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CNN Live Saturday

Al Qaeda's Third in Command Killed in Iraq; Many Question New Intelligence Chief's Effectiveness; As President Bush Boasts of a Strong Economy, Most Americans Remained Focused on Iraq; Many Believe That Christmas is Under Fire from Political Correcctness;

Aired December 03, 2005 - 16:00   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Ahead this hour, al Qaeda takes a major hit in Pakistan. A senior commander within the network is dead, and what it means for the war on terrorism coming up.
RENEE SAN MIGUEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I'm Renee San Miguel, New Orleans mayor, Ray Nagin, leads a town hall meeting here in Atlanta and faces a lot of frustration from Katrina evacuees about his plans to rebuild his city.

WHITFIELD: And is it a Christmas tree or a Holiday tree, what some are calling political correctness gone too far.

Hello and welcome to CNN LIVE SATURDAY, I'm Fredricka Whitfield. All that and more after this check of the headlines.

A clear image of a controversial surgery recipient. This picture is of the French woman who received a partial transplant earlier this week. More on the controversial operation straight ahead.

A hero's send off for soccer great George Best. Tens of thousands of fans turned out today to pay their final respects in Northern Ireland. Many called Best the Elvis of soccer. He died last week after losing a long battle with alcoholism. Best was 59.

Extending a personal invitation for a holy land visit. Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas met privately with Pope Benedict XVI today. While The Pope reportedly responded favorably to the invite, he didn't indicate when he might visit.

Keeping you informed. CNN, the most trusted name in news.

Up first, a major development in the war on terrorism. Pakistani officials confirmed al Qaeda's powerful operations chief has been killed in Northwestern Pakistan. U.S. officials say Abu Hamza Rabia was responsible for planning terrorist attacks, including strikes here in America.

We're told Rabia was killed Wednesday. How is not entirely clear. CNN's Elaine Quijano is getting reaction from the White House. Terrorism expert Jim Walsh will explain the significance of the killing.

Let's begin with Elaine. ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, no reaction from the White House just yet. No reaction officially coming out to the White House. But certainly U.S. intelligence officials are celebrating what they see as a major blow to the al Qaeda network, the death on Wednesday of Abu Hamza Rabia. The man they viewed, intelligence officials viewed, as the heir to 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.

This took place in the northern part of Pakistan. Apparently, according to Pakistani officials, Rabia died in an accident, that he was working with explosives, they say, at a house in that tribal area.

But there are media reports suggesting instead the blast was a deliberate missile strike by an unmanned CIA Predator Drone. And adding to the mystery, a photograph of Pakistani tribesmen, reportedly holding a piece of a missile pulled from the debris at the blast site.

CNN has not been able to verify the authenticity of this photograph, but a reflection of some of the conflicting reports are shown by a Pakistani journalist who talked to some eyewitnesses in the area.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

SALIM BOKHARI, JOURNALIST: The local people and the agencies and tribal officials are saying this was a missile attack from an unarmed vehicle, and authorities saying this was a blast in a house, as a result of which five people were killed.

QUIJANO: One former analyst says the reports of a missile strike, quote, have the ring of truth to them, and adds that if true, this strike would certainly need the authorization at the highest levels, meaning here at the White House.

U.S. intelligence officials are not commenting about any possible U.S. involvement in Rabia's death, and again, no one from the White House commenting on this at all.

WHITFIELD: Elaine Quijano at the White House, thank you.

What does Rabia's death mean for al Qaeda and the fight against the terror network? Joining us is terrorism expert Jim Walsh. How meaningful is this?

JIM WALSH, BELFER CTR., HARVARD UNIVERSITY: Any time you take one al Qaeda member off the streets, out of commission, that's a positive outcome. But it's worth remembering this is roughly the third time we've taken down allegedly the No. 3 person in al Qaeda. And despite the individual successes, obviously, al Qaeda has changed.

It has moved to different parts of the world, it still carries out attacks. While it's always good remove an al Qaeda member, I don't think it's going to fundamentally change the threat we face at home or abroad.

