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CNN Sunday Morning
October Deadliest Month This Year for U.S. Troops in Iraq; President Bush, Commanders, Advisers Meet on Iraq Strategy; Prison Crisis in California
Aired October 22, 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," a grim statistic in the Iraq war. October is now the deadliest month for U.S. forces so far this year. Seventy-eight troops have been killed, and a surge of sectarian violence is taking a toll on Iraqi civilians.
We're going to go live to Baghdad in just about three minutes.
In the meantime, a warning of more violence. This one purportedly from Afghanistan's fugitive Taliban leader.
In an e-mail forwarded to The Associated Press, Mullah Omar warns the Taliban will increase their attacks against foreign and Afghan troops. He says the fighting "would be a surprise to many." The statement's authenticity still cannot be verified by CNN.
Well, Iran is ready to talk about its nuclear ambitions. The Iranian foreign minister says dialogue is the best way to reach an understanding. The offer comes just days before a planned sanctions resolution is expected to be circulated in the Security Council.
And a search of manholes near the World Trade Center site in New York turns up more human remains. The search was prompted this week by the surprise discovery of dozens of bones in an abandoned manhole. Forensic experts sifting through debris, uncovered nearly 100 pieces of human remains this week.
T.J. HOLMES, CNN ANCHOR: Potentially dangerous food being recalled across the eastern half of the U.S. Ballard's Farm Sausage is recalling prepackaged egg salad in 17 states over fears of listeria contamination. Listeria can be fatal for older people or small children. The recall involves egg salad under the Ballard, Food City and Value Time (ph) names, all with a November 7th expiration date.
And in the World Series last night, the St. Louis Cardinals pounded on the Detroit Tigers 7-2 in the first game of their match-up. And Albert Pujols, as to be expected, led the way for the Cards. But not to worry just yet, Tiger fans.
The Tigers lost game one to the Cards in 1968 in that World Series and came back to win it all. And the weather held up and they were able to play that game last night.
Reynolds Wolf here with a quick check of the weather for us.
Good morning to you, Reynolds. REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Good morning, T.J.
(WEATHER REPORT)
HOLMES: And of course we run down the top stories every 15 minutes here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING, with in-depth coverage all morning long. Your next check of the headlines coming up at 7:15 Eastern.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Christ has let us make disciples. Well, we just took that same scripture and we said we are the factory and we actually make souls. We actually remanufacture souls, or we get used remanufactured souls.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: That's what they do in the Soul Factory. And we are going to go inside that factory in our "Faces of Faith" a little bit later this hour.
From the CNN Center in Atlanta, this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
Happy Sunday to you. It is October 22nd, 7:00 a.m. here in Atlanta, 4:00 a.m. out West. Very early. But thanks for watching.
Good morning, everybody. I'm Betty Nguyen.
HOLMES: And I'm T.J. Holmes. Thank you so much for being here with us.
A somber statistic and a sobering assessment in the fight for Iraq. October is now the deadliest month for U.S. forces this year. Seventy-eight American service members have died. The latest, three Marines killed yesterday in the Anbar province west of Baghdad. The highest monthly death toll was in November of 2004 during the Falluja offensive. A hundred thirty-seven U.S. service members were killed that month.
In an interview with the Arab satellite network Al-Jazeera, a senior U.S. diplomat said history may judge the U.S. harshly over the Iraq war.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALBERTO FERNANDEZ, STATE DEPARTMENT DIPLOMAT (through translator): History will decide what role the U.S. played, and god willing, we tried to do our best in Iraq. But I think there is a big possibility for extreme criticism, and because undoubtedly there was arrogance and stupidity from the United States in Iraq.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: A State Department spokesman says Fernandez told him he was misquoted and his thought was lost in translation. NGUYEN: While the deadly toll for U.S. troops, the almost daily body counts of Iraqi civilians and a government just struggling to stop all of the violence.
CNN's Arwa Damon joins us now live from Baghdad with more on the situation there.
Arwa, as we've been talking about, October is the deadliest month so far this year. You've been embedded with American troops. What's it bee like for them? No doubt very difficult.
ARWA DAMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is, Betty. It is incredibly difficult. In fact, it's very hard to describe just how difficult it is.
It's increasingly an environment of unpredictability, especially now. A lot of the units have come back for their second or third tours. So they have a certain amount of perspective. They remember what it was like when they first came to Iraq, or when they came the second time, and they are able to see for themselves the harsh reality that security has really not gotten much better.
And while they are out there every day doing what they can, the risks are only increasing. The dangers are only increasing. And there's a certain level of frustration with the fact that security has not come under control. But with that, you will still get a sense of commitment from most of the troops that are here.
They still want to see this mission through. They want to see the job done, but they want to see it done right. Many soldiers will say to you that they've lost so much in Iraq, that they don't want to leave until they can really guarantee that Iraq is stable -- Betty.
NGUYEN: Frustration. Let's talk a little bit about fear. What are Iraqis saying about this upsurge in violence? I mean, how frightened are they? Many of them dying by the dozens, by the day.
DAMON: Utterly petrified, to be completely honest. If you look at the number of attacks on any given day here -- and it's a range of car bombs, roadside bombs, assassinations, sectarian violence -- there is very little that the average Iraqi can do to ensure their own safety, to ensure their family's safety.
Even their homes only provide them with relatively safety. And also, even when they're at home, they're still getting threats from various militias when they step out of their homes. Today we saw a doctor who was killed in Baquba, just stepping out of his home. An unknown gunman shot him down.
Everybody here who you speak to has a story of someone who they know and love who has died, and it's really draining on Iraqi society right now. There's this increased sense of despair.
They look to their government. They're seeing very little from the government. They're looking to the U.S. military. The U.S. military right now is revisiting its strategy. And a lot of Iraqis, when you speak to them, are really losing hope for the future. They're not seeing a solution, and they're not seeing anything really getting better anytime soon -- Betty.
NGUYEN: But as they look to their government, let's talk about exactly what the Iraqi government is doing to stop this violence, and just as important, better prepare security forces so that eventually U.S. troops will be able to leave the country.
DAMON: Well, the Iraqi government, especially from the perspective of Iraqis here, has done very little that has actually served to stop the violence. Over the summer, we saw a big initiative by the Iraqi government, this national reconciliation initiative that was meant to bring a certain level of stability. That obviously has not happened.
