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CNN Saturday Morning News

Insurgents Strike Back in Iraq

Aired November 06, 2004 - 09:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, good morning from the CNN Center. This is CNN SATURDAY MORNING. It is November 6. Good morning, I'm Betty Nguyen.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: It is 9:00 a.m. here on the East Coast, early out West, 6:00 a.m. Good morning, everyone, I'm Tony Harris. Thank you for starting your day with us.

Now, in the news.

High casualties this morning among U.S. Marines in western Iraq. No deaths have been reported, but 20 Marines were wounded when their convoy came under attack near Ramadi.

To the north in Samarra, insurgents today unleashed a wave of car bombs and mortar rounds. Officials say at least 34 Iraqis were killed and dozens wounded. An Iraqi police station and the mayor's office were among the apparent targets.

Relentless air assaults on the city of Fallujah probably are about to give way to a ground offensive. Thousands of heavily armed U.S. and Iraqi forces now ring the city, and have begun probing insurgent positions on the outskirts.

Yasser Arafat remains in a coma this morning in a Paris hospital with no apparent change in his status. Publicly, senior Palestinian officials are indicating that their ailing leader will recover, but privately they are discussing a post-Arafat era, including day-to-day operations of the Palestinian Authority and maintaining security in Gaza and the West Bank.

And two senior members of the president's national security team are leaving the administration. Cofer Black, a key figure on international counterterrorism, had been expected to step down, but the reported resignation of Robert Blackwell, a top adviser on Iraq, came as a surprise to most observers.

NGUYEN: And we do have a lot on tap for you this hour, including, forget about pink slips, many U.S. companies are writing up help wanted ads. Strong new jobs numbers mean many more are working. We'll tell you where and how.

And one small step for man, a very big weight loss for mankind. We'll show you how one group is putting one foot in front of the other to get America moving. Plus, to U.S. troops in Iraq, this woman might as well be Mrs. Santa Claus. We'll tell you how she is trying to comfort America's heroes in harm's way.

HARRIS: Thousands of U.S. Marines are stationed around the Iraqi city of Fallujah. War planes dropped bombs on several suspected insurgent positions in preparation for what's expected to be a major offensive on the insurgent stronghold.

CNN's Karl Penhaul is embedded with U.S. Marines in the area, and he joins us now with the latest. Hello, Karl.

KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Tony.

Last night, we (UNINTELLIGIBLE) from one of the U.S. Marine patrols. Their aim last night was to probe some of the city's defenses to see what Fallujah's defenders may have in store for them.

At the same time, the U.S. AC-130 Spectre gunship was in position overhead over Fallujah, and as we've seen from the aftermath pictures there, that that Specter gunship did pound suspected insurgents, targets inside the city.

I do also know, though, from reports that we've received from inside the city, that there are claims that those positions that were hit were not, in fact, insurgent military positions, but could have been civilian positions, that the claim, in fact, that the U.S. Marines would dispute. They say that any positions they're targeting inside of Fallujah is a precision target.

In fact, we did see, as we were out on patrol in, an, an armored attack vehicles. We pushed to within about 600 yards of the northern edge of the city. And we did see some gunfire coming from the northwestern sector of Fallujah, machine-gun fire. After that machine-gun fire broke out, then the Specter gunship was called in, and we did see it fire between possibly around 20 rounds from its 105- millimeter Howitzer cannon into the northwest sector.

We saw flames going up there at one stage, indicating that maybe ammunition had been hit there. But certainly that was the sector where the gunfire was coming from.

But as far as the rest of the city was concerned, then the U.S. Marines didn't receive any fire from any of Fallujah's defenders. That surprised some U.S. commanders. They thought that the insurgent defenders would be a little more nervy, a little bit more on edge. But now the U.S. commanders are saying that they seem to have things under control, and may be waiting to lure the Marines into the city so they can open up with booby traps such as car bombs and homemade bombs, Tony.

HARRIS: Karl Penhaul reporting live for us near Fallujah. Betty?

NGUYEN: German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder is among the world leaders phoning congratulations to President Bush this weekend. Besides taking their calls, Mr. Bush is taking some R&R at Camp David. On Thursday, following the long and bruising reelection campaign, the president laid out in broad strokes his second term goals. He said his top domestic priorities will be to change Social Security, overhaul the intelligence community, reform the tax code, and reduce the deficit.

Now, we know that President Bush will get to keep his job another four years. He has a lot of company. The Labor Department this week revealed that some 337,000 Americans also found jobs last month.

Kathleen Hays of CNN FINANCIAL NEWS looks at the message behind the numbers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KATHLEEN HAYS, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS (voice-over): Spurred on by the rebuilding needed after four hurricanes hit the Southeast, the U.S. economy added 337,000 new jobs in October, the biggest jump in seven months, and a hopeful sign the nation's businesses have finally decided it's time to beef up the worker ranks.

TIM KANE, HERITAGE FOUNDATION: I think it's an amazing report, especially considering the headwinds that were faced last month, high oil price, lot of uncertainty about the election, and, just no doubt about it, businesses were hiring.

HAYS: Health care, education, office work, these are some of the service industries where workers found jobs last month, 272,000 in all. Hurricane rebuilding added 71,000 in construction, but factories, where more than 2 million jobs were lost during President Bush's first term, cut 5,000 jobs, the second month of losses in a row.

As for the unemployment rate, it rose by 0.1 percent to 5.5 percent. But economists say that may be happening because discouraged workers are coming back into the labor force to look for jobs again, a sign things are getting better, not worse.

The question for President Bush and his economic team is if jobs will keep growing now. If they do, and people feel more confident, they may buy more gifts this holiday season and spend more money. Good for retailers.

And for Mr. Bush, it could mean he will not have the dubious distinction of being the only president since Herbert Hoover to score a net job loss during his first four years in office.

JAHED WERNSTEIN, ECONOMIC POLICY INSTITUTE: That is an incredibly low benchmark to get back to zero. So, you know, I don't know that that would be much of an achievement. I think there's no way that President Bush is going to be able to say, I, you know, I had a great jobs record on this first term. But you're right, another couple of months like this, and he'll beat Herbert Hoover.

HAYS (on camera): And that's small comfort to nearly one in 10 American workers who still having difficulty finding a decent job. What they need to see now is for the economy to keep creating jobs as it has for the past 14 months in a row.

Kathleen Hays, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: All right, we've heard what the analysts had to say about the job market. But what do you think? More than 200,000 Internet users took part in our quick vote poll on CNN.com. The question, Do you think the job market is improving? Forty-six percent say yes, but 54 percent say no.

HARRIS: Turning to Capitol Hill, two key lawmakers are speaking out and stirring controversy. Republican Arlen Specter is next in line to chair the Senate Judiciary Committee. But some conservatives don't want him to get that post in light of his recent comments. Specter suggested that if President Bush picks court nominees who are strongly anti-abortion, the Senate might reject them. Specter later said his words were not meant as a warning.

Senator Dick Durbin says he has the votes to be the Democratic whip in the new Senate, even though his party suffered losses in the election. Durbin says Democrats still plan to challenge the president on a number of issues.

SEN. DICK DURBIN (D), ILLINOIS: President may have received a mandate on Tuesday night, but he didn't receive a free lunch. There is no free lunch.

HARRIS: The new Senate convenes in January.

And that brings us to our morning e-mail question, Can Democrats and Republicans work together over the next four years? Let us know what you think. Drop us a line at wam@CNN.com.

NGUYEN: No word yet on who might replace Coffer Black. He is stepping down as the State Department's counterterrorism chief. The resignation, well, it was expected. It is the first departure, though, of a major Bush administration official since the president was reelected.

HARRIS: The CIA's third highest spot is filled, but we don't know much about who filled it yet. An intelligence source says a longtime undercover officer known only as Dusty has been named executive director. Dusty's full name won't be made public until the agency concludes revealing it won't compromise any secret operations.

NGUYEN: Now to the terror watch, where we update you on the week's major developments in the war on terror. Lawyers for Zacarias Moussaoui want delays in court proceedings against him. The lawyers say all proceedings should be postponed while pretrial issues are being appealed. Moussaoui, who is the only person accused so far in connection with the 9/11 attacks, is charged with terrorism conspiracy.

Dutch politicians are hiring bodyguards and promising a crackdown following the killing of a filmmaker who has been critical of Islamic fundamentalists. A note pinned with a knife to the body of Theo Van Gogh threatened political leaders. A Dutch Moroccan man has been charged in the Van Gogh killing, and six others, labeled Islamic radicals by prosecutors, will be charged with conspiracy.

The State Department has warned Americans in Uzbekistan that terror attacks on U.S. interests there could be imminent. An official says the threat is from an extremist group called the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan. Americans are urged to use extreme caution, avoid large crowds, and places where Westerners gather.

HARRIS: Supporters stand vigil while Yasser Arafat clings to life. We'll go live to Paris for an update on the health of the Palestinian leader.

NGUYEN: Plus, America gets on the move. What one organization, that is, is doing to trim down the nation and how it can help you.

ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: And I'm Rob Marciano in the CNN Weather Center, looking at some chilly temperatures out there. Lot of blue on the weather map. It's kind of cool in St. Louis right now, 50, but it's going to be quite warm there, with temperatures easily getting into the 70s. Here's the Gateway Arch, blue sky, WWL our affiliate. And big doings in that city. We'll talk more about them in a few minutes.

Stay tuned. CNN SATURDAY MORNING will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Well, life after Yasser Arafat, that is on the minds of Palestinian officials as their leader remains in a coma at a French hospital.