WHITFIELD: That indeed leads me to the next question, because it seems as though when, as you say, we've taken out supposedly a No. 3 or other lieutenant, the terrorist attacks still take place, so might there be a greater benefit capturing a lieutenant versus killing them?

Because ultimately the goal, is it not, to try to get someone like Osama bin Laden or Abu Musab al Zarqawi, and might the lieutenants be able to get -- give information leading to them?

WALSH: I think you're absolutely right, Fredricka. It is far better to capture them so you can get intelligence information out of them. That's what was done with Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his successor Abu Faraj al Libbi, he was captured by Pakistani police.

In this case, it's hard to get at someone who is in this rugged territory, who's in the Northwest Frontier provinces, that's why, like the other folks you've been speaking with, I suspect this was carried out by a predator, rather than accidental explosion by folks working on explosives. This is exactly the situation which if you use this thing, it would be used.

WHITFIELD: And then it also leads you to wonder about the cooperation between the U.S. military efforts and Pakistan. We know that Pervez Musharraf has made it very clear he wants to be actively involved in the ongoing war on terror. At the same time, he doesn't want to alienate himself from Pakistanis by allowing reported attacks to take place on his soil.

Might we never know whether there is Pakistani government cooperation with the U.S., if it turns out it was indeed a missile from a drone?

WALSH: Well, we may find evidence it was, in fact, a predator missile. If that photograph of a missile part is actually tied to -- if we can find that part.

WHITFIELD: Yes, we don't know the authenticity of the photograph either.

WALSH: I agree with you. There may be other physical evidence. Your point is well taken, that is, number one, the Pakistani government and U.S. government have cooperated closely in pursuing al Qaeda members in these Northwest provinces. In part, remember, because Pakistan has a strong interest in doing this.

They have a strong interest in this particular person, because he is alleged, with his predecessor, to have launched some of the assassination attempts against the president of Pakistan.

It's also true, I think, when you suggest that if this was done with the cooperation of the U.S., which it would have been with the U.S., if it was a predator missile, there's no way the Pakistani government is going to admit to that, that would be politically embarrassing as well. So, I think you're right there, as well.

WHITFIELD: Wonder if well ever know. Jim Walsh, thanks so much for your insight.

WALSH: Thank you.

It is graphic and disturbing. The Arabic Language Television Network al-Jazeera has aired video, reportedly shot by insurgents in Iraq, of what appears to be an attack on a U.S. Marine unit on patrol.

Please be warned, as we show you this video, it is difficult to watch, al-Jazeera said a group calling itself the Islamic Army in Iraq claims ten American troops were killed in this attack near Fallujah.

It appears to show U.S. Marines on foot and in a Humvee when they came under attack. CNN has no way to verify the authenticity of the video. The U.S. military says ten U.S. marines were killed by a roadside bomb while on a nighttime patrol Thursday outside Fallujah.

Eleven Iraqi soldiers were targeted and killed in a viscous attack today north of Baghdad. We warn you, this video is also very graphic. Ten of the soldiers were killed after insurgents detonated road side bombs near Adhaim, then fired on the patrol. The 11th soldier was kidnapped and his body later found.

Meet our demands or else. The Arabic Language Television Network, al-Jazeera, says hostage-takers are threatening to kill four western peace activists seized last week. Al-Jazeera aired video of the hostages yesterday. According to the network, the captors say they'll kill the man unless all Iraqi prisoners are released from jails by Thursday. CNN cannot verify the authenticity of that video or the statement either.

Here at home, the debate about protecting America. Critics say National Intelligence Director John Negroponte is not doing enough. But the president's top intelligence adviser is defending his work. In an exclusive interview with our David Ensor, Negroponte says the county is safer.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DAVID ENSOR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The post 9/11 U.S. intelligence community includes a state of the art National Counterterrorism Center and a new director of national intelligence. The cabinet level job created almost a year ago and filled with ambassador John Negroponte. Some critics charge the director has yet to fully exert his authority and is off to a slow start.

NEWT GINGRICH, FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER: There are four words missing, I think, from the way I sense the system is currently operating with the new director of national intelligence. Those are speed, intensity, urgency and accountability.

