Guest: Alan Ramsey, Beau Barron, Claire Fierman, Jug Twitty, Marcia
Twitty, Beth Holloway Twitty
JOE SCARBOROUGH, HOST: Hurricane Dennis roars across Cuba, leaving at least 10 dead in the wake of a horrible hurricane. Now Florida is getting packed up and moving out. Tonight's top headline: Florida and Louisiana, watch out. Dennis is coming.
Welcome to SCARBOROUGH COUNTRY, no passport required, only common sense allowed.
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SCARBOROUGH (voice-over): Winds have reached 149 miles an hour, a swathe of destruction in his wake. And now Dennis is heading for the United States. Team coverage tonight from the Florida Keys to the Florida Panhandle, as terrified Floridians are bracing for Hurricane Dennis.
And Beth Holloway Twitty will be live in SCARBOROUGH COUNTRY with the very latest on the search for her daughter and her efforts today to mend fences with the Aruban people, and talking about the boy that she thinks she—knows exactly where her daughter is.
Then, London, the day after, as the British people pick up the pieces and search for answers. And an update on two Tennessee teens we told you about last night hurt in the London attacks.
ANNOUNCER: From the press room, to the courtroom, to the halls of Congress, Joe Scarborough has seen it all. Welcome to SCARBOROUGH COUNTRY.
SCARBOROUGH: Hey, welcome to SCARBOROUGH COUNTRY.
You know, we have got a really busy show for you here tonight.
Hurricane Dennis, of course, bearing down on my home state of Florida. And there are new developments, of course, in the attacks on London, and also a major development in the Natalee Holloway case.
Earlier today, Beth Holloway Twitty, Natalee's mom, apologized for remarks she made about the investigation into her missing daughter. Now, you may remember, those comments sparked protests in Aruba. But, tonight, in her first interview since the apology, Beth Holloway Twitty is going to be right here in SCARBOROUGH COUNTRY, live from Aruba, and bringing us up to date with the very latest.
But, first, tonight, of course, my home state of Florida in a state of emergency, as Hurricane Dennis crosses Cuba and heads for the Gulf Coast. Now, this is live Doppler radar showing where the storm is right now. Dennis has already killed at least 10 in Cuba, 22 in Haiti. And the storm is knocking out power, blowing through bridges and displacing hundreds and thousands of people.
We're going to go right now to NBC Weather Center's Bill Karins.
Bill, give us the very latest on Dennis. This looks like a historic storm, especially when you consider that it's attacking us in the middle of July. Tell us all about it.
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BILL KARINS, NBC METEOROLOGIST: Well, I will tell you what, Joe. We have a big thank you to say for everyone in Cuba.
And I will tell you why. The storm has actually stayed over Cuba longer than all the forecasters thought it was. And the storm has now weakened. Earlier in the day, it made landfall, 145-mile-per-hour winds. It has now dropped down to 115. The storm center is now headed right for downtown Havana, with those 115-mile-per-hour winds. Earlier in Havana, they had a wind gust up to 150 miles per hour. That was the highest gust that we have seen.
There is a lot of flooding down there. They should see at least six to 12 inches of rain. The forecast cone hasn't changed much. The thing that what we like what we saw here today, unfortunately, for Cuba, it has weakened significantly. But that is good news for a lot of us. What we're going to dealing with as we go throughout the next 36 to 48 hours, is the storm reemerging over those warm waters there out in the Gulf.
And that's going to make a big difference. As we go throughout the next couple of hours into the night, we should see the center right here, which is now just about heading for Havana, coming out over the water. And then it should start to intensify. We've had strong very thunderstorms down here in South Florida. We had a tornado warning for Dade County, luckily, no reports of any tornadoes.
As far as the wind gusts go, they are starting to kick up now, Key West, 54-mile-per-hour wind gusts. That's tropical storm force, Marathon the same, a little lower, though, Miami and Homestead. Looks like your peak winds would be about 35 to about 45 miles per hour.
This is what everyone wants to know about. Where is the storm heading and when? It looks like it's going to get pretty hairy here Sunday afternoon into Sunday evening, somewhere, anywhere from about Apalachicola through Panama City, Pensacola, Mobile, that same area that Ivan hit. It looks like this storm is heading your way. The only question, Joe, is, how strong will it be?
SCARBOROUGH: All right, Bill, thanks so much. Greatly appreciate it.
I got to tell you, it is a historic storm. Like I told you, I mean, there are very few people alive in the state of Florida that have ever seen a storm of this magnitude hit in July. Usually, we pack our cars, we get our families in, we board up our homes, like I did today in Pensacola, Florida, and we start traveling north to Birmingham, to Atlanta.