Our Jim Bitterman joins us from Paris with the latest. Good morning to you, Jim.

JIM BITTERMAN, CNN PARIS BUREAU CHIEF: Morning, Betty.

In fact, a hospital spokesman says that Arafat's condition is stable and has not changed in the last 24 hours. The spokesman says he's not even going to come in to work today unless there is some change in his condition.

Now, just a short while ago, reporters were able to talk to Nabil Rdeneh, who is an Arafat aide and sometimes spokesman for President Arafat. Now, here's what he had to say about Arafat's condition.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NABIL RDENEH, YASSER ARAFAT SPOKESMAN: Today, President Arafat is in a stable condition. I can assure you that today, his doctors were with him, and the people around him, and so far, he is in a stable condition, and he is still under constant medical observance. And I can assure you that you the doctors till now couldn't diagnose exactly what he is suffering from, and this is the real problem. So far, he's in a stable condition. There is nothing to be worried about today, and we hope that within the coming few days, the doctors will be able to diagnose his illness exactly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BITTERMAN: Outside the hospital here in the western suburbs of Paris, there has been a vigil over the last 48 hours by Palestinians and Palestinian supporters who have gathered here, a steady stream of people who have come here to light candles and lay flowers, people like Tufak Rahab (ph), who drove across Paris, a psychiatrist here. He said Arafat is someone he's idolized since his youth.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For me, yes, Arafat is the symbol for my life. He's very -- a good leader.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BITTERMAN: So there you have it, Betty. Arafat today said to be in stable if critical condition, Betty.

NGUYEN: A lot of people waiting and watching as our Jim Bitterman in Paris today. Thank you, Jim. Tony?

HARRIS: Checking our top stories, 20 U.S. Marines wounded in Iraq this morning. Insurgents attacked a convoy near Ramadi west of Baghdad. Elsewhere in Iraq, at least 34 people are dead and dozens more wounded in Samallah (ph) 60 miles north of Baghdad. Insurgents staged a string of attacks using mortars and car bombs.

And in Fallujah, the aftermath of U.S. attacks, U.S. war planes and tanks continue to pound rebel targets in and around the city. The attacks are paving the way for what's expected to be a major offensive.

NGUYEN: Well, get moving. We will tell you how you can lose weight and get healthy by just doing two simple things every day, when CNN SATURDAY MORNING returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Look at that shot this morning.

HARRIS: Yes, yes.

NGUYEN: The sun shining through. Good morning, St. Louis, where the team responsible for two successful private spaceflights gets its big payoff today. The group, headed by Dick Rutan, receives a $10 million prize for its efforts. That's no chump change.

Rob Marciano has your weekend forecast coming up.

HARRIS: And did America on the move walk right past you, and you didn't even know it? It's the first anniversary of America on the move. The basic premise is, walk more, eat less, just small steps to get folks to stop gaining weight. It's the brainchild of Dr. James Hill, who joins us from Denver.

Good morning, doctor.

DR. JAMES HILL, AMERICA ON THE MOVE: Good morning.

HARRIS: And along with him is Mary Simons, who has taken those steps to increase her physical activity. And Mary joins us from Washington, D.C.

Good morning, Mary.

MARY SIMONS: Good morning.

HARRIS: Well, doctor, let's start with you. What was the impulse, what was the premise to get this going?

HILL: Well, we know that Americans are getting fatter. Everybody knows that. The average American gains one to two pounds every year. The purpose of America on the move is to have people make two small lifestyle changes to stop gaining weight, walk 2,000 steps more, so get a pedometer...

HARRIS: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

HILL: ... find out how many steps you take, do 2,000 more, eat 100 calories less each day. It's enough to stop weight gain.

HARRIS: So is it 2,000 more steps each day? So that by the end of the week, you're at, what, what, what, 10,000 additional steps?

HILL: No, start where you are now...

HARRIS: OK.

HILL: ... the average American gets about 5,000 steps a day.

HARRIS: Aah.

HILL: If you go up to 7,000, you've burned an extra 100 calories. You do that every day, you burn a extra 100 calories every day. You eat 100 calories less, you've changed by 200 calories a day. That's very big for your weight, stops weight gain. In some people, it might actually produce some weight loss.

HARRIS: Hey, Mary, it seems like a pretty simple plan. How did you find out about it?

SIMONS: I read it in the paper. We were on vacation in Myrtle Beach about a year ago, and I got a copy of "USA Today," and there was a big article about it. And I thought, This sounds like it could work. It can't be too hard. I came home to Washington and also heard about it on WMAL radio. So I thought, I'm going to go on the Web site and see what it's all about. So I registered, and I got a pedometer, and I started walking. HARRIS: When did you start? How long ago?

SIMONS: Oh, about a year ago, I guess.

HARRIS: Give us a sense what your life was like before you started, and what kind of a progress have you made?

SIMONS: Well, I was putting on a little bit of weight, and I wasn't happy with that. I do like walking. And I thought, this is easy, I can do this. So I start walking more. I walk with my neighbor. She now has a pedometer that she wears sometimes, and all of my co-workers. I teach in a preschool, and they're all starting to count their steps now.

In fact, one little student, little 4-year-old Megan, even wears the step counter to school some days, and we compare steps.

HARRIS: Well, doctor, give us a sense of how many people you've signed up during the course of the year. And how do you measure success?

HILL: Well, in one year, we're now in 20 states. A year ago we were in one, Colorado, started in Colorado. We're in 20 states, over 300,000 people have signed up for America on the Move. And the way we measure success are, you know, number one stories like Mary. But we're also researchers, so we're doing research on the program. We're doing studies. We've shown we can increase activity in families, we've shown we can prevent weight gain in overweight kids.

So we're continuing to study from a research standpoint the program as well, Tony.

HARRIS: Doctor, where is all the high-impact, high-intensity aerobics and jumping around and tearing your ligaments (UNINTELLIGIBLE)? That's not a part of the program, is it?

HILL: No, we're not in the no pain, no gain program. In fact, we're the opposite. We're saying, what we want you to do is start where you are right now and make some small changes. Everybody can do a little more. That's what America on the Move is about.

HARRIS: So Mary, what kind of success have you had with the program? Tell, tell, tell.

SIMONS: Well, it has worked for me. I did start out slow. And I found it was pretty painless. So I added more steps. Now, my personal goal every day is at least 10,000 steps. And if I don't get that in, I purchased a stationary bike, and I ride the bike after dinner at night. I can read the paper while I'm riding the bike or watch CNN, and...

HARRIS: There you go.

SIMONS: ... it is working for me, I have to say, and it's not hard.

HARRIS: So it's a lifestyle change for you, and you're happy.

SIMONS: I am very happy, yes.

HARRIS: Well, Dr. Hill and Mary, thank you. Thank you for taking the time to share your stories with us.

HILL: You're welcome.

SIMONS: Thank you.

HARRIS: OK. Thank you both.

NGUYEN: Well, you know, this could be a very good morning for a brisk walk out there.

HARRIS: That map...

NGUYEN: Got your...

HARRIS: ... looks great.

NGUYEN: ... pedometer?

MARCIANO: Have you been checking out the maps?

HARRIS: No, the map looks great. And the doctor, the doctor said it's a great day in Denver, great day in Washington (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...

MARCIANO: It's a great day in a lot of, in a lot of spots.

HARRIS: See?

MARCIANO: And tomorrow morning at this time, they're not only going to be walking, but they are going to be running.

NGUYEN: Running, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) cold out there.

HARRIS: Yes, (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

MARCIANO: About 26 miles' worth. A live shot for you. New York Marathon is tomorrow morning, and it's a beautiful day across the Big Apple. Good morning, New York, the surrounding boroughs, all five of them, the suburbs looking real nice. You know, football happening there, marathon tomorrow, maybe you're just getting out to rake the leaves. Maybe you should want to check out some of the fall foliage.

Kind of a cool shot for you. This is a satellite imagery from about a week ago when we had some clear skies. You're looking at Lake Erie and some wispy clouds, of course. And then as we throw the maps into motion, you kind of see how some of the forests, like, say, the Allegheny Forest right here in western Pennsylvania, see how brown it is? That's from the foliage there.

Then we'll slide the map a little bit farther to the east, the Moshannon (ph) Forest, and some of the ridges that jump down into parts of western New Jersey, and (UNINTELLIGIBLE) the metropolis area is not quite as many trees, so it's not quite as colorful. But Fairfield County in Connecticut in through the Hudson Valley, obviously brown there.

And the northern parts of Long Island, still some green on the map there. So typically Long Island Sound will give you a little bit of a moderating effect, as will the Atlantic Ocean.

So these are the trees across lower New York that are the last to change, although they'll probably changing without a doubt today. If you're going out just to rake the leaves or checking out any double barrel high pressure. This is the map that Tony was talking about.

HARRIS: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

MARCIANO: Yes, blue's good. And then usually yields blue (UNINTELLIGIBLE) skies and bright sunshine.

(WEATHER FORECAST)

MARCIANO: Never get tired of looking at the Gateway Arch.

HARRIS: There you go.

MARCIANO: They're giving out $10 million, guys.

HARRIS: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

NGUYEN: Well, not just to anyone, though.

MARCIANO: No, not just to anyone. I mean, I don't think it's going to cover the costs of the first commercial or private manned flight into space.

NGUYEN: The X-Prize...

HARRIS: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

NGUYEN: ... yes...

MARCIANO: Yes, that's right.

NGUYEN: ... they spent some $20 million on that, getting $10 million back. But hey, all in the name of science.

MARCIANO: It's the future. That's right.