At the beginning of Ramadan, we saw the Ramadan agreement, again meant to bring an end to sectarian violence, meant to bring the country's different factions together. All, again, in an effort to bring down this level of violence. But when you look at the numbers, the attacks, the statistics, that has obviously not been working.
In terms of the Iraqi security forces, they are still being trained up. Even the units that operate on their own that are operating in their own area of operations, they have U.S. military teams or U.S. teams alongside them to try to help this training process. But they're still not ready -- Betty.
NGUYEN: CNN's Arwa Damon, giving us a real picture on the ground in Baghdad.
Arwa, thank you for that -- T.J.
HOLMES: Betty, critics are calling for a change of course in Iraq, but President Bush says he's sticking with his overall strategy. And the administration is downplaying the significance of a meeting between the president and his top commanders.
Details now from White House Correspondent Elaine Quijano.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice over): In the face of continued violence in Iraq, and amid political pressure for the White House to change course, President Bush huddled for 90 minutes with top members of his security and defense teams Saturday for an Iraq strategy session. While the White House tried to downplay the meeting's significance, Department of Defense officials told CNN General John Abizaid, the head of U.S. Central Command, was summoned to Washington to meet with the commander in chief face to face.
Friday, the two also met to discuss both Afghanistan and Iraq. Yet the president insists his goals and overall strategy remain unchanged.
Still, in his weekly radio address, he argued he has made tactical adjustments.
GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: We have a strategy that allows us to be flexible and to adapt to changing circumstances, and we will continue to be flexible and make every necessary change to prevail in this struggle.
QUIJANO: The recent focus on flexibility is a clear effort to push back against critics who charge the president's stay-the-course strategy has failed. The Democrats are blasting the Bush administration, calling for Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to be fired. And they used the weekly Democratic radio address to urge voters to hold Republicans to account during next month's congressional midterm election.
DIANE FARRELL, DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE, CONNECTICUT: They hoped for the best, but the situation has worsened. We will be dishonoring the servicemen and women on the front line, as well as their families here at home if we simply stay the course. We need a new direction in Iraq.
QUIJANO: The White House is also facing concerns from some prominent Republicans. Recently, Senator John Warner, the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, suggested a change in course might be needed if the situation in Iraq did not improve in the next few months.
(on camera): As for this weekend's session, a White House spokeswoman says that it focused in part on the challenges in Iraq, as well as how better to pursue the administration's strategy there. While no policy changes were announced, clearly with pressure mounting the Bush administration is taking a serious look at its options there.
Elaine Quijano, CNN, the White House
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: And two key senators debate strategy in Iraq today on "LATE EDITION WITH WOLF BLITZER". Republican Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania and Democrat Jack Reed of Rhode Island join Wolf this morning at 11:00 Eastern, 8:00 Pacific.
NGUYEN: Terror, politics -- is the GOP using fear to turn out the vote? Well, we have the latest in the political ad wars for you.
Plus...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And all I do is fight for injustice and fight for the freedom of people, meaning their mindsets, so that they can be free and live out their destiny.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: And forget clergy roles. You're not going to find any pulpits in here. We go inside the Soul Factory in our "Faces of Faith" segment. That's coming up in about 30 minutes.
NGUYEN: But first, check it out. A pumpkin-lighting contest has (INAUDIBLE) as well. Seeing orange, of course. We'll tell you if they smashed their way into the record books.
That's ahead.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: "Now in the News" on this Sunday morning, 78 U.S. troops killed in Iraq during October. And that makes this the deadliest month of the year for U.S. forces.
The somber statistic comes during a surge in violence and Iraqi civilian deaths. Attacks have increased during the holy month of Ramadan.
A warning of more violence. This one purportedly from Afghanistan's fugitive Taliban leader. In an e-mail forwarded to The Associated Press, Mullah Omar warns the Taliban will increase their attacks against foreign and Afghan troops. He says the fighting "would be a surprise to many." The statement's authenticity cannot be verified.
Remembering Marines killed in the 1983 Beirut bombings. At noon Eastern, a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, and among those attending, bombing survivors attending. They're gathering to remember the 242 Marines killed in that terrorist bombing October 18th, 23 years ago.
HOLMES: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice expected back in Washington this afternoon. Rice wrapped up her whirlwind tour of Russia and Asia on Saturday rallying support for U.N. sanctions on North Korea. She also explored sanction possibilities with Russia over Iran's nuclear program.
And in New York, Senator Hillary Clinton squaring off with challenger John Spencer in another senatorial debate. Round one was Friday night, and it featured plenty of questions about, what else? Whether Clinton is considering a presidential run in 2008. Round two takes place in New York City later this morning.
And we run down the top stories for you every 15 minutes here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING, with in-depth coverage all morning long. Your next check of the headlines coming up at 7:30 Eastern.
NGUYEN: Well, as you're waking up on this Sunday, how about we check the weather for you, because Reynolds, I understand there are actually whiteout conditions in some areas?
WOLF: In some places we have had some issues of blowing snow across parts of the Midwest.
(WEATHER REPORT)
NGUYEN: Other stories "Across America" to tell you about this morning.
A deadly plunge. Thousands of spectators at the annual base jump in Fayetteville, West Virginia, well, they stood watching as a base jumper fell to his death. His chute apparently opening too late.
That one obviously opening just in time. Nearly 400 people, though, jumped 876 feet from the New River Gorge Bridge. All of it in celebration of Bridge Day.
HOLMES: In Kentucky, more than two dozen riverboat passengers were taken to the hospital late Friday. Apparently, an outbreak of a gastrointestinal virus is to blame. Eight people are still in the hospital because the outbreak is still not determined.
NGUYEN: All right. Check this out.
Mount St. Helens, see that? Yes, if you watch very closely you can see the camera shaking ever so slightly. The effects of a 3.2 magnitude earthquake.
Rocks were falling and scientists say a shower of ash -- get this -- shot 4,000 feet into the air. Quite a show we're told.
HOLMES: And another show to tell you about in Boston, a smashing success, if you will. The city sets the jack-o'-lantern record.
I didn't even know there was one.
