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CNN Sunday Morning
Sharon's Health; Sago Mine Explosion Survivor Transferred Back to West Virginia
Aired January 08, 2006 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: "Now in the News," in Iraq, the search is under way for a missing U.S. Black Hawk helicopter. A military spokesman says the chopper, like the one seen right here, was last heard from midnight Saturday while on a routine mission. It never reached its destination in the town of Tal Afar in northern Iraq. There's no word how many people were on board, but we are going to keep you informed as those details become available.
We're also awaiting a news conference momentarily out of Jerusalem on the medical condition of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Doctors are treating the 77-year-old leader for complications following a Wednesday stroke.
Wolf Blitzer will have a live report with the latest from Jerusalem in just a few moments.
Meanwhile, a strong earthquake has rattled Athens and other parts of Greece this morning. No immediate reports of damage or injuries, but we're going to continue to monitor this story as well and bring you the latest as that becomes available to us.
Back now in the U.S., the sole survivor of the Sago Mine tragedy is in West Virginia. Randal McCloy has been in Pennsylvania for special treatments. Doctors say he is making progress but has a long road to recovery.
We'll bring you those details straight ahead.
From the CNN Center, this is SUNDAY MORNING. 7:00 a.m. in Atlanta, 2;00 p.m. in Jerusalem.
Good morning, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen.
TONY HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: And I'm Tony Harris. Thank you for being with us.
Our top story, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon continues to fight for his life after Wednesday's massive stroke. Sharon had another brain scan this morning, and doctors are evaluating when to bring him out of a drug-induced coma. Doctors plan a briefing any minute now, and we will bring it to you, of course, live as it happens.
Right now, let's get the latest from CNN's Wolf Blitzer in Jerusalem. And Wolf, good morning to you.
I have to tell you, many here stateside are waking up to the news of this new CT scan. Was this always scheduled?
WOLF BLITZER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, he had a CT scan yesterday which showed a stabilization, the end of the hemorrhaging, the end of the pressure, if you will, that caused that emergency, five hours of surgery on Friday that -- that was really a severe setback. But right now, they think he -- they're trying to save his life, first and foremost.
They don't believe he's ever going to be able to resume political leadership of this country, but they would like to see him of course survive this ordeal. And that's what they're trying to do right now.
We're standing by for a news conference. We expect some of his doctors to emerge, Tony, at this news conference and to brief us on what's going on.
In the meantime, the political process is going forward. The acting prime minister, Ehud Olmert, met with the Israeli cabinet today. Pointedly, Sharon's seat as prime minister, that seat was left vacant, appropriate since Sharon, still prime minister. Olmert is the acting prime minister. He will only become the full-time prime minister if the surgeons -- if two neurosurgeons at the Hadassah Medical Center tell the Israeli cabinet that he's no longer capable of being prime minister.
They have not done that yet, although one of his top surgeons has told "The Jerusalem Post" in an interview published earlier today that it looks like he's not going to be able to emerge, reemerge as prime minister.
Ehud Olmert, the acting prime minister, spoke out at that cabinet meeting. Well, I was going to go to that bite, but I see Dr. Shlomo Mor-Yosef emerging here at the Hadassah Medical Center, beginning to come to the microphones. And he's going to be making a statement.
Let's listen in, Tony, to here what Dr. Shlomo Mor-Yosef -- he's the director of the hospital -- has to say.
DR. SHLOMO MOR-YOSEF, HADASSAH MEDICAL CENTER (through translator): There will be a brief statement in Hebrew. We will not take questions. We will then make two statements in English.
Good afternoon.
The team of experts of Hadassah Hospital, led by Professor Omansky (ph), the head of neurosurgery who was also the chief surgeon in the two operations that the prime minister has undergone, this team of experts met this morning to discuss the condition of the prime minister. Further to this discussion, another CT scan was performed, and this CT scan that was performed today, we continue to see an improvement in the brain of the prime minister. We saw a reduction of the fluid. The fluid in the brain is being drained well, and we can see an imaging of that in the CT scan. All these indicators that I note are indicators that show an improvement in the CT scan image of the brain.
Apart from that, the other parameters that we know how to measure are within normal range, including blood pressure, pulse, and also the prime minister is not running a fever.
This team of experts includes experts from neurosurgery, from neurology, anesthesiologists, intensive care experts, and experts on infectious disease.
The condition of the prime minister is still critical. It is stable and there is an improvement in the CT scan of the prime minister.
As for further treatment, given all of these indicators, the team of experts decided to start reducing the dosage of anesthetics tomorrow morning. And all provided, of course, that from now and until tomorrow morning all of these hours will be uneventful.
If this will be the case, then tomorrow morning, after the morning discussion of the team of experts, we will start reducing the dosage of anesthetics and testing the neurological functions of the prime minister. This is what we have all been waiting for since Wednesday, to know how the prime minister's brain is functioning, and I hope we will be able to inform you of that tomorrow at around this time.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the president of the state of Israel, the acting prime minister, the minister of health, and the president of Hadassah, who have all expressed their support on behalf of all of the people of Israel, on behalf of the medical establishments, and on behalf of the international organization of Hadassah. The president of Hadassah also came here to join us and be with us in these critical moments for the prime minister.
I conclude. The condition of the prime minister is still critical. It is stable, with an improvement in the CT scan results. And tomorrow, we will be able to provide you with information about his neurological function.
Thank you.
BLITZER: All right. So we just heard from Dr. Shlomo Mor-Yosef. He's the director of the Hadassah Medical Center here in Jerusalem, offering a relatively upbeat assessment of the prime minister's condition.
He still remains in critical condition, but it's stable right now. And the latest CT scan from this morning showed that there was slight improvement going on as far as pressure in the brain, blood levels in the brain. He's not running a fever, and normal blood pressure, normal heart beating. As a result of all of that, tomorrow morning, he says, they're going to go to the next step after reviewing what happens overnight here in Jerusalem. They'll begin to reduce the dosage of some of the drugs that have kept him in this induced -- in this induced coma.
Until they reduce that dosage, until they have a better sense of what his activity is in his brain, they really don't know how well he is actually going to be doing, even though the CT scan showed a slight improvement in what's going on in his brain.
