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American Morning
America On The Move: Millions Of Travelers On Thanksgiving Weekend
Aired November 22, 2006 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR, AMERICAN MORNING: President Bush to meet with Iraq's prime minister could signal a new course for American troops in Iraq.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR, AMERICAN MORNING: Three days of mourning, calls for restraint, and fears of a new crisis after the assassination of a cabinet minister in Lebanon.
S. O'BRIEN: Crime victim, one of President Bush's daughters is robbed overseas. We'll tell you what happened.
M. O'BRIEN: And the great escape on the busiest travel day of the year. Snow and sleet slowing down your Thanksgiving getaway in some places on this AMERICAN MORNING.
S. O'BRIEN: Welcome back everybody. Wednesday, November 22, the day before Thanksgiving. I'm Soledad O'Brien.
M. O'BRIEN: And I'm Miles O'Brien. We're glad you're with us. If you're sitting still this morning, there's a good chance it won't be for long. More than 60 million Americans will be on the move today and through the long Thanksgiving weekend. Nine out of 10 of us will be driving. The roads stuffed like a Thanksgiving turkey. And while only five percent are flying the airports will be jammed with barefoot people stuffing hair gel into baggies. The rest, about 3 percent, will take a bus or a train, or a bike or a boat.
Whatever your mode of transportation, though, we have you covered this morning. Take a look at this roster of travel reporters that we have. So listen up before you make a move. We begin at the nation's airports. Check out our flight tracker technology. Right now, not too many airplanes in the sky, about 1,700 or so; at it's peak there will be more than 4,000 of them. Those little blue dots, every one of them is flight.
Take a look, right now, at the FAA site, which gives you an indication of traffic delays if you scroll over, everything has a green dot there. That's good. Those are all the major hubs there. As you scroll over it, you'll get some information on exactly what the delays are at specific airports. Before you leave the airport, before you travel, good place to check out.
There are some new restrictions that make things tricky this year, of course. That is not stopping a lot of people from taking to the skies, of course. CNN's Jonathan Freed live at Chicago's O'Hare with more of what you need to know before you go -- Jonathan. JONATHAN FREED, CNN CORRESPONDENT, AMERICAN MORNING: Good morning, Miles.
It's 6 o'clock in the morning here Chicago time. This place already looks like it does, say, at noon on an average day. It's just going to get busier and more intense today. At its peak, about a quarter of a million people will pass through this airport alone, every day this Thanksgiving week.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is passenger training 101.
FREED (voice over): On an average day at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Liquids, gels, lotions, potions, creams and aerosols must be 3.4 ounces or less.
FREED: Transportation security officers like Tim Wachoiak (ph), are confiscating 4,000 prohibited items per shift as people pass through checkpoints.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All your toothpaste, shampoo, conditioners, shaving cream, mustache wax, hair gel.
FREED: Well, holidays are anything but average traffic days.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mascara, nail polish, lip glosses.
FREED: So, TSA Tim is on high alert for people traveling for the first time since new rules recently went into effect, limiting the amount of liquids and the like you can carry on the plane.
LARA USELDING, TRANSPORTATION SECURITY: These items that have been confiscated at the check point, are not OK in carry-on bags because they don't meet the requirements, but these would have been OK, to be place in checked baggage.
FREED: The trick to avoid having your stuff chucked, remember the 3-1-1 rule.
USELDING: That's three-ounce containers or less, the travel size containers, one quart clear plastic zip top bag, and one per passenger. This must be taken out of your carry on bag and placed into the security bin.
FREED: Close to 25 million people are expected to travel by air this Thanksgiving. Airlines say new technology lets passengers take more control of their trip, even before getting to the airport.
MARY FRANCES FAGAN, AMERICAN AIRLINES: Check in at home, use your computer, print your boarding pass. Check on the status of your flight. Go to the airlines' website and see whatever information you can get. FREED: As for inevitable in-flight delays, the folks giving up their turkey to staff radar screens controlling the skies urge that you not take it personally if you end up late for your holiday plate.
