LaGuardia Airport Evacuated Due to Fake Bomb
WHITFIELD: He had a ticket to ride, but he didn't make it past security. And neither did a lot of people at New York's LaGuardia International Airport today. Before the sun even came up a terminal there was shut down, all because of what one passenger allegedly was carrying. CNN's Susan Candiotti is at the airport. Well, tell us about the suspect, this person, and what kind of charges he is now facing?</s>SUSAN CANDIOTTI, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Fredericka, let's start off with how they found this guy in the first place. And it appears from all accounts that he stuck out sort of like a sore thumb. Here is what we are learning from a law enforcement source close to this investigation. A man approached a security checkpoint around 5:00 in the morning. At that time, according to the source, he was wearing a backpack and attached to the outside of it were two square, six-volt batteries with wires sticking out of it. So the TSA immediately contacted the port authority, the police here. They told him to stop. They said that he didn't comply. He wouldn't stop and appeared instead as though he was trying to push a button or a switch. But nothing happened. So at this point, the suspicious device was seized. The New York City police department bomb squad appeared on the scene, took it outside, secured it, and blew a water cannon at it, blew it up, and determined that it was a fake device.</s>WHITFIELD: Sounded like he wanted to get caught?</s>CANDIOTTI: I'm sorry, Fredericka?</s>WHITFIELD: It sounded like he wanted to get caught?</s>CANDIOTTI: Well, of course, there is no way of knowing that. We certainly have no way of knowing that directly. But it does appear as though the he didn't tried to hide the device in any way given how the sources describe it. Also, it appeared as though they said it appeared to be a bomb and therefore, according to the source, it certainly looked as though he was trying to blow something up. The question, of course, is, who is this person? He has been identified to us by again a law enforcement source with information about the situation, that he's Scott McGann, in his early 30s, apparently a resident of New York. He gave them a fake address at the beginning. And he does have three prior arrests on record, including one for what seemingly minor charges just last month. Currently he is being charged by New York State on three counts. We understand they are carrying a false bomb, planting a false bomb in an area of mass transit, and also making terrorist threats. So again, these are state charges, and he does -- is expected to make a court appearance either tonight or tomorrow morning.</s>WHITFIELD: Yes. And, of course, it caused a real mess for so many travelers who were trying to get out that terminal, ended up being evacuated, and it meant a lot of folks were late and planes were grounded for some time. The ripple effect we know what happens after that. Susan Candiotti, thanks so much from LaGuardia. Appreciate that. Cash for clunkers seems to be getting Americans back into the auto show rooms these days and doing something they haven't been doing in a while, buying a new car. So in dealerships across the country it seems like a win-win.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It would probably be a good idea for the government to get these less fuel-efficient cars off the road. It would reduce our dependence on foreign oil to some extent, you know.</s>TONY AKINS, CONSUMER: It will give me more money than what my car is worth. And I don't have $4,500 to put down on a new car.</s>WHITFIELD: All right. A lot of folks are very happy about it. But not everyone is happy. Auto analyst Lauren Fix, you know her, seen her a lot. We talked to Lauren on so many different occasions about all things vehicles. "Lauren Fix's guide to loving your car" is one of her books. She's joining us from Buffalo, New York. Good to see you. OK. You are going to rain on the parade here, because we are hearing from all sorts of folks across the country, from car buyers to even the dealers who say we love this. It means that people are getting new cars. People are spending money, and they're getting a break by doing so. What's not to like about this?</s>LAUREN FIX, AUTOMOTIVE ANALYST: Well I think a lot of people were discriminated against. Think about it. If you have always leased a car, you are not eligible. If you have been wise about saying I will buy a great fuel efficient car or maybe even a hybrid, you are not eligible. If you don't have the credit rating, the last thing you want to be doing is purchasing a new car with higher insurance payments. Isn't that how we got here to begin with?</s>WHITFIELD: My gosh, Debbie Downer here.</s>FIX: Sorry.</s>WHITFIELD: So you leased a car. That's your choice. But now for a lot of people who have an old car they, you know, haven't been able to afford, a larger down payment on getting a new car, the incentive is you turn in your old car, and you get $4,000 or something to that effect as credit?</s>FIX: You end up with like $4,209 because it is a taxed incentive. But you would think it is a great incentive, but then you have to look at why do we have this? The goal was to get 2008 and 2009 cars off the road. And it's almost like another automotive bailout but from the consumer side. You think we created all this demand. You didn't really create demand. You had people waiting. If you look at the sales for April, May, June they were absolutely dismal. The reason they were, they were people leasing, people that weren't eligible, or people said I don't want to be part of this program. And what's happening is now you are going to watch July and August sales just be absolutely fantastic and the government is going to take credit for it. The truth is consumers sat on their hand and waited.</s>WHITFIELD: But isn't this good news for the so many car dealers who, you know, squeezing every penny and every dime to try to stay open? We know that so many car dealers in huge numbers had to close down earlier this year. Now you have a few car dealers saying we are so glad people are finally making their way in. What's the matter with that?</s>FIX: That is the best part of the thing is those little dealers in those towns, the people who have so much invested in their community and in cars in the industry and in their businesses, that is the best part of the whole thing. They're getting rid of the 2008, 2009 models, and they have 2010s coming in a few weeks. So they want to be able to get the cars off the lot. However, we are never going to sell in the next year 16 million cars again. We will be lucky if we make 10 million cars. So because they overproduced, this is the back side. It's advantageous to some consumers but not all. I actually advocated that instead --</s>WHITFIELD: Is there a plan that would be advantageous for everybody?</s>FIX: I think we should be $1,000 towards every new driver. I am looking to buy a new car for my son. If I got $1,000 toward a new car, I might look at a Kia or a Ford Focus for him. That might be an option. But if I don't have anything coming and nothing to trade in, a lot of people are ineligible. I would also have like to see $1,000 towards car maintenance, because the goal was to make the cars more environmentally friendly. And that's because people who buy new cars don't maintain them, and many people who have older cars don't maintain them, which is why they're clunkers.</s>WHITFIELD: So are you at least hopeful that somewhere down the pipeline there may be some efforts like this or programs underway. We know that particularly with American car dealers, or with American car manufacturers, there are some more energy efficient, hybrid type vehicles down the pipeline. And that in turn is something that might be able to benefit everybody if you, again, can afford to buy a car.</s>FIX: Right. There is a lot of repercussions. People think you are getting all the clunkers off the road. Isn't that awesome? We have safer cars on the road. People that can't afford to purchase new cars are. While, those recyclers we're sold a bill of good. These people that are taking the cars and shredding them, they're making $80 a car at the most. People are trading in cars without hoods, doors, back seats. center consoles, and they're taking them. We also don't know if they're being shredded, because there is no used car czar. Do we need another czar? I don't think so.</s>WHITFIELD: Lauren Fix, maybe you will be getting a call.</s>FIX: I hope not. It would be a nightmare for me.</s>WHITFIELD: Thank you so much. Thank you for being with us this lovely Saturday, joining us from Buffalo.</s>FIX: Thank you, Fredericka.</s>WHITFIELD: Appreciate that.</s>FIX: You are welcome.</s>WHITFIELD: OK, well, it's hard to forget what Michael Vick's dogs were forced to do, right? so does the U.S. humane society. Why are they now considering Vick an ally. The head of the organization answers some of your questions live in 20 minutes from now.