So bottom line right now is, it's wait once again, Tony and Betty, wait to see what goes on tomorrow morning. But for the time being, assuming as Dr. Mor-Yosef says, there's an uneventful period of time over the next 24 hours, they'll begin this next delicate process of reducing the drug levels in him that forced this induced coma so that they have a better chance of appreciating what's going on in the prime minister's brain.
Back to you guys.
HARRIS: Wow. Well done.
OK, Wolf. We appreciate it. Thank you.
Wolf will have more on Ariel Sharon's condition and the future of Israel later this morning on CNN's "LATE EDITION." One of his guests will be Israeli Vice Premier Shimon Peres. You can watch that at 11:00 Eastern.
NGUYEN: More now on Sago Mine survivor Randal McCloy. He's getting better, but he is not out of the woods just yet. So says Dr. Richard Shannon, who treated the 26-year-old miner for three days.
Last night, McCloy was moved from Pittsburgh back to Morgantown, West Virginia, hospital there so he can be closer to family and loved ones. McCloy was originally brought to Pittsburgh for special oxygen treatments to combat the effects of carbon monoxide poisoning. Right now doctors are most concerned about McCloy's kidneys and possible brain damage.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DR. RICHARD SHANNON, ALLEGHENY GENERAL HOSPITAL: This has been a long three days. And we were very happy this morning, and I continue to be very satisfied and happy that he has made improvements. But there are still issues.
This is going to be a long recovery. Now, many organ systems have been involved here, some of them have shown dramatic improvement and are nearly normal. Others are continuing to recover.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: As Randal McCloy recovers, the small West Virginia town of Philippi mourns. Some of the funerals for the fallen Sago miners will be held later today. And as CNN's Gary Nurenberg reports, the tragedy ripples through this community and its people.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MAYOR DORIS MUNDI, PHILIPPI, WEST VIRGINIA: It's pretty hard. It could be my son. It could be both of them there. I just want to pray for the families that they get over this grief.
GARY NURENBERG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): She is the mayor of Philippi, West Virginia, where an impromptu memorial to the four men from her county who died in the mine now sits on the courthouse lawn.
MUNDI: I was proud of the county for putting it up because it expresses the feelings of all of us.
NURENBERG: It's a close-knit community where ties are strong. High school teacher Tammy Martin remembers one of her students, David Lewis.
TAMMY MARTIN, HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER: He was a very good student. He was quiet, you know. And I think he was the kind of guy that would do anything for anybody. And, you know, it just touched our hearts here in Barbour County because, you know, here he was giving up his life, he gave his life for his family.
You know, he -- he did this so his family could be well- supported. And he was a good father. And the picture there that's on that cross there, it just tells it all. You know, it shows that he was a good father, his little girl right there beside him.
NURENBERG: The mayor comes from a mining family. Her grandfather, her uncles all in the mines.
MUNDI: This is my father. He worked in the mines and had a rough fall and broke his back.
NURENBERG: And her children.
MUNDI: My oldest one is in the mines. My youngest son has worked in the mines from Kentucky to northern panhandle, West Virginia, and he's a state mine inspector now. He's been on the job for over a year.
NURENBERG: A close call for her son last year.
MUNDI: The roof fell and came in and hit him on the side.
NURENBERG (on camera): End up in the hospital?
MUNDI: Yes, about three days.
NURENBERG (voice over): And now a new generation.
MUNDI: Oh, I've got nine grandchildren.
NURENBERG (on camera): And how many of them do you think will end up in the mining business?
MUNDI: I hope none of them.
NURENBERG: The mayor says she worries about her 48-year-old son who mines local (ph), meaning he's bent over double for hours at a time, sometimes in spaces no more than four feet high. She says she doesn't know how he does it. But then she adds, echoing a sentiment that has been heard here for generations, that the mining business is a good business.
Gary Nurenberg, CNN, in Upshur County, West Virginia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Tonight, be sure to watch "CNN Presents," an in-depth examination into the mining accident that has claimed a dozen lives. "Hope & Heartbreak: Inside the Sago Mine Tragedy," that airs tonight at 8:00 Eastern.
HARRIS: And this just in to CNN. The U.S. military is confirming a number of military deaths. Three Marines dead in Falluja today, and two soldiers killed yesterday in separate incidents.
We don't know exactly the locations of those killed soldiers, but we do and can confirm that three Marines were killed in Falluja today. The Marines were killed by small arms fire in separate attacks in Falluja. That's according to the military. And the Marines who were killed were assigned to the Regimental Combat Team 8, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force.
So, once again, this news just in to CNN. Three Marines in Falluja killed today, two other soldiers killed yesterday in separate incidents. As we get more information on these fatalities, these deaths, we will bring that information to you.
NGUYEN: On Capitol Hill now, Tom DeLay will not try to reclaim his position as House majority leader. DeLay reportedly felt the pressure to give up his leadership from fellow Republicans already hard hit by an election year corruption scandal. DeLay says he still plans to run for re-election to the House while he fights campaign finance abuse charges in Texas.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. TOM DELAY (R)-TX), FMR. HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER: In the 21 years I have been in Congress, I have always acted in an ethical manner, within the rules of the House and the laws of our land. And time, once again, will bear that -- bear out that truth.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: A vote for a new House majority leader is expected a little bit later this month. GOP Whip Roy Blunt, an Ohio congressman, John Boehner, have both made it clear they want to run for that top spot. HARRIS: Well, will all of this political turmoil hit you close to home? Are you planning on writing your senator or congressman, or taking it out in terms of anger at the voting booth?
NGUYEN: We're asking you, how will the corruption scandals surrounding Tom DeLay and Jack Abramoff affect the way you vote? Will it?
E-mail us, weekends@cnn.com. We're going to read those replies all morning long.
HARRIS: And truth is, it really has the ingredients for a theatrical scandal. Prosecutors say Jack Abramoff lied, cheated and bribed his way to the top. But where did Abramoff's actions cross the line? That's the question. And could his alleged web of corruption involve your congressman or senator?
NGUYEN: And cleaning up after the storm, it's more than just a muddy mess. It's causing emotional trauma. We'll take to you Napa Valley, where I met a woman who was still trying to put her life back together.