RAY GIBBONS, AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER: There's a very important reason for that holding pattern, or for being placed in that holding pattern, and that's to guarantee the safety and their safety arrival.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where do we place our one quart bag of 3.4- ounce liquids?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In the tray.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: In the tray, very good, thank you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FREED: So, Miles, here we are at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, what we like to think of as the official birthplace of the long line. Patent pending, 4478726 -- back to you.
M. O'BRIEN: All right. Now we know. That's where it comes from. Thank you very much, Jonathan Freed -- Soledad.
S. O'BRIEN: CNN will have all the latest conditions, all day long, continuously running at the side and bottom of the screen, right about there, yes? More or less? We can't see it from here inside the studio. But tune in anytime if you want up-to-date travel and weather conditions from coast-to-coast. We'll have it right here for you at CNN.
Americans, of course, began hitting the road today. AAA is estimating that more than 37 million people are going to drive at least 50 miles from home, along the more than 2,500 miles of Interstate 40, troopers will be making a special effort to make sure your ride is safe. That's another way of putting, pulling you over if you're speeding. Ed Lavandera is live in Knoxville, Tennessee this morning.
Hey, Ed, good morning.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT, AMERICAN MORNING: Good morning, Soledad.
Things looking rather quiet here this morning. But this unique approach that state troopers across the country are taking to ensure that Interstate 40 becomes one of the safest roadways this holiday season. That means, if you like to speed, this is the road you want to stay away from.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
LAVANDERA (voice over): Interstate 40 ends, or starts, depending on your perspective, in Barstow, California, 2,554 miles to the east, cutting through eight states, I-40 reaches Wilmington, North Carolina. No other cross-country interstate will be watched like I-40 this Thanksgiving holiday.
LT. PETE NORWOOD, OKLAHOMA HIGHWAY PATROL: Getting the word out. Letting them know, hey, this is your warning. We're going to be on I- 40.
LAVANDERA: Oklahoma state trooper, Lieutenant Pete Norwood, helped organize a multi-state patrol that will post state troopers every 10 miles along this interstate.
NORWOOD: And that's all the way across I-40, from sea to shining sea.
LAVANDERA (on camera): What authorities are most concerned about this holiday weekend, of course, are people who drive drunk and at high speeds. They're hoping by staggering troopers every 10 miles along the interstate, that that will encourage people to be on their best behavior.
(Voice over): And 458 people died in highway accidents last Thanksgiving weekend, more than half of those were not wearing seatbelts.
NORWOOD: If everybody drove right, there'd be no accidents. If everybody abided by the law there would never be an accident, and that's what we're trying to do here.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I like to speed a little myself, but I want to see more people alive this year.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To reduce the cost of lives, I don't think it's that extreme.
LAVANDERA: AAA estimates almost 32 million Americans will be taking to the roads this weekend. The national average on gas prices is $2.23 a gallon, about 80 cents cheaper than this past summer. That kind of statistic makes drivers thankful.
MIKE PINA, AMERICAN AUTOMOBILE ASSN.: People are more likely to put up with congested roads and gas, and whatever hassles are necessary, because they're determined to see their friends and family this time of the year.
LAVANDERA: And with millions of Americans determined to see their families, for those traveling on I-40, what you save in gas money might easily be lost to speeding tickets.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No tickets, not so far. Hopefully, I won't get none.
NORWOOD: Spend your money on a turkey, not on the fine.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LAVANDERA: The patrols won't just be focused on the ground, but we're also told the various agencies across Interstate 40, the eight states this interstate crosses through, will also have air patrols over this interstate, making sure everyone arrives where they need to, safely -- Soledad.
S. O'BRIEN: Ed Lavandera, for us this morning. Thank you, Ed.
Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: Fewer than 1 percent of those traveling this weekend will take to the rails. We are car crazy, after all. But Amtrak riders will still feel like sardines in a can. CNN Sr. Correspondent Allan Chernoff went inside Amtrak's command center. He joins us now from Penn Station in New York City.