NGUYEN: Yes, exactly. Thank you, Rob.

MARCIANO: OK.

NGUYEN: President Bush wins reelection, but can he unite even more, an even more divided Congress? Bob Novak joins me ahead to talk about that.

HARRIS: Plus, playing Santa for the troops. What one Georgia woman is doing to help those fighting in Iraq. All ahead when CNN SATURDAY MORNING returns.

NGUYEN: Bouncing back, how the Democratic Party is working to overcome this year's election losses.

Welcome back. I'm Betty Nguyen.

HARRIS: And I'm Tony Harris. That story coming up.

First, here's what's happening now in the news.

It's been a bloody, deadly day in Iraq, and there are American casualties. Twenty U.S. Marines were wounded in an attack in Iraq's Al-Anbar province near Ramadi. U.S. military officials say it happened when their convoy came under attack.

Elsewhere in Iraq, two car bombings and a mortar attack killed at least 34 people in the central city of Samarra. The attacks happened near the mayor's office at a police station and near a coalition patrol. There are no reports of coalition casualties.

And U.S. war planes dropped bombs on targets in the rebel-held city of Fallujah today. The U.S. is trying to soften up positions there ahead of a planned all-out assault. U.S. And Iraqi officials want to gain control of the city ahead of January elections.

Back in this country, a celebration of space exploration gets under way today in Missouri. The Mojave Aerospace Ventures will get a $10 million check as winners of the Ansari X-Prize. Their rocket plane, called "Spaceshipone," won the prize by completing two privately funded manned spaceflights within two weeks.

NGUYEN: Well, with a stunning win over challenger John Kerry, President Bush now faces the task of uniting a divided country. How will the president spend his political capital, and how do the Democrats bounce back from their defeat?

Here to talk about all of this is Bob Novak in The Novak Zone.

Good morning, Bob.

ROBERT NOVAK, HOST, THE NOVAK ZONE: Good morning, Betty.

NGUYEN: Well, let's talk about that political capital, because on Thursday, the president said by winning the second election, he earned it, and he plans to spend it. So what is on his agenda? Is he free to do what he wants now?

NOVAK: Well, he has made it clear that he wants Social Security reform, which is long overdue, and to try to get this system to try to have some personal accounts, and also tax reform. We have a very poor tax system in this country. It's unfair. It is intrusive. And that is something that will be very popular, very difficult, and that is something to really watch in this administration.

When he says spending political capital, that means he is very popular right now, he won a big victory, and instead of just sitting on his laurels, he wants to take advantage of it.

NGUYEN: Well, some of the items on his agenda, like you mentioned, tax reform, his stand on abortion rights, stem cell research, some of these issues have really divided the nation. How is he going to work to unite the nation now that he's got another four years?

NOVAK: Well, the people who lost the election are the people who are talking about uniting the nation the most. This is a conservative country, that's why he won the election, and the idea that he's going to abandon the things he campaigned on, I think, is nonsense. I think what he has to do is try to convince the people he's right, but the idea that he's going to accept the agenda of the losers, of the people who were defeated, is not very realistic.

NGUYEN: All right, let's talk about the cabinet, some of the changes. We're hearing a lot of talk about that. Who do you think is out? Who do you think is going to stay? And primarily when we talk about those out, there are a lot of names on the table like Powell, Ashcroft, Rice, Rumsfeld. What's your take on this?

NOVAK: Well, I think John Ashcroft, the attorney general, is clearly out. I think a lot of people were disappointed in his performance. I don't think the president wants to have what used to be called a reconstruction of the cabinet in Britain after an election, just have a whole new gang, because you need all kinds of Senate confirmations.

I think it's going to be a more gradual process. I'm sure Colin Powell, sooner or later, is going to go. It's not going to be immediate. And I'm sure Don Rumsfeld is going to go. And there's going to be a big guessing game who replace him.

But if you want to get my guess, the next secretary of state, I think it's going to be John Danforth, who is now the ambassador to the United Nations.

NGUYEN: Very interesting. Do you think any Democrats are going to fill some of these top roles in an effort to unite the nation?

NOVAK: I think the Democrats that they would really like to get in perhaps at, perhaps at the Pentagon is former senator Sam Nunn of Georgia. Now, he was -- he has not been a hawk on Iraq. He voted when he was still in the Senate. He voted against the first Iraq war, but he is a strong supporter of national defense, very well liked by the military.

And if he would take the job, I think it would be very helpful. I think the Pentagon is a place where you can put a pro-defense Democrat, just as Senator, President Clinton put a Republican, Bill Cohen, over at the Pentagon as secretary of defense.

NGUYEN: Hey, Bob, the most powerful Democrat in the Senate, Tom Daschle, did not win reelection. What does this mean for the Democrats now? NOVAK: What it means is, it's something that is, you have to say about the whole Democratic Party. You don't hear much about the word conservative on the networks or the word liberal. But the Democratic Party is too liberal. And Tom Daschle was just too liberal for the state of South Dakota. He worked hard in bringing pork barrel spending back, but his deep voted against the wishes of the people, and he got very partisan as the Senate Democratic leader.

He was really skating on thin ice, and the ice finally broke.

I think you're also going to find that either his successor, Harry Reid of Nevada, who is certainly a partisan Democrat, he is no Zell Miller at all, heaven forbid. But he is, I think, a more conciliatory person, he had a very good phone call with President Bush on Wednesday. And I think Senator Reid wants to have a more conciliatory attitude in the Senate.

NGUYEN: And quickly, let's talk about John Kerry. Of course, he did not win the election, but he still has his job. What's it going to be like for him as he heads back to Capitol Hill?

NOVAK: Very tough, because John Kerry's whole life, I think, from the time he went into the Navy and asked for that Swift Boat assignment, was to be president of the United States. He was not a legislator who really enjoyed the give and take of legislative action. For example, the senior senator from Massachusetts, Ted Kennedy, is a, is a senator. He loves being a senator.

I think it's going to be very tough for John Kerry, because this was his life's dream. It's now it's gone forever, he'll never run for president again. And he's really not into the life of the Senate. So I think it's going to be a very tough adjustment process for him.

NGUYEN: All right. Let's get quickly to the big question of the morning in The Novak Zone. You know, this was a pretty close election. There's a lot of talk about 2008. Who do you think is going to be running in that election?

NOVAK: Well, there's a lot of exciting names out there. Rudy Giuliani, Hillary Clinton, really people who are famous. But I think that both parties are going to take people who are, who, first place, I think the Republicans want somebody who will carry the base, and I say Governor Bill Owens of Colorado, who's a Catholic, he's pro-life, he's conservative.

And I think the Democrats are going to look for a moderate. They'd like a Southern moderate, but there's just no Southern governors around. So Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana, who won in a landslide while President Bush was winning (UNINTELLIGIBLE) easily, and one of his budget director, Mitch Daniels, was winning the governorship, but on the Republican side, so that may not be excitement village, Betty, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Owens versus Bayh, but those, those are my choices.

And if I'm right four years from now, you'll say I'm a genius. NGUYEN: All right, yes, you know, we're going to mark them down and we'll check back with you in 2008. All right, Bob Novak, thank you for that.

NOVAK: Thank you, Betty.

NGUYEN: And you can see more of Bob Novak tonight at 7:00 p.m. Eastern on "THE CAPITAL GANG." "THE GANG" will discuss the president's claim of a mandate, and where the Democrats go from here in their postelection wrap-up.

HARRIS: OK, here it goes. Fair elections on the brink. Voting machines on the blink. And enough ballot battles to cause a stink.

With so few of those election nightmares coming to light, it's enough to make you think what did and didn't happen and why?

Our Brian Todd sorts through it all.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Brace yourselves, we were told, it's coming. It could have applied to any of those dire predictions we'd heard leading up to the election. A terrorist attack, always a threat in the post-9/11 climate, seemed to many a more ominous possibility during election week. A U.S. senator even closed his Capitol Hill office, citing what he called top-secret intelligence.

SEN. MARK DAYTON (D), MINNESOTA: I would not bring my two sons to Capitol Hill between now and the election. So I'm not going to put other people's sons and daughters at a risk that I'm not there to share myself.

TODD: No attack near election day, and Senator Dayton reopened his office the very next day.

BRUCE HOFFMAN, RAND CORPORATION: It could be that because we were vigilant, because we were on guard, because of the warnings that we issued, it deterred the terrorists.

TODD: Another expert who's tracked al Qaeda for years tells us he doesn't think the group had the personnel in the U.S. to pull it off.

We also geared up for voting nightmares on and after election day, a deadlocked race that wouldn't be decided for weeks, provisional ballot battles, electronic machines going haywire, lingering stress over hanging chads, armies of attorneys roaming the land.

DAVID BOIES, GORE 2000 ELECTION ATTORNEY: I think when you have as many lawyers that are involved on both sides, there is a danger that they all try to find something to do.

TODD: They may still be trying. WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: And nothing happened. Why not? Well, 2000, that's why not, because they were prepared, knowing what happened in Florida.

TODD: Another political analyst tells us it boiled down to the fact that both the popular vote and the electoral college, while close, did fall clearly to President Bush. It just wasn't close enough to warrant a fight.

Before Tuesday, many believed the youth vote would dominate. Rocket Vote and P. Diddy's Vote or Die campaigns generated huge publicity.

P. DIDDY, BAD BOY ENTERTAINMENT: Be the wild card, we going to decide who's the next president of the United States of America.

TODD: More young people did vote this year, but there were increases in turnout all over the demographic map, and the youth block comprised only 17 percent of all voters, the same percentage as in 2000. Political analysts say young voters typically aren't very partisan, and many people of voting age simply have other things on their minds.

Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: Time for a look at some stories across America.

When it comes to the meaning of marriage, one group in Texas is offering a textbook definition. The state's board of education is changing proposed wording in its health books to define marriage as "a union between a man and a woman." Two publishers of high school and middle school books agreed to change terms like "married partners."

While there's good news in the new jobs report, there is bad news from SBC Communications. The company says it will slash 10,000 or more jobs by the end of next year through layoffs and attrition. That's about 6 percent of its workforce. SBC has already cut about 7,000 jobs in the past year.

And in Washington state, an icy situation is creating some cold, hard questions, like, where did this block of ice come from? The chunk smashed through the roof of a home in Kent and landed on the bed of an 8-year-old girl. Now, she wasn't in that bed at time. Some think it could be from ice built up on the wing of an airplane. The FAA is investigating.

HARRIS: Caring for the troops in Iraq. How one Georgia woman is giving them some of the comforts of home, and what keeps her going, when CNN SATURDAY MORNING returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: For the parents of fallen soldiers, a letter from Iraq can be gut-wrenching. Tomorrow on CNN SUNDAY MORNING," you'll hear some last letters home from soldiers who died in battle.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: "I miss you and love you very much. I hate the idea of missing out on the holidays."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: A preview of a poignant HBO special tomorrow on "CNN SUNDAY MORNING" at 9:00 a.m., Eastern, plus this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Jesus Christ came into my life and freed me from drug addiction. You know, I was amazed by it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: In our Faces of Faith, one of the new faces of Christian rock music, Day of Fire, tomorrow, 8:00 Eastern, on "CNN SUNDAY MORNING."

NGUYEN: At 45 past the hour, here's a look at the headlines this morning.

The latest violence in Iraq has claimed dozens of lives. Insurgents carried out a series of deadly bomb and mortar attacks in Samarra. U.S. war planes and artillery softened up suspected terrorist targets in Fallujah. Thousands of U.S. Marines backed by Iraqi army troops are poised to attack the insurgents controlling Fallujah.

And in Paris, supporters of Yasser Arafat keep vigil outside the hospital where he remains in a coma. A hospital spokesman says Arafat's condition is stable. U.S. officials say the Palestinian leader is on life support. A Palestinian official denies that.

And we have been asking you this morning if you think Democrats and Republicans can work together for the next four years. We will read you the e-mails just a little bit of head. Send them in, though, at wam@cnn.com.

HARRIS: But headlines out of Iraq typically focus on U.S. casualties. Often overlooked is that many of those troops are very young, a long way from home, probably scared, and maybe feeling a little forgotten. One woman's concern has now turned into a crusade.

CNN's Denise Belgrave has her story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DENISE BELGRAVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For troops in Iraq, she's the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, and Santa Claus, all wrapped up in one.

GLORIA RUCKS, DAVE AND GLORIA'S BARBER SHOP: And if I can help them in any way, I will do everything I can to do it, so that they will feel like we love them and they haven't been forgotten. Very emotional project. I get -- I cry nearly every day.

BELGRAVE: Gloria Rucks, a barber by trade, turned her tears into action by mobilizing her community to provide CARE packages to National Guard troops. She got help from Tim Markham's company, which designed special boxes for the project.

TIM MARKHAM, ROCK-TENN COMPANY: With what our soldiers are going through over in Iraq, and, you know, we see it in the paper every day, and it's the least we can do.

BELGRAVE: And even though there was some skepticism at first, Rucks has seen even the weary turn a compassionate cheek.

RUCKS: Norcross police came in, checked us out to make sure that it wasn't a scam, and they found out that it wasn't, and then they took a box to the police station, filled it up, and brought it in.

BELGRAVE: Rucks says it's an enormous task soliciting thousands of dollars in contributions, packing hundreds of boxes, and making countless runs to the post office. But she says it's the thank-you notes that keep her going.

RUCKS: "Dear David and Gloria, Thank you so much for your CARE package. It's awesome. I tried to -- the Bumblebee and crackers tonight. It was a gourmet meal. Everything you sent will be used and enjoyed, believe me. I wish you could have seen the look on my fellow comrades' faces as your packages were being passed out. Christmas in August, oh, yes!"

BELGRAVE: How much longer will she keep it up?

RUCKS: Till the last box back there is gone.

BELGRAVE (on camera): How many boxes have you got there?

RUCKS: I've got -- I have -- I started out with 1,600, I've done -- I've got 800 more to go.

BELGRAVE: These cards were made by the local Girl Scout troop, and they're a good example of how Gloria Rucks' project is not only serving the troops but is also fostering a strong sense of community in the Georgia suburb.

Denise Belgrave, CNN, Norcross, Georgia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: Well, if you didn't have a chance to keep up with the news during the week, that is what we are here to do. Time now to rewind the major stories you may have missed.

Actually it was hard to miss this one, election day 2004. Fifty- one percent of Americans voted to keep President Bush in the White House for another term. The president says he now has a mandate. Democrats conceded the next day.

Meanwhile, another election comes to an end. Hamid Karzai formally accepts the presidency of Afghanistan. The joint U.N.-Afghan board proclaimed his victory in the October 9 popular vote. Karzai promised to keep drug money out of the government.

And Friday, an upbeat jobs report for the month of October triggers a rally on Wall Street. The number of newly created jobs is the best in seven months. But the unemployment rate edged up to 5.5 percent. The market, however, finished the week with three straight days of gains.

And, of course, tomorrow we will fast forward to the week ahead and tell you which stories will grab the spotlight.

HARRIS: Can't we all just get along? We've been asking you all morning, will the Democrats and Republicans be able to work together for the next four years? What you're saying, plus Rob's here with your forecast.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Well, it is time now to check in with Kathleen Hays in Washington for a sneak peek of "ON THE STORY." Good morning, Kathleen.

KATHLEEN HAYS, "ON THE STORY": Good morning, Betty.

Well, it's going to be a great show. We're "ON THE STORY" from here in Washington, to California, Paris, the battlefields of Iraq. Two veterans of that long presidential campaign trail, Candy Crowley and Dana Bash, "ON THE STORY" of what happened and what comes next. I'll be talking about the Bush rally on Wall Street and the surge of new jobs. We'll talk to Jane Arraf as U.S. forces prepare for what could be major combat in Iraq. And to top it all off, Rusty Dornin has the latest as the jury ponders a verdict in the Scott Peterson murder trial. It's all coming up, all "ON THE STORY." Betty, back to you.

NGUYEN: A lot coming up. Kathleen Hays, thank you for that. We'll be watching.

HARRIS: That's a full show.

Now, all morning long we've been asking you for your thought on our e-mail question. The question, basically, Do you believe Democrats and Republicans can work things out over the next four years? Here are a couple of your responses.

NGUYEN: Yes, we've got some interesting ones.

Cathy from Providence, Rhode Island, writes in, "As a Democrat, I believe that giving in to the Republican agenda would be even worse than losing to George Bush. It is the Republicans who should seek compromise. Democrats owe it to the 49 percent of us who did not vote for Bush." HARRIS: And this from A.J., "Yes, of course, Democrats and Republicans can work together for the next four years, especially if the media and the Democrats stop their Bush-bashing yammering and let it go. You lost. Just get on with it."

That's the spirit. Thank you, A.J..

NGUYEN: A.J.'s quite a character.

Oh, speaking of characters, time now to go to Rob Marciano. Good morning, Rob.

HARRIS: Hey, Rob.

MARCIANO: Hi, how you doing? Actually, I'm A.J., I wrote that...

(CROSSTALK)

NGUYEN: It's your alias.

MARCIANO: Hey, guys.

(WEATHER FORECAST)

MARCIANO: Just trust me. Trust me.

NGUYEN: Yes, we just draw you a picture next time, Rob.

MARCIANO: All right, not too bad there.

NGUYEN: Or A.J., I should say, whichever one it is, right?

MARCIANO: No, no, I'm not A.J., but, you know, I appreciate people who, you know, speak their mind.

NGUYEN: Write in their opinions.

MARCIANO: Speak their minds.

NGUYEN: Exactly.

HARRIS: You know what, Rob? For, I think we've established that in my month here on the weekend team.

MARCIANO: Yes, sir.

NGUYEN: Has it been a month already?

HARRIS: Yes, it's been a month.

MARCIANO: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

HARRIS: That, that, I'm getting hammered on the singing thing. But would you agree for most of the country...

NGUYEN: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

HARRIS: ... it is a lovely day, a little Bill Withers, a lovely day would be...

NGUYEN: You're not going to sing it?

HARRIS: I'm not going to sing it. But wouldn't that...

MARCIANO: Betty, do you know who Bill Withers is?

NGUYEN: Obviously, a singer.

MARCIANO: I guess so.

NGUYEN: I don't know the song he's talking about. What song (UNINTELLIGIBLE)?

BELGRAVE: Come on, give me a couple of...

HARRIS: Bill Withers. It's a lovely day. Nice try, Rob, it's not going to happen.

MARCIANO: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

HARRIS: Nice try.

MARCIANO: All right, maybe tomorrow.

HARRIS: All right. It has been a very busy...

NGUYEN: Maybe not tomorrow.

HARRIS: ... morning...

NGUYEN: Yes.

HARRIS: ... and we want to thank you for being with us. That's all for us.