CNN SUNDAY MORNING continues in just a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: And checking our top stories this is morning, just a few minutes ago a hospital official in Israel announced Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's latest brain scan shows he is improving. Doctors plan to begin arousing Sharon from his drug-induced coma tomorrow. That will allow doctors to assess any brain damage resulting from Wednesday's massive stroke.
A search is under way in Iraq for a U.S. Black Hawk helicopter like the one you see here. The military says the helicopter was on a routine mission displaying troops to Iraq, but it failed to reach its destination. Officials say they lost communication with the helicopter late yesterday afternoon.
A strong earthquake has rattled Athens and other parts of Greece this morning. No immediate reports on damage or injuries. The quake registered a magnitude of 6.7.
We will continue to monitor this story and bring you the latest details as we get them.
NGUYEN: This morning we're going to be talking about weather outside. Really, it's been a cold weekend for a lot of folks -- Bonnie Schneider.
BONNIE SCHNEIDER, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Oh, it sure has.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HARRIS: So who will be the next Baby Noor, with a chance at life outside of Iraq? Our Jennifer Eccleston visited a Baghdad children's ward where desperate parents are hoping for a miracle.
NGUYEN: It is a story you will only see right here on CNN.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Well, the big rain storms may have passed, but cleaning up the muddy mess in northern California will continue for some time. Look at this.
Work crews are fanning out across Sonoma, Napa and Marin counties. Combined damage in those three counties could top $300 million. Damage in the city of Napa alone is estimated to be over $100 million, and the human toll is beyond measure.
I spent some time with a single mom in Napa who is still dealing with the emotional trauma of losing just about everything.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ZANAIDA GRIMALDO, FLOOD VICTIM: You've got to hold onto each other to make it into the house. There's so much mud out here. You got it? OK.
NGUYEN (voice over): For Zanaida Grimaldo, coming home has never been more difficult, literally.
GRIMALDO: When we were moved here, we were told because of the flood project Napa was doing there wouldn't be a chance of flooding.
NGUYEN (on camera): And now look at it.
GRIMALDO: Yes. They said it's the worst one.
NGUYEN: Wow.
(voice over): This single mother barely had enough time to grab her three children when floodwaters from the Napa River came rushing in.
GRIMALDO: And the water got to the shower curtain, where the bottom portion of the sink...
NGUYEN (on camera): Right there, the bottom of the toilet.
GRIMALDO: ... it got up to there. And this is where it settled now. And you still see all the mud.
NGUYEN (voice over): And in that muddy mess are memories of hard work washed away.
GRIMALDO: This is our home. This is all we have. And to redo everything, I know things can be replaced, but it was our home.
NGUYEN: Grimaldo worked seven days a week, ironically, processing claims for cars wrecked by Katrina. Her earnings went to buy brand-new furniture. Beds that are now soaked, a refrigerator that sits in mud, and her first washer and dryer, ruined.
GRIMALDO: I saved enough money to buy it, and now I can't replace it.
NGUYEN: That's because she doesn't have insurance. But insurance or not, some things are irreplaceable.
(on camera): Photo albums just soaking wet. You may be able to salvage some of them.
GRIMALDO: My father passed away 10 years ago, and those are the pictures I was saving because my youngest daughter never met him.
NGUYEN: Is that your father?
GRIMALDO: That's my daughter.
NGUYEN (voice over): And this is her birth certificate.
But through the tears, the cleanup must continue. And with the help of this community, Grimaldo and her girls will move out and move on.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: Where do you begin after something like that? That was really the question of the day.
I want to check in now with Zanaida Grimaldo in Napa to see how much progress she's been able to make in this past week.
Zanaida, when we last spoke with you, you were obviously and understandably distraught about the entire situation. You didn't even know where you were going to live next. Have you been able to make some progress, putting the pieces back together?
GRIMALDO: Yes. Actually, yesterday we got to move into our two- bedroom apartment. It's not furnished, but it's -- what we have left is us. We're here.
NGUYEN: And that is the good news.
GRIMALDO: Yes.
NGUYEN: You are with your girls and that's all that matters when it comes to tragedies like this.
GRIMALDO: Yes.
NGUYEN: Now, you may have lost all of your possessions, just about everything as we saw, but has this tragedy done anything to strengthen your family, your faith?
GRIMALDO: Yes, it has. With the community that came together helping us, it has brought back my belief in our people and how it's not the religion, it's our belief in god that keeps us strong and together.
NGUYEN: You sound so much better today than you did when I spoke with you earlier this week. It seems like you're a little more optimistic. What's next for you?
GRIMALDO: Next for me is trying to rebuild for me and my girls. My children are -- is what I have, and they were given to me, and I have to take care of them.
NGUYEN: Well, we wish you the best of luck. And, you know, just our thoughts and our prayers go out to you.
And so many others who lost so much in the flooding. If you have any advice for those who are going through difficult situations, especially those in your community who are facing the same things that you are, what would that be?
GRIMALDO: That would be to hold on to not just the material things, but hold on to your family, to your memories.
NGUYEN: That's what you can take with you.
GRIMALDO: Yes.
NGUYEN: Zanaida Grimaldo, thank you so much for your time. Best of luck to you.
GRIMALDO: Thank you.
NGUYEN: Tony.
HARRIS: Washington powerbrokers may be looking over their shoulders this morning. Will a former lobbyist's alleged web of corruption lead to your congressman or senator? We will walk the fine line between lobbying and bribery when we come back.
Plus, innocent faces of the sick and desperate. Our Baghdad correspondent is bombarded with pleas for help from parents wanting their child to get a chance at life, just like Baby Noor.
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Baby Noor made it out of Baghdad, but what about all the other terminally ill Iraqi children? Is there any way they can be saved? Welcome back. I'm Betty Nguyen.
HARRIS: And I'm Tony Harris. That story coming up, but first a look at other news this morning.
Now in the news, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's doctors say he is showing some improvement. They talked to reporters about his condition just this hour. They plan to start bringing him out of his medically-induced coma tomorrow by reducing his drug dosage. Sharon has undergone three rounds of surgery after suffering a massive stroke on Wednesday.
