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American Morning
Community Mourns Murdered Hunters; Holiday Travelers Could Face Delays Wednesday; Teen Leads Campaign to Thank Soldiers; Study: Men May Benefit More from Antioxidants
Aired November 23, 2004 - 09:30 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.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: There's your opening bell from Wall Street starting off today 9:30 a.m. here in New York City. The Dow 30, rather, starting at 10,489, up about 32 points in trading from yesterday.
At the Nasdaq MarketSite, up about 14 points to start at 2,085. Apple trading up again yesterday in a big way, too, that Andy's been talking about throughout the morning.
So good morning, welcome back.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: And it is exactly half past the hour on this AMERICAN MORNING.
A sixth member of that deer hunting party now dying in that rampage in Wisconsin. Between members of the community and the family of the suspect, no one can quite figure out what started it all, though. We're going to bring you a report on that just ahead.
HEMMER: So stunned in that state, too.
O'BRIEN: Terrible news.
HEMMER: Also tomorrow, by the millions, Americans heading out for the holiday weekend. We'll look at whether or not the weather will cooperate. In the eastern half of the U.S. you're going to have some issues tomorrow.
We'll also go behind the scenes at Amtrak. Better to take a train, maybe, this time around.
O'BRIEN: Looks like weather-wise it's going to be a mess.
More on that later. Kelly Wallace now with the headlines.
Good morning, Kelly.
KELLY WALLACE, ANCHOR: Good morning again, Soledad. Good morning, Bill. Good morning, everyone.
We begin with news about Iraq. Within the past two hours, Secretary of State Colin Powell saying there appears to be international support for Iraqi elections. Secretary Powell speaking at a conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
There has been some doubt whether violence in the country could delay elections set for January 30.
Meanwhile, multinational troops have launched a new offensive in insurgent hotbeds south of Baghdad. Some 5,000 troops are taking part in that operation.
Back here in the United States, some stranded campers are now resting after a harrowing ordeal in California. Authorities used bulldozers to clear the road leading to the group in the Santa Rosa Peak area. An unexpected weekend storm pummeled the region with as much as two feet of snow.
News now about recording artist Sheryl Crow. She is facing her stalker in court. Crow testified yesterday about against a former Navy diver who she claims has followed her over a 15-month period. If convicted, the man faces up to seven years in prison for burglary and stalking charges.
And Indiana Pacers forward Ron Artest says he's confident he'll suit up again before the playoffs. Artest was banned for the season for his role in Friday's brawl with the Detroit Pistons. The suspension amounts to 72 games. Artest plans to appeal.
Two of his teammates were suspended for at least 25 games and they also say they plan to appeal.
And Artest did an interview earlier this morning. He says, "I wish that situation never happened. It wasn't good at all for anybody."
That might be the understatement of the year.
O'BRIEN: Yes, that we know, Ron. Thanks. Kelly, appreciate it.
A sixth person has died following Sunday's shooting rampage in the woods of rural Wisconsin. The man who authorities say opened fire on a group of hunters is now in police custody.
Keith Oppenheim is live from Meteor Township in remote Sawyer County, Wisconsin, with more on this this morning.
Keith, good morning.
KEITH OPPENHEIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Soledad.
I'm just a half a mile from where the crime took place. And what happened there on Sunday was at first not so unusual. A hunter had staked out some territory, and was approached by another group of hunters who told him he was on private property, and then had to leave.
But what followed was extremely unusual. And that has left a community, where most of the victims lived, in mourning today.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
OPPENHEIM (voice-over): The residents of Rice Lake, Wisconsin, are taking in the deadly details.
LINDA KONECHT, RICE LAKE RESIDENT: I'm shocked. And it's scary. You know, my family goes out hunting every year.
OPPENHEIM: On Sunday, in deep woods one hour away from town, a group of area hunters came across another hunter, 36-year-old Chai Vang, who police say was trespassing, illegally using a deer stand on private land. Investigators say the hunters told Vang he had to leave.
SHERIFF JAMES MEIER, SAWYER COUNTY, WISCONSIN: The suspect got down from the deer stand, walked approximately 40 yards, fiddled with his rifle in some sort, which appeared he took the scope off the rifle. He turned and he opened fire on the group.
OPPENHEIM: Police say after the shootings Vang got lost in the woods, then got help from two other hunters who didn't realize he was a wanted man. He was later arrested by authorities without incident.
SHERIFF TOM RICHIE, SHARON COUNTY, WISCONSIN: The most frequently asked question is how could somebody do such a horrific, inhumane act?
OPPENHEIM: At this point, police have no clear answer as to what might have led Chai Vang from committing a minor infraction, trespassing, to what police believe was his role in a multiple murder.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
OPPENHEIM: Soledad, a couple things that we know about Chai Vang. He's a Laotian immigrant. He came to the United States in 1980, became an American citizen, served in the U.S. Army.
He is married and a father of six, works as a truck driver in St. Paul. No major criminal record that we know of other than the fact that the police came to his home three years ago because of a domestic disturbance. He was allegedly waving a handgun at his wife. But she did not want to press charges.
