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American Morning

Interview with San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom; FDA Keeps Celebrex on Market

Aired December 20, 2004 - 09:33   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: 9:33 here in New York.
Good morning, everybody. Kelly's working for Soledad today.

Good morning to you.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning again. Good to be here.

We are going to continue now this hour with the people of 2004 who made the list of 2004, made the year what it was, answering the question in our series "They've Got the Goods." In a moment, Soledad profiles Mayor Gavin Newsom of San Francisco, who some say may have changed the course of the election when he took a stand on marrying same-sex couples in San Francisco. So we'll get to that.

WALLACE: Yes, a very interesting interview. Also, what should people taking Celebrex do now? Amid mixed signals about the drug, Pfizer saying it is safe to stay on the market, even though studies now link it to cardiovascular problems. We'll look at the options, coming up next.

HEMMER: Pfizer may take a hit today, too, on Wall Street, so we'll see what happens.

WALLACE: I bet.

HEMMER: Carol Costello, good morning.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Pfizer has already taken a hit. I don't know how much more it can take. Good morning to you. Now in the news, as we've been telling you, President Bush is set to hold a news conference just about an hour from now. The president will be at the Eisenhower Executive Office building.

CNN will, of course, have live coverage for you. The woman accused of stealing an unborn child from the womb expected to make her first court appearance today.

Lisa Montgomery will face a federal judge on a charge of kidnapping resulting in death. The victim's funeral will be held tomorrow. The infant was apparently not harmed.

In California, opening statements are expected to begin less than three hours from now in the Robert Blake murder trial. The former "Baretta" star is charged with killing his wife Bonny Lee Bakley more than three years ago. The trial was delayed earlier this month when burglars stole a computer from the house of one of Blake's attorneys.

And are you heading to the post office this morning? Well, you will not be alone. The U.S. Postal Service expects to handle some 280 million cards and letters today, making it the busiest mailing day of the year. Priority mail needs to go out tomorrow in you want it to arrive by Christmas. After that, you're just out of luck.

WALLACE: Out of luck. You're crazy if you go to the post office today, and if you wait any longer, out of luck.

All right, Carol, great to see you. Thanks so much.

Again, this morning, we begin a series called "They've Got the Goods." All this week, Soledad will profile people for whom 2004 has been a year to remember. We begin out west in San Francisco, where gay marriage is the issue that made that city's mayor very famous.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): February 2004: More than 4,000 gay couples say "I do" in San Francisco. Even Rosie O'Donnell and her partner fly in to be married. The man who started it all? Gavin Newsom, the newly elected Democratic mayor of San Francisco. His decision to allow the marriages catapulted him into the national spotlight.

"GQ" asked if he was the next Bill Clinton. "Harper's Bazaar" dubbed Newsom and his wife , the TV lawyer Kimberly Guilfoyle Newsom, the new Kennedys. Along with that title came some glitzy photos.

In midsummer, "Newsweek" said he was one of the bright lights of the Democratic Party, and yet he didn't speak at the Democratic National Convention. In fact, there were many Democrats who think he pushed for too much, too fast.

Shortly after the convention, the California supreme court invalidated all of San Francisco's gay marriages.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's a little unbelievable, you know, that they could basically take the lives of a couple thousand people and kind of throw out a decision that meant a lot of them.

O'BRIEN: Then came the elections. Not only did John Kerry lose, but the issue that Newsom championed lost, too. There were eleven states with ballots defining marriage as between a man and a woman. They all passed. What role did Newsom play in the November losses. Any at all? Did they advance the cause of gay marriage, or severely damage it.

Assess 2004, how was it?

MYR. GAVIN NEWSOM (D), SAN FRANCISCO: It's been a time that I never could have imagined enjoying, trying to bring the city together, and trying to advance some principles that I've long believed in and long desired to be advanced.

O'BRIEN: Did you go into office planning to do what you did when it came to...

NEWSOM: No.

O'BRIEN: Really? So what was the moment where you said I need to run with this ball?

NEWSOM: Well, you know, it was when I went out to the State of the Union, and I had the privilege of being there in Washington D.C., and I listened to the president of the United States talk about the three most important issues on his agenda, steroids, abstinence and gay marriage. Hardly were they consistent with the top of my issues that I believe the president should be focused on. But I realized then and there that the issue of gay marriage was going to be front and center in this political campaign, and I felt compelled to stand up on the principle that I fought for, and that was to stand up for people that were going to be, I think, used and abused as a political wedge in order to advance the president's agenda.

O'BRIEN: People said that actually you're the one who put it on the agenda.