Volunteers lit 30,000 pumpkins, and their goal here was to conquer their neighbors in Keene, New Hampshire. See, the folks over there held the record for the last three years, and you know they couldn't let that stand. But those folks over in New Hampshire had the record of 29,000 lighted pumpkins.
NGUYEN: Oh my.
HOLMES: The next record they're going for, of course, the world's largest pumpkin pie.
NGUYEN: That's going to be a big one. You've got to do something with all the pumpkins.
HOLMES: What are you going to do with that?
NGUYEN: Yes.
HOLMES: Thirty thousand, that's a lot.
NGUYEN: That is a lot.
Up next we're going to be talking about the children of Iraq returning to school. Coming up, we will take a look at the war through the eyes of the young. Are they hopeful for the future? What do they think?
We'll talk to them. HOLMES: Plus, it's not your typical church service. In about 25 minutes we'll take you inside the Soul Factory.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: All right. We've got 16 days now, and we're counting until the crucial midterm elections. So, we wanted to know, do you think our system of government is broken?
Take a look at the numbers.
Seventy-eight percent of you say, yes, the system's broken. Only 22 percent say the government's doing just fine.
This poll is done for us by the Opinion Research Corporation.
So what can be done about the broken government? You can get some ideas this morning. Jack Cafferty hosts the special "Broken Government". That comes your way at 9:00 Eastern, here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
NGUYEN: Well, a buzz over new commercials is usually confined to the Super Bowl, right? But now one new political ad debuting on TV today is gaining, let's just say lots of attention. It also has some people wondering, does fear sell?
CNN Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider takes a look.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
WILLIAM SCHNEIDER, CNN SR. POLITICAL ANALYST (voice-over): Republicans won the 2002 and 2004 elections on the terrorism issue. Now the Republican National Committee has made an ad which they say will run on national cable TV including CNN Sunday and Monday. The ad has sound effects but no spoken words.
SCHNEIDER: And this phrase used in the final frame -- "these are the stakes", the same words used in one of the most famous political ads in American history.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: ... eight, nine...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ... four, three, two, one, zero...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: These are the stakes -- to make a world in which all of God's children can live or to go in to the dark.
SCHNEIDER: The 1964 ad aired only once, but it was highly controversial. So is the new Republican ad. The Democratic National Committee calls it "A shameful ad invoking the image of despicable terrorists to scare the American people." Ads that evoke fear always attract attention and controversy. Like this ad from the 1984 Ronald Reagan campaign.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There is a bear in the woods. For some people, the bear is easy to see. Others don't see it at all. SCHNEIDER: And this one from the 2004 Bush campaign.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And weakness attracts those who are waiting to do America harm.
SCHNEIDER: We asked an advertising professional does fear work? With some people it does.
ROBBIE VORHAUS, PRES. VORHAUS COMMUNICATIONS: They're trying to reach people who continue to believe that this war is about terrorism, and that there are people lurking in the shadows ready to take our lives. Then it's effective. If you're a person who believes, as many do, that we've got better things to do than worry about this type of fear, it's going to backfire.
SCHNEIDER (on camera): Now we're in the fourth year of the war in Iraq. Voters say it has not made them feel more secure. That's what makes this election different from the last two.
Bill Schneider, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: And as you know, Bill Schneider is part of the best political team on television. Do remember, for up-to-the-minute coverage of the midterm elections, all you have to do is log on to cnn.com/ticker anytime you want.
Jail cells packed like cans of sardines.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You kind of feel like you're in a coffin, to be honest with you. It's pretty enclosed.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: It looks it. Prison overcrowding, it is frustrating and it is dangerous for the inmates. Find out how California is dealing with the problem.
HOLMES: Plus, Batman and Robin? Nah! It's Batman and the disciple of Jesus.
NGUYEN: Huh?
HOLMES: Yes. They may have more in common than you think.
NGUYEN: Really? OK.
HOLMES: Yes. We're going to have to explain this one to you. We'll take you on a visit to the Soul Factory on CNN SUNDAY MORNING.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: "Now in the News," a grim statistic in the Iraq war. October is now the deadliest month for U.S. forces so far this year. Seventy-eight U.S. service members have been killed, and a surge of sectarian violence also taking a toll on Iraqi civilians.
A senior U.S. diplomat says it's possible history may show the U.S. displayed arrogance and stupidity in the Iraq war. Alberto Fernandez, of the Bureau of Near East Affairs, spoke to the Arab language network Al-Jazeera. The State Department says Fernandez believes he was misquoted and that his thought was lost in translation.
Iran may be ready to talk. The Iranian foreign minister says dialogue is the best way to reach an understanding about its nuclear ambitions. The offer comes just days before a planned sanctions resolution is expected to be circulated in the U.N. Security Council.
NGUYEN: Judicial independence? Forget about it. Or so says Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. In a speech before an Italian- American group last night, he told the crowd, "The more your courts become policymakers, the less sense it makes to have them entirely independent."
Well, potentially dangerous food being recalled across the eastern half of the U.S. So listen up.
Ballard's Farm Sausage is recalling prepackaged egg salad in 17 states. There were fears of listeria contamination. Listeria can be fatal for older people or small children. The recall involves egg salad under the Ballard, Food City and Value Time (ph) names, all with a November 7th expiration date.
Let's get you off to Reynolds Wolf for a quick check of the weather this morning as you check on that egg salad in your refrigerator.
WOLF: Yes, there's nothing better than talking about weather after talking about the possibility of food poisoning.
NGUYEN: Yes, listeria.
WOLF: Let me tell you, man, good times.
(WEATHER REPORT)
NGUYEN: We do run down the top stories every 15 minutes right here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING, with in-depth coverage all morning long. So your next check of the headlines, that's coming up at 7:45 Eastern.
HOLMES: A crisis in California. Prisons there becoming so full, they're going to start sending some inmates to other states. An order signed Friday opens the door for more than 2,000 transfers, but it's the offenders that may never get into the system that may be the most worrisome.
CNN's Kareen Wynter reports.
(BEGIN VIDEO TAPE) KAREEN WYNTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): California prison inmate Tony Doles compared his bed on the bottom of this shared triple bunk to a grave.
TONY DOLES, INMATE: You kind of feel like you're in a coffin, to be honest with you. It's pretty enclosed.
WYNTER: A few rows down inside this converted gymnasium at California State Prison Solano, inmate Jowell Finley complained about barely having enough room to lay his head.