GINGRICH: I sense the system's currently operating with the new director of national intelligence. Those are speed, intensity, urgency and accountability.

JOHN NEGROPONTE, NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE DIR.: Well, I think the story is quite the contrary.

ENSOR: For the first time since he became the president's top intelligence adviser, Negroponte agreed to a broadcast interview. He says major changes are well under way.

NEGROPONTE: We've created in the collection area, a national clandestine service. We've created an open source center. We've created a national security branch in the FBI.

ENSOR: Critics argue Negroponte has not been forceful enough. Some even say legal changes may be needed to give him more power.

JOHN BRENNAN, FMR. COUNTERTERRORISM CHIEF: It's up to Ambassador Negroponte to really push the limits of his authority. He needs to exert it.

ENSOR: The intelligence director hints he has exerted more power than the public may know.

NEGROPONTE: I'm not at liberty to go into all the details, but we've taken tough decisions that have implications for substantial amounts of money and resources.

ENSOR: At a White House meeting Negroponte attended this week, though, sources say the issue was the CIA secret prison story. What should Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice tell angry European governments next week about whether al Qaeda prisoners, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and the like, may be on European soil under harsh CIA interrogation?

NEGROPONTE: I would say that this is a collective effort that involves the intelligence community and the State Department, and other interested agencies. But I suggest it might be best to stay tuned for Ms. Rice's trip.

ENSOR (on camera): Negroponte is in the hot seat, dealing with critics, controversies, and a battle with terrorists that shows no sign of easing up.

David Ensor, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: In Atlanta today, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin trying to convince evacuees to return home. Why the mayor got an earful.

Good economic numbers this week may have the president sighing with relief. But can he take credit for the rebound?

And is it a holiday tree or a Christmas tree? What do you call it? The debate isn't just about the winter foliage; it's about how you choose to celebrate the season.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Imelda Marcos, former first lady of the Philippines, is also known "the iron butterfly." An ex-beauty queen, Marcos brought glamour and song to the presidential palace in 1965.

By the end of her husband's 21-year dictatorship, Imelda's personal and public extravagance was causing an outrage. A popular uprising in 1986 forced the Marcoses into exile.

Imelda left behind closets stuffed with rows and rows of designer gowns and a now-legendary designer shoe collection, so many that if she changed pairs every day, even after three years, she still wouldn't have worn all of them. She now says it was her way of sharing her wealth.

IMELDA MARCOS, FMR. FIRST LADY OF THE PHILIPPINES: By giving it to the people, it is really flaunting it to the world. But if you were keeping it like a miser, nobody will see what you have accumulated.

CORRESPONDENT: Nowadays you could say that Imelda Marcos collects lawsuits, 900 civil cases and pending prosecutions alleging everything from corruption to human rights abuses. She frequently meets with her team of lawyers. She hasn't been convicted of any crime so far, and is unrepentant about her alleged excesses.

MARCOS: I'm not only extravagant, I'm not only excessive. I give it all.

CORRESPONDENT: By the way, Imelda now keeps active as a spokeswoman for the Filipino shoe industry.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Well, it started off mild then bubbled to piping hot, a New Orleans town hall meeting taking place in Atlanta. The invited guests? Evacuees now staying in Georgia. CNN's Renay San Miguel was there and how did the mayor and the evacuees, Renay, get their points across?

RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, with a lot of emotion, and pent-up frustration. You know, Morehouse College had put some poinsettias along the stage to get everybody into the spirit of Christmas. But it was the spirit of frustration.

Mayor Ray Nagin did come out to some very enthusiastic applause, about half the audience giving him a standing ovation. Then he went into a 15 to 20 minute update on the state of the city and how the rebuilding process is going.

He says he expects all neighborhoods to have all essential services by January. That's water, electric, sewer, gas, phone, 911 services available to all neighborhoods in the city, and he also repeated his claim of taking responsibility for not moving fast enough on mandatory evacuations and for not commandeering the school buses to get people out of New Orleans who did not have any transportation.