Allan, good morning.
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN SR. CORRESPONDENT, AMERICAN MORNING: Good morning to you, Miles.
You know, you can avoid feeling like a sardine. How? Well, get on board right now. In fact, the train to Charlotte is just about to board at the moment. These early birds are avoiding not only the Thanksgiving rush, but also the traffic on the roads by getting on the train.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CHERNOFF (voice over): Amtrak locomotive Engineer Paul Schirf is hoping for good Thanksgiving weather, especially since the forecast calls for a chance of rain Thursday in the Northeast.
(On camera): How would severe weather affect the rails?
PAUL SCHIRF, AMTRAK LOCOMOTIVE ENGINEER: It can take out the signal system. Or heavy rain this time of year, you've got leaves on the rail. It affects the traction of the locomotives, makes it harder to get up to speed and maintain track speed.
CHERNOFF: If the weather's good?
SCHIRF: Weather's good, we roll, no problem.
CHERNOFF (voice over): Avoiding problems is the responsibility of Dispatcher Jeffrey Harris.
JEFFREY HARRIS, TRAIN DISPATCHER: GSCC to the conductor, Amtrak 173, we're looking for departure. Over.
CHERNOFF: With trains packed before Thanksgiving, it will be a challenge to keep everything running on time.
HARRIS: The normal rush hour, just Monday through Friday is just a rehearsal, or practice, for the Thanksgiving rush.
CHERNOFF (on camera): The day before Thanksgiving is Amtrak's version of the Super Bowl, its busiest day of the year. The railroad will be adding an extra 16 trains to handle capacity of 125,000 passengers nationwide. (Voice over): Riding the train involves planning. Amtrak requires reservations. In fact, some of the most popular Northeast trains are already sold out.
TOM PYLE, AMTRAK SUPT. OF OPERATIONS: It's too late. We encourage to buy their tickets early, reserve early, to be guaranteed.
CHERNOFF: Then there's the question of arriving on time. In the Northeast where Amtrak reserves the majority of its passengers, performance has been improving. Better than four of every five trains on the Boston-to-Washington route arrives on schedule, thanks to track and other infrastructure fix-ups.
But on long-distance hauls, Amtrak's performance remains abysmal. In fact, if you were thinking of taking the train from San Francisco to eat turkey in Los Angeles, forget it. It's already too late. Only 4 percent of trains on the route arrive on time. Freight lines own the tracks out West, and they're constantly holding up passenger trains so freight can move through.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
CHERNOFF: Here in the Northeast, though, the way to go to Thanksgiving dinner is definitely the train, especially with all the hassles of air travel these days -- Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: All right, Allan Chernoff, thank you.
Soledad.
M. O'BRIEN: Let's get a check of the "Traveler's Forecast" for you. Rob Marciano is at the CNN Weather Center this morning.
(WEATHER REPORT)
S. O'BRIEN: If you need travel tips at your fingertips, go to cnn.com/holiday travel. We set up a special page, you see it right there. It has travel information that is constantly updated throughout the holiday -- Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: The White House this morning announcing a meeting between President Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al-Maliki next week. Suzanne Malveaux at the White House with more.
Good morning, Suzanne.
SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT, AMERICAN MORNING: Good morning, Miles.
Of course, this is a significant development here. The last time that President Bush met with Maliki was that surprise visit in Baghdad. He said he looked at him, in his eyes, and said he trusted him. This is a man he could work with.
Well, since then, both men's leadership has sorely been questioned, in terms of the future here. What is on their agenda is very simple, of course, and namely to increase the training of Iraqi security forces, cracking down on the militia groups, facilitating reconciliation between warring factions in Iraq, as well as establishing how Iraq's neighbors can play a constructive role in moving forward.
Of course, all of this, Miles, comes at a time when there are various reports that are due within a couple weeks, that independent bipartisan commission, with it's report, and an internal investigation, as well, at the Pentagon. A lot of pressure on this president, of course, to turns things around -- Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: Let's shift gears here, Suzanne, and talk about one of the presidential daughters, Barbara Bush, who was in Argentina, supposedly protected by a Secret Service detail, and yet, the victim of a purse snatching. Tells us about that.