But that always happens in October. That never happens in the middle of the summer. The fact that that hurricane is going to get over the Gulf of Mexico, when the water is as hot as it is, could spell doom for a lot of people along Florida's Gulf Coast. I got to tell you, there are people in my hometown, leaders of the community, that, when you talk to them about yet another hurricane coming this year, and coming this early, they break down and cry.
It's not only had a devastating physical impact on our community, the psychological impact very difficult to even bear. People lost their life savings just last fall. So many people still haven't moved back into their homes.
Of course, you're not looking at a picture of Northwest Florida. This is a picture of the Caribbean.
And yet, just as the insurance money's coming in, just as they are starting to rebuild their businesses, just as they are starting to rebuild their homes, homes that some of them saved their entire lives for, now we have a storm coming in, in July, historically early, that may do the same thing again. And, again, since it's coming in the summer, expect it, if it gains strength in the middle of the Gulf and tightens up that eye, expect the storm to be Category 4.
And right now, what I'm hearing, what officials are telling me off the record is that this storm may be stronger than Ivan and Andrew. And, of course, if that happens, it's catastrophic.
Now we want to go down to Key West. We've got NBC's Jennifer London down there to get us up to date with the very latest down there.
Jennifer, what's the latest in Key West?
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JENNIFER LONDON, NBC CORRESPONDENT: Well, hi there, Joe.
From Key West, I can tell you, we are now in the dark. We lost power just about five minutes ago, and, literally, the island of Key West has been pummeled into darkness. Now, we are seeing some pretty strong wind gusts. The winds have been increasing over the last hour or so. We are not seeing a lot of rain, though. We sort of get these squalls blow in, and then the rain goes away.
But, again, we're really keeping an eye on the wind right now. And what authorities are telling me is, they're really concerned right now about those people that did not evacuate. There is a mandatory evacuation in place for all of the Keys, obviously, including Key West. And a number of people decided to stay.
And authorities say they are concerned, because, if there is a medical emergency tonight, they say, they can't guarantee that those people will get the medical attention they need. The hospitals are closed; 911 is in place, but only with limited service.
And the fire department says they've got about 25 fire personnel on staff, but once the wind hits 50 miles an hour, they are not accepting any calls. So, that's what they are really keeping an eye on right now, Joe. They are trying to get people off the streets, get them into a safe shelter and let people know this is really a serious thing.
And even though we are in the dark here, we are seeing a couple of stragglers walking up and down the streets here. We saw a group of people hanging at a local hotel here. They've got some music going on in the bar and everyone is really trying to make the best of it.
And now we are just waiting and seeing what happens.
SCARBOROUGH: Well, you know, Jennifer, obviously, last year, while the rest of Florida got hammered by four storms, for the most part, Key West escaped major damage.
And I remember, in Pensacola, Florida, before Ivan, people did what they usually did. Some would pack up, but many would stay behind and even throw hurricane parties. It was a festive atmosphere. And, unfortunately, many people died because of it.
Do you get a sense down in Key West, because they weren't hit last time, they may not be taking this killer hurricane as seriously as they should?
LONDON: Well, I can tell you, there does seem to be some spirit of festivities here in Key West. A lot of people are, I don't want to say not taking it seriously. But they are trying to make the best of it. They are listening to music. They're having a couple of drinks.
And one thing that is interesting, Joe, is, just a couple of minutes ago, I spoke to a family that evacuated where they live in another part of the Keys and they evacuated to Key West. And I said, isn't that kind of strange, because Key West is under an evacuation, too? Why would you evacuate here?
And they said they think it is very safe here. And they are staying in a hotel which is just over my shoulder here. They say it is a very safe concrete structure. And they came here with their little boy and they said they can't think of any other place they would rather be.
And so, I get the sense that a lot of people feel this is a safe place to be. The city has taken a lot of precautions to make sure that it's safe. And people are really just trying to keep a festive mood and make the most of it.
SCARBOROUGH: All right. Thank you so much, Jennifer London, in Key West. We greatly appreciate your report.
I've got to say, though, to people in Florida that are north of Key West that can still evacuate, if you're ordered to evacuate, get out of there. I have so many reports—again, I've got a friend that works in the sheriff's office in Northwest Florida that said they spent all night listening to people dialing 911, screaming and crying: Please come save me. Please come save my children. Please come save my family.
And all the police could say is: Sorry, ma'am, sorry, sir, it's too late. And then they would say, well, let me tell where you I am right now, because you're going to find my body. And I want you to know where to look for my body. And then they would give the address. They would thank them, they would pray for them, and then hang up.