NEWSOM: Hardly. Because remember, the Massachusetts supreme court on November 18th, 2003, brought this front and center. Karl Rove and a lot of the cultural conservatives were assured by the president that this would become a major issue and he would support the advancement of a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage. So it was on that basis on principle, combined with what the president said early 2004, that I felt compelled to put a human face on discrimination.

O'BRIEN: But you're a political neophyte, well-known businessman, but political neophyte, and there were people who were political heavy hitters, who said don't do it.

NEWSOM: That's what's wrong with politics today. Maybe I'm old- fashioned. Everyone that I used to admire in politics always said get in to it to do what you think is right, to say privately what you say publicly and to be consistent with your values, stand on principle; try to advance those values. And so you get into office and you do it, and those people say, well, wait a second, too much, too soon, you should have waited; you've got to consider the political ramifications.

I'm one of these guys, and I think most politicians eventually understand this, I just started, and I do understand this, we're here for a moment in time. Guys like me come and go. We're either turned out or we're kicked out, and there's a thousand better people right behind us. And the point of that is do what you think is right, something that will transcend your tenure, and stand on some principles.

O'BRIEN: Did it transcend your tenure? At the end of the day, the 4,000 marriages or so were nullified. Openly gay Congressman Barney Frank said nothing was accomplished.

NEWSOM: He's wrong. We did put a human face on this. We had people from 46 states come to San Francisco, from 18 countries, to live their life out loud. They enjoyed an experience they never imagined they could enjoy in their lives.

O'BRIEN: But do you worry that in the short run it's going to damage your career?

NEWSOM: Who cares? As I said, a guy like me comes and goes. I'm a photograph.

O'BRIEN: Come on, at the end of the day, with all due respect, you're a politician. And politician always say, who cares, it's not about me; it's about the people.

NEWSOM: The day that I say that I care, I'm no longer worried about you and the people I represent in San Francisco, I'm worried about myself. I've grown up around politics and politicians. Some of the most miserable human beings I've ever met in my life are in politics. It is not my aspiration to be a politician.

O'BRIEN: You don't want to be governor of the state?

NEWSOM: No, I don't. I mean, I really love what I'm doing. I don't even like what I'm doing. I'm passionate about San Francisco. I love the city. This is one of the most diverse cities in the world, that people who are truly living together and advancing together across their differences.

O'BRIEN: In the article that "Harper's Bazaar" did on you...

NEWSOM: Oh, why do you bring that up?

O'BRIEN: Because it was very -- they called you the Kennedys. Do you like that comparison?

NEWSOM: I think inevitably, any time there's new politicians, they're compared to the Kennedys. The new Bill Clinton. Any time there's a new...

O'BRIEN: Millionaire politician, beautiful wife.

NEWSOM: She is beautiful, yes. No, that's ridiculous. I will say this. I am passionate fan of Bobby Kennedy. And if there's any mentor in my life, it's the words of Bobby Kennedy's speeches, not the analysis of the speeches. And so, no, there's some convictions and values that I closely identify, particularly with Bobby Kennedy in social conscience, but also his entrepreneurial spirit.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALLACE: Soledad's wide-ranging interview with Gavin Newsom, mayor of San Francisco. And tomorrow in our series, "They've got the goods," Mel Karmazin, the former head of Viacom and the newly installed CEO at Sirius Satellite Radio -- Bill.

HEMMER: If you're just waking up, you know it's cold outside, especially east of the Mississippi. 19 minutes before the hour. Chad Myers has the numbers for us as he's watching that system move through.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HEMMER: Pfizer says it has no plans to pull its well-known arthritis drug Celebrex off the market, however the company is pulling its ads from the television set and from the print. Elizabeth Cohen is at the CNN Center with the latest on this morning. Big story again today.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, good morning, Bill. Bill, Pfizer, which makes Celebrex, says that at the request of the FDA, they are taking ads off television and out of newspapers and magazines. So you won't be seeing ads like this one anymore.

Now, if you've watched television at all in the past couple of years, you probably have seen these ads. This is a very heavily marketed drug. Pfizer spent $71 million in the first nine months of this year alone on advertising Celebrex. And some doctors say that that really has been a problem, that because of these ads, that the drug was overprescribed and that more people were taking it than should be. Now when asked why the drug is not being pulled off the market, the FDA on Friday said that they were still receiving data and still studying data -- Bill.

HEMMER: So, Elizabeth, then, if you're taking Celebrex, you're not at risk for heart disease, but you are taking it for your arthritis. What would a doctor tell a patient to do now?