MALVEAUX: Law enforcement official tells us that, how it happened, Barbara was with her twin sister Jenna. They were Buenos Aires at the time. She had actually walked away, she was not in close proximity of her bag, of her purse. And that's when it was snatched. Law enforcement official saying that at all times officials had their eyes on her, had their eyes on both daughters, but simply didn't have their eyes on their purse. So a lesson to ladies -- even first daughters got to keep your eye on that bag.
M. O'BRIEN: Keep the handbag nearby. Even the Secret Service -- give it to the Secret Service. They'll probably hold it. Although, they might feel a little funny with that.
Anyway, Suzanne Malveaux, at the White House. Thank you.
(LAUGHTER)
MALVEAUX: Sure, OK.
S. O'BRIEN: A very volatile situation to tell you about this morning in Lebanon. People there are taking to the streets of Beirut to mourn a young cabinet member. He is the latest assassination victim in a country that has been pulled by powerful opposing forces. CNN's Brent Sadler is in Beirut with a report.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRENT SADLER, CNN CORRESPONDENT, AMERICAN MORNING (voice over): The somber aftermath of Lebanon's latest political assassination, the body of young Cabinet Minister Pierre Gemayel is carried through the streets of his Christian ancestral home, outside Beirut.
This time of anguish and sorrow on Lebanon's independence day tears at the emotions of these Gemayel followers, once part of a powerful armed militia in past wars. Ahead of a funeral planned for Thursday, a potential flash point, Lebanon's security forces are now on high alert.
Syria is being openly blamed for the Gemayel murder, as well as the killings of four other leading anti-Syrian politicians and journalists, over the past two years, by many within the anti-Syrian ruling coalition, lead by embattled Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, a charge Syria denies.
(On camera): Politicians from all sides scrambled to contain the fallout from this assassination, urging calm amid fears of an outbreak of brutal violence between Lebanon's sharply divided religious communities that sparked a civil war here, during 1970s and '80s.
(Voice over): Many political leaders here are now worried that Lebanon may be on the brink of being dragged into violent chaos.
Mourners, born after the civil war, say they're helpless in the face of unknown killers stalking their politicians.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We are like all Lebanese. We are very sad. We can't do nothing. We just have to stay, crying and looking for the truth.
SADLER: That search for truth, many Lebanese hope, could emerge from an international tribunal that's being set up to try Syrian- linked suspects to politically motivated assassinations. Brent Sadler, CNN, Beirut.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
M. O'BRIEN: Coming up, how much baggage will you bring to that family reunion around the dinner table? No, not that kind of baggage. Maybe no baggage if you checked it at the airport. We'll tell you why so many bags won't make it to grandma's house.
Plus, beware if you're crossing the border. You better be ready to pack your passport if you're visiting some places where you didn't need one before. We'll tell you where, how and why. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
M. O'BRIEN: Passport? We will need a stinking (ph) passport if we're planning a flight to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda or the Bahamas any time soon. Starting January 23rd, U.S. citizens who fly back from those locations will need a passport to get back in the U.S., unlike the current rules, which allow a driver's license. Rules are still the same for those traveling by road into Canada and Mexico, for now, but mandatory passports for those border crossings are due in 2008.
If you're packing this morning for a flight, you might want to add some extra outfits, maybe some necessities to your carry-on bags. As more and more travelers check their luggage, stands to reason, more and more luggage is getting lost. Here is CNN's Greg Hunter in Philadelphia.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GREG HUNTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT, AMERICAN MORNING (voice over): Going home for the holiday? But getting there may be a stressful experience. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One of the bags, which has mostly everything is not here.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It makes me think about packing things that I'm willing to lose.
HUNTER: With some 2 million passengers expected to fly each day this week, baggage handlers and security screeners are confronting a massive challenge. The airline industry insists it's prepared to handle the extra luggage.