If you're told to get out, I'm just telling you, from personal experience, get out of your house. Get your family to safety.
Speaking of Ivan, speaking of Pensacola, let's go to my hometown of Pensacola, Florida, right now, currently evacuating, as Hurricane Dennis heads right at us and still recovering from Ivan. We're looking at shots right now of I-65. I was on that road today getting up to Birmingham, Alabama. Took me seven hours. That's actually moving a lot more quickly than we were moving for most of the day, I-65 north and south, a parking lot, an absolute parking lot. People are evacuating, though, now.
And it's going to pick up even more tomorrow.
Let's go to Bob Kealing right now. He's from WESH-TV.
Bob, bring me up to date with my hometown of Pensacola, Florida. How are they doing? Is it clearing out down there?
BOB KEALING, WESH REPORTER: Oh, absolutely, Joe.
And, you know, unlike Key West, they don't have the party atmosphere up here. People are really resolute. I mean, they are resolutely standing and waiting in the long lines for water and gasoline. They are boarding up their homes. They are preparing to follow these mandatory evacuation orders, and for good reason.
Right here, we are in the Beachside Motel. We're about 100 yards from the Gulf. This is a result of Hurricane Ivan. And you can see how the storm surge just absolutely pummeled this entire ground floor level. There's about five feet of sand in here. And, if you remember from 10 months ago, that huge wall of water went all the way out to Interstate 10 over Pensacola Bay and knocked out two huge sections out there.
Well, they have these steel replacement sections in there now, but they've already told us, the Florida Department of Transportation, that once this key evacuation route, once the winds get perhaps 45 miles an hour, perhaps even less, once the workers there decide that it's not safe to drive on that bridge anymore, they are going to close it down completely. In fact, they tell us that they are actually going to erect a gate, so nobody can get out on that road.
If you remember from Hurricane Ivan, one of the most chilling shots was that semi driver who had driven off that empty section of Interstate 10 into Pensacola Bay and died. They say that is one lesson they have learned this time around and it's not going to happen again, Joe.
SCARBOROUGH: All right, thank you so much, Bob Kealing.
Now, we're going to be coming back to you and the others and going to be covering this storm throughout the hour. And I can tell you, again, there is a resoluteness there. Nobody is in a festive atmosphere, again, because so many people lost all of their life possessions just 10 months ago. This storm is a nightmare. If it picks up strength, as it goes in the Gulf, like many are expecting to, it is going to be one of the biggest killer storms in recent history.
Our coverage continues, but there's news tonight out of Aruba. We're going to be going there and talking to Natalee Holloway's mother, talking about her fight to find her daughter and also to do it while mending the fences with the people of Aruba. She's going to be here in a minute to tell us about that when we come back and also what we can do to help her out.
And also the attacks on London, who is responsible for this devastating act of terror? Plus, we're going to give you an update on two American teens caught up in the attack. And we're going to get you up to date with the very latest on their condition.
That's when we return.
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SCARBOROUGH: The mother of Natalee Holloway comes to SCARBOROUGH COUNTRY to talk about her fight for justice. And we're going to ask her the most important question. What can you and I do to help Aruba do what needs to be done to find her daughter?
That's when SCARBOROUGH COUNTRY returns.
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SCARBOROUGH: We are looking at pictures of Natalee that were taken before May 30, the day she went missing without a trace in Aruba. Welcome back to SCARBOROUGH COUNTRY.
It has been almost six weeks since Natalee Holloway went missing in Aruba. And her family isn't any closer to finding answers. We are there now.
And let's go to Michelle Kosinski for the very latest.
Michelle, what has been going on today?
MICHELLE KOSINSKI, NBC CORRESPONDENT: Today was really about emotion. First, we saw Natalee Holloway's mother, Beth, go to the Aruban people, both on the radio and in a press conference, and apologize to them for some strong words she used earlier this week after a judge released the Kalpoe brothers from jail.
She called those brothers, who are still under suspicion in her daughter's disappearance, criminals who should not be out on the streets. Well, today, she said she was sorry about that and said that those words really sprung from despair and frustration.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BETH HOLLOWAY TWITTY, MOTHER OF NATALEE HOLLOWAY: I would like to apologize to the Aruban people and the Aruban authorities if I or my family offended you in any way. It was never my intention to do so.