Well, Bill, the FDA was very clear about what they want doctors to do. They said anyone, whether they're at risk of heart disease or not, anyone who's taking Celebrex who goes to their doctor and says gee, doctor, I heard all these stories, what should I do? The doctor should think about alternatives to Celebrex. The FDA was very clear on this.

Let's go over what some of these alternatives are. There are over-the-counter pain relievers, there's ibuprofen, there's acetaminophen, exercise can also help arthritis sufferers, so can weight loss, so can, according to the Arthritis Foundation, some dietary supplements that you can also buy over the counter. The FDA then continued to say that if a doctor really feels that Celebrex is the best alternative for his or her patient, that patient should receive the lowest effective dose.

HEMMER: Looking at Pfizer pre-market trading. It's down, too. We'll see where it goes to the open. I don't believe the stock is open yet, but we'll check with Andy in a few moments here. Thanks, Elizabeth.

COHEN: Thanks.

KELLY WALLACE: All right, Bill. Still to come here, what are you worried about this holiday season? And most shoppers saying it isn't finding that perfect gift. Andy's "Minding Your Business."

HEMMER: Like to get them there on time, too.

WALLACE: That's probably a big concern.

HEMMER: Also, "Lemony Snicket" cleaned up at the box office over the weekend. One of our poppers says that is not the film to watch come Oscar time. We'll tell you which one is. Back in a moment, here, on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MUSIC)

HEMMER: Welcome back, everybody. It's time for "90-Second Pop." It's going to feel like 30-second pop today.

Say hello to Andy Borowitz, president and CEO of BorowitzReport.com.

Good morning, Drew.

ANDY BOROWITZ, BOROWITZREPORT.COM: Good morning.

HEMMER: You've got the business card to prove it, don't you? Sarah Bernard, contributing editor for "New York" magazine.

Good morning, Sarah.

SARAH BERNARD, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, "NEW YORK" MAGAZINE: Good morning.

HEMMER: And Toure is back with us, too, our pop culture correspondent.

What's happening?

TOURE, CNN POP CULTURE CORRESPONDENT: Nothing.

HEMMER: Over the weekend, "Lemony Snicket," I love the name. Jim Carrey is in it. How did it do?

TOURE: Yes, "Lemony Snicket" was the movie of the weekend. It was great. It looks beautiful. Bring the kids, yadda-yadda, whatever. I saw "Million Dollar Baby" last night.

HEMMER: Talk to me.

TOURE: The Oscar race is over.

HEMMER: Really?

TOURE: Movie of the year.

HEMMER: Better than "Sideways?"

TOURE: Oh, it knocked "Sideways."

BOROWITZ: A Kleenex movie?

BERNARD: Yes, that definitely...

TOURE: No, no, no. It's a boxing movie that becomes a Kleenex movie. But don't bring one or two. Bring the whole box.

HEMMER: Really?

TOURE: I mean, it's this big emotion, big-theme movie. There was not...

BERNARD: And there was nothing in there, at the end of the year, just in time.

TOURE: There was not...

HEMMER: This is...

TOURE: ... a dry eye in the house.

HEMMER: ... Hilary Swank, directed by Clint Eastwood.

TOURE: Morgan Freeman.

HEMMER: Got it. How did "Oceans Twelve," 13 and 14 do over the weekend? Do we care?

TOURE: Just OK. Whatever.

HEMMER: All right.

BERNARD: Not as good as "Oceans Eleven."

HEMMER: Next topic. There is going to be a film possibly made with Harrison Ford about the battle for Falluja last April.

BERNARD: That's right.

HEMMER: What's the low-down on this?

BERNARD: This is going to be first movie, if it happens, based on the war. This actually, I think, has a good shot of being made, because it's based on a book called "No True Glory," which is written by Bing West, who is actually a Marine. His son was a Marine. And he was also a Defense Department secretary. And he has been over in Falluja. So it's actually a very factual story that's coming out in May.

And Universal Production Company has already optioned it. I mean, it doesn't mean that this is definitely going to happen. But Harrison Ford is attached, which means that if it gets made, he will star as one of the generals.

HEMMER: The story is based on General James Mattis (ph), commander of the U.S. Marines.

BERNARD: Right.

HEMMER: I was with this man in Kandahar for six weeks.

BERNARD: All right, yes!

HEMMER: He never did an interview with us the entire time. He said, you go talk to my guys...

BERNARD: Oh!

HEMMER: ... and start at the bottom...

BERNARD: OK.

HEMMER: ... to get the lowest-ranking Marines on the air. He would not do interviews at all.

BERNARD: That's kind of cool.