And, as he said, he waited too long for the cavalry, the calvary being the federal government. And he said that there is a plan in place to rebuild and he wants New Orleans' residents to come back home, to come back and help rebuild.

But one of the first women to speak during the question-and- answer session was a woman from east New Orleans who questioned whether or not that plan was effective. She said she didn't know what kind of city she would be coming back to. Here's what she had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We want to come home, don't we? We want to come home, but we can't come home. There's nowhere to live. There's nowhere to stay. There's no water, not in my residence. There's no electric. So tell me how can I come home? I want to come home. My family wants to come home.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAN MIGUEL: Now, that was some frustration directed at Mayor Nagin. He got a chance to release some frustration as well against the federal government, saying that FEMA and the feds aren't doing enough to release enough money and to get more resources to help him rebuild his city.

He wants the levees repaired to be able to withstand a Category 3 storm which is what they were supposed to withstand by next June, which is the start of the next hurricane season. He's questioning whether the feds are able -- are going to able to do that, and he said if he didn't get what he wanted, he was going to take some action in the form of a political protest. Here's what he promised about that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MAYOR RAY NAGIN, NEW ORLEANS: We're going to pick a date. We're going to pick a date. We're going to pick a date, and we're going to hire buses and we're going to come pick folks up, and we're going to go build a levee system. You know, Councilman Oliver Thomas said this one television. We're going to build a levee around the White House.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SAN MIGUEL: Now, the unluckiest person in the room, in my opinion, had to be Paul Fay, who is with FEMA here in Atlanta. He is the director of the response and recovery division here in Atlanta. Had really nothing to do with the New Orleans operation, but he catching an awful -- he was the focal point for a lot of the anger and rage regarding the pace of bureaucracy, the mass of red tape that people have to go through to get help from FEMA in terms of money.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: A look now at our top stories. Pakistani officials say a top al Qaeda operative has been killed in a blast near the Afghan border. Pakistan's Information Ministry says Abu Hamza Rabia was killed while working with explosives in a home in a northern tribal area.

Witnesses say they saw a missile attack on the house from an unmanned drone. European Press Agency photos show Pakistani villagers holding a piece of shrapnel.

And lots of venting as New Orleans mayor, Ray Nagin, held a town hall meeting in Atlanta today. He asked residents to come home. Evacuees asked, without homes or jobs, why would they do that?

Meantime, Louisiana governor, Kathleen Blanco, has agreed to delay February municipal elections in New Orleans, acknowledging the city could not be prepared.

Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan was honored in London in his final appearance at the Group of Seven conference. He was given a Freedom of the City of London Award. Later he warned the growing U.S. budget deficit could disrupt global economy. Greenspan retires in January after 18 years as fed chairman.

President Bush devoted his weekly radio address to his push for immigration reform. Mr. Bush wants Congress to adopt his plan for a guest worker program coupled with tougher security to bolster the border with Mexico.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: In communities near our border, illegal immigration strains the resources of schools, hospitals and law enforcement. It involves smugglers and gangs that bring crime to our neighborhoods.

Faced with this serious challenge, our government's responsibility is clear, we're going to protect our borders.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: Some of the toughest opposition to the president' plan comes from within the Republican party. From members of Congress opposed to the guest worker program.

Also today, the White House is hoping to get a bounce from an economic report that shows the economy adding new jobs. As CNN's Elaine Quijano reports, the president isn't getting the credit that some believe he deserves.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Citing good old- fashioned American hard work, President Bush touted the latest economic news.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Our economy added 215,000 jobs for the month of November. The unemployment rate is 5 percent.

QUIJANO: As his overall approval rating continues to sag below 40 percent, Mr. Bush sought to claim credit for the recent economic development and said Americans have reason to be optimistic.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Lower gasoline prices. A strong housing market. Increases in consumer confidence and business investment. Our economic horizon is as bright as it's been in a long time.

GREG VALLIERE, STANFORD GROUP: This is sort of like a quarterback on a football team. If a team is doing really well, he gets more credit than is warranted. If a team is doing poorly. It's the reverse. Right now you've got to say President Bush does deserve some credit for a very strong economy.