JOWELL FINLEY, INMATE: It's not humane, you know? It's unbearable. It's frustrating.
WYNTER: And dangerous, says this convicted felon, serving a 17- year sentence for carjacking.
FINLEY: You know, I done seen a lot of violence escalate due to, you know, frustration, you know what I'm saying, on inmates and staff.
WYNTER: Each day, correctly officer Daniel Jackson rubs shoulders with some of California's most dangerous.
DANIEL JACKSON, CORRECTIONAL OFFICER: It's not a safe environment. It's a lot of inmates living everywhere inside the building.
WYNTER: California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger says a prison population spike across the state has triggered a crisis -- inmate overcrowding at facilities like this one. The state's prison population is reportedly at a record high, more than 171,000 inmates, 16,000 of them currently living in areas not designed for housing.
(on camera): This is traditional housing here at California State Prison in Solano, where you have two inmates per cell. But the overcrowding issue has forced officials to turn not just gymnasiums, but also dormitories into cramped, permanent living spaces.
(voice-over): Schwarzenegger proposed several reforms this year to build new state prisons. They passed the Senate but got stuck in the assembly. The speaker's office says it didn't even vote on the proposals, because they came too late in the legislative session for members to research the issues.
Some opponents felt they didn't address all the problems of the state's prisons. This forced the governor to declare an emergency proclamation.
MICHAEL MACHADO (D), CALIFORNIA STATE SENATE: The governor did not have any room to be able to deal with the influx of inmates and so we have to do something in order to provide some bed space and that would give us also the room then to start looking at a longer-term solution.
WYNTER: The emergency proclamation allowed prison officials to negotiate immediate contracts with correctly facilities in four other states, to temporarily house inmates. The Department of Corrections says the state must move quickly. It could run-out of prison bed space in a matter of months.
SECRETARY JAMES TILTON, CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS: If I get to the point this summer where I'm out of beds, what happens in California is I'll put up a no vacancy sign, inmates will stack up in county jail. It's not like these inmates will be released. But it means other inmates will be released on the street.
WYNTER: Some will end back up behind bars, a vicious cycle that could further cripple California's prison system.
Kareen Wynter, CNN, Sacramento, California.
(END VIDEO TAPE)
NGUYEN: All right. Here's an opportunity to see the fight for Iraq through a different set of eyes, the eyes of a child.
CNN's Cal Perry shows us the children of Baghdad.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CAL PERRY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): As the temperature cools in Baghdad, lightning brings rain. And with the change in the weather comes a new school year, at least for some.
This elementary school in Baghdad is opening its doors again, but its pupils' lives are stunted by war. Mawj Nouman remembers little else.
MAWJ NOUMAN, STUDENT (through translator): No, we cannot go outside because it is not safe and the situation is not good.
PERRY: You can't stop kids from playing, whatever their surroundings. And some still have the dreams of the innocent, like Riam Haydr (ph).
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): I have hope, and god willing, things will get better in Iraq. This will be no explosions and no discrimination.
PERRY: Others, though, seem old beyond their years, with opinions formed by three years of relentless violence.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE (through translator): I only remember the destruction, explosions, killings in the street, car bombs. I have no hope that Iraq will be safe again. Only when the American infidels leave Iraq, then everything will be better.
PERRY: Despite their memories, these children are fortunate. Fewer and fewer Iraqi kids are getting to school because of roadblocks or because their parents fear they will be kidnapped.
Teachers, like many Iraqi professionals, are fleeing Iraq, if they can afford to. And wealthy parents are sending their older children abroad for a college education. And across Iraq, but especially around Baghdad, many children have no hope of school. One hundred thousand children displaced by sectarian violence, according to the Iraqi Red Crescent.
Living in camps, life is different.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They left their schools, their work, and they all of a sudden moved to a foreign neighborhood, and they're living in a camp instead of a house.
PERRY: From Baghdad to the Triangle of Death, from Falluja to Mosul in the north, Iraq's youngest are touched by violence and suspicion. Even the spontaneous freedoms of childhood are stifled here.
Cal Perry, CNN, Baghdad.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
HOLMES: Now to other stories making news around the globe.
For the first time in two decades, Iceland is allowing while hunting. That breaks an international ban on whaling. Iceland says its economy depends on it. Greenpeace, however, disagrees. It's begun a campaign to stop the whaling.
The Panama Canal needs a major do-over, and it just might get one. Voters there expected to approve the largest modernization project of the canal in its 92-year history. Expanding the waterway will allow bigger ships to pass between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans.
And take a peek at this. Where is she? Where's my delicious looking 80-year-old?
Oh. Supposed to be in there somewhere. Belgium bringing out all the bells and whistles for Godiva's 80th birthday. The famous chocolate maker...
NGUYEN: That's your 80-year-old, the chocolate. I don't know what you were waiting for.
HOLMES: I thought -- I thought it was going to be a statue or something of a lady.
NGUYEN: Right.
HOLMES: An 80-year-old lady.
But they have a new gold collection that they're launching along with this in hopes to appeal to younger women who are watching their waistlines but still want to eat that chocolate.
NGUYEN: Chocolate and watching your waistline all in the same sentence? Is that even possible?
HOLMES: Yes. It is very much possible.
NGUYEN: Ooh, that does look good, though.
HOLMES: Chocolate's healthy these days, right? Isn't that what they say?
NGUYEN: Well, it depends on which study and what month it is. They change every month, don't they? One time it's good for you, the next it's not. I'll just keep eating what I like.
HOLMES: Well, we'll go with good for you then. There you go.
NGUYEN: Yes.
Well, we've been talking about it all morning long, so just what is the Soul Factory?
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's a place where people get an opportunity to experience faith, worship, in an untraditional setting.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: We're going to take you inside the what, Betty? The what?
NGUYEN: The Soul Factory.
HOLMES: There it is. That's coming up in our "Faces of Faith". That's about five minutes away.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: Religion and politics coming together. CNN's Miles O'Brien takes a look into the future.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Every time I turn on the news there seems to be some unrest somewhere motivated by both religion and politics.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I feel religion really has no place in politics.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Our government is based off the Ten Commandments. We don't steal. We don't kill.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Religion is separate from politics, in my view.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think social issues will continue to divide political parties.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I will not be swayed politically by somebody's religious beliefs. MILES O'BRIEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Americans are pretty evenly divided on the subject of religion and politics. Fifty-one percent of us think churches and other houses of worship should share their views on social and political questions. Forty-six percent think they should stay out of politics. With the country split on religion's role in politics, what will the future hold?