DAVID CASTELVETER, ATA SPOKESPERSON: We're working very hard to make sure Thanksgiving travel is as seamless as possible.
HUNTER (on camera): I'm at Philadelphia International Airport, and waiting for your bag to come off the carousel these days can be kind of worrisome. That's because ever since the TSA put new rules into effect for liquids and gels, people just started checking their bags, and that's created some headaches.
(Voice over): A new Department of Transportation report says more passengers are getting to their destinations without their luggage. Take a look at what happened this summer.
In August, 107,000 more flyers lost their checked bags, than the year before, an average of nearly 14,000 a day. In September, that number increased to more than 183,000, nearly double the number from 2005. Airline consultant Barbara Beyer says the airline should update the technology they use to track lost luggage.
BARBARA BEYER, AIRLINE CONSULTANT: I think it's more or less Neanderthal. You're still relaying very, very heavily on old technologies, you're relaying on paper, you're heavily relying on individual initiative.
HUNTER: Every bag lost cost the airlines a lot of money, but upgrading the technology also carries a big price tag. The airline industry will be under increased scrutiny this season from travelers taking their gripes global on the popular video sharing web site, YouTube.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: After sending numerous letters --
HUNTER: Despite the challenges and the headaches, it's not all bad news. All but 1 percent of lost luggage makes it back to its owner. Greg Hunter, CNN, Philadelphia.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
S. O'BRIEN: Ahead this morning, we're "Minding Your Business". U.S. Airways explains why its takeover big for Delta is a good deal for everybody. Another airline says it's open to a merger. Details in a moment. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BUSINESS HEADLINES)
M. O'BRIEN: A tense summit. President Bush to meet with Iraq's prime minister. What it could mean for U.S. troops on the ground.
S. O'BRIEN: She was robbed: One of the Bush twins with Secret Service nearby, becomes a crime victim. We'll tell you how it happened.
M. O'BRIEN: And getaway day, snow and sleet slowing down the holiday getaway in some parts of the south. The forecast for your drive or flight on this AMERICAN MORNING.
S. O'BRIEN: Welcome back, everybody, Wednesday, November 22nd, the day before Thanksgiving. I'm Soledad O'Brien.
M. O'BRIEN: And I'm Miles O'Brien. If you're sitting still this morning, there's a good chance it won't be for long. More than 60 million Americans will be on the move today and all through the long Thanksgiving weekend, including our correspondents. They are at the ready all around the country. Nine out of 10 Americans will be on the roads. They'll be Stuffed like a Thanksgiving turkey. And while only five percent are flying, the airports will be jammed with folks waiting in those security lines.
Not to worry, we have you covered. Let's take a look at the airports first of all. Take a look, first of all, at our flight tracker animation capability. That's Atlanta Hartsfield Airport. You see the planes coming in, stacked up like a train there as they make their way in there.
Take a look at the FAA site, which actually monitors delays at specific airports. And if you look, everything is in green. There's a green dot on every place.
If we could scroll that up a little bit, Rebecca.
It's set for Philadelphia right now. Philadelphia reporting bad weather, windy, low clouds and delays of an hour and 17 minutes there. So we're watching all of that for you.
Let's get back to Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson, world's busiest airport.
CNN's Reynolds Wolf is just outside the airport.
How's it looking there, Reynolds?
REYNOLDS WOLF, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It is looking very busy. We've been here since 5:00 this morning. And I mean, it's really began to pile up. They're expecting 1.7 million people to come through this airport during the Thanksgiving holiday, including families like the Guttenstein (ph) family.
Good morning. How are you doin?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good morning! Good morning, Atlanta. Everybody say good morning.
CROWD: Hi!
WOLF: What time did morning start for this family.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: About 5:00 a.m.?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I was up at 4:30.
(CROSSTALK)
WOLF: Where exactly are we headed today?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Richard, New Jersey to see my grandparents.
WOLF: To see your grandparents.