Now, some details about those who died. There's a father and son in this group, Robert and Joey Crottreau. Joey was just 20 years old. Also a woman was killed, Jessica Willers. She's 27 years old. Her father is among the injured. And last night there was a sixth fatality when 55-year-old Denny Drew died in a regional hospital -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Terrible tragedy, really, across the board for everyone. Keith Oppenheim for us this morning in Wisconsin, thanks for that update -- Bill.
HEMMER: Twenty-five minutes now before the hour. And shifting our focus now to the holiday. Many Americans may be using today as an opportunity to get an early getaway for Thanksgiving.
It is tomorrow, though, on Wednesday, one of the busiest travel days of the year. That will be the big test for the airports and the highways and the railways.
Chris Lawrence is live in Chicago this morning with more there.
Chris, hello, good morning.
CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Bill, even on a normal day, Amtrak has some reliability problems. Only a little over 70 percent of the trains actually run on time.
Now you put an extra 100,000 people on those rails. And it becomes a major problem trying to meet that demand.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LAWRENCE (voice-over): It's a holiday that's supposed to put people on the move.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All aboard!
LAWRENCE: But it takes a lot of work to make sure Thanksgiving travel doesn't come to a screeching halt.
Amtrak expects to serve some 600,000 passengers this week and 80 percent more than normal on Wednesday alone.
(on camera) So there's no way a normal staff could handle the amount of people that will be riding this week?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No. Not around the holidays.
LAWRENCE: Amtrak's Don Saunders' plan includes an extra shift of officers to handle security.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Perimeter checks, platform checks, random I.D. checks.
LAWRENCE: Enough cooks and waiters to serve seven tons of roast turkey and added space for all those passengers.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're on target to build up to at least our 26 additional coaches in the Midwest corridor trains.
LAWRENCE: But the key to making it all work is people.
GINO ENGSTROM, EMPLOYEE: Are you catching another train, dear?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Track No. 14.
LAWRENCE: Gino Engstrom has been working holidays on the rails for over 30 years.
ENGSTROM: It gets kind of stressful. People are screaming and hollering and that.
LAWRENCE: But his red cap is the first thing people see, so he treats each passenger like their special. ENGSTROM: Some of them haven't seen their families in years. And some of them are getting back together. Some of them, you know, maybe for the last time, you know. You never know.
Oh, thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LAWRENCE: It looks like Gino's going to have his work cut out for him. Amtrak is adding nearly 60 trains to its national schedule and it's also attaching more cars to existing trains.
Put it all together, it's going to give them about 40,000 extra seats, which they hope will be filled by some very patient passengers, all filled with all that great holiday spirit -- Bill.
HEMMER: They may need the room, too. Thanks, Chris. Chris Lawrence in Chicago -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: It is not every day that a teenager's school project gets national attention. But that is just what happened to 15-year- old Shauna Fleming.
In March she began a letter-writing campaign to thank U.S. troops for their service. Her goal was a million thanks. She reached that goal in October, and just last week she hand delivered the millionth letter to President Bush.
Shauna Fleming joins us from Los Angeles this morning along with her high school principal, Greg Pinnick.
Nice to see you both. Thanks for being with us.
SHAUNA FLEMING, A MILLION THANKS: Hi.
O'BRIEN: Shauna, let's start with you. It's a pretty big idea, a million thanks. How did you get the idea?
FLEMING: Well, actually I knew that May was National Military Appreciation month, and I really wanted to do something for the soldiers, because I just felt that it was important that we let them know that we appreciate them, and all that they're doing, their sacrifices.
And so I kind of went up to my dad and said, "Hey, you know, we should do something."
And he kind of tongue in cheek jokingly said, "Ph, OK, why don't you collect a million letters?" And it just snowballed from there, really.
O'BRIEN: From kind of a joke to the real deal. Your high school got on board. Then it expanded well beyond that. How did you link the servicemen and women with the people who wanted to communicate with them?
FLEMING: Well, really, it was just all the people across the country who sent letters to my high school. And then my high school got addresses of soldiers, as well as took them to military bases and veterans' hospitals.
And it's really good for people to put the return address, or really their e-mail, so that the soldiers can keep in contact with them. They really like that.
O'BRIEN: Mr. Pinnick, I know that you've been a huge supporter of Shauna's. Have you been surprised by the overwhelming response to all this?
GREG PINNICK, PRINCIPAL, LUTHERAN H.S.: Maybe surprised just from the standpoint that it happened so quickly. But Shauna's passion for this and the way that she rallied, first of all her teachers, and then our students and the community. It's really been an exciting thing to see how people have said thanks in this way.
O'BRIEN: Shauna, do you hear back from the servicemen and women, and what do they say?
FLEMING: Oh, all the time. Yes, I have actually kept in contact with about ten of them as of right now, and they're just so appreciative of what people are doing for them. And I think it's really important that we do show them how grateful we are.
