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American Morning
Separation Anxiety; Spirit of Christmas; New Holiday Novel
Aired December 24, 2004 - 07:29 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: Kelly Wallace in for Soledad today.
Good morning to you.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to you. Good morning, everyone.
HEMMER: As we continue now. The surprise visit in Iraq today, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld visiting troops there in a number of towns and really the hot spots for that matter, too. Very secret for obvious security reasons, answering questions from the troops earlier today, saying he wants to look them in the eye and thank them. Much more on his visit as we go throughout the morning here -- Kelly.
WALLACE: Quite of a story this morning.
Also, Bill, the message from this Christmas, from the enormously popular, the Bishop T.J. Jakes. He is thinking about the war this year and how families are affected by being away from their loved ones. His thoughts coming up.
HEMMER: A perfect day today, too, on Christmas Eve.
Let's get to the headlines. Here is Daryn Kagan at the CNN center, also with us today.
Good morning, Daryn. How are you?
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. And merry Christmas to you, Bill. Good to be with you guys.
HEMMER: Thank you. Thank you, and happy holidays as well.
KAGAN: Thank you, dear.
HEMMER: Sure.
KAGAN: Let's look at some headlines "Now in the News."
More attacks against Iraqi security at this hour. In Baquba, northeast of Baghdad, gunmen shelled a police station with mortar rounds. No word yet on casualties or any damage.
Outgoing Secretary of State Colin Powell reportedly is concerned there were not enough troops in Iraq. According to sources cited by the "The Washington Post", Powell urged President Bush and British Prime Minster Tony Blair to boost forces. The report claims the meeting took place on the same day Powell handed in his resignation letter.
And warning of a huge tsunami, the waves in the Pacific Ocean today. This is just hours after the biggest earthquake of the year shook the ocean floor, an 8.1 quake occurring halfway between Australia and Antarctica. Scientists say if it had struck closer to land, the quake to could have swallowed an entire city.
And it certainly will be happy holiday for Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick. Get this: The Falcons star player is now the richest player in the NFL. He has signed a $130 million contract extension to stay here in Atlanta for another 10 years. That guarantees Vick $37 million in bonuses, which, for those of you counting, is a league record. No problem with his Christmas shopping list.
Kelly -- back to you.
WALLACE: I was just going to say, Daryn, he'll have plenty of money for gifts for those loved ones, right?
KAGAN: There you go.
WALLACE: All right, Daryn, happy holidays to you. It's great to see you.
KAGAN: Thank you, Kelly.
WALLACE: And as we've been telling you throughout the morning here, Secretary Donald Rumsfeld in Iraq. This is video we're getting in from his visit to Falluja inside Iraq. He had previously been to Mosul and also Tikrit.
This is part of a morale-boosting trip by the defense secretary, shaking hands with the troops, taking questions. He was asked earlier in another visit about whether the U.S. would be increasing the size of the U.S. Army.
Also, on two different occasions he was asked from soldiers about what more can be done to communicate in the United States about the good work that American soldiers are doing. And the secretary seemed to like that question very much, getting a little fired up, saying that sometimes the good news, what's going on in Iraq is not getting out to the American people.
This is a perfect segue for us. I had the pleasure of spending some time with a family in New Jersey. This time of year is particularly hard for them. It is twice as difficult because they have just sent their teenage twin daughters to Iraq.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WALLACE (voice over): It's hard to tell Darlene and Stefanie Pabon apart, but they say there are differences. Darlene is the one who loved cheerleading. Stephanie has the serious boyfriend.
But now the 19-year-old identical twins are living identical lives. They left last week for Iraq as members of the New Jersey National Guard. Asked how their parents were taking it?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It will be hard, but they'll be good.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They're fine. They'll be all right.
WALLACE: Well, mom and dad told us it is tough.
DAVE PABON, FATHER: You can't help think, like, 'They're my girls.' You know, this is, like, you know, you get mad, you know, and they're going over there. In the back of my mind, you know, anything's possible. Anything can happen.
WALLACE: Dave and Donna Pabon say the girls, their only children, joined the National Guard in 2002 mainly to get money for college, never imaging they would one day head to a war zone.
DONNA PABON, MOTHER: We really just kind of hoped that it wouldn't happen. At the time they joined, there was no war, no talk of war.
WALLACE: The Pabons adjusted to their girls being away for basic training, but an overseas deployment, they say, is so much harder.
DONNA PABON: It's a different feeling, having them out of the country versus knowing that they're just going to be, you know, a phone call away. We'll venture into the dark room of Stefanie first.
WALLACE: The girls, strong, mom and dad say. Their rooms filled with karate trophies. Darlene is a black belt; Stefanie, a brown belt. Still, signs everywhere they are teenage girls. And now mom and dad prepare for their first Christmas ever without them.
DAVE PABON: The spirit isn't really there right now, because of the fact they're not around. You know, we do miss not hearing the music coming out of their rooms and stuff like that, and the phone ringing like crazy, which could be, you know, hectic at times. But now that they're gone you kind of miss that.
WALLACE: But they say they've been blessed by the support from friends and total strangers.
DONNA PABON: We just are grateful for everyone's prayers that are praying for them, and we pray for them every night. They know that. They're grateful for that.
WALLACE: Praying for their girls and waiting for that day when they, and all of the other soldiers, make it home.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
And I spoke with Donna Pabon yesterday. She says her girls will make it to Iraq tomorrow, Christmas Day. They're expected to provide administrative support for the U.S. Army. And mom says she's looking forward to their e-mails and pictures, Bill. Their Christmas gift: digital cameras so mom and dad can see exactly what they're doing overseas. HEMMER: Well, I'll tell you, that is one of the great benefits of serving overseas today, Kelly. You've got e-mail and can send pictures and you can talk on the phone. Quite a different cry from previous deployments going back several years.