BOROWITZ: Because he was working the movie deal.

HEMMER: Yes.

BERNARD: That's right. He had (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

TOURE: Wouldn't you rather see the Abu Ghraib movie? Like what happened there, why?

BERNARD: I don't know if I want to see that.

HEMMER: And quite possibly the first of a long line of films that are going to come out of Hollywood based on the Iraq wars.

BERNARD: Right.

HEMMER: Have to leave it there, thanks. Toure, Sarah, Andy. We'll see you soon -- Kelly.

WALLACE: Thanks, Bill.

Still to come, one of the biggest symbols of U.S. capitalism is now up for sale itself. Andy is "Minding Your Business."

We'll be right back after this short break here on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALLACE: Welcome back. Holiday shoppers are reluctantly charging it as they head into the final stretch. With that, and a final look at the market, Andy Serwer "Minding Your Business."

ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Kelly, let's talk about the markets, first of all. We have a rally going on on Wall Street as we head down the stretch towards Christmas. You can see here, yes, sir, 73 -- 72 points the Dow is up, powered today by another merger to tell you about, this time in the utility business. Excelon, which provides power in northern Illinois and Philadelphia way, buying PSEG for almost $13. billion, so the merger parade continues. Pfizer, though, continues to slump down, about 1.7 percent.

Hey, did you know the bull on Wall Street, the actual 3.5-ton bronze bull down there is for sale, you guys? "Wall Street Journal" reporting that sculpture Arturo Demodecai (ph), I'm not sure if I'm saying that correctly, but the sculptor has put this bull on the block, and wants to sell it to the highest bidder. There's only a couple wrinkles. You can't move it. And you have to donate it to the city of New York. Besides that, it's all yours. You get branding rights, Jack. What a bargain.

JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: And he gets my money.

SERWER: He get the money, and you get the bag.

CAFFERTY: Well, that's a good idea.

SERWER: You get the coal mine.

CAFFERTY: How much money are they looking to make?

SERWER: I don't know. He spent about 300 grand making the thing, he said, so you best believe. In '87, he was inspired by the crash of '87. And you know that bull's nose, it's shiny because people rub it on the way to work every morning for good luck.

(CROSSTALK)

SERWER: Yes, you can put naming rights, sometimes that actually works. Christmas shopping, heading into the homestretch here, it looks decidedly mediocre. Here's what's happened. This is the chart of change in holiday shopping sales year over year. You can see we're expecting about 4.5 percent this year. We may not hit it.

But here's the bottom line, folks, you always hear about how it's terrible or good, this or that. It grows every year. I mean, there's never been a rescission, a contraction in Christmas sales, even back a couple years ago it was up 1 percent.

WALLACE: People are always buying.

SERWER: They're always buying more.

HEMMER: Thank you, Andy.

SERWER: You're welcome.

CAFFERTY: What should be done to improve prescription drug safety is the question? Mike in Albuquerque says, "It's all about the money. When you find former Food and Drug Administration officials going to work in cushy jobs as either lobbyists for, or executives of the drug companies, you have to wonder whose interests they really have at heart. " Phil in Indianapolis, Indiana, "Eli Lilly started an online registry about two weeks ago for not only all their marketed products, but also the results of all clinical trials in phases two through four. It's rather difficult to hide things when they're available for public viewing."

And Carol in Muskeego (ph), Wisconsin says, "Jack, as a pharmacist, I think the problem with prescription drugs is they're being overused. Since the advent of direct-to-consumer advertising, those TV commercials, patients are requesting particular drugs from their doctors, even if they may not be the most appropriate medicine for them."

HEMMER: A pill-popping nation.

CAFFERTY: A lot of finger pointing going on.

WALLACE: Yes, lots of problems there.

CAFFERTY: Over-medicating.

SERWER: Is that true?

WALLACE: We got to move along here. Moving along, moving along.

Coming up on "CNN LIVE TODAY," it is time to look back at the year that was. President Bush will do just that when he talks to reporters at the bottom of the hour. Daryn Kagan and Tony Harris will have that for you. As for us here at AMERICAN MORNING, we'll be back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: We've got to run. Thanks for Kelly helping us out today. Hope Soledad gets back to health tomorrow. We'll get her back here.

SERWER: Good to see you back.

HEMMER: Hey, thank you, Andy. It's good to be back, good to take your ridding.

WALLACE: And Jack's.

CAFFERTY: It was so lonesome here without you.

(CROSSTALK)

HEMMER: Here's Daryn, and who's with you today? Tony Harris?