And that's -- that's why I came across this awesome program called AmericaSupportsYou.mil, and the Pentagon, actually the DOD set this up, and they want people to logon to their web site to record all that they're doing for the troops. So the troops can go on and see what America's doing for them.
And this is just so incredibly important for the troops to know. And they're just indebtedly grateful for what I'm doing, for what America is doing to show -- to show them that we appreciate them and support their efforts, And what they're trying to do.
O'BRIEN: Shauna, we only have a couple of seconds left. But we just showed a minute ago a picture of you with President Bush. Tell me what that was like to meet the president and hand to him the one- millionth letter?
FLEMING: That was very cool. As commander in chief I thought that he was the one who deserved that millionth letter. And it was just very neat to be in there. He's a very personable guy. And it was just so great to be in the Oval Office handing him the millionth letter, my goal from the very beginning.
O'BRIEN: And I know you've moved the goal line now. Your goal line now, 1.4 million letters.
FLEMING: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Shauna, nice to see you. Greg Pinnick, as well, her principal. Thanks to both of you for being with us.
FLEMING: Thank you.
PINNICK: Thank you.
HEMMER: Nice story. Check of the weather again, here's Chad Myers.
It's so relevant this time of year, Chad, I've got to tell you. Everybody hitting the road tomorrow.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HEMMER: Thanks, Chad.
In a moment we hear much about the benefits of eating foods high in antioxidants. Why does one sex, though, seem to benefit more than the other? There's a new study out there Sanjay explains in a moment.
O'BRIEN: Also as Thanksgiving approaches, Martha Stewart offering her thanks from prison. We'll tell you what she had to say, just ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Millions of Americans take antioxidants. Now there's a new study out to confuse you if you are taking them. It finds the supplements lower the risk of cancer in men but not so in women.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains all this. Good morning to you.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
Some would say the antioxidants are being sexist. Perhaps. Interesting study, research out of France. They followed 13,000 people along for 7 1/2 years. They weren't trying to find a difference in the sexes as far as the effects of the antioxidants. That's exactly what they found.
Take a look here. Interesting. Again, 7 1/2 year study in France. Antioxidant supplements had no effect on women's risk for cancer. Men were 31 percent less likely to develop cancer than women if they took these antioxidants.
Again, that wasn't what they set out to do, but that's what they found.
HEMMER: What explains that?
GUPTA: Well, it's interesting. They don't know. That's the short answer. But they have a lot of theories on this.
One that I think is probably the most likely theory is it really depends on what your baseline of diet was before you started taking antioxidants. And in general, what they hypothesize was that men don't eat diets already high in antioxidants. So when they started taking the supplements they got a greater benefit than women who already ate a diet high in antioxidants.
HEMMER: So the supplements work, then?
GUPTA: Well, that's what this one study shows. And I know you're illustrating an important point here, because you and I have gone back and forth on antioxidants and whether or not they work.
For a long time people used to say they don't hurt you, they might help you. Why not take them? Now people are back off, saying be real careful with the antioxidants. We're not sure if they work. There could be some detrimental effect.
HEMMER: Give me some examples. Antioxidants, blueberries?
GUPTA: Food-wise. Blueberries, broccoli, beans, all kinds of different foods have them. Usually, the richly flavored and richly colored vegetables are going to have them.
But the foods are probably going to be more important than the supplements themselves. And this is another sort of little point there about the antioxidants.
A lot of people say yes, you get them in the foods, and you can take the supplements. But we're not so sure that the foods alone aren't going to provide the most beneficial effect, meaning you should just stick to the vegetables and fruits and don't waste your time on the supplements.
HEMMER: You mention long-term study. One thing you've always taught me when we look at these studies how many people were used and how long did the example last?
GUPTA: That's right.
HEMMER: Is this legitimate enough for you?
GUPTA: Thirteen thousand people, 7.5 years, it's a fairly long- term study as far as these things go.
The problem is, and the problem is with a lot of these studies is that it's so complicated to figure out all the dietary patterns of an individual. You might eat broccoli one day, have some blueberries the next. How does that throw off the study?
What they said is that men don't eat as well as women, generally speaking, so they could benefit more from the antioxidants.
HEMMER: Button us up if you could here. What's the takeaway when you hear something like this?
GUPTA: I think there are certain antioxidants, certain vitamins that are probably a good thing. A multivitamin a day probably good for both men and women. There is some studies, at least early ones, say that it wards off cancer. It may ward off dementia and Alzheimer's as well, as well as lowering your risk of stroke. So some benefits. HEMMER: Thank you, Sanjay. Good to see you in New York, by the way.
GUPTA: Happy to be here. It's been awhile.
HEMMER: Look at this guy, Soledad. He's still walking around. Still living, breathing, even after he got married.
GUPTA: See, not so bad, Bill.
O'BRIEN: Not so bad. Get him a couple kids now. It all comes together, Sanjay.