WALLACE: Exactly. It gives them some comfort while they're dealing with them being away.
HEMMER: A nice story.
WALLACE: Thanks.
HEMMER: Of course, this morning, Secretary Rumsfeld continues his surprise visit in Iraq. There is videotape now in from Falluja, new videotape. We're seeing it for the first time along with you. We'll examine this as we go throughout the morning here. More comments from the secretary and more thoughts, too, on the significance of this visit, now on Christmas Eve. Back in a moment on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: This is new and more videotape of Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. He is in Iraq now, the secretary of defense on Christmas Eve. We believe this videotape is now from Falluja.
He also visited troops in Mosul, the scene of that devastating bombing earlier in the week, and also made a stop in Tikrit. So we will continue to track his movements throughout the morning as he continues his tour there in Iraq.
It is Christmas Eve out there, and the holiday is a difficult time for those who have experienced tremendous loss certainly, or separated from their families like we see with the U.S. military. That is a special focus for Bishop T.D. Jakes, of the Potter's House Church, a nondenominational Christian church down there in Dallas, Texas.
Good morning to you, and merry Christmas.
BISHOP T.D. JAKES, POTTER'S HOUSE CHURCH: Good morning.
HEMMER: Hey, what's your message...
JAKES: Same to you.
HEMMER: What's your message this holiday?
JAKES: You know, I think it's so important as we go through the holiday season, it causes us to reflect on our families and those that we love and care for. And yet for many Americans it's a really challenging time, because we are separated. We are in conflict, engaged in a war. There are many people who have lost loved ones either to the war or sickness or what have you. And for them the holiday season may not be as merry as it is for other people. HEMMER: Yes indeed, especially on that last point. If we look back at the past year, Bishop, especially with the election, and you look at some of this exit polling about moral values in America, what more can you read into that as to why so many feel that is so significant?
JAKES: I think it is significant. It's very difficult for us to expect people to make decisions apart from our faith. I think our faith contributes to how we see life. Religion has affected how we see art, how we develop music throughout history, and it continues to tailor our thoughts and our attitudes, even in our contemporary society.
My hope is that we broaden our definition of morality to be more inclusive to values and issues that we were trained as children: treating people right, giving honest answers, responding appropriately, renouncing racism, abuse, sexism -- all of the many, many issues. There's a plethora of issues that go far beyond the political definition of morality.
HEMMER: Well, you heard my introduction to you this morning. What do you say to those who find the holidays to be perhaps the most stressful time of the year, for whatever reason, be it emotional or otherwise?
JAKES: It is a very stressful time. And I think it's stressful many times when we feel pressured to fit into the contemporary connotations of Christmas. Get out of the house. Do something enjoyable with people who need you. There are homeless people. There are people in nursing homes who would really benefit by your company or your attention. Finding a way to give something back doesn't necessary mean that you have to buy a gift at the mall.
Giving attention and love, affection, affirmation, has a boomerang effect. It lifts your spirit and encourages your heart. And if you're shut in and you can't get out, get on the telephone and encourage those people who are in need. Write a letter to a loved one. It's about sharing something positive in the midst of the season that causes you have great joy.
HEMMER: Well, I think your previous answer really hit the nail on the head. It is all about family. Hang on a second there in Dallas. We're going to put you on the spot in a moment here, OK?
JAKES: Sure.
HEMMER: One second there. And here's Jack now. Good morning.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Well, the time of the year, Bill, is about memories. We create a lot of memories over the holiday season. Some of them are good. Some of them are average. And some of them, quite frankly, are not so good.
There is the pressure to go out and get last-minute Christmas gifts. That deadline often producing mixed results. Christmas Day is one of the few days on the calendar that really is set aside to spend time with your family. Well, that can be a good thing. That can also be a not so good thing. It's about good food, good conversation, good laughs. Sometimes it's not.
The question today is, on this Christmas Eve: What's your favorite Christmas memory? It doesn't have to be a good memory. It just has to be one that stands out.
HEMMER: That's to fit the definition of a memory, right?
CAFFERTY: Yes.
HEMMER: Let's put the bishop on the spot. T.D. Jakes, what is your favorite memory?
JAKES: Well, I'm living my favorite Christmas memory right. We just went through a hair-raising experience with my oldest son. He had a heart attack. It scared us all to death. But he's home for the holidays and back out of the hospital. He's doing well, and we're very, very happy. It really makes you understand what Christmas is all about...
HEMMER: Wow!
JAKES: ... just having one another close to you.
HEMMER: Yes.
JAKES: It's wonderful. It's wonderful.
HEMMER: That really rings true. Thanks. I didn't know you were going to go in that direction, but have a great Christmas with your family.
JAKES: It's OK. But for mine, he's all I wanted for Christmas.
HEMMER: Oh, that is very sweet and very special. Best to you and best to your family, OK? T.D. Jakes down there in Dallas, Texas, with us.
Get a break here. In a moment, which celebrity was so naughty this year one gossip hound says he will never mention her name again? "90-Second Pop" in a moment.
First, a little more cheer from Rockapella (ph) here on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: Welcome back on this Christmas Eve.
Two of America's favorite authors are adding a little suspense to this holiday season. Recently, Soledad had a chance to talk with them.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Mary Higgins Clark and her daughter, Carol, are at it again. The two best-selling authors have written their third holiday thriller. In this one, a funny thing happens to an 80-foot blue spruce on its way to Rockefeller Center for Christmas. It disappears.
The new book is called "The Christmas Thief." The mother/daughter mystery team join us this morning.