(voice-over): As senior fellow at the nonprofit think tank, the Pew Forum, John Green studies faith and politics and how they interact in American society.
JOHN GREEN, SENIOR FELLOW, PEW FORUM: And over the next several elections we'll see religion become even more important, because literally every religious group will be part of the process.
O'BRIEN: Green says those groups include rapidly growing populations of Buddhists, Hindus and American Muslims.
GREEN: The United States is so diverse religiously that both the Democratic and Republican parties have to have bigger religious coalitions in order to win elections.
O'BRIEN: Green says social issues, such as the war in Iraq, same-sex marriage, abortion and even the environment, will continue to divide us, putting the burden on politicians.
GREEN: One of the critical ingredients for bridging that divide is leadership and how political leaders, or perhaps nonpolitical leaders, come forward with solutions and alternatives that everyone can live with.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: "Now in the News," dying in Iraq. Seventy-eight U.S. troops killed in Iraq during October, making this the deadliest month of the year for U.S. forces. The somber statistic comes with a surge in violence and Iraqi civilian deaths during the holy month of Ramadan.
Well, the search of manholes near the World Trade Center site in New York turns up more human remains. This search was prompted this week by the surprise discovery of dozens of bones in an abandoned manhole. Forensic experts sifting through debris, uncovering nearly 100 pieces of human remains this week.
A love of flying, that's what family and friends remember about the flight instructor who died with Yankee pitcher Cory Lidle. Tyler Stanger and Lidle were killed October 11th when a small plane they were flying smashed into a New York high-rise. A memorial service was held for Stanger yesterday in California.
Check this out. Mount St. Helens putting on a bit of a show. See it there? The volcano sent out a puff of ash with a shot that went way up into the crystal clear northwest sky. The display was triggered by a 3.2 magnitude earthquake yesterday.
We run down the top stories every 15 minutes right here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING, with in-depth coverage all morning long. Your next check of the headlines coming up at the top of the hour.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DERON CLOUD, FOUNDER, PASTOR: That's why men don't come to church. I don't want to come to church and do this.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Does your pastor do that?
Of course when you imagine a church service, what may come to mind is your pastor and the Sunday best, maybe, delivering a soul- stirring message to a room full of people.
Think again. In our "Faces of Faith," our Tony Harris goes inside the Soul Factory.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CLOUD: You are now walking into the soul factory.
TONY HARRIS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It's not the traditional place of worship. The sanctuary is a theater setting. The pulpit, a stage, where life's issues are dealt with by melding biblical principles and the arts.
Deron Cloud, founder and pastor of the Soul Factory, called it the "unchurch".
CLOUD: I think the Soul Factory is the place where people can come and be themselves and not become controlled by a religious system that wants them to conform to the traditions that are really not working.
We die life, we groove life. One, two, three! Yeah!
HARRIS: Cloud and his wife Jill opened the first Soul Factory more than a decade ago in the Washington, D.C., area. The two began writing, producing and performing onstage using real-life situations as their script.
JILL CLOUD, CO-FOUNDER, SOUL FACTORY: So are you going to talk my -- your part and my part?
D. CLOUD: You said your mind wasn't going to do it.
HARRIS: They were overwhelmed by the response. And it was then they realized the need to establish a place where people could experience god while learning, as they put it, how to deal with being human from the inside out.
J. CLOUD: We realized that our productions definitely sort of brought in a social truth. And I think that people really want the truth. Social truth, meaning people wanted to hear things the way they lived it.
HARRIS: Then came the Soul Factory.
D. CLOUD: So that you understand, the Soul Factory theater, Christ has let us make disciples. Well, we just took that same scripture and we said, we are the factory, and we actually make souls. We actually remanufacture souls, or we get used to remanufactured souls.
HARRIS: There's no such thing as a typical church service at the Soul Factory.
D. CLOUD: This past service, I put on clown makeup to talk about how many preachers are turned into clowns in order to get the offering. And so I had on wigs and the whole nine yards trying to show they'll do whatever they can to get that money because they've got to pay them bills.
HARRIS: And it's not unusual for Deron to fire up the Batmobile for a drive. He owns one of the original Batmobiles from the '60s. He even compares him to the Caped Crusader.
D. CLOUD: Batman was the first superhero that didn't have superhero powers. But he still fought for justice. And all I do is fight for injustice, and fight for the freedom of people, meaning their mindsets, so that they can be free and live out their destiny.
HARRIS: The Soul Factory isn't bound by walls. Members get together and hit the streets.
D. CLOUD: We literally take our budget -- I would say about 40 percent of our budget, maybe 45 percent of our budget goes to outreach to help people.
HARRIS: They give out groceries, pay for gas, they've even stormed laundromats where they've doled out quarters for folks to wash their clothes.
D. CLOUD: If anything, what I would hope would be that the Soul Factory would be a place that could reignite their passion to want to be spiritual. To reignite their passion to believe that you can come to church and wear your nose ring, your earring, or your tattoo. God is still going to love you. He's still going to be with you.
HARRIS: Tony Harris, CNN, Atlanta.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
NGUYEN: An interesting take on that, with a very good message there, though. Just come as you are.
HOLMES: Come as you are.
NGUYEN: Well, we are counting down the November elections this morning. Straight ahead, Nicole Lapin shows us how to exercise your political power online.
CNN SUNDAY MORNING continues in just a moment.
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NGUYEN: Well, midterm elections, they're only 16 days away. Have you been counting? The count is on. We're counting, and it should be an interesting one this time around. It's already taking shape online.
Nicole Lapin is here to tell us more about that.
Good morning.
NICOLE LAPIN, CNN PIPELINE ANCHOR: Good morning, Betty.
Well, it should be an interesting one with the Foley scandal on Capitol Hill, the war in Iraq, low poll numbers for President Bush. Election Day should be very interesting. Actually, a recent Associated Press-Pew poll is saying that interest in elections among American voters is at its highest level right now in more than a decade.