NGUYEN: We're back tomorrow morning. But right now, "ON THE STORY" is next, and we're going to give you a check of the headlines as well.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com


Aired November 6, 2004 - 09:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Well, good morning from the CNN Center. This is CNN SATURDAY MORNING. It is November 6. Good morning, I'm Betty Nguyen.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: It is 9:00 a.m. here on the East Coast, early out West, 6:00 a.m. Good morning, everyone, I'm Tony Harris. Thank you for starting your day with us.

Now, in the news.

High casualties this morning among U.S. Marines in western Iraq. No deaths have been reported, but 20 Marines were wounded when their convoy came under attack near Ramadi.

To the north in Samarra, insurgents today unleashed a wave of car bombs and mortar rounds. Officials say at least 34 Iraqis were killed and dozens wounded. An Iraqi police station and the mayor's office were among the apparent targets.

Relentless air assaults on the city of Fallujah probably are about to give way to a ground offensive. Thousands of heavily armed U.S. and Iraqi forces now ring the city, and have begun probing insurgent positions on the outskirts.

Yasser Arafat remains in a coma this morning in a Paris hospital with no apparent change in his status. Publicly, senior Palestinian officials are indicating that their ailing leader will recover, but privately they are discussing a post-Arafat era, including day-to-day operations of the Palestinian Authority and maintaining security in Gaza and the West Bank.

And two senior members of the president's national security team are leaving the administration. Cofer Black, a key figure on international counterterrorism, had been expected to step down, but the reported resignation of Robert Blackwell, a top adviser on Iraq, came as a surprise to most observers.

NGUYEN: And we do have a lot on tap for you this hour, including, forget about pink slips, many U.S. companies are writing up help wanted ads. Strong new jobs numbers mean many more are working. We'll tell you where and how.

And one small step for man, a very big weight loss for mankind. We'll show you how one group is putting one foot in front of the other to get America moving. Plus, to U.S. troops in Iraq, this woman might as well be Mrs. Santa Claus. We'll tell you how she is trying to comfort America's heroes in harm's way.

HARRIS: Thousands of U.S. Marines are stationed around the Iraqi city of Fallujah. War planes dropped bombs on several suspected insurgent positions in preparation for what's expected to be a major offensive on the insurgent stronghold.

CNN's Karl Penhaul is embedded with U.S. Marines in the area, and he joins us now with the latest. Hello, Karl.

KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Tony.

Last night, we (UNINTELLIGIBLE) from one of the U.S. Marine patrols. Their aim last night was to probe some of the city's defenses to see what Fallujah's defenders may have in store for them.

At the same time, the U.S. AC-130 Spectre gunship was in position overhead over Fallujah, and as we've seen from the aftermath pictures there, that that Specter gunship did pound suspected insurgents, targets inside the city.

I do also know, though, from reports that we've received from inside the city, that there are claims that those positions that were hit were not, in fact, insurgent military positions, but could have been civilian positions, that the claim, in fact, that the U.S. Marines would dispute. They say that any positions they're targeting inside of Fallujah is a precision target.

In fact, we did see, as we were out on patrol in, an, an armored attack vehicles. We pushed to within about 600 yards of the northern edge of the city. And we did see some gunfire coming from the northwestern sector of Fallujah, machine-gun fire. After that machine-gun fire broke out, then the Specter gunship was called in, and we did see it fire between possibly around 20 rounds from its 105- millimeter Howitzer cannon into the northwest sector.

We saw flames going up there at one stage, indicating that maybe ammunition had been hit there. But certainly that was the sector where the gunfire was coming from.

But as far as the rest of the city was concerned, then the U.S. Marines didn't receive any fire from any of Fallujah's defenders. That surprised some U.S. commanders. They thought that the insurgent defenders would be a little more nervy, a little bit more on edge. But now the U.S. commanders are saying that they seem to have things under control, and may be waiting to lure the Marines into the city so they can open up with booby traps such as car bombs and homemade bombs, Tony.

HARRIS: Karl Penhaul reporting live for us near Fallujah. Betty?

NGUYEN: German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder is among the world leaders phoning congratulations to President Bush this weekend. Besides taking their calls, Mr. Bush is taking some R&R at Camp David. On Thursday, following the long and bruising reelection campaign, the president laid out in broad strokes his second term goals. He said his top domestic priorities will be to change Social Security, overhaul the intelligence community, reform the tax code, and reduce the deficit.

Now, we know that President Bush will get to keep his job another four years. He has a lot of company. The Labor Department this week revealed that some 337,000 Americans also found jobs last month.

Kathleen Hays of CNN FINANCIAL NEWS looks at the message behind the numbers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KATHLEEN HAYS, CNN FINANCIAL NEWS (voice-over): Spurred on by the rebuilding needed after four hurricanes hit the Southeast, the U.S. economy added 337,000 new jobs in October, the biggest jump in seven months, and a hopeful sign the nation's businesses have finally decided it's time to beef up the worker ranks.

TIM KANE, HERITAGE FOUNDATION: I think it's an amazing report, especially considering the headwinds that were faced last month, high oil price, lot of uncertainty about the election, and, just no doubt about it, businesses were hiring.

HAYS: Health care, education, office work, these are some of the service industries where workers found jobs last month, 272,000 in all. Hurricane rebuilding added 71,000 in construction, but factories, where more than 2 million jobs were lost during President Bush's first term, cut 5,000 jobs, the second month of losses in a row.

As for the unemployment rate, it rose by 0.1 percent to 5.5 percent. But economists say that may be happening because discouraged workers are coming back into the labor force to look for jobs again, a sign things are getting better, not worse.

The question for President Bush and his economic team is if jobs will keep growing now. If they do, and people feel more confident, they may buy more gifts this holiday season and spend more money. Good for retailers.

And for Mr. Bush, it could mean he will not have the dubious distinction of being the only president since Herbert Hoover to score a net job loss during his first four years in office.

JAHED WERNSTEIN, ECONOMIC POLICY INSTITUTE: That is an incredibly low benchmark to get back to zero. So, you know, I don't know that that would be much of an achievement. I think there's no way that President Bush is going to be able to say, I, you know, I had a great jobs record on this first term. But you're right, another couple of months like this, and he'll beat Herbert Hoover.

HAYS (on camera): And that's small comfort to nearly one in 10 American workers who still having difficulty finding a decent job. What they need to see now is for the economy to keep creating jobs as it has for the past 14 months in a row.

Kathleen Hays, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: All right, we've heard what the analysts had to say about the job market. But what do you think? More than 200,000 Internet users took part in our quick vote poll on CNN.com. The question, Do you think the job market is improving? Forty-six percent say yes, but 54 percent say no.

HARRIS: Turning to Capitol Hill, two key lawmakers are speaking out and stirring controversy. Republican Arlen Specter is next in line to chair the Senate Judiciary Committee. But some conservatives don't want him to get that post in light of his recent comments. Specter suggested that if President Bush picks court nominees who are strongly anti-abortion, the Senate might reject them. Specter later said his words were not meant as a warning.

Senator Dick Durbin says he has the votes to be the Democratic whip in the new Senate, even though his party suffered losses in the election. Durbin says Democrats still plan to challenge the president on a number of issues.

SEN. DICK DURBIN (D), ILLINOIS: President may have received a mandate on Tuesday night, but he didn't receive a free lunch. There is no free lunch.

HARRIS: The new Senate convenes in January.

And that brings us to our morning e-mail question, Can Democrats and Republicans work together over the next four years? Let us know what you think. Drop us a line at wam@CNN.com.

NGUYEN: No word yet on who might replace Coffer Black. He is stepping down as the State Department's counterterrorism chief. The resignation, well, it was expected. It is the first departure, though, of a major Bush administration official since the president was reelected.

HARRIS: The CIA's third highest spot is filled, but we don't know much about who filled it yet. An intelligence source says a longtime undercover officer known only as Dusty has been named executive director. Dusty's full name won't be made public until the agency concludes revealing it won't compromise any secret operations.

NGUYEN: Now to the terror watch, where we update you on the week's major developments in the war on terror. Lawyers for Zacarias Moussaoui want delays in court proceedings against him. The lawyers say all proceedings should be postponed while pretrial issues are being appealed. Moussaoui, who is the only person accused so far in connection with the 9/11 attacks, is charged with terrorism conspiracy.

Dutch politicians are hiring bodyguards and promising a crackdown following the killing of a filmmaker who has been critical of Islamic fundamentalists. A note pinned with a knife to the body of Theo Van Gogh threatened political leaders. A Dutch Moroccan man has been charged in the Van Gogh killing, and six others, labeled Islamic radicals by prosecutors, will be charged with conspiracy.

The State Department has warned Americans in Uzbekistan that terror attacks on U.S. interests there could be imminent. An official says the threat is from an extremist group called the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan. Americans are urged to use extreme caution, avoid large crowds, and places where Westerners gather.

HARRIS: Supporters stand vigil while Yasser Arafat clings to life. We'll go live to Paris for an update on the health of the Palestinian leader.

NGUYEN: Plus, America gets on the move. What one organization, that is, is doing to trim down the nation and how it can help you.

ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: And I'm Rob Marciano in the CNN Weather Center, looking at some chilly temperatures out there. Lot of blue on the weather map. It's kind of cool in St. Louis right now, 50, but it's going to be quite warm there, with temperatures easily getting into the 70s. Here's the Gateway Arch, blue sky, WWL our affiliate. And big doings in that city. We'll talk more about them in a few minutes.

Stay tuned. CNN SATURDAY MORNING will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Well, life after Yasser Arafat, that is on the minds of Palestinian officials as their leader remains in a coma at a French hospital.

Our Jim Bitterman joins us from Paris with the latest. Good morning to you, Jim.