Nice to see you both back. Nice to see you again. Thanks for coming in to chat with us.
MARY HIGGINS CLARK, AUTHOR, 'THE CHRISTMAS THIEF": Well, it's nice to see you again.
O'BRIEN: The book is already No. 5 on the list.
CLARK: Yes.
CAROL HIGGINS CLARK, AUTHOR, "THE CHRISTMAS THIEF": Yes, that's right.
O'BRIEN: That's very, very, nice.
MARY HIGGINS CLARK: Well, considering it's a tough list, for heaven sakes.
O'BRIEN: Yes, that's...
MARY HIGGINS CLARK: So that's very exciting.
O'BRIEN: "The New York Times" best-seller list, that's nothing to sneeze at, as they say. A great idea. And I understand that it was your editor who said...
MARY HIGGINS CLARK: Michael Good (ph), yes.
O'BRIEN: ... what about this? But the logistics, I mean, you can't just make it up, right? It's got to make sense how you got an 80-foot blue spruce to disappear on its way to New York City. What were the difficulties in kind of putting the story together?
MARY HIGGINS CLARK: Well, the difficulties were that it was impossible.
O'BRIEN: Besides that.
MARY HIGGINS CLARK: Because you have a security guard in front of the tree and a security guard behind it. We checked, you know, how Rockefeller Center does it. So that meant we couldn't do it that way. So we figured what they have to do -- what he has to do is cut it down the night before, because the branches are down. The crane is on the tree. The flatbed is there. So we had to just move up the theft 24 hours.
O'BRIEN: You were able to bring two characters that each have together in this book. Why did you decide to do it that way?
MARY HIGGINS CLARK: Well, we did it before, you know, Reagan and Elvira.
CAROL HIGGINS CLARK: Yes, my continued character, Reagan Riley and my mother's continuing character, Elvira, who won $40 million in the lottery. So we...
O'BRIEN: But she becomes a detective with the...
(CROSSTALK)
CAROL HIGGINS CLARK: Yes.
O'BRIEN: But why in this book did you feel like this is a good story, where you can put them together again?
MARY HIGGINS CLARK: They work well together. And then why would they go up? They went for a weekend in Stowe (ph) to ski. You know, Elvira is going to try her hand at cross-country skiing. You know, Elvira is adventurous. And then they realize the tree is going to be cut down nearby, and won't it be fun to see the tree?
CAROL HIGGINS CLARK: And meanwhile, the criminal has stolen -- has hidden a cache of diamonds in there -- in the tree and has gone back to get it after he just got out of prison. But when he gets to Vermont, he discovers that the tree the diamonds are hidden in has been chosen as the Rockefeller Center tree.
O'BRIEN: Suddenly it's the focus of a lot of attention.
CAROL HIGGINS CLARK: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Talk a little about the writing process. I would imagine just sitting down and writing a book per se is hard. Is it so much harder when it's two people with ideas?
MARY HIGGINS CLARK: No, half as hard.
O'BRIEN: Really?
MARY HIGGINS CLARK: Oh, yes. Because one thinks of something the other one didn't think of. And then we say how about and suppose. And then when we go up to do research, we went up to Stowe (ph), the family lodge.
O'BRIEN: Or be forced to go skiing, oh, no! That Stowe (ph)!
MARY HIGGINS CLARK: So, we do the research together and then say, now, suppose this and suppose that. And then because the book is funny or it's supposed to be, we think it is.
O'BRIEN: Right.
MARY HIGGINS CLARK: We hope it is. We kind of crack each other up when we're writing it. O'BRIEN: The book is funny. I really enjoyed it.
CAROL HIGGINS CLARK: Oh, well, thank you.
O'BRIEN: But it's good. Mary Higgins Clark and Carol, her daughter, nice to see you both.
MARY HIGGINS CLARK: Good to see you.
CAROL HIGGINS CLARK: Thank you.
O'BRIEN: Thanks for coming to chat with us.
Back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WALLACE: Thanks, Soledad. Soledad sitting down with Mary and Carol Higgins Clark.
Well, coming up here on AMERICAN MORNING, hey, hey, hey, it's Fat Albert. OK, that was a lame attempt at best. But Hollywood mines Saturday morning for gold. But will Christmas audiences get a lump of coal instead? "90-Second Pop" is just ahead. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Welcome back, everybody. ""90-Second Pop" on Christmas Eve. They have come to be our panel here. Toure, CNN pop culture correspondent.
Good morning.
TOURE, CNN POP CULTURE CORRESPONDENT: How are you?
HEMMER: Good. Are you all right?
TOURE: I'm all right.
HEMMER: Are you bringing, like, incense, myrrh? What do you got over there?
TOURE: Well, you know, some kind of gift that, you know, I'll open it up and figure it out and give it away.
HEMMER: I bet the box is empty.
TOURE: Yes.
HEMMER: Comedian Jessi Klein, a contributor to VH1.
Jessi, welcome back. Nice to see you.
JESSI KLEIN, COMEDIAN: Thank you.
HEMMER: And a virgin popper, Lloyd Grove columnist for "The New York Daily News." Hello there.
LLOYD GROVE, COLUMNIST, "THE NEW YORK DAILY NEWS": That's embarrassing.
HEMMER: It's not.
TOURE: Now (UNINTELLIGIBLE) gets it. Don't worry. Don't worry.
KLEIN: Yes.
HEMMER: Thank you.
KLEIN: It gets easier and easier. Just relax.
HEMMER: Toure, basketball court this weekend.
TOURE: Yes.
HEMMER: This is must-see TV. You've got Kobe and Shaq. You've got, what, Pistons, Pacers in a rematch?