And, as for the Aruban people, they—they have been extremely kind and generous and especially supportive of myself and my family during this tragedy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KOSINSKI: We also heard today from EquuSearch. That's the Texas firm of volunteers who have been searching for Natalee for weeks. They say, sadly, it breaks their heart, but they feel no closer to finding any clues than they did when they first started. In fact, they say, if they don't find anything within the next few days, they need to leave the island. And they are planning that right now for Wednesday—Joe, back to you.
SCARBOROUGH: All right, thank you so much, Michelle. Greatly appreciate that.
We are joined now by Natalee's mother and stepfather, Beth Holloway Twitty and Jug Twitty. Of course, as you know, they are in Aruba. They're continuing their desperate search for their daughter Natalee. And, of course, the big news today, Beth went out. She talked to the Aruban people, and she apologized.
You know, the thing is that is so remarkable about this woman, she has been so strong from the very beginning. She's been fighting for her daughter. She's been fighting for justice. She's been fighting for truth. And then she's got to go out and apologize for saying all the things that everybody in America has been saying for the past six weeks.
You know, we said it from the very beginning. And I know some of you that have e-mailed us have asked the same question. Why are they doing what they're doing down there? And it's just—it's very frustrating.
But I want to bring them in now, if we can.
Beth, thank you so much for being with us tonight.
And, Jug, thank you so much, too.
I want to start by asking you the question that really I think is the most important thing. What can we do? It seems like you all are carrying this on your shoulders alone. What can we in America do tonight to help you out a little bit? I mean, you're fighting for justice for your daughter. You're fighting the system. Now you're having to apologize in a public relations gesture. What can we do to help?
JUG TWITTY, STEPFATHER OF NATALEE HOLLOWAY: Well, first of all, Joe, let me tell you, we appreciate everything—everybody following this.
But our hearts, our thoughts and prayers are to the people in London, first of all, because they told us today, you know—or yesterday, when it happened, we saw it. And we don't we don't care about having cameras here. We don't care about the press here. Everybody knows about Natalee. Everybody's trying to help us. The people in the United States are really helping us, the senators, everybody. But our thoughts and prayers are for London.
But, you know, Senator Shelby, Senator Sessions, Senator Trent Lott, I mean, there's tons and tons of people in the United States that are helping us down here. And thank God for them and thank God for the community of Mountain Brook, which is the best community in the United States to live in. If we didn't have them, we wouldn't be where we are. We wouldn't have the support and the strength that we have to do what we're doing.
SCARBOROUGH: I will tell you what, Mountain Brook is an incredible community. It's a tight-knit community. I had a lot of friends when I went to the University of Alabama that lived over there. And they really do. They stick together. And they certainly help their own.
I want to ask you, Beth, about the apology today. Why did you feel the necessity to do that?
HOLLOWAY TWITTY: Well, if it was a choice of the words—and I've tried to be so careful, as this is approaching almost six weeks now. And, you know, I think I had reached just this unbelievable point of frustration, as with everyone else that has been watching.
And, you know, one thing, though, that has not changed with me, and that is my strong feelings that these three individuals definitely have involvement with Natalee's disappearance. And, I mean, that has not changed.
SCARBOROUGH: What do you do down there, other than—because I've noticed you've been so careful for the first five weeks of this ordeal not to criticize the Aruban authorities. But how do you bite your tongue going forward, when you've got these people that allow the three men that were with your daughter last, that lied to the police?
The police let them go for 11 days. They've changed their story three times. It seems like, you know, you're damned if you do, you're damned if you don't. You have got to speak up for justice. But, when you do, the Aruban people get angry. How do you handle it moving forward?
HOLLOWAY TWITTY: Well, you know, as we can see, I did reach a point this week and could not hold back. And, you know, I'm sure that I can't guess what I will do next week. You know, I can only just try to keep moving forward and, you know, just hoping that we will have justice.
SCARBOROUGH: I want to ask you, Beth—and then, Jug, if you could answer this question, also—so many people that e-mail me, that call me, ask the same thing. How do they do it?
And specifically, Beth, they want to know, how do you remain so strong through just this nightmare of an ordeal?
HOLLOWAY TWITTY: The only way that I can do this is—you just could not imagine the amount of e-mail and cards and letters of support that I am getting. And it's just—it's absolutely incredible, and that this is the only way that I can do this.
I mean, I know God is supporting me through this. But I promise you, everyone's support in the world is what is carrying me through this. I know that.
SCARBOROUGH: Jug, and let me ask you. I want to ask you actually the same question I asked Beth's brother last night. Did you ever know that Beth had this much strength, this much resolve, this much drive to get her through a personal crisis that, of course, we all—we all just pray to God we never have to go through?