Still to come this morning, Martha Stewart keeping in touch with her fans for the holidays from prison. Andy Serwer has a look at what she's telling them, up next on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: A changing of the guard at McDonald's. And what does Martha Stewart have to say as the holidays approach? A look at that and Wall Street, as well. Andy Serwer, "Minding Your Business."
JACK CAFFERTY, CO-HOST: Let me out.
ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Hello. What was that, Jack?
CAFFERTY: Martha Stewart has to say as the holidays approach, "Let me out."
SERWER: Let me out. OK. I thought you were speaking there for a minute about yourself.
CAFFERTY: That, too.
SERWER: All right, yes, let's take a look at the market here. First of all, Soledad, stocks trading a little bit lower, down five.
McDonald's actually was ticked up a little bit even with the news that their CEO, Charlie Bell is stepping down because of colorectal cancer. I think that what happened is there's a perception on Wall Street that this was a situation that -- where he had health problems and now it's out in the open and so, word on with it.
Another stock moving today is our own dear Time Warner, parent company of CNN. Story in "The Washington Post" this morning that they are about to settle with the Securities and Exchange Commission and pay a fine of $750 million to the SEC, this to settle charges of accounting irregularities.
HEMMER: That will do it.
SERWER: And the stock is up because people, that's a cloud hanging over the stock that may be moving on off into the horizon.
CAFFERTY: There you go. SERWER: Now shall we get on to Martha Stewart?
CAFFERTY: Absolutely.
SERWER: Let's get on to Martha Stewart. Martha Stewart messages -- messages from jail. If I ever go to jail I'm going to have a web site and I'm going to send messages. Not that I'm going to go to jail.
Fifteen hundred e-mails, she says. "I'm getting thousands of letters. While I can't answer each note personally, I want you to know I'm well. As you would expect the loss of freedom and the lack of privacy are extremely difficult. But I am safe, fit and healthy. And I'm pleased to report that contrary to rumors you might have heard, my daily interactions with the staff and fellow inmates here at Alderson are marked by fair treatment and mutual respect. In short I'm in good spirits," et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. It says, "Thanksgiving wishes."
CAFFERTY: Especially from my girlfriend Harold.
SERWER: I'm not sure about that, Jack. There's no mention of any girlfriends there.
HEMMER: Has Martha gone British, by the way, while she was away?
SERWER: I just sort of get a little clippy when I read letters from prison.
CAFFERTY: She made $30 million the other day in the slammer. Her stock I guess, Martha Stewart whatever...
O'BRIEN: Kmart.
SERWER: Because of the Sears/Kmart deal, yes.
CAFFERTY: Yes. And she made $30 million sitting there.
SERWER: Just another day in the joint.
CAFFERTY: She and Harold.
SERWER: Yes.
CAFFERTY: Question of the day is how much should you tell children about terrorism?
Teresa in Cittikill (ph), New York, "Define terrorism. What do Iraqi, Sudanese, the Israeli or Palestinian parents tell their children? We're not alone in this scary world."
Mark in Ann Arbor, Michigan, "If we don't start scaring kids now, where will the next generation of evangelical conservative Republican voters come from?"
And Paul in Hellertown, Pennsylvania, says, "Today's kids have no idea what terrorism is. In my neighborhood terrorism began when your dad got home, spoke to your mother and then began removing his belt."
O'BRIEN: Oh, my goodness.
HEMMER: Wow.
O'BRIEN: I hope he's kidding.
SERWER: Yes. I've got two kids. And none of them have had it so...
O'BRIEN: I think that's rather -- I had a lot of brothers and sisters.
CAFFERTY: Blame it on the siblings.
O'BRIEN: Yes, that's right. Works for me.
HEMMER: Which door is open down the hallway, so you can fling them open, you know?
In a moment here, holiday travelers are not just taking to the skies. They're jamming the highways this holiday. How Amtrak is gearing up for hundreds of thousands traveling by rail.
Betty Nguyen, Rick Sanchez have that, next hour on "LIVE TODAY." We're back in a moment on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Aaron Brown now with a preview of what's coming up tonight an "NEWSNIGHT."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AARON BROWN, HOST, "NEWSNIGHT": Thanks, Soledad.
Tonight on the program, forget the movie; the truth is better. We'll look at the life of one of the greatest military and political leaders who ever lived, Alexander the Great. As told by Nissan (ph), pretty darn good.
That, Iraq, all the day's top news, morning papers and everything else that makes "NEWSNIGHT," "NEWSNIGHT." CNN tonight, 10 p.m. Eastern -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: All right, Aaron, thanks.
HEMMER: See you in about twelve hours on that. We've got to run. Three hours just went cruising by.
O'BRIEN: Parting is such sweet sorrow.
WALLACE: Finally (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
HEMMER: Hardly. All right. Here's -- who's in Atlanta? Is it Betty and Rick? RICH SANCHEZ, CO-HOST, "LIVE TODAY": It's Rick.
O'BRIEN: Yes, yes.
BETTY NGUYEN, CO-HOST, "LIVE TODAY": Good morning, everybody.