TOURE: Yes. I mean, there's so much animosity in the NBA right now. It, like, mirrors America. I mean, David Stern has got to get a handle on this Kobe and Shaq. They're talking about, you know, I'm going to be the brick wall and he's the Corvette.
Look, hockey is white guys. They can fight and hate each other.
HEMMER: And they're not even playing.
TOURE: Yes. Black man animosity, fighting, this does not work in America.
KLEIN: I think...
TOURE: We've got to calm it down.
KLEIN: I think the NBA just needs to take advantage of the situation and make these games pay-per-view. These are pay-per-view games. Make a little extra dollar.
HEMMER: Because it's Saturday night in the ring sometimes?
KLEIN: That's exactly, boom, boom, boom, Thunder Dome.
HEMMER: I think Christmas Day is going to turn huge numbers for that Detroit-Indiana game.
TOURE: Oh, yes. Well, that game, I imagine, nothing will happen. Something will happen...
HEMMER: Correct.
TOURE: ... in the Kobe/Shaq game.
KLEIN: Yes. TOURE: Kobe will drive, and Shaq will put him on his back. It will be just basketball, and we'll make much ado about it.
HEMMER: Well, explain the context for that. He was asked the question in an interview, I think Al Michaels (ph) did the interview on ABC.
TOURE: Yes.
HEMMER: He said, do you know what happens when a nice Corvette hits a brick wall?
TOURE: Yes. Yes. And you've seen the tape when they ask Shaq in the locker room, are you going to forgive him? And he just stares at the reporter, "next question." Like, I mean, this is real animosity.
HEMMER: Drama, and only in L.A.
TOURE: Yes.
HEMMER: Lloyd, tell us about who was naughty in 2004. Tell us about the woman who will not appear in your column ever again. We won't mention her name here.
GROVE: Well, yesterday in my column I sort of declared a fatwa (ph) against the person I'm calling redactive (ph) from here on out. And basically, there are some people who are so pointless, witless party girls, even with if they are witless party girls with television shows, who I just can't bring myself to mention anymore. It's just bad for my soul and bad for America's soul.
TOURE: Wait, wait, wait. This is gossip columnist crack. Can you really stay away, Lloyd?
GROVE: You're right. It is crack. And I have to get off the crack pipe.
TOURE: Good for you.
GROVE: Thank you.
HEMMER: If the woman who will not be mentioned on this program, Paris Hilton, was naughty, who was nice in your column?
GROVE: I have to say that Nia Vardalos of "My Big, Fat Greek Wedding" is my heroine of the year, because she was at a party. The party gets spontaneously combusted, literally burst into flames, leaned into a coffee urn and got on fire. And Nia tackled her, put out her hair, put out her scarf.
HEMMER: True story?
GROVE: It is a true story. It happened at the Spider Club two weeks ago.
HEMMER: You're kidding me?
KLEIN: Don't forget also another person I think was very nice this year, Britney Spears, who kind of retired, which was very nice of her.
TOURE: Sort of, you know.
KLEIN: That also means that we don't have to listen to her anymore.
GROVE: Oh, I think you're far too hopeful.
TOURE: Can I give out a naughty...
KLEIN: Really?
TOURE: A naughty to Martin Scorsese, who kept me in the theater for more than three hours with the crappy "Aviator?"
GROVE: No, no, no, that was a great movie.
TOURE: Oh, it was so naughty. It's so...
KLEIN: I can't believe you even fell for it.
TOURE: Leo is so far beyond Leo. And, like, just why the three hours?
GROVE: What is wrong with you, man?
TOURE: I have wasted six hours of my life now between "Gangster in New York" and this one. Martin...
HEMMER: And how long did Howard Hughes spend in that Las Vegas hotel, by the way, anyway?
TOURE: I don't know.
HEMMER: Not as long as that film. Jessi, what should we see over the holidays if you're looking for a film? What do you like?
KLEIN: That's a great question. You know, here's the thing on holiday movies is hopefully by the time you get around to seeing the movie on your Christmas weekend, you've already had enough to drink, but it doesn't matter what movie you go see. That said, "The Incredibles" was really good.
TOURE: Yes.
KLEIN: You can take the kids.
HEMMER: That was out awhile ago.
KLEIN: Yes, but have you seen it yet? The other one...
HEMMER: What about "Fat Albert?" KLEIN: "Fat Albert"...
GROVE: Hey, hey, hey!
KLEIN: I loved the cartoon. I'm doing the bio-picks, so I'm going to rule out "Fat Albert."
GROVE: I'm just looking for movie theaters with comfortable seats so I can sleep.
KLEIN: Yes, to get away from it.
TOURE: I'm going with "The Life Aquatic."
HEMMER: And?
TOURE: Wes Anderson directed it. It was great fun. It's wry. It's subtle. It's smart. Bill Murray, Willem Dafoe, Cate Blanchett, tons of stars, lots of fun. It's one of these smart, funny things. Wes Anderson, I think, is like the new Woody Allen and doing smart, funny stuff, very personal films. You know, each film is sort of very much like the one before it but different and great fun.
GROVE: "The Incredibles" was very well worth seeing. I enjoyed it, even though I thought it would be just a commercial animation. But it was more than that. It did make my column, and I'm not a moviegoer.
KLEIN: Paris Hilton...
HEMMER: Have a great holiday. We've got to run. Nice to see all three of you.
Here's Kelly again across the room.
WALLACE: Thanks, Bill. Good recommendations.
Well, coming up, a big surprise for U.S. troops in Iraq this morning: breakfast with the defense secretary, Donald Rumsfeld. The question? Will it stem the tide of bad press? We'll have the latest all ahead here on AMERICAN MORNING.