In Iraq a search is under way for a missing U.S. Blackhawk helicopter. Military officials say the chopper, like the one you see here, was last heard from late Saturday. The helicopter was conducting routine missions deploying troops in Iraq and reportedly failed to reach its destination. The number of people on board is not yet known.
A strong earthquake has rattled Athens and other parts of Greece this morning. No immediate reports of damage or injuries. The quake registered a magnitude of 6.7. We will continue to monitor this story and bring you the latest details as we get them.
The race to replace former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay is already taking shape. Yesterday DeLay announced his resignation from the top spot following pressure from fellow Republicans. He's fighting campaign finance abuse charges in Texas but DeLay says he still plans to run for re-election to the House. A vote for a new House majority leader is expected later this month.
NGUYEN: And DeLay isn't the only member of Congress whose finances are getting a closer look. More than 70 lawmakers, both Republicans and Democrats, are rushing to hand back campaign cash from former lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his clients. Abramoff has pleaded guilty to tax evasion, fraud and other charges and has agreed to cooperate in a massive influence peddling probe. Lawmakers have so far coughed up more than $700,000 worth of donations out of an estimated $4.5 million handed out by Abramoff and his clients over the past five years.
But other lawmakers, many of them Democrats are flatly refusing to give their money back. They include Congressman Patrick Kennedy who received some $42,000 in Abramoff client donations, Senator Debbie Stabenow, who received $4,000 and Senator Carl Levin, $2,000. Congressman John Dingell, Congressman John Doolittle and Senator Patty Murray also won't give back their donations. And the leading Democrat in the Senate, Minority Leader Harry Reid refuses to give back $61,000 in donations from Abramoff's clients.
Other lawmakers are on the fence including Senator Arlen Specter for one. He can't decide whether to give back $6,000 in Abramoff- linked cash. And some are giving back only part of their money. Democratic Congressman Charlie Rangel is giving back $2,000 but he's keeping about $47,000.
HARRIS: What gives here? The Abramoff story had us thinking about the size and power of lobbying groups in Washington. Here's a quick snapshot of the lobbying industry that might surprise you.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There are more than 37,000 registered lobbyists in Washington. That's more than double the number from five years ago. The Center for Public Integrity reported last year that lobbyists have spent about $13 billion since 1998, all aimed at influencing members of Congress and other Federal officials on legislation and regulation. And government spending has increased in the new millennium from about $1.79 trillion in 2000 to about $2.29 trillion in 2004. Not so surprisingly, a large number of lobbyists come from government jobs. Hundreds of them served in Congress or worked in senior government positions. There's a strong financial incentive to make the switch. Salaries start at about $300,000 a year for lobbyists with the best government connections.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARRIS: So when it comes to lobbyists influencing lawmakers, how far is too far? Mickey Edwards is a former Republican member of Congress and now on the staff at Princeton University. Mickey, good morning, welcome.
MICKEY EDWARDS, WOODROW WILSON SCHOOL, PRINCETON UNIV: Hi, how are you?
HARRIS: Mickey, help me here, help me understand this. If you had ever received any Abramoff-connected money when you were a Congressman from Oklahoma, right now, would you be giving it back?
EDWARDS: Well, look, it depends. I mean, if Abramoff was giving money, you certainly don't want to have any association with him as it turns out. If it were some well-known company, some legitimate company that he was representing, and that company was merely trying to get its views heard on the Hill, and you know, I think you have to be careful about taking every single client, including major corporations that were connected with him or used his firm. So it's kind of a fine line you have to walk, but you know, I don't know why I would have been getting money from him in the first place.
HARRIS: When did you leave Congress?
EDWARDS: About 12 years ago.
HARRIS: OK, he wasn't on the scene then 12 years ago, was he?
EDWARDS: No, thank God he wasn't.
HARRIS: But there were other lobbyists working the halls of Washington. Help us understand quid pro quo. I got to say it slowly.
EDWARDS: Those foreign words.
HARRIS: So I mean, I think we understand it this way. I give you a sack of money in exchange for help on legislation, maybe you help with some jobs for friends, this, that and the other, maybe steering a contract. We know that the Abramoff case is not quite that simple, so help us understand this case in a way that helps us understand the way lobbyists work in Washington these days.
EDWARDS: The way they work is by developing -- the good lobbyists, I mean the ones who are effective, work by developing relationships. They develop friendships and so you'll find members of Congress who, when they look at a lobbyist, they actually have begun to think of that person as a friend, as somebody who they played golf with, somebody they go out to dinner with, but where it crosses in my mind, a line that is very disturbing, is a member of Congress, House or Senate, makes a good salary. Why are they having somebody else take them out and buy them a free meal? If they want to play golf they can afford to go play golf on their own. Why are they having people pay their golf fees or fly them over to Scotland to play at St. Andrews. I mean there's no reason other than to try to ingratiate yourself in the hope that they're going to vote for you. And that bothers me. It bothered me when I was in the House.
HARRIS: Mickey, let me ask you. You mentioned these lobbyists developing friendships. These aren't real friendships. These are friendships of convenience to get work done, aren't they?
EDWARDS: You know, some of them are real friendships obviously because Washington is not that big a place and people know each other over the years, but I mean a lot of times somebody comes and he starts coming to your fund-raising events and he shows up here and starts talking about his kids and how are your kids, and you know, that's what they do. They start out saying, "how do I develop a relationship so Congressman X will listen to me?" Not necessarily automatically do what I want him to do, but listen to me, and I can be heard and my clients can be heard.
HARRIS: You go to a committee to mark up a bill, to discuss a bill. Can you tell if the congressperson next to you has been bought?
EDWARDS: Well, first of all, I've got to say in 16 years in the House, I never saw any example of somebody having been bought, but here's what I would look for. Members of Congress have a track record about what kinds of things they support and what they don't support.
HARRIS: Right.
EDWARDS: And you see somebody who has consistently been opposed to some kind of activity and then he sort of changes his mind, sort of starts voting differently and in the interim, you find out that he's received quite a number of contributions or free golf trips or whatever.
HARRIS: Yeah.
EDWARDS: That's a pretty good clue that he's been influenced by the money or by the gifts.