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 December 20, 2004 - 09:33   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: 9:33 here in New York.
Good morning, everybody. Kelly's working for Soledad today.

Good morning to you.

KELLY WALLACE, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning again. Good to be here.

We are going to continue now this hour with the people of 2004 who made the list of 2004, made the year what it was, answering the question in our series "They've Got the Goods." In a moment, Soledad profiles Mayor Gavin Newsom of San Francisco, who some say may have changed the course of the election when he took a stand on marrying same-sex couples in San Francisco. So we'll get to that.

WALLACE: Yes, a very interesting interview. Also, what should people taking Celebrex do now? Amid mixed signals about the drug, Pfizer saying it is safe to stay on the market, even though studies now link it to cardiovascular problems. We'll look at the options, coming up next.

HEMMER: Pfizer may take a hit today, too, on Wall Street, so we'll see what happens.

WALLACE: I bet.

HEMMER: Carol Costello, good morning.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Pfizer has already taken a hit. I don't know how much more it can take. Good morning to you. Now in the news, as we've been telling you, President Bush is set to hold a news conference just about an hour from now. The president will be at the Eisenhower Executive Office building.

CNN will, of course, have live coverage for you. The woman accused of stealing an unborn child from the womb expected to make her first court appearance today.

Lisa Montgomery will face a federal judge on a charge of kidnapping resulting in death. The victim's funeral will be held tomorrow. The infant was apparently not harmed.

In California, opening statements are expected to begin less than three hours from now in the Robert Blake murder trial. The former "Baretta" star is charged with killing his wife Bonny Lee Bakley more than three years ago. The trial was delayed earlier this month when burglars stole a computer from the house of one of Blake's attorneys.

And are you heading to the post office this morning? Well, you will not be alone. The U.S. Postal Service expects to handle some 280 million cards and letters today, making it the busiest mailing day of the year. Priority mail needs to go out tomorrow in you want it to arrive by Christmas. After that, you're just out of luck.

WALLACE: Out of luck. You're crazy if you go to the post office today, and if you wait any longer, out of luck.

All right, Carol, great to see you. Thanks so much.

Again, this morning, we begin a series called "They've Got the Goods." All this week, Soledad will profile people for whom 2004 has been a year to remember. We begin out west in San Francisco, where gay marriage is the issue that made that city's mayor very famous.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR (voice-over): February 2004: More than 4,000 gay couples say "I do" in San Francisco. Even Rosie O'Donnell and her partner fly in to be married. The man who started it all? Gavin Newsom, the newly elected Democratic mayor of San Francisco. His decision to allow the marriages catapulted him into the national spotlight.

"GQ" asked if he was the next Bill Clinton. "Harper's Bazaar" dubbed Newsom and his wife , the TV lawyer Kimberly Guilfoyle Newsom, the new Kennedys. Along with that title came some glitzy photos.

In midsummer, "Newsweek" said he was one of the bright lights of the Democratic Party, and yet he didn't speak at the Democratic National Convention. In fact, there were many Democrats who think he pushed for too much, too fast.

Shortly after the convention, the California supreme court invalidated all of San Francisco's gay marriages.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's a little unbelievable, you know, that they could basically take the lives of a couple thousand people and kind of throw out a decision that meant a lot of them.

O'BRIEN: Then came the elections. Not only did John Kerry lose, but the issue that Newsom championed lost, too. There were eleven states with ballots defining marriage as between a man and a woman. They all passed. What role did Newsom play in the November losses. Any at all? Did they advance the cause of gay marriage, or severely damage it.

Assess 2004, how was it?

MYR. GAVIN NEWSOM (D), SAN FRANCISCO: It's been a time that I never could have imagined enjoying, trying to bring the city together, and trying to advance some principles that I've long believed in and long desired to be advanced.

O'BRIEN: Did you go into office planning to do what you did when it came to...

NEWSOM: No.

O'BRIEN: Really? So what was the moment where you said I need to run with this ball?

NEWSOM: Well, you know, it was when I went out to the State of the Union, and I had the privilege of being there in Washington D.C., and I listened to the president of the United States talk about the three most important issues on his agenda, steroids, abstinence and gay marriage. Hardly were they consistent with the top of my issues that I believe the president should be focused on. But I realized then and there that the issue of gay marriage was going to be front and center in this political campaign, and I felt compelled to stand up on the principle that I fought for, and that was to stand up for people that were going to be, I think, used and abused as a political wedge in order to advance the president's agenda.

O'BRIEN: People said that actually you're the one who put it on the agenda.