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Aired December 24, 2004 - 07:29 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Kelly Wallace in for Soledad today.
Good morning to you.
KELLY WALLACE, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to you. Good morning, everyone.
HEMMER: As we continue now. The surprise visit in Iraq today, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld visiting troops there in a number of towns and really the hot spots for that matter, too. Very secret for obvious security reasons, answering questions from the troops earlier today, saying he wants to look them in the eye and thank them. Much more on his visit as we go throughout the morning here -- Kelly.
WALLACE: Quite of a story this morning.
Also, Bill, the message from this Christmas, from the enormously popular, the Bishop T.J. Jakes. He is thinking about the war this year and how families are affected by being away from their loved ones. His thoughts coming up.
HEMMER: A perfect day today, too, on Christmas Eve.
Let's get to the headlines. Here is Daryn Kagan at the CNN center, also with us today.
Good morning, Daryn. How are you?
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. And merry Christmas to you, Bill. Good to be with you guys.
HEMMER: Thank you. Thank you, and happy holidays as well.
KAGAN: Thank you, dear.
HEMMER: Sure.
KAGAN: Let's look at some headlines "Now in the News."
More attacks against Iraqi security at this hour. In Baquba, northeast of Baghdad, gunmen shelled a police station with mortar rounds. No word yet on casualties or any damage.
Outgoing Secretary of State Colin Powell reportedly is concerned there were not enough troops in Iraq. According to sources cited by the "The Washington Post", Powell urged President Bush and British Prime Minster Tony Blair to boost forces. The report claims the meeting took place on the same day Powell handed in his resignation letter.
And warning of a huge tsunami, the waves in the Pacific Ocean today. This is just hours after the biggest earthquake of the year shook the ocean floor, an 8.1 quake occurring halfway between Australia and Antarctica. Scientists say if it had struck closer to land, the quake to could have swallowed an entire city.
And it certainly will be happy holiday for Atlanta quarterback Michael Vick. Get this: The Falcons star player is now the richest player in the NFL. He has signed a $130 million contract extension to stay here in Atlanta for another 10 years. That guarantees Vick $37 million in bonuses, which, for those of you counting, is a league record. No problem with his Christmas shopping list.
Kelly -- back to you.
WALLACE: I was just going to say, Daryn, he'll have plenty of money for gifts for those loved ones, right?
KAGAN: There you go.
WALLACE: All right, Daryn, happy holidays to you. It's great to see you.
KAGAN: Thank you, Kelly.
WALLACE: And as we've been telling you throughout the morning here, Secretary Donald Rumsfeld in Iraq. This is video we're getting in from his visit to Falluja inside Iraq. He had previously been to Mosul and also Tikrit.
This is part of a morale-boosting trip by the defense secretary, shaking hands with the troops, taking questions. He was asked earlier in another visit about whether the U.S. would be increasing the size of the U.S. Army.
Also, on two different occasions he was asked from soldiers about what more can be done to communicate in the United States about the good work that American soldiers are doing. And the secretary seemed to like that question very much, getting a little fired up, saying that sometimes the good news, what's going on in Iraq is not getting out to the American people.
This is a perfect segue for us. I had the pleasure of spending some time with a family in New Jersey. This time of year is particularly hard for them. It is twice as difficult because they have just sent their teenage twin daughters to Iraq.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WALLACE (voice over): It's hard to tell Darlene and Stefanie Pabon apart, but they say there are differences. Darlene is the one who loved cheerleading. Stephanie has the serious boyfriend.
But now the 19-year-old identical twins are living identical lives. They left last week for Iraq as members of the New Jersey National Guard. Asked how their parents were taking it?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It will be hard, but they'll be good.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They're fine. They'll be all right.
WALLACE: Well, mom and dad told us it is tough.
DAVE PABON, FATHER: You can't help think, like, 'They're my girls.' You know, this is, like, you know, you get mad, you know, and they're going over there. In the back of my mind, you know, anything's possible. Anything can happen.
WALLACE: Dave and Donna Pabon say the girls, their only children, joined the National Guard in 2002 mainly to get money for college, never imaging they would one day head to a war zone.
DONNA PABON, MOTHER: We really just kind of hoped that it wouldn't happen. At the time they joined, there was no war, no talk of war.
WALLACE: The Pabons adjusted to their girls being away for basic training, but an overseas deployment, they say, is so much harder.
DONNA PABON: It's a different feeling, having them out of the country versus knowing that they're just going to be, you know, a phone call away. We'll venture into the dark room of Stefanie first.
WALLACE: The girls, strong, mom and dad say. Their rooms filled with karate trophies. Darlene is a black belt; Stefanie, a brown belt. Still, signs everywhere they are teenage girls. And now mom and dad prepare for their first Christmas ever without them.
DAVE PABON: The spirit isn't really there right now, because of the fact they're not around. You know, we do miss not hearing the music coming out of their rooms and stuff like that, and the phone ringing like crazy, which could be, you know, hectic at times. But now that they're gone you kind of miss that.
WALLACE: But they say they've been blessed by the support from friends and total strangers.
DONNA PABON: We just are grateful for everyone's prayers that are praying for them, and we pray for them every night. They know that. They're grateful for that.
WALLACE: Praying for their girls and waiting for that day when they, and all of the other soldiers, make it home.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
And I spoke with Donna Pabon yesterday. She says her girls will make it to Iraq tomorrow, Christmas Day. They're expected to provide administrative support for the U.S. Army. And mom says she's looking forward to their e-mails and pictures, Bill. Their Christmas gift: digital cameras so mom and dad can see exactly what they're doing overseas. HEMMER: Well, I'll tell you, that is one of the great benefits of serving overseas today, Kelly. You've got e-mail and can send pictures and you can talk on the phone. Quite a different cry from previous deployments going back several years.