J. TWITTY: Well, Joe, I knew she had it. But every day just enforces what I already knew.
I mean, this is the strongest woman, beautiful woman. That's why I married her. She gives me strength, because we both have certain assets that play off each other. And she is the strongest woman. And I think the world knows that.
SCARBOROUGH: Well, Beth and Jug, stay with us. We're going to go—come right back to you in Aruba, going to be talking about the investigation, where it goes from here, what's going to be happening next week, and, again, what needs to be done, so Natalee, Beth, Jug and the entire family get the justice they deserve.
Also, when we come back, we are going to be talking to some of Natalee's friends here in Alabama, who refuse to give up hope. We're going to ask them what they're doing to help the family and to help their friend Natalee.
And, also, nature's wrath heading for the American coastline again, some areas still recovering from Ivan now in the crosshairs of Dennis. We'll be tracking it and be back with the very latest in just a minute.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCARBOROUGH: Hurricane Dennis, it has killed dozens of people in the Caribbean, and now it's focusing on Florida's Gulf Coast. We're going to have the very latest live.
But, first, here is the latest news you and your family need to know.
(NEWS BREAK)
SCARBOROUGH: We're looking at pictures of the prayer wall that has been set up in Natalee's hometown of Montana Brook, Alabama. So many people have gone there, signed the wall and are offering their prayers for Natalee's safe return.
Welcome back to SCARBOROUGH COUNTRY. Great to have you with us. We are going back to Aruba now, talking to Natalee's mom and stepfather, Beth Holloway Twitty and Jug Twitty.
Beth, I want to ask you about next week, obviously, a big week. I understand the two young men are going to be back in court. Tell us what's going on and the importance of those hearings.
HOLLOWAY TWITTY: Well, the prosecuting attorney has filed to appeal those decisions, and—of the Kalpoes' ruling. And, of course, we're just going to be anxiously awaiting to hear that.
SCARBOROUGH: And tell me, Jug, what—is there anything more that can be done from the United States' side? I know Senator Shelby has been working aggressively. But can the FBI get more involved? Are they being allowed to do all the things they need to do to help out in this investigation?
J. TWITTY: Well, the FBI is doing everything they can. But they are actually—they're back observing everything that is going on. They are here to help, but they can't take the lead in the investigation, which is frustrating, of course.
The one thing that I've pressed for that I think, you know, would really give us an answer is the so-called judge, Joran van der Sloot, the two boys, Deepak and Satish, I can't understand why—if they want us to bring this to close and they want us to leave the island and they want to get an answer and everybody go home, they should take these people, at least the judge to start with, and give him the voice overlay, the—similar to a polygraph test.
But, if he has nothing to hide, why won't he take it? Why won't they give it to him? I know it's not admissible in court, but this would give us an answer.
SCARBOROUGH: And, you know, Beth, the thing that bothers so many of us—obviously, it was shocking when the news first came out, that this father would actually talk to the two boys and his son and say no body, no crime. This is not something that people who are not guilty say.
So, why—any guesses as to why they won't apply this sort of technology that could answer so many questions?
HOLLOWAY TWITTY: Oh, I mean that is an absolute perfect question.
And, you know, and another part of this that is so frustrating is how we waited 10 days. I mean, their vehicle should have been impounded on the very next day or the day of the 31st. So, that's just another twist to this that is so frustrating for Jug and I to accept.
SCARBOROUGH: You know, that is so frustrating, the most frustrating thing, too. And it's so transparent. I remember when they picked up those two poor black bodyguards, security guards.
I mean, the second they picked them up, we were laughing on the show, saying, can you believe they're trying to set these guys up, while they're letting the three go? And, again, it's so transparent.
I want to ask you, though, how did you know that first night, when you saw Joran, when you saw his father, what told you that they weren't saying everything to you and to the authorities that they knew? Was it just a mom's intuition?
HOLLOWAY TWITTY: You know, I think the biggest red flag for me and probably everyone else is, we have credible witnesses standing at Carlos 'n Charlie's, and they actually see Natalee leaving with these three individuals?
I mean, to me, you know, that—we need to go back to the beginning. And, you know, these credible witnesses are the last ones to see Natalee alive, leaving with these three suspects.
SCARBOROUGH: And they let them—yes, they let them go for 10, 11 days.
Final question and then I will throw it to either one of you. Again, what can we do here in the United States to help you out, to put pressure on our politicians, to put pressure on Aruban politicians and Dutch politicians? What would you like us to do?
