's listen in to this rally for that democratic challenger of the seat.</s>BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I want to thank Vicki Kennedy and the entire Kennedy family. They have been great friends for so long. To all the outstanding members who were in the House today, thank you. We are so thankful to the Pastor Lagere (ph) for reminding us once again of the incredible obligations that we have to help the people of Haiti in this time of extraordinary need. So it is good to be back in Boston. I love this town. I spent three years here stuck in the library trying to graduate. I still had a little fun. I had a good time in Worcester, too. I came back here a few years ago and gave a little speech that turned out pretty well. Something about Boston, folks have always been good to me. Even though I have to say that, you no, I was going to wear my White Sox jacket today. Come on now. You want a guy that's loyal to his hometown team. But I love Boston.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We love you, too.</s>OBAMA: And today I have come to talk about one thing. I have come to talk about Tuesday. On Tuesday, you have the unique and special responsibility to fill the Senate seat that you said Ted Kennedy to fill for nearly 47 years. And I am here to tell you the person for that job is your attorney general Martha Coakley. Now, there has been a lot said in this race about how it is not the Kennedy seat. It is the people's seat. And let me tell you the first person who would agree with that was Ted Kennedy. See, the only thing he loved more than the people of this Commonwealth was serving the people of this Commonwealth. He waged a personal battle on behalf of every single one of you, even if you don't know him, for seniors who are living on fixed incomes, for families struggling to get health coverage for their children, for students who dream of a college education. He fought for the working men and women whether they were teachers in Pittsfield or Longshoremen and New Bedford, Ted Kennedy was always on your side in so many of the battle that led this Commonwealth and nation forward, and Martha knows the struggles Massachusetts working families face because she's lived those struggles. Their stories are her story. You heard her, she was raised in</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Martha! Martha! Martha! Martha! Martha!</s>OBAMA: I - I - we're doing fine. Now listen. Now, where were we? All right. Let's go, everybody. Now listen. Now more than ever - that's all right. Hold up, everybody. Hold up. Now more than ever you don't need just another politician who talks the talk. And you don't need just people yelling at each other. Right now, what we need is somebody who has got a proven track record, a leader who has walked the walk. Somebody who has fought for the people of Massachusetts every single day. Because I don't need to tell you we are in tough times right now. We are still dealing with an economic crisis unlike any that we have seen since the Great Depression. It has done a lot of damage to so many people. And even before that storm hit with its full furry, middle class families were weathering tough economic times. Throughout this past decade. Working harder and harder just to keep up. So people are frustrated and they are angry. And they have every right to be. I understand. Because progress is slow. And no matter how much progress we make, it can't come fast enough for the people who need help right now. Today.</s>OBAMA: But here's the thing. You know how politics is. At times like this, there are always some who are eager to exploit that pain and anger to score a few political points. There are always folks who, you know, think that the best way to solve these problems are to demonize others. And unfortunately, we are seeing some of that politics in Massachusetts today. Now, I have heard about some of the ads that Martha's opponent is running. He is driving his truck around the Commonwealth and he says that he will, you know, he gets you. That he fights for you. That he will be an independent voice. I don't know him. He may be a perfectly nice guy. I don't know his record. But I don't know whether he's been fighting for you up until now. But -</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No!</s>OBAMA: But here's what I know - here what's I do know. I do want somebody who's independent. I want a senator who is always going to put the interests of working folks all across Massachusetts first. I had a party. I had a special interest. And here's what I know is that Martha has done so. She's got a track record of doing so. I know - I know - I know there are things on which she and I disagree. I respect her for that. She doesn't just call herself independent. She has the character to be independent. So I hear - I hear her opponent is calling himself an independent. Well, you got to look under the hood because - what you learn makes you wonder. Now, if - as a legislator he voted with the Republicans 96 percent of the time. 96 percent of the time. That's hard to suggest he's going to be significantly independent from the Republican agenda. When you listen closely to what he has been saying it's very clear he will do exactly the same thing in Washington. So look, forget the ads. Everybody can run slick ads. Forget the truck. Everybody can buy a truck. Here's the question you need to ask yourselves before you go to vote on Tuesday, Massachusetts. When the chips are down, when the tough votes come, on all of the fights that matter to middle class families across this commonwealth, who is going to be on your side?</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Martha!</s>OBAMA: That's what this race on Tuesday is all about. When - because it is easy to say you are independent and you are going to bring people together and all that stuff until you actually have to do it. When the - when the vote comes on energy and there's a choice between standing with big oil or fighting for the clean energy jobs of the future, whose side are you going to be on?</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Martha's!</s>OBAMA: Martha is going to be on your side. When the vote comes on taxes and there is a choice between giving more tax breaks to the wealthiest few and corporations that ship American jobs overseas, or giving them to the middle class, and businesses that create jobs here, who is going to be on your side?</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Martha!</s>OBAMA: Let me just say, by the way, because you will hear a lot of stuff about taxes. You always do. Every election. Last year I kept a campaign promise to cut taxes for 95 percent of working Americans. Cut taxes. And these members - these members of Congress right here voted to cut taxes here in the Commonwealth, not just for individuals but also for small businesses. We cut taxes for middle class families. That was part of the recovery act. Now, you better check under the hood because from everything I see, Martha's opponent would have vote against those taxes. She was - he would have voted against those tax cuts. Would have voted against those tax cuts. When it comes to taking on the worst practices of an insurance industry that routinely denies the American people the care they need, and leaves too many families one serious illness away from bankruptcy, who is going to be on your side?</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Martha!</s>OBAMA: You know she will because she always has. When the vote comes on financial regulatory reform, choices of standing with Wall Street or standing up for common sense reforms that will protect consumers and protect our economy from future crises, who is going to be on your side?</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Martha!