JIM BITTERMAN, CNN PARIS BUREAU CHIEF: Morning, Betty.

In fact, a hospital spokesman says that Arafat's condition is stable and has not changed in the last 24 hours. The spokesman says he's not even going to come in to work today unless there is some change in his condition.

Now, just a short while ago, reporters were able to talk to Nabil Rdeneh, who is an Arafat aide and sometimes spokesman for President Arafat. Now, here's what he had to say about Arafat's condition.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NABIL RDENEH, YASSER ARAFAT SPOKESMAN: Today, President Arafat is in a stable condition. I can assure you that today, his doctors were with him, and the people around him, and so far, he is in a stable condition, and he is still under constant medical observance. And I can assure you that you the doctors till now couldn't diagnose exactly what he is suffering from, and this is the real problem. So far, he's in a stable condition. There is nothing to be worried about today, and we hope that within the coming few days, the doctors will be able to diagnose his illness exactly.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BITTERMAN: Outside the hospital here in the western suburbs of Paris, there has been a vigil over the last 48 hours by Palestinians and Palestinian supporters who have gathered here, a steady stream of people who have come here to light candles and lay flowers, people like Tufak Rahab (ph), who drove across Paris, a psychiatrist here. He said Arafat is someone he's idolized since his youth.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: For me, yes, Arafat is the symbol for my life. He's very -- a good leader.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BITTERMAN: So there you have it, Betty. Arafat today said to be in stable if critical condition, Betty.

NGUYEN: A lot of people waiting and watching as our Jim Bitterman in Paris today. Thank you, Jim. Tony?

HARRIS: Checking our top stories, 20 U.S. Marines wounded in Iraq this morning. Insurgents attacked a convoy near Ramadi west of Baghdad. Elsewhere in Iraq, at least 34 people are dead and dozens more wounded in Samallah (ph) 60 miles north of Baghdad. Insurgents staged a string of attacks using mortars and car bombs.

And in Fallujah, the aftermath of U.S. attacks, U.S. war planes and tanks continue to pound rebel targets in and around the city. The attacks are paving the way for what's expected to be a major offensive.

NGUYEN: Well, get moving. We will tell you how you can lose weight and get healthy by just doing two simple things every day, when CNN SATURDAY MORNING returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Look at that shot this morning.

HARRIS: Yes, yes.

NGUYEN: The sun shining through. Good morning, St. Louis, where the team responsible for two successful private spaceflights gets its big payoff today. The group, headed by Dick Rutan, receives a $10 million prize for its efforts. That's no chump change.

Rob Marciano has your weekend forecast coming up.

HARRIS: And did America on the move walk right past you, and you didn't even know it? It's the first anniversary of America on the move. The basic premise is, walk more, eat less, just small steps to get folks to stop gaining weight. It's the brainchild of Dr. James Hill, who joins us from Denver.

Good morning, doctor.

DR. JAMES HILL, AMERICA ON THE MOVE: Good morning.

HARRIS: And along with him is Mary Simons, who has taken those steps to increase her physical activity. And Mary joins us from Washington, D.C.

Good morning, Mary.

MARY SIMONS: Good morning.

HARRIS: Well, doctor, let's start with you. What was the impulse, what was the premise to get this going?

HILL: Well, we know that Americans are getting fatter. Everybody knows that. The average American gains one to two pounds every year. The purpose of America on the move is to have people make two small lifestyle changes to stop gaining weight, walk 2,000 steps more, so get a pedometer...

HARRIS: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

HILL: ... find out how many steps you take, do 2,000 more, eat 100 calories less each day. It's enough to stop weight gain.

HARRIS: So is it 2,000 more steps each day? So that by the end of the week, you're at, what, what, what, 10,000 additional steps?

HILL: No, start where you are now...

HARRIS: OK.

HILL: ... the average American gets about 5,000 steps a day.

HARRIS: Aah.

HILL: If you go up to 7,000, you've burned an extra 100 calories. You do that every day, you burn a extra 100 calories every day. You eat 100 calories less, you've changed by 200 calories a day. That's very big for your weight, stops weight gain. In some people, it might actually produce some weight loss.

HARRIS: Hey, Mary, it seems like a pretty simple plan. How did you find out about it?

SIMONS: I read it in the paper. We were on vacation in Myrtle Beach about a year ago, and I got a copy of "USA Today," and there was a big article about it. And I thought, This sounds like it could work. It can't be too hard. I came home to Washington and also heard about it on WMAL radio. So I thought, I'm going to go on the Web site and see what it's all about. So I registered, and I got a pedometer, and I started walking. HARRIS: When did you start? How long ago?

SIMONS: Oh, about a year ago, I guess.

HARRIS: Give us a sense what your life was like before you started, and what kind of a progress have you made?

SIMONS: Well, I was putting on a little bit of weight, and I wasn't happy with that. I do like walking. And I thought, this is easy, I can do this. So I start walking more. I walk with my neighbor. She now has a pedometer that she wears sometimes, and all of my co-workers. I teach in a preschool, and they're all starting to count their steps now.

In fact, one little student, little 4-year-old Megan, even wears the step counter to school some days, and we compare steps.

HARRIS: Well, doctor, give us a sense of how many people you've signed up during the course of the year. And how do you measure success?

HILL: Well, in one year, we're now in 20 states. A year ago we were in one, Colorado, started in Colorado. We're in 20 states, over 300,000 people have signed up for America on the Move. And the way we measure success are, you know, number one stories like Mary. But we're also researchers, so we're doing research on the program. We're doing studies. We've shown we can increase activity in families, we've shown we can prevent weight gain in overweight kids.

So we're continuing to study from a research standpoint the program as well, Tony.

HARRIS: Doctor, where is all the high-impact, high-intensity aerobics and jumping around and tearing your ligaments (UNINTELLIGIBLE)? That's not a part of the program, is it?

HILL: No, we're not in the no pain, no gain program. In fact, we're the opposite. We're saying, what we want you to do is start where you are right now and make some small changes. Everybody can do a little more. That's what America on the Move is about.

HARRIS: So Mary, what kind of success have you had with the program? Tell, tell, tell.

SIMONS: Well, it has worked for me. I did start out slow. And I found it was pretty painless. So I added more steps. Now, my personal goal every day is at least 10,000 steps. And if I don't get that in, I purchased a stationary bike, and I ride the bike after dinner at night. I can read the paper while I'm riding the bike or watch CNN, and...

HARRIS: There you go.

SIMONS: ... it is working for me, I have to say, and it's not hard.

HARRIS: So it's a lifestyle change for you, and you're happy.

SIMONS: I am very happy, yes.

HARRIS: Well, Dr. Hill and Mary, thank you. Thank you for taking the time to share your stories with us.

HILL: You're welcome.

SIMONS: Thank you.

HARRIS: OK. Thank you both.

NGUYEN: Well, you know, this could be a very good morning for a brisk walk out there.

HARRIS: That map...

NGUYEN: Got your...

HARRIS: ... looks great.

NGUYEN: ... pedometer?

MARCIANO: Have you been checking out the maps?

HARRIS: No, the map looks great. And the doctor, the doctor said it's a great day in Denver, great day in Washington (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...

MARCIANO: It's a great day in a lot of, in a lot of spots.

HARRIS: See?

MARCIANO: And tomorrow morning at this time, they're not only going to be walking, but they are going to be running.

NGUYEN: Running, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) cold out there.

HARRIS: Yes, (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

MARCIANO: About 26 miles' worth. A live shot for you. New York Marathon is tomorrow morning, and it's a beautiful day across the Big Apple. Good morning, New York, the surrounding boroughs, all five of them, the suburbs looking real nice. You know, football happening there, marathon tomorrow, maybe you're just getting out to rake the leaves. Maybe you should want to check out some of the fall foliage.

Kind of a cool shot for you. This is a satellite imagery from about a week ago when we had some clear skies. You're looking at Lake Erie and some wispy clouds, of course. And then as we throw the maps into motion, you kind of see how some of the forests, like, say, the Allegheny Forest right here in western Pennsylvania, see how brown it is? That's from the foliage there.

Then we'll slide the map a little bit farther to the east, the Moshannon (ph) Forest, and some of the ridges that jump down into parts of western New Jersey, and (UNINTELLIGIBLE) the metropolis area is not quite as many trees, so it's not quite as colorful. But Fairfield County in Connecticut in through the Hudson Valley, obviously brown there.

And the northern parts of Long Island, still some green on the map there. So typically Long Island Sound will give you a little bit of a moderating effect, as will the Atlantic Ocean.

So these are the trees across lower New York that are the last to change, although they'll probably changing without a doubt today. If you're going out just to rake the leaves or checking out any double barrel high pressure. This is the map that Tony was talking about.

HARRIS: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

MARCIANO: Yes, blue's good. And then usually yields blue (UNINTELLIGIBLE) skies and bright sunshine.

(WEATHER FORECAST)

MARCIANO: Never get tired of looking at the Gateway Arch.

HARRIS: There you go.

MARCIANO: They're giving out $10 million, guys.

HARRIS: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

NGUYEN: Well, not just to anyone, though.

MARCIANO: No, not just to anyone. I mean, I don't think it's going to cover the costs of the first commercial or private manned flight into space.

NGUYEN: The X-Prize...

HARRIS: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

NGUYEN: ... yes...

MARCIANO: Yes, that's right.

NGUYEN: ... they spent some $20 million on that, getting $10 million back. But hey, all in the name of science.

MARCIANO: It's the future. That's right.

NGUYEN: Yes, exactly. Thank you, Rob.

MARCIANO: OK.