WALLACE: Exactly. It gives them some comfort while they're dealing with them being away.
HEMMER: A nice story.
WALLACE: Thanks.
HEMMER: Of course, this morning, Secretary Rumsfeld continues his surprise visit in Iraq. There is videotape now in from Falluja, new videotape. We're seeing it for the first time along with you. We'll examine this as we go throughout the morning here. More comments from the secretary and more thoughts, too, on the significance of this visit, now on Christmas Eve. Back in a moment on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: This is new and more videotape of Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. He is in Iraq now, the secretary of defense on Christmas Eve. We believe this videotape is now from Falluja.
He also visited troops in Mosul, the scene of that devastating bombing earlier in the week, and also made a stop in Tikrit. So we will continue to track his movements throughout the morning as he continues his tour there in Iraq.
It is Christmas Eve out there, and the holiday is a difficult time for those who have experienced tremendous loss certainly, or separated from their families like we see with the U.S. military. That is a special focus for Bishop T.D. Jakes, of the Potter's House Church, a nondenominational Christian church down there in Dallas, Texas.
Good morning to you, and merry Christmas.
BISHOP T.D. JAKES, POTTER'S HOUSE CHURCH: Good morning.
HEMMER: Hey, what's your message...
JAKES: Same to you.
HEMMER: What's your message this holiday?
JAKES: You know, I think it's so important as we go through the holiday season, it causes us to reflect on our families and those that we love and care for. And yet for many Americans it's a really challenging time, because we are separated. We are in conflict, engaged in a war. There are many people who have lost loved ones either to the war or sickness or what have you. And for them the holiday season may not be as merry as it is for other people. HEMMER: Yes indeed, especially on that last point. If we look back at the past year, Bishop, especially with the election, and you look at some of this exit polling about moral values in America, what more can you read into that as to why so many feel that is so significant?
JAKES: I think it is significant. It's very difficult for us to expect people to make decisions apart from our faith. I think our faith contributes to how we see life. Religion has affected how we see art, how we develop music throughout history, and it continues to tailor our thoughts and our attitudes, even in our contemporary society.
My hope is that we broaden our definition of morality to be more inclusive to values and issues that we were trained as children: treating people right, giving honest answers, responding appropriately, renouncing racism, abuse, sexism -- all of the many, many issues. There's a plethora of issues that go far beyond the political definition of morality.
HEMMER: Well, you heard my introduction to you this morning. What do you say to those who find the holidays to be perhaps the most stressful time of the year, for whatever reason, be it emotional or otherwise?
JAKES: It is a very stressful time. And I think it's stressful many times when we feel pressured to fit into the contemporary connotations of Christmas. Get out of the house. Do something enjoyable with people who need you. There are homeless people. There are people in nursing homes who would really benefit by your company or your attention. Finding a way to give something back doesn't necessary mean that you have to buy a gift at the mall.
Giving attention and love, affection, affirmation, has a boomerang effect. It lifts your spirit and encourages your heart. And if you're shut in and you can't get out, get on the telephone and encourage those people who are in need. Write a letter to a loved one. It's about sharing something positive in the midst of the season that causes you have great joy.
HEMMER: Well, I think your previous answer really hit the nail on the head. It is all about family. Hang on a second there in Dallas. We're going to put you on the spot in a moment here, OK?
JAKES: Sure.
HEMMER: One second there. And here's Jack now. Good morning.
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Well, the time of the year, Bill, is about memories. We create a lot of memories over the holiday season. Some of them are good. Some of them are average. And some of them, quite frankly, are not so good.
There is the pressure to go out and get last-minute Christmas gifts. That deadline often producing mixed results. Christmas Day is one of the few days on the calendar that really is set aside to spend time with your family. Well, that can be a good thing. That can also be a not so good thing. It's about good food, good conversation, good laughs. Sometimes it's not.
The question today is, on this Christmas Eve: What's your favorite Christmas memory? It doesn't have to be a good memory. It just has to be one that stands out.
HEMMER: That's to fit the definition of a memory, right?
CAFFERTY: Yes.
HEMMER: Let's put the bishop on the spot. T.D. Jakes, what is your favorite memory?
JAKES: Well, I'm living my favorite Christmas memory right. We just went through a hair-raising experience with my oldest son. He had a heart attack. It scared us all to death. But he's home for the holidays and back out of the hospital. He's doing well, and we're very, very happy. It really makes you understand what Christmas is all about...
HEMMER: Wow!
JAKES: ... just having one another close to you.
HEMMER: Yes.
JAKES: It's wonderful. It's wonderful.
HEMMER: That really rings true. Thanks. I didn't know you were going to go in that direction, but have a great Christmas with your family.
JAKES: It's OK. But for mine, he's all I wanted for Christmas.
HEMMER: Oh, that is very sweet and very special. Best to you and best to your family, OK? T.D. Jakes down there in Dallas, Texas, with us.
Get a break here. In a moment, which celebrity was so naughty this year one gossip hound says he will never mention her name again? "90-Second Pop" in a moment.
First, a little more cheer from Rockapella (ph) here on AMERICAN MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
WALLACE: Welcome back on this Christmas Eve.
Two of America's favorite authors are adding a little suspense to this holiday season. Recently, Soledad had a chance to talk with them.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Mary Higgins Clark and her daughter, Carol, are at it again. The two best-selling authors have written their third holiday thriller. In this one, a funny thing happens to an 80-foot blue spruce on its way to Rockefeller Center for Christmas. It disappears.
The new book is called "The Christmas Thief." The mother/daughter mystery team join us this morning.