HEMMER: Good morning to you, as well.
SANCHEZ: Why did the president have so many detractors...
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Aired November 23, 2004 - 09:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: There's your opening bell from Wall Street starting off today 9:30 a.m. here in New York City. The Dow 30, rather, starting at 10,489, up about 32 points in trading from yesterday.
At the Nasdaq MarketSite, up about 14 points to start at 2,085. Apple trading up again yesterday in a big way, too, that Andy's been talking about throughout the morning.
So good morning, welcome back.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: And it is exactly half past the hour on this AMERICAN MORNING.
A sixth member of that deer hunting party now dying in that rampage in Wisconsin. Between members of the community and the family of the suspect, no one can quite figure out what started it all, though. We're going to bring you a report on that just ahead.
HEMMER: So stunned in that state, too.
O'BRIEN: Terrible news.
HEMMER: Also tomorrow, by the millions, Americans heading out for the holiday weekend. We'll look at whether or not the weather will cooperate. In the eastern half of the U.S. you're going to have some issues tomorrow.
We'll also go behind the scenes at Amtrak. Better to take a train, maybe, this time around.
O'BRIEN: Looks like weather-wise it's going to be a mess.
More on that later. Kelly Wallace now with the headlines.
Good morning, Kelly.
KELLY WALLACE, ANCHOR: Good morning again, Soledad. Good morning, Bill. Good morning, everyone.
We begin with news about Iraq. Within the past two hours, Secretary of State Colin Powell saying there appears to be international support for Iraqi elections. Secretary Powell speaking at a conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
There has been some doubt whether violence in the country could delay elections set for January 30.
Meanwhile, multinational troops have launched a new offensive in insurgent hotbeds south of Baghdad. Some 5,000 troops are taking part in that operation.
Back here in the United States, some stranded campers are now resting after a harrowing ordeal in California. Authorities used bulldozers to clear the road leading to the group in the Santa Rosa Peak area. An unexpected weekend storm pummeled the region with as much as two feet of snow.
News now about recording artist Sheryl Crow. She is facing her stalker in court. Crow testified yesterday about against a former Navy diver who she claims has followed her over a 15-month period. If convicted, the man faces up to seven years in prison for burglary and stalking charges.
And Indiana Pacers forward Ron Artest says he's confident he'll suit up again before the playoffs. Artest was banned for the season for his role in Friday's brawl with the Detroit Pistons. The suspension amounts to 72 games. Artest plans to appeal.
Two of his teammates were suspended for at least 25 games and they also say they plan to appeal.
And Artest did an interview earlier this morning. He says, "I wish that situation never happened. It wasn't good at all for anybody."
That might be the understatement of the year.
O'BRIEN: Yes, that we know, Ron. Thanks. Kelly, appreciate it.
A sixth person has died following Sunday's shooting rampage in the woods of rural Wisconsin. The man who authorities say opened fire on a group of hunters is now in police custody.
Keith Oppenheim is live from Meteor Township in remote Sawyer County, Wisconsin, with more on this this morning.
Keith, good morning.
KEITH OPPENHEIM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Soledad.
I'm just a half a mile from where the crime took place. And what happened there on Sunday was at first not so unusual. A hunter had staked out some territory, and was approached by another group of hunters who told him he was on private property, and then had to leave.
But what followed was extremely unusual. And that has left a community, where most of the victims lived, in mourning today.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
OPPENHEIM (voice-over): The residents of Rice Lake, Wisconsin, are taking in the deadly details.
LINDA KONECHT, RICE LAKE RESIDENT: I'm shocked. And it's scary. You know, my family goes out hunting every year.
OPPENHEIM: On Sunday, in deep woods one hour away from town, a group of area hunters came across another hunter, 36-year-old Chai Vang, who police say was trespassing, illegally using a deer stand on private land. Investigators say the hunters told Vang he had to leave.
SHERIFF JAMES MEIER, SAWYER COUNTY, WISCONSIN: The suspect got down from the deer stand, walked approximately 40 yards, fiddled with his rifle in some sort, which appeared he took the scope off the rifle. He turned and he opened fire on the group.
OPPENHEIM: Police say after the shootings Vang got lost in the woods, then got help from two other hunters who didn't realize he was a wanted man. He was later arrested by authorities without incident.
SHERIFF TOM RICHIE, SHARON COUNTY, WISCONSIN: The most frequently asked question is how could somebody do such a horrific, inhumane act?
OPPENHEIM: At this point, police have no clear answer as to what might have led Chai Vang from committing a minor infraction, trespassing, to what police believe was his role in a multiple murder.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
OPPENHEIM: Soledad, a couple things that we know about Chai Vang. He's a Laotian immigrant. He came to the United States in 1980, became an American citizen, served in the U.S. Army.
He is married and a father of six, works as a truck driver in St. Paul. No major criminal record that we know of other than the fact that the police came to his home three years ago because of a domestic disturbance. He was allegedly waving a handgun at his wife. But she did not want to press charges.