J. TWITTY: Basically just keep—I know they are writing letters to the Dutch Embassy. And I know that everybody—I mean, there's so many politicians that are involved in this. Beth gets calls every day from these guys, from everybody I mentioned before, a lot of senators.
I guess just keep putting the pressure on, because we've basically—down here, I've done everything I can do, as far as putting pressure on the investigators here. And I'm almost to a point now where, I put too much pressure on, they are just going to say, Well, we're just not going to—you know, you don't think we're doing our job.
And I try to say, no, I'm not saying that. I'm just saying, I'm a stepfather here that is trying to find my stepdaughter. And I'm going to do everything possible to try to find her. And I'm just pushing, pushing, pushing. And now it's gotten to a point where everybody is kind of turning against us. And we don't want that at all. All we want to do is find Natalee and take her home.
SCARBOROUGH: All right, Jug. Thank you so much.
Thank you, Beth.
We really appreciate you all being with us. Obviously, as you know, our thoughts and prayers are with you all, all the time. And if there's anything we can do moving forward, let us know.
HOLLOWAY TWITTY: Thank you.
J. TWITTY: Joe—thank you, Joe.
HOLLOWAY TWITTY: Thank you.
SCARBOROUGH: All right.
With me now here in Birmingham, we've got Natalee's aunt Marcia Twitty. Also, we have two of Natalee's close friends, Claire Fierman and also Beau Barron.
And, Marcia, let me start with you.
You hear that interview and it breaks your heart. You know, they're down there and it's almost like they have handcuffs on. They can't speak the truth, because, if they tell the truth about how badly this investigation has been run, then they're like, OK, well, we're not going to investigate anymore.
MARCIA TWITTY, AUNT OF NATALEE HOLLOWAY: Right.
SCARBOROUGH: I mean, how frustrating is that?
M. TWITTY: You know, they are so amazing.
SCARBOROUGH: They are remarkable.
M. TWITTY: And Beth continues to be amazing.
I don't know if you really can find the words to really describe how incredibly frustrating this is, not only for them, but everybody else involved in this. She's holding up extremely well. But she does have some really, really tough moments. And we all have to remember that.
SCARBOROUGH: Yes.
M. TWITTY: It's tough.
SCARBOROUGH: And, Claire, Claire, talk about the tough moments here at home. You're trying to make it easier on the family, also on the friends. How are you all doing that? How are you trying to help Natalee and help the search?
CLAIRE FIERMAN, FRIEND OF NATALEE HOLLOWAY: We've had a couple fund-raisers. Harvest Glen Market had a fund-raiser. And we had snow cones for little kids and we had face painting.
And one of my friends painted little yellow ribbons on kids' faces. And then we also have had many lemonade stands just to benefit Natalee, because it's basically all we can do to help, get our mind off of it and—
I don't know. We're here in Birmingham, so we want to do whatever we can.
SCARBOROUGH: Yes. What can you do?
Beau, do you get angry? I mean, you look at those guys down there.
They look like punks. You just look at them on TV. They look like punks. Do you get angry looking at them, looking at the sneer, looking at the fact that they are walking around the island free right now?
BEAU BARRON, FRIEND OF NATALEE HOLLOWAY: Well, I mean, I think, in a situation like this, you kind of—I think everybody's a little bit angry. But there's—you got to just realize that there's nothing we can really do about it. But...
SCARBOROUGH: Is that why you focus in on the positive, like on the wall of hope?
BARRON: Definitely.
SCARBOROUGH: To get your mind off of all of that?
BARRON: Yes. That's definitely what we're trying to do right now.
We are trying to—I mean, we know we physically can't be down there, and we all wish that we could. We all wish we could be down there and physically going out and helping look for her and stuff like that. But, I mean, we all realize that we can't do that. So, the best thing that we can do now is, like you said, do fund-raisers and stuff like that, and, most of all, just pray, so...
SCARBOROUGH: Marcia, I want to ask you the same question that I asked Jug and that I asked Beth. What do we do? What do Americans do? You have got a lot of people watching tonight that want to help. How do they do it?
M. TWITTY: You know, what we keep telling people is—is, put pressure on the Dutch ambassador to continue to get the Dutch government involved down there.
You know, U.S. officials, their hands are tied. But if we can get the Dutch government, the Dutch ambassador to get the Dutch government to get down there and get involved, maybe we can get some more help for the Aruban government. Keep putting pressure on our own senators to step in and help.
And I'm telling you, people are doing all they can do. We have been very blessed to have a lot of government officials helping us out.
SCARBOROUGH: And I will tell you what. Your community, too, the Mountain Brook community, amazing.
Now, you are all starting college in the fall?
