Wilma Slams Into Yucatan Peninsula; DeLay in Court
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The eye of Hurricane Wilma begins to slam ashore in Cozumel. Florida could be Wilma's next port of call. People there are boarding up and getting out of town, too. The young mother who is accused of tossing her three children in the San Francisco Bay faces a judge today as the search for two of those children continues. And Congressman Tom DeLay all smiles for his mug shot. He's going to face a judge, making his plea on this</s>AMERICAN MORNING. ANNOUNCER: From the CNN Broadcast Center in New York, this is AMERICAN MORNING with Soledad O'Brien and Miles O'Brien.</s>S. O'BRIEN: Good morning. Welcome, everybody. Wilma is what we're talking about this morning. And I guess the outer edge of the eye wall appears to have begun making landfall. And it's such a giant eye wall that it really could take hours and hours before it crosses across one area.</s>MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: I guess you could call it the mother of all eye walls. About six hours for a full diameter passage. And there's some concern that people in the midst of that, if they're beneath the eye wall, might get lulled into a sense it's all over, when, of course, it is not.</s>S. O'BRIEN: Because once you're under the eye wall things calm down.</s>M. O'BRIEN: The sun shines.</s>S. O'BRIEN: And then all of a sudden the eye wall passes and things get bad again.</s>M. O'BRIEN: Yes. Jacqui Jeras watching it for us. Jacqui, as the eye wall pass -- comes in, how significant is that moment in time? I mea, I know you guys, you know, you pick the middle of the eye as the actual landfall, first of all, right?</s>JACQUI JERAS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Right. Right. Absolutely. Well, it's very significant. And the problem here with the direction that the storm is moving and where it's bumping up with Cozumel is it is moving north-northwest, and they may never actually see a direct hit here with the center of the storm. So they may stay within this large eye wall for hours and hours to come. So this is a real slow mover. We're talking six miles per hour. And overall, the Yucatan peninsula is going to be under the influence of Wilma probably for another two days. So this is going to be lingering for more than 24 hours, out on the tip as it gets there. And they're just going to be getting lashed. So they may or may not get the eye pass over them. And like you said, they'll get the calm if that happens, but then the back edge may not quite make it there, as the storm is moving a little bit too far to the north. So still a little bit uncertain, exactly. But once we get back into the Gulf of Mexico I think we'll have a lot more confidence as to where this storm is exactly going. It should take that right-hand hook that we've been advertising. Already plenty of rain has been hitting parts of the Keys. And there you can see some of those bands. Our Key West radar already reaching Cuba. So conditions starting to go downhill with the clouds and the rain, and it's just going to get worse from here -- Miles.</s>M. O'BRIEN: Jacqui Jeras, thank you very much. Let's take a look one more time at where Wilma is, where Wilma is headed, using our Google map technology here. And as you can see -- unfortunately, it's not in the telestrator, otherwise I would augment this somewhat. But nevertheless, there you see the eye wall just as it reaches the Yucatan peninsula, Cancun. And then imagine, if you will, a red arrow now going to the right toward Cuba, and then ultimately Florida. We've got people everywhere along the way. Let's get to Susan Candiotti right now. She's on the phone right now because of the obvious technical difficulties in covering a hurricane. Susan, what are you seeing and hearing?</s>SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, as we try to get that video camera back up, one of the most visual aspects of all this, of course, are the palm trees. And they are just turning every which way as the wind speed definitely has increased. I walked down to a platform at this hotel which is right on the water. The platform being about 10 feet above the water's edge. And unexpectedly, a big wave came up. I had been walking down there successfully before, and it just knocked me off my feet. I was able to hold on to the railing. No harm, no foul, in any case, other than getting soaked. But the -- there are no guests here. There is a skeleton staff here trying to keep things afloat. They still have power at this hotel. Normally it's about 70 percent full this time of year, but authorities ordered people out not only at this hotel, but at all of the hotels that line the seaside resort on these white sandy beaches that are anything but at this hour. People were able to get out. Some of them from that report yesterday. But by now, those who could not have been moved to downtown hotels or schools that are doubling as shelters at the hotels. They are situated in the ballrooms and have been given whatever power they can. Now, they have cut power to the downtown hotels, which is standard operating procedure here to preserve the lines as best they can. Here cable is out, but we still have power, as I said. And even though that eye wall is just</s>M. O'BRIEN: Susan Candiotti, who is in Cancun. Thanks very much. Stay safe -- Soledad.