HARRIS: Mickey, we don't want to believe that all politicians are corrupt. We don't want to believe that, but many of us do believe that all politicians are corrupt. So describe what real reform in this area looks like, and why most politicians probably won't vote for it.
EDWARDS: First of all I want to pick up on the thing you just said. Most politicians are -- most lobbyists also are honest, hard- working. It's kind of like we don't want to say because of the media that because of Jason Blair, that all reporters are corrupt.
HARRIS: Absolutely. EDWARDS: So what you have to look at, as I said before, there ought to be -- I actually gave a speech on this, you know, soon after I was elected to Congress years ago. Why are you, as a member of Congress, receiving gifts of all kinds? Why are they taking you out to dinner? Why are we permitting people who have an interest in legislation -- I'm not talking about nonprofits. I'm talking about people with an interest in the outcome of legislation, buying your dinner, buying you tickets to the Super Bowl. I mean, there's no excuse for that, and that ought to be prohibited.
HARRIS: Beautiful, all right, Mickey Edwards, good to talk to you.
EDWARDS: Thanks, good to talk to you.
HARRIS: That was a good five minutes.
NGUYEN: Yeah, that was really good.
HARRIS: All right, Mickey, thank you.
NGUYEN: All of this discussion does bring us to our morning e- mail question, there it is on the screen. How will the corruption scandals affect the way you vote? Will it affect the way you vote? Send us your thoughts, weekends@cnn.com.
Well, as we continue to roll on this morning, you'll want to grab your passport because we are going global next. Shanon Cooke has a preview.
SHANON COOKE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Betty. We have a story that's bound to tug at your heart strings. The Iraqi baby known as baby Noor has become a symbol of hope for many Iraqis desperate to get help for their sick children. We'll have their stories when CNN SUNDAY MORNING returns.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: We want to take a look now at some of the stories making news around the world this morning.
HARRIS: And for that we turn to Shanon Cooke at the international desk and she's been keeping track of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's condition and Shanon, doctors sound a bit encouraged by Sharon's condition.
COOKE: Yeah, you could say that. Thanks, Tony. Ariel Sharon remains in critical condition, but doctors say that his latest CT scan indicates improvement. In fact, they plan to start bringing him out of his medically induced coma Monday morning, providing of course his condition doesn't change overnight. The latest scan showed lowered levels of fluid in the brain and doctors say Sharon's other vital signs are normal.
All right. Turning our attention now to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, where about two million Muslims have gathered for the first day of the Hajj. The pilgrimage takes place over six days and today pilgrims walk from Mecca to Medina, where they will meditate and spend the night. Every Muslim that can afford it is required to take part in the pilgrimage at least once in their life. Mecca is revered as the holiest site in the Muslim faith. It's considered the birthplace of the Prophet Mohammed. This weekend authorities are on high alert to prevent another tragedy after a hotel collapse this week killed at least 76 people.
To Iraq now, we've just learned from the military that five U.S. Marines were killed in separate attacks Saturday and Sunday. Three Marines were killed by small arms fire in separate attacks in Fallujah. The military is saying those attacks occurred during combat operations. Roadside bombs killed two other Marines Saturday, one near al Karamh (ph) and one near Farris (ph).
Well, tomorrow, doctors will begin operating on baby Noor. She's the three-month-old Iraqi infant being treated in Georgia for a potentially fatal birth defect. She stole the hearts of the state's national guardsmen who discovered her during a routine check of her family's Baghdad home last month. But what about other families desperate to get help for their sick children? Inadequate medical facilities, government red tape and lack of funds make help seem out of reach. CNN's Jennifer Eccleston visited with families at Baghdad children hospital. She has this stories.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JENNIFER ECCLESTON, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Baby Hajj's (ph) serene demeanor belies a deadly condition. The six-week old has cerebral atrophy. Her brain is shrinking. Hajj means nomad, wander, traveler, so fitting these days as mother, father and baby are living a nomadic existence, wandering from hospital to hospital, seeking treatments that will save her life. But this Baghdad children's hospital is their final stop.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The doctor tell in Iraq no care here, must be brought abroad, outside.
ECCLESTON: But Mahmoud (ph) can't afford to go abroad so they'll go home.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where to die.
ECCLESTON: Mahmoud's heartache etched across the faces of nearly every family in this ward. Their infants, toddlers, kids, crammed three to a bed, desperately ill, unable to get life-saving, life- sustaining treatment in this hospital, in this country.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We just give them the basic treatment only, but they need more treatment, more investigation, but many it's not present in this hospital.
ECCLESTON: Sanctions, war, neglect and the insurgency -- they've crippled Iraq's once exemplary medical care says Dr. Yidala (ph). Now there's only one way to ensure her young patients survive.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They need to go outside of Iraq.
ECCLESTON: But only a handful do. The obstacles, government red tape and lack of funds often insurmountable. But then one story gave many Iraqis new reason for hope, the story of baby Noor.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I hope Abdullah will become like baby Noor.
ECCLESTON: Abdullah has leukemia. The hospital often runs out of his medicine. When his mother heard we were from America, she begged us to make him another baby Noor.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I hope when to see him to go to Europe or America.
ECCLESTON: As word spread, other families approached us with medical records, giving us cell phone numbers. Could we help Abdullah, whose legs are paralyzed, or Moj (ph), who has cancer? In quiet anguish, Hudaraham (ph) watched the procession of desperate families. Her eight-month-old son has heart disease. He's barely conscious. She's already lost two children to the same illness. I would do anything to help him she says, but it's too late. He's dying. Doctors agree. Without surgery, he won't make it another week. Jennifer Eccleston, CNN, Baghdad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOKE: So Tony and Betty, while many Iraqis might be happy with the attention that baby Noor is getting, others in unfortunate situations are clearly thinking, well, what about me?
HARRIS: Yeah.
NGUYEN: Such a desperate situation over there, just heartbreaking, heartbreaking.
HARRIS: Breaks your heart, doesn't it? Shanon, thank you.
COOKE: Thank you.
HARRIS: There's help and hopefully you can help. Child Spring is the organization that facilitated baby Noor's trip to the U.S. If you'd like to help their efforts in Iraq or find out more about what they do, log onto childspringintl.org.