At CNN.com, we have a great special for you, "America Votes 2006," and this outlines the important issues, the key races all around the country, so you can read up whether you're a Democrat or a Republican. You can click through different scenarios, what may happen on November 7th, and then you can see the balance of power and how that's going to affect the House, and also the Senate.
And you can read up on those close races. And if you're interested in poll numbers, track those as well.
Go behind the scenes on the campaign trail with our Election Express. We're heading all around the country. And then you can measure where your attitude, your stance is compared to other voters, other folks out there in our community caucus quiz right there.
So you can test yourselves, you can check out all the key races at cnn.com/election. And if you want to keep up with the latest political news, just go to cnn.com/ticker.
NGUYEN: As easy at that. Just 16 days away.
Nicole, thanks.
LAPIN: We're counting down.
NGUYEN: Yes, we are. We know that for sure.
HOLMES: Well, thank you, ma'am. And we're going to take a peek now around the country at some weather happening. We've got a shot of -- of course D.C. there. Which one do you think it is? Does anybody know? Can you guess?
NGUYEN: I would say top right.
HOLMES: Yes. Things are looking good in D.C. right now. And the shot of the Statue of Liberty looks like they are in New York as well.
And still looking at Comerica Park there in Detroit, where Detroit fans not feeling too good this morning. But you've got another shot at it. The St. Louis Cardinals, and of course it's a seven-game series. It will be fine. Things will be fine.
NGUYEN: The eternal optimist, T.J.
HOLMES: Yes.
Well, we've got important health news still to tell you about this morning.
NGUYEN: Yes. You already know fish is good for your heart, right? But are man-made pollutants making it a bad bet for your overall health?
We have the fish facts coming up.
Also...
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If anybody recognizes me, knows who I am, please let somebody know.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HOLMES: Do you recognize this man? He sure hopes you do. He says he doesn't remember his own name. And now doctors and police need your help in solving this mystery.
NGUYEN: That straight ahead in our next hour.
You are watching CNN, the most trusted name in news.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Now in the news. A senior U.S. diplomat says it's possible history may show the U.S. displayed arrogance and stupidity in the Iraq war. The state department says Alberto Fernandez was misquoted and misunderstood in the al Jazeera interview. More in a live report is three minutes away.
A deadly gun battle in southern Afghanistan this morning between NATO troops and insurgents. NATO says that 15 suspected militants are dead. The battle broke out after a NATO convoy was ambushed. Two NATO soldiers were wounded in the fighting.
NGUYEN: A search of manholes near the World Trade Center site in New York turns up more human remains. The search was prompted this week by the surprise discovery of dozens of bones in an abandoned manhole.
Well a tragic turn mars a celebration of West Virginia a parachutist at Saturday's Bridge Day Celebration failed to open his chute in time. Thousands witnessed the jump. He, of course, not this person that you see there, thank goodness the person whose chute didn't open up, well, he fell to his death.
HOLMES: Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is expected back in Washington this afternoon. She wrapped up her whirlwind tour of Russia and Asia on Saturday. Rallies support the U.N. sanction on North Korea. She also explored sanction possibilities with Russia over Iran's nuclear program.
Reynolds Wolf of course is keeping an eye on the weather for us. Hello to you again there Reynolds.
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN METEOROLOGIST: Hello, good to see you. Weather is not going to be all that nice in parts of Detroit for this evening for game two of the World Series. Looking at the possibilities of some raindrops and maybe even some snowflakes. As you can imagine the possibility of snowflakes very chilly conditions. But the rest of the country is also going to experience a bit of a cool down.
Mean while out west, some fog, but a little warmer. We'll talk about that coming up in a few moments. Sit tight I'll bring it to you.
HOLMES: All right. I will sit tight. Thanks Reynolds we will see you shortly. We run down the top stories every 15 minutes here on CNN SUNDAY MORNING. With in-depth coverage all morning long. Your next check of the headlines is coming up at 8:15 Eastern.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want my past. I want to know who I was or who I am.
NGUYEN: Can you imagine? A bizarre case of amnesia has one man asking the public who am I? That story coming up in 20 minutes.
HOLMES: From the CNN Center this is CNN SUNDAY MORNING. It's October 22nd 8 a.m. at the CNN Headquarters here in Atlanta, three 3 p.m. in Baghdad. Hello everybody I'm T.J. Holmes.
NGUYEN: Good morning, I'm Betty Nguyen. We want to thank you for being with us today.
Violence in Iraq taking a deadly toll on Iraqi civilians and U.S. troops this month. October is now the deadliest month so far this year for U.S. forces, 78 troops have died including three marines killed yesterday in Anbar Province west of Baghdad. The attacks against Iraqi civilians seem unrelenting. Iraqi authorities say 18 people were killed in an attack on an outdoor market yesterday. Markets are usually crowded as the holy month of Ramadan draws to a close. The body count in Baghdad is growing. Police say they found 17 bullet-riddled bodies scattered around Baghdad neighborhoods yesterday and they're believed to be victims between Sunnis and Shiites.
HOLMES: Sobering comments about the war in Iraq from a senior U.S. diplomat. He says history is likely to judge the U.S. harshly over the war. Details on what he and what officials are saying now as our White House correspondent Elaine Quijano joins us live now.
Good morning to you Elaine.
QUIJANO: Good morning to you, T.J., the senior state department official's name is Alberto Fernandez and while his name probably isn't familiar to most people, what he said is certainly getting some attention because of who he is. He's the spokesman for the State Department's Bureau of Middle East Affairs. Take a listen to what he told al Jazeera in an interview recently.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ALBERTO FERNANDEZ, SPOKESMAN, STATE DEPT. BUREAU OF MIDDLE EAST AFFAIRS (translator): History will decide what role the U.S. played and god willing we try to do our best in Iran, but I think there is a big possibility for extreme criticism and because undoubtedly there was arrogance and stupidity from the United States in Iraq.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
QUIJANO: Now, Fernandez tells our state department producer that he was replying to a question about how people will assess the United States in the future and he said that he thought that was how the country would be judged. He also went on to say that he was defending U.S. policy in a place where frankly, the United States just isn't very popular and he didn't really break any new ground, he felt. Contrast that because you have state department spokesman Sean McCormick saying when he talked to Fernandez about the comments what he was told is that Fernandez claims he was misquoted and that perhaps something might have been lost in translation.