</s>S. O'BRIEN: Let's move from Mexico now to Florida. The Florida Keys completely exposed. It's obviously a very dangerous place to be during any hurricane. The talk there this morning is not about whether or not to leave, it's about when to leave. Kareen Wynter is in downtown Key West. Kareen, good morning to you. They have not yet ordered any mandatory evacuations. Is that expected, though?</s>KAREEN WYNTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Soledad. The problem is right now the wavering path of Wilma. Officials are having a hard time pinning down when to issue those mandatory evacuations. It was moved from today at noon, to tomorrow, Saturday at noon. But according to the mayor, that could all change. There's a meeting under way right now between the city and the county to determine that, but if those orders are issued tomorrow they're going to start with the low-lying areas, going to the middle part of the Keys, and then the higher areas just to make sure that there isn't a traffic jam, a backup, as was evidenced with Rita. But in the meantime, we're here on the very popular downtown Duvall Street in Key West. I can tell you, Soledad, that the weather conditions are changing slightly. We're feeling the wind pick up. There were some sprinkles early this morning, but nothing significant in terms of the weather activity. What is significant? Well, all the boarded up businesses just along this one stretch alone. And many business owners are very frustrated, angry. They're wondering if this was a premature move. They're losing a lot of dollars. This is a heightened time in terms of tourism. So we're seeing some frustration on that part. Also frustrated, residents not knowing if they should evacuate. There were buses that left several points yesterday all across the island, headed away from the island and to a shelter near Miami. Families basically packed up their belongings, choosing not to ride out the storm here at home. They didn't want to take any chance. In the meantime, again, lots of frustration here. But the mayor of Key West just urging everyone to be patient.</s>MAYOR MORGAN MCPHERSON, KEY WEST, FLORIDA: We've had obviously a little bit more time than planned in putting it -- implementing it and making sure that it goes forward. So -- and the best thing we have going for us is that we've had a frequency this year that we haven't had in the past. So everybody's kind of used to it and getting ready, and they're not ignoring it.</s>WYNTER: And this is something that we saw all across the area yesterday, residents boarding up, not wanting to take any chance with Wilma. Even those who decided to stay put, they just wanted to make sure that at least their property would be standing after this storm passed through here. It remains to be seen, Soledad, as we tour the island today to see if anyone is boarding up in light of the evacuation orders that once again have been moved -- Soledad.</s>S. O'BRIEN: Well, that's all going to change, isn't it, as the storm approaches? Thanks, Kareen. Kareen Wynter reporting for us this morning. We're going to continue to update you on Hurricane Wilma's path all morning, all through the afternoon. CNN is your hurricane headquarters.</s>M. O'BRIEN: Well, this is a little bit of a political storm now. Tom DeLay a little closer to showdown time in Texas. The congressman with a mug shot. That's the mug shot. Your book shot, mug shot, pretty much the same in his case. Something of an "in your face" to his enemies, you might say. There you go, I'll smile. DeLay will be arraigned in court not long from now. Sean Callebs is there, and he will keep us posted on that. Sean, what do we know?</s>SEAN CALLEBS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Miles, indeed, you're right, really no love lost between Tom DeLay and the prosecutor in this case, Ronnie Earle, a Democrat from here in Austin. We're expecting DeLay to appear inside the courthouse sometime within an hour. He will hear the charges against him, that of conspiracy and money laundering. And what kind of ticket is this? Well, let's look down there in the lobby. You can see there are right now about 15 or so tripods out in front of the criminal justice center here in Austin. Look at the top of the frame there. You can see all the microphones they are setting up, hoping to hear from either lawyers or perhaps DeLay, although the information we have, the former majority leader is going to speak, but at 11:00 at the state capital. Now, yesterday, a couple of