NGUYEN: There's also another option that you can take. You can contact UNICEF. Here is the Web site, unicef.org or you can call them 1-800-4unicef.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BONNIE SCHNEIDER, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, Oklahoma City, looking beautiful this morning. Look at that, sunrise coming up, just gorgeous out there. We have unfortunately one of the pretty effects of all the fires, that you get a lot more particles in the sky and that reflects the light when the sun comes up or the sun goes down. It makes for very pretty sun rises and sunsets. I guess people would do without that and get rid of the fire activity.
Here's a look at the forecast for Oklahoma City, another warm day today. So we're still looking at the threat of fire danger. Temperatures finally start to cool down towards the middle of the week and we may even get some rain in the southern plains by the middle and the end of the week, maybe just a little bit, but I think every little bit helps as we take a look at the area. We're watching today for fire danger. It's totally shifted to the east today as opposed to where we were yesterday. So here's where we're watching, parts of Texas into Oklahoma, more eastern Oklahoma than western Oklahoma, much of Arkansas today and right here in the northwest corner of Louisiana, that's where we'll have those strong winds out of the southwest and we'll be looking at definitely some gusty conditions that may kick up the embers if we get any fires. Hopefully we won't though today but this is the area we'll be watching. Betty, Tony.
NGUYEN: An area we've been watching for a little while now Bonnie.
HARRIS: Thank you. CNN next hour, bags of money going to Congress, no one's talking about that. I'm having a little fun here but it's not a joking matter obviously.
NGUYEN: No, it's not.
HARRIS: Here's the question, will all of this political turmoil surrounding the Abramoff investigation, are you planning on writing your senator or congressman or taking out your anger at the voting booth? How will the corruption scandal affect you? Will you vote? This from Keith, writes, the last voting experience I had was Richard Nixon. That says it all!
NGUYEN: Todd says corruption in politics, this is news? It's been happening since Rome was an empire. If taking $10,000 from a lobbyist to influence a vote is horrible, what would you call taking millions of dollars in taxpayer money, my money, for a useless pork project in the middle of nowhere? Thanks Todd and we want to get your thoughts on this. Keep them coming this morning. How will the corruption scandals affect the way you vote? Weekends@cnn.com. E-mail us.
HARRIS: And the next hour of CNN SUNDAY MORNING begins in a moment.
In Iraq, U.S. military officials say five Marines were killed yesterday and today in clashes with the insurgency. Three Marines died from small arms fire in separate attacks in Fallujah and roadside bombs killed the other two Marines.
The search is on for a U.S. Blackhawk helicopter missing in Iraq. It is not clear how many people were on board. The military spokesman says the Black Hawk, like the one you see here, failed to reach its destination in the town of Tal Afar. It was conducting routine missions deploying troops at the time.
People in southern Greece were rattled this morning by an earthquake. People in Athens say the magnitude 6.7 quake rumbled for at least 30 seconds. It was centered about 23 miles underwater, about 120 miles south of Athens. There's no word yet on injuries or damage.
And 2 million Muslims from around the world are descending on Mecca, Saudi Arabia, right now for the start of the Hajj Pilgrimage. It lasts six days. The visit to the birth place of the Prophet Mohammed is a required visit for all able bodied Muslims with enough money to make it. They're seeking spiritual rebirth and forgiveness.
BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR, CNN SUNDAY MORNING: Ariel Sharon's doctor says things seem to be looking better for the Israeli leader, but will he fully recover? We're going to go live to Jerusalem in just a moment.
From the CNN Center this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING; January 8, 8:00 a.m. here in Atlanta; 3:00 p.m. in Jerusalem.
Good morning everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen.
HARRIS: And good morning, everyone I'm Tony Harris. Thank you for starting your day with us.
NGUYEN: New developments out of Israel top our news. About an hour ago hospital officials announced Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's latest brain scan shows he's improving and if all goes well, doctors will start bringing Sharon out of his drug-induced coma starting tomorrow.
Israelis gathered at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem yesterday to pray for the prime minister's recovery. CNN's Guy Raz joins us now from the hospital in Jerusalem where Sharon is being treated.
Guy, update us on the progress that's been made so far.
GUY RAZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Betty, tomorrow morning essentially doctors, of course, will be able to begin taking Ariel Sharon out of that induced coma. That will essentially enable them to measure the extent of any potential brain damage the prime minister may have suffered as a result of that massive stroke on Wednesday night.
We just received that update about an hour ago from the director general of this hospital, Shlomo Mor-Yosef.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SHLOMO MOR-YOSEF, DIR. GEN., HADASSAH MEDICAL CNTR.: Tomorrow morning, we'll gradually reduce the depth of the anesthesia and then we'll be able to evaluate the neurological function of the prime minister's brain.
RAZ: Betty, essentially doctors are saying this is the moment they've been waiting for since Wednesday evening when the prime minister was admitted to this hospital. Essentially, the reason they decided to do this because a CT scan, a brain scan, showed slight improvement in his condition. No hemorrhaging, no further bleeding in his brain. They do caution his condition remains critical but stable.
Meanwhile, In Jerusalem, the machinery of government continues to function. The acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert convened the regular Sunday morning cabinet meeting, all the cabinet ministers showed up for that meeting. And in that meeting, Ehud Olmert essentially promising he will carry out the wishes of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon -- Betty.
NGUYEN: Lot of developments today. Guy Raz, thanks for staying on that and brings us the latest. Tony?
HARRIS: This just in to CNN a moment ago we told you about the military search for a missing Black Hawk helicopter. We can tell you now that helicopter has been found with tragic results. The U.S. military is reporting now that 12 U.S. service personnel are dead.
This Black Hawk helicopter, we'll show you a picture of it here in just a moment, failed to reach its destination in the town of tell afar in Iraq. It was conducting routine missions deploying troops at the time. And again, this is -- these are file pictures, file pictures of a Black Hawk helicopter. The kind we're talking about right now.
And we can tell you that helicopter, the missing helicopter, the one in question here, has gone down in Iraq and that 12 U.S. service personnel have been killed in that crash. We do not know at this time whether it was an accident that brought this Black Hawk down or if the helicopter was shot down.