BARRON: Yes, sir.
SCARBOROUGH: It's an exciting time. My—as old as I look, I remember the summer when I was getting ready for college.
(LAUGHTER)
SCARBOROUGH: But it's bittersweet, isn't it, right now, Claire, just having this hang over your heads?
FIERMAN: Yes.
SCARBOROUGH: Yes.
Well, so, what would you have—I will ask you the same question.
What would you have people do to try to help out?
FIERMAN: Well, keep doing the fund-raisers. And last night, I was talking to some of my friends. And we want to think of new ideas and think of new fund-raisers. You know, I mean, of course, continue going to the church and continue maybe with the lemonade stands. But we want a fresh idea, so people continue their support.
SCARBOROUGH: Again, just continue the support and keep the focus on Natalee. As long as the focus is on Natalee, that...
M. TWITTY: We're all OK.
SCARBOROUGH: ... in a sense, helps the investigation, yes.
All right, thank you all so much for being with us.
FIERMAN: Thank you.
M. TWITTY: Thanks.
(CROSSTALK)
SCARBOROUGH: We greatly appreciate it, as always.
Marcia Twitty, Claire Fierman, and also Beau Barron, great having you with us.
And when we come back tonight, we are going to be track Dennis, of course, the massive storm with its sights set on my hometown in the Florida Gulf Coast. You're going to get the very latest live.
And, a day after the devastation in London, the search for who is responsible, plus, the latest detail on two innocent girls from Tennessee hurt in that terror attack.
We're going to be covering that tonight when SCARBOROUGH COUNTRY returns.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(NEWS BREAK)
SCARBOROUGH: Welcome back to the show.
Hurricane Dennis has weakened right now to a Category 2. As it gets closer to Havana, this is how—this is how—look at it. It's going over Cuba right now. And it's amazing how these weather—these meteorologists know how these things are going to go, predicted ahead of time. They always said it was going to weaken over Cuba. Then it was going to strengthen back when it gets over the Gulf.
And, obviously, the warning effects still out there for the lower Keys and a tropical storm warning is in place for the remainder of the Keys. We are going to continue obviously covering this story. And when we come back in just a few minutes, after reporting on London, we're going to get you to the very latest on what's happening down there.
Now, of course, a lot of people talking about London, the attacks there, devastating. President Bush today, moments after returning from the G8 Summit, went to the British Embassy, paying his respects to those who lost their lives in yesterday's terror attacks.
Today, the grim work of cleaning up, as the death toll continues to rise. But that famous British resolve is still there.
And Keith Miller is in London tonight with the very latest for us.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
KEITH MILLER, NBC CORRESPONDENT: Joe, so far there have been no arrests in the terrorist attacks. But, tonight, London remains a city defiant.
(voice-over): Ignoring government advice to stay out of central London, people returned to the capital.
NICK FERRARI, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: Let me say this to the bombers, to the people who carry out these events. You've picked the wrong town. Londoners don't quit.
MILLER: And today, dramatic cell phone video giving police a surprise. This video taken on a train adjacent to the one attacked at Edgware station, it is 8:53 a.m., roughly the same time as the other two train attacks and 25 minutes earlier than police first believed. Then, on the video, you can hear the cries for help. All day, forensic experts search for clues.
ANDY HAYMAN, SPECIALIST OPERATIONS: Each device that was used had less than 10 pounds of high explosive. But each device that was put on to the tube trains was likely to be on the floor of the carriage.
MILLER: As Londoners went back to work, recovery teams launched a dangerous mission at King's Cross station. In a deep, dark and narrow tunnel, an unknown number of bodies are still in the passenger car where the bomb went off; 21 people are known dead. The greatest loss of life occurred here because the subway is so far underground, one of London's deepest subway lines, 120 feet below the street. The train had entered a tunnel just 12 feet wide when the bomb detonated.
To the terrorists, the mayor of London had this message.
KEN LIVINGSTONE, LORD MAYOR OF LONDON: Watch next week as we bury our dead and mourn them. But see also in those same days new people coming to this city to make it their home, to call themselves Londoners.
MILLER: Queen Elizabeth visited survivors and urged her subjects to keep a stiff upper lip.
QUEEN ELIZABETH II, ENGLAND: But those who perpetrate these brutal acts against innocent people should know that they will not change our way of life.
MILLER (on camera): You can still hear sirens across the city tonight, as security forces conduct the biggest criminal investigation in the history of the country—Joe.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SCARBOROUGH: Thank you so much, Keith. You know, I love that line:
You picked the wrong town. You picked the wrong town.