What's the best thing grandma makes? What are you looking forward to eating when you get there?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The stuffing. The stuffing!
Can we all get a vote for stuffing? Yay! stuffing.
WOLF: What time is your flight this morning?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 9:20.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 9:20.
WOLF: 9:20. A very wise thing to do, they're recommending you get at least two hours. If you happen to have a large family, like the Guttenstein family they're saying at least three hours. Domestic flights, at least four. It's going to really stack up. They're saying you need to go in there with a nice smile on your face, you have to be patient, and you better expect long lines, not only the ticket counter, but the same time also through security. That's a given.
Happy Thanksgiving to you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you so much. Happy Thanksgiving. Good morning, everybody, Atlanta. Get out. It's beautiful out here.
WOLF: Atlanta and beyond.
Back to you, Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: They seem so happy. It's obviously early in the travel trek, isn't it, Reynolds? Thanks very much -- Soledad.
S. O'BRIEN: And CNN, of course, going to bring you all the latest conditions. Screen is going to be squeezed back to allow information to run. You see that right there, the side, the bottom of the screen, like this, huh? You can tune in any time for updated travel and weather conditions from coast to coast. Not just Atlanta, but coast to coast.
Americans of course begin hitting the road today. AAA is estimating that more than 37 million people will drive at least 50 miles from home.
Now along the more than 2,500 miles of Interstate 40, troopers will be making what they're calling a special effort to make sure your safe. Other people are calling that handing out tickets to people who are speeding.
Let's get right to CNN's Ed Lavandera. He's along I-40 in in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Good morning to you, Ed.
ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Soledad.
Well, whatever you call what's happening today on Interstate 40, the troopers involved in that effort say that they hope that what they're doing is going a long way to saving lives. Almost 460 people died in U.S. highway accidents last year on the Thanksgiving holiday weekend alone.
So the idea here on Interstate 40 is to stagger troopers across eight states every 10 miles. Do the math on that. That's about 250 troopers that will be staggered every 10 miles along this interstate from Barstow, California to Wilmington, North Carolina. This will be an interstate where virtually everything you do is closely monitored. And the officers say that will be on the lookout for anything that drivers do wrong, and that includes busted taillights, speeding, not wearing your seatbelts, anything that stands out. Troopers say they will have a no-tolerance policy this weekend on interstate 406. So if your travels take you this way, beware.
S. O'BRIEN: Consider yourself warned is what you're saying. Ed Lavandera for us this morning. Thank you, Ed -- Miles.
M. O'BRIEN: Across the country, not many people will be riding on trains this weekend. In fact, it accounts for fewer than one percent of the holiday travel. But in the Northeast, it's a different story. It is priority means of transport this time of year.
CNN's senior correspponent Allan Chernoff was inside Amtrak's command center. He joins us now from penn station in New York City.
Allan, good morning.
ALLAN CHERNOFF, CNN SR. CORRESPONDENT: Good morning to you, Miles.
You know, this is actually the busiest day of the year for Amtrak. They're expecting 125,000 people to be riding the rails, and that's 80 percent more than on an average day. What it means many trains are already pretty much sold out. If you want to head up to boston at the 8:00 train, well, all they have are first class seats. If you'd like to head to New Orleans, forget it, that train is already sold out. Of course, there's always the option if you're on one of those long-haul trains of having your Thanksgiving dinner right onboard the train. Amtrak expects to serve 7.5 tons of turkey this Thanksgiving week, 22,000 servings of cranberry sauce.
Miles, there's a unique idea for Thanksgiving.
M. O'BRIEN: How is the food on the trains, Allan?
CHERNOFF: It's not all that bad, not bad. Maybe not gourmet, but it'll do.
M. O'BRIEN: It's not home made cranberry sauce, though, I'll bet.
CHERNOFF: Not like mom's.
