Sep 11, 2008 6:29 am US/Eastern
Clinton Sounds Off On Treatment Of 9/11 Families
Former President Especially Upset $110 Million Worth Of Freedom Scholarships Have Been Mishandled
Reporting
Lou Young
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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Former U.S. President Bill Clinton speaks during day three of the Democratic National Convention at the Pepsi Center Aug. 27, 2008 in Denver.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
The room where 9/11 victims and family members greeted President Bill Clinton on Wednesday night is only steps from the pit where the twin towers stood.
The former president told CBS 2 HD on Wednesday night the needs of surviving victims are going unmet. He's especially upset that his 9/11 freedom scholarships are wrapped up in red tape.
"We raised $110 million to guarantee that all the children and spouses who chose to … to people killed or disabled in America or in other countries would be able to get a college education and there are serious problems with the way the program has been administered," Clinton said. "No, I mean I'm happy with those who've been helped and gotten awards and there are hundreds of them that have, but we've had lots of problems with that."
New Yorkers are writing their thoughts on the steel beams of a ground zero memorial many think should've been erected by now.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the state agency charged with rebuilding should be dismantled, and demands the memorial be up and open three years from Thursday – the 10th anniversary of the terror attacks.
"Do I think a deadline is critical? Yes. I think for this country this date is critical and for the state and the city to have the memorial done," Bloomberg said.
It's already been too long for Teresa Noel.
"I'm still grieving. The buildings, the hole … I have not been down to the World Trade Center yet. I'm hoping they put something up for those of us that never found our loved ones," Noel said.
Others lament the human remains mixed with Trade Center debris at the Fresh Kills landfill. President Clinton on Wednesday night promised to help. Diane Horning hopes he listened.
"I get the 'There, there I feel your pain,' from a lot of people who don't follow through and I can only hope that's not what's going to happen this time," Horning said.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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