QUIJANO: Yet, a CNN/USA Today Gallup poll last month showed 61 percent of Americans disapproved of how President Bush was handling the economy. A disconnect some say is due in part to another issue weighing heavily on the country.

VALLIERE: Even as the economy gets stronger and the stock market does better. You've got to say that for President Bush, his job ratings hinge on Iraq.

QUIJANO: Even as the president spoke of a sunny economic forecast, outgoing Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan warned of a coming storm, fueled by a growing budget deficit.

QUIJANO (on camera): White House economic advisers say President Bush is on track to cut the deficit in half by the year 2009, and the economy will be on President Bush's agenda again on Monday when he travels to North Carolina to give a speech. But Iraq continues to be a main focus for the Bush administration as well.

With that country's elections less than two weeks away the president next Wednesday will deliver the second in a series of speeches, aimed at outlining what the administration sees as progress there.

Elaine Quijano, CNN, The White House.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Some other stories now making news across America.

Authorities are trying determine whether two bodies found in Ohio are the remains of two children missing from New Hampshire. Their father confessed to killing the children in 2003, but later said he was coerced and pleaded not guilty to the murders.

Manuel Gehring hanged himself in jail before he could be tried.

A federal judge in New York said random bag searches on the subways are constitutional. The New York Civil Liberties Union and others filed suit against the city's police department challenging the policy.

The judge ruled that safety on the subways is of vital importance. He said random bag searches are an effective deterrent to terrorism.

What was the tallest building in South Dakota is going, going, gone. Thousands of people gathered in Sioux Falls today to witness that demolition. Oops. Not quite all the way down yet. Well, the 202 foot Zip Mills grain tower. When the charges went off, you see, the block structure got stuck there, leaning there almost like the leaning tower of Pisa.

Demolition crews are trying to figure out what to do next? Has that happened before?

Don't let the frosty conditions outside get you down. We'll tell you how to survive the cold this winter.

And the latest offering of reality TV doesn't focus on pop star wannabes at all. It's about nurses. Will you be watching, or will it even recruit people to become nurses? We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: In our LIVING WELL segment today, winter health, frigid temperatures, snow covered walkways and less daylight, all can have a negative impact on your well being.

Dr. Bill Lloyd of The University of California, Davis medical center is joining me from Sacramento. And you're all bundled up. It can't be that cold in Sacramento right now?

DR. BILL LLOYD, UNIV OF CALIF.-DAVIS MED. CTR.: It's very cold, Fredricka. TV studios are notorious for the cold.

WHITFIELD: That's right, we're dressing for the indoor weather in the TV studios.

Let's talk about what's taking place outdoors and how we need to protect ourselves. Winter means you're around more family and friends, you're socializing, it also means you are subject to getting colds and other bugs right? It's unavoidable.

LLOYD: Winter's a terrible season for your health. Winter is horrible. The cold temperatures leave you exposed to cold injuries. There's less daylight.

You're forced inside where you get to share germs and viruses with your friends and loved ones. Because you're inside, you don't exercise as much and you probably eat too much so we all gain weight. Winter is the season for an increase in both the number of accidents and the severity of winter injuries.

WHITFIELD: Because of slipping on ice or like in the video, shoveling of snow, lots of back injuries come from that.

LLOYD: You know, in addition to shoveling snow, you can get injuries inside or outside of the house. This weekend lots of people are putting up Christmas trees. There's a chance they're going to get themselves electrocuted or start a fire inside the house.

They go outside the house and they may have trouble starting their car, they may not be seen, they could involved in an accident that way. It can happen inside or outside, you got to be careful.

WHITFIELD: The winter and the holidays are hazardous. What are we to do?

LLOYD: You got protect yourself. One good way is to get that flu shot. I'm speak specifically to people with heart problems. This is the season when it's very, very difficult for people with heart disease. There are more heart attacks, more severe and more people die from heart attacks during the winter.