M. O'BRIEN: Never like mom. Good answer. You did good. Allan Chernoff, thank you -- Soledad.
S. O'BRIEN: It's pretty good actually. I've eaten that meal a few times. Not so bad.
M. O'BRIEN: You had a nice long Amtrak ride.
S. O'BRIEN: I did actually. Then they closed down the (INAUDIBLE). That's another story.
(WEATHER REPORT)
(NEWSBREAK)
M. O'BRIEN: Coming up, what goes together better than turkey, family and politics? You might as well throw a little religion in there. Well, things are gonig to be different this year. A look at the dinner table divide.
Plus, out of this world, a new kind of space shot could make some history. A little later today, we'll tell you about that.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(NEWSBREAK)
S. O'BRIEN Also if you're the chef in the family, tomorrow morning at this time you're going to be in the kitchen. We want to hear from you. E-mail us your cooking questions, dilemmas, et cetera, et cetera. Go right to turkey@CNN.com. We don't have all the answers. We're going to be checking in, though, with the experts at the Butterball hotline.
Also, ahead this morn ing, another update on what you can expect on the roads, and teh rails and at the airports.
And we'll show you the shot that was heard around the world, maybe seen around the world, this world and outspace, too. Golf makes history. Space makes history. All ahead on this AMERICAN MORNING. We're back in just a moment.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
M. O'BRIEN: Mikael Tourin (ph) is a Russian cosminot who doensn't know borscht about gold. No worries. In a few hours, he will likely swing the six iron, one-handed, and launch a shot Tiger Woods could only dream of.
Ryan Chilcote with our story from Moscow.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
RYAN CHILCOTE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In an exclusive interview from space, Mikael Tourin assured us he's up to the task.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have our training here every day. And up to the event our skills level should be in good position, good condition.
CHILCOTE: Tourin has come a long way as a golfer.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What we want to do with your golf is find out, first, have you had any experience at golf at all?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can say for sure, no experience at all.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK.
CHILCOTE: Two instructors egged Tourin along, even when it wasn't looking good.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: That was so good, Rick, but just a different radius, OK?
CHILCOTE (on camera): Training on the golf course and in simulators like this one is a good way to improve your game if you're playing here on Earth, but in order to approve his cosmic drive, Tourin took his game to the closets thing he could find to space.
(voice-over): Astronauts train for a space walks in the pool, so why not golf shots? The bulky spacesuit clearly doesn't help.
by one estimate, Tourin's ball will travel 1.5 trillion yards before it burns up in the Earth's atmosphere. Just in case he has a bad day and dings the station, no worries. The ball only weighs about three grams. Allen Shepherd used a real ball when he attempted the only other golf-in-space shot 35 years ago. Russia's commercial space stunts have horrified their partners at nas NASA, but Russians say they need the cash, and NASA should get in the swing.
Ryan Chilcote, CNN, Moscow.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
M. O'BRIEN: I know you have a lot of questions about this. For example, how do they do the tee in space. Well, this is the tee. This is a space tee. It's kind of a little nylon spring deal. Here's the ball painted gold so they can see it more easily as it goes. You kind of clip it in that tee thing, and this thing goes down here on a ladder kind of thing. There's a ladder on the outside of the station.
All right, can't get the darned thing. There.
All right, pretend that's on the ladder. All right, now, let me have the golf club. This is an E-21 golfer, a Canadian company, and they spent high six figures, maybe low seven figures for this. He'll do it one handed, because he's in that bulky space suit, but you just go like this.
May I have a mulligan, please. Thank you.
I'm very sorry.
S. O'BRIEN: Did you break something?
M. O'BRIEN: I think I might have. I've got to go talk to the neighbors about this, yes.
S. O'BRIEN: You did. Oh!
M. O'BRIEN: Didn't mean to do that.
S. O'BRIEN: How much did that set cost? Is that a brand new set? How much will that cost you?
M. O'BRIEN: I don't know. I'm in deep trouble now though.
S. O'BRIEN: Moving on, shall we?
Ahead this morning, we'll tell you about a couple of bank employees who got in some legal trouble by doing their best impression of U2. We'll "Minding Your Business" straight ahead with that story.
Stay with us.
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