We know that we are getting more information on this every moment and CNN's Michael Holmes, we understand, is -- will be with us -- joining us shortly with additional information. Betty, you wanted to add to this?
NGUYEN: Yes, it was on a routine training mission when they lost contact with the crew of this Black Hawk helicopter around midnight last night. Again, the unfortunate word that 12 Americans are dead in that accident.
There are a lot of questions, Tony, as to what brought this helicopter down and what, too, were the last communications coming from that helicopter as to clues in exactly what happened? Why it happened and, of course, all those questions are being answered -- or asked at least -- by our crews on the ground there in Iraq.
HARRIS: Katie, give me just a moment to sort of summarize all of this for everyone at home. If you're joining us this morning, we're telling you the story about the Black Hawk helicopter that went down and the death of 12 U.S. service personnel, but in totality now, throughout the morning, we've been reporting on the deaths of five U.S. Marines in separate incidents in different Iraqi towns, both yesterday and again today.
Three Marines assigned to I guess this is the Regimental Combat Team 8, 2nd Marine Division killed in Fallujah. And so a total of five in all U.S. Marines killed and in three different Iraqi towns yesterday and again today. And you combine that with this news of the Black Hawk helicopter, 12 Americans dead in the crash of that helicopter. It has turned into a very deadly weekend for U.S. service personnel fighting the war in Iraq.
We will continue to -- Michael Holmes, I understand, is with us now and Michael, we're sort of summing up this weekend and it has been a very costly weekend for U.S. service personnel, coalition forces, but in particular U.S. service personnel in Iraq. What's the latest you can tell us about the downing of this Black Hawk helicopter?
MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN INT'L. CORRESPONDENT: Yeah. You're right, Tony, it has been a very deadly 24 hours. I haven't been listening to what you've been saying. I don't know if you reported this, if you add it up 17 dead in the last 24 hours, 28 dead since Thursday in a variety of incidents, most of them hostile action.
I can tell you what we know about this Black Hawk down situation; 12 people, in all, all of them American citizens, Black Hawk carries a crew of four, we're told there were eight passengers on board as well. This happened in the northwest of the country a place called Tal Afar, it was about 12 kilometers east of there. They crashed shortly before midnight.
I can tell you this, the weather has been bad here in Iraq after the last 24 hours or so, a lot of wind and rain. I actually flew a short distance yesterday in a Black Hawk coming back from an embed with the 10th Mountain Division, and the weather was pretty choppy then, too. A lot of bumpy -- it was a pretty bumpy ride.
This helicopter was operating in support of an Operation Band of Brothers, in that region. What they were doing specifically we don't know. Probably providing air support, but eight passengers on board. We don't yet know for sure whether they were all service people or not. There may have been civilians involved, perhaps riding along.
But that's all we really know at the moment, 12 dead in this accident. As I said, 28 dead since Thursday. The military did take a little while to tell us exactly or confirm this accident. The chopper has been officially missing since last night. They only just found it a few hours ago. That's what we've been reporting in the last few hours, is this chopper was unaccounted for. It is now and the news and isn't good, Tony.
HARRIS: Michael, just to make this point absolutely clear, to drive it home here, with regard to the Black Hawk helicopter, we're talking about 12 Americans. And you're suggesting there was probably a mix of service personnel and American citizens who were killed?
HOLMES: Well, what I'm suggesting is it's possible there were civilians on board. We know there were eight passengers. A Black Hawk can take, let me think, probably 15 or so people if you jam them in, less if they had equipment, a crew of four. We don't know whether they were all service personnel, but I think it's probably a fairly safe bet that they likely were, if they were flying in support of a mission. We don't know that for sure. All Americans, eight passengers, four crew.
HARRIS: What a devastating weekend in Iraq, the last 24, 48 hours. Michael Holmes for us in Baghdad. Michael, as always, thank you.
NGUYEN: We want do want to talk also about other news. An emotional journey begins for more than 2 million Muslims. Coming up the annual pilgrimage to the Holy City of Mecca.
HARRIS: We'll explore the spiritual journey and the five pillars of faith ahead on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: The big question in Washington this morning, who will fill Tom DeLay's powerful House leadership role? Beleaguered by campaign finance abuse charges the Republican congressman announced Saturday he won't try to regain his post as majority leader. CNN White House Correspondent Elaine Quijano has been following developments out of Washington, where Republicans are eager to cut ties with the corruption scandal that is hitting during an election year. And she joins us now with the latest.
Good morning, Elaine.
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Betty.
In the past, President Bush has called Congressman Tom DeLay an effective leader. Now the former House majority leader has announced he will not be seeking to regain his position.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
QUIJANO (voice over): Wounded by two political scandals, Congressman Tom DeLay decided the time had come for him to step aside for good as House majority leader.
TOM DELAY (R-TX), FRMR. HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER: It has been a really great honor these last three years, but the job of majority leader is too important to be hamstrung by personal distractions.
QUIJANO: It was last fall when Congressman DeLay first stepped down as his post as majority leader, in what he thought would be a temporary move after being indicted on charges in Texas relating to a campaign finance case. As late as Friday night, DeLay, through his spokesman insisted he would return to his position, but the political environment changed dramatically this week after the once powerful lobbyist Jack Abramoff pled guilty to three charges, including conspiracy to bribe public officials.
Republicans in general and DeLay, in particular, were rocked by the news as well as Abramoff's agreement to testify against lawmakers and staffers.
NORMAN ORNSTEIN, POLITICAL SCIENTIST: The way the Congress has operated in the last several years has left them prone to a kind of institutional corruption that's starting to emerge now. It's not all one party. But when one party is in charge, they're going to bear the brunt of it.
QUIJANO: House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said DeLay stepping down is not enough to clean up a, quote, "culture of corruption". Still, on the Texas charges, DeLay has steadfastly maintained his innocence.
DELAY: In the 21 years I have been in Congress, I have always acted in an ethical manner, within the rules of the House and the laws of our land, and time once again will bear that -- bear out that truth.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
QUIJANO: As for the White House, this weekend, a spokeswoman said the administration respects the congressman's decision to put the, quote, "interests of the American people, the House of Representatives, and the Republican Party first."