Nice to see you both back. Nice to see you again. Thanks for coming in to chat with us.
MARY HIGGINS CLARK, AUTHOR, 'THE CHRISTMAS THIEF": Well, it's nice to see you again.
O'BRIEN: The book is already No. 5 on the list.
CLARK: Yes.
CAROL HIGGINS CLARK, AUTHOR, "THE CHRISTMAS THIEF": Yes, that's right.
O'BRIEN: That's very, very, nice.
MARY HIGGINS CLARK: Well, considering it's a tough list, for heaven sakes.
O'BRIEN: Yes, that's...
MARY HIGGINS CLARK: So that's very exciting.
O'BRIEN: "The New York Times" best-seller list, that's nothing to sneeze at, as they say. A great idea. And I understand that it was your editor who said...
MARY HIGGINS CLARK: Michael Good (ph), yes.
O'BRIEN: ... what about this? But the logistics, I mean, you can't just make it up, right? It's got to make sense how you got an 80-foot blue spruce to disappear on its way to New York City. What were the difficulties in kind of putting the story together?
MARY HIGGINS CLARK: Well, the difficulties were that it was impossible.
O'BRIEN: Besides that.
MARY HIGGINS CLARK: Because you have a security guard in front of the tree and a security guard behind it. We checked, you know, how Rockefeller Center does it. So that meant we couldn't do it that way. So we figured what they have to do -- what he has to do is cut it down the night before, because the branches are down. The crane is on the tree. The flatbed is there. So we had to just move up the theft 24 hours.
O'BRIEN: You were able to bring two characters that each have together in this book. Why did you decide to do it that way?
MARY HIGGINS CLARK: Well, we did it before, you know, Reagan and Elvira.
CAROL HIGGINS CLARK: Yes, my continued character, Reagan Riley and my mother's continuing character, Elvira, who won $40 million in the lottery. So we...
O'BRIEN: But she becomes a detective with the...
(CROSSTALK)
CAROL HIGGINS CLARK: Yes.
O'BRIEN: But why in this book did you feel like this is a good story, where you can put them together again?
MARY HIGGINS CLARK: They work well together. And then why would they go up? They went for a weekend in Stowe (ph) to ski. You know, Elvira is going to try her hand at cross-country skiing. You know, Elvira is adventurous. And then they realize the tree is going to be cut down nearby, and won't it be fun to see the tree?
CAROL HIGGINS CLARK: And meanwhile, the criminal has stolen -- has hidden a cache of diamonds in there -- in the tree and has gone back to get it after he just got out of prison. But when he gets to Vermont, he discovers that the tree the diamonds are hidden in has been chosen as the Rockefeller Center tree.
O'BRIEN: Suddenly it's the focus of a lot of attention.
CAROL HIGGINS CLARK: Yes.
O'BRIEN: Talk a little about the writing process. I would imagine just sitting down and writing a book per se is hard. Is it so much harder when it's two people with ideas?
MARY HIGGINS CLARK: No, half as hard.
O'BRIEN: Really?
MARY HIGGINS CLARK: Oh, yes. Because one thinks of something the other one didn't think of. And then we say how about and suppose. And then when we go up to do research, we went up to Stowe (ph), the family lodge.
O'BRIEN: Or be forced to go skiing, oh, no! That Stowe (ph)!
MARY HIGGINS CLARK: So, we do the research together and then say, now, suppose this and suppose that. And then because the book is funny or it's supposed to be, we think it is.
O'BRIEN: Right.
MARY HIGGINS CLARK: We hope it is. We kind of crack each other up when we're writing it. O'BRIEN: The book is funny. I really enjoyed it.
CAROL HIGGINS CLARK: Oh, well, thank you.
O'BRIEN: But it's good. Mary Higgins Clark and Carol, her daughter, nice to see you both.
MARY HIGGINS CLARK: Good to see you.
CAROL HIGGINS CLARK: Thank you.
O'BRIEN: Thanks for coming to chat with us.
Back to you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WALLACE: Thanks, Soledad. Soledad sitting down with Mary and Carol Higgins Clark.
Well, coming up here on AMERICAN MORNING, hey, hey, hey, it's Fat Albert. OK, that was a lame attempt at best. But Hollywood mines Saturday morning for gold. But will Christmas audiences get a lump of coal instead? "90-Second Pop" is just ahead. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HEMMER: Welcome back, everybody. ""90-Second Pop" on Christmas Eve. They have come to be our panel here. Toure, CNN pop culture correspondent.
Good morning.
TOURE, CNN POP CULTURE CORRESPONDENT: How are you?
HEMMER: Good. Are you all right?
TOURE: I'm all right.
HEMMER: Are you bringing, like, incense, myrrh? What do you got over there?
TOURE: Well, you know, some kind of gift that, you know, I'll open it up and figure it out and give it away.
HEMMER: I bet the box is empty.
TOURE: Yes.
HEMMER: Comedian Jessi Klein, a contributor to VH1.
Jessi, welcome back. Nice to see you.
JESSI KLEIN, COMEDIAN: Thank you.
HEMMER: And a virgin popper, Lloyd Grove columnist for "The New York Daily News." Hello there.
LLOYD GROVE, COLUMNIST, "THE NEW YORK DAILY NEWS": That's embarrassing.
HEMMER: It's not.
TOURE: Now (UNINTELLIGIBLE) gets it. Don't worry. Don't worry.
KLEIN: Yes.
HEMMER: Thank you.
KLEIN: It gets easier and easier. Just relax.
HEMMER: Toure, basketball court this weekend.
TOURE: Yes.
HEMMER: This is must-see TV. You've got Kobe and Shaq. You've got, what, Pistons, Pacers in a rematch?