NGUYEN: President Bush wins reelection, but can he unite even more, an even more divided Congress? Bob Novak joins me ahead to talk about that.

HARRIS: Plus, playing Santa for the troops. What one Georgia woman is doing to help those fighting in Iraq. All ahead when CNN SATURDAY MORNING returns.

NGUYEN: Bouncing back, how the Democratic Party is working to overcome this year's election losses.

Welcome back. I'm Betty Nguyen.

HARRIS: And I'm Tony Harris. That story coming up.

First, here's what's happening now in the news.

It's been a bloody, deadly day in Iraq, and there are American casualties. Twenty U.S. Marines were wounded in an attack in Iraq's Al-Anbar province near Ramadi. U.S. military officials say it happened when their convoy came under attack.

Elsewhere in Iraq, two car bombings and a mortar attack killed at least 34 people in the central city of Samarra. The attacks happened near the mayor's office at a police station and near a coalition patrol. There are no reports of coalition casualties.

And U.S. war planes dropped bombs on targets in the rebel-held city of Fallujah today. The U.S. is trying to soften up positions there ahead of a planned all-out assault. U.S. And Iraqi officials want to gain control of the city ahead of January elections.

Back in this country, a celebration of space exploration gets under way today in Missouri. The Mojave Aerospace Ventures will get a $10 million check as winners of the Ansari X-Prize. Their rocket plane, called "Spaceshipone," won the prize by completing two privately funded manned spaceflights within two weeks.

NGUYEN: Well, with a stunning win over challenger John Kerry, President Bush now faces the task of uniting a divided country. How will the president spend his political capital, and how do the Democrats bounce back from their defeat?

Here to talk about all of this is Bob Novak in The Novak Zone.

Good morning, Bob.

ROBERT NOVAK, HOST, THE NOVAK ZONE: Good morning, Betty.

NGUYEN: Well, let's talk about that political capital, because on Thursday, the president said by winning the second election, he earned it, and he plans to spend it. So what is on his agenda? Is he free to do what he wants now?

NOVAK: Well, he has made it clear that he wants Social Security reform, which is long overdue, and to try to get this system to try to have some personal accounts, and also tax reform. We have a very poor tax system in this country. It's unfair. It is intrusive. And that is something that will be very popular, very difficult, and that is something to really watch in this administration.

When he says spending political capital, that means he is very popular right now, he won a big victory, and instead of just sitting on his laurels, he wants to take advantage of it.

NGUYEN: Well, some of the items on his agenda, like you mentioned, tax reform, his stand on abortion rights, stem cell research, some of these issues have really divided the nation. How is he going to work to unite the nation now that he's got another four years?

NOVAK: Well, the people who lost the election are the people who are talking about uniting the nation the most. This is a conservative country, that's why he won the election, and the idea that he's going to abandon the things he campaigned on, I think, is nonsense. I think what he has to do is try to convince the people he's right, but the idea that he's going to accept the agenda of the losers, of the people who were defeated, is not very realistic.

NGUYEN: All right, let's talk about the cabinet, some of the changes. We're hearing a lot of talk about that. Who do you think is out? Who do you think is going to stay? And primarily when we talk about those out, there are a lot of names on the table like Powell, Ashcroft, Rice, Rumsfeld. What's your take on this?

NOVAK: Well, I think John Ashcroft, the attorney general, is clearly out. I think a lot of people were disappointed in his performance. I don't think the president wants to have what used to be called a reconstruction of the cabinet in Britain after an election, just have a whole new gang, because you need all kinds of Senate confirmations.

I think it's going to be a more gradual process. I'm sure Colin Powell, sooner or later, is going to go. It's not going to be immediate. And I'm sure Don Rumsfeld is going to go. And there's going to be a big guessing game who replace him.

But if you want to get my guess, the next secretary of state, I think it's going to be John Danforth, who is now the ambassador to the United Nations.

NGUYEN: Very interesting. Do you think any Democrats are going to fill some of these top roles in an effort to unite the nation?

NOVAK: I think the Democrats that they would really like to get in perhaps at, perhaps at the Pentagon is former senator Sam Nunn of Georgia. Now, he was -- he has not been a hawk on Iraq. He voted when he was still in the Senate. He voted against the first Iraq war, but he is a strong supporter of national defense, very well liked by the military.

And if he would take the job, I think it would be very helpful. I think the Pentagon is a place where you can put a pro-defense Democrat, just as Senator, President Clinton put a Republican, Bill Cohen, over at the Pentagon as secretary of defense.

NGUYEN: Hey, Bob, the most powerful Democrat in the Senate, Tom Daschle, did not win reelection. What does this mean for the Democrats now? NOVAK: What it means is, it's something that is, you have to say about the whole Democratic Party. You don't hear much about the word conservative on the networks or the word liberal. But the Democratic Party is too liberal. And Tom Daschle was just too liberal for the state of South Dakota. He worked hard in bringing pork barrel spending back, but his deep voted against the wishes of the people, and he got very partisan as the Senate Democratic leader.

He was really skating on thin ice, and the ice finally broke.

I think you're also going to find that either his successor, Harry Reid of Nevada, who is certainly a partisan Democrat, he is no Zell Miller at all, heaven forbid. But he is, I think, a more conciliatory person, he had a very good phone call with President Bush on Wednesday. And I think Senator Reid wants to have a more conciliatory attitude in the Senate.

NGUYEN: And quickly, let's talk about John Kerry. Of course, he did not win the election, but he still has his job. What's it going to be like for him as he heads back to Capitol Hill?

NOVAK: Very tough, because John Kerry's whole life, I think, from the time he went into the Navy and asked for that Swift Boat assignment, was to be president of the United States. He was not a legislator who really enjoyed the give and take of legislative action. For example, the senior senator from Massachusetts, Ted Kennedy, is a, is a senator. He loves being a senator.

I think it's going to be very tough for John Kerry, because this was his life's dream. It's now it's gone forever, he'll never run for president again. And he's really not into the life of the Senate. So I think it's going to be a very tough adjustment process for him.

NGUYEN: All right. Let's get quickly to the big question of the morning in The Novak Zone. You know, this was a pretty close election. There's a lot of talk about 2008. Who do you think is going to be running in that election?

NOVAK: Well, there's a lot of exciting names out there. Rudy Giuliani, Hillary Clinton, really people who are famous. But I think that both parties are going to take people who are, who, first place, I think the Republicans want somebody who will carry the base, and I say Governor Bill Owens of Colorado, who's a Catholic, he's pro-life, he's conservative.

And I think the Democrats are going to look for a moderate. They'd like a Southern moderate, but there's just no Southern governors around. So Senator Evan Bayh of Indiana, who won in a landslide while President Bush was winning (UNINTELLIGIBLE) easily, and one of his budget director, Mitch Daniels, was winning the governorship, but on the Republican side, so that may not be excitement village, Betty, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Owens versus Bayh, but those, those are my choices.

And if I'm right four years from now, you'll say I'm a genius. NGUYEN: All right, yes, you know, we're going to mark them down and we'll check back with you in 2008. All right, Bob Novak, thank you for that.

NOVAK: Thank you, Betty.

NGUYEN: And you can see more of Bob Novak tonight at 7:00 p.m. Eastern on "THE CAPITAL GANG." "THE GANG" will discuss the president's claim of a mandate, and where the Democrats go from here in their postelection wrap-up.

HARRIS: OK, here it goes. Fair elections on the brink. Voting machines on the blink. And enough ballot battles to cause a stink.

With so few of those election nightmares coming to light, it's enough to make you think what did and didn't happen and why?

Our Brian Todd sorts through it all.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BRIAN TODD, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Brace yourselves, we were told, it's coming. It could have applied to any of those dire predictions we'd heard leading up to the election. A terrorist attack, always a threat in the post-9/11 climate, seemed to many a more ominous possibility during election week. A U.S. senator even closed his Capitol Hill office, citing what he called top-secret intelligence.

SEN. MARK DAYTON (D), MINNESOTA: I would not bring my two sons to Capitol Hill between now and the election. So I'm not going to put other people's sons and daughters at a risk that I'm not there to share myself.

TODD: No attack near election day, and Senator Dayton reopened his office the very next day.

BRUCE HOFFMAN, RAND CORPORATION: It could be that because we were vigilant, because we were on guard, because of the warnings that we issued, it deterred the terrorists.

TODD: Another expert who's tracked al Qaeda for years tells us he doesn't think the group had the personnel in the U.S. to pull it off.

We also geared up for voting nightmares on and after election day, a deadlocked race that wouldn't be decided for weeks, provisional ballot battles, electronic machines going haywire, lingering stress over hanging chads, armies of attorneys roaming the land.

DAVID BOIES, GORE 2000 ELECTION ATTORNEY: I think when you have as many lawyers that are involved on both sides, there is a danger that they all try to find something to do.

TODD: They may still be trying. WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: And nothing happened. Why not? Well, 2000, that's why not, because they were prepared, knowing what happened in Florida.

TODD: Another political analyst tells us it boiled down to the fact that both the popular vote and the electoral college, while close, did fall clearly to President Bush. It just wasn't close enough to warrant a fight.

Before Tuesday, many believed the youth vote would dominate. Rocket Vote and P. Diddy's Vote or Die campaigns generated huge publicity.

P. DIDDY, BAD BOY ENTERTAINMENT: Be the wild card, we going to decide who's the next president of the United States of America.

TODD: More young people did vote this year, but there were increases in turnout all over the demographic map, and the youth block comprised only 17 percent of all voters, the same percentage as in 2000. Political analysts say young voters typically aren't very partisan, and many people of voting age simply have other things on their minds.