NEWSOM: Hardly. Because remember, the Massachusetts supreme court on November 18th, 2003, brought this front and center. Karl Rove and a lot of the cultural conservatives were assured by the president that this would become a major issue and he would support the advancement of a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage. So it was on that basis on principle, combined with what the president said early 2004, that I felt compelled to put a human face on discrimination.

O'BRIEN: But you're a political neophyte, well-known businessman, but political neophyte, and there were people who were political heavy hitters, who said don't do it.

NEWSOM: That's what's wrong with politics today. Maybe I'm old- fashioned. Everyone that I used to admire in politics always said get in to it to do what you think is right, to say privately what you say publicly and to be consistent with your values, stand on principle; try to advance those values. And so you get into office and you do it, and those people say, well, wait a second, too much, too soon, you should have waited; you've got to consider the political ramifications.

I'm one of these guys, and I think most politicians eventually understand this, I just started, and I do understand this, we're here for a moment in time. Guys like me come and go. We're either turned out or we're kicked out, and there's a thousand better people right behind us. And the point of that is do what you think is right, something that will transcend your tenure, and stand on some principles.

O'BRIEN: Did it transcend your tenure? At the end of the day, the 4,000 marriages or so were nullified. Openly gay Congressman Barney Frank said nothing was accomplished.

NEWSOM: He's wrong. We did put a human face on this. We had people from 46 states come to San Francisco, from 18 countries, to live their life out loud. They enjoyed an experience they never imagined they could enjoy in their lives.

O'BRIEN: But do you worry that in the short run it's going to damage your career?

NEWSOM: Who cares? As I said, a guy like me comes and goes. I'm a photograph.

O'BRIEN: Come on, at the end of the day, with all due respect, you're a politician. And politician always say, who cares, it's not about me; it's about the people.

NEWSOM: The day that I say that I care, I'm no longer worried about you and the people I represent in San Francisco, I'm worried about myself. I've grown up around politics and politicians. Some of the most miserable human beings I've ever met in my life are in politics. It is not my aspiration to be a politician.

O'BRIEN: You don't want to be governor of the state?

NEWSOM: No, I don't. I mean, I really love what I'm doing. I don't even like what I'm doing. I'm passionate about San Francisco. I love the city. This is one of the most diverse cities in the world, that people who are truly living together and advancing together across their differences.

O'BRIEN: In the article that "Harper's Bazaar" did on you...

NEWSOM: Oh, why do you bring that up?

O'BRIEN: Because it was very -- they called you the Kennedys. Do you like that comparison?

NEWSOM: I think inevitably, any time there's new politicians, they're compared to the Kennedys. The new Bill Clinton. Any time there's a new...

O'BRIEN: Millionaire politician, beautiful wife.

NEWSOM: She is beautiful, yes. No, that's ridiculous. I will say this. I am passionate fan of Bobby Kennedy. And if there's any mentor in my life, it's the words of Bobby Kennedy's speeches, not the analysis of the speeches. And so, no, there's some convictions and values that I closely identify, particularly with Bobby Kennedy in social conscience, but also his entrepreneurial spirit.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WALLACE: Soledad's wide-ranging interview with Gavin Newsom, mayor of San Francisco. And tomorrow in our series, "They've got the goods," Mel Karmazin, the former head of Viacom and the newly installed CEO at Sirius Satellite Radio -- Bill.

HEMMER: If you're just waking up, you know it's cold outside, especially east of the Mississippi. 19 minutes before the hour. Chad Myers has the numbers for us as he's watching that system move through.

(WEATHER REPORT)

HEMMER: Pfizer says it has no plans to pull its well-known arthritis drug Celebrex off the market, however the company is pulling its ads from the television set and from the print. Elizabeth Cohen is at the CNN Center with the latest on this morning. Big story again today.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, good morning, Bill. Bill, Pfizer, which makes Celebrex, says that at the request of the FDA, they are taking ads off television and out of newspapers and magazines. So you won't be seeing ads like this one anymore.

Now, if you've watched television at all in the past couple of years, you probably have seen these ads. This is a very heavily marketed drug. Pfizer spent $71 million in the first nine months of this year alone on advertising Celebrex. And some doctors say that that really has been a problem, that because of these ads, that the drug was overprescribed and that more people were taking it than should be. Now when asked why the drug is not being pulled off the market, the FDA on Friday said that they were still receiving data and still studying data -- Bill.

HEMMER: So, Elizabeth, then, if you're taking Celebrex, you're not at risk for heart disease, but you are taking it for your arthritis. What would a doctor tell a patient to do now?