We used to think, Fredricka, it was the cold weather, but whether you live in Sarasota, Florida, or Springfield, Pennsylvania, where it's very cold today, you've got protect yourself because in the morning your blood pressure jumps very, very high. In cold weather blood vessels shrink. This can be very dangerous.

If you have a high blood pressure problem, make sure you're on the right medication and protect yourself during the cold weather.

WHITFIELD: Because this year we're not dealing with a shortage of the flu shot, like we did last year, so it was really a restricted populous that got a chance to enjoy the flu shot. This year more folks are open to getting it. Might there be certain candidates who ought to avoid it altogether, or you did mention some health factors to take into account, but might there be other people who should avoid it?

LLOYD: There's 100 million doses of the flu vaccine out there this winter. There is a good stockpile, there is plenty of time to get it, by the way. It will take two to three weeks to build up the immunity. The peak of the winter flu season isn't going to happen for another six weeks.

There is plenty of time to get that on board. I advise children under six months not to get a flu shot. And people who already have a fever should not get a flu shot or anyone who's ever had an adverse reaction to any immunization in the past.

WHITFIELD: Wow, all good advice, bundle up, stay warm, Dr. Bill Lloyd.

LLOYD: We'll talk again soon.

WHITFIELD: Thanks so much.

In other health news, many hospitals are so desperate for nurses, they've developed creative recruiting measures, including a reality TV show based on traveling nurses. Our Chris Lawrence has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CHRIS LAWRENCE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): For 12 hours a day, nurse Amy Morrison is in her scrubs on her feet.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You want me to clean her up? Come here, sweetie. LAWRENCE: But this is what she comes home to, a $10 million mansion Morrison shares with five other traveling nurses right on the ocean in Orange County, California. It's all set up as part of a reality show on nursetv.com. It follows the cast in the hospitals and out of airplanes to show potential recruits that nursing is an exciting, important career.

AMY MORRISON, REGISTERED NURSE: Nurses don't walk down the red carpet once a year and get an award for the best labor nurse of the year.

LAWRENCE: Morrison has an idea what's going to happen if the shortage doesn't stop.

MORRISON: You're not going to get the care you deserve, you're not going to get the care you need.

LAWRENCE: California pays the highest wages in the country, but the state has one of the lowest number of nurses compared to its population.

LAWRENCE (on camera): Do you see the ratio getting better or getting worse?

ALAN BRAYNIN, ACCESS NURSES: It's getting worse. As the baby boomers age, more nurses are needed.

LAWRENCE (voice-over): Problem is, the average age is nearly 50 years old. That means nurses will be retiring right along with the baby boomers who need them most.

BRAYNIN: A simple example is you go into the ER with a broken leg and you have to wait longer and longer and longer.

MORRISON: Mom's ready to see you again.

LAWRENCE: Morrison says she could have been working even sooner.

MORRISON: I remember when I was actually going through nursing school. I had to wait two years to get into a program.

LAWRENCE: That's the other problem, not enough nurses leads to not enough nurses like this who have the qualifications to teach, and not enough nursing schools where students can get the training.

(on-camera) A lot of schools shut down their programs about ten years ago when there was a nursing surplus. Now they're restarting them, like UCLA next fall. It will help, but this is a bigger national problem that's probably going to be with us for some time.

Chris Lawrence, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: Looking ahead right now.

(CROSSTALK)

CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Coming up in the next hour at 5:00 and 6:00, at 5:00 I've got the amazing story from Jeff Koinange, our Africa correspondent, about a county of Malawi.

WHITFIELD: Tiny country with big problems.

LIN: The starvation there is crazy. One of the reason is so many disasters that people have donor fatigue, people can't or won't give money. We're looking at a mother, her children are starving, she has to fish out termites for her family to survive. An amazing story.

At 6:00, this museum in Los Angeles, the Contemporary Art Museum, they are using real LSD and trying to duplicate some drug related experiences to people in the form of art. Very controversial. There is actually a fountain there that might have LSD in it. You'll find out when you hear from our reporter at 6:00.

WHITFIELD: We're looking forward to that. Thanks so much, Carol.