Nevertheless, as those comments came out and the ensuing discussion continues, what we know is that this is a critical time for the Bush administration when it comes to its Iraq policy. It was yesterday in fact that the administration had a strategy session with generals coming to the White House, specifically sources telling CNN, that General John Abizaid the head of U.S. Central Command was summoned here to D.C. to meet with the commander in chief face-to- face.
There was no policy change announcement with the violence in Iraq continuing and a lot of political pressure not just from Democrats but from Republicans as well. On this Bush administration it is very clear, T.J., this is a white house that's taking a serious look at its Iraq option.
T.J.
HOLMES: All right. Elaine Quijano for us in the White House this morning. Thank you so much.
Iraq war and the Americans image around the world will be debated on today's "Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer" among his guests Republican Senator Arlen Specter and Democratic Senator Jack Reid. That begins at 11:00 Eastern.
NGUYEN: Sixteen days and counting as Election Day draws near. The best political team in television looks at the issues facing American voters in a CNN poll taken last week we asked is our system of government broken? Well, look at it, 78 percent of those polled answered yes, just 22 percent say no. Where do Americans find fault? CNN's Joe Johns looks at Congress.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JOE JOHNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Number 10, all pay, and no work. Every member of the House of Representatives makes at least $165,000 a year. So far they've spent only 94 days in session. That's almost $1800 a day. Nice work if you can get it. Nine, what illegal immigrants? Wasn't immigration reform supposed to be about the most important issue this year? And what did they do about it? They voted to build a fence. Eight, what are you wearing? The skanky way Florida Republican Mark Foley is reported to have talked to former congressional pages in electronic messages and when he got caught like a real profiling courage he announced he was gay, abused as a teenager by an unnamed priest, checked into alcohol rehab and left his colleagues to sort out the mess. Seven, oh, say can you thieve. Duke Cunningham the former fighter jock turned jail bird once seemed like a poster child for patriotism until it turned out the California Republican was on the take and getting paid with just about everything, but the stars and stripes.
Six, the booze made me do it. The congressional pilgrimage is to rehab that featured some household names this year including Foley, Ohio Republican Bob Ney and Rhode Island Democrat Patrick Kennedy. People wished them well but were left wondering if rehab wasn't just an easy way out. Five, addicted to pork. The Congress is going to face it, it's addicted to pork. Bridges to nowhere, a museum to honor the folks responsible for the New Orleans levees that failed. Emergency money for non-emergencies and at the end, a record deficit.
Four, the Macaca moment. Senator George Allen of Virginia called a guy of Indian descent who was shadowing him Macaca and then claimed he didn't know what it meant. Well, it means monkey. Three, throwing in the towel. Texas Republican Tom DeLay, he was the house majority leader and got indicted in Texas in a case that was far from watertight, denied wrongdoing and then up and quit. What's up with that? The capitol's tough guys the hammer gave up before fighting it out in court. Two, frostbite. The case of the cold, hard cash. The Feds said they videotaped Louisiana Democrat Bill Jefferson accepting $100,000 and then found 90 grand in his freezer and they're investigating several allegedly shady deals. He hasn't been charged with anything and says he hasn't done anything wrong.
And the winner is number one on the list of dubious accomplishments of the 109th Congress. Jack Abramoff and Bob Ney, the corrupt couple, the lobbyist and the mayor of Capitol Hill, united by guilty pleas, things of value exchanged for official acts, plus a passion for golf, meals, tickets to sporting events and power. Jack is out of the lobbying game, but Ney is still a congressman and still cashing paychecks until his colleagues throw him out. At $1800 a day, who can blame him?
A typical fedora to old Jack, Bob and a session that many would sooner forget.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
NGUYEN: That was Joe Johns reporting, but Jack Cafferty looks at a broken government. That takes place about 15 minutes from now. CNN's correspondent, the best political team in television investigates what's gone wrong with America's government and every night this coming week at 8:00 Eastern, 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday though you can tune in to CNN for a special election report.
HOLMES: And scenes from -- that's what we like to see. Still to come here find out which marine unit is enjoying its first full day back in the states after months in Iraq.
NGUYEN: Hey T.J. you know fish is naturally good for your heart, right?
HOLMES: That's what I'm told.
NGUYEN: But are man-made pollutants making it a bad bet for your overall health? A new study weighs the pros and the cons. We are going to tell you what it says in five minutes.
HOLMES: At the bottom of the hour, keeping your skin as young as it can be.
NGUYEN: Do tell.
HOLMES: "House Call" will tell. Coming up.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HOLMES: Now in the news, a somber statistics 78 U.S. service members killed in Iraq this month that makes October the deadliest month this year for U.S. forces. The latest casualties, three marines killed in fighting yesterday.
Israel defense minister says its air force flight over Lebanon will continue because armed smuggling to Hezbollah guerillas has not stopped. The commander of the U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon says the flights are a clear violation of U.N. resolution, but Israel says it has no choice, but to continue to fly.
Mount St. Helens is putting on bit of a show for us here, the volcano sent out a puff of ash that shot way up into the crystal clear northwest sky. It was triggered by a mild earthquake yesterday.
Voters in Panama may be ready to approve sort of a HOB Lane, if you will, for the Panama Canal. They will vote on the more than $5 billion project that would add a third lane to accommodate so-called mega ships, but right now are too big to fit through the canal.
We run down the top stories for you every 15 minutes here on CNN Sunday Morning with in-depth coverage all morning long. Your next check of the headlines coming up at 8:30 Eastern.
NGUYEN: All right. Just before you have your breakfast, listen up. An important food recall especially if you're making egg salad sandwiches. Egg salad is being recalled and in 17 eastern states. Here's the map of the affected states. The company that made the egg salad says it could contain listeria and that's the product found in before in a spoiled lunchmeat. Now the egg salad is sold under three brand names. Here they are Ballard's, Food City and Value Time all with an expiration date of November 7th. Listeria can be fatal for small children and older people and very harmful for pregnant women.
Pregnant women are being warned about the seafood they eat, both the type and the amount. Senior medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta takes a look at these new guidelines.