Well, Bill, the FDA was very clear about what they want doctors to do. They said anyone, whether they're at risk of heart disease or not, anyone who's taking Celebrex who goes to their doctor and says gee, doctor, I heard all these stories, what should I do? The doctor should think about alternatives to Celebrex. The FDA was very clear on this.

Let's go over what some of these alternatives are. There are over-the-counter pain relievers, there's ibuprofen, there's acetaminophen, exercise can also help arthritis sufferers, so can weight loss, so can, according to the Arthritis Foundation, some dietary supplements that you can also buy over the counter. The FDA then continued to say that if a doctor really feels that Celebrex is the best alternative for his or her patient, that patient should receive the lowest effective dose.

HEMMER: Looking at Pfizer pre-market trading. It's down, too. We'll see where it goes to the open. I don't believe the stock is open yet, but we'll check with Andy in a few moments here. Thanks, Elizabeth.

COHEN: Thanks.

KELLY WALLACE: All right, Bill. Still to come here, what are you worried about this holiday season? And most shoppers saying it isn't finding that perfect gift. Andy's "Minding Your Business."

HEMMER: Like to get them there on time, too.

WALLACE: That's probably a big concern.

HEMMER: Also, "Lemony Snicket" cleaned up at the box office over the weekend. One of our poppers says that is not the film to watch come Oscar time. We'll tell you which one is. Back in a moment, here, on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(MUSIC)

HEMMER: Welcome back, everybody. It's time for "90-Second Pop." It's going to feel like 30-second pop today.

Say hello to Andy Borowitz, president and CEO of BorowitzReport.com.

Good morning, Drew.

ANDY BOROWITZ, BOROWITZREPORT.COM: Good morning.

HEMMER: You've got the business card to prove it, don't you? Sarah Bernard, contributing editor for "New York" magazine.

Good morning, Sarah.

SARAH BERNARD, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, "NEW YORK" MAGAZINE: Good morning.

HEMMER: And Toure is back with us, too, our pop culture correspondent.

What's happening?

TOURE, CNN POP CULTURE CORRESPONDENT: Nothing.

HEMMER: Over the weekend, "Lemony Snicket," I love the name. Jim Carrey is in it. How did it do?

TOURE: Yes, "Lemony Snicket" was the movie of the weekend. It was great. It looks beautiful. Bring the kids, yadda-yadda, whatever. I saw "Million Dollar Baby" last night.

HEMMER: Talk to me.

TOURE: The Oscar race is over.

HEMMER: Really?

TOURE: Movie of the year.

HEMMER: Better than "Sideways?"

TOURE: Oh, it knocked "Sideways."

BOROWITZ: A Kleenex movie?

BERNARD: Yes, that definitely...

TOURE: No, no, no. It's a boxing movie that becomes a Kleenex movie. But don't bring one or two. Bring the whole box.

HEMMER: Really?

TOURE: I mean, it's this big emotion, big-theme movie. There was not...

BERNARD: And there was nothing in there, at the end of the year, just in time.

TOURE: There was not...

HEMMER: This is...

TOURE: ... a dry eye in the house.

HEMMER: ... Hilary Swank, directed by Clint Eastwood.

TOURE: Morgan Freeman.

HEMMER: Got it. How did "Oceans Twelve," 13 and 14 do over the weekend? Do we care?

TOURE: Just OK. Whatever.

HEMMER: All right.

BERNARD: Not as good as "Oceans Eleven."

HEMMER: Next topic. There is going to be a film possibly made with Harrison Ford about the battle for Falluja last April.

BERNARD: That's right.

HEMMER: What's the low-down on this?

BERNARD: This is going to be first movie, if it happens, based on the war. This actually, I think, has a good shot of being made, because it's based on a book called "No True Glory," which is written by Bing West, who is actually a Marine. His son was a Marine. And he was also a Defense Department secretary. And he has been over in Falluja. So it's actually a very factual story that's coming out in May.

And Universal Production Company has already optioned it. I mean, it doesn't mean that this is definitely going to happen. But Harrison Ford is attached, which means that if it gets made, he will star as one of the generals.

HEMMER: The story is based on General James Mattis (ph), commander of the U.S. Marines.

BERNARD: Right.

HEMMER: I was with this man in Kandahar for six weeks.

BERNARD: All right, yes!

HEMMER: He never did an interview with us the entire time. He said, you go talk to my guys...

BERNARD: Oh!

HEMMER: ... and start at the bottom...

BERNARD: OK.

HEMMER: ... to get the lowest-ranking Marines on the air. He would not do interviews at all.

BERNARD: That's kind of cool.