Still to come this hour -- can you deck the halls this holiday season and still be politically correct? Should you even care? 'Tis the season.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

WHITFIELD: A nativity scene on a Michigan family's front lawn has become the latest battle front over political correctness this holiday season. Is it crossing the line? Our Delia Gallagher has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DELIA GALLAGHER, FAITH & VALUES CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is the first silent night the Samona household has had in a while. They, and their nativity scene have been at the center of a Christmas controversy.

BETTY SAMONA, NATIVITY SCENE OWNER: I start crying. How I'm going take the nativity down? How I'm going to take mother of God, Mary, down? Really I was surprised.

GALLAGHER: Surprised to receive a letter from the neighborhood association, demanding the Samonas remove the creche in their front yard or face a fine. For these Iraqi immigrants who came to the United States three decades ago in search of freedom the letter hit hard.

SAMONA: We here in a free country, we're American citizens. We were shocked when we receive the letters, you know? How this has happened?

GALLAGHER: The home owner's association that governs this Novi, Michigan, suburb said the Samonas were in violation of a rule that prohibits lawn ornaments, but the letter did not mention any of the other lawn ornaments. Nothing about removing Santa or Winnie or Mini. Just quote, please remove the nativity scene display.

JOSEPH SAMONA, SON: A lot of people who don't celebrate Christmas have Winnie the Pooh or have Santa Claus, it's just what Christmas, but they specifically commented on the nativity scene.

GALLAGHER: Battles like this have been playing out across the country, in what some are calling a war on Christmas. For instance, in the center of Chicago, this is not a Christmas tree. Officially it's a holiday tree.

In Boston, it was a holiday tree until there was such a huge ruckus, the mayor declared.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a Christmas tree as long as I'm around.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GALLAGHER: In stores like Target and Wal-Mart, shoppers are generally greeted with "happy holidays." Both stores say it's up to the individual greeter.

(on camera): Here in the Time Warner lobby, where CNN's offices are just upstairs, the holiday decorations are striking. Over here a Kwanzaa table, on this side, the Menorah. Right in between them, a Christmas tree?

No, a snowflake tree.

(voice-over): To some, it's a flat-out conspiracy to take Christ out of Christmas. Death by political correctness. Not surprisingly, the usual suspects are fighting back.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REV. JERRY FALWELL, CHMN., FAITH & VALUES COALITION: Breaking man's law enables us to keep God's law.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GALLAGHER: The Reverend Jerry Fallwell has a battalion of lawyers poised and ready to keep the Grinch from stealing Christmas. But not everyone is buying it.

REV. BARRY LYNN, AMER. UNITED FOR SEP. CHURCH & STATE: There is no one trying to eradicate Christmas in the United States. This is mainly a fund-raising gimmick for a couple of right of center interest groups.

Anybody who wants to put up a private display on their front lawn, or wear a tee shirt, or hat or pin to school, has my full support, even if the message is religious. No one is trying to stop individual people from exercising their right to celebrate Christmas.

GALLAGHER: Which brings us back to the Samonas; their story has a happy ending. The neighborhood association sent a letter of apology, saying, "We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience or distress this confusion has caused you and your family."

That means the Samonas can keep their creche.

J. SAMONA: We did accept the apology, that doesn't mean we're not upset.

GALLAGHER: Upset, but willing to forgive.

FRANK SAMONA, NATIVITY SCENE OWNER: Christmas time is all about love and care and forgiveness. We do forgive them and put this behind us and move on with our lives.

GALLAGHER: That's the Christmas, I mean, holiday spirit.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WHITFIELD: And that was faith and values correspondent, Delia Gallagher.

One thing you won't find under the Kwanzaa table, or the Menorah or the Christmas tree, these lovely pandas. They are a panda protection center, I guess gift in China.

They're experiencing a panda boom. Sixteen of these fluffy cubs have been born since July. And the brood includes five sets of twins. In case you're wondering, 38 giant pandas were artificially impregnated this year. More panda cubs are expected.

Still much more ahead on CNN LIVE SATURDAY with Carol Lin. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. Have a great evening.

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