Now, some details about those who died. There's a father and son in this group, Robert and Joey Crottreau. Joey was just 20 years old. Also a woman was killed, Jessica Willers. She's 27 years old. Her father is among the injured. And last night there was a sixth fatality when 55-year-old Denny Drew died in a regional hospital -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: Terrible tragedy, really, across the board for everyone. Keith Oppenheim for us this morning in Wisconsin, thanks for that update -- Bill.
HEMMER: Twenty-five minutes now before the hour. And shifting our focus now to the holiday. Many Americans may be using today as an opportunity to get an early getaway for Thanksgiving.
It is tomorrow, though, on Wednesday, one of the busiest travel days of the year. That will be the big test for the airports and the highways and the railways.
Chris Lawrence is live in Chicago this morning with more there.
Chris, hello, good morning.
CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Bill, even on a normal day, Amtrak has some reliability problems. Only a little over 70 percent of the trains actually run on time.
Now you put an extra 100,000 people on those rails. And it becomes a major problem trying to meet that demand.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LAWRENCE (voice-over): It's a holiday that's supposed to put people on the move.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All aboard!
LAWRENCE: But it takes a lot of work to make sure Thanksgiving travel doesn't come to a screeching halt.
Amtrak expects to serve some 600,000 passengers this week and 80 percent more than normal on Wednesday alone.
(on camera) So there's no way a normal staff could handle the amount of people that will be riding this week?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No. Not around the holidays.
LAWRENCE: Amtrak's Don Saunders' plan includes an extra shift of officers to handle security.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Perimeter checks, platform checks, random I.D. checks.
LAWRENCE: Enough cooks and waiters to serve seven tons of roast turkey and added space for all those passengers.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're on target to build up to at least our 26 additional coaches in the Midwest corridor trains.
LAWRENCE: But the key to making it all work is people.
GINO ENGSTROM, EMPLOYEE: Are you catching another train, dear?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Track No. 14.
LAWRENCE: Gino Engstrom has been working holidays on the rails for over 30 years.
ENGSTROM: It gets kind of stressful. People are screaming and hollering and that.
LAWRENCE: But his red cap is the first thing people see, so he treats each passenger like their special. ENGSTROM: Some of them haven't seen their families in years. And some of them are getting back together. Some of them, you know, maybe for the last time, you know. You never know.
Oh, thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LAWRENCE: It looks like Gino's going to have his work cut out for him. Amtrak is adding nearly 60 trains to its national schedule and it's also attaching more cars to existing trains.
Put it all together, it's going to give them about 40,000 extra seats, which they hope will be filled by some very patient passengers, all filled with all that great holiday spirit -- Bill.
HEMMER: They may need the room, too. Thanks, Chris. Chris Lawrence in Chicago -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: It is not every day that a teenager's school project gets national attention. But that is just what happened to 15-year- old Shauna Fleming.
In March she began a letter-writing campaign to thank U.S. troops for their service. Her goal was a million thanks. She reached that goal in October, and just last week she hand delivered the millionth letter to President Bush.
Shauna Fleming joins us from Los Angeles this morning along with her high school principal, Greg Pinnick.
Nice to see you both. Thanks for being with us.
SHAUNA FLEMING, A MILLION THANKS: Hi.
O'BRIEN: Shauna, let's start with you. It's a pretty big idea, a million thanks. How did you get the idea?
FLEMING: Well, actually I knew that May was National Military Appreciation month, and I really wanted to do something for the soldiers, because I just felt that it was important that we let them know that we appreciate them, and all that they're doing, their sacrifices.
And so I kind of went up to my dad and said, "Hey, you know, we should do something."
And he kind of tongue in cheek jokingly said, "Ph, OK, why don't you collect a million letters?" And it just snowballed from there, really.
O'BRIEN: From kind of a joke to the real deal. Your high school got on board. Then it expanded well beyond that. How did you link the servicemen and women with the people who wanted to communicate with them?
FLEMING: Well, really, it was just all the people across the country who sent letters to my high school. And then my high school got addresses of soldiers, as well as took them to military bases and veterans' hospitals.
And it's really good for people to put the return address, or really their e-mail, so that the soldiers can keep in contact with them. They really like that.
O'BRIEN: Mr. Pinnick, I know that you've been a huge supporter of Shauna's. Have you been surprised by the overwhelming response to all this?
GREG PINNICK, PRINCIPAL, LUTHERAN H.S.: Maybe surprised just from the standpoint that it happened so quickly. But Shauna's passion for this and the way that she rallied, first of all her teachers, and then our students and the community. It's really been an exciting thing to see how people have said thanks in this way.
O'BRIEN: Shauna, do you hear back from the servicemen and women, and what do they say?
FLEMING: Oh, all the time. Yes, I have actually kept in contact with about ten of them as of right now, and they're just so appreciative of what people are doing for them. And I think it's really important that we do show them how grateful we are.
And that's -- that's why I came across this awesome program called AmericaSupportsYou.mil, and the Pentagon, actually the DOD set this up, and they want people to logon to their web site to record all that they're doing for the troops. So the troops can go on and see what America's doing for them.