BOROWITZ: Because he was working the movie deal.

HEMMER: Yes.

BERNARD: That's right. He had (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

TOURE: Wouldn't you rather see the Abu Ghraib movie? Like what happened there, why?

BERNARD: I don't know if I want to see that.

HEMMER: And quite possibly the first of a long line of films that are going to come out of Hollywood based on the Iraq wars.

BERNARD: Right.

HEMMER: Have to leave it there, thanks. Toure, Sarah, Andy. We'll see you soon -- Kelly.

WALLACE: Thanks, Bill.

Still to come, one of the biggest symbols of U.S. capitalism is now up for sale itself. Andy is "Minding Your Business."

We'll be right back after this short break here on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WALLACE: Welcome back. Holiday shoppers are reluctantly charging it as they head into the final stretch. With that, and a final look at the market, Andy Serwer "Minding Your Business."

ANDY SERWER, "FORTUNE" MAGAZINE: Kelly, let's talk about the markets, first of all. We have a rally going on on Wall Street as we head down the stretch towards Christmas. You can see here, yes, sir, 73 -- 72 points the Dow is up, powered today by another merger to tell you about, this time in the utility business. Excelon, which provides power in northern Illinois and Philadelphia way, buying PSEG for almost $13. billion, so the merger parade continues. Pfizer, though, continues to slump down, about 1.7 percent.

Hey, did you know the bull on Wall Street, the actual 3.5-ton bronze bull down there is for sale, you guys? "Wall Street Journal" reporting that sculpture Arturo Demodecai (ph), I'm not sure if I'm saying that correctly, but the sculptor has put this bull on the block, and wants to sell it to the highest bidder. There's only a couple wrinkles. You can't move it. And you have to donate it to the city of New York. Besides that, it's all yours. You get branding rights, Jack. What a bargain.

JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: And he gets my money.

SERWER: He get the money, and you get the bag.

CAFFERTY: Well, that's a good idea.

SERWER: You get the coal mine.

CAFFERTY: How much money are they looking to make?

SERWER: I don't know. He spent about 300 grand making the thing, he said, so you best believe. In '87, he was inspired by the crash of '87. And you know that bull's nose, it's shiny because people rub it on the way to work every morning for good luck.

(CROSSTALK)

SERWER: Yes, you can put naming rights, sometimes that actually works. Christmas shopping, heading into the homestretch here, it looks decidedly mediocre. Here's what's happened. This is the chart of change in holiday shopping sales year over year. You can see we're expecting about 4.5 percent this year. We may not hit it.

But here's the bottom line, folks, you always hear about how it's terrible or good, this or that. It grows every year. I mean, there's never been a rescission, a contraction in Christmas sales, even back a couple years ago it was up 1 percent.

WALLACE: People are always buying.

SERWER: They're always buying more.

HEMMER: Thank you, Andy.

SERWER: You're welcome.

CAFFERTY: What should be done to improve prescription drug safety is the question? Mike in Albuquerque says, "It's all about the money. When you find former Food and Drug Administration officials going to work in cushy jobs as either lobbyists for, or executives of the drug companies, you have to wonder whose interests they really have at heart. " Phil in Indianapolis, Indiana, "Eli Lilly started an online registry about two weeks ago for not only all their marketed products, but also the results of all clinical trials in phases two through four. It's rather difficult to hide things when they're available for public viewing."

And Carol in Muskeego (ph), Wisconsin says, "Jack, as a pharmacist, I think the problem with prescription drugs is they're being overused. Since the advent of direct-to-consumer advertising, those TV commercials, patients are requesting particular drugs from their doctors, even if they may not be the most appropriate medicine for them."

HEMMER: A pill-popping nation.

CAFFERTY: A lot of finger pointing going on.

WALLACE: Yes, lots of problems there.

CAFFERTY: Over-medicating.

SERWER: Is that true?

WALLACE: We got to move along here. Moving along, moving along.

Coming up on "CNN LIVE TODAY," it is time to look back at the year that was. President Bush will do just that when he talks to reporters at the bottom of the hour. Daryn Kagan and Tony Harris will have that for you. As for us here at AMERICAN MORNING, we'll be back in a moment.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: We've got to run. Thanks for Kelly helping us out today. Hope Soledad gets back to health tomorrow. We'll get her back here.

SERWER: Good to see you back.

HEMMER: Hey, thank you, Andy. It's good to be back, good to take your ridding.

WALLACE: And Jack's.

CAFFERTY: It was so lonesome here without you.

(CROSSTALK)

HEMMER: Here's Daryn, and who's with you today? Tony Harris?

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