DR. SANJAY GUPTA, SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: A new study by the Institute of Medicine found that eating seafood twice a week, can have health benefits including reduced risk of heart disease and development of the brain. Seafood is high in protein, low in saturated fat and loaded with omega-3 fatty acids. But there is a catch. Most fish contain dioxins, tcbs and mercury. Mercury is of particular concern because it's known to appease brain development. That presents a quandary for pregnant women and young children about exactly how much fish to eat.
DR. WILLIAM HOGARTH, NTL. OCEANIC & ATMOSPHERIC ADMIN: We learned that the benefits of cardiovascular health from eating seafood including fish.
GUPTA: The studies says women who could become pregnant and young children can eat up to 12 ounces of seafood a week without being concerned about mercury, six ounces could be canned white tuna although canned white tuna usually contains less mercury. They should avoid fish high in mercury like shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish.
HOGARTH: Those that one serve more than two servings a week should choose a variety of seafood to reduce risk from exposure for contaminents from a single source.
GUPTA: There's also more evidence this week that fish reduces the risk of heart disease. Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health found just eating one to two servings of fish a week reduces the risk of death from heart disease by 36 percent. Bottom line, fish is safe and nutritious, but eat a variety and in moderation.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, reporting.
HOLMES: This man was found wandering the streets of Denver. Now police are asking your help in putting his life back together. Up next, a case of amnesia that has police and doctors stumped.
NGUYEN: Still the to come, what's he best thing you can do for your skin and what is the worse? "House Call" explains how it all depends on your age. That's at the bottom of the hour.
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(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When you come out, Sarah's going to be using weight, but you can come out to a side lunge.
ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): If you want to look great from the rear, side lunges are key in an age-defying glutei workout.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The lunge to effectively work them even harder. Lets do one more.
COHEN: Running stadium stairs are also great for lifting and toning the gluteus. Because the secret to a tight rear end is training the muscles that surround the gluteus maximus.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you truly want to make them age defined when you lounge out for stadium steps you want to keep the back straight and the eyes on the horizon and of course, the 90-degree angle.
COHEN: Lunges and leg presses are great substitutes when stairs aren't available. You can add resistance with a medicine ball. A healthy mix of cardio and weight training incorporating squats, lunges and leg presses can help you achieve great gluteus.
Elizabeth Cohen, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
NGUYEN: You are look at homecoming images from last week, the beauty in these images. Among the men and women once serving in Iraq, but now they're back on U.S. soil, the 109th Field Artillery Unit. The members of the Arkansas National Guard. Welcome home.
HOLMES: Those good times continue this weekend as well in San Diego. This was the scene when 300 marines and sailors returned yesterday after seven months in Iraq. The troops actually might not be home that long. Many could be headed back soon for another tour of duty, but don't want to talk about that right now. They can enjoy some well-deserved time off and some time at home. That's so nice to see. We could see soldiers and those homecomings. We all cover those throughout the years.
NGUYEN: The great thing is seeing children and seeing their moms. Reynolds Wolf joins us now for these homecomings. You can bet we want them to have nice weather. I don't know if Mother Nature will cooperate.
WOLF: If you're searching for heroes look no further than the men and women of our armed forces. They're incredible people. Incredible people.
We're going to take a little bit of a diversion and show you what's happening in the tropics of the west coast of Mexico. We have a disturbance, actually not a depression any longer but a tropical storm, tropical storm Paul with winds at 50 miles per hour moving west at 8 and expected to strengthen by 11 p.m. Monday Pacific Time to a hurricane and then make landfall by 11 p.m. Tuesday. That's if this path holds true, just to the north of Mazaltan, not to far from Guadalajara.
Meanwhile, again World Series weather conditions not really good for this evening in Comerica Park. We're expecting the possibility of not just raindrops but possibly even some snowflake when all is said and done with temperatures above the freezing point. It's cooling off in the higher levels of the atmosphere to give you some of those flurries.
Meanwhile cool conditions could be expected in the Central Plains as well as parts of the southeast and some scattered showers possible for Atlanta, Georgia and into the Carolinas. But take a very quick look at some these high temperatures 72 expected for Memphis today and then the cooler air really is going to be felt as we get into Monday. We'll have more on that coming up later this morning but let's send it back to you at the news desk.
NGUYEN: Thank you, Reynolds.
This is a really interesting story, puzzling, in fact. A man says he just wants his life back. The trouble is he doesn't know what that life is. Police are turning to hypnosis to help this amnesia victim. The man says it all started last month when he found himself outside the World Trade Center in downtown Denver, Colorado. John Bowman from our affiliate KBBR has this puzzling story.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want my past. I want who I was or who I am.
JOHN BOWMAN, KBBR CORRESPONDENT: A man walks down 16th Street, a street in a strange world to him.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I feel totally lost. I feel totally alone, very depressed.
BOWMAN: Maybe it's his first time around.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't fit in anywhere.
BOWMAN: For now we can call him Al.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know who I am. I don't know what kind of a person I am.
BOWMAN: He only remembers being by the World Trade Center picking himself up off the ground.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I didn't know where I was.
BOWMAN: Wandering the Denver Medical Center.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There were no drugs, no alcohol or anything found in my system.
BOWMAN: Al speaks, writes, and has artistic talent.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know if I remember how to drive. I don't know how to cook.
BOWMAN: He may have a connection to New York State and under hypnosis; an April accident to a wife and two kids strikes an emotional cord.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They were killed back in April. A drunk driver hit them and they were all killed.
BOWMAN: Police looking at fatals nationwide but feeling frustrated.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It just makes you want to help him and hope that he can find someone that knows who he is to get him his identity.
BOWMAN: Al just wants to know his name.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If anybody recognizes me and knows who I am please let somebody knows.
NGUYEN: Hopefully we can find some help for him. That was John Bowman reporting from our affiliate KBBR. As police try to help Al, he's being cared for in a mental health facility.
HOLMES: Good luck to him. That is a strange story. If you don't like what's happening in Washington, well, do something about it.
NGUYEN: Jack Cafferty will show you how. Your power doesn't stop at the ballot box, oh, no. Coming up in 30 minutes be sure and watch Jack's special. His report is called "Broken Government."
HOLMES: But first we'll check out this morning's top stories and you might be surprised to hear what a senior state department diplomat said on al Jazeera this weekend.
NGUYEN: And then "House Call" search for the fountain of youth. Tell me when you find it, would you? There are things you can do though right now to fight the aging process.
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