</s>OBAMA: Now, we learned the answer to that one this week. Keep in mind Democrats and Congress voted for tax cuts for middle class families and businesses. Now what we are proposing is to make sure the taxpayers get their money back from the rescue that we had engaged in at the beginning of this year. Thanks to the bad regulatory policies of the previous administration. And so we asked Martha's opponent, what is he going to do and he decided to park his truck on Wall Street. Now, it was your tax dollars that saved Wall Street banks from their own recklessness. Keeping them from collapsing and dragging our entire economy down with them. But today those same banks are once again making billions in profits and on track to hand out more money and bonuses than ever before. While the American people are still in a world of hurt. Now we have actually recovered most of your money already but I don't think most of your money is good enough. We want all of our money back. We are going to collect every dime. That's why I proposed a new fee on the largest financial firms, to pay the American people back for saving their skin. But instead of taking the side of working families in Massachusetts, Martha's opponent is already walking in lock step with Washington Republicans, opposing that fee, defending the same fat cats that who are getting rewarded for their failure. There's a big difference here. It gives you a sense of who the respective candidates are going to be fighting for, despite the rhetoric, despite the television ads, despite the truck, Martha is going to make sure you get your money back. She's got your back. Her opponents got Wall Street's back. Let me be clear. Bankers don't need another vote in the United States Senate. They got plenty. Where's yours? That's the question. And it wouldn't just be any vote. We know that on many of the major questions of our day, a lot of the votes are going to - a lot of these measures are going to rest on one vote in the United States Senate. That's why the opponents have changed in progress have been pouring money and resources into the Commonwealth in hopes of promoting gridlock and failure. They want to keep things just as they are. So I think that long and hard about getting in that truck with Martha's opponent. It might not take you where want to go. And where we don't want go right now is backwards to the same policies that got us into this same mess in the first place when we just started to make progress in cleaning it up. Massachusetts, we have had one year to make up for eight. It hasn't been quick or easy. We began to deliver on the change you voted for. I mean, think about it. What - what some of the members that I just talked about have done, what we have done just over the last several months. We started to see the economy grow again. We have given tax cuts to small businesses. We are forcing the banks finally to start lending again on main street. And not just worry about profits. We made sure that police officers and teachers and critical workers across this Commonwealth haven't been laid off. But we have so much more work to do. So many families are out there are hurting. I get - I get 10 letters out of the 40,000 that I received every single day. I select 10 out to read every night. They are heartbreaking. People talking about losing their jobs, losing their homes. Sometimes it is - it is young children who are writing. Mr. President, can you help my dad? He lost his job. Mr. President, can you help? My brother is sick and we don't have health insurance. We have so much work left to do. And as much progress as we have made, I can't do it alone. I need leaders like Martha by my side. So we can kick it into high gear. So we can finish what we started. You know, we always - we always knew the change was going to be hard. But - what we also understood, I understood this is the minimum I was sworn into office was that there were going to be some who stood on the sidelines who were protectors of the big banks and protectors of the big insurance companies, protectors of the big drug companies who would say, you know what, we can take advantage of this crisis. Because it is going to be so bad that even though we helped initiate these policies, there's going to be a slight of hand here because we are going to let democrats take responsibility. We are going to let them make the tough choices. We are going to let them rescue the economy. And then we can tap into that anger and that frustration. It is the oldest play in the book. But everybody here knows that the choices that have to be made in order to get this economy moving,, to make sure that people are actually working in jobs that pay a living wage, that we have a green energy economy that's freeing ourselves from foreign oil and young people can afford to go to college and can look forward to graduating to careers that are building this country and that those things aren't going to happen overnight and they are not going to be easy. But we sure aren't going to get there if we look backwards and try to reinstitute the same failed policies that we have had over the past decade. That's not going to work. We have been there. We have done that. What Martha's opponent is preaching, we already tried. And it didn't work. So understand what's at stake here, Massachusetts. It is whether we are going forward or going backwards.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Forward.</s>OBAMA: It is whether - it is whether we are going to have a future where everybody gets a shot in this society or just the privilege few. If you were fired up in the last election, I need you more fired up in this election. I need you out there working just as hard right now in those final days. I need you knocking on doors and I need you making phone calls. I need you talking to your friends and your neighbors and telling them what's at stake on Tuesday. That every vote matters, that every voice matters and if you do that, if you do that, if you are willing not only to cast your vote for Martha Coakley, but if you are willing to get out the vote for Martha Coakley, then you won't just win this election. You will carry on the best progressive forward-looking values of this proud Commonwealth and send a leader to Washington who is going to work tirelessly every single day to turn this economy around, to move this country forward and to keep the American dream alive in our time and for all time. That's what Martha Coakley is about. We need you. We need you. On Tuesday. Thank you very much, Boston. Thank you, Northeastern. Thank you, Commonwealth.</s>WHITFIELD: In Boston there, President Barack Obama there with the Democratic contender, Martha Coakley, who is trying to win in a special election on Tuesday the seat once filled by the late Ted Kennedy. President Obama there saying -- asking supporters to look forward, not backward by throwing your support for Coakley and not the Republican contender, Scott Brown. Apparently, the two are in a very tight race and that's why the president there is in Boston pushing for that seat. It is very critical because health care reform hinges on this vote. Possibly if it were to go towards the Republicans, can certainly sway things in terms of the Senate for health care reform and the president is trying to secure that as best he can. He was competing, however, a little bit for the attention of the supporters in the room. You heard a voice about 15 minutes ago since he started his speech, it was a loud voice in the crowd. Later, we were able to see that a man and child were escorted from the crowd but it is unclear exactly what was being said. But for a moment trying to upstage the president's points that he was trying to make for Martha Coakley. We'll have much more of our live coverage of all that's taking place domestically and, of course, in Haiti.