TOURE: Yes. I mean, there's so much animosity in the NBA right now. It, like, mirrors America. I mean, David Stern has got to get a handle on this Kobe and Shaq. They're talking about, you know, I'm going to be the brick wall and he's the Corvette.
Look, hockey is white guys. They can fight and hate each other.
HEMMER: And they're not even playing.
TOURE: Yes. Black man animosity, fighting, this does not work in America.
KLEIN: I think...
TOURE: We've got to calm it down.
KLEIN: I think the NBA just needs to take advantage of the situation and make these games pay-per-view. These are pay-per-view games. Make a little extra dollar.
HEMMER: Because it's Saturday night in the ring sometimes?
KLEIN: That's exactly, boom, boom, boom, Thunder Dome.
HEMMER: I think Christmas Day is going to turn huge numbers for that Detroit-Indiana game.
TOURE: Oh, yes. Well, that game, I imagine, nothing will happen. Something will happen...
HEMMER: Correct.
TOURE: ... in the Kobe/Shaq game.
KLEIN: Yes. TOURE: Kobe will drive, and Shaq will put him on his back. It will be just basketball, and we'll make much ado about it.
HEMMER: Well, explain the context for that. He was asked the question in an interview, I think Al Michaels (ph) did the interview on ABC.
TOURE: Yes.
HEMMER: He said, do you know what happens when a nice Corvette hits a brick wall?
TOURE: Yes. Yes. And you've seen the tape when they ask Shaq in the locker room, are you going to forgive him? And he just stares at the reporter, "next question." Like, I mean, this is real animosity.
HEMMER: Drama, and only in L.A.
TOURE: Yes.
HEMMER: Lloyd, tell us about who was naughty in 2004. Tell us about the woman who will not appear in your column ever again. We won't mention her name here.
GROVE: Well, yesterday in my column I sort of declared a fatwa (ph) against the person I'm calling redactive (ph) from here on out. And basically, there are some people who are so pointless, witless party girls, even with if they are witless party girls with television shows, who I just can't bring myself to mention anymore. It's just bad for my soul and bad for America's soul.
TOURE: Wait, wait, wait. This is gossip columnist crack. Can you really stay away, Lloyd?
GROVE: You're right. It is crack. And I have to get off the crack pipe.
TOURE: Good for you.
GROVE: Thank you.
HEMMER: If the woman who will not be mentioned on this program, Paris Hilton, was naughty, who was nice in your column?
GROVE: I have to say that Nia Vardalos of "My Big, Fat Greek Wedding" is my heroine of the year, because she was at a party. The party gets spontaneously combusted, literally burst into flames, leaned into a coffee urn and got on fire. And Nia tackled her, put out her hair, put out her scarf.
HEMMER: True story?
GROVE: It is a true story. It happened at the Spider Club two weeks ago.
HEMMER: You're kidding me?
KLEIN: Don't forget also another person I think was very nice this year, Britney Spears, who kind of retired, which was very nice of her.
TOURE: Sort of, you know.
KLEIN: That also means that we don't have to listen to her anymore.
GROVE: Oh, I think you're far too hopeful.
TOURE: Can I give out a naughty...
KLEIN: Really?
TOURE: A naughty to Martin Scorsese, who kept me in the theater for more than three hours with the crappy "Aviator?"
GROVE: No, no, no, that was a great movie.
TOURE: Oh, it was so naughty. It's so...
KLEIN: I can't believe you even fell for it.
TOURE: Leo is so far beyond Leo. And, like, just why the three hours?
GROVE: What is wrong with you, man?
TOURE: I have wasted six hours of my life now between "Gangster in New York" and this one. Martin...
HEMMER: And how long did Howard Hughes spend in that Las Vegas hotel, by the way, anyway?
TOURE: I don't know.
HEMMER: Not as long as that film. Jessi, what should we see over the holidays if you're looking for a film? What do you like?
KLEIN: That's a great question. You know, here's the thing on holiday movies is hopefully by the time you get around to seeing the movie on your Christmas weekend, you've already had enough to drink, but it doesn't matter what movie you go see. That said, "The Incredibles" was really good.
TOURE: Yes.
KLEIN: You can take the kids.
HEMMER: That was out awhile ago.
KLEIN: Yes, but have you seen it yet? The other one...
HEMMER: What about "Fat Albert?" KLEIN: "Fat Albert"...
GROVE: Hey, hey, hey!
KLEIN: I loved the cartoon. I'm doing the bio-picks, so I'm going to rule out "Fat Albert."
GROVE: I'm just looking for movie theaters with comfortable seats so I can sleep.
KLEIN: Yes, to get away from it.
TOURE: I'm going with "The Life Aquatic."
HEMMER: And?
TOURE: Wes Anderson directed it. It was great fun. It's wry. It's subtle. It's smart. Bill Murray, Willem Dafoe, Cate Blanchett, tons of stars, lots of fun. It's one of these smart, funny things. Wes Anderson, I think, is like the new Woody Allen and doing smart, funny stuff, very personal films. You know, each film is sort of very much like the one before it but different and great fun.
GROVE: "The Incredibles" was very well worth seeing. I enjoyed it, even though I thought it would be just a commercial animation. But it was more than that. It did make my column, and I'm not a moviegoer.
KLEIN: Paris Hilton...
HEMMER: Have a great holiday. We've got to run. Nice to see all three of you.
Here's Kelly again across the room.
WALLACE: Thanks, Bill. Good recommendations.
Well, coming up, a big surprise for U.S. troops in Iraq this morning: breakfast with the defense secretary, Donald Rumsfeld. The question? Will it stem the tide of bad press? We'll have the latest all ahead here on AMERICAN MORNING.
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