Brian Todd, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: Time for a look at some stories across America.

When it comes to the meaning of marriage, one group in Texas is offering a textbook definition. The state's board of education is changing proposed wording in its health books to define marriage as "a union between a man and a woman." Two publishers of high school and middle school books agreed to change terms like "married partners."

While there's good news in the new jobs report, there is bad news from SBC Communications. The company says it will slash 10,000 or more jobs by the end of next year through layoffs and attrition. That's about 6 percent of its workforce. SBC has already cut about 7,000 jobs in the past year.

And in Washington state, an icy situation is creating some cold, hard questions, like, where did this block of ice come from? The chunk smashed through the roof of a home in Kent and landed on the bed of an 8-year-old girl. Now, she wasn't in that bed at time. Some think it could be from ice built up on the wing of an airplane. The FAA is investigating.

HARRIS: Caring for the troops in Iraq. How one Georgia woman is giving them some of the comforts of home, and what keeps her going, when CNN SATURDAY MORNING returns.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HARRIS: For the parents of fallen soldiers, a letter from Iraq can be gut-wrenching. Tomorrow on CNN SUNDAY MORNING," you'll hear some last letters home from soldiers who died in battle.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: "I miss you and love you very much. I hate the idea of missing out on the holidays."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: A preview of a poignant HBO special tomorrow on "CNN SUNDAY MORNING" at 9:00 a.m., Eastern, plus this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Jesus Christ came into my life and freed me from drug addiction. You know, I was amazed by it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HARRIS: In our Faces of Faith, one of the new faces of Christian rock music, Day of Fire, tomorrow, 8:00 Eastern, on "CNN SUNDAY MORNING."

NGUYEN: At 45 past the hour, here's a look at the headlines this morning.

The latest violence in Iraq has claimed dozens of lives. Insurgents carried out a series of deadly bomb and mortar attacks in Samarra. U.S. war planes and artillery softened up suspected terrorist targets in Fallujah. Thousands of U.S. Marines backed by Iraqi army troops are poised to attack the insurgents controlling Fallujah.

And in Paris, supporters of Yasser Arafat keep vigil outside the hospital where he remains in a coma. A hospital spokesman says Arafat's condition is stable. U.S. officials say the Palestinian leader is on life support. A Palestinian official denies that.

And we have been asking you this morning if you think Democrats and Republicans can work together for the next four years. We will read you the e-mails just a little bit of head. Send them in, though, at wam@cnn.com.

HARRIS: But headlines out of Iraq typically focus on U.S. casualties. Often overlooked is that many of those troops are very young, a long way from home, probably scared, and maybe feeling a little forgotten. One woman's concern has now turned into a crusade.

CNN's Denise Belgrave has her story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DENISE BELGRAVE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For troops in Iraq, she's the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, and Santa Claus, all wrapped up in one.

GLORIA RUCKS, DAVE AND GLORIA'S BARBER SHOP: And if I can help them in any way, I will do everything I can to do it, so that they will feel like we love them and they haven't been forgotten. Very emotional project. I get -- I cry nearly every day.

BELGRAVE: Gloria Rucks, a barber by trade, turned her tears into action by mobilizing her community to provide CARE packages to National Guard troops. She got help from Tim Markham's company, which designed special boxes for the project.

TIM MARKHAM, ROCK-TENN COMPANY: With what our soldiers are going through over in Iraq, and, you know, we see it in the paper every day, and it's the least we can do.

BELGRAVE: And even though there was some skepticism at first, Rucks has seen even the weary turn a compassionate cheek.

RUCKS: Norcross police came in, checked us out to make sure that it wasn't a scam, and they found out that it wasn't, and then they took a box to the police station, filled it up, and brought it in.

BELGRAVE: Rucks says it's an enormous task soliciting thousands of dollars in contributions, packing hundreds of boxes, and making countless runs to the post office. But she says it's the thank-you notes that keep her going.

RUCKS: "Dear David and Gloria, Thank you so much for your CARE package. It's awesome. I tried to -- the Bumblebee and crackers tonight. It was a gourmet meal. Everything you sent will be used and enjoyed, believe me. I wish you could have seen the look on my fellow comrades' faces as your packages were being passed out. Christmas in August, oh, yes!"

BELGRAVE: How much longer will she keep it up?

RUCKS: Till the last box back there is gone.

BELGRAVE (on camera): How many boxes have you got there?

RUCKS: I've got -- I have -- I started out with 1,600, I've done -- I've got 800 more to go.

BELGRAVE: These cards were made by the local Girl Scout troop, and they're a good example of how Gloria Rucks' project is not only serving the troops but is also fostering a strong sense of community in the Georgia suburb.

Denise Belgrave, CNN, Norcross, Georgia.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

NGUYEN: Well, if you didn't have a chance to keep up with the news during the week, that is what we are here to do. Time now to rewind the major stories you may have missed.

Actually it was hard to miss this one, election day 2004. Fifty- one percent of Americans voted to keep President Bush in the White House for another term. The president says he now has a mandate. Democrats conceded the next day.

Meanwhile, another election comes to an end. Hamid Karzai formally accepts the presidency of Afghanistan. The joint U.N.-Afghan board proclaimed his victory in the October 9 popular vote. Karzai promised to keep drug money out of the government.

And Friday, an upbeat jobs report for the month of October triggers a rally on Wall Street. The number of newly created jobs is the best in seven months. But the unemployment rate edged up to 5.5 percent. The market, however, finished the week with three straight days of gains.

And, of course, tomorrow we will fast forward to the week ahead and tell you which stories will grab the spotlight.

HARRIS: Can't we all just get along? We've been asking you all morning, will the Democrats and Republicans be able to work together for the next four years? What you're saying, plus Rob's here with your forecast.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

NGUYEN: Well, it is time now to check in with Kathleen Hays in Washington for a sneak peek of "ON THE STORY." Good morning, Kathleen.

KATHLEEN HAYS, "ON THE STORY": Good morning, Betty.

Well, it's going to be a great show. We're "ON THE STORY" from here in Washington, to California, Paris, the battlefields of Iraq. Two veterans of that long presidential campaign trail, Candy Crowley and Dana Bash, "ON THE STORY" of what happened and what comes next. I'll be talking about the Bush rally on Wall Street and the surge of new jobs. We'll talk to Jane Arraf as U.S. forces prepare for what could be major combat in Iraq. And to top it all off, Rusty Dornin has the latest as the jury ponders a verdict in the Scott Peterson murder trial. It's all coming up, all "ON THE STORY." Betty, back to you.

NGUYEN: A lot coming up. Kathleen Hays, thank you for that. We'll be watching.

HARRIS: That's a full show.

Now, all morning long we've been asking you for your thought on our e-mail question. The question, basically, Do you believe Democrats and Republicans can work things out over the next four years? Here are a couple of your responses.

NGUYEN: Yes, we've got some interesting ones.

Cathy from Providence, Rhode Island, writes in, "As a Democrat, I believe that giving in to the Republican agenda would be even worse than losing to George Bush. It is the Republicans who should seek compromise. Democrats owe it to the 49 percent of us who did not vote for Bush." HARRIS: And this from A.J., "Yes, of course, Democrats and Republicans can work together for the next four years, especially if the media and the Democrats stop their Bush-bashing yammering and let it go. You lost. Just get on with it."

That's the spirit. Thank you, A.J..

NGUYEN: A.J.'s quite a character.

Oh, speaking of characters, time now to go to Rob Marciano. Good morning, Rob.

HARRIS: Hey, Rob.

MARCIANO: Hi, how you doing? Actually, I'm A.J., I wrote that...

(CROSSTALK)

NGUYEN: It's your alias.

MARCIANO: Hey, guys.

(WEATHER FORECAST)

MARCIANO: Just trust me. Trust me.

NGUYEN: Yes, we just draw you a picture next time, Rob.

MARCIANO: All right, not too bad there.

NGUYEN: Or A.J., I should say, whichever one it is, right?

MARCIANO: No, no, I'm not A.J., but, you know, I appreciate people who, you know, speak their mind.

NGUYEN: Write in their opinions.

MARCIANO: Speak their minds.

NGUYEN: Exactly.

HARRIS: You know what, Rob? For, I think we've established that in my month here on the weekend team.

MARCIANO: Yes, sir.

NGUYEN: Has it been a month already?

HARRIS: Yes, it's been a month.

MARCIANO: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

HARRIS: That, that, I'm getting hammered on the singing thing. But would you agree for most of the country...

NGUYEN: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

HARRIS: ... it is a lovely day, a little Bill Withers, a lovely day would be...

NGUYEN: You're not going to sing it?

HARRIS: I'm not going to sing it. But wouldn't that...

MARCIANO: Betty, do you know who Bill Withers is?

NGUYEN: Obviously, a singer.

MARCIANO: I guess so.

NGUYEN: I don't know the song he's talking about. What song (UNINTELLIGIBLE)?

BELGRAVE: Come on, give me a couple of...

HARRIS: Bill Withers. It's a lovely day. Nice try, Rob, it's not going to happen.

MARCIANO: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

HARRIS: Nice try.

MARCIANO: All right, maybe tomorrow.

HARRIS: All right. It has been a very busy...

NGUYEN: Maybe not tomorrow.

HARRIS: ... morning...

NGUYEN: Yes.

HARRIS: ... and we want to thank you for being with us. That's all for us.

NGUYEN: We're back tomorrow morning. But right now, "ON THE STORY" is next, and we're going to give you a check of the headlines as well.

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