Obviously, these terrorists don't read history. They don't understand the resolve of the British people.
Now, last night, we told you about two American sisters who were visiting London, Katie and Emily Benton of Knoxville, Tennessee. They were on one of the bombed subway trains. And now we have an update on their continue today with their youth pastor, Alan Ramsey.
Pastor, thank you so much for being with us. Get us up to date. How are the girls doing tonight?
PASTOR ALAN RAMSEY, YOUTH MINISTER: Well, the girls are doing as good as expected. They have obviously been in the hospital. And what a traumatic experience it has been for them. But they are physically gaining strength, but very exhausted and tired from what's happened.
SCARBOROUGH: Now, what were they doing over in London?
RAMSEY: They were basically just doing some sightseeing. It was two of the sisters there. They basically were just there to hang out and get to see London, and they were on their way to Buckingham Palace. And it was the first day of their trip.
SCARBOROUGH: Pastor, you talked to the parents today. What did they tell you?
RAMSEY: Basically, they are just very, very grateful that they are alive and well. And they just obviously just believe that this was God's hand on protecting them in this—in the subway train, and that they are OK. And they're just—they're just thankful for all the blessings, the fact that their girls are alive.
SCARBOROUGH: So, this family obviously a family of faith. They believe that prayers and that God's hand stayed on them throughout this ordeal and kept them alive?
RAMSEY: Oh, yes. You better believe it. They are a family of incredible faith in the lord Jesus Christ. And they definitely believe that God spared them for a reason. And so it's just been an amazing thing.
SCARBOROUGH: Can you tell us about the extent of the injuries, how bad they are? Are there going to be permanent problems with these girls? It may be too early to tell, but what are you hearing tonight?
RAMSEY: At this point, you know, they have some injuries. Emily, who is the younger one, she has some crushed bones in her foot and has had to have two surgeries over there in London, and has a broken arm.
And then the other sister, Katie, she has had shrapnel in the back of her neck, her back, her legs. And she had about 20 stitches over the top of her eye, on top of her eye there. So, it has been pretty tough. And they're kind of a touch-and-go situation there, just trying to figure out what's best to do for them.
SCARBOROUGH: All right. Thank you so much, Pastor. We really appreciate you being with us. And, obviously, all of us in SCARBOROUGH COUNTRY are going to be praying for both of them tonight.
Now, when we come back, we are going to be talking more about Hurricane Dennis. Obviously, it's coming ashore. It's already torn apart parts of the Caribbean. It is a killer storm. And, unfortunately, this killer storm is now targeting Florida.
That and much more when SCARBOROUGH COUNTRY returns.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCARBOROUGH: Killer hurricane storm Dennis descends on Florida and the United States. Coming up next, we're going to back to the Florida Keys, where Dennis is already coming ashore.
We'll be right back in a second when SCARBOROUGH COUNTRY returns.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCARBOROUGH: You are looking at live satellite pictures, as Dennis heads for the Florida coast.
Let's go back to Key West now and get a live update from MSNBC's Jennifer London.
Jennifer, what's the very latest?
LONDON: Hi. Good evening, Joe.
Well, the wind is really starting to pick up here at Key West. And we are also starting to starting to get some rain, which we have seen on and off, sort of squall-like rains. But we are starting to get a little bit more steady rain. And, certainly, the wind is getting gustier. And we are seeing some more sustained winds.
And we still do not have any power here in Key West. We lost power about an hour ago. And other than some camera lights, which you're seeing, the island is really in darkness right now. The hotel just behind me, they do have some emergency backup lights. That is also acting as a shelter. That's where a lot of people who did not evacuate chose to spend the night.
And authorities are saying that they are concerned about some of the folks that did not evacuate. They say they have only got limited medical personnel on staff here. And if there is an emergency here overnight, well, they are concerned that some folks might not be getting the medical attention they need.
I talked to some folks earlier today and said, why didn't you evacuate? And a number of people had different reasons. Some said they felt this was the safest place to be in a hurricane. They say that hotel is made out of concrete; it's very safe. And others said they just couldn't get out in time.
So, Joe, we are simply waiting and seeing what happens if and when Dennis comes ashore.
SCARBOROUGH: All right, thank you so much, Jennifer London in Key West.
And, obviously, we are going to be following the storm throughout the weekend. Sunday night, SCARBOROUGH COUNTRY will have a live special presentation, tracking Hurricane Dennis. It is a devastating, devastating storm. And we are going to bring you the very latest right here on MSNBC.
That's all the time we have for tonight. We will see you Sunday in
SCARBOROUGH COUNTRY.
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