Now, that, of course, is a shift from last month when President Bush, when asked if he believed Tom DeLay was innocent, said, yes. Also the president was asked whether he felt Tom DeLay should return, whether he hoped he would return as House majority leader; to that the president also answered, yes. Betty.
NGUYEN: Elaine Quijano, thank you.
HARRIS: Well, with Jack Abramoff's guilty pleas to fraud, tax evasion, corruption and his connection to the Washington power structure, you might think this might affect the upcoming election. Or more specifically, how will it affect the way you vote? That's our e- mail question of the morning. Send your thoughts. Our e-mail address is weekends@cnn.com.
NGUYEN: Bonnie Schneider joining us now with a look at the weather for this Sunday, last day of the weekend.
(WEATHER FORECAST)
HARRIS: A journey of lifetime begins as more than 2 million Muslims from around the world gather for the annual pilgrimage to Mecca. We'll explore the spiritual cleansing next in our "Faces of Faith."
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARRIS: It is considered a journey of a lifetime, a spiritual cleansing. This weekend, more than 2 million Muslims have gathered for the Hajj, a pilgrimage to the holy Saudi Arabian city of Mecca, that began at sunrise this morning. The symbolic image of Muslims of all races, dressed in white robs, represents the fifth pillar of Islam, it is known around the world. Joining me in today's "Faces of Faith" is columnist and author of the "Believe Net Guide to Islam" is Hesham Hassaballa. Hesham, good to see you this morning. Thanks for taking the time.
HESHAM HASSABALLA, COLUMNIST & AUTHOR: Thank you for having me.
HARRIS: You have to talk to us, first and foremost, about your personal pilgrimage, making the Hajj. When did this happen in your life?
HASSABALLA: My wife and I went and made the Hajj three years ago, almost to the day. And it was the most powerful spiritual experience I've ever had. Every day since I was about nine, five times a day I've been facing Mecca to pray, the five daily prayers which is one of the five pillars. And to go there and see the shrine in front of your face, the same shrine built by Abraham and his son, Ishmael, was almost indescribable. I couldn't help but cry when I first saw the shrine. My wife cried. It was just absolutely amazing. Absolutely amazing.
HARRIS: Hesham, describe that sense of being among so many brothers and sisters; 2 million, robes and sandals, and we see the pictures of everyone praying. And it is an awesome spectacle.
HASSABALLA: It is one of the things that were most striking, people from everywhere are there doing the same thing, at the same time. You really feel part of the human family. You really feel that there is a time where human beings can come together, be truly brothers and sisters.
One of the requirements of the Hajj is to when you're in that white cloth, called the Haram (ph), that you're not supposed to argue or harm anything. And it really makes you feel part of an entire human family. That's what struck the civil rights leader Malcolm X the most about the Hajj. And that is what it was. It was wonderful to see people from as far away from China and Turkey, and all over the Middle East and even people from America that I hadn't seen in years, happen to be there at the same time. It was just absolutely amazing.
HARRIS: Hesham, walk us through the five pillars of Islam.
HASSABALLA: Sure. The first one is called the, Shahad (ph), or the testimony of faith, where a Muslim or someone who wants to convert to Islam, testifies that there is nothing worthy of worship except God, alone, the God of Abraham, the God of Jesus, the God of Moses. And that Mohammed, peace be upon him, is the final messenger. He is the last prophet sent to mankind. That's the first pillar.
The second is daily ritual of prayer, five times throughout the day, at different times throughout the day and night. Muslims make a ritual prayer and they face towards Mecca every day.
The third is fasting during the month of Ramadan, which many Americans are familiar with. The fourth is called Zakat, which is an annual alms tax, 2.5 percent of any unused wealth that has accumulated over one year. The fifth is the Hajj. HARRIS: I have to ask you, so many years in the past, this pilgrimage has been associated with great tragedy, stampedes and loss of life. We know that just this past week there was a hotel that collapsed, 76 people were killed. I have to ask you, we know that there is stepped up security now, concerns about terrorism. Is there a point at which the security becomes -- it gets to the point where it begins to interrupt the process itself, to intrude on the process, on the pilgrimage?
HASSABALLA: When I was there three years ago I never felt that. I think that's one of the miracles of the Hajj, is that, you know, I'm never worried about security there, even in a world as today, I'm really not worried. All I am there is engrossed in the -- at first when I first went there, I couldn't help but be humbled by the power of God.
But that went away pretty quickly and the Lord opens his arms up to me and took too me in, and said welcome home. And I really developed a very powerful friendship with God there. And I talked to him all the time and it came with me. And he came with me much closer friend than he ever was before I went to the pilgrimage. That was never an issue in my mind.
HARRIS: Yes, Hesham Hassaballa, thanks for your time this morning. We appreciate it.
HASSABALLA: Thank you very much for having me.
HARRIS: Our pleasure.
NGUYEN: We're going to shift gears now because all morning long we've been asking you this question dealing with corruption. How will corruption scandals affect the way you vote? We've found some interesting responses so far.
HARRIS: This from Seth. Is that the wrong one? OK.
NGUYEN: Wistar, is a person.
HARRIS: "I will not only vote, but work hard to remove any politician in my district, and send money to challengers in other districts, who oppose persons caught trading money for favors."
NGUYEN: Now, Seth says: "If I as a $27,000-a-year TSA screener, couldn't accept a cheeseburger, now can it possibly be ethical or legal for a lawmaker to accept gifts worth tens of thousands of dollars? It should be a crime and is worthy of immediate dismissal. It disgusts me to know that our senators and Congress are bought and sold."
HARRIS: So, there you go. There's our question of the day. How will the corruption scandals affect the way you vote? There's the e- mail address. Weekends@cnn.com.
Wacky weather in the new year. NGUYEN: Oh, yes. Plenty of it from fires in Texas and Oklahoma to flooding in California coming up at 9:00 Eastern, we'll hear from Bill Nye the Science Guy. You know him. Will Mother Nature give us another busy year?
HARRIS: But first, today's "House Call" takes you to the front lines in the battle against cancer. Dr. Sanjay Gupta visits one of the top cancer centers in the country where doctors and patients share their experiences on battling this deadly disease.
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