And this is just so incredibly important for the troops to know. And they're just indebtedly grateful for what I'm doing, for what America is doing to show -- to show them that we appreciate them and support their efforts, And what they're trying to do.
O'BRIEN: Shauna, we only have a couple of seconds left. But we just showed a minute ago a picture of you with President Bush. Tell me what that was like to meet the president and hand to him the one- millionth letter?
FLEMING: That was very cool. As commander in chief I thought that he was the one who deserved that millionth letter. And it was just very neat to be in there. He's a very personable guy. And it was just so great to be in the Oval Office handing him the millionth letter, my goal from the very beginning.
O'BRIEN: And I know you've moved the goal line now. Your goal line now, 1.4 million letters.
FLEMING: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Shauna, nice to see you. Greg Pinnick, as well, her principal. Thanks to both of you for being with us.
FLEMING: Thank you.
PINNICK: Thank you.
HEMMER: Nice story. Check of the weather again, here's Chad Myers.
It's so relevant this time of year, Chad, I've got to tell you. Everybody hitting the road tomorrow.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HEMMER: Thanks, Chad.
In a moment we hear much about the benefits of eating foods high in antioxidants. Why does one sex, though, seem to benefit more than the other? There's a new study out there Sanjay explains in a moment.
O'BRIEN: Also as Thanksgiving approaches, Martha Stewart offering her thanks from prison. We'll tell you what she had to say, just ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Millions of Americans take antioxidants. Now there's a new study out to confuse you if you are taking them. It finds the supplements lower the risk of cancer in men but not so in women.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains all this. Good morning to you.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.
Some would say the antioxidants are being sexist. Perhaps. Interesting study, research out of France. They followed 13,000 people along for 7 1/2 years. They weren't trying to find a difference in the sexes as far as the effects of the antioxidants. That's exactly what they found.
Take a look here. Interesting. Again, 7 1/2 year study in France. Antioxidant supplements had no effect on women's risk for cancer. Men were 31 percent less likely to develop cancer than women if they took these antioxidants.
Again, that wasn't what they set out to do, but that's what they found.
HEMMER: What explains that?
GUPTA: Well, it's interesting. They don't know. That's the short answer. But they have a lot of theories on this.
One that I think is probably the most likely theory is it really depends on what your baseline of diet was before you started taking antioxidants. And in general, what they hypothesize was that men don't eat diets already high in antioxidants. So when they started taking the supplements they got a greater benefit than women who already ate a diet high in antioxidants.
HEMMER: So the supplements work, then?
GUPTA: Well, that's what this one study shows. And I know you're illustrating an important point here, because you and I have gone back and forth on antioxidants and whether or not they work.
For a long time people used to say they don't hurt you, they might help you. Why not take them? Now people are back off, saying be real careful with the antioxidants. We're not sure if they work. There could be some detrimental effect.
HEMMER: Give me some examples. Antioxidants, blueberries?
GUPTA: Food-wise. Blueberries, broccoli, beans, all kinds of different foods have them. Usually, the richly flavored and richly colored vegetables are going to have them.
But the foods are probably going to be more important than the supplements themselves. And this is another sort of little point there about the antioxidants.
A lot of people say yes, you get them in the foods, and you can take the supplements. But we're not so sure that the foods alone aren't going to provide the most beneficial effect, meaning you should just stick to the vegetables and fruits and don't waste your time on the supplements.
HEMMER: You mention long-term study. One thing you've always taught me when we look at these studies how many people were used and how long did the example last?
GUPTA: That's right.
HEMMER: Is this legitimate enough for you?
GUPTA: Thirteen thousand people, 7.5 years, it's a fairly long- term study as far as these things go.
The problem is, and the problem is with a lot of these studies is that it's so complicated to figure out all the dietary patterns of an individual. You might eat broccoli one day, have some blueberries the next. How does that throw off the study?
What they said is that men don't eat as well as women, generally speaking, so they could benefit more from the antioxidants.
HEMMER: Button us up if you could here. What's the takeaway when you hear something like this?
GUPTA: I think there are certain antioxidants, certain vitamins that are probably a good thing. A multivitamin a day probably good for both men and women. There is some studies, at least early ones, say that it wards off cancer. It may ward off dementia and Alzheimer's as well, as well as lowering your risk of stroke. So some benefits. HEMMER: Thank you, Sanjay. Good to see you in New York, by the way.
GUPTA: Happy to be here. It's been awhile.
HEMMER: Look at this guy, Soledad. He's still walking around. Still living, breathing, even after he got married.
GUPTA: See, not so bad, Bill.
O'BRIEN: Not so bad. Get him a couple kids now. It all comes together, Sanjay.
Still to come this morning, Martha Stewart keeping in touch with her fans for the holidays from prison. Andy Serwer has a look at what she's telling them, up next on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: A changing of the guard at McDonald's. And what does Martha Stewart have to say as the holidays approach? A look at that and Wall Street, as well. Andy Serwer, "Minding Your Business."