significant filings very late in the day. First, DeLay's attorney is asking that this trial be moved from Austin, Travis County here, basically the last Democratic stronghold in the state. And they also want the judge, Bob Parker, removed from this case. Parker, a Democrat, has made financial donations over the years to the Democratic Party. How about that mug shot? Let's take another look at that. A couple of things really stand out. No numbers at the bottom here. You are used to seeing those in so many mug shots. That's because Harris County doesn't use that system anymore. It is all digital now. But there on the lapel is the congressional pin as well. So what kind of day it was yesterday when DeLay had to have his mug shot taken? Well, his attorney explains.</s>DICK DEGUERIN, TOM DELAY'S ATTORNEY: It's been like a walk in the park for him. He's tough. He's ready for the fight. He's ready to get into court and prove his innocence.</s>CALLEBS: I'm sorry, it was Bob Perkins, the judge -- I misspoke a second ago, not Parker -- in the case. Also, he was -- well, he will appear before the judge in just about one hour. He will hear the charges against him, that of conspiracy and money laundering in connection with a 102-year-old state election code. So Miles, we'll be out here. And hopefully when he makes some remarks, scheduled remarks later in the day, we'll bring those to you as well -- Miles.</s>M. O'BRIEN: Thank you, Sean Callebs. You'll see the arraignment for Tom DeLay live on CNN at the top of the next hour. So stay with us for that. Let's get some other headlines in. Carol Costello with that. Good morning, Carol.</s>CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, Miles. Good morning to all of you. President Bush will be at the Ronald Reagan Library in southern California this morning. He's planning to lay a wreath at former President Reagan's grave. He'll also be on hand for the opening of a new exhibit featuring the Air Force One airplane. Syria's leader is calling a new United Nations report baseless and far from the truth. U.N. investigators say there's evidence senior Syrian officials were involved in the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri. The report recommends that Lebanese authorities continue the investigation. The issue may also be raised by the U.N. Security Council. Gruesome details coming out about the killing of attorney Daniel Horowitz's wife in California. We've been following that story all week. A law enforcement official tells us a 16-year-old boy used a piece of crown molding to beat Pamela Vitale to death, and then he carved a symbol on her back. The teenager apparently lived near where the couple was building their dream home. News of the teenager's arrest came as Horowitz was preparing to bury his wife. Investigators still looking into the case to determine exactly -- to determine a motive. And lawmakers looking into the government's response to Katrina, hearing a firsthand account from the only FEMA worker in the city of New Orleans when the storm hit. The FEMA worker stressed officials and former director Michael Brown did not understand how serious things were even after he told them the levees had broken.</s>MARTY BAHAMONDE, REGIONAL DIRECTOR, FEMA: At approximately 11:00 a.m., the worst possible news came into the EOC. I stood there and listened to the first report of the levee break at the 17th Street canal. I do not know who made the report, but they were very specific into the location of the break and the size. And then they added, it was very bad. I immediately called FEMA's front office to relay the news. Their reaction was shock and disbelief. As I passed on minute-by- minute information, I was always under the assumption that it would then be passed to Undersecretary Brown and others. I do not know if this ever happened.</s>COSTELLO: Thursday's hearing also made public an e-mail from one of Michael Brown's aides who was insisting on blocking out enough time for Brown to be able to sit down and eat dinner in Baton Rouge. Back to you.</s>S. O'BRIEN: Oh, it's all going to come out, isn't it, eventually?</s>COSTELLO: It is.</s>S. O'BRIEN: It's going to be a long and ugly investigation.</s>M. O'BRIEN: Yes. And I think his reply was, I just had an MRE, kind of sarcastically.</s>S. O'BRIEN: Carol, thank you.</s>COSTELLO: Sure.</s>S. O'BRIEN: Still to come this morning, a live report from Florida, where people, as we've been showing you all morning, getting ready for Hurricane Wilma. They sort of got an extra day now because we are mapping the storm. We can show you just when we think it's going to hit Florida. That's ahead.</s>M. O'BRIEN: Also ahead, we'll hear from the San Francisco police chief. We'll get the latest on the search for those two young person presumed drowned, or at least presumed dead in the waters of San Francisco Bay after apparently, allegedly their mother threw them off a pier. Stay with us for more AMERICAN MORNING.