JACK CAFFERTY, CO-HOST: Let me out.
ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Hello. What was that, Jack?
CAFFERTY: Martha Stewart has to say as the holidays approach, "Let me out."
SERWER: Let me out. OK. I thought you were speaking there for a minute about yourself.
CAFFERTY: That, too.
SERWER: All right, yes, let's take a look at the market here. First of all, Soledad, stocks trading a little bit lower, down five.
McDonald's actually was ticked up a little bit even with the news that their CEO, Charlie Bell is stepping down because of colorectal cancer. I think that what happened is there's a perception on Wall Street that this was a situation that -- where he had health problems and now it's out in the open and so, word on with it.
Another stock moving today is our own dear Time Warner, parent company of CNN. Story in "The Washington Post" this morning that they are about to settle with the Securities and Exchange Commission and pay a fine of $750 million to the SEC, this to settle charges of accounting irregularities.
HEMMER: That will do it.
SERWER: And the stock is up because people, that's a cloud hanging over the stock that may be moving on off into the horizon.
CAFFERTY: There you go. SERWER: Now shall we get on to Martha Stewart?
CAFFERTY: Absolutely.
SERWER: Let's get on to Martha Stewart. Martha Stewart messages -- messages from jail. If I ever go to jail I'm going to have a web site and I'm going to send messages. Not that I'm going to go to jail.
Fifteen hundred e-mails, she says. "I'm getting thousands of letters. While I can't answer each note personally, I want you to know I'm well. As you would expect the loss of freedom and the lack of privacy are extremely difficult. But I am safe, fit and healthy. And I'm pleased to report that contrary to rumors you might have heard, my daily interactions with the staff and fellow inmates here at Alderson are marked by fair treatment and mutual respect. In short I'm in good spirits," et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. It says, "Thanksgiving wishes."
CAFFERTY: Especially from my girlfriend Harold.
SERWER: I'm not sure about that, Jack. There's no mention of any girlfriends there.
HEMMER: Has Martha gone British, by the way, while she was away?
SERWER: I just sort of get a little clippy when I read letters from prison.
CAFFERTY: She made $30 million the other day in the slammer. Her stock I guess, Martha Stewart whatever...
O'BRIEN: Kmart.
SERWER: Because of the Sears/Kmart deal, yes.
CAFFERTY: Yes. And she made $30 million sitting there.
SERWER: Just another day in the joint.
CAFFERTY: She and Harold.
SERWER: Yes.
CAFFERTY: Question of the day is how much should you tell children about terrorism?
Teresa in Cittikill (ph), New York, "Define terrorism. What do Iraqi, Sudanese, the Israeli or Palestinian parents tell their children? We're not alone in this scary world."
Mark in Ann Arbor, Michigan, "If we don't start scaring kids now, where will the next generation of evangelical conservative Republican voters come from?"
And Paul in Hellertown, Pennsylvania, says, "Today's kids have no idea what terrorism is. In my neighborhood terrorism began when your dad got home, spoke to your mother and then began removing his belt."
O'BRIEN: Oh, my goodness.
HEMMER: Wow.
O'BRIEN: I hope he's kidding.
SERWER: Yes. I've got two kids. And none of them have had it so...
O'BRIEN: I think that's rather -- I had a lot of brothers and sisters.
CAFFERTY: Blame it on the siblings.
O'BRIEN: Yes, that's right. Works for me.
HEMMER: Which door is open down the hallway, so you can fling them open, you know?
In a moment here, holiday travelers are not just taking to the skies. They're jamming the highways this holiday. How Amtrak is gearing up for hundreds of thousands traveling by rail.
Betty Nguyen, Rick Sanchez have that, next hour on "LIVE TODAY." We're back in a moment on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
O'BRIEN: Aaron Brown now with a preview of what's coming up tonight an "NEWSNIGHT."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AARON BROWN, HOST, "NEWSNIGHT": Thanks, Soledad.
Tonight on the program, forget the movie; the truth is better. We'll look at the life of one of the greatest military and political leaders who ever lived, Alexander the Great. As told by Nissan (ph), pretty darn good.
That, Iraq, all the day's top news, morning papers and everything else that makes "NEWSNIGHT," "NEWSNIGHT." CNN tonight, 10 p.m. Eastern -- Soledad.
O'BRIEN: All right, Aaron, thanks.
HEMMER: See you in about twelve hours on that. We've got to run. Three hours just went cruising by.
O'BRIEN: Parting is such sweet sorrow.
WALLACE: Finally (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
HEMMER: Hardly. All right. Here's -- who's in Atlanta? Is it Betty and Rick? RICH SANCHEZ, CO-HOST, "LIVE TODAY": It's Rick.
O'BRIEN: Yes, yes.
BETTY NGUYEN, CO-HOST, "LIVE TODAY": Good morning, everybody.
HEMMER: Good morning to you, as well.
SANCHEZ